…But the charity needs more funds to complete its new ground
by
It was a glorious sunny day on Tuesday June 25th, perfect for heading down to Whitstable Town FC’s ground in Belmont Road to complete a special task.
Members of the Tankerton Football Club (TFC) Pan Disability 16 Years-Plus Team were already on the pitch, warming up for a session with their TFC trainers and manager, Vanessa Oakes together with TFC Co-Chair Richard Miller.
Whitstable Town FC has been kindly allowing the team to use this pitch while TFC has been working hard to try and complete a new ground for itself on “the bends” between Whitstable and Herne Bay. It is on that new dedicated ground that the charity will continue its ambition to provide everyone with the chance to enjoy sport and healthy outdoor exercise, whatever their ability. To help with that, I was there with the team last week to hand over money raised from a recent WhitLit event that had launched a new book in my Whitstable Pearl crime series. The donation amounted to £2,400, proceeds from ticket and book sales at the event which had taken place last month at the Whitstable School.
The publication of this new book, Murder at the Allotment, happened to coincide with WhitLit’s own tenth anniversary. Launched in May 2014 by Victoria Falconer, this much loved, not-for-profit festival has welcomed many authors over the years including Sandi Toksvig, Lynda La Plante, David Nicholls and Joanne Harris, to name but a few, but in 2020, the festival had been forced to cancel future events due to the COVID pandemic, until November last year when it re-launched in a new format as a series of literary pop-up events taking place throughout the year.
The month of May also coincided with the filming of the third season of Acorn TV’s Whitstable Pearl, the television drama series based on my books, and to celebrate the prevailing “Whitstable” theme, Victoria and I decided to donate all profits from the evening to a local Whitstable charity. TFC’s Pan Disability 16 Years-Plus Team was chosen as I’ve been involved with its members since 2021 when Acorn TV and I first began sponsoring them. (I also play goalie in the Carers’ team against them – though we never seem to beat the “Pans”. I wonder why…)
Victoria and I were thrilled when three Whitstable Pearl cast members, Frances Barber, Rohan Nedd and Isobelle Molloy came on board to support the charity by joining us for the event, as well as Francoise Rossignol, the Mayor of Dainville, the French town with which Whitstable is twinned.
Tim Elgar, Tankerton Football Club’s Co-Chair, also attended the WhitLit event to give a speech about the charity and he has kindly provided the following statement about the donation:
“This money will help us continue the work with our pan disability players, providing equipment and kit, and facilities hire whilst we get our new ground ready, which is really taking shape now. So a massive thanks to Julie and WhitLit, what a brilliant and generous gesture. The field and pitch work will be finished this summer; however the company we had helping with the new entrance way and carpark have unfortunately had to freeze their social community funding. This leaves a fabulous opportunity for a fresh benefactor to step in and pick up the good work already undertaken as all the technical drawings, authorisations, and certifications are in place it just needs someone willing to do it.”
The £2,400 donation would not have been possible without the cooperation of many people so Victoria and I would like to sincerely thank everyone who came along to the event, as well as everyone who participated, including the cast members of Whitstable Pearl and friends who volunteered to ensure the event was a success, including Liz Waller, Graeme Bosley and Gerry Atkinson, and members of Victoria’s family, including her two young sons, Luke and Duncan.
TFC has been doing amazing work, not only with their many teams and members, but in the construction of their new ground, so it’s a shame that the club has suddenly hit a funding gap for its final completion. However, if anyone can help or knows someone locally or nationally that could contribute in kind, or financially, please let the club know, or alternatively go to their crowdfunding page where every donation, however small, will be very gratefully received by this wonderful charity and all who benefit from it.
PLEASE NOTE
- Football Club’s crowdfunding page is https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/tankertonfc
- WhitLit will soon be announcing upcoming events featuring two million-selling authors. Check https://www.facebook.com/whitstableliteraryfestival/ for details.
- Season 2 of Whitstable Pearl will begin airing on the Freeview channel, Drama, from 25th July.
ABOUT:
Julie Wassmer is a Whitstable-based author, TV writer and environmental campaigner.
She has successfully fought a number of environmental issues, including fracking in Kent and tree clearances by Network Rail. Her Whitstable Pearl crime novels are now a major TV series, starring Kerry Godliman.
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