Eleven good causes have been crowned KM Charity of the Year 2016 and are set to benefit from a major boost in profile, audience and fundraising potential.

One charity has been chosen for every regional area served by the Kent Messenger Group newspapers plus a cause for the KentOnline website and KMTV.

Altogether 183 applications were submitted and each editor had the tough task of reading all the entries for their region and picking just one cause to champion throughout 2016.

In Maidstone, the Kent Messenger will be backing Dandelion Time, a charity for children and their families fragmented by trauma, abuse and neglect. Dandelion Time provides troubled families with therapeutic support to help restore trust, gain strength and make positive and sustainable changes in their lives.

Deal’s East Kent Mercury and the Dover Mercury have selected Pegasus Playscheme, which provides disabled children and young adults (aged between eight and 25 years) with opportunities to meet new people, make new friends and experience different activities.

Ashford’s Kentish Express is supporting FareShare Kent, which saves good food destined for waste and sends it to charities and community groups who transform it into nutritious meals for vulnerable people. The food redistributed is surplus from the food industry and is fresh, good quality and in date.

For the Folkestone & Hythe Express the choice is Action for Children (Folkestone Early Years). The charity works with parents, carers and children under five years by offering support through play opportunities, training courses, drop in sessions and a nursery provision.

The Sheerness Times Guardian will be backing the Event Marshalling Unit (EMU) Sheppey. The ‘EMUs’ - individuals from all walks of life - volunteer their services to provide a free of charge, professional and competent service to events and organisations ranging from carnivals to long distance charity bike rides.

The Sittingbourne News Extra has selected Demelza Hospice Care for Children, supporting children and young people (0-19 years) who are not expected to reach adulthood. Hospices offer families the chance to build memories as a family unit, undertake a range of activities and access specialist services.

The Gravesend and Dartford Messengers are supporting the Parents’ Consortium, a charity providing comprehensive support services to families of children with any form of physical, learning or sensory impairment living in the Dartford, Gravesend, Swanley and surrounding areas.

In Canterbury, the Kentish Gazette is backing Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent. The organisation offers specialist care to patients and families across east Kent, giving access to the services they need to cope with illness that cannot be cured and make the most of the time they have.

The Thanet Express has chosen RAF Manston Spitfire and Hurricane Memorial Museum. The small, free admission, volunteer-run museum educates present and future generations by means of a collection, Memorial Garden and reference library; and aims to ensure the sacrifice of those who fought in defence of Britain is never forgotten.

For the Medway Messenger, the winner is Medway Youth Trust, which improves the life chances of young people aged 13-19, or 25 with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). The charity helps young people to continue to learn in life, be prepared for their future, and empower them and their families to make their own change.

Both KMTV and the website KentOnline will champion theStarlight Children's Foundation (Kent division). The Foundation brightens the lives of seriously and terminally ill children by granting once-in-a-lifetime wishes as well as working with hospitals and hospices to bring entertainment, fun and distraction to more than 500,000 seriously ill children each year.

Simon Dolby of the KM Charity Team said: “Congratulations to our fantastic winners who will receive the backing of their local KM Group newspaper, kmfm radio and KentOnline, which boasts almost two million unique browsers each month. In addition, the newly established KMTV has elected to support a charity and by coincidence it is the same one chosen by KentOnline – the Starlight Children’s Foundation.”

He added: “The standard of applications was once again incredibly high making it very difficult to choose the winners. But even if your charity was not selected, your efforts were not wasted as now your local newspaper editor is more familiar with your work.”

Good causes and voluntary groups interested in benefiting from access to the same fundraising events as the winners can click here for a charity pack or here to sign up for the KM Charity Team’s monthly free e-newsletter.