Category: Community

Exploring the culture and heritage of Sheppey

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The Isle of Sheppey has been wronged. Outsiders believe this corner of Kent to be both a cultural and physical waste ground, with maritime industries long since left and people fending for themselves with regard to their heritage and culture.

This perception is unjust. On spending just a few hours over the bridge, I found four real gems for both the resident community and visitors alike to take pride in and become involved with, to learn and evolve from.

Originally an old school building on the site of Queenborough Castle, the Castle Connections Community Centre was home last weekend to the 365 Exhibition, the photographic record taken by the community of one year in the life of Sheppey. Due to its popularity this has now been extended for a further month.

Castle Connections, Queenborough

Chrissie Williams is the manager and she took me on a tour of the building.

“Local people formed a company, the Queenborough Town Community Centre Ltd, and set about making this building what it is. It took time and money but we’re almost self-sufficient now – we’ve a dance school based here, leisure and hobby classes, a cafe and more. And we’ve 28 volunteers, all trained in either food hygiene or first aid.”

There are two beautifully restored rooms for hire with a sympathetically restored stairwell leading to them. It’s decorated with original school photos lending it an authentic air – it actually reminded me of my old primary school, which was probably from the same era; it even smelt the same (in a good way!)

Bringing Queenborough Back to Life was a recent project and this includes getting local artists involved as well as the community at large. Chrissie continued: “We have wall space for artists in the cafe at no charge, as we want to help local artists be seen; it’s really nice for local people to have art at their fingertips.”

Castle Connections believe that encouraging art, culture and history, local people will develop an appreciation of their heritage for generations to come.

Much more than a heritage centre: Blue Town’s Jewel

The only cinema on Sheppey; tourist information; history tours; music hall; museum; cafe and, coming soon-ish, a replica deck of the HMS Victory, complete with cannon!

Blue Town Heritage Centre

The Blue Town Heritage Centre, although now a registered charity, is owned and run by Ian and Jenny Hurkett, on their pensions and the kindness of volunteers and regular visitors.

It’s an awesome place, like an historic T.A.R.D.I.S – from the outside you can’t believe how huge it is on the inside. Begun with just a couple of old cameras on a shelf, it’s now a tangible, physical history lesson.

Jenny says: “We just want people to view Sheppey for our heritage and culture; our unique selling point, there’s so much of it. The community has got behind what we’re trying to do here and it’s evolved because of them. The key is to get our young people to take a pride of place and interest in the heritage – not just ours but others off the island, so we can dispel the negative connotations.”

The heritage centre houses the only cinema on Sheppey, in the Criterion Music Hall, which was reopened specially for a one off film about Blue Town – but when a hundred people turned up, Jenny and Ian realised there was a desire that needed to be sated. Says Jenny: “We bought the place originally as a bathroom showroom business but ill health put paid to that. But the turnout for the film was so amazing it gave us a whole new direction. Word is getting around now, so if anyone is having a clear out, we’re their port of call with anything we might be able to use.”

The heritage centre buzzes with individuals and groups: a job seeker seminar in the music hall, a business meeting in the Aviation Room, a workshop in the Dockyard room and mid morning coffee breakers in the cafe. Wednesday is Tea and Flicks, where the audience watch a film of their own choosing. Next year, a six week season begins in earnest.

Barton’s Point Coastal Park is a gorgeous 40 acres of adventure space, just waiting to be invaded.

Barton’s Point Water Sports

Mandy Shade has been there for just 18 months and it’s so much more than just a business. She told me: “We’ve a beautiful lake, a cafe which I’m hoping to turn into a proper bistro, camping, events, venue hire, water sports, murder mystery evenings and at Halloween, we’ll be working with the miniature steam railway to bring a Ghost Train to life!”

Another local catalyst, Mandy is determined that future generations of islanders learn to appreciate everything they have. She’s keen to expand her work with schools, a key area in which to invest a sense of place in the local population. Making the facilities affordable and plentiful at Barton’s Point is just the start.

Fishing for people

Collaborating with all three venues for the Sheppey Promenade, Chris Reed of Big Fish Arts said: “It has been really amazing. I’ve been involved in three big festivals before but this one was a bunch of really busy people who managed to have short, concise meetings that got jobs done – it was the best collaborative festival I’ve been involved with.”

Chris Reed of Big Fish Arts

Normally a “people thing” rather than a “place thing”, Big Fish Arts have actually taken up residence in Sheerness High Street now and are looking forward to running more workshops. Chris continued: “We take the history of the island and turn it into drama, plays, stories, ghost walks and tours. We’ve recently been commissioned to produce the Milton Creek Memories project and our popular Lantern Parade will be taking place again, probably in early December. Now we’ve got this space the lantern making can really get underway and we’ll hope to involve as many in the local community as possible.”

It’s clear from speaking with these community doers that they share the same passion and aims for their island. With the focus on education, participation, engagement and community involvement, they seek to ensure that residents and outsiders alike understand and appreciate the culture and heritage of Sheppey.

Due to the nature of each of these projects, they aren’t open all day, every day – please check their individual websites for opening hours and take time to visit them, you won’t be disappointed. Other community and heritage centres are dotted around, see them in the photo gallery below:

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Double success for Doddington in South and South East In Bloom Awards

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Faversham, Sittingbourne and Doddington are all celebrating following the South and South East in Bloom Awards.

The Doddington churchyard volunteers, winners of the Chairman’s Award at South and South East in Bloom. (Photo courtesy of David Shaw)

David Shaw, from Doddington’s In Bloom group, was thrilled with the results overall but particularly with the Chairman’s recognition for the Churchyard Management Group of St. John the Baptist village church, who maintain the churchyard for the benefit of the wildlife. He told me: “We were gobsmacked, we weren’t expecting it at all – these awards are the Oscars of the gardening world and the Chairman’s Award is the most prestigious of the lot.”

David, who attended the ceremony in Hampshire with his wife, Sallie, continued: “It isn’t just gardening enthusiasts who benefit and take joy from the gardens, there’s a lot of community input to improve the local area, working with housing tenants and others.”

The Chairman, Peter Holman, described the churchyard as “an absolutely outstanding example of wildlife management for the benefit of wildlife and the community.”  Entries from across the South and South East in Bloom area from Dorset to Kent are eligible for this award so it’s a wonderful achievement for all concerned. The ‘stunned’ volunteers were presented with award whilst carrying out their autumn tidy and this is now on display in the church.

Doddington also won a Silver Award and was named Best Village, with the judges saying: “The sense of community is very strong here with an evident pride in the village.  The activities to date have made a major contribution to the appearance of the village and the various activities and events all make for a high level of social cohesion. It’s good to see how district and parish work together for the benefit of the community. Clean, well-managed and maintained by the community, this village and its residents are proud of their place. There is virtually no evidence of litter, graffiti or dog fouling and the style of the traffic calming measures is testimony to the Traffic Calming Group who has masterminded these will planted schemes.”

Faversham retained its Silver Gilt while Sittingbourne was awarded a Silver.

There will be more cause for celebration in Faversham on October 10th, when the Abbey Physic Community Garden will be proclaimed Community Garden of the Year in the Wildlife Garden Awards. The ceremony will take place in the garden itself, at 11am.

English: The Abbey Physic Community Garden, Fa...

The Abbey Physic Community Garden, Faversham Off a footpath that runs past the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, the garden is viewed here from its entrance gate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A charity which aims to develop a community based, working environment for the people of Kent to enjoy, the garden is set in the heart of Faversham, offering a unique opportunity to establish a tranquil, health-giving, environment enabling people from all areas of society to come together. It’s situated in a beautiful, walled, wild-life friendly and organically managed space, with the emphasis on the therapeutic benefits of horticultural activities. A wide range of spray-free vegetables, fruit, plants and flowers are for sale to visitors in return for donations. Initially funded, this wonderful garden is now self sufficient.

Hidden Gems – Pulse Cafe and the Eco Shed, Sittingbourne

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Nestling amongst the terraced houses in Park Road, off Sittingbourne’s main thoroughfare, The Pulse Cafe is a thriving and welcoming space in which to relax, enjoy a coffee and browse.

It’s a beautifully green cafe – and I don’t mean in the colour-on-the-walls sense. Pulse operates a zero waste policy and aims to be a model of eco-friendliness. Already with photo-voltaic cells on the roof to generate green electricity, they’ll soon be adding rain-water harvesting tanks to flush the toilets.

Raising awareness and promoting excellent environmental practices by engaging and interacting with a wide variety of individuals and groups, the cafe is managed by the Skillnet Community Interest Company. It also houses an emerging social firm, the Eco –Shed, within its walls.

I spoke with Project Leader for the Eco-Shed, Richard Carrier, who’s been involved for five years. He says: “We support disadvantaged people to create stuff and currently employ four people with disabilities, working at their own pace and making the most of their strengths so that the Eco-Shed evolves. The products made are sold at craft fairs, local country parks and other centres as well as here. Both the cafe and the Eco-Shed give people the chance to practise the skills they’re developing, in real life settings.”

Richard Carrier and Sioux Peto

Jamie Flaherty works for Skillnet and he showed me some of the instruments and jewellery made from forest found and recycled pieces, telling me: “We go on wood walkabouts to find things; turning wooden crates into bird boxes, fallen elder wood into whistles and using shoelaces for instrument strings. And we’re making Olympic Torches out of found wood too!”

Jamie Flaherty

Pulse also welcomes the Ethical Artisans Market every month, featuring local artists and makers showcasing and selling their wares.

Sioux Peto, a member of the Swale Arts Forum, brings along her Polka Dot stall, full of nik-naks made from recycled items. Clearly passionate about her community she says: “Swale is full of hidden treasures; it’s special but not many people know about it. We need to get all the groups here working together, Skillnet and the Swale Arts Forum are doing it but there are more out there.

People in the community know about everything from arts to film, conservation etc but to be involved in them they need to be engaged in a language they understand and Pulse is making every effort to do that.”

Sioux Peto on the Polka Dot stall, with volunteer, Shazida Hussain

Louise Allen, Project Leader for Training and Sustainability at Skillnet and a manager at Pulse, said: “There are a lot of pubs and cafes in Sittingbourne but nowhere for parents with young children or people needing extra access to go for good quality drinks and healthy snacks at an affordable price.” Louise would love to hear from any local artists, craftspeople who’d like to be involved, either showcasing their work in the cafe, running workshops during the day, or volunteering to serve in the cafe.

Pulse managers Louise Allen (left), Michelle Huggins and volunteer Shazida.

They’re also looking for volunteers to get involved with their allotments in Milton. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact Louise on 01795 599899 or 07780 985245 or email pulse@skillnetgroup.co.uk Their website can be found here.

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Hey, Mr DJ! In conversation with Daniel Nash of BRFM

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The freelance world is a lovely place to be on a bright and warm early Autumn day. I took a drive out East to Sheppey – the highest point in Sheppey actually – where the studio of BRFM sits atop the Windy Ridge overlooking the Thames Estuary, within sight of the wind turbines to the right and the old forts dead ahead.

My quarry was Daniel Nash, who brings a slice of culture to Sheppey’s Monday nights with his community show on BRFM, Sheppey’s local radio station on 95.6fm. Interviewing interesting people doing interesting things in the local community, Daniel, an artist himself, is keen to make art accessible to as many folk as possible.

Daniel Nash at the BRFM studio, Sheppey

“There’s a big arts community here – Big Fish Arts Trust, The Swale Arts Forum – the Sheppey Little Theatre is always involved, particularly with Promenade this weekend – but many local people get involved with organising things, like in the Art, History and Tourism Celebration in 2009, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first powered flight by in Britain, by a Briton (JTC Moore Brabazon), which took place in Leysdown in 1909.”

The station is manned by volunteers: there are no brand new branded motor cars here, just a couple of trailers, an aerial – and a distinct lack of being governed by commercial interests, although the station is supported by local businesses and other partners.

The BRFM Roadshow trailer

“BRFM support whatever area you’re in – I’m arts so they help with that. The island boundary makes it a very close knit community and the DJs bring their expertise to the radio station. It’s a nurturing network, whether it’s football, art or tourism, as long as it benefits the local community, making the most of the volunteer’s expertise.”

For aspiring DJs, Daniel recommends beginning with hospital or internet radio or a media course to gain some insight and experience.

“It’s increasingly harder to find a way in, as many bigger stations are now networks. The BBC is a good place to try, as they employ a lot of volunteers behind the scenes. I started out at the local community hospital here – just two wards, a waiting room and reception. I was interested in the technology side of things and I volunteered about nine years ago. I got the freedom to practice and make mistakes; it was a really good training ground. Then BRFM did a series of trials and from being involved in some shape or form for a few years, I progressed to the community show six years ago, interviewing someone every Monday.”

Having studied at the University of Creative Arts in Rochester, Daniel has a degree and MA in 3Dimensional Design, specialising in concrete sculptures. With a keen interest in photography, which plays its part in recording his work, art is his ‘day job’ but there’s always been a fascination with radio.

“I was involved with art long before radio, although when I was younger I used to make my own tapes and record my own shows. I grew away from it at Uni until I came across hospital radio and decided to get involved. But yes, my day job is as an artist. I’ve had a couple of exhibitions but I’m just starting out and getting known.”

The view across the estuary from BRFM’s vantage point on Windy Ridge

It isn’t just the arts community that Daniel promotes on BRFM. He works with many other individuals and organisations on the Island to ensure the community are fully informed of what’s happening in the area.

“The coast guard is a regular visitor, along with the Sheppey Horticultural Society – there’s a regular slot for them to give gardening advice throughout the seasons. Depending on what’s happening, the neighbourhood PC pops in, as does the Fire Brigade with safety reminders – they’re due again soon, with Bonfire Night nearly upon us. Another regular is James Crane, our Community Warden. I’ve known him since the early days and it’s he who organises things like the Emergency Services Day, bringing all of them together in a fun day out for the family.”

Mid morning DJ, Mark Rogers (left) with Daniel. He was doing ‘Guess the Year’ which I did – 1978 – with the playing of Sylvester’s ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)!

It’s easy to understand why the community have embraced their local radio station: camaraderie between the presenters is obvious, as is a love of what they’re doing. Providing an effective portal with which to engage and share, BRFM operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with live presenters between 7am and 10pm each day. Daniel’s Monday night show is on between 7pm and 10pm and he also does the weekend breakfast shows, from 7am – 10am.

Project Encounter and Workshop 161

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Earlier this year, I was privileged to participate in a coworking project: Project Encounter.

Project Encounter was a bunch of us brought together by Creative Midwife (TM!) Carl Jeffrey aka Fellow Creative, via the Tuttle.101 community, to create and populate a website for a local initiative taking place in an empty shop – 161, Rochester High Street (hence, Workshop161!)

Along with myself blogging, we had website builders, Toggle, photographers Kreative Kollective and, filming the whole day, Fidget Box.

It certainly inspired me and I’ve a ton of ideas now playing bumper cars in my head! The concept of empty shops and Encounter was especially helpful during an excellent sitcom writing workshop I recently attended at UCA in Canterbury! You never know, one day it might appear!

The original Project Encounter website has now been taken over by the official Encounter site, so here’s the blog on how the day unfolded …

Introducing Project Encounter and Workshop 161

Welcome to Project Encounter, an exploration of coworking possibilities in meanwhile spaces.

Likeminded creatives will be introducing to the community the benefits of coworking spaces in 161 High Street, Rochester or, as it is now known, Workshop 161. These could range from endeavours such as indoor gardens to creative writing workshops, from social media tutorials to artist makers creating anything.

The only rules are … there are no rules! There are only four principles:

Whoever comes are the right people
Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened
Whenever it starts is the right time
When it’s over, it’s over.

And there is one law – The Law of Two Feet:

Every individual has two feet and must be prepared to use them. If a discussion isn’t working for you then move on!

For those unable to join us today, we hope to bring you a flavour of the day – if you can make this evening, please join us at the Two Brewers in Rochester for the evening session, Tipple101!

Who’s making use of this space?

Workshop 161 covers three floors of diverse space, from the smallest dark room in the basement, to the large and airy space on the first floor. That, combined with a medium sized room and small office on the first floor, shows the possibility for start up businesses or an office based creative, along with seminars and workshops.

The open space on the ground floor is perfect for workshops or exhibitions, but also has two smaller areas to one side, where maybe planning and organisation can be facilitated or where someone could simply escape for a quiet moment of reflection.

The basement is perhaps one of the most exciting areas – with more than a few visitors today recognising the similarity in feel with the Lightvessel 21 – a long corridor leading to a strong room is an exciting concept for jewellery maker Sian Bostwick, who feels the need now for a ‘home’ space with room to grow, in readiness for exhibitions and trade shows.

Connections were already being evidenced today, with musician, Cat, of ‘The Redfords’ and Cocktail Club’s Helen, discussing possibilities for Helen’s idea of a Tea Party and Vintage Fair, which in turn included dress maker Natasha, whose creations would compliment such an event.

There’s creativity flowing through the building, this is just a snapshot – if you’re reading this, I suspect you have many of your own ideas – if so, the people who can help you will be found in the links page, which will be updated in due course!

Encountering the Empty Shops Network

The second session of the day began with Mary Paterson sharing the good news that the funding for Encounter has been confirmed, to general cheers in the room!

Encounter is a series of six temporary art experiences taking place across urban spaces in North Kent in 2011, and Dan Thompson of the Empty Shops Network was an obvious choice to advise on the concept.

Dan’s first piece of advice was that the Empty Shops Network was much more about information sharing, rather than a how-to-guide. Every project is a different experience, drawing upon the skills of those in attendance. Personally, Dan has been taking local space and using it for years – beginning with an old bakery shop being turned into a community art office. He was just thirteen years old!

In Worthing, an old Allied Carpet showroom was utilised by both the lions Club and smaller, independent charities, as the basis for a massive community market over Christmas; it generated 12000 visitors in just over one month. And during half term, they brought in a Pop-Up Playspace – an inflatable track but with real bumper cars!

However, it isn’t just empty shops that can be used – schools, open spaces and churches are also available. Artists have always been good at finding and recycling open spaces; the Great Reformation in the 16th century is a great example, with dissolved monasteries being turned into theatres or housing new technology – i.e. the printing press!

And in 1961, the vat room and hops warehouse of a brewery was bought by producer Donald Albery and presented to Dame Margot Fonteyn’s London Festival Ballet as a private drama studio and rehearsal room – you may know it as the Donmar warehouse, acquired by the Royal Shakespeare Company and renamed The Warehouse n 1977.

Town centres will likely never be the same – 15% of UK shops are empty and 1 in 5 will never have a commercial future again. The Empty Shops premise involves smaller, more flexible partnerships; the big society in action. Dan reckons meanwhile spaces are becoming long term spaces and town centres a combination of leisure spaces and high quality independent traders within a vibrant café culture. Shops host book signings, music gigs and the festivals and street markets bring fresh footfall.

You think you can’t change things but it’s your town, your high street and you can change it for the better. Anthropologist Margaret Meads said: “Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Find out more at the Empty Shops Network website  and download their toolkit for guidance on how you can make thing happen in your community.

Open Space Tuttle Encounters!

Led by Mary, Open Space is a discussion technique of a similar style to Tuttle, i.e. informal – no name badges, more akin to the coffee break at a conference, where you’ll frequently engage in the more interesting conversations.

There’s a wish to focus on the passion and responsibility – what can we do, as opposed to referring elsewhere. It’s for you to participate in any way you feel best: steer a conversation, listen for inspiration or simply move on to the next.

Seven topics were suggested, seven groups to move amongst: Traffic (which subsequently proved to be one covered more generally; movement is needed wherever an empty space occurs, movement of people along high streets to new projects, to see and engage in something they wouldn’t normally.) Performance; What do we want in Kent?; Students; Artistic and community value; Funding (can we really do anything without it?) and finally, Crazy Golf. Yes, really.

I sat in on the lively Crazy Golf discussion as it seemed to tick all the boxes for a genuine collaborative effort. It would be fundable by paying customers, as they would any other activity; involve many shop owners/landlords and maybe other local businesses by way of sponsorship; it’s family orientated; equipment such as flags and holes themselves could be made via creative workshops; holes could be tied up with smaller local charities or community initiatives – remove the middle man and fund what matters to us.

A popular theme was Alice in Wonderland, with maybe the White Rabbit or Mad Hatter meandering, like the holes themselves, along the high street, handing out goodies to drive (metaphorically or maybe even physically) visitors on their way to each space. The possibilities were endless and time ran out – but discussions are no doubt continuing. (Probably in the 19th Hole!)

How to summarise? A bunch of buzz words, thrown out there at the session’s end, with all participants back together again: engagement within the community; encouragement; help; connectivity; opportunities; value; relevance; appreciation; incorporation; legacy.

It’s amazing how much can be done …

A fluid formula for co-working existed in Workshop161 on 28th February, the Big Society in action, with attendees guided by suggestions then driving the resultant ideas forward themselves, under the theme of Encounter.

“A really inspiring day for everyone who was here – you can see partnerships emerging” – Dan Thompson, Empty Shops Network

Upstairs, downstairs and everywhere in between, participants were inspired, enthused and willing to collaborate in some kind of sustainable enterprise, creatively using empty shops and meanwhile spaces to the benefit of the whole community.

“Things are alive and real – it’s beyond talk” – Steve Rowland, Made Labs

Watch the awesome video courtesy of Fidgit Box and view the stunning photos of Kreative Kollective, bringing the day to life. It was a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of the Tuttle.101 team alongside them and everyone else involved.

Jaye

“It’s amazing how much can be done in a day with no initial budget…” – Carl Jeffrey, Fellow Creative

2012 Update: Workshop 161 has since become Rochester’s coworking space, coFWD, with many freelancers busily creating just as the concept intended! Update 2014: Sadly, the 161 space is no longer in use, although the coFWD community are still in touch.