21 Together Showcase at Orida Hotel
As the chosen Charity of year for Kent Invicta Chambers we had the privilege of showcasing 21 Together at a unique networking event on Wednesday 23rd July, at The Orida Hotel in Maidstone, who we are very lucky to also be their charity of the year!
A huge thank you to Kent Invicta Chambers for organising such a fantastic event and to Orida Hotel for hosting us in style and providing an exceptional spread that kept everyone fuelled throughout the day.
The event was expertly opened by Marion Turner from the Chambers, who welcomed attendees and set the tone for what was to be a powerful and engaging session. We then heard from Lewis Mackay-Bell of Orida, who gave us a fascinating overview of the hotel, its facilities, and its top-tier gym – a great insight into this amazing local venue.
Photo credits to Malcolm the photographer.
Our very own Julie Stichbury took a moment to express our gratitude to Orida for selecting 21 Together as their Charity of the Year and gave thanks to the Chambers team for making the day possible. Julie also provided a short overview of the schedule ahead.
We were then introduced to John Keeley, our CEO, who delivered a moving and informative presentation about 21 Together, the work we do, and how people can get involved in supporting children and families with Down’s syndrome. The audience was deeply touched by Neil’s story, which followed – a personal and emotional testament to the impact of our mission. This was a real emotional tribute to the event, and what better way to learn how families are affected than by hearing from a family that accesses our services.
After the presentations, attendees broke off into smaller groups of 10 to take part in an interactive Makaton training session led by our talented educational specialist, Katerina Pollard. Katerina demonstrated and taught a range of basic Makaton signs, and everyone walked away with a handout of signs and letters to continue their learning. The feedback from these sessions was overwhelmingly positive – many telling us how engaging and useful it was and a few giggles in the room with some of the amusing signs.
The afternoon concluded with an opportunity for networking, where connections were made and future support was pledged. We were especially touched by those who approached Julie with offers of raffle prizes for the upcoming Kent Invicta Business Awards in November, thank you for your generosity.
Throughout the day we were extremely grateful to Malcolm Hatchett, a local photographer who very kindly offered his services for free to capture the day, and I think you would agree that these caught the atmosphere tremendously. A heartfelt thank you.
Finally, we’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who attended and has already supported us. The power of networking made all of this possible and we are incredibly grateful for the relationships built with these local organisations who continue to support one another. A true community.