NEWS insideSTORY cont ..
THE KENT CHARITY AWARDS ANNOUNCE THE BEST CHILDREN ’ S CHARITY 2024
We Are Beams , a local children ’ s charity based in Hextable , were awarded the Children ’ s Award 2024 at the Kent Charity Awards . Hosted at the Corn Exchange in Rochester , the awards celebrate the remarkable achievements and incredible work happening within Kent ’ s charity sector each year .
CHATHAM RACING DRIVER RETURNS TO THE TRACK WITH PODIUM SUCCESS
We Are Beams is a local charity that provides comprehensive support services to disabled young people aged 4 - 19 years and their families in Kent and Medway . Established by a group of parents in 1996 , We Are Beams currently supports 450 members living with any form of physical , learning or sensory impairment such as Down ’ s syndrome , cerebral palsy or severe ADHD . Katrina Adams , CEO and head of the charity , said : “ We are delighted and humbled that the judges thought that We Are Beams deserved to win this award . My team is amazing and works so hard to make the lives of disabled children and families so much better .”
THE PORT OF DOVER REGATTA 2024 RAISES £ 10,000 FOR TWO LOCAL CHARITIES
32-year-old Dom Shore from Chatham has returned to the race track , securing his first ever silverware in the Britcar Trophy Championship . Team BRIT is the world ’ s only competitive team of all-disabled racing drivers and on Sunday 11 August , Dom and his teammate Caleb McDuff took part in round five of the championship at Donington Park Circuit .
Earlier this year , Caleb became the first ever deaf driver to make the Britcar podium , and this was Dom ’ s first time back on the track since the start of the season after picking up an injury in the opening rounds . Dom was born with spina bifida and has hydrocephalus alongside paralysis from the knee down , so uses hand control technology to compete with able-bodied drivers on the track . “ I ’ m just ecstatic to come back from injury , get back behind the wheel and to get my first victory with Caleb ,” Dom said . “ It ’ s been tough being away for so long , so to get a result like this after so long away from racing is just brilliant . I can ’ t wait to race again .”
In its 12th year , Dover ’ s biggest annual event attracted thousands of families to the waterfront once again , with proceeds being shared between Dover Lifeguard Club and Pegasus Playscheme . Around 9,000 people flocked to the coast from across Kent and beyond to experience one of the highlights of summer on England ’ s South East coast : the Dover Regatta . The regatta brought activities , stalls and demonstrations for the community to immerse themselves in the best of Dover ’ s local culture and history . Most exciting of all , their annual Dragon Boat Race was the biggest one yet .
Diederik Smet , placemaking , events and partnerships manager at the Port of Dover , said : “ We are delighted to have put on another brilliant regatta and thank everybody for coming along to support the community and local businesses , while helping to raise important funds for our two chosen charities . My huge thanks go to our sponsors : Fred Olsen Cruise Lines , DFDS and Perrys , and the organisations that worked with us to provide great memories for the whole family . Here ’ s to 2025 !” www . insidekent . co . uk • 183