The annual report summarizes the activities of Involve Kent from 2015-2016. It discusses the organizational rebranding from Voluntary Action Maidstone to Involve Kent, the opening of a new community hub space, increased client services and outreach efforts. Financial reports indicate a decrease in funds but maintenance of operations. Key events included expansion of services for minorities, carers, older adults and those in need of transportation. Supported volunteering and community programs diversified and grew in participation. The report celebrates successes of the year and commitment of staff, volunteers and trustees to supporting the community.

1. Annual Impact
Report 2015/16

2. CHAIR’S REPORT
CEO’S REPORT
TREASURER’S REPORT
OUR YEAR
CARERS
COMMUNITY TRANSPORT
GET INVOLVED
MACMILLAN
OLDER PEOPLE
VCS SUPPORT
VOLUNTEER CENTRE
YOUR VOICE
ASPIRATIONS FOR 2016/17
ACCOUNTS
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3. CHAIR’S REPORT
“Doing more with less has become
a way of life for our volunteers, staff
and trustees and this pressure will
not diminish.”
I commented in last year’s report that our main organ-
isational thrust was to prepare ourselves for uncertain-
ty becoming a major factor in the areas in which we
operate. No one could have guessed how uncertain
things would become.
We now have UK wide constitutional uncertainty, aus-
terity being questioned locally, nationally and interna-
tionally and yet another major children’s charity which
expanded very rapidly and then collapsed – and so on.
Against this background we need to redouble our ef-
forts to be innovative, flexible and efficient, continu-
ing the efforts which have, this year, completed our
rebranding and making major steps to make ourselves
more visible in the Community with our new website
and the new Hub in The Mall.
But, most importantly, all this increased level of im-
pending change does not reduce the needs of those
we seek to help and we must not let it impede the de-
livery of this help.
Doing more with less has become a way of life for our
volunteers, staff and trustees and this pressure will not
diminish.
Having said all of that we have behind us another year
where we have provided ever growing levels of sup-
port to hundreds of members of our community.
I should like to thank everybody ‘Involved‘ in delivering
another successful year of support to those who need
it.
Trevor Jones
Chair
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4. CEO’S REPORT
This year has seen a period of great change for the
organisation, perhaps the greatest change since its in-
ception 40 years ago. After considerable thought and
consultation, Voluntary Action Maidstone became
Involve Kent in July 2015, a name which much better
reflects our remit, coverage and ethos. Alongside the
new name came a new visual identity and website,
and new service and project names, reflecting the en-
hanced integration of the diverse strands we deliver.
This, alongside a significant focus on marketing and
engagement is already increasing and broadening our
client base, meaning we can help more people across
Kent.
Our focus this year on service integration and raising
awareness is best demonstrated through the devel-
opment of the ‘hub’. Working in partnership with The
Mall Maidstone, we have transformed an empty retail
unit in to a fresh, modern and accessible centre to ac-
cess our services. Moving forward, we have ambitious
plans to expand including a retail element for locally
produced goods, regular art and craft activities, as
well as providing a community signposting service.
Alongside these changes in how we operate and pro-
mote our existing services, we have also seen some
exciting developments and new services. Particular
highlights include the BME Forum events and the
resulting BME Ladies group which within a matter of
months engaged over 100 ladies in a range of activ-
ities and events to reduce isolation and encourage
community cohesion. May saw the inaugural Death
Cafe, developed by our Macmillan service coordinator
as part of Dying Matters week, alongside a very
powerful art exhibition of paintings by Antonia Rolls
to break the taboo surrounding death and the dy-
ing. A new hospital discharge service for Carers was
developed, funded by the CCG, offering additional
support for Carers when their loved one returns
home. And with a small grant we were able to start a
new project, a ‘Kent Shed’ offering an opportunity for
vulnerable and isolated people to come together to
produce woodwork items in our workshop, enjoying
camaraderie and a sense of satisfaction.
Change can be difficult and it is testament to the
commitment and dedication of our staff and volun-
teers that we have been able to adapt so quickly and
effectively this year. Looking forward, the pace of
change is likely to be unrelenting, with cuts in fund-
ing, projects ending or evolving and new innovations
developing. The most significant challenge continues
to be diversifying our funding base; next year we will
focus on increasing our trading income, to be less re-
liant on short term and ever shrinking grants. What is
certain is that we must continue to adapt and evolve
if we are to sustain the services so many people rely
on.
Charlotte Osborn-Forde
Chief Executive
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“A significant focus on marketing and
engagement is already increasing
and broadening our client base”

5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Fall Prevention Service contract. Deferred income of
£15,001 for 2016/2017 was held in the balance sheet.
Expenditure for 2015/2016 decreased by £19,704 or
2% to £1,012,810 (2014/2015 £1,032,514). A reduc-
tion in Fall Prevention Service costs being the main
contributing factor. The average number of employees
during the year, calculated on the basis of full-time
equivalents, decreased from 35 to 34.
Funds decreased by £83,458 from £661,461 to
£578,003. Unrestricted funds now stand at £305,393,
down from £360,255 covering 4 months of expend-
iture. Restricted funds are £272,610 down from
£301,206. Funds held on behalf of third parties were
£73,558 and shown as a creditor in the balance sheet.
KCC are moving from grants to tendering for contracts
as they seek to cut costs. This will result in more com-
petition for KCC funding going forward especially from
Social Enterprises and regional/national bodies. Oth-
er funding opportunities for projects continue to be
sought.
Involve Kent were given the use of a shop in the Mall
from October 2015 and a new bus from the Depart-
ment for Transport in August 2016. New business op-
portunities are constantly being sought.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank our Fi-
nance Officer Niranji Perera for all her hard work and
support during the year.
Peter Turner
Treasurer
The financial statements have been prepared in ac-
cordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted
Accounting Practice (UKGAAP) and applicable law, the
provisions of the Statement of Recommended Prac-
tice Charities (SORP) and reported in accordance with
the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act
2006 relating to small companies.
The accounts show a net decrease in funds of £83,458
from £661,461 to £578,003. Unrestricted funds de-
creased by £54,862 to £305,393 and restricted funds
decreased by £28,596 to £272,610. Involve Kent con-
tinues to seek funds from other sources as KCC moves
from grant funding to tendering for contracts. Involve
Kent looks to maintain its financial position to meet
this challenge.
Income for 2015/2016 decreased by £132,830 or 12%
to £929,352 (2014/2015 £1,062,182). Unrestricted
funds decreased by £4,611 in the year as a result of a
fall in consultancy income. Restricted funds decreased
by £128,219 mainly due to a reduction in the
“New business opportunities are
constantly being sought”
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6. OUR YEAR 2015-16
The Hub Opens Carers Client Satisfaction
Involve Kent have made a really positive step for-
ward and have signed an agreement with The Mall
shopping centre in Maidstone. This space has ex-
cellent shop frontage and a footfall of 10,000 peo-
ple per week so we are really excited to use this
space to raise our profile, and become more ac-
cessible for many frail people. We will be basing
our older people’s services there and developing
a retail unit. We are awaiting news from a bid to
the Local Sustainability Fund (LSF) which will help
to develop this space and to diversify our income.
A recent client satisfaction carried out by Involve
Carers found excellent levels of satisfaction with
the service:
100% of respondents said staff treated them with
dignity and respect
100% of respondents said the service responded
to their individual needs and circumstances
98% of respondents said the service helped them
cope with caring
98% of respondents said the service supported
them to improve their physical and mental health
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7. BME Developments Supported Volunteering Diversifies
Celebrating some of our greatest
achievements of the year
Involve Kent are very proud of the achievements of
the BME forum over the last year. The main high-
lights have been the very successful BME Forum
Launch event; BME Ladies Coffee Mornings; BME
Ladies Fun Day and Ladies Only swimming sessions.
It aims to promote stronger, more effective and
influential BME communities; provide leadership
and a voice; address inequalities and improve ac-
cess and opportunities for BME communities. It is
our aspiration that the forum becomes the ‘go to’
place for BME communities and those wishing to
engage meaningfully with them.
Involve Kent’s VTeam and Gateway Project have
traditionally supported those with support needs.
This year we made a decision to be more holistic
in our approach and not separate our ‘supported
volunteers’ but develop a supported volunteering
service where we support anyone with additional
needs. We offer free training, 1-2-1 support and
volunteer brokerage, where we monitor progres-
sion and achievements. The client is at the centre
of this support and we are finding this approach
is having a profound impact on the people we are
supporting.
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8. ‘All Involve Carers staff that I have dealt with have been amazing. I have
been treated so kindly and have been shown respect by all. I am kept
up to speed and my welfare is strongly supported by the team. Thank
you so much for your time, concern and utmost diligence’
CARERS
Carers are people who support a family mem-
ber, partner or friend who need their help due
to illness, disability, mental health issues, ad-
diction or frailty. Involve Carers is contracted
by Kent County Council to deliver a Carers’ As-
sessment and Support Service for those living
in the Maidstone and Malling area.
The introduction of the Care Act in April
brought new rights for Carers and also in-
creased the benefits of them having their own
needs assessed. As a service commissioned to
undertake Statutory Carers Assessment we had
a key role in responding to new demand. We
undertook 448 Statutory Carers Assessments –
an increase of 134 on the previous year.
A new role was created to respond to the
needs of working Carers and those not needing
a home visit by developing a new telephone
assessment service. A dedicated new member
of staff was recruited in January 2016, and this
has proved to be a successful addition to our
range of responsive services
Our target to identify new Carers for the year
was 239 – we exceeded this target by 316% as
we identified 1,234 new Carers
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9. TONY’S STORY
Tony, 80, lives with his wife, Eddie, 89. They have been
married for 40 years and live in their own home in Maid-
stone.
Tony has been in a caring role for about two and a half
years since Eddie broke her hip. Since then her mobility
has been very poor. She has osteoarthritis and dementia
and over the past few months Eddie now needs constant
supervision.
When Tony had his first Carer’s Assessment he reported
feeling low in mood, very tired and said he was struggling
to cope with his caring role. He was no longer able to leave
Eddie unsupervised and she accompanied him if he had to
go out. He said he was struggling to provide all personal
care to Eddie as he had his own health problems and felt
he needed help with this.
Since then, significant improvements have been made. So-
cial Services have arranged morning visits to Eddie to help
shower and dress her as well as providing mobility aids
for Eddie to use at home. Tony has made good use of the
replacement care service funded by Involve Carers and Ed-
die really enjoyed spending time with the young lady who
provided the sitting service. Tony reported feeling happier
now he could have time to himself to attend events and
see friends. Social Services have agreed to fund 2 five day
respites in West View Residential Home to enable Tony to
have a complete break and a rest from his caring role.
Overall, Tony said he still finds caring for Eddie a struggle
but having the support and services from Involve Carers
has made a positive impact on his life. He finds it comfort-
ing to know that he can phone Involve Carers to ask for
information and/or advice and he likes being able to drop
into the Maidstone Community Support Centre to have a
chat with the Involve Carers staff.
Tony’s Support Plan
• Carers’ One Off Payment of £160
• Kent Carers’ Emergency Card issued
• Sitting service from the Rapid Access to
Carer Support
• Assessment of Eddie’s care needs requested
from Social Services highlighting the need
to look at providing support with personal
care, for overnight respite and day centre
services
• Request for aids and adaptations in their
home
• Referral to Crossroads for their free short
break service
• Registered as a Carer with GP surgery for
regular carer health checks
• Information provided on various services
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10. COMMUNITY TRANSPORT
“It was brilliant… John the volunteer driver was ever so good, he went out of
his way. They never let us down, I know there are at least three who would
not have been able to get to the class any other way. It was a very, very good
service and is imperative to people. It is an excellent service; I can’t fault it.”
Community Transport has had much change over
the past year; a new booking system, new staff and
new offices!
The new booking system which has been a long
time in developing is now in action and although
we are in the early stages, we are very confident
that it will really improve the service. For those who
are IT savvy, the system is now web based, which
means that drivers can access certain information
from home, letting us know if they are interested in
certain trips. Finding drivers is one of the most time
intensive tasks, so this will really increase productiv-
ity. Drivers can also update their details and photo
so we know the information we have is up-to-date.
We have said goodbye to Amanda and Tracey is
expecting a baby so, with the office moving to The
Mall there is much change. However, demand is as
high as ever, and our volunteers continue to amaze
us with their dedication, commitment and support.
Thank you to all the volunteers who have supported
community transport over the year.
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11. GET INVOLVED (GATEWAY AND V TEAM)
Supported volunteering at Involve has seen much change and devel-
opment in the year 2015-16. The Gateway Supported Volunteer pro-
gramme ended in March 2016, having seen amazing success with
its customer service volunteers. Many volunteers have left this pro-
gramme to go into employment, other volunteering or further training
opportunities.
Get Involved has taken on a number of the supported volunteers in its
handyman and gardening service (formerly V Team), with 382 garden-
ing and decorating tasks completed by volunteers in the past year.
Kent Sheds is a new venture at Involve to help improve confidence and
wellbeing of its members. Already it has seen success; 66.7% of shed-
ders had a low mood when first entering the Shed programme, after
three months 100% of the shedders had a moderate increase in their
mood.
“They did a splendid job and there was a lot of
comradery amongst the team, they were very nice.
I know they always do a good job. Thank you very
much for your service, I wholeheartedly appreciate it.”
Before After
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12. MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT
The service has supported over 250 additional people in the past year as well as continuing to provide ongoing to
support to existing clients. There have been 155 new referrals and volunteers have dedicated 2000 hours.
All volunteers are thoroughly vetted and undergo training to enhance their empathy and communication skills. Most
of the volunteers have either had cancer or a close family member has had cancer so they have a really good under-
standing of some of the issues our clients face.
We continue to refer clients on to other specialised organisations such as the Harmony Therapy Trust where clients
can receive up to six free sessions of a complimentary therapy in their own home. Clients trust us and let us into
their lives when they are most vulnerable and it is a real privilege to help and support someone, the volunteers get
an enormous amount from the experience often feeling they get more than the client.
GILLIAN’S STORY
To say that Macmillan has improved my clients’ quali-
ty of life would be an understatement. Before Macmil-
lan stepped in to help she was depressed, lonely and
scared.
Upon receiving her breast cancer diagnosis, she decid-
ed not to accept any cancer treatment. I visit her once a
week and my role is very much that of a companion and
someone to talk to about her worries and concerns. I
also help out around the house and in her garden.
I get so much enjoyment from visiting this wonderful
lady. She is interesting, insightful and to see the trans-
formation in her personality from when I first saw her
to today makes me extremely proud to be a Macmil-
lan volunteer. I get as much, if not more, from my visits
with her as she does from me.
“I was at breaking point both mentally and physically and my husband and I really
needed the help. I don’t know what I would have done without it.”
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13. OLDER PEOPLE (BRIGHTER FUTURES)
The year 2015 – 16 is the last full year of the Big Lottery funding for this
service which has once again seen much development with 1230 older
people now being supported since the beginning of the project in
2011. The service is supported by a total of 292 volunteers.
“We love our weekly coffee
mornings; that, keeping fit,
and friendships circles are
things to really look forward
to each week”
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It has been a busy year with the Friendship Circle being introduced in April and the 6 Ways to Wellbeing being inte-
grated into all services, with improved monitoring through the Warwick Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale.
With the launch of the rebrand of VAM in October 2015, Brighter Futures changed its name to Involve Older People
(IOP), with services being rebranded and integrated.
Involve’s Falls Prevention Service (FPS) have continued to deliver its falls classes this year due to the success in
winning a contract with KCC Public Health. April saw the start of delivery in Maidstone, Snodland, Gravesend and
Dartford. The contract is to deliver 3 classes in each area over 2 years, with additional classes being spot purchased
when the need is there. Classes are going extremely well and since April 2015 we have been successful in another
4 classes, supporting over 250 people.
Further development saw IOP and FPS move into the Involve Hub. This is a ‘shop’ in The Mall which enables older
people to access the services much more easily; we are really excited about the future.

14. “We most appreciate the diversity of knowledge and support that is
pooled within VCS and the Volunteer Centre, most notably the training
and networking opportunities”
The VCS Support Service has had a very positive year, start-
ing off with the extremely successful official launch for the
BME Forum in June 2015. 110 people attended who are
leaders and members of different ethnic groups and nation-
alities. The BME Ladies Coffee Morning was developed as a
result of a social action initiative from a BME forum member
and now there are regularly 20 – 25 ladies attending each
week. The group is entirely led by the ladies themselves
with facilitation from Involve VCS Support; Involve Support-
ed Volunteering; Kent Police and in kind support from KCC
Early Help.
Other highlights included increased VCS influence on the
Health and Wellbeing Board which feeds into the CCG
through acting as the VCS representative and obtaining
thoughts and opinions from the sector to feed back into the
board.
VCS Support worked as a key delivery partner on the STAMP
programme, increasing bespoke coaching and mentoring to
local VCS organisations and developing an invaluable part-
nership with other high quality VCS infrastructure organisa-
tions.
The service moved forwards significantly with it’s moni-
toring and evaluation systems, developing a Social Impact
Framework in conjunction with Involve Volunteer Centre in
order to ensure that the right type of information is collect-
ed to be able to demonstrate the worth to stakeholders and
in particular funders.
VCS SUPPORT (FORMERLY CVS)
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15. “Without the volunteer centre we would not be in the position
today with our excellent volunteers!”
In Spring 2015 the Maidstone and Malling Volunteer Cen-
tre saw a change in management, with Lizzie Lowrey tak-
ing over as Volunteer Centre Manager. More changes took
place when the rebrand of VAM resulted in the centre be-
ing launched officially as the Involve Volunteer Centre in
October 2015.
New developments from the service have seen customer
satisfaction for both organisations and volunteers soar. An
impact survey in 2016 found that 87% of respondents feel
better informed and more aware of working with volun-
teers with 80% feeling more optimistic about volunteers in
the organisation.
Innovation of technology, notably the introduction of CRM
system Podio, has increased capacity and improved the
efficiency of the service. Volunteer registrations have in-
creased due to better visibility both online and within the
community.
A well attended and successful lunch time network has
been established for VIO professionals to share ideas, dis-
cuss relevant topics and meet others from the sector. More
and more organisations are taking advantage of the servic-
es on offer and the centre currently supports 310 organisa-
tions offering 279 active volunteer opportunities.
VOLUNTEER CENTRE
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16. YOUR VOICE
There were a lot of changes during the latter part
of the year for Platform, the Mental Health Forum
run by Involve. There are now two Forums that run
alternate fortnights with Involve offering a weekly
forum. The number of people supported has tre-
bled as a result.
We were successful in our application for a grant
which allowed us to purchase two pool tables.
These have proved to be success at engaging
younger members. We have now reached double
figures in the number of clients under the age 26.
At the other more traditional forum clients now
are free to request speakers to come and give talks
on subjects they have a special interest in. So far
they have received visits from the Citizens Advice,
Diabetic UK as well as a student from Christchurch
University who was looking for feedback on a new
Mental Health App he was developing.
Your Voice also makes monthly outreach visits to
Priority House, various supported housing, Black-
thorn Trust and Mind. This work is a vital part of
the role as it forms links with other Mental Health
Agencies as well as building relationship with ser-
vice users.
Being co-chair of the Maidstone Mental Health Ac-
tion Group has definitely had a positive effect on
our service users. I have been able to support sev-
eral individuals with issues with the service they
have received that have then as a direct result
gone on to have good outcomes.
“Keeping busy and active, physically and
mentally, really builds confidence.”
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17. ASPIRATIONS FOR 2016/17
Charlotte Osborn-Forde
CEO
“Diversifying income streams and
increasing engagement with the
different services”
Barbara Hagan
Involve Carers Manager
“I hope to extend our brokerage
skills with our new Carers Hospital
Discharge Service”
Jacqueline Bobb
VCS Support Manager
“I am looking forward to work-
ing with our partners to enable
the local VCSE to strengthen and
develop”
Juliette Page
Retail Manager
“I am really looking forward to
starting my new role as manager
of The Hub Shop”
Barbara Dagger
Fundraiser
“To successfully seek funding for
the Get Involved – DIY & Practical
service”
Jodie Kemp
Business & Administration Manager
“To continue to develop and grow
the Independent Living Service”
Jason Martin
Business Development
“Diversifying income and KCC
commissioning opportunities are
high on my agenda this year!”
Jane Pantony
Macmillan Volunteer Service Project
Coordinator
“To continue to provide a holis-
tic service to the people most at
need in our community”
Lizzie Lowrey
Volunteer Centre Manager
“I look forward to diversifying vol-
unteer opportunities and chang-
ing perceptions of volunteering”
Danny Hewis
Deputy CEO
“With change comes opportunity.
I would like to see Involve diversi-
fy and raise our profile”
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18. FINANCIAL SUMMARY
EXPENDITURE 2015-16
Salaries 686,585.00
Management Charges 399.00
Printing, Photocopying
& stationery
19,502.00
Audit, Accounts & Other 7,493.00
Training 5,655.00
Room Hire 14,024.00
Activity Costs 74,735.00
Rent 40,143.00
CRB Expenses 2,702.00
Marketing 10,698.00
Total 1,012,810.00
Telephone 15,041.00
Consultancy Fees 16,096.00
Pension Costs 1,060.00
Bank Charges 88.00
Computer Expenses 12,773.00
Depreciation 13,580.00
Travel 16,306.00
Vehicle Expenses 34,156.00
Publicity & Advertising 2,624.00
Insurance 4,587.00
Sundry Expenses 4,754.00
Repairs & Maintenance 19,787.00
Postage 7,242.00
Legal & Professional 2,780.00
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For full financial details, please visit www.involvekent.org.uk/annualreport
A copy of the full accounts will be available on application to: Involve Kent, Maid-
stone Community Support Centre, 39-48 Marsham Street, Maidstone, ME14 1HH

19. % breakdown of total income
Total Income £929,352.00
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Charged for
Services
11.8%
£109,610
Donations
1.2%
£10,876
Interest
0.2%
£1,612
Grants
45.7%
£424,622
INCOME 2015-16
Contracts
41.17%
£382,632

20. Involve Kent would like to thank all of our partners and other organisations that have worked with us during
2015-2016:
Carers First, Carers Support Ashford, Carers Support Canterbury, Dover and Thanet, Kent Young Carers, Cross-
roads, Kent County Council, KMPT, KCC KEAH, Age UK Maidstone, Alzheimer’s Society Maidstone, Citizens Advice,
DWP, Mu Mu, Hilton Living Well, Change Grow Live CGL, Red Zebra, Ashford Volunteer Centre, Social Enterprise
Kent, Maidstone Borough Council, The Big Lottery Fund, Maidstone Nepalese Community, Kent Police, Ramblin’
Man Community Fund, KCHFT, West Kent CCG, JCP, Golding Homes, Age Concern West Malling, Maidstone and
Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Maidstone Mall, Kent Adult Education and of course, all of our wonderful volunteers
Special thanks go to our funders:
Kent County Council, West Kent CCG, Comic Relief through Kent Community Foundation, Waitrose Community
Matters, The Tory Family Foundation, Golding Homes, Linda Hogan Community Trust, The Thomas J Horne Memo-
rial Trust, The Limbuorne Trust, The Sir Jules Thorn Trust, The Cobtree Charity Trust, Maidstone Lions, The Bris-
senden Fund through Kent Community Foundation, The Marsh Christian Trust, Garfield Weston
Registered Company Number: 3449624
Registered Charity Number: 1066911
Maidstone Community Support Centre
39-48 Marsham Street
Maidstone
Kent
ME14 1HH
01622 677337
office@involvekent.org.uk
www.involvekent.org.uk
@involvekent