The Kent Messenger's Charity of the Year 2016 is challenging its supporters to Row to Rio and you can help by popping into our offices tomorrow (Tuesday).

Dandelion Time, which helps children and their families who have suffered abuse, trauma or neglect, is in the middle of its annual Rowathon and we will have a rowing machine in our offices at 6 and 7 Middle Row, Maidstone, from late morning so staff and readers can join in.

More than 20 businesses, schools and organisations across Kent, and even some outside the county, are challenging themselves to row as many miles as possible on rowing machines.

The charity will add up all those miles on Friday afternoon and hopefully all participants together will have covered the 5,500 miles from Dandelion Time's base in West Farleigh to Rio, Brazil, where this year's Olympic Games took place.

All you need to do is call into our office between late morning and 4pm, row as many miles as you can, write your name and distance on the form at reception and place a donation in the collection tin.

If you'd like a picture of you rowing to appear in the Kent Messenger either get a friend to take a photo and email it to messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk or, if you come in alone, ask our receptionist if a reporter is free to pop downstairs and take a quick snap.

Staff and volunteers at Dandelion Times use a range of natural therapies and activities to rebuild broken bonds between parents, children and siblings and help youngsters gain confidence.

Based on a farm, the charity, which was started in 2003, has a number of animals the children can help look after and families cook and eat together at the start of each session.

Earlier in the summer, we shared the story of mum Vicky Fabian, whose family turned to Dandelion Time after her husband blew up the family car while she and her son were sitting in it.

Anyone who can't make it tomorrow but wishes to donate to the charity can do so here.