Maidstone-based housing association Golding Homes has raised £6,550 for a local charity that supports families with children who’ve been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
MAPS – Maidstone Area Parents’ Support Group – part of Diabetes UK, has been Golding’s ‘Charity of the Year’ since January 2023.
Since then, Golding colleagues have taken part in a number of fundraising activities, including raffles, food sales, quizzes, charity car parking, and two football matches at Gallagher Stadium – one against fellow social landlord mhs homes, and one against Maidstone Borough Council.
Type 1 Diabetes is a serious life-long condition where the body no longer produces insulin, and means that diagnosed children have to learn to test their blood sugar levels, count carbohydrates and administer insulin.
The money raised will go towards supplying Maidstone Hospital with support packs for parents of newly diagnosed children – which include digital scales for weighing food, a notebook and pen for taking down information at appointments, and various hypo treatments for the children to try – as well as some much-needed family days out.
MAPS is a charity close to the heart of Golding Homes’ sales advisor Carlie Falcus, whose six-year-old son Liam was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes just before his second birthday.
She said: “When Liam was diagnosed, we spent six days in hospital, entering a whole new world of counting carbs, checking his blood sugars with finger pricks, and injecting him with insulin several times a day.
“I was put in touch with MAPS and remember feeling so relieved that the other mums knew exactly what we were going through. The group’s enabled us to socialise with other families living with Type 1 Diabetes and for Liam to make friends with other children with the condition. It’s now just part of our family life, but we remain grateful for the invaluable support of MAPS.”
Vikkie Lynes, chair of MAPS, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to Golding Homes for the amazing amount that’s been raised for our charity.
“The money will go towards the bags that we issue for each child that’s diagnosed, containing everything a child needs to help them manage their condition. We’re also planning some family days out where families can come together and realise they’re not alone, as it certainly feels like that in the beginning.
“Without the generosity of the fundraising it would be impossible for us to do this.”
Stephanie Goad, chief executive of Golding Homes, said: “We’re really proud of the amount raised for this important local charity; it was a real team effort from colleagues over the last year. We hope the money raised will go some way to providing support and relief for children and their families affected by Type 1 Diabetes.”
Main image: (Left to right) Lexie Bailey and mum Vikkie Lynes; Golding Homes chief executive Steph Goad; Lottie Underwood and mum Victoria; and Carlie Falcus and son Liam
Read next: North East befriending project Silver Talk gets boost in funding to support its expansion
Are you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
