Kent Kindness Annual Review
Introduction
This has been a very varied year for Kent Kindness, mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020 our classroom lessons had to stop but we did what we could to continue to support the UASC who were still at the Reception Centre. During Lockdown 1 we provided sport equipment, including footballs, a free-standing basketball hoop and balls, and table tennis sets. We received a request for some art equipment to help keep the lads active in another positive way and we bought sketch pads, felt tip pens, packs of crayons, acrylic paints & paint brushes and had them delivered to the Centre. We also provided various worksheets and booklets to enable some teaching to be run by some of the Support Workers at the Centre, and later at the other Centres as well. Some of this was delivered as hard copies in folders and some simply attached to emails but all completely photocopiable.
A second Reception Centre
In late July two of the Kent Kindness trustees were invited to visit a second Reception Centre which had opened locally to provide accommodation for the increasing number of boys arriving in Kent seeking refugee status. It was easy to see where and how classroom lessons could be held there and new whiteboards and other teaching equipment were purchased to facilitate this. Early August Kent Kindness lessons resumed at the first Centre and in early September our lessons started at the second one. Many former Kent Kindness volunteers returned to teaching at this second Reception Centre as it was much closer to where they lived. Similar art equipment was also provided for the second Centre, as well as some sport equipment.
Newsletters
The lack of classroom lessons due to the Lockdowns made the Committee worried that Kent Kindness may be forgotten by some of our supporters so it was decided to have a monthly Newsletter giving such updates and good news as we could. These have been very well received and resulted in some very generous offers and donations. Sincere thanks to the trustee who prepares these wonderful Newsletters.
Changes for the Committee
By mid August restrictions had lessened a little and Kent Kindness started having committee meetings in people’s gardens and later as restrictions were reintroduced we held online Zoom committee meetings. At times things changed rather rapidly and emergency “virtual meetings” were held via emails.
Early in September more sport and art equipment was provided for the two Centres. Some of this was purchased but much was donated by local schools and Kent Kindness supporters. Always these donations were very gratefully received and, we were told, used by the very happy boys.
A third Reception Centre
Then we were told a third Centre had been opened and it was visited to see if classroom lessons could be offered there too. Very quickly national quarantine rules were imposed and these lessons never in fact started. But much art equipment was purchased and safely delivered to the third Centre.
By this time new regulations had been introduced at the two Centres where classroom lessons were taking place. All volunteers had to have a Kent Kindness identity lanyard to increase security at the Centres.
Online lessons
Late in September it was decided to offer some online lessons at the Centres. We were advised these would have to be via Teams as Zoom was not considered to be secure enough. One of the trustees very kindly and efficiently ran some online training on the use of Teams to the volunteers keen to try these online lessons. Actually online classroom lessons never happened. The Wifi at the Centre was not reliable enough plus the amount of extra work for the Support Workers made them unworkable. But one-to-one online lessons did begin and as of June 2021 these are still being well received by some of the very keen learners at the main Reception Centre.
Scholars Award
In mid October one of the Kent Kindness trustees and the Managers at the two Centres where our classroom lessons were occurring discussed how to bring in more forms of positive affirmation for the boys. Some of the boys had by then been at a Centre for three or more months, due to pandemic restrictions, and were becoming very disheartened. It was decided to give a regular Scholars Award to the boy at each Centre who was showing the best attitude in class and progressing especially well with his English. The chosen award was the Usborne Book of Knowledge, each with a gift label giving congratulations from the teachers, and this continues to be awarded on a monthly basis, usually to a boy recommended by the Kent Kindness volunteer teachers.
More purchases
At this time A4 whiteboards and pens were purchased for both Centres to further enliven lessons and in early November some trestle tables and folding chairs were purchased for the second Reception Centre. This was because a boiler had broken down so a different room had to be used for classes plus the number of boys there was by then so high this extra furniture was needed to provide a good learning environment for the boys.
Lockdown 2
In Lockdown 2 the classroom lessons continued though with very strict hygiene restrictions. All teachers had to wear a mask or face visor when on site and teaching. We had to maintain a strict 2 metre distance from the boys at all times and use hand sanitiser regularly. Also at this time a new table football game was purchased for the second centre as the previous one had become damaged.
AGM
On December 1[st] we held our AGM as an online Zoom meeting. This was successful as more people than normal attended the meeting.
Tier 4 and Lockdown 3
In mid December we went into Tier 4 and then into Lockdown 3 and all classroom lessons stopped, though the one-to-one online lessons continued. Kent Kindness
put out an appeal for some musical instruments and we were able to provide guitars, ukuleles, 3 keyboards, a trumpet, tambourines and recorders to the Centres.
In December Christmas gift bags were distributed to all of the boys at all three Centres on Christmas Day. Every boy received a gift bag obtaining a t-shirt, a pair of socks, a pack of cards, shower gel, bag of crisps and a small chocolate. We were told these were very well received.
Throughout January and February Lockdown meant no classroom lessons could occur but we did supply more art equipment and musical instruments for the two Centres which remained open. The art equipment included frames to better display some of the boys’ artwork. Both Centres were trying to offer some English tuition and we provided more teaching resources to help here.
Lessons started again
On March 8[th] 2021 Kent Kindness lessons resumed at the main Reception Centre but not the second one as this was being used as the quarantine centre. Once again PPE, hand sanitising and temperature taking was needed, plus all volunteers had to have had a negative lateral flow test before entering the building and had to continue having these on a regular basis.
In April Easter Eggs were purchased for all the boys and safely delivered to both Centres. A total of 80 Easter eggs!
Donations
Kent Kindness has been the recipient of some very generous monetary donations over the course of this year. Some were from local schools and one very generous donation was from a local charity which sadly ceased to function. These donations are being thoughtfully used to purchase more educational equipment for the UASC and enabled the Christmas gift bags and leaver bags which each boy receives as he transfers from a Reception Centre into the community to be more generous than previously. The Kent Kindness committee is actively investigating how else the UASC can be supported thanks to these donations.
And finally
Throughout this year the Kent Kindness trustees remain exceedingly grateful to our volunteers for their willingness to provide classroom lessons when possible, and to the small team who now offer online lessons. Also we are grateful to our many supporters who enabled to be so generous to the UASC at the Centres. Not just for educational equipment which is regularly purchased, but also for the wonderful extras which have been purchased and donated during the various Lockdowns.
Registered Charity No. 1167921 Receipts and Payments Annual Accounts 07.04.20 – 06.04.21
Total Receipts |
Total Payments |
Balance in bank |
Cash funds |
Ringfenced float |
Total capital | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted donations : £12,187 Restricted donations: £ 1121 Total donations: £13,308 |
1. Gifts (leaving, Christmas and Easter) 2. Stationery 3. Books 4. Other equipment for teaching 5. Recreational equipment 6. Insurance + web maintenance |
£3532 £ 245 £1508 £ 542 £1649 £ 308 £7784 |
£11,680 | n/a | £1000 | £10,680 | |