On 5 March five charities received awards from Nadra Ahmed CBE DL High Sheriff of Kent.
On 5 March invited guests attended a ceremony at the Commissioner’s House, Chatham Dockyard, to hear Nadra Ahmed CBE DL High Sheriff of Kent announce the recipients of the 2024 High Sheriff Awards.
During the event, Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive Kent Community Foundation welcomed guests and spoke about the Foundation’s work and how they support the High Sheriff. Nadra Ahmed CBE DL The High Sheriff then spoke about her shrieval year and about the importance of the voluntary sector in Kent and Medway and how enlightening it was for her to meet so many groups and charities that she wouldn’t have otherwise got to meet.
The five High Sheriff Award winners for 2024 were, Unlock, Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees, SATEDA, Homeless Care and Hope who all took the opportunity to speak about their work before The High Sheriff presented them with a certificate and £500 cheque and explained why she had chosen them to receive a High Sheriff Award.
Nadra Ahmed CBE DL High Sheriff of Kent said, “Communities across our county are supported by hundreds of grassroots charities who are making a real difference to the lives of thousands of individuals and families. This year’s award winners are – supporting those trying to integrate back into society after leaving the criminal justice system, helping refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine to learn English and find employment, supporting women and children who have experienced domestic abuse, caring for the homeless and helping women overcome personal challenges through a befriending service. It was not easy to pick just five recipients but Unlock, Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees, SATEDA, Homeless Care and Hope represent the amazing work the charitable sector does to support issues facing the people of Kent.”
The 2024 High Sheriff Award Winners
UNLOCK
Unlock support people who have gone through the criminal justice system to integrate back into society.
Debbie Sadler from Unlock said, “We are very proud of the service Unlock provides to support people who have gone through the criminal justice system to integrate back into society and are delighted that we have received a High Sheriff Award.”
Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees
Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees provides English classes for adult refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine and helps them to find employment.
Viv Hughes, Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees said, “It is such great news that our work has been recognised with a High Sheriff Award. We very much enjoyed meeting the High Sheriff of Kent earlier this year and appreciated her great insight and understanding of the situation for the refugees.”
SATEDA
SATEDA is a domestic abuse charity in Kent supporting women and children escape and recover from the violence they experienced at home.
Marylka Gowlland, Fundraising Manager SATEDA said, “It is such wonderful news to win the High Sheriff Award. We are so thankful for this recognition and very much appreciate it.”
Homeless Care
Homeless Care has a day centre in Maidstone that helps to re-house homeless clients and care for their immediate needs and a house that provides supported accommodation for ten clients with low to medium level complex needs.
Kathy High, Treasurer Homeless Care said, “Our team, supporters and volunteers are thrilled that we have been recognised with a High Sheriff Award for our work to re-house and care for the immediate needs of the homeless.”
Hope
Hope offer a befriending service for women in Dartford to help them overcome personal challenges and improve their well-being.
Jas Bains, Treasurer, Hope said, “Everyone at Hope is absolutely honoured to receive a High Sheriff Award and delighted beyond words.”
www.facebook.com/Hopegroupdartford/?locale=en_GB
The winning charitable organisations received a certificate and a £500 donation to support their work from the High Sheriff’s Award Fund which Kent Community Foundation manage.
Notes to Editors
Kent Community Foundation has managed the High Sheriff’s Award Fund since 2015 and has invaluable experience in introducing High Sheriffs to voluntary groups in Kent and Medway.
About Kent Community Foundation
Experienced grant-maker Kent Community Foundation is the organisation behind the organisations and has been finding, funding, and supporting some of the smallest voluntary groups in the county for over twenty one years. In this time, it has distributed almost £55 million to support thousands of small charities and deserving causes where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact.
Kent Community Foundation is part of a UK wide accredited network of forty-seven Community Foundations who are committed to improving the lives of local people and communities, particularly the most vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged by matching those who want to help, with those who need the help.
Responsible for more than ninety philanthropic funds, Kent Community Foundation is unrivalled in its knowledge of local causes and assists individuals, families, and businesses who want to help, to establish and administer their own charitable funds.
