Annual Report 2013

The Abbeyfield Kent Societywww.abbeyfieldkent.org

you were here Wish

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Time Flight No.Destination Gate Remarks

CONTENTS 12 24

Chairman’s Introduction - Robert Barnes Page 5

Chief Executive’s Review of the Year Pages 8 - 9

Who Cares? Initiative

Governance and Compliance

Board Members

Senior Management Team and Compliance Statement

Strategic Focus and Objectives

Financial Information

Mission Statement and Values

Our Homes in Kent

Page 12

Page 13

Page 14

Page 14

Page 17

Pages 18 - 19

Page 22

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Annual Report 2013The Abbeyfield Kent Society

Credits and Partners

Registered Office The Old Wharf, Station Road, Cuxton, Rochester, Kent, ME2 1AB

Bankers National Westminster Bank PLC. PO Box 106, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1AG

Funders Triodos Bank NV, Brunel House, 11 The Promenade, Bristol, BS8 3NN

Solicitors Cripps Harries Hall LLP, Wallside House, 12 Mount Ephriam Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1EG

Auditors Baker Tilly UK Audit LLP, The Pinnacle170 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 1BP

Written & designed by Abbeyfield Kent staff

The Abbeyfield Kent Societywww.abbeyfieldkent.org

I love this home, I feel very safe. I could never sleep through at night

before I came to Stangrove and from the very first night I came here I

have always slept right through the night“ “

Rose-Marie Wingate, Stangrove Lodge resident

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Chairman’s Introduction

The world seems pretty much divided into two camps as far as residential care is concerned. There are those who feel that living in a care home is something to feel sorry about – a failure of society and family to keep someone in the heart of the community. Then there are those who believe that a good care home is an ideal place for old people who need care and good company.

We are of the view that our care homes and Abbeyfield Houses are ideal places for people to spend their later years. Our residents are part of small communities that share common experiences, enjoy companionship and which offer safety, security and novelty.

By “novelty”, I mean, interesting things to do and see. We all – at any age – need stimulation. We all need new things in our lives. It’s a very basic human requirement without which life would be dull and boring.

It is for this reason that, in our homes and houses, we offer more than just company and support: We offer a range of activities and outings to stimulate and excite the human spirit. Our residents are free to be involved in all such events and experiences, just some of them, or none whatsoever.

That’s why our annual report this year is based on the phrase once used often in the days when postcards from holiday destinations were more common than they are these days: Wish You Were Here. And we mean it! We really do wish those of you who would benefit from living with us were here with us now. Sadly, we can only provide homes for a tiny fraction of people who need them, but we never pass up the opportunity to find ways of providing more and more places for people to live in because we believe passionately in what we do and that belief is based on over 45 years of caring for older people in Kent.

As you can see from the pages of this annual report, we provide lots of things for our residents to get involved in, from attending restaurant evenings to days at the seaside. We bring people in to teach arts and crafts, we hold an annual Lantern Parade with Christmas carols, we even help people realise personal dreams and ambitions. Our homes have Wish Trees onto which residents (and their friends and relatives) can attach requests. We have a great track record in making those dreams come true.

We really do all we possibly can to make our residents enjoy life to the full. We provide personalised care, we provide companionship. We provide compassion when required. And we provide entertainment, stimulation and, most important of all, fun. That’s why we wish you were here, and, if you ever come to live in an Abbeyfield Kent house or home, you will be made to feel very, very welcome.

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Chief Executive’s Review of the Year

Annual Report 2012The Abbeyfield Kent Society

Last year – 2012 – was a very important year for us as it marked the 45th anniversary of the organisation now called The Abbeyfield Kent Society. So, for over 45 years, we have been caring for older people in Kent. We are very proud of that and we celebrated that anniversary on every opportunity!

It would take up more space than I have available in this Annual Report to tell you everything we did, but I’d like to mention a few of the events that stand out for me and, I hope, for those residents and friends who were there at the time.

At Connors House in March we had an art exhibition showing the work of Marise Edlin who lives there. Marise was an award winning artist in earlier years who had to give up that activity through ill health. When she came to live with us, however, the carers helping to look after her encouraged her to take up her brushes again, and the results were remarkable.

Our first extra care scheme at Watling Court in Gravesend was officially opened in April by the Lord Lieutenant of the County of Kent, Lord De L’Isle. Watling Court is an award winning building of the very highest quality, as is the support we provide residents with through our Caring Companions service. It has been likened many times to a luxury hotel. If you think that’s an exaggeration, just walk through the main entrance and see for yourself. Ask

the residents and they will tell you the same thing. It’s an excellent example of quality housing and first class care for those who could never afford to buy it from a private provider.

Having been created in 1967, it was only natural that we would remind ourselves that we came into being during that so-called Summer of Love. To mark the occasion, we had Summer of Love weekends in our homes during May. We like to think that, when it comes to looking after our residents, All You Need is Love.

September saw our Spirit of Abbeyfield Award event in which a member of staff, in this case Valerie Banfield was recognised for the fact that she has, on many occasions, gone the extra mile – and then some – for the Society out of dedication to our residents.

In December, for the third year in a row, we held our Lantern Parade at The Friars in Aylesford attended by residents, distinguished guests and two school choirs. The children of Wateringbury Primary School sang some traditional carols beautifully and the girls of Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School performed Raise Our Voices, a stirring and melodic Christmas song they wrote and composed themselves. To add to the poignancy of this remarkable piece of music was the sad fact that, shortly before that event, Peter Booth, the sound recording engineer at the school who had worked on the song with the girls, was tragically killed in a motor accident.

As I said earlier, I could go on and on listing all the ways in which we celebrated our 45 years. In our homes, of course, there were the sort of events that take place year after year. These included restaurant evenings, garden fetes, visiting bands, singers and other performers, craft lessons – such as

flower-arranging - events to mark Easter, Christmas, Remembrance Sunday, the Olympics, Halloween, St. George’s Day, and special birthdays. There are too many to list!

Last year was a special year, but, in a very real sense, for our residents, every year is special, every year precious. People who come to live with us in their later years are not expected to wind down or take it easy – though they can, of course, if that’s what they want – they are simply starting the next phase of their lives. We not only care for their physical needs, we do all we can to bring them novelty, exciting new experiences, good friends and new ways to celebrate what life has to offer which, at any age, can be vast.

We will be doing that for as long as we are able. So here’s to the next 45 years of caring for older people in Kent and beyond as our journey continues.

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It’s more like a hotel than a home. This is my home now and I couldn’t

wish for anything better. I was stuck in a rut but I’m living now

“

“

Cynthia Nixon, Watling Court resident

Governance and Compliance

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The Board of Trustees and the Senior Management Team

The Society is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee having no share capital. It is registered with the Homes and Community Agency as a registered provider. As one of the largest providers of residential care in Kent, the Society is also the largest independent Abbeyfield society in the United Kingdom. It provides supported housing, permanent and short-term care to over 500 older people through its 14 supported, residential, and extra care homes.

Under its Memorandum and Articles of Association the direction and control of the Society’s activities is exercised by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are drawn from the Society’s general membership and are elected to the Board for a period of three years.

The Board currently has 10 members, the names of whom are listed on page 14. They come from a range of backgrounds and bring together professional, commercial and local experience.

The role of the Board is to direct the Society in accordance with its articles and objectives on behalf of members, residents, employees and the community at large. Whilst the Board is ultimately responsible for all decisions and actions taken in the name of the Society, its day to day management is delegated to the Chief Executive working together with the Senior Management Team.

Board members receive regular information, often at Board meetings, as well as bi-weekly updates in order to ensure that they can maintain their skills and a high level of awareness of issues concerning the sector.

Members of the Board receive no remuneration although reasonable reimbursement of mileage and other expenses is made. Executive Directors, known as the Senior Management Team, are not members of the Board and, except for the purposes of salary disclosure, are not regarded as Directors for

legal purposes. The Senior Management Team meets regularly on a formal basis under the chairmanship of the Chief Executive in order to manage the Society within the framework agreed by the Board.

The names of the members of the Senior Management Team are shown on page 14.

Throughout the year, the Society’s Trustees have continued to work with staff and volunteers to deliver first class services to our residents and other service users. Elsewhere in this report, mention is made of our achievements during the year. Trustees played a key role in both facilitating those achievements and ensuring their effective, efficient and economic implementation.

The continued application of the Linked Trustee Scheme (where individual Trustees take an active part in the life of individual homes) has continued to assist this process and has provided the Board with a direct line of communication with our residents, essential if the Board are to be fully aware of the quality of the care and support we provide.

The Board of Trustees has also played a key role in ensuring that the Society was adequately structured and resourced to implement its first three year Strategic Plan.

The Who Cares? Initiative was started to give peace of mind to the older people who live in Abbeyfield Kent homes across the county.

It is a sad fact that, on occasion, the care that an older person may need can no longer be paid for from diminishing personal resources. This change of circumstances can culminate in the person having to move home. Unfortunately, this change and unsettlement can sometimes lead to sickness and premature death.

The Abbeyfield Kent Society would like nothing more than for a resident to stay in their home where they are settled for as long as they want, so the Who Cares? Initiative was established in 2009 to provide the funding needed to bridge the gap between the cost of the care we provide and what is affordable.

The money raised through the Who Cares? Initiative gives valuable peace of mind to those older people who need a little extra support to remain in their home.

All donations received, 100%, are used for this purpose. All the overheads related to the running of the initiative are met by Abbeyfield Kent in full. This means every penny donated is spent on providing the invaluable support that some of our residents desperately need.

From big fundraising pushes to small street collections, we put a great deal of effort into the campaign knowing that the money we raise can make the difference between a comfortable final period of life or loneliness and isolation with a reduced quality of life.

By making a donation to the Who Cares? Initiative, people are directly giving help to individuals who are in dire need of support. If you want to help us make a real difference to real people in need, you can do so by visiting our website:

www.abbeyfieldkent.org/whocares

CaresWho

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Robert Barnes FRICSChairman

Rowley Leigh Treasurer

John BrodieTrustee

Maureen Bradley MBATrustee

John Townend B.SC HonS

Trustee

Stephen TomlinsonTrustee

David Large ACIBTrustee

Zach Miles MA FCATrustee

Rosemarie PardingtonMBA, B.SC HonS, MCIM, MIQATrustee

Shirley Brigham MCSPTrustee

Board of Trustees

Senior Management Team

Compliance StatementThe Society has continued to ensure that it works toward meeting the expectations of its service users and all its regulators.

All governance arrangements were reviewed during the year against the background of the changed regulatory environment. We are using three National Housing Federation Codes to improve the quality of our governance arrangements. These are the Code of Governance, the Code of Conduct and the Code for Service Delivery as we believe these provide a firm basis for meeting our statutory and regulatory obligations.

The Society has adopted the National Housing Federation’s Excellence in Standards Code of Conduct and complies with The National Housing Federation’s Code of Excellence in Governance in all but one respect - periods of office. The Society does not believe that the adoption of set periods of office are in its best interests at this time. This will be reviewed annually.

Leon Steer FCIPDChief Executive

Jane Iley CPFADirector of Finance

Julie JonesDirector of Care

Laurence Fowler-Stevens AMInstLMDirector of Corporate Services

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Our Strategic Focus

Key Strategic Objectives

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1. Care services

Provide the highest quality and efficient customer-focused services possible with the resources available, taking into account customer needs and expectations, best practice and the need for creative solutions to pressures both economic and social.

2. Development and property services

Provide new homes and improve existing ones – through modernisation and expansion, where possible – to meet the growing need for our services. Manage the Society’s assets – including its property holdings – making optimum use of them and seek to provide services to other charities and agencies locally on their behalf or assisting and encouraging them to make the best use of their property assets.

Refurbish our existing homes to meet regulatory and statutory standard;

Become recognised as a regional leader in the provision of services for older people;

Provide new high quality homes and services which meet the needs and aspirations of both existing and new service users (i.e. which seek to meet their needs within the constraints of available financial resources).

3. Community development

Work in partnership with local authorities, the government, other community-based agencies and those traditionally seen as‘competitors’ to support initiatives likely to benefit our customers and the wider community.

4. Financial management

Optimise our financial resources in support of our activities in a balanced manner with due regard to the diverse needs of new and existing stock, managing them prudently, with full regard to risk, viability and the need to provide affordable services.

5. Human resources

Instil a culture of increasing competence and continued development within our staff to maximise their potential.

6. Governance

Develop and sustain high standards and efficiency in the way in which the Society is governed.

7. Promotion of activity

Ensure that the work undertaken by the Society is made known to key groups in an appropriate and cost-effective manner.

Over the next three years our work will focus on a number of key strategic priorities with these being to:

Financial Review 2012/13

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Actual2011

Actual 2012

Forecast2013

Forecast2014

Overheads % Turnover 16.2% 14.3% 13.5% 13.6%

Total Property Spend £693k £704k £775k £683k

Direct Margin 40.2% 40.9% 44.6% 41.9%

Actual2012

Forecast2013

Forecast2014

Interest Cover 3.6 5.3 4.0

Debt Service Cover 2.0 3.0 2.2

Asset Value £11.63m £13.62m £13.62m

Loan to Asset Value 63% 52% 51%

The Society’s Financial Statements for the year ended 30th September 2012 show an operating surplus for the year of £157,610 with this an improvement on the deficit of £89,765 seen for the previous year.

Unfortunately delays in the initial letting of the new extra care scheme, Watling Court, due to circumstances outside of the Society’s direct control resulted in a lower occupancy there than had been anticipated with an estimated income loss of just over £200k for the full year as a result. Overall occupancy for Watling Court was just under 60% during this period with all flats occupied as at the end of the financial year. This improved position has been maintained well into the current financial year with occupancy rates for the first six months here of just under 99%.

Despite the above the Society’s Financial Statements for 2012 still reflect an overall increase in income of 12% from the previous year with approximately half of this reflecting the opening of Watling Court and the launch of our Caring Companions domiciliary care service. In contrast to this growth in income operating costs have increased by only 10% with the bulk of this, again, due to Watling Court and Caring Companions.

Capital Structure

Prior to 2010 the Society was financed largely from retained surpluses, some of which have arisen through the receipt of a number of legacies and donations which are restricted as to their use. In 2010, the Society arranged loan funding for the development of Watling Court plus the extension of a number of existing residential care homes. The funding was secured from Triodos Bank NV on the basis of the Society’s Business Plan for an agreed facility of up to £7.65 million repayable over 25 years. The loan is subject to annual approval of the Business Plan and a satisfactory performance against agreed financial covenants, including asset cover. The total balance outstanding on this facility as at the end of September 2012 was £7.35 million.

Current financial projections, as included in the Society’s latest Business Plan (March 2013 revision), show the loan will be repaid in full by 2035. All funding covenants for the twelve months to the end of September 2012 were met with performance in respect of these, and a forecast for the next two years, given below.

Financial Viability and Value for Money

Abbeyfield Kent is committed to managing resources economically, efficiently and effectively; ensuring that the organisation remains financially viable, providing quality services and homes which deliver on-going, planned improvements in value for money.

Our main source of operating income remains the fees, rents and service charges that we receive from the residents in our residential care homes, supported and extra care housing schemes. Approximately 35% of our available residential care places are currently occupied by residents who are paid for by a local authority in accordance with an agreed contract price. Whilst the contractual arrangements supporting these usually provide for annual increases linked to RPI, reflecting the current economic situation, the

last two financial years have seen increases significantly below this and in many cases zero.

In addition, Abbeyfield Kent, like many other residential care providers, is facing a reduction in the elderly frail market in favour of other client groups, such as dementia. Reflecting this, we have seen occupancy levels across our residential care homes falling by approximately 4% over the last four years, with the majority of this seen within our frail elderly beds. Overall occupancy across all our care homes was just under 90% during 2012, although six out of nine homes achieved occupancy rates of 90% or above with average rates across these homes of 94%. The above factors have meant that the need to ensure greater value for money, by continuing to deliver quality services within reducing resources, has become an established focus of activity for the Society. The Society’s Value for Money strategy, developed during 2012, reflects a strong commitment to ensure that central overhead services are as effective as possible, allowing resources to be focused on front line service delivery, and maintaining our homes.

A measure of the success that we have had in meeting this commitment over the last two financial years and our plans to improve on this still further, over the next two years, are given below.

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My son says this is the best home he has been in. The staff are very

kind and do their best for us. I have been unwell on and off over the

years and the staff have nursed me back to health with their care and

attention

“

“

Ivy Hitchman, St Martins resident

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Our Homes in KentResidential

Connors HouseCapacity: 40Craddock Road, Canterbury CT1 1YP01227 769774

Dene HolmCapacity: 44Deneholm Road, Northfleet, Gravesend DA11 8JY01474 567532

Edward Moore HouseCapacity: 36Trinity Road, Gravesend DA12 1LX01474 321360

GreenstedCapacity: 3816 The Orpines, Wateringbury, Maidstone ME18 5BP01622 813106

Rogers HouseCapacity: 41Drewery Drive, Wigmore, Gillingham ME8 0NX01634 262266

St MartinsCapacity: 41Martin Square, Larkfield, Aylesford ME20 6QJ01732 842628

Stangrove LodgeCapacity: 43Manor House Gardens, Edenbridge TN8 5EG01732 864975

The DynesCapacity: 33Nightingale Road, Kemsing, Sevenoaks TN15 6RU01959 523834

WoodgateCapacity: 46Tudeley Lane, Tonbridge TN11 0QJ01732 350952

Supported Housing

Drewery DriveCapacity: 11Wigmore, Gillingham ME8 0NX01634 364375

Margaret Fisher HouseCapacity: 1030 Old Kent Road, Paddock Wood, Tonbridge TN12 6JD01892 834550

Northwood RoadCapacity: 959 Northwood Road, Tankerton, Whitstable CT5 2HA01227 771310

St Mary’sCapacity: 1115 The Glebefield, Riverhead TN13 3DR01732 460545

Extra Care Scheme

Watling CourtCapacity: 70Ifield Way, Gravesend, DA12 5BP01474 352201

Central to everything we do are our core values. These describe the way we work together and how we behave with our residents, members of staff, volunteers, Trustees and other stakeholders.

Our core values are:

Mission Statement

Our Values

The Abbeyfield Kent Society is passionate about providing affordable caring solutions for older people through a range of high quality services. Based on our Christian values and ethos, our strength lies in catering for the needs, wants and aspirations of older people in a friendly, family environment, regardless of faith or the absence of it.

Compassion - Behaving in a manner that treats people with respect and dignity;

Integrity - Acting at all times in an honest way with all those with whom we come into contact;

Openness - Offering high quality services that are adaptable, flexible and that meet the changing needs of service users in a manner that offers genuine choice; and

People focused - Reflecting the ethos inherent in the Society’s mission.

A member of the National Abbeyfield Society under the Royal Patronage of HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB. The Abbeyfield Kent Society is a registered charity 254140, Housing Association H2362, Company 908333.

The Abbeyfield Kent Societywww.abbeyfieldkent.org

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