More than an annual meeting.
An AGM can sometimes feel like a box to tick. At ADSS, it is an opportunity to pause, look around the room and recognise what we can achieve together.
At ADSS we don't just support people with dementia, we also support the professionals who care for them.
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An AGM can sometimes feel like a box to tick. At ADSS, it is an opportunity to pause, look around the room and recognise what we can achieve together.
On Thursday 12th November, colleagues, trustees, partners, supporters and people we support came together at the ORIDA Hotel in Maidstone for our Annual General Meeting. In our 35th anniversary year, it was a chance to reflect on the difference our work makes, celebrate the powerful partnerships behind it and consider where we go next.
The people behind the numbers
During 2025/26, ADSS supported 6,328 people affected by dementia. Each person has their own story, relationships, worries and hopes for the future.
Our Chief Executive, Katie Antill, reflected on a year of achievement, national and local award recognition, alongside growing demand, increasingly complex needs and financial pressures. There was much to celebrate, but also an honest recognition of the challenges facing our charity and the importance of sustaining our support.
Emily Forster, our Service Development and Quality Assurance Manager, shared feedback that brought the impact of that work into focus. Among respondents using our community services, 79% felt less lonely and 93% felt able to make their own choices. All respondents to our hospital services survey said they would recommend ADSS.
Behind those figures are moments that matter: someone feeling understood during a hospital stay, a carer finding a person they can turn to, or someone living with dementia having the confidence to keep making their own decisions.
Hearing from Ben Williams, alongside Dementia Coordinator Julie Randall, brought that personal perspective into the room through “What ADSS means to me”. Making space for the voices of people we support is central to our AGM, just as it is central to our work.
Our year, brought together
Our impact booklet brings together the stories, achievements and experiences behind a year of ADSS support. It captures the breadth of our work, from helping families navigate their first concerns about dementia to providing practical support, companionship and reassurance as needs change.
It is also a celebration of everyone who makes that work possible: our staff, volunteers, partners, fundraisers and supporters. Together, their contributions help people affected by dementia find hope, purpose and dignity in everyday life.
Explore our impact booklet here to discover the difference we have made together.
Partnerships that make more possible
The day also celebrated the relationships that help us reach people, respond to gaps in support and bring services closer to the communities that need them.
Our work at Capstone Dementia Support Centre was one example of what can happen when organisations come together around a shared need. Reflecting on ADSS’s role in maintaining services, Councillor Teresa Murray’s feedback recognised the positive and professional response of our team.
We were also pleased to welcome Nikki Zimmerman, Head of Support Services at Rare Dementia Support, who shone a light on rare dementias and the importance of local support and regional partnerships.
These connections matter. They bring together different knowledge, experiences and resources, helping us respond to people whose needs might otherwise go unheard.
We were delighted to welcome civic guests representing Maidstone, Medway, Gravesham, Dartford and Swanley, with Councillor Douglas Hamandishe, Mayor of Medway, delivering the closing remarks. Their involvement provided a valuable opportunity to share the experiences of people affected by dementia and the importance of continued local support.
Listening, learning and looking ahead
Reflection also means asking where we can do better.
Feedback shared during the meeting highlighted calls for more local activities, clearer communication, easier access and earlier support for carers. Listening to those experiences helps us understand what matters most and where we need to focus our efforts.
As we look ahead, the voices of people living with dementia and those who support them must continue to shape our services.
Thank you to everyone who joined us, contributed to the day and has been part of our story over the past year. Our AGM was a chance to reflect on everything we have achieved together, celebrate the people and partnerships behind it, and look ahead to the support families who will need us in the year to come.