Some of Kent’s incredible charities, volunteers and trustees have been recognised for their hard work at a glittering awards ceremony.

This year’s Kent Charity Awards saw charities from all corners of the county being celebrated for their achievements, including Northfleet’s Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services which scooped Kent Charity of the Year.

The charity supports individuals living with dementia and also picked up Disability Charity of the Year and Trustee of the Year.

Katie Antil, CEO of Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services, said: “We are thrilled to receive these honours from the Kent Charity Awards. This recognition is a testament to the enormous dedication, commitment and passion of the entire ADSS team.

“Our mission is that everyone living with dementia in Kent gets the support they need to live the life they want. This recognition from the Kent Charity Awards helps to raise awareness of dementia and reach even more people.”

Among the other category winners were Smarden’s Big Cat Sanctuary, Swanley’s We Are Beams and the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Charity, which won a Judges’ Special Recognition Award.

Founder Tracy Allen said: “On behalf of FASD Awareness and our growing FASD community, I would like to say a big thank you to Kent Charity Awards for recognising our efforts to raise awareness of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) within the general population.

“FASD is the most common cause of neuro-disability in the Western world and presents around three to six times the rate of autism spectrum disorder in the UK. There are more children born each year with FASD than with ASD, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined, and yet the condition often remains hidden or misunderstood by the wider population.

This award will help us shine a light on our #BeAware Campaign, and we hope it will also encourage others to engage and collaborate with us, to enable a wider understanding of what FASD is and how it can be avoided.”

THE FULL LIST OF THIS YEAR’S KENT CHARITY AWARDS WINNERS

KENT CHARITY OF THE YEAR: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services

TRUSTEE OF THE YEAR: Samuel Barton of Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Michael Lowrey of the Young Lives Foundation

BEST USE OF VOLUNTEERS: Nourish Community Foodbank

DISABILITY CHARITY OF THE YEAR: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Support Services

MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY OF THE YEAR: The Young Lives Foundation

LARGE CHARITY OF THE YEAR: Porchlight

COMMUNITY CHARITY OF THE YEAR: The Halpern Charitable Foundation/Nucleus Arts

CHILDREN’S CHARITY OF THE YEAR: We Are Beams

ANIMAL AND ENVIRONMENT CHARITY OF THE YEAR: The Big Cat Sanctuary

CARE CHARITY OF THE YEAR: Sateda

START-UP CHARITY OF THE YEAR: Keep Talking Services

FUNDRAISING AWARD OF THE YEAR: Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex

SPECIAL JUDGES’ AWARD: FASD Awareness

The Kent Charity Awards are sponsored by Kreston Reeves, Medway Council, KM Media Group, Kent Community Foundation, CAF Bank, AMEY, Brachers, and Financial Advice and Services.