Community groups to share £25,000 funding pot for projects on The Old High Street Intra

Four organisations located on Medway’s Old High Street Intra will share a £25,000 pot of funding to explore opportunities to deliver community improvement projects, thanks to a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

The UKSPF programme is designed to support local businesses and initiatives that aim to encourage people to visit and explore Medway. It provides grants, including a Feasibility Fund and the Pride in Place Fund, for community projects that enhance the area.

The Feasibility Fund will support organisations with initial concept and business plan development and provide seed funding to help get project ideas off the ground.

The Pride in Place Fund was designed for businesses seeking to enhance cultural experiences for both residents and visitors. It aims to support the social enterprise sector and assist businesses in achieving their goals aligned with the objectives of ‘Medway 2037’.

Intra Arts will investigate plans for a scrapstore, a groundbreaking business model that reuses safe, clean waste products, providing affordable crafting materials to local organisations, schools, artists, and individuals. The initiative aims to address waste challenges while fostering community engagement on environmental issues and sustainability.

Sun Pier House, a long-standing supporter of the creative industries in Chatham, secured funding to develop a bid for the Government’s Community Ownership Fund. This initiative, if successful, will allow Sun Pier House to acquire the building and car park, contributing to Chatham’s placemaking development and regeneration goals.

Tiller and Wheel, a sailing charter and barge renovator, aim to investigate the potential transformation of the Old Sun Wharf Chatham into a thriving heritage centre for Historic craft of the East Coast. The UKSPF funding will support the feasibility study for a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, providing insights into potential costs, project ambitions, and initial business plans. If their bid for Heritage Lottery Fund is successful, this project has the potential to create a regionally significant maritime attraction that could fully unlock the potential of the river Medway.

Mess Room, located in Sun Pier House, has received a £10,000 grant from the Pride in Place fund to expand its visual arts programme for people with disabilities. This inclusive space will facilitate outreach and taster programmes, a workshop series, and training to upskill creative artists, to create a more accessible and innovative artistic community.

Cllr Lauren Edwards, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, said: “I am delighted that the Intra area between Chatham and Rochester town centres is set to benefit from this external funding, helping to support four specific organisations within the area. We are committed to continuing to ensure our town centres flourish and the UKSPF supports our ambitions of helping bring people back into our high streets. I look forward to watching these fantastic projects progress.”