This Valentine’s Day weekend, Kingston residents can show off their passion for the borough with a huge selection of fundraising events for Love Kingston.
Last year the organisation raised £43,672 for good causes.
And, this year, Love Kingston fundraising manager Elaine Miller hopes to crack the £100,000 mark.
She said: “Love Kingston Day is a time to unite and come together. There are more than 400 charities working in the borough and they often only need small amounts of money to provide vital services.”
Kingston and Surbiton MP Ed Davey is a patron of Love Kingston and is hosting a pub quiz at the Berrylands in Surbiton tonight to raise money.
He said: “Love Kingston has been an absolute breath of fresh air and a triumph for local charities.
“It’s a fabulous way of raising money for really important charities and I’ve been giving it my full support.”
There will be collections across Kingston over the weekend and donations can also be made at love-kingston.org. uk.
Love Kingston supports five chosen charities – Kingston Foodbank, credit union Surrey Savers, Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness, women’s refuge Hestia and youth group Oxygen.
Half of all the money raised goes to the Kingston Legacy Fund.
MP Zac Goldsmith raising money for Love Kingston last year
A charity dinner in honour of Love Kingston day will now be free after an international Islamic organisation sponsored the event.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has donated £4,000 to the Love Kingston dinner, at the Shiraz Mirza Trust, in Manor Park Hall, tomorrow.
The money will be split among Love Kingston charities and the original £20 attendance fee for the event will now be waived.
Jamil Muanje, a community outreach manager for Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said: “For 125 years, our organisation has been doing charity work in this country, but not a lot of people in the community know this.
“We are excited about working with Love Kingston.”
To RSVP for the event contact Nasim Jamal on 0750 060 4933 or masim@blueyonder.co.uk.
Go to love-kingston.org.uk to donate
Friday:
From 11am-3pm, there will be a pop-up beauty stand run by Kingston College in BHS.
At 8pm, MP Ed Davey will be hosting a quiz night in the Berrylands pub in Surbiton. Tickets are £5, email edward.davey.mp@parliament.uk for details.
Saturday:
From 9am, Kingstonfirst have love photo booths in John Lewis, Eden Walk.
From 10am, the Love Kingston team will be in Eden Walk shopping centre collecting money with North Kingston Choir.
From 10am, Seriously Sofas, in Crown Plaza, will have their love seat available for pictures for a small donation.
From 10.30am, Little Holistic Oasis and Databac will be giving back massages in the Bentall Centre for a small donation to Love Kingston.
From 11am, local artists will be displaying their work in the Old Post Office, Kingston.
From noon, the Canbury Arms in Canbury Park Road will be hosting a free roast with beer supplied by Park Brewery.
From noon to 1.30pm, Euphonix Choir will be singing in the Rose Theatre cafe.
From 6.30pm, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community will be hosting a charity dinner at Shiraz Mirza Trust Hall.
Sunday
From 2pm-3pm, Musical Youth London will be performing famous West End hits at St George PLC in the Old Post Office. The performance costs £5 on the door and refreshments will be provided.
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