Child-Friendly Medway December News and Events

Medway Council sent this bulletin at 01-12-2022 10:12 AM GMT

Children and young people are helping to shape Medway

Welcome to this month's Child-Friendly Medway newsletter

Filled with news of our recent events and details of what we have coming soon

Our biggest Child-Friendly Medway City Hall so far

Child-Friendly Medway’s fourth City Hall saw 215 children, young people and their families share their ideas for shaping Medway’s future by taking part in a range of interactive activities with teams from Medway Council and the local community.

The event at Rochester Corn Exchange opened with a question-and-answer session, when children and young people could ask questions to Medway Council’s director of place and deputy chief executive Richard Hicks, followed by a dance performance from Rheinstones Academy and Ability Dance Company.

Families then enjoyed playing traditional funfair games, including hoopla, splat the rat and tin can alley, and children, young people, parents and carers gave their ideas for what could make Medway even more child-friendly.

There was also the chance to make a badge with Medway Council’s culture team, sign up for a library card with Medway Libraries, play a family maths activity organised by the adult education team, offer views on local parks and green spaces to the authority’s green spaces team, take part in a consultation on Chatham City Centre with the planning team and play games with teams from public health, Medway Sport and Medway Youth Service.

Other partners running activities included Megan CIC mental health support, Medway Parent and Carers Forum support group for parents and carers of children with disabilities and additional needs, Kent Police and Medway Taskforce.

This Child-Friendly Medway City Hall was co-funded by Kent Police as part of our Safer Streets 4 funding to deliver community events for families in Chatham, Luton and Rochester.

View our album of photos from the event here.

Children to benefit from teachers' new art skills

Primary School teachers have been learning new art skills to share with pupils in their classrooms at our Inspire and Do creative workshops.

A group of 33 teachers took part in the sessions, meaning they are now sharing their new creative knowledge and activities with 990 children across their classes - and thousands more will benefit from their skills across the course of those teachers' careers.

The sessions covered basic drawing techniques, painting, an introduction to inspirational artists and designers and why creativity is important in the classroom.

The series of workshops aimed to offer ideas for classroom activities, build teachers' confidence and knowledge in the art curriculum and develop a network of creative teachers across Medway's schools.

They were run by Animate Arts in partnership with Nucleus Arts and sponsored by Child-Friendly Medway.

Jo Dyer, Animate Arts' artistic director, said: "Teachers need confidence, ideas and knowledge in the arts to bring to their lessons and classrooms on a regular basis.

"It really is essential that creativity is embedded in children's learning, helping them to develop the skills that will be needed for future careers and education."

Hundreds have festive fun at Elf Yourself

Chatham's Christmas lights switch-on saw more than 31,000 people visit the city centre for a festive parade, performances and festive activities.

The Child-Friendly Medway team, in partnership with The Pentagon Shopping Centre, delivered an Elf Yourself activity for children and families.

The 425 participants collected a trail card and visited different stations around the city centre, where they picked up accessories to turn themselves into elves - including a hat, bracelet, red cheeks and a badge.

Once they had completed the trail, they met Father Christmas in his grotto. Children, young people, parents and carers also had the opportunity to share their ideas for making Medway even more child-friendly at our stand.

The free event was held in partnership with The Pentagon, Love Chatham, Kent Police and Medway Taskforce, as part of our series of monthly events we are organising across Luton, Chatham and Rochester - using funding secured from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

See our album of photos from the event here.

Literature-inspired activities engage all ages

A teddy bear's picnic, African drum-making, author talks and storytelling shows are among the Medway Libraries activities that have engaged thousands of children and young people this year, following sponsorship from Child-Friendly Medway.

A science-themed Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge saw a record number of participants, with more than 2,100 reading six or more library books over the summer holidays and receiving prizes including stickers, bookmarks, games and magnets - 400 more children than the previous participation record.

Thousands of children from 19 primary, secondary and special educational needs schools got the chance to meet some of their favourite authors and illustrators at Medway's Children's Book Festival - with 13 authors leading workshops, book signings and interactive storytelling sessions, including Mo O'Hara (pictured), Holly Webb and Nicky Nicholls.

The series of events also included Medway Literature Festival, which featured a virtual reality adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, a picnic with poems and cuddly toys for younger children led by the Chatham Library team and a story time session with pantomime dame Mama G.

During Black History Month, children and young people made drums while learning about Queen Victoria's African goddaughter Sarah Forbes Bonetta.

The events and activities were all run by Medway Libraries and supported by Child-Friendly Medway.