Please help the V Team

News that funding for the V Team has dried up has upset many across Maidstone. The V Team, part of Voluntary Action Maidstone, have provided a valuable service across the town for the past 12 years.

They provide volunteering opportunities to people with mental health problems, people who are rehabilitating after a custodial sentance, recovering from a drug addiction, and people who have learning difficulties. These volunteers then help others, such as elderly people with practical work, such as gardening. The charity helps two sets of people in one go.

Clearly such a scheme deserves support and it is only short by £20,000. Surely Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council can find £10k each to keep the service going. The V Team will decide whether they can carry on their good work at the end of this month.

I have written to the councils urging them to find this extra money. The V Team helped 34 volunteers in 2008, without this valuable service not only will people needing rehabilitation suffer, but people needing practical help will too. Let us hope that the councils find the funds.

Please write to KCC, and MBC and the Kent Messenger! If you are able and want to donate to them, send a cheque to the V Team fund at Voluntary Action Maidstone, 39-48 Marsham St, Maidstone, Kent. ME14 1HH