News – 11-09-06
COMPAID ‘This Is Me’ Exhibition, 24 June to 2 July
To celebrate the artistic talents of COMPAID’s Activity Centre clients,
and to mark the start of the charity’s 21st year helping disabled adults,
the ‘This Is Me’ exhibition presented both new and existing work
by 27 established and first time artists. The artwork, created using computers
and Corel software, followed the theme of the title, allowing for the widest
possible interpretation including portraits, landscapes, poems and abstract
subjects.
The Deputy Mayor of Tunbridge Wells, Councillor Barbara Cobbold, opened the exhibition and throughout the week the numbers of visitors, their comments in the Visitor’s Book, and their generous donations, more than justified the choice of venue and the trouble taken to mount and hang the artwork. Thanks are due to the Big Lottery ‘Awards for All’ programme and the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council - Royal Tunbridge Wells 400 project for grants towards the cost of creating and mounting the exhibition and to Rosie Davis (artist in residence), staff and volunteers whose contributions helped the exhibition to a successful conclusion.
Three Peaks Challenge
Jacqui Hicks from Brighton represented COMPAID Trust in this year’s Three
Peaks Challenge. Starting at the foot of Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales,
at one minute past midnight on Saturday 17th June, Jacqui completed the challenge
in a downpour of rain on Ben Nevis at 11 o’clock Sunday morning. Despite
the weather Jacqui was in good heart at the finish, more so after she received
an outsized bar of chocolate from COMPAID fundraiser, Barry O’Sullivan.
Jacqui raised £706 for COMPAID Trust and we send grateful thanks for all
her efforts from everyone at COMPAID.
Nizels Golf Club, Sevenoaks Weald
In October 2005 COMPAID Trust was chosen by the incoming Captains of Golf at
Nizels, Bobbi Ramsammy and Mike Griffin, as their Charity of the Year. The Ladies’
Captain Tournament was held on 16th August and the Men’s Captain Tournament
on 2nd September - two days of golf separated by the widest possible difference
in weather, the ladies enjoying a perfect summer’s day and the men contending
with showers of rain, mist and windy weather. Despite all climatic variation,
and the hazard of one-too-many Pimms from the tenth tee hospitality tent, both
Captains produced a good turn out of teams who proved to be sporting and generous.
Proceeds from the tournaments came to £3,000 and £4,000 respectively.
Fire Station Hog Roast
Tunbridge Wells Fire Station hosted a Hog Roast and Disco for COMPAID Trust
on Friday 23rd June, raising £300 for the charity. The garage, empty of
fire engines, was transformed with drapery into a swish bar and dance floor
and, as you might expect of men used to the effects of fire, the roast was done
to a turn. Thanks to Duncan Keys and the watch members for organising and dedicating
the event to help disabled adults.
Save Our Services Appeal
Since April we have raised £60,000 towards our appeal.
Sincere and heartfelt thanks to all supporters and friends who have contributed.
Donations are still needed, as are any leads or introductions that can help
COMPAID achieve its goal of a new home. Contact Betty Howell or Barry O'Sullivan
at the address shown on this website.
Progress towards finding a new home for COMPAID Trust
When, in April, the Save Our Services Appeal was launched we expected to have
to leave Pembury Hospital, COMPAID’s home for the past 20 years, at the
end of June and although we have been searching for over 12 months for a building
or land that could become a new home our efforts have, so far, proved inconclusive.
COMPAID Trust Chief Executive, Betty Howell, has followed up every lead and
suggestion and remains confident that COMPAID will survive, however all the
indications are that the charity will have to remove from the site by the beginning
of the new year.
Betty says; ‘We are aware that no-one owes us a living, but I am sure that as soon as we find a site we will receive all the help and support we need, not only local institutions and bodies but also from Trusts and Foundations and the public. COMPAID Trust is a going concern; in fact, aside from the Save Our Service appeal we have had one of our most successful years in terms of fundraising and publicity. All we need now for our appeal to really get going is a plot of land or a suitable building’.
Pembury Hospital Re-development Update - 11 September 2006
The Minister for Health, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt MP. has yet to announce
her decision on the contract for the new £300,000 Public Finance Initiative
(PFI) funded hospital at Pembury. Local sources suggest that preliminary work
on the hospital site could start as soon as December 2006. COMPAID’s Trustees
will discuss the situation at the Annual General Meeting on 20 September.
Alan Willet Foundation
At a ceremony held at Sissinghurst Park the Chairman of the Alan Willett Foundation
Chairman, Peter Hardy, presented COMPAID Trust with a Certificate of Merit for
its work on behalf of disabled adults. In March COMPAID was awarded a grant
by the Foundation of £1,000.
Nationwide Fun Day
The Nationwide Building Society - East Sussex and Weald Region, held a Fun Day
on Saturday 16th July at Milton Street, a delightful village sheltering under
the South Downs near Eastbourne, Sussex. Over £800 was raised on what
turned out to be yet another day of searing heat in a July that broke previous
weather records. Thanks to all who took part, especially Julia Sinden, Area
Support Assistant, Nationwide East Sussex & Weald, who organised the event
and whose family kindly allowed the event to take place on their property.