In 2019, METRO Zest’s young people participated in English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud project, in collaboration with National Youth Theatre. The project culminated in a site-specific performance at Eltham Palace. Inspired by the fascinating hidden stories and queer heritage at Eltham Palace, this new piece of theatre was devised by the young company themselves. This project was enabled by the National Lottery players via a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
OUR HOUSE
‘Our House’ is a play created and performed by 30 young people from the National Youth Theatre and METRO Charity in September 2019. More than 500 people attended the performances and it won the 2019 UK Heritage Award for Best Event, Festival or Exhibition.
In summer 2019, young people from both the National Youth Theatre (NYT) and METRO Charity had the unique opportunity to develop a new play at Eltham Palace ‘Our House’.
‘Our House’ explores LGBTQ+ stories and the history of the Eltham Palace. Taking inspiration from the lives of Eltham’s famous occupants – King Edward II, King Henry VIII, and Courtauld family, as well as the stories of the countless people including servants, musicians, soldiers, and administrators, whose lives are linked with Eltham and its more famous residents, but whose stories have gone untold or have even been lost entirely.
Over two months, we worked with historians, musicians, directors, writers and theatre professionals to create a new immersive promenade performance*. Following an introduction to Eltham Palace’s history, they researched LGBTQ+ narratives relating to the palace and its inhabitants and, during creative workshops, forged their ideas into a script.
The play is divided into eight short scenes exploring the supposed romance between King Edward II and his favourite, Piers Gaveston, Henry VIII’s upbringing at the Palace with his sisters, and working-class queer stories from the 1930s when Eltham Palace was known for high-society parties.
On the 21st and 22nd September, performances took place at Eltham Palace to both invited guests and members of the public. More than 500 people attended the performances, moving through various Palace rooms and into the gardens to encounter each new scene.
Not only did everyone involved gain writing, performing, and dancing skills, they also gained confidence, made friends, and had a lot of fun. Everyone started to feel a sense of ownership over the site, that it was a welcoming and safe space.
Youth group for LGBTQ people aged under 16 in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley or Bromley
About this service
METRO Zest is a group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, queer and questioning young people in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley. We meet in Bexley every Friday from 4:30pm to 6.30pm.
It’s a safe space to meet other LGBTQ young people, get support and have fun. We usually have snacks and hang out together. Sometimes we talk about identity, relationships and wellbeing. Every Christmas we have a party with dancing, pizza and cake. We also go to the cinema, Pride in London and UK Black Pride.
COVID-19 UPDATE: This group is now meeting virtually via Zoom.
We look forward to resuming services fully once it is appropriate to do so.
Who can use this service
You need to be aged under 16 and live in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley or Bromley. You also need to identify as LGBTQ or be questioning your sexuality or gender identity. All our youth groups are free and confidential.
Join this group
Email yo***@**************rg.uk or call 020 8305 5004. You can refer yourself or be referred by someone who works with you (like a teacher or youth worker).
We’ll get back to you in 2-3 days. We’ll arrange a quick chat to find out more about you and how we can help. After you’re signed up, you can drop into any session. You don’t have to come every week if you don’t want to.
Intra Arts – Chatham Memorial Synagogue – The Ship Inn 337 – 347 – 366 High Street, Rochester Rochester ME1 1DA United Kingdom
The ‘Closer Than You Think’ project provides a unique opportunity by telling a seldom known story connecting two important events: –
Holocaust Memorial Day and LGBT History Month
Locally, two very different establishments, one a social and recreational venue, the other a place of worship have come together united in a shared experience of one of history’s darkest moments.
In the area known as Chatham Intra, are two historic local buildings some twenty yards apart, where two communities have faced each other for decades.
The Ship Inn thought to be one of the oldest LGBT venues in the country and the Chatham Memorial Synagogue over the years have probably had little or nothing to do with each other, perhaps even viewing the other with a degree of suspicion and disapproval.
However, recent history has revealed they do share something of great significance. Both communities over the years have suffered prejudice and discrimination and during the Nazi regime many paid the ultimate price.
It is well known that over 6 million Jews were murdered during the second world war in Nazi concentration camps.
Perhaps lesser known is that tens of thousands of homosexuals were arrested, around 50,000 given severe prison sentences and forced to carry out hard labour. 10-15,000 were incarcerated within the camps, 60% of whom died. For those that did survive, legislation known as ‘Paragraph 175’ introduced by the Nazi’s made homosexuality illegal and regarded them as criminals, as a result they were then transported to German prisons.
Homosexual men were identified by a large ‘pink triangle’ worn on their uniform and the Jewish prisoners by a ‘yellow star’.
These images will be used to symbolise the bringing together of our two local communities in a shared remembrance of the atrocities they both endured during the holocaust.
This will form part of a visual window display at Intra Arts and the two buildings representing our communities, the Chatham Memorial Synagogue and the Ship Inn will be decorated with fabric replicas of these two iconic symbols.
The installation will be in place on Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January 2021 at 337 – 347 – 366 High Street, Rochester and will run throughout LGBT History Month in February
Information will also be made available to schools via links with Chatham Library Project organisers are local historian and Intra Arts director Peter Moorcraft, musician and gay rights equality and human rights campaigner Martin Adams, and archivist and author Irina Fridman, in association with The Ship Inn & Chatham Memorial Synagogue, where Irina is Education and Outreach Manager.
Organiser Name
Irina Fridman
Other organisation(s) involved
Chatham Library, Intra Arts, Chatham Memorial Synagogue, The Ship Inn
Co chairs, Holocaust Memorial Day Organising Committee
(on behalf of Chatham Memorial Synagogue, Medway Council, Rochester Cathedral, Medway Inter-faith Action, Medway Youth Council)
National Holocaust Memorial Day was inaugurated by the government to ensure that this nation among others never forgets the most awful act of inhumanity committed in modern history. In remembering the Holocaust, we also call to mind the capacity that humans have to inflict horrendous crimes against one another and on whole groups of people and we remember the terrible atrocities which have occurred both before the time of the Holocaust and up to the present day.
We are commemorating the Holocaust online this year on with the help of students from local schools, Medway Youth Council and Kent Police. As part of Medway’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations, a powerful art installation, using pink triangles and yellow stars that gay men and Jewish prisoners were forced to wear during the Holocaust, will be on display at Intra Arts, Chatham Memorial Synagogue and the Ship Inn, in Chatham. The installation will be able to view from 27 January and will be on display throughout LGBT History Month in February.
The theme for 2021 is “Be the light in the darkness”. The aftermath of the Holocaust, and of subsequent genocides, continues to raise challenging questions for individuals, communities, and nations. HMD 2021 asks audiences to think about what happens after genocide and of our own responsibilities in the wake of such a crime.
For the last few years, school and college students have played a central role in our commemorative events to ensure that future generations keep the memory alive of how so many people suffered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the subsequent genocides. By keeping the memory alive, we will not let these events fade away into history, to be out of sight and out of mind and we will play our part in educating those who follow us so that they may learn the lessons of these terrible events.
The video will go live early on Wednesday 27 January 2021 and consists of a selection of readings, poetry, drama, music and prayers based on the 2021 theme.
Yours sincerely,
Karen Connolly Jon Weiner
Co chairs, Holocaust Memorial Day Organising Committee
(on behalf of Chatham Memorial Synagogue, Medway Council, Rochester Cathedral, Medway Inter-faith Action, Medway Youth Council)
Medway Pride Radio is a new internet radio station based in Rochester.
MPRadio.co.uk is a Not For Profit Community radio station run by volunteers. The station was founded by Shea Coffey & Hilary Cooke to support Medway Pride, the LGBTQIA+ communities and Allies from across all the diverse communities of Medway & Kent.
MPRadio is based at Medway Gender & Sexual Diversity Centre in Rochester in the heart of INTRA, where they aim to be part of the local community. They start broadcasting from 1st February 2021 to support LGBTQIA+ History Month.
The station has a mix of DJ’s and Presenters who will be providing programs that are varied and intresting.
Check out their web app at www.mpradio.app once the app is loaded on your device you can save the app to your screen.
Have a listen to our programs and give us your feedback via our social media or contact details.
Now its here 2021, at Medway Pride we are working on Pride 2021. What is it going to look like on the glorious summer?
Well, we are working to develop on the success of Gravesham & Medway Virtual Pride 2020, which came together over 3 months after we had to cancel the parade and festival at Rochester Castle due to the COVID 19 Restrictions.
#G&MPride2020 was a successful event with everyone from both Medway & Gravesham Prides pulling together to create an 8-day virtual pride festival out of what would have been 2 separate pride events. Gravesham Pride & Medway Pride were both producing their 1st Pride events and had put a large effort into planning their separate events.
Together we were only able to deliver the virtual event due the financial support from the event sponsors and fantastic artists who gave their creative endeavours, free of charge, to deliver video content, both produced, pre-recorded, or delivered as live events. We also had a small but fantastic team of organisers who worked to bring the sponsors, artists, and volunteers together and live stream the event over 8 days. You can still watch over 95% of the video streamed during the pride festival on this web site and appreciate the work the artists and contributors gave to the event.
Gravesham and Medway Prides are now looking to produce their 1st live Pride events in 2021. Building on the legacy of #G&MVirtulPride2020 we are looking at producing both live pride events separated by a week in August where we wish to collaborate with other organisers to create an 8-day festival from 14th to 21st August 2021.
It is difficult at this time to be certain of where we will be regarding live public gatherings in August this year. We are developing contingency plans to adapt the pride festival for the conditions that may be in place in August. We are hopeful that the full real-world event can take place but Pride will happen and comply with whatever rules are in place later in the year.
We are therefor looking for help to produce Medway Pride 2021.
If you are a supporter, we would love to hear from you. We need to raise donations & sponsorship to cover the cost of producing and delivering Medway Pride Parade from Chatham High Street to Rochester Castle, and the cost of producing and delivering a Pride festival at Rochester Castle Grounds, plus the events with Gravesham Pride over the 8-day period.
If you are a sponsor, artist, event organiser, volunteer please contact us at he***@************co.uk or use our contact form.
You can make a donation via our PayPal account buttons on this web site.
2020 will be remembered for many reasons, some of them great like the support communities gave to each other during the restrictions on socialising during the year, some of them not great at all like the isolation and anxiety caused by those restrictions, separating families and individuals from their support networks. One of the consequences of the social restrictions has been the cancelation of events that bring communities together.
Across the world events have been affected, one of the casualties has been LGBTQIA+ Pride. 2020 was the year Medway Pride had planned to hold a parade and festival, which had to be cancelled in favour of a virtual event #GMVPride2020. Pride is not just a chance to party with your friends, it is also a means to demonstrate human diversity and promote equality for all. It is also an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ organisations to raise funds to allow them to carry on providing the support to those who need help throughout the year.
Medway Pride Mural
Medway Gender & Sexual Diversity Centre, a Rochester based LGBTQIA+ support organisation, had an idea to create a public mural to record the Medway Pride 2020 event and effects that COVID 19 placed on the community.
With the support of Ideas Test, a creative arts organisation working in Swale and Medway, who provided a small grant a Medway Pride Mural was created.
The mural was a collaboration, based on ideas formed during discussions with members of the MGSD Centre community and artist Renee Kathleen who designed and created the mural using acrylic on canvas as a half size artifact. This was then reproduced as the full-size mural utilising a local print shop onto an aluminium composite board and erected at the entrance to the MGSD Centre building 331 High Street Rochester.
This is not the end of the creative project though. MGSD Centre is working with Medway Pride & Nucleus Arts to host a gallery exhibition during LGBT History Month 4th to 10 February 2021.
The Medway Pride Mural (Acrylic on Canvas) will form the centre piece of the exhibition which is based on the theme of Pride in Lockdown.
Call for Creative Exhibits
We are calling on creatives to produce artifact using their preferred medium to represent how they celebrated pride during the social restrictions during 2020. We are also looking for work that represents all aspects of the support or isolation that individuals encountered during the lockdown periods.
We are looking at all creative forms including but not limited to, Paintings, Craftwork, Photography, Videography, Written Word, Performance.
Written work can include comments, statements, poetry, essays which we will include in book form for the exhibition.
We are looking to use some of the written work to be included as part of the public mural.
If you wish to contribute to the Medway Pride History Month Exhibition please contact MGSD Centre by the end of December 2020 via in**@*********re.org
Creatabot is proud to be a partner in Medway Pride. Due to Covid-19, Medway Pride 2020 will be presented online from 15th to 21st August 2020. We are very excited to announce that we are collaborating with Gravesham Pride to bring a bigger better virtual event for that week.
ABOUT CREATABOT
Natasha Steer – Founder
Creatabot was founded in November 2010 by Natasha Steer and is run from Dragon Coworking in Chatham, Kent.
Originally a website that promoted creativity in Medway, Creatabot has grown to become an organisation that is regularly commissioned for community engaged creative, heritage, health and arts activities. Delivering these commissions often includes involving other creatives and partners.
Commissioners include Medway Council, AMAT UK, Langley House Trust, The Forward Trust, Ideas Test, the Huguenot Museum and Medway Teaching Alliance.
We’re here to help keep you safe whether at work, home or as you move around Kent and Medway. We deliver services for everyone working and living in our changing community. We aim to give people advice and support in order to reduce the risk of fire and other emergencies as they go about their daily lives. Of course, accidents still happen and we aim to provide an excellent emergency response when it is needed, meeting the needs of every individual involved.
Respect, fairness, compassion
We recognise without bias the rights, needs and dignity of others in all our contact with you and will work to see things from our customers’ perspective and treat everyone with compassion, fairness and respect
We will ensure all people, but particularly those with a disability; lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people (LGBT); ethnic minority people; older people; and people from minority faiths, are aware of our services, feel confident to access them and understand how they can be adapted to meet individual needs.
Your safety
We offer a wide range of safety advice and services to help keep you safe. All of our services and advice are provided free of charge. You can find out more from our website If you would like to talk to us about a Safe and Well visit or have any fire safety worries about your home, please call our Safe and Well team on 0800 923 7000 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, voicemail outside these hours) and we will be happy to get in touch.
Work for us
Kent Fire and Rescue Service is a great place to work. We have good conditions and will provide training to help you deliver the best possible service to the public. We pride ourselves on having well-trained professional staff, and an open culture which values diversity and equality of opportunity in employment.
Though we’re best known for rescuing people from burning buildings, firefighters aren’t the only heroes we employ. Behind the scenes, there are many professionals working hard in essential roles the public doesn’t see, including our fire and rescue control team, information systems technicians, finance, HR, Customer Safety and more. Though some of them may not be frontline staff, they all play a vital part in keeping the people of Kent and Medway safe. Any vacancies are advertised on our website and on our Facebook page and Twitter.
Medway Active Recovery Service 423 High Street Chatham Kent ME4 4NU Phone: 0300 123 1560
At Medway Active Recovery Service, we know that successful treatment starts with being there. Drugs or alcohol can affect many aspects of an individual’s life. We get to know the person, to understand exactly what they need to make positive changes. We work together with a number of local organisations to make sure we deliver an holistic service for our service users. We also work with significant others, those individuals who are supporting someone with substance misuse issues; this is our 5 Steps Carers Group. Group work: Individuals can choose specific interventions according to their needs and where they are within the change process. We offer brief motivational courses, such as Introduction to Change which is designed to provide people with a chance to think about what of change they would like to make, as well as more structured workshops exploring lifestyle changes, problems people might be facing and how they can manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviours in a different way.
We offer the following group work: 1. Introduction to Change 2. Mindfulness based Relapse Prevention 3. Reclaim 4. Recovery Skills 5. Resilience 6. Resolution and Alcohol & Wellbeing
Online Support:We also offer guided self-help, online support and a programme to support concerned family members and friends. Our treatment programmes allow us to work effectively with clients who are ready to make changes as well as those who remain ambivalent or lack the confidence about taking the next steps
Harm Reduction Services: We provide to help reduce harm and they include Blood Borne Virus screening, immunisation and support; tailor made needle exchanges, safer injecting paraphernalia; safer injecting information and support; foil to smoke instead of injecting and needle bins. We also facilitate onward referrals to Intuitive Recovery, a group based programme aimed at supporting service users to maintain and develop enhanced coping strategies and relapse prevention tools.
How you can get in touch You can use our online contact and screening form at any time of day here
and we will begin planning the next steps of your journey. If you have a quick question or need to change an appointment you can use our “Live Chat” button at the bottom of the screen when we’re freeIf you need to speak with a member of our team please call us on 0300 123 1560. We’re available 9am to 5pm on week days.If you need out of hours emergency support, you can call us on 0300 123 1560Drop-in: you can drop in to our hub anytime during office hours Monday to Friday 9am to 5pmRefer to us via email: me*************@**********************sm.net
Use our referral form
Medway Pride 2024 Fund Open
Medway Pride Lottery Fund
Support Medway Pride 2023 Fund Play the Medway Pride Lottery with a chance to win £25,000
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Last Updated: 08/03/2021 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
International Womans Day
Posted: 18/02/2021 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
Shout Out Loud project
In 2019, METRO Zest’s young people participated in English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud project, in collaboration with National Youth Theatre. The project culminated in a site-specific performance at Eltham Palace. Inspired by the fascinating hidden stories and queer heritage at Eltham Palace, this new piece of theatre was devised by the young company themselves. This project was enabled by the National Lottery players via a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
OUR HOUSE
‘Our House’ is a play created and performed by 30 young people from the National Youth Theatre and METRO Charity in September 2019. More than 500 people attended the performances and it won the 2019 UK Heritage Award for Best Event, Festival or Exhibition.
In summer 2019, young people from both the National Youth Theatre (NYT) and METRO Charity had the unique opportunity to develop a new play at Eltham Palace ‘Our House’.
‘Our House’ explores LGBTQ+ stories and the history of the Eltham Palace. Taking inspiration from the lives of Eltham’s famous occupants – King Edward II, King Henry VIII, and Courtauld family, as well as the stories of the countless people including servants, musicians, soldiers, and administrators, whose lives are linked with Eltham and its more famous residents, but whose stories have gone untold or have even been lost entirely.
Over two months, we worked with historians, musicians, directors, writers and theatre professionals to create a new immersive promenade performance*. Following an introduction to Eltham Palace’s history, they researched LGBTQ+ narratives relating to the palace and its inhabitants and, during creative workshops, forged their ideas into a script.
The play is divided into eight short scenes exploring the supposed romance between King Edward II and his favourite, Piers Gaveston, Henry VIII’s upbringing at the Palace with his sisters, and working-class queer stories from the 1930s when Eltham Palace was known for high-society parties.
On the 21st and 22nd September, performances took place at Eltham Palace to both invited guests and members of the public. More than 500 people attended the performances, moving through various Palace rooms and into the gardens to encounter each new scene.
Not only did everyone involved gain writing, performing, and dancing skills, they also gained confidence, made friends, and had a lot of fun. Everyone started to feel a sense of ownership over the site, that it was a welcoming and safe space.
YOUTH
METRO Zest
Youth group for LGBTQ people aged under 16 in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley or Bromley
About this service
METRO Zest is a group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, queer and questioning young people in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley and Bromley. We meet in Bexley every Friday from 4:30pm to 6.30pm.
It’s a safe space to meet other LGBTQ young people, get support and have fun. We usually have snacks and hang out together. Sometimes we talk about identity, relationships and wellbeing. Every Christmas we have a party with dancing, pizza and cake. We also go to the cinema, Pride in London and UK Black Pride.
COVID-19 UPDATE: This group is now meeting virtually via Zoom.
We look forward to resuming services fully once it is appropriate to do so.
Who can use this service
You need to be aged under 16 and live in Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley or Bromley. You also need to identify as LGBTQ or be questioning your sexuality or gender identity. All our youth groups are free and confidential.
Join this group
Email yo***@**************rg.uk or call 020 8305 5004. You can refer yourself or be referred by someone who works with you (like a teacher or youth worker).
We’ll get back to you in 2-3 days. We’ll arrange a quick chat to find out more about you and how we can help. After you’re signed up, you can drop into any session. You don’t have to come every week if you don’t want to.
Last Updated: 27/01/2021 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
CLOSER THAN YOU THINK Holocaust Memorial Day 2021
CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
Intra Arts – Chatham Memorial Synagogue – The Ship Inn
337 – 347 – 366 High Street, Rochester
Rochester
ME1 1DA
United Kingdom
The ‘Closer Than You Think’ project provides a unique opportunity by telling a seldom known story connecting two important events: –
Holocaust Memorial Day and LGBT History Month
Locally, two very different establishments, one a social and recreational venue, the other a place of worship have come together united in a shared experience of one of history’s darkest moments.
In the area known as Chatham Intra, are two historic local buildings some twenty yards apart, where two communities have faced each other for decades.
The Ship Inn thought to be one of the oldest LGBT venues in the country and the Chatham Memorial Synagogue over the years have probably had little or nothing to do with each other, perhaps even viewing the other with a degree of suspicion and disapproval.
However, recent history has revealed they do share something of great significance. Both communities over the years have suffered prejudice and discrimination and during the Nazi regime many paid the ultimate price.
It is well known that over 6 million Jews were murdered during the second world war in Nazi concentration camps.
Perhaps lesser known is that tens of thousands of homosexuals were arrested, around 50,000 given severe prison sentences and forced to carry out hard labour. 10-15,000 were incarcerated within the camps, 60% of whom died. For those that did survive, legislation known as ‘Paragraph 175’ introduced by the Nazi’s made homosexuality illegal and regarded them as criminals, as a result they were then transported to German prisons.
WHY NAZI ATROCITIES AGAINST GAY MEN MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
Homosexual men were identified by a large ‘pink triangle’ worn on their uniform and the Jewish prisoners by a ‘yellow star’.
These images will be used to symbolise the bringing together of our two local communities in a shared remembrance of the atrocities they both endured during the holocaust.
This will form part of a visual window display at Intra Arts and the two buildings representing our communities, the Chatham Memorial Synagogue and the Ship Inn will be decorated with fabric replicas of these two iconic symbols.
The installation will be in place on Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January 2021 at
337 – 347 – 366 High Street, Rochester
and will run throughout LGBT History Month in February
Information will also be made available to schools via links with Chatham Library
Project organisers are local historian and Intra Arts director Peter Moorcraft, musician and gay rights equality and human rights campaigner Martin Adams, and archivist and author Irina Fridman, in association with The Ship Inn & Chatham Memorial Synagogue, where Irina is Education and Outreach Manager.
Organiser Name
Irina Fridman
Other organisation(s) involved
Chatham Library, Intra Arts, Chatham Memorial Synagogue, The Ship Inn
**********************************************************************
“Be the light in the darkness”
An invitation from
Karen Connolly Jon Weiner
Co chairs, Holocaust Memorial Day Organising Committee
(on behalf of Chatham Memorial Synagogue, Medway Council, Rochester Cathedral, Medway Inter-faith Action, Medway Youth Council)
National Holocaust Memorial Day was inaugurated by the government to ensure that this nation among others never forgets the most awful act of inhumanity committed in modern history. In remembering the Holocaust, we also call to mind the capacity that humans have to inflict horrendous crimes against one another and on whole groups of people and we remember the terrible atrocities which have occurred both before the time of the Holocaust and up to the present day.
We are commemorating the Holocaust online this year on with the help of students from local schools, Medway Youth Council and Kent Police. As part of Medway’s Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations, a powerful art installation, using pink triangles and yellow stars that gay men and Jewish prisoners were forced to wear during the Holocaust, will be on display at Intra Arts, Chatham Memorial Synagogue and the Ship Inn, in Chatham. The installation will be able to view from 27 January and will be on display throughout LGBT History Month in February.
The theme for 2021 is “Be the light in the darkness”. The aftermath of the Holocaust, and of subsequent genocides, continues to raise challenging questions for individuals, communities, and nations. HMD 2021 asks audiences to think about what happens after genocide and of our own responsibilities in the wake of such a crime.
For the last few years, school and college students have played a central role in our commemorative events to ensure that future generations keep the memory alive of how so many people suffered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the subsequent genocides. By keeping the memory alive, we will not let these events fade away into history, to be out of sight and out of mind and we will play our part in educating those who follow us so that they may learn the lessons of these terrible events.
We would like to invite you to join us online at
https://youtu.be/a8f6fgcUo5A
The video will go live early on Wednesday 27 January 2021 and consists of a selection of readings, poetry, drama, music and prayers based on the 2021 theme.
Yours sincerely,
Karen Connolly Jon Weiner
Co chairs, Holocaust Memorial Day Organising Committee
(on behalf of Chatham Memorial Synagogue, Medway Council, Rochester Cathedral, Medway Inter-faith Action, Medway Youth Council)
Last Updated: 25/01/2021 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
Medway Pride Radio
Medway Pride Radio is a new internet radio station based in Rochester.
MPRadio.co.uk is a Not For Profit Community radio station run by volunteers. The station was founded by Shea Coffey & Hilary Cooke to support Medway Pride, the LGBTQIA+ communities and Allies from across all the diverse communities of Medway & Kent.
MPRadio is based at Medway Gender & Sexual Diversity Centre in Rochester in the heart of INTRA, where they aim to be part of the local community. They start broadcasting from 1st February 2021 to support LGBTQIA+ History Month.
The station has a mix of DJ’s and Presenters who will be providing programs that are varied and intresting.
Check out their web app at www.mpradio.app once the app is loaded on your device you can save the app to your screen.
Have a listen to our programs and give us your feedback via our social media or contact details.
If you would like to join us as a volunteer DJ / Presenter please contact in**@*****************co.uk
Posted: 03/01/2021 by Hilary Cooke 3 Comments
Pride 2021
Now its here 2021, at Medway Pride we are working on Pride 2021. What is it going to look like on the glorious summer?
Well, we are working to develop on the success of Gravesham & Medway Virtual Pride 2020, which came together over 3 months after we had to cancel the parade and festival at Rochester Castle due to the COVID 19 Restrictions.
#G&MPride2020 was a successful event with everyone from both Medway & Gravesham Prides pulling together to create an 8-day virtual pride festival out of what would have been 2 separate pride events. Gravesham Pride & Medway Pride were both producing their 1st Pride events and had put a large effort into planning their separate events.
Together we were only able to deliver the virtual event due the financial support from the event sponsors and fantastic artists who gave their creative endeavours, free of charge, to deliver video content, both produced, pre-recorded, or delivered as live events. We also had a small but fantastic team of organisers who worked to bring the sponsors, artists, and volunteers together and live stream the event over 8 days. You can still watch over 95% of the video streamed during the pride festival on this web site and appreciate the work the artists and contributors gave to the event.
Gravesham and Medway Prides are now looking to produce their 1st live Pride events in 2021. Building on the legacy of #G&MVirtulPride2020 we are looking at producing both live pride events separated by a week in August where we wish to collaborate with other organisers to create an 8-day festival from 14th to 21st August 2021.
It is difficult at this time to be certain of where we will be regarding live public gatherings in August this year. We are developing contingency plans to adapt the pride festival for the conditions that may be in place in August. We are hopeful that the full real-world event can take place but Pride will happen and comply with whatever rules are in place later in the year.
We are therefor looking for help to produce Medway Pride 2021.
If you are a supporter, we would love to hear from you. We need to raise donations & sponsorship to cover the cost of producing and delivering Medway Pride Parade from Chatham High Street to Rochester Castle, and the cost of producing and delivering a Pride festival at Rochester Castle Grounds, plus the events with Gravesham Pride over the 8-day period.
If you are a sponsor, artist, event organiser, volunteer please contact us at he***@************co.uk or use our contact form.
You can make a donation via our PayPal account buttons on this web site.
Last Updated: 17/01/2021 by Hilary Cooke 1 Comment
Pride 2020 – A creative expression from the community
2020 will be remembered for many reasons, some of them great like the support communities gave to each other during the restrictions on socialising during the year, some of them not great at all like the isolation and anxiety caused by those restrictions, separating families and individuals from their support networks. One of the consequences of the social restrictions has been the cancelation of events that bring communities together.
Across the world events have been affected, one of the casualties has been LGBTQIA+ Pride. 2020 was the year Medway Pride had planned to hold a parade and festival, which had to be cancelled in favour of a virtual event #GMVPride2020. Pride is not just a chance to party with your friends, it is also a means to demonstrate human diversity and promote equality for all. It is also an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ organisations to raise funds to allow them to carry on providing the support to those who need help throughout the year.
Medway Gender & Sexual Diversity Centre, a Rochester based LGBTQIA+ support organisation, had an idea to create a public mural to record the Medway Pride 2020 event and effects that COVID 19 placed on the community.
With the support of Ideas Test, a creative arts organisation working in Swale and Medway, who provided a small grant a Medway Pride Mural was created.
The mural was a collaboration, based on ideas formed during discussions with members of the MGSD Centre community and artist Renee Kathleen who designed and created the mural using acrylic on canvas as a half size artifact. This was then reproduced as the full-size mural utilising a local print shop onto an aluminium composite board and erected at the entrance to the MGSD Centre building 331 High Street Rochester.
This is not the end of the creative project though. MGSD Centre is working with Medway Pride & Nucleus Arts to host a gallery exhibition during LGBT History Month 4th to 10 February 2021.
The Medway Pride Mural (Acrylic on Canvas) will form the centre piece of the exhibition which is based on the theme of Pride in Lockdown.
Call for Creative Exhibits
We are calling on creatives to produce artifact using their preferred medium to represent how they celebrated pride during the social restrictions during 2020. We are also looking for work that represents all aspects of the support or isolation that individuals encountered during the lockdown periods.
We are looking at all creative forms including but not limited to, Paintings, Craftwork, Photography, Videography, Written Word, Performance.
Written work can include comments, statements, poetry, essays which we will include in book form for the exhibition.
We are looking to use some of the written work to be included as part of the public mural.
If you wish to contribute to the Medway Pride History Month Exhibition please contact MGSD Centre by the end of December 2020 via in**@*********re.org
Last Updated: 04/09/2020 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
Medway Pride Mural
LGBTQI+ Pride 2020 during Covid 19
Call for Art, photography & Written Word
Last Updated: 20/06/2022 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
Creatabot
Creatabot is proud to be a partner in Medway Pride. Due to Covid-19, Medway Pride 2020 will be presented online from 15th to 21st August 2020. We are very excited to announce that we are collaborating with Gravesham Pride to bring a bigger better virtual event for that week.
ABOUT CREATABOT
Creatabot was founded in November 2010 by Natasha Steer and is run from Dragon Coworking in Chatham, Kent.
Originally a website that promoted creativity in Medway, Creatabot has grown to become an organisation that is regularly commissioned for community engaged creative, heritage, health and arts activities. Delivering these commissions often includes involving other creatives and partners.
Commissioners include Medway Council, AMAT UK, Langley House Trust, The Forward Trust, Ideas Test, the Huguenot Museum and Medway Teaching Alliance.
For more information
https://creatabot.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/creatabotworkshops/
Last Updated: 18/08/2020 by Hilary Cooke Leave a Comment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Our customer Promise
We’re here to help keep you safe whether at work, home or as you move around Kent and Medway. We deliver services for everyone working and living in our changing community. We aim to give people advice and support in order to reduce the risk of fire and other emergencies as they go about their daily lives. Of course, accidents still happen and we aim to provide an excellent emergency response when it is needed, meeting the needs of every individual involved.
Respect, fairness, compassion
Your safety
We offer a wide range of safety advice and services to help keep you safe. All of our services and advice are provided free of charge. You can find out more from our website If you would like to talk to us about a Safe and Well visit or have any fire safety worries about your home, please call our Safe and Well team on 0800 923 7000 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, voicemail outside these hours) and we will be happy to get in touch.
Work for us
Kent Fire and Rescue Service is a great place to work. We have good conditions and will provide training to help you deliver the best possible service to the public. We pride ourselves on having well-trained professional staff, and an open culture which values diversity and equality of opportunity in employment.
Though we’re best known for rescuing people from burning buildings, firefighters aren’t the only heroes we employ. Behind the scenes, there are many professionals working hard in essential roles the public doesn’t see, including our fire and rescue control team, information systems technicians, finance, HR, Customer Safety and more. Though some of them may not be frontline staff, they all play a vital part in keeping the people of Kent and Medway safe. Any vacancies are advertised on our website and on our Facebook page and Twitter.
You can also sign up to receive any new job alerts.
Last Updated: 17/08/2020 by Hilary Cooke 23 Comments
Turning Point
Medway Active Recovery Service
423 High Street Chatham
Kent ME4 4NU
Phone: 0300 123 1560
At Medway Active Recovery Service, we know that successful treatment starts with being there. Drugs or alcohol can affect many aspects of an individual’s life. We get to know the person, to understand exactly what they need to make positive changes. We work together with a number of local organisations to make sure we deliver an holistic service for our service users. We also work with significant others, those individuals who are supporting someone with substance misuse issues; this is our 5 Steps Carers Group. Group work: Individuals can choose specific interventions according to their needs and where they are within the change process. We offer brief motivational courses, such as Introduction to Change which is designed to provide people with a chance to think about what of change they would like to make, as well as more structured workshops exploring lifestyle changes, problems people might be facing and how they can manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviours in a different way.
We offer the following group work:
1. Introduction to Change
2. Mindfulness based Relapse Prevention 3. Reclaim
4. Recovery Skills
5. Resilience
6. Resolution and Alcohol & Wellbeing
Online Support: We also offer guided self-help, online support and a programme to support concerned family members and friends. Our treatment programmes allow us to work effectively with clients who are ready to make changes as well as those who remain ambivalent or lack the confidence about taking the next steps
Harm Reduction Services: We provide to help reduce harm and they include Blood Borne Virus screening, immunisation and support; tailor made needle exchanges, safer injecting paraphernalia; safer injecting information and support; foil to smoke instead of injecting and needle bins. We also facilitate onward referrals to Intuitive Recovery, a group based programme aimed at supporting service users to maintain and develop enhanced coping strategies and relapse prevention tools.
How you can get in touch You can use our online contact and screening form at any time of day here
http://wellbeing.turning-point.co.uk/medway/hubs/chatham-hub/
and we will begin planning the next steps of your journey. If you have a quick question or need to change an appointment you can use our “Live Chat” button at the bottom of the screen when we’re freeIf you need to speak with a member of our team please call us on 0300 123 1560. We’re available 9am to 5pm on week days.If you need out of hours emergency support, you can call us on 0300 123 1560Drop-in: you can drop in to our hub anytime during office hours Monday to Friday 9am to 5pmRefer to us via email: me*************@**********************sm.net
Use our referral form
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About This Site
This website is managed by Medway Pride CIC to promote Medway Pride events and services for the LGBTQI
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