Bringing Kinship Families Together
Annual Trustee’s Report for the report period 010424 to 310325 All data correct as at 31[st] March 2025
Name of the Charity – Kinfest Registered charity number – 1171491 Registered address – 30 Castle Street, Upnor, Rochester, Kent ME2 4XR Trustees as at 31[st] March 2025 - Vicki O’Leary, Neil Stow, Janellen Redington, Mat Bushell, Rob Pitman, Anna Clough.
Charity Structure
Kinfest is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with 6 trustees and no paid employees. The trustees make all decisions with regard to the management of the charity and Kinfest benefits from volunteer help throughout the year as well as the trustees being involved with the day-to-day practical organisation and management of the charities events and business.
Kinfest recruits new trustees through advertisement on its Facebook Community Page and amongst its beneficiary support groups. All potential trustees are given a formal interview by at least a quorum (4 out of 6) of the current trustees. Potential trustees are given an indication of the work that may be required of them, as roles change as necessary within the charity. Roles that are required to be undertaken are Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary, however other roles and responsibilities are spread out amongst both trustees and volunteers, using the skills available to the charity at any time.
Bringing Kinship Families Together
Objectives and Activities
Kinfest aims to alleviate isolation within Kinship Families. It does so by organising holidays, events, day trips and fundraising activities for people, and their families, who look after another family or friend’s child(ren).
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In 2024/2025 the main objective of Kinfest was to be able to fully fund at least two significant events per annual event. Kinfest is pleased to advise that it was able to:
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a. fully fund a day trip to Huckleberry Farm for over 100 beneficiaries in Kent,
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b. fully fund a day trip to Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World for over 100 beneficiaries in Hampshire,
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c. fully fund a trip to Diggerland for over 100 beneficiaries in the South East,
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d. fully fund a meal out at the Dunes Restaurant in Skegness for 50 beneficiaries,
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e. fully fund a day trip to Skegness Natureland for over 50 beneficiaries,
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f. fully fund a day trip to visit the Alpacas for 60 beneficiaries,
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g. fully fund a day Christmas Meal for over 110 people in the South East, including a visit from Santa, a present each and a disco.
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h. partially fund multiple picnics around the country for over 150 beneficiaries, reaching more people across the country, raising awareness and bringing kinship families together.
Therefore, allowing more beneficiaries to participate in events designed to promote social inclusion, by alleviating a major obstacle to participation.
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Kinfest was able to utilise the experience of its trustees to fulfil the Charity Commissions criteria, as well as creating the various procedures and operating practices, including the governing documentation. Kinfest has been able to access funding streams previously not open to not for profit organisations and has been able to use those funds to fund events for beneficiaries.
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Kinfest uses a number of strategies to achieve their objectives these include but are not limited to:
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a. Fundraising:-
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i. from beneficiaries and their friends and family;
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ii. applying for grants for specific events and/or activities;
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iii. applying for holiday funding for specific beneficiaries;
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iv. applying for regular funding for large events.
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b. Raising awareness by:-
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i. visiting Local Authority events specifically laid on for ‘Friends and Family’ or ‘Connected Carers’;
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ii. giving talks to various local clubs, associations and support groups;
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iii. giving interviews to radio, TV, magazine or newspaper reporters, and university researchers;
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iv. being involved in debate and live events;
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v. sharing information via social media and other platforms.
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Bringing Kinship Families Together
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c. Supporting beneficiaries by:-
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i. Running face-to-face peer groups;
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ii. Administering online peer support groups;
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iii. Organising meet ups, days out, trips, events and holidays.
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Kinfest’s three significant activities each year include a 5-day holiday during the second bank holiday week in May, a 7-day holiday during the summer school holidays, and a Christmas Party.
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a. The 5-day and 7-day holidays aim to get kinship families together for a week of funfilled activities. The objectives are to alleviate the isolation felt by the carers, and children, which can emerge after taking on the care of a family or friends’ child(ren), as well as improving the bond within the family unit, by creating lifelong memories in a non-hostile and inclusive environment.
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b. During the week’s holiday various activities are organised these can include:-
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i. a Sunday Lunch with children’s entertainer;
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ii. disco;
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iii. circus skills workshop;
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iv. a day trip out to a local tourist attraction;
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v. a ‘fun day’ with children’s games, mini-fete and BBQ;
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vi. a fish and chip supper and quiz night;
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vii. treasure hunts;
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viii. funded or subsidised entry to local farm or wildlife park.
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c. The Christmas Party enables families to get together with other families in a similar position, who otherwise may not have an opportunity for a ‘family’ get together/party, especially as many kinship families are excluded from their own wider family due to taking on the care of a family member’s child.
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Kinfest’s specific objects as per the Governing Document are:
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a. The promotion of social inclusion for the public benefit, by preventing people becoming socially excluded, children, their carers and the natural children of the carers (sharers), who are excluded from society or parts of society, due to their social and economic position, by the provision of social events, days out and group holidays, to enable kinship families meeting other kinship families, to relieve isolation and to assist bonding within the kinship family.
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b. To advance the education of the public in the subject of Kinship Care.
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Kinfest confirms that it’s Trustees have complied with their duty, having due regard to the guidance on public benefit as published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers.
Bringing Kinship Families Together
Achievements and Performance
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Kinfest organised a holiday to Rockley Park in Dorset in May 2025, enabling 25 families, 90 people to enjoy time away from the home, in an inclusive environment, where everyone else understood their challenges and where beneficiaries could talk freely without feeling judged by their audience. Kinfest was able to host and fully fund 2 separate day trips.
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Kinfest organised a holiday to Skegness in August 2024, enabling 14 Families and 54 people to enjoy time away from the home, in an inclusive environment, where everyone else understood their challenges and where beneficiaries could talk freely without feeling judged by their audience. Kinfest was able to secure National Lottery Funding and could host and fully fund 2 separate day trips.
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Kinfest organised the sixth annual ‘Kinfest Big Picnic’ in September, there were multiple separate picnics held across the country where Kinfest paid for everyone to have a hot drink or an icecream.
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Kinfest secured funding for the annual Christmas Party in Sevenoaks in December 2024. Enabling over 28 families, 110 people, to spend quality time together over the festive period. A time when many kinship children and their carers do not have the wider family with which to spend quality time. Kinfest were able to fully fund this event, including the meal, a visit form Santa, a present for every child, and a disco.
Bringing Kinship Families Together
Financial Review
At the end of the reporting period, 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025, Kinfest’s unrestricted reserves totalled £2,030. Restricted reserves totalled £5,200.
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Kinfest’s principal funding sources in this reporting period have been:
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i. Corporate Donations - £5,200 of which £5,200 was for specific purposes
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ii. Fundraising activities - £784 of which £0 was for specific purposes
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iii. Personal Donations - £895 which was all unrestricted
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Kinfest’s policy on reserves is as follows:
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a. Restricted reserves are those monies received from beneficiaries to specifically purchase, reserve or otherwise secure their participation in Kinfest events, and other funds that are received for a specific project or purpose. These funds are restricted for the use according to the funding agreements of donors’ instructions.
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b. Unrestricted reserves are made up of the Charity’s activities for generating funds, investment income (as appropriate) and other donations which are expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance to achieve the objectives of the Charity.
The Trustees have determined that the appropriate level of reserves to be held for non-earmarked expenditure should equate to 10% of total funds to provide sufficient working capital to cover delays in the spending and receipt of grants/funding and to provide a cushion for unexpected emergencies.
- At the end of the accounting period Kinfest held £2,030 in unrestricted reserves, this represents 12.15% of total income. This is marginally more than the determined appropriate amount of 10%. This has been deemed an insignificant amount. Kinfest will not be increasing it's spending next year.
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KINFEST YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 31ST MARCH 2025 FUND 31ST MARCH 2024
YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2025 Notes £ £ VALUE £
EDUCATION & ADMINISTRATION
INCOME
Grants Received 0 0
Individual Donations 895 1,049
Corporate/charitable donations 5,200 9,581
Income from Fundraising 784 1,748
TOTAL FUND INCOME 6,879 12,378
EXPENDITURE
Kinfest expenditure 2,652 10,900
Fundraising expenditure 362 353
General expenditure 588 1,580
TOTAL FUND EXPENDITURE 3,602 12,833
PROFIT / (LOSS) 3,277 3,277 -455
ACTIVITIES
INCOME
KFCG Benefits 16,712 25,237
TOTAL FUND INCOME 16,712 25,237
EXPENDITURE
Benefits expenditure 17,298 27,303
TOTAL FUND EXPENDITURE 17,298 -586 27,303
OVERALL FUNDS TOTAL FOR THE YEAR 2,691 -2,521
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KINFEST YEAR ENDED YEAR ENDED
BALANCE SHEET 31ST MARCH 2025 31ST MARCH 2024
As Restated
Notes £ £ £
As at 31 March 2025
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash at bank and in hand 12,539 10,404
Paypal 945 689
Cash float 0 930
13,484 12,023
CREDITORS : Amounts falling due within one year
Balance due for 2025 activities 5,996 21
NET CURRENT ASSETS 19,480 12,044
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 19,480 12,044
FUNDS OF THE ENTERPRISE
Unrestricted funds 1 2,030 4,029
KFCG Restricted funds 1 12,250 8,015
Restricted funds 1 5,200 0
FUNDS TOTAL 19,480 12,044
To Members of the Committee
I confirm that I have independently verified the figures of the above community project for the year ended 31st March 2025 which
comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and related notes from the accounting records and from information
and explanations provided to me.
Based on this information these figures have, in my opinion, been properly prepared from the accounting records of the
community project and fairly reflect the transactions and position of the community project as at 31st March 2025 and of it's
financial activities for the year.
Digitally Signed
Elsa Mason
06/01/2026
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