Sporting stars including Charlotte Evans MBE, James Tredwell, Darren Stevens, Ashley Jackson, and Ben Smith joined the Kent Sports Trust Foundation for its 2016 gala dinner in Ashford.
On Saturday evening, Kent Sports Trust Foundation CEO Steve Wolfe welcomed 200 guests from around the county and beyond to the QHotels Ashford International for a prestigious gala fundraising dinner.
Among the distinguished attendees at the Advance FM-sponsored 2016 Kent Sports Trust Foundation gala ball were a number of the foundation’s fantastic ambassadorial team, including Winter Paralympic skiing gold medal winner Charlotte Evans MBE, England spinner James Tredwell, Kent Cricket all-rounder Darren Stevens, Team GB hockey player Ashley Jackson, and The 401 Challenge’s Ben Smith.
For Evans, it’s been great to support a local charity helping everyone participate in sport:
“I’m proud to be an ambassador for the Kent Sports Trust Foundation as we work with the local community to get more people active.”
“Going into schools and working on projects that sees people of every age and ability given chances is something I’m passionate about and I’m determined we change lives through sport.”
The Kent Sports Trust Foundation’s ambassadors and CEO were joined and supported at this inaugural gala dinner by the foundation’s chairman, Paul Daniels, and board of trustee Angie Sandys.
During the evening, guests at the QHotels Ashford International raised over £14,500 and were able to discover more about the Kent Sports Trust Foundation’s objectives, and learnt of some inspiring showcase events in the foundation’s diary for 2017.
First off, Wolfe revealed that the Kent Sports Trust Foundation would be launching its exciting 5K a Day challenge in January, in which fundraisers complete 5km of exercise every day for 365 consecutive days.
Having been so well supported, CEO, Steve Wolfe, was pleased with how the event had gone:
“It was fantastic to be supported by so many local companies in what was a truly incredible inaugural gala ball.”
“We’re passionate as a team about getting more people active in Kent and events such as these will enable us to do that.”
To the delight of many in the room, Kent Sports Trust Foundation patron and Help for Heroes fundraiser Steve Craddock then officially announced that the Tour de Kent would be returning next summer as a 3-day cycling event around the Garden of England in aid of the Kent Sports Trust Foundation, Help for Heroes, and CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).
Having announced the launch of the Tour de Kent, Craddock has urged everyone to get involved:
“I’m excited about the return of the Tour de Kent in 2017. We will take in some of the most picturesque parts of the county over the three days in July.”
“The main aim of the Tour de Kent is to create an event that is accessible for all, fun but challenging, and we raise some money for three fantastic charities.”
Prior to Craddock’s announcement, Sky Sports’s David Fulton presented Kent Sports Trust Foundation ambassador Smith on stage with a special award in recognition of recently completing his 401 Challenge.
The Kent Sports Trust Foundation was delighted to welcome many sports associations, sports clubs, community organisations, businesses, and supporters to the QHotels Ashford International, including representatives from Medway Sport, Flip Out Chatham, K Sports, Invicta Dynamos, Maidstone R.C., Cyclopark, Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Nike, White Associates, Santander, Thomson Snell & Passmore, LEBC, Shepherd Neame, South East Water, Mercedes-Benz, and Brakes.
2017 will see the Kent Sports Trust Foundation host a number of sporting events including the Tour de Kent, charity football matches, darts events, footgolf challenges and cricket games.
To learn more about the Kent Sports Trust Foundation, visit their website.