Tag: walderslade

Activities, Community News, Events, Female Focus

Medway Women’s History Month at The Net Community Hub

The Net Community Hub

This March, we’re proud to return in partnership with the Rochester LitFest for Medway Women’s History Month 2026, a bold, brilliant and unapologetically powerful celebration of women’s voices, stories and achievements.

Four powerhouse events. Two inspiring Saturdays. One unstoppable celebration of women.

Across two inspiring Saturdays, 28 February and 28 March, we bring together trailblazers, creatives, campaigners, business leaders and storytellers for four extraordinary events designed to inform, ignite and empower.

From fearless conversations and cultural commentary to business leadership and literary brilliance, this is Women’s History Month done properly: big ideas, brave voices and women lifting up women.

Why Women’s History Month matters

Women’s History Month is more than a celebration, it is a call to remember, recognise and reclaim the stories that history too often sidelines. It shines a spotlight on the women who changed the world, the women changing it now, and the women who will shape its future.

Storytelling is power. When women share their experiences, challenge injustice, lead with courage and create with brilliance, they don’t just inspire, they change culture.

Medway Women’s History Month 2026 is a space for connection, conversation and community. A place to be energised, empowered and reminded of just how extraordinary women truly are.

Because women’s stories deserve centre stage.
Because representation matters.
Because the future is being written right now.

EVENT 1

Medway Women’s History Month 2026 Launch

Saturday 28 February 2026, 12:00pm

The Net and Rochester Literature Festival proudly presents the opening event of Medway Women’s History Month 2026, a powerful, joyful and inspiring celebration of women who lead, create and change the world.

This is Women’s History Month done properly. Big ideas, brave stories and fearless creativity, brought together in one energising lunchtime event.

Join us as we launch a month of celebration with three extraordinary women whose journeys span leadership, entrepreneurship and the arts. Expect insight, inspiration, laughter and a room full of women lifting up women.

Our speakers

Ann West MBE JP DL
Former Chair of the North Kent Magistrates Bench, Kent Ambassador, Chatham Historic Dockyard Ambassador and Patron and Trustee of multiple local charities, including our selves at the hub. Ann is a lifelong leader and champion for community, service and opportunity. Her story is one of dedication, impact and purpose.

Mary Eniolu
Founder of Can-Do Academy, Mary empowers individuals and organisations to enhance performance, productivity and profitability without compromising wellbeing. She is passionate about helping people unlock their potential and create lives and businesses that truly thrive.

Bev Bunn
Creative force, storyteller and stand-up comedian. Bev made her Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2025 and is already booked for the Comedy Store in 2026. She will share her creative journey and finish the event with a comedy set guaranteed to lift the room and leave you smiling.

This is a celebration of women who dare, do and deliver.
Come for the stories. Leave inspired. Get your tickets here.

EVENT 2

The Commodification of Women’s Bodies

Saturday 28 February 2026, 2:00pm

A fearless and necessary conversation about one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time.

Pornography, prostitution and surrogacy are often presented as empowering choices. The reality for most women is very different. Coercion, trafficking, poverty and desperation shape these industries far more than freedom or consent.

This hard-hitting panel discussion explores the truths behind the headlines and the real-world impact on women’s lives.

Join journalist and co-author of Pornocracy Jo Bartosch in conversation with Amanda Quick of Nordic Model Now and Annaig Birdy of Not All Gays.

Together they will examine how women’s bodies are bought, sold and commodified, and why this matters for women’s rights, safety and dignity.

This is a space for honest discussion, respectful debate and courageous conversation.

This event is for women who care about justice, equality and human rights, and for allies who want to understand the realities behind the rhetoric.

Expect insight, compassion, clarity and challenge.

This is not always an easy conversation, but it is a vital one.

Get your tickets here.

EVENT 3

Celebrating Kent and Medway Women in Business

Saturday 28 March 2026, 10:30am

Has the glass ceiling finally been shattered, or are women still climbing an uneven ladder?

Join an inspiring panel of Kent and Medway business leaders for an honest, empowering and practical conversation about ambition, leadership, resilience and success.

This is a morning for women who run businesses, lead teams, dream big, take risks and want to learn from others who have walked the path before them.

With networking before and after, this is a chance to connect with like-minded women, share stories, swap ideas and build powerful professional relationships.

Hosted by Sian Murphy, Women in Business Big Show and Radio Show

Panellists:

Deborah Turner, Breakthrough Women
Michele Yianni, Future Insight
Adelle Martin, Stronger Together Through Cancer
Grace Kelly, North Kent and Medway Women in Business

These are women who are building businesses, breaking barriers and rewriting the rules.

Expect real talk, real insight and real inspiration.

Come for the conversation. Leave with confidence.

Get your tickets here.

EVENT 4

Lissa Evans in Conversation

Saturday 28 March 2026, 2:30pm

Spend an inspiring afternoon in the company of one of Britain’s most loved storytellers.

Rochester Literature Festival is delighted to welcome bestselling author, screenwriter and comedy producer Lissa Evans for a warm, witty and fascinating conversation about writing, creativity and storytelling.

Lissa is the author of seven acclaimed novels including Their Finest Hour and a Half, which was adapted into the film Their Finest, and the much-loved trilogy Crooked Heart, Old Baggage and V for Victory. Her most recent novel, Small Bomb at Dimperley, is set in a large country house just after the Second World War.

She is also the author of award-nominated children’s books Small Change for Stuart and Wed Wabbit, and the memoir Picnic on Craggy Island about her time producing the iconic sitcom Father Ted.

With a background in television comedy and a gift for storytelling, Lissa brings warmth, humour and insight to everything she does.

Expect laughter, literary magic and stories you will be thinking about long after you leave.

Get your tickets here.

Event Information for all events

Venue
The Net Community Hub
70 Silverweed Road
Walderslade
ME5 0QX

Tickets include tea and coffee.

If you require a wheelchair space, or face financial or physical barriers to attending an event, please email: community@waldersladehub.org

Activities, Community News, Events, Health and Wellbeing

Reiki Workshops at the Hub

The Net Community Hub

The brilliant Sian Murphy – host of the Women in Business Radio Show, Cafe in the Calm and so, so much more, is bringing Reiki Workshops to the hub.

Session 1 is on Sunday March 1st with the follow up session on Sunday, April 19th. Both sessions will from from 10am – 4pm.

See below for full details:

Activities, Resources

Sewing Courses with Laura Amy

The Net Community Hub

The course is filling up fast – start your sewing journey here at the Hub!

From threading a needle to sewing your first project, learn the essentials in a relaxed and friendly space with Amy – no experience needed!

Tuesdays at the NET Community Hub – see our What’s On page for latest dates.

Perfect for total beginners! Just bring your sewing machine and your enthusiasm! For more information and / or to book, contact Laura on 07708 398295 or via email: Designbylauraamy@outlook.com

Community News, Health and Wellbeing, Support Services

Stop Smoking Service Drop In at the Hub with A Better Medway

The Net Community Hub

If you’ve been trying forever or only just decided to give up, A Better Medway is hosting a free Stop Smoking drop in service by every Monday morning for the next eight weeks to help you.

Come and see them anytime between 10am-12noon during our Open Cafe.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable disease and death worldwide. While many people are aware that tobacco use is harmful, the true scale of its impact – on health, finances, and society – is often underestimated. Below are some key facts and figures highlighting the downsides of smoking.

Health Risks

  • Leading cause of premature death: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills more than 8 million people annually, including over 1.3 million non-smokers exposed to secondhand smoke.
  • Cancer connection: Smoking is responsible for around 85% of lung cancer cases and is linked to at least 15 other cancers, including throat, bladder, and pancreas.
  • Heart and lung disease: Smokers are 2 – 4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease and 2 – 3 times more likely to have a stroke compared to non-smokers. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is also strongly tied to smoking.
  • Life expectancy: On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers.

Financial Costs

  • Personal expense: A pack-a-day habit can cost thousands of pounds annually.
  • Healthcare burden: Smoking-related illnesses cost the global economy billions in healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
  • Lost productivity: Smokers are more likely to take sick days and retire early due to poor health, impacting both personal income and wider economic productivity.

Social and Environmental Impact

  • Secondhand smoke: Exposure increases children’s risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, and respiratory infections.
  • Cigarette waste: Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, with an estimated 4.5 trillion discarded each year. They contain plastic filters and toxic chemicals that pollute water and harm wildlife.
  • Fire hazard: Smoking-related fires cause thousands of deaths annually and cost billions in property damage worldwide.

A Preventable Tragedy

While the figures are sobering, the good news is that quitting smoking dramatically reduces health risks. Within one year of quitting, the risk of heart attack drops sharply. After 10 years, the risk of dying from lung cancer is cut in half compared to a continuing smoker.

👉 In short: Smoking remains one of the most destructive yet preventable public health issues. It shortens lives, drains finances, burdens healthcare systems, and harms the environment – but quitting can reverse much of the damage.

Image by JCamargo

Activities, Community News, Events, Female Focus, Health and Wellbeing, Support Services

The Menopause Cafe is coming to the Hub

The Net Community Hub

We promise to open all the windows and lay on plenty of tea!

The Menopause Cafe will be stopping off in Walderslade on Saturday, June 7th from 10am-12noon.

The Menopause Cafe is a national charity that creates spaces for conversations about menopause to normalise this transition stage.

A Menopause Cafe is aimed at breaking down the stigma around menopause and increasing awareness of the impact of the menopause on women and their family, friends and colleagues.

This is a free, in person event open to anyone living in the Medway towns and surrounding areas.

Booking advised https://bookwhen.com/menopausecafemedwaytowns

A menopause cafe is a discussion group open to everyone, whether experiencing it yourself or helping a loved one through it: no expert talks, topics are chosen by participants.

The menopause cafe for Medway towns is organised by Nicola Kidney, Jeanette Forder and Lisa Watson.

Join us for an informal gathering to talk about all things menopause, this is the place to share experiences , ask questions and connect with others going through similar journeys. Come sip on a tea or coffee and chat with us about this important stage of life.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Stand Up to Stand Out!

The Net Community Hub

Stand Up to Stand Out is coming to the Net on Monday, April 7th!

As part of their government funded initiative, Funny Women is bringing its unique workshop to the hub.

As we get older we get funnier (we know, we’ve got a lot of budding comics at the hub – even if they don’t mean to be!!)

Although accessible to older people, all ages are welcome to come along to this confidence boosting, mirth making and fun workshop, and it’s free courtesy of the Shared Prosperity Fund from local and national government.

In this workshop, Lynne Parker, CEO of Funny Women, deploys some of the tried and tested tricks of the comedy trade to provide insights and inspiration for anybody who wants to take on leadership roles, speak in public and tell their story. We would particularly like to encourage those of you who stand back from taking on community leadership roles due to a lack of confidence – Medway is full of amazing people and we’re here to stand by your side.
 
This workshop covers:

  • Advice on how to ‘perform’, express yourself memorably and bring your ideas to life.
  • Techniques to communicate more effectively.
  • Knowing your worth – telling your own story, creating your own material, interpreting body language, and becoming more confident and memorable.
  • Law of attraction – how to connect with the people you need, virtually and in person, and how humour can help you keep them interested without being annoying.
  • Charisma, confidence and leadership skills.
  • De-stressing in an instant by having some fun!

The Schedule:

5:00pm  arrivals, refreshments
5.15-6.45pm workshop
6.45pm networking

7.00-8.00pm Open Mic
8.00pm CLOSE

Book early as spaces are limited to 30. You can also make a donation to Funny Women’s chosen cause, Wisdom Hospice Charity if you wish.

Check out all events in the Comedy in the Community Medway programme here.

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Medway Women’s History Month Event: Finale Day at the Net Community Hub

The Net Community Hub

Last chance to celebrate Medway Women’s History Month!

Saturday 29th March from 12 noon. Doors open 11am for refreshments. All three events have their own separate tickets below the information.

The first event of the day, and we’re talking to fearless females who founded their own companies which culturally enrich their communities. From 12noon-1pm, meet Medway’s Creative Women.

The conversation will be chaired by our Project Manager, Jaye Nolan, who also founded the Rochester Literature Festival, our partner in these events. Festival Director Jaye has been a member of Medway’s cultural and creative community since 2010. A freelance writer since 2007, Jaye founded the festival in 2011, as a website resource to collate writing opportunities, but this quickly turned into live events – and here we are, 14 years later!

Lynne Parker decided twenty years ago that women were funny, after taking exception to a man telling her they weren’t. She promptly founded Funny Women CIC and set out to prove it. It’s just entering its twenty second year, with community projects, business training and awards among its many strands dedicated to empowering women in comedy and life in general.

Sue Davis, a freelance web content trainer also joins the panel. There is a major digital divide between the sexes when it comes to Information and
Communication Technologies (ICT) around the world. Sue will share how she overcame the obstacles to create her own niche.

Reserve your space here

At 2pm, the Medway Women’s History Month team, led by Georgia Read-Cutting will host an interactive session to celebrate incredible women that no-one has heard of – prepare to be shocked! Bring along the name of the woman who most inspired you to share with the group, and we’ll see what else Alexa can find out about her – she might even make it into Georgia’s ‘Notable Women’ book, currently being written 🙂

Reserve your space here

Then from 4pm, join us for music, poetry and comedy, with a set from one of Medway’s most talented songstresses, Didi Bergman, who appeared at the launch of the Rochester Literature Festival, our Garden Party in Eastgate House Gardens nearly thirteen years ago!

Didi started working in several bands in 1993 as a bass player and backing vocalist, for about ten years. After that, she sang main vocals in a duo called Bergman Sigh. Her partner bought her a guitar and she started making up chord shapes and songs, and was invited out to play by some of her younger musician friends. She ended up playing small festivals and local pubs, once supporting Hazel O Connor. She has also been on bills with Martin Carthy, Nick Harper, and Judy Dyble. We can’t wait to hear her again 🙂

We’re also delighted that another long time friend of the RLF, the lovely Tender Eye, will share some poetry with us, along with comedy and poetry from some of the creative members of the MWHM team. And then, we party (BYOB!).

Reserve your space here.

The events are free, although there is a donation ticket, and tea and coffee will be available for a suggested £1 donation. If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available to people living in Medway.

For the full programme, visit here.

We do hope you can join us 🙂

Activities, charity, Community News, Events

Medway Women’s History Month Event – Overcoming Adversity: Medway’s female community doers

The Net Community Hub

Saturday 22nd March from 1pm-2pm (as part of Brainstormz!). Doors open 12.15pm. You can book tickets here.

The Net Community Hub plays host to three extraordinary women, who, in spite of the difficulties they face, make the lives of Medway residents so much richer.

Sue Bulpin, Sam Rapp and Kate Belmonte are in conversation on Saturday, March 22nd at the Net Community Hub from 1pm.

Sue lives with Functional Neurological Disorder and, as she put it “hit a wall” at weekends. Volunteering since she was forced to give up work due to her condition, Sue kept herself busy all week but found herself losing energy at the weekends.

Thus Brainstormz! was born. Beginning at the Hub on Saturday afternoons and now expanded to Rainham Healthy Living Centre on a Monday, Sue has engaged many people with neurological conditions, and was rewarded with being a Pride in Medway finalist in 2022, MVA’s Volunteer of the Year in 2023, and being chosen as one of only 500 Royal Voluntary Service’s Coronation Champions, also in 2023.

Sam Rapp, the Dyslexic Poet, is a lawyer by trade and if that wasn’t impressive enough in itself, she has been a stalwart of Medway’s creative writing scene for many years. She has performed as The Dyslexic Poet in the UK and internationally, and has won awards for her poetry and plays. She runs many creative writing workshops under the banner of Fun With Words Productions, dedicated to making writing fun for all abilities.

Sam is chair of Dyslexia House Association, Medway and Co-Chair of the disabled staff network for legal services in the public sector. She writes a regular blog for Dyslexia Scotland and has published her first book Rant Dyslexic Me.

Kate Belmonte co-founded and is the director of an award winning local non-profit social enterprise, the Mutual Aid Road Reps, which was created in 2020 to combat loneliness and isolation across the Medway Towns during the pandemic. It continues to expand, offering essential services such as befriending, shop and drops and taking people to appointments.

Self employed since 2007, Kate ran a sign company before specialising in graphic design and website building. She has worked with and for small businesses across the Medway. A keen environmentalist, she has campaigned to protect our green spaces and agricultural land in Rainham, Twydall and on the Hoo Peninsula, and stood as the Green Party candidate in Gillingham and Rainham at the last general election.

We’re honoured to host Sue, Sam and Kate. The event is free, and tea and coffee will be available for a suggested £1 donation. If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available to people living in Medway.

For the full programme, visit here.

We look forward to seeing you.

Activities, Community News, Events, Patron

Medway Women’s History Month Event: From Suffragettes to the Political Now

The Net Community Hub

Saturday 22nd March 11am-12noon. Doors open 10.15am for refreshments. Tickets can be booked here.

Jennifer Godfrey talks to former Chatham and Aylesford MP, Dame Tracey Crouch, DBE, and current Gillingham and Rainham MP, Naushabah Khan, about the rise of female representation in parliament and what struggles they still faced in the 21st Century, drawing comparisons between them and the early female pioneers.

Jennifer Godfrey lives in West Kent with her husband, two children and dog. She is the author of two non-fiction books, published by Pen & Sword Ltd, entitled ‘Suffragettes of Kent’ and ‘Secret Missions of the Suffragettes – Glass breakers and Safe Houses’. She is currently researching and writing her third book, also about women’s suffrage. Jennifer has enjoyed writing stories since she was a young child and over the years has been involved in many writing courses, groups and projects. 

Dame Tracey Crouch DBE was MP for Chatham and Aylesford for 14 years, 2010-2024. Within that time, Tracey held various posts, including Minister for Sport, Civil Society and Loneliness in 2017. She took a principled stand over the delay to introduce reduced limits on the stakes of fixed odds betting terminals, and resigned the post in 2018.

With a particular focus on older people, Tracey was responsible for implementing the Loneliness Strategy, and held regular Over 55s fairs, where the public could meet service providers and see what was available to them. She said: “From a Member of Parliament perspective you see so many people in the community when they reach crisis point and sadly, they’re not necessarily aware of some of the activities that are out there for them which may have prevented them getting to that crisis point.” Tracey is also the Patron of The Net Community Hub.

Naushabah Khan has been the MP Gillingham and Rainham since July
2024, after serving for a decade as a Medway Councillor. She proudly identifies as a feminist and previously served as a trustee for the Fawcett Society, a leading charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights. Naushabah has been consistently vocal on issues affecting women, particularly those from diverse communities.

Her commitment to amplifying these voices and addressing systemic inequalities has been a driving force throughout her political career. In Parliament, Naushabah continues to champion policies that promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring that the concerns of underrepresented communities are brought to the forefront of political discourse.

Get their early for this fascinating discussion. The event is free, although there is a donation ticket. Tea and coffee will be available for a suggested £1 donation. If you have difficulty due to mobility or finance issues attending the hub, please contact Jaye at: community@waldersladehub.org as there is a travel bursary available.

For the full programme, visit here.

We look forward to seeing you.