Education
SECOND SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR CHATHAM WATERS SUMMER SOCIAL
This year’s colourful community celebrations included a local artisan market, mini golf, live music and a special performance from the Music Man Project Kent
To start-off the summer holidays, waterside regeneration specialists Peel Waters brought together residents, local businesses, delivery partners and changemakers, for a big celebration to mark the growing Chatham Waters community.
Organised by Peel Waters and delivered in partnership by Avison Young, Legal & General Affordable Homes, O’Halloran and O’Brien Group; Way of Life and X1 Sales and Lettings with additional support in kind from Medway Council; this year’s event brought hundreds of neighbours together for a party on the promenade.
The waterside event stretched along the waterfront and was designed to provide something for everyone. Local market traders at the event included Nine Oaks a family run vineyard located in the heart of the Kent Countryside; Shem’s Smashing Sweets offering a fantastic variety of pick and mix; K Wax and Soaps selling home fragrances, candles and wax melts; and Rica homestyle Marinade selling their homemade, vegan friendly Caribbean marinades and condiments.
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Street food, cocktails & tunes
Local street food popups lined the promenade with Smoke Low and Slow serving up their famous slow-cooked brisket and pulled pork topped Mac & cheese; alongside local favourite Poco Loco who were cooking up their colourful tacos and burrito bowls.
A striking showpiece of this year’s event was a vintage red Routemaster bus, which had been converted into a bar and operated on the day by The Kent Mobile Bar company offering plenty of Pimm’s and signature cocktails.
Those who attended the Chatham Waters Summer Social had plenty of entertainment to enjoy. This year’s event included performances from a Caribbean steel pan group, a festival worthy set from The Deltas and a very special performance from The Music Man Project Kent. The Music Man Project Kent is a regional division of The Music Man Project Charity, who provide accessible musical education for children and adults with learning disabilities and support equal performance opportunities on the world’s biggest stages.
Sarah Mann, Director of The Music Man Project UK “What a great community event to be part of. We all had a really fun time – such a great atmosphere! Thank you for the opportunity to showcase the talents of our brilliant musicians, who, despite the challenges they face, continue to amaze and inspire us. Thanks for inviting us… Can we come again?”
Families enjoyed playing mini golf in the community garden and residents continued the festivities into the early evening, with neighbours coming together to share picnics and relax in deckchairs and swing seat as they took in the scenic sunset views over basin three.
Over £125 million has been invested into Chatham Waters to create new public realm, improved infrastructure and plenty of spaces for the community to use including the waterfront promenade and dock gardens, which were the hub of activity during the recent Summer Social.
In addition to residents, attendees of the Summer Social included apprentices who have worked on the developments within Chatham Waters, students and staff from the onsite Waterfront UTC, local businesses, representatives from Medway Council and the neighbouring universities as well as developers, contractors and a strong representation from Medway’s creative community.
James Whittaker, Managing Director, Peel Waters said: “This year’s Summer Social was a huge success, and we want to thank everyone for coming together to celebrate our growing and thriving community in Chatham Waters.
“Meaningful placemaking and building communities are fundamental to all our developments within Peel Waters. Seeing our spaces activated with families and individuals having so much fun, meeting their neighbours and making memories is what we love to see.
“We would like to extend a big thank you to our partners Avison Young, Legal & General Affordable Homes, O’Halloran and O’Brien Group; Way of Life and X1 Sales and Lettings for coming together to support such a fantastic event.
“The Chatham Waters Summer Social was an incredible event.” said Ema Blay, Head of Delivery at Legal & General Affordable Homes. “The vibrant atmosphere, coupled with the opportunity to support local businesses, enjoy live music and see happy customers enjoying their new homes, made it a truly unforgettable experience for everyone involved. This event perfectly embodies our commitment to building thriving communities where people can flourish. Chatham Waters is a shining example of our vision for high-quality, affordable homes that serve as a foundation for brighter futures.”
Melissa Green – Head of Operations at X1 Sales and Lettings added “We were thrilled to support the Chatham Waters Summer Social event and contribute to a cause that aligns so closely with our values. At X1, we believe in fostering community spirit whilst making a positive impact and it was incredible to see the residents of the Chatham Waters neighbourhood come together to share the day. We are proud to have been part of such an inspiring event and look forward to the future for Chatham Waters.”
Chatham Waters is part of Peel Waters, a UK wide portfolio of vibrant and innovative, waterfront developments, delivering large-scale, sustainable regeneration projects, creating jobs, economic growth, new homes and new public realm across the country.
For general enquiries please contact hello@peelwaters.co.uk
For press and media enquires related to Peel Waters, please email: Emma Green egreen@peel.co.uk or Kate Holland kholland@peel.co.uk