NEWS insideSTORY
20 YEARS OF THE IVY AND JANE CHARITABLE TRUST FUND
This year, the Ivy and Jane Charitable Trust Fund celebrates its 20th anniversary, a wonderful milestone in which over £ 70,000 in grants have been awarded to support young carers across Kent and Medway.
Established in 2005, the Ivy and Jane endowment fund was created as a way to improve the lives of young carers. Since its launch, the fund has supported 242 individuals with 137 organisations including Imago- a countrywide charity supporting over 11,000 carers aged 8-15 who provide care for a parent or sibling with an illness, disability, mental health issue or problem with substance misuse.
REVOLUTIONARY EYEWEAR RETAILER ARRIVES IN DARTFORD
Pop Specs, the UK’ s fastest-growing express eyewear brand, is set to change how Kent buys glasses- fast, stylish, affordable and all in under 20 minutes- after opening a new store in Bluewater Shopping Centre, Dartford.
“ As we mark 20 years of the Ivy and Jane Charitable Trust Fund, we are immensely pleased with the positive impact it has had on the lives of many young carers across Kent and Medway,” said an Ivy and Jane fundholder.“ All aspects of running a fund are managed with great efficiency by the Kent Community Foundation team. They take care of the administration, identify and verify requests from the types of causes we care about and present them for consideration. As endowment fundholders, this means we can focus on the job of giving, knowing that the process is simple, effective and truly making a difference.”
While traditional opticians focus on eye tests followed by days of waiting for prescription lenses, Pop Specs’ revolutionary approach sets it apart from others. Customers walk in, pick a frame and walk out with prescription glasses in less than 20 minutes thanks to in-store lens cutting technology that scans, edges and fits lenses on the spot.
“ It’ s eyewear on your terms,” said founders, Dan and Lina.“ Simple, fast and without the fuss. Success for us is about staying true to our mission- making buying glasses faster, fairer and more fun.”
Since its launch four years ago, Pop Specs has sold over 250,000 pairs of glasses and opened 30 locations across the UK. Looking to the future, Dan and Lina have ambitious goals to scale to over 250 locations, introduce new refraction-only prescription tech and offer under 45-minute delivery- a plan that is poised to redefine what customers expect from eyewear retail.
MAIDSTONE MUSEUM SET TO BRING JAPANESE HERITAGE TO LIFE
Maidstone Museum has been awarded £ 75,000 from the Museum Renewal Fund, a UK government-funded initiative administered by Arts Council England to help civic museums build sustainable income streams and strengthen their resilience.
A key focus of the funding will be The Tōkaidō Way, a new touring and temporary exhibition exploring the historic Japanese route that once connected Edo( modernday Tokyo) to Kyoto. Drawing on the museum’ s renowned Japanese collection, the exhibition will offer a visually rich and immersive journey through art, culture and travel in Edo-period Japan.
The funding will support the development of a new online system that will bring Maidstone Museum’ s collection to a global audience. This digital platform will make artefacts accessible to researchers, educators and the public worldwide, enhancing the museum’ s reach and relevance in the digital age.
Further plans to research into a potential future exhibition about William Alexander, the Maidstone-born artist known for his depictions of 18th-century China, can be made possible with the support of this funding.
Councillor Stephen Thompson, said:“ It’ s not just about preserving history, it’ s about sharing it widely and laying the groundwork for future exhibitions that celebrate our heritage.”
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