The mammoth annual wine and wisdom evening staged by the Kent Messenger celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

The KM Big Charity Quiz, staged to support a host of causes including the Kent Messenger newspaper's charity of the year - Maidstone Mind - will be staged at Maidstone Leisure Centre on Friday, 19 June.

Teams of eight will compete in what event organisers hope will be a record turn-out.

Event question-master Simon Dolby, who has organised the event for the decade as well as heats of the KM charity event in Medway, Canterbury and Ashford, said: "I am looking for organisations to help us stage this special anniversary event. This could be to sponsor a quiz round, be a headline partner, offering a raffle prize or providing items for competitors' goody bags. If you would like to join in this important event and help us raise funds for excellent local causes then please contact me."

Over the decade the KM Big Charity Quiz has evolved with new features added and the format to the event tweaked, but at its heart it is a relaxed evening that pits the brainpower and memory of teams against each other. Teams scoring highly are then invited to take on the best from the other heats for a KM Big Charity Quiz final at the end of the year.

Mr Dolby said: "The charity department at the Kent Messenger stages a number of events through the year to support good causes, but the quiz night is my favourite because it brings together so many charities, groups and organisations in Maidstone to help support the nominated causes."

So far three beneficiaries of the event have been announced. As well as Maidstone Mind and Maidstone Girls Grammar School PTA, the children's road safety work undertaken by the KM Charity Team in Maidstone will receive a slice of the pot.

As well as Maidstone Leisure Centre, other organisations already signed up to support the event include Qube recruitment, DSH accountants and financial advisers, KM Security Solutions, Shepherd Neame and PO Ferries.

A table for eight people, including complimentary glass of wine or soft drink, ploughman's meal and free entry into a draw to win a PO Ferries voucher, costs £65. To book your table at the anniversary quiz night visit www.kmbigquiz.co.uk. Use the early bird discount code KMBQEB15 to reduce the price of a table by £10.

Organisations wanting to support the event should contact Mr Dolby on 07989 164 752.

Big Quiz, Little Quiz

Organisers of wine and wisdom evenings being staged this year can receive a package of support from the KM Big Charity Quiz.

The aim is that the big quiz will help the county town's little quiz nights and help raise even more for the county's good causes.

The package includes a prize for the raffle, a prize for the quiz winners and discount for all those attending should they wish to join the KM's wine and wisdom evening.

Organisers of events at any village hall, community centre or school PTA staging a quiz to raise funds for their cause can apply for the KM Big Quiz Support Pack at www.kmbigquiz.co.uk.

Simon Dolby said: "In this special anniversary year of our event we wanted to help as many organisers of wine and wisdom evenings as possible."

Fact File

• The KM Big Charity Quiz raises £30k each year for charity through four heats and the county final.
• Teams of eight have to answer questions on seven rounds. Captains have a joker which can double the points for one round.
• The One Ton Cash Cow will be staged at the event with one quiz-goer walking away with £100 in cash if they can answer a special quiz question correctly on the night.