Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Charities honoured for outstanding work
Awards for supporting homeless and disabled
Two charities in the district have been recognised for their outstanding work.
Catching Lives in Canterbury and the Strode Park Foundation in Herne were both honoured at the Kent Charity Awards on Thursday.
Based in Station Road East, Canterbury, homelessness charity Catching Lives won the community and environment award for the second year running.
General manager Terry Gore said: “It’s reward for all the hard work people do here, including our many volunteers.
“In the last 12 months we have seen a big increase in footfall in the number of people using our centre and have been working with the city council on the issue of entrenched rough sleepers.
“This year we will be renewing our fundraising efforts because we don’t have the professional fundraising operations of some other charities.
“But we do still get a lot of support from the local community, for which we are grateful.”
The Strode Park Foundation supports children and adults with disabilities and won the care charity of the year category.
Chief executive Paul Montgomery said: “We were honoured to be in the company of so many fantastic charities.
“Winning the award means a great deal to us and reflects the dedication of volunteers, the skills and compassion of our carers and the fortitude and determination of all the people with disabilities who use our services and play such a vibrant role in the local community.
“We are particularly proud to have won this award in our 70th anniversary year.”
Medway- based Abigail’s Footsteps – a group providing support for families grieving stillborn births – secured the overall title of Kent Charity of the Year.