FoundationHighlights

Quarter ThreeOctober to December 2014

Welcome to our first newsletter. It provides

you with a flavour of the Foundation’s work

over the current quarter.

The Foundation are the Charitable arm of

Town and Country Housing Group and work

towards making a positive difference to

individual, family and community life. It was

established in January 2007 and has a team

of six officers and freelance staff. We focus

predicting and responding to social needs.

So we ‘incubate’ projects and initiatives and

are striving to create a legacy of sustainable

projects across Kent.

Our aspirations are to create communities that

have these defining characteristics :

• Enhanced wellbeing and aspirations

• Community cohesion and safety

• Greater financial security / stability and

prosperity

• Increased influence over services that

impact on quality everyday life

• Sustainability – environmental, social,

economic

• Choice, control and independence

• Sense of place and belonging

• Integrated and cohesive communities

Introducing Town and Country FoundationCreating Places Where People Prosper

All our projects link to the following themes:

l Learning, Skills, Employment & Enterprise

l Health & Wellbeing

l Local Services, Community Facilities /

assets / housing

l Environment Enhancements.

The Foundation works with a wide number

of corporate partners and acts as a catalyst

for positive changes. If you want to join us,

corporate supporters are invited to support

the Foundations projects with volunteer time,

in kind donations or financial donations. They

are offered various benefits including a yearly

networking event to meet our other supporters

and logos present on marketing materials

of the supported project. Sponsorship of a

event, mentoring a young person or training

in useful skills such as IT or marketing are

all examples of ways supporters may be

involved. With Bronze, Silver or Gold levels

of supporters, corporates are encouraged to

develop their support.

Call us on 01892 501644 or email

Foundation@tchg.org.uk

Two Worlds is a project created

and conceived by the Foundation,

with the aim of supporting

veterans through their journey

from Service to Civvy Street. Working with

local veterans and artists, the project included

three exhibitions which were created to

improve public understanding of the transition

a veteran goes through. The final exhibition,

Legacy commemorated and explored

conflict throughout the last hundred years

through personal memories and objects,

collected from members of the community.

The exhibition included heirlooms and

memories passed down through generations,

discovered, lost and found. Some items came

with a story told by the owners personal

experience.

The Legacy Exhibition launch was well attended with over 140 people coming on the

night. The exhibition received media attention including local TV news, printed and

online media gaining over 75k of exposure during the life of the project.

Two Worlds Final Exhibition Legacy

Project SummaryThe project has moved on since

the first exhibition in January

2013. CLICK HERE to read the

key positive changes

Love Where We Live Awards is

sponsored by Town and Country

Housing Group and the Foundation

encouraged our associated projects

to enter the awards.

The awards recognised those doing great

things in their community by awarding

certificates and prizes (including grants)

to community groups, projects, charities

and individuals within Tunbridge wells and

surrounding areas. This years winners

include DAVSS, a charity created and

conceived by the Foundation (winner of

Best Group, pictured bottom left) and Grays

Tea Room which the Foundation supported

with seed corn funding, advice and support

during their development. (Winner of Ethical

Business, pictured bottom right).

Other winners, including the Good Neighbour

project, Polly from Pickering Cancer Trust,

Mindwell Disability Arts Group, The Cyber

Café and Rosie Alston from West Kent

YMCA, were all projects supported by Town &

Country Group Foundation.

Love Where You Live Awards 2014

All the winners of the Love Where You Live Awards

DAVSS, ‘Love Where You Live’ overall winner and winner of Community Safety Award

Grays Tea Room, Winner of Ethical Business.Charity of the Year Award

Polly won the Lifetime Achievement Award

All the finalists of the Love Where You Live Awards

Foundation and Customer Engagement hold a minimum of two Pop Ups per quarter,

one in East and one in West Kent. We use Pop Ups to consultant informally on a range

of service priorities, from holding a stand at a Community Fun Day to creating our own

events. Since April 2014 these Pop Up events have involved over 3,000 participants.

Christmas on a budget

Pop Ups - Quarter three

This quarter we focused on saving

money at Christmas time, including

crafts, a hand out guide to saving

money and where possible, a

member of the Money Support

Team was on hand to give advice.

Events are attended by partners

such as the Citizens Advice Bureau,

Community Safety, Police, Schools,

Children Centres and Fire Service.

Pictured is the first of our Christmas

Pop Ups which took place at Priory

Fields School, Dover and was

attended by more than 20 local

residents. An additional Pop Up

took place in Thanet on

22 November.

Foundation and Customer Engagement held

a 1950s themed afternoon tea party with live

band ‘The Dad Pack’ and cakes. This engaged

residents, reduced isolation and improved

awareness of the Foundation, the work we do

and of the engagement opportunities available

to our sheltered residents.

Simmonds Court Pop Up

First East Kent winner, 18 year old Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith and

finalist and judges

including our own

Bob Heapy, an East

Kent judge.

The launch of YST in West Kent in November. The second East Kent launch took place on 24 November.

Young Start-Up Talent (YST) is an

entrepreneurial initiative that helps young

people into business, including a £50,000

prize made up of support and advice in

getting their business off the ground. Town

and Country Housing Group are sponsoring

the West Kent region competition for three

years, while the Foundation offers support

including staff time for one day a week.

Foundation supported YST in branching out

into East Kent. In November YST launched

in East Kent for the second year. YST

reaches 60,000 young people a year and

runs inspiring and interactive workshops.

Dover Kent Wildlife Trust

Workshop

The Foundation worked with

Kent Wildlife Trust in October

to clear the woods next to the

nature reserve at Old Park.

Lots of families attended,

including volunteers from

France! Over 120 people

were involved on the day.

Kent Wildlife Trust focused

on clearing the scrub from

the area to restore the

chalk grassland. The chalk

grassland is a rare habitat

and the work being done

will benefit wildlife as well as

provide an outdoor space for

the community.

WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS

Customer Service Week

During this week at TCHG

included a variety of

customer Service activities.

Foundation supported a

Kent High Weald Partnership

(KHWP) workshop clearing

rhododendron by Sherwood

lakes, with eight staff

volunteering time. This

supported the KHWP and

their staff, volunteers and

community members in their

efforts to make the woods

and lake more useable.

Alan from IT getting stuck in!

Folkestone Jobs Fair

In partnership with JobCentre

Plus, we engaged with more

than 30 direct participants

offering and consulting on

what future training could

be provided to jobseekers,

including residents.

Dover JobCentre Plus

We spent time at Dover

JobCentre Plus engaging

with Employment Support

Allowance clients informing

them of training opportunities

and consulting on finding out

what projects and training they

would like to see in the area.

at Old ParkSaturday 6th December

12noon - 2pm

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@tandchousing

Making your views count!

www.facebook.com/townandcountryhousing

Come along and join us forFree Christmas craft fun

for all the familyFree Santa’s grotto, Free Party games, Free Lunch and refreshments Free Family photo

To reserve your placePlease call Sara on 07545 207 038

Festive Party

With our partners from “Troubled Families’ and local children. Over 150 attended.

Foundation sponsors Mosaic Cookery Classes who

work in partnership with Nourish Community Foodbank,

local volunteers and local churches.

There has been such a high demand for these courses

that they are running for a second time and will be

supported as an on-going training resource.

Training conceived and created by the Foundation

Results this quarter:

6 residents into jobs

14 residents into volunteers

35 residents gaining

qualificiations.

Other events & dates for your diary

All through December Art Trail ‘Artists Unveiled’ Through Tunbridge Wells

Recent events:6 December Pop Up Eastbourne - Fishermens Club

8 December Pop Up Brenchley - Grays Café

15 December Pop Up Sheltered - St Stephens Court

16 December Trinity Gallery launch - Sylvie Howitt

Coming up...

13 January ‘New Year, New You’ in partnership with Southern Housing Group - Old Park

15 JanuaryEnergy Awareness - Old Park

22 JanuaryEnergy Awareness training for front line staff.

27 January Energy Awareness - Priory Fields School, Dover

5 FebruaryEnergy Awareness - Old Park

2 - 6 February Pop Up Energy Awareness - Café BLISS, Tunbridge Wells

6 February CREATE Lantern Parade - Tunbridge Wells (workshops throughout January)

17 February DAVSS Conference ‘Men Standing Up Against Domestic Abuse’

17 and 18 February Youth Engagement Days - Old Park

26 FebruaryEnergy Awareness - Old Park

Head Office

Town & Country Housing GroupMonson HouseMonson WayTunbridge WellsKentTN1 1LQ

Foundation01892 501644 or email foundation@tchg.org.uk@tandcfoundationwww.tchg.org.uk