Kent LINk Community Engagement Event in Shepway
The Kent LINk visited Folkestone at the Valley Leisure Centre on Tuesday, 10 November 2009, from 5.00pm until 8.30pm
A visit from the Kent LINk allowed residents in the Shepway area the chance to network with many voluntary and community sector organisations, as well as the opportunity to get involved in the Department of Health's Big Care Debate. Despite the cold and dark weather outside, the Kent LINk was pleased to see an number of new faces and some familiar ones, who wanted to participate in the meeting and the debate.
Representatives from various health and social care related organisations brought displays along to share their important work in the community with Kent LINk participants, members of the public and to network with other professionals. Stand holders included Canterbury and Coastal Rethink Carers Support Group, Skillnet, Porchlight, NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent Community Support Group (who also brought along a display on their Falls Prevention Service), Crossroads, MCCH, Swale Carers, Hi Kent, Age Concern, DGSM yourChoice as well as many others. Stand holders also got involved with the debate, which was excellent to get so many different points of view.
The formal meeting which took part during the first part of the evening began with an update from Kent LINk Governors John Fletcher and Roger Kendall, on the governance and finance updates for the Kent LINk, followed by the Priorities Panel report updates and presentations.
The Big Care Debate was the main event of the evening, which allowed people to discuss and debate the Department of Health's green paper; 'Shaping the future of care together', and contribute to the consultation. 
LINk participants had expressed a concern on the likely impact on benefits such as Attendance Allowance and Disability Allowance in response to the paper, so it was an ideal opportunity to find out more about the consultation and have a say about what it entailed for the local residents.
The atmosphere of the debate was very positive which provoked many constructive criticisms, as well as highlighted some of the more positive details in the document. The Kent LINk and Kent & Medway Networks team would like to thank all the attendees and stand holders who took part and to all who came along, as well as the Governors' Group and Priorities Panel for all their dedication in creating the reports for the meeting.
Documents from the day:
