Avante Partnership

Avante Partnership, the Kent based regional charity that cares for and supports people with dementia, disabilities as well as children, young people and families is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Smallridge CBE, as its new Chairman.

Peter Smallridge has a national reputation and profile built as a Director of Social Services in Warwickshire and Kent bringing experience of managing large organisations, and of strategic planning and commissioning.  Peter was awarded a CBE for services to Social Services in 1995.

Peter has over 10 years experience as Chair of a Health Authority and a Primary Care Trust, and over 6 years as Chair of a Mental Health Partnership Trust, he is a Trustee of Henry Smiths Charity and is the deputy Chair of the NHS Health & Europe Centre; a social enterprise that recently merged with Kent County Councils European Unit.

He also sits as a non executive director on the Board of Retirement Security Ltd; provider of very sheltered (extra care) housing for sale, and  attends the Board of the Care Management Group which provides residential care and supported living for people with learning disabilities.

Peter is married with three adult children and six grandchildren.

Peter Smallridge replaces Brian Munday, who has been Chairman of Avante Partnership for over 5 years.  During Brian’s time as Chairman he has overseen growth, development and re-branding of the organisation and helped ensure the organisations prominence throughout the South East.  Brian has stepped down as Chairman but will remain as a Trustee.

Of this appointment Peter said “I am delighted to be appointed Chairman of the Board of Avante Partnership. Since the early 1990’s (when it was Kent Community Housing Trust) it has developed a reputation for delivering high quality services for vulnerable people, young and old.  I know that the organisation will face some tough challenges over the next few years, given the reductions in public expenditure taking place across the country, but I am confident that we will be able to withstand them and compete on price and quality with the best in the business. I look forward to working with the Board to that end over the next few years”.

On the 4th November 2011 at the third Eden Alternative UK Conference held at the Holiday Inn, Chessington; Jacqui Morris, Practice and Development Director for Avante Partnership was awarded her Eden Alternative mentor status of which there are only five in England/Ireland.

Mentors are associates who have distinguished themselves through their work to create better living environments for our elders and ourselves. Eden Mentors are volunteers who work closely with the Eden home office staff and Eden educators to help Eden to grow. They are committed to serving Eden in many different ways, depending upon their skills and talents and availability.

Eden mentors meet twice yearly to bring ideas and proposals to the Eden board, and to help with Eden events.

The conference was a two day event opened by June Burgess, regional co-ordinator, after which followed Dr Bill Thomas, co-founder of the Eden Alternative and Chris Perna, CEO both giving presentations, there were further presentations from homes implementing the Eden Alternative, including, on the second day, Julie Ayres, Home Manager at Honeyfield care home in Hextable, where Dr Thomas also held a question and answer session.

Cedric Frederick, Chief Executive for Avante Partnership has been named, for the third time, as one of Britain’s most influential black people, following his inclusion within the 2012 Power List.

Cedric has been recognised for his work in driving forward the day-to-day operation of the Kent based charitable organisation which is a leading provider of residential care homes and care at home services in the South East.

The Partnership employs 2,000 staff and volunteers and offers specialist residential dementia care within 16 of its care homes. In addition, the organisation provides high-quality popular domiciliary care and community support services to more than 5,000 older people, children, young people and families each year.

Commenting on his inclusion in the 2012 Power List, Cedric said: “This is a great honour, both for myself and also the other people listed from the world of business and commerce.”

“My inclusion is also recognition of how far Avante Partnership has progressed in the three years since I arrived. We are embracing change, building on the longstanding commitment and expertise of our staff and volunteers and also helping thousands of people every day, many of whom are the most vulnerable in our society.”

The Power List focuses on success in: business finance and IT; media, publishing and entertainment; as well as politics, law and religion, the public sector and third sector. The list also recognises black people in: science medicine and engineering; as well as sport; and the arts, fashion and design.

On Friday 28th October Avante Partnership and two of its business units; Avante Care and Support and Stepahead Support took part in the ‘Wear it Pink’ day for the Breast Cancer Campaign to help raise money for the charity.

Avante Partnership head office staff at De Gelsey House, Faversham, took to their pinkest clothes they could find and all wore them for the day on Friday, however it appeared Debbie Pert, Finance Director and Darren Carrett, Quality Assurance Administrator have more pink clothing in their wardrobes than the rest of us!

Prizes for the raffle were all donated from staff including a lunch for two at Reads restaurant, Faversham, donated and paid for by Cedric Frederick, Chief Executive. As well as pamper vouchers from Sues healing hands who also spent the day offering head massages and angel card readings to staff at head office with some of the proceeds being donated towards the charity day. The local sandwich shop Fillers very kindly donated a tray of pink cakes for staff to buy with all money raised going towards the grand total for the day.

Stepahead Support held a large raffle with all funds going towards the charity as well as Avante Care and Support saw two of the care homes taking part to raise funds for the Breast Cancer campaign, and these were Northbourne Court in Sidcup and Riverdale Court in Welling.

A great day was had across the organisation that took part and the final figure raised for the ‘Wear it Pink’ charity day was a total of £454.11.

Avante Partnership would like to thank all staff that took part in the great day of fund raising for the Breast Cancer Campaign.

On Thursday 30th June and Friday 1st July Avante Partnership, a charity that supports older people, hosted two sell out nights for ‘An Evening with Dementia’ produced by Trevor T Smith, at the Arden Theatre, Faversham.

Avante Partnership teamed up with Trevor T Smith to deliver two sell out nights raising awareness of dementia and giving the audience an illuminating and at times humorous insight into the wilds of the mind of an old actor who has been cut loose from society by a fading memory.

The production brought new insights to the condition of Dementia which affects nearly a million people in the UK, but which is still little understood.

After a complimentary drink upon arrival, the theatre doors were opened and guests were invited to take their seats and enter into Trevor T. Smith’s world.

Once the doors of the 98 seat intimate theatre were closed, Trevor T.Smith, seated on the stage with only a spotlight as lighting, held his audience captive throughout the hour long production.

With the production being wrapped up with a truly poignant ending, audiences were left overwhelmed by the experience.

The causes of Dementia remain a mystery. Science seeks a cure for it with research into it’s physicality, but Trevor T Smith achieves in his play a different understanding to this heart-rending condition.

‘I found the production to be very interesting and insightful; it was both amusing and touching’

‘Very realistic and thought provoking’

‘A very powerful and moving performance’

Amanda Cottrell, named in the annual Independent on Sunday top 100 Happy List is to stand down as a Trustee of Avante Partnership after 10 years.

Amanda, who has devoted most of her life helping to make Kent a great place to live, is Chairman of Visit Kent as well as a Trustee of Canterbury Cathedral, Avante Partnership and Kent Wildlife Trust has reluctantly taken the decision to step down to focus on perhaps her biggest challenge ever.

In recognition of Amanda’s success as Chairman of Visit Kent, she has now unsurprisingly been asked to become Chairman of Visit England, requiring Amanda to step down from a number of non-executive roles.

Amanda joined Avante Partnership back in 2001 and her work and support throughout this time has made a hugely positive impact on the organisation.

Amanda was involved with many of Avante’s major events including the Celebrations of Success ceremonies which were held at Rochester cathedral where she attended as High Sheriff of Kent.

Amanda regularly opened her home and gardens as a venue for events and conferences particularly for Stepahead Support, Avante’s children and young people’s service.

Amanda Cottrell has been a great asset to Avante Partnership and her unfailing support and dedication has been a major reason why the organisation is where it is today.

Avante Partnership would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Amanda and wish her well with her new exciting venture.

On the 18th August, Avante Partnership staff, residents, service users, young people and families headed off to Aylesford Priory for the annual Summer Getaway.

Determined staff not wanting the murky grey cloud hovering across the Priory to ruin a day of fun and enjoyment, boldly set up their marquees and gazebo’s on the Thursday morning with the intention of a great day out whatever the weather.

The summer getaway is an annual day out where everybody is invited to join and enjoy a day of music, picnics, games, face painting and much much more. There were also raffles that took place throughout the day such as guess how many sweets are in the jar and name the teddy.

Richard Phillips entertained the crowds at the priory, singing his way through various eras of music and encouraging plenty of dancing from all.

The face painter was also extremely busy throughout the day with various requests of colours, animals and patterns to be painted on faces.

A care worker commented: ‘This is my fourth year at the Summer Getaway, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world, it is so much fun and a great opportunity for staff and service users to engage with others and just have fun’.

A Stepahead support keyworker commented: ‘It has been so good to see so many of our service users and their families mixing with all generations playing swing ball and cricket and events like these are great to help with our young people’s engagement and development skills’.

Following the success of the 2010 inaugural conference Dementia Care, ‘A Positive Future’, the partners of the Dementia Services Development Centre South East, Avante partnership, Dementia UK and The Faculty of Health and Social Care at Canterbury Christ Church University were delighted to be able to introduce the 2011 International Dementia conference, ‘Talking about Dementia’ at the University last week on the 13th and 14th July.

200 delegates attending the conference in Canterbury were provided with two days of opportunity to update skills, knowledge and speak to people with dementia as well as carers and colleagues about their work in improving care for people with dementia and their families.

The conference welcomed guest speakers including Professor Bob Woods from Bangor University, Professor Murna Downs from Bradford University, Karen Stevens from Skills for Care and Professor Mike Nolan from Sheffield University.

The two day conference also ran smaller sessions to showcase a selection of innovative practices and interactive activities that encourage positive communication with people with dementia and their families. These sessions included Circle dancing and Jiminy Wicket offering interactive sessions of fun and communication.

The two day conference was linked by an evening dinner at St Augustine’s house, creating an opportunity to spend an evening with friends and colleagues whilst being part of the exciting production of ‘Bright Shadow’.

Amanda Cottrell, Trustee of Avante Partnership, has been named in the annual Independent on Sunday Happy List, which names 100 people who volunteer, care, educate, or do something to help make Britain a better place.

The Happy List, which began as an antidote to The Sunday Times Rich List, describes Mrs Cottrell as ʻthe big society in one personʼ and colleagues have said her recognition on the list is very well deserved.

Mrs Cottrell has devoted most of her life helping to make Kent a great place to live, and as well as being a Trustee of Avante Partnership, she is chairwoman of Visit Kent and a Trustee of both Canterbury Cathedral and Kent Wildlife Trust.

She has also devoted time being a vice president of the Canterbury Festival, chair of young childrenʼs charity Fairbridge Kent, a magistrate for 20 years, a school governor, and president of the Kent Girl Guides.

Mrs Cottrell was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list 2011 for her services to the community.