Stronger Kent Community Fair in Dartford

Stronger Kent Community Fairs – from bellringing to bellydancing

Getting a hobby or doing good works does wonders for your health and happiness and can even help you live longer, says an event organiser promoting Dartford community fair this month (Dartford).

Stronger Kent Community Fair in Dartford will showcase dozens of leisure and voluntary opportunities from bellringing to belly dancing and from volunteer driving to mentoring young people.

There will be more than 30 exhibition stalls to browse with information on everything from health to gardening as well as activities for people to try. The event is for organisations to share information and advice with visitors, but also to encourage people to find a new hobby, try something new or to volunteer for an organisation supporting the community.

Organiser Emma Cooney said: “This event is for people to get information and advice, but also get to see a variety of local groups they can get involved with if they fancy. There are proven health benefits to connecting with people and being part of something bigger than yourself. There’s lots of talk about loneliness, health and wellbeing, with more people living alone, and technology often making it easy for us to stay indoors, isolated and inactive.”

The One You campaign, from Public Health England, is launching in Dartford at the event, and Dartford Healthy Living Centre will do weight checks.

Activities include belly dancing demo from Safka Middle Eastern Dance chess, art, craft and quilting, looking through old photographs and guessing the locations, IT Training, handbells, a selfie board with props.

Hobby groups, charities and community groups attending the events so far include – U3A, Dartford Healthy Living Centre, North Kent Mind, North West Kent Countryside Partnership, Dartford Bellringers, Dartford Lions, Dartford Quilters, Fairfield WI, Dartford Historical & Antiquarian Society, Dartford Arts Network, What If…? Gallery, Sea Cadets, Making Miracles, Victim Support, Age UK NW Kent, NHS groups, MS Society Dartford and Gravesham and Macmillan Crossroads Care.

• Stronger Kent Community Fair in Dartford, Thursday 8^th March 11am-1pm at The Orchard Theatre.
• Stallholders – book your free stall at http://skcfairs.eventbrite.com/
• Visitors no need to book, just pop in and take a look.