Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Actress backs £2m appeal for centre
A £2 million appeal is being launched next month to build a new centre near Canterbury for adults with learning difficulties.
The campaign for the centre in Elham has celebrity backing from actress Pam Ferris, who lives in the village and is to be its patron.
Money raised will be used to create modern, eco-friendly facilities for The Fifth Trust, a charity which supports around 125 people from across east Kent to develop essential life skills and build their confidence.
The charity runs horticulture and creative and academic activities from two wooden buildings at Greenbanks. It also has a garden centre and cafe where clients work.
Fifth Trust general manager Nikki Marley said: “The current facilities are woefully out of date and continuing to make do and mend is not a viable option.”
Now it has planning permission to create four new interconnected “pavilions”, which will cost around £2 million to design, build and equip.
The amenity pavilion will provide the central hub for all activities, including a new shared space that will be used for breaks and meals, as well as special events.
The IT and design pavilion will have two classrooms and toilet and there will also be pavilions for art and horticulture.
The charity has about £100,000 to kickstart the project, but will also be applying for lottery and other grants.
Nikki added: “We provide a safe, dignified and fulfilling experience for our students, but we want to do an even better job.
“The project will deliver a much-improved and sustainable facility that reflects best practice in the operation of learning environments for adults with learning and physical difficulties.
“It will also enable us to increase our student numbers by at least 20% and to provide better support for adults with dementia, helping them to enjoy healthier, happier and more fulfilled lives.”
Actress Pam is well known for her TV roles in The Darling Buds of May, Rosemary and Thyme and Call the Midwife. She has also appeared in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men and Matilda.
She said: “I’m lucky to have the garden centre and tea rooms as part of my community.
“They are great places for anyone to visit, but the more I learn about their underlying purpose, the more I want to help.”
Pam will officially launch the appeal at a invitation-only event at the Fifth Trust’s Elham Valley Vineyard at midday on Friday, September 9.