I raised £1,000 for KAB

Setting herself a target of raising £1,000, KAB supporter Anne decided on three very different activities, one of which meant jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet ...

Anne first heard about KAB when one of our staff advertised for volunteers in a local publication. Anne's father was blind in one eye as a result of glaucoma, so she felt moved to volunteer at her local Medway branch.

Working alongside sight impaired people, she helped with transport initially, then became a befriender, and also helped with an art course. Never one to hold back, in 2009 she was inspired at a training day at the Maidstone Sight Centre to do some fundraising.

The scariest thing I've ever done

In her own words, the Skydive was very, very scary indeed - "the scariest thing I've ever done, in fact. I did think that at my age I might have been a bit rash. But looking back at it now, I feel very proud that I did it. I have a big sense of achievement ... My friends and family were so amazed I could even consider it. I was lucky to have their support on the day, and several of them came down to witness the event".

"These days, young people and people working in big companies would find it easy to get sponsorship, especially with all these networking sites making it easy to spread the word."

Playing to my strengths

"Because I love dancing, the idea of a Tea Dance and a Line Dance came naturally. "Arranging the Tea Dance meant getting the support of friends and family to help with donating raffle prizes, and spreading the word.

"People are really willing to do something that they already do for fun to raise money for charity, so when you're fundraising, play to your strengths and organise something you already do. If everybody did something like this just once a year, it would help KAB no end.

"I regularly go Line Dancing, so organising that was easy too. It's just a matter of organising a venue, and asking one of the organisers of dances if they would be willing to support KAB. It's about having the nerve to ask people - although most people are more than willing to help if asked."

What is so remarkable about Anne is that in the same week that she did her skydive and was organising her Tea Dance, she gave up her Friday night to volunteer at KAB's fundraising outdoor opera event at Doddington Place Gardens, selling programmes, ice creams and showing people where to go. Like so many of our volunteers, Anne is highly motivated and indefatigable!

Every penny you can raise will make a difference to KAB

Of course, you don't need to jump out of a plane to support KAB; nor do you have to raise set yourself a target of £1,000. As long as you choose something you enjoy, every penny you can raise will make a difference to sight impaired people.

And if you'd like to help with fundraising events, but prefer to work as part of a team, then contact Chrissie Keeley, Events Fundraiser at KAB, to be put in contact with your local fundraising committee.

Contact Chrissie on  01622 691357 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it