Sevenoaks Samaritans is celebrating a very generous donation from the Round Table after helping them stage a record-breaking firework display. Sevenoaks Samaritans have been awarded £5,500 as a thank you to our local volunteers who supported the Torchlit Parade and Firework Display, attracting a record 9,000 participants to the event held at Sevenoaks School in November.
The Sevenoaks Round Table are a group of member volunteers aged between 18-45 who support local charitable causes, including organising fundraising events of which the Firework Display which is one of the groups biggest events of the year. It was important the event met national and local rules regarding restrictions at the time, and the Round Table team were determined to provide a safe and fun environment for families to enjoy the outside activities the event brings. Paul Brine, Chair of Sevenoaks Round Table said “we asked Sevenoaks Samaritans to support us at the event to ensure there was a space for individuals to go if they felt overwhelmed by attendance at a public event, it was also important we recognised the impact restrictions had to mental wellbeing, so having Samaritans in attendance was a great addition to support this event”.
Sevenoaks Samaritans provided over 30 volunteers on the night and a gazebo was placed at the main event and also in the High Street where Samaritans volunteers were ready to provide emotional support to any individuals who may feel overwhelmed or for anyone struggling emotionally.
The kind donation from the proceeds of the event was much needed for the Sevenoaks Samaritans team and the funds will be used to:
- Train further local volunteers to become listeners
- Support our outreach activities in the local community
- Enable our volunteers to answer callers in distress
Kay Turner, Leader of Sevenoaks Samaritans said “it was great working with the Round Table on this event, and the evening provided a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of our newly formed Sevenoaks Hub. We hope to support the Round Table in future years”. Save the date 5th November 2022 for the next event and watch this space for further details…..
If you are interested in supporting the Sevenoaks Samaritans, you can donate HERE, or to find out more about volunteering opportunities contact recruitment@sevenoakssamaritans.org
To find out more about how the Round Table support local charities, you can view their website HERE