On Thursday 16th July, staff, volunteers, partners, funders and service users gathered in Westminster to celebrate the 40-year-old charity’s new identity, impact and future.
100+ people attended the momentous event to listen to speeches from Simon Thompson, CEO; Charlotte Fletcher, Director of Communications & Engagement; and Sham, Jasmine, Duncan and Robert who bravely shared their stories and spoke about how the charity had turned their lives around.
Everyone present was intently engaged in the highly emotive speeches, and there was a strong enthusiasm permeating the room about the future. Partners, funders and commissioners stated that hearing directly from service users and gaining a better understanding of the impact of their support, made it feel so much more real and significant.
James Newman, Vice Chair of the board of trustees said:
”It was such an inspiring evening. Everyone who spoke and represented Allkind was brilliant and the belief everyone has in what we do and where we are going was palpable. Getting to see the impact Allkind has from the stories shared by service users was humbling and incredibly moving for everyone in the room.
I left not only feeling privileged to play my small part in helping this organisation, but also feeling the immense responsibility we as trustees have in providing the platform for our amazing staff to have the impact they do. As was established in the room, we are in a position to grow that impact, and it is at a time where it has never been needed more. So, we must continue to do that, for our entire Allkind community.”
The event also played host to the premiere of ‘Portraits of Allkind’, a short film featuring people who access services alongside staff. Intended to give the viewer a sense of who the charity is and what they do, this authentic and highly creative portrayal has been labelled as ‘truly heartwarming’, rendering the use of many tissues at the event. This is soon to be aired more broadly, so watch this space!
Overall, everyone present fed back that the event left them feeling invigorated, connected and extremely positive.
If you would like to partner with Allkind and help people across London, please get in touch. We have all kinds of collaborations and are always looking to build new, meaningful relationships. Contact us at hello@allkind.org.uk
We also offer a wide range of training for all kinds of organisations. To find out more, visit: www.allkind.org.uk or contact us: training@allkind.org.uk
