Our Founders
King’s Reach was founded in 2003 by Dave and Stewart King, two passionate individuals driven by faith and a commitment to help young people who other agencies could not support. Drawing on years of experience serving their community, they created a charity that gives young people the time, care, and opportunities they need to heal, grow, and build brighter futures.
Dave King - MBE
The King’s Reach journey began in 1985 when Dave and Janice King felt called to make a difference in their local community in Shepway, Maidstone. Leaving his job, and guided by his faith, Dave set out to support people who were struggling. One of the first was Chris, a man dying of cancer. Dave visited him every day, offering care and kindness—living out the example of Jesus. That experience changed Dave’s life and planted the seed for what would later become King’s Reach.
From those early days, Dave launched a community café, an advice centre, and a furniture recycling project—each one designed to give people practical help and a sense of belonging. His time as a school governor opened his eyes to the challenges faced by young people who didn’t fit into the system. That insight shaped his vision to create new opportunities for those most in need.
Dave’s impact has been widely recognised. In 1999, a road on the Shepway estate was named King’s Reach after students from Molehill Copse School, where Dave was a governor, chose the name in recognition of his work with families. When the charity was later founded, it was fitting to carry forward that name. In 2001, Dave was awarded an MBE by the Queen for his service to children and young people. And in 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Celebrate Maidstone ceremony, recognising decades of dedication to supporting families and building lasting community initiatives.
Today, the legacy of Dave’s vision lives on. King’s Reach continues to embody the same spirit of hope, love, and practical support that began with one man’s faith-driven decision to serve his community.
Stewart King
Stewart began his working life as a chef, but after five years he followed the example of his father and changed direction, dedicating himself to supporting young people facing significant challenges. He focused on those in the care system, the criminal justice system, or excluded from school—young people other agencies often struggled to support.
In 2003, Dave and Stewart came together to found King’s Reach, with the mission of supporting the young people who other agencies could not support. Since then, Stewart has led and developed a wide range of initiatives to give young people positive opportunities. These include a football team for teenagers unable to join other teams, a boxing club to provide focus in the evenings, one-to-one mentoring and tuition for excluded or at-risk students, and youth groups designed to build confidence and engagement. He has also specialised in supporting young people leaving care or leaving young offenders’ programmes, helping them reintegrate safely into the community.
As a foster carer, Stewart welcomed young people who could not be placed elsewhere due to their behaviour or risk-taking, providing a safe and supportive home. In 2004, they registered an alternative curriculum programme supporting 30 students, and in 2005 helped register a children’s home for young people who were hard to place. Most recently, in 2022, Stewart was part of the team that registered King’s Reach Education, an Independent Special School taking students who could not be placed anywhere else in Kent.
As the charity has grown, Stewart has continued to grow alongside it, leading the team and shaping King’s Reach into the thriving organisation it is today.