300 Steps to The River

Part of the Creative Estuary Co-Commission Programme, Sun Pier House and Tiller & Wheel are proud to launch 300 Steps to the River, a vibrant new arts programme reconnecting Chatham’s town centre with the River Medway through creativity, community and celebration.

Located just 300 steps from Chatham High Street, the River Medway is a vital part of our town’s identity — and it’s time to celebrate it! Through 300 creative moment, events and activities, we’ll bring new energy to the riverfront and invite everyone to explore, imagine and connect.

Look out for exciting new workshops and events, as well as Sun Pier House classics with a twist – we’ll wrap up the project with a joyful, riverside celebration of everything we’ve created together at the Festival of Chatham Reach – full of colour, community and river pride.

River Memories

Some of the thoughts and musings our community have shared with us so far:

“The river is the reason I remain living in Medway”
Medway Resident,
“My dad learned to swim in the River at Strood in about 1925”
Medway resident,
“I love the sound of pebbles kerspalshing in the river”
Medway resident,
“It reminds me of throwing stones in the water with my children”
Medway Resident,

“We love feeding the swans and ducks from the pier, it makes us feel very happy”

Medway resident,
“Was born around the lower Medway fished it since a kid seen the changes also the history around the Medway like HMS bulwark explosion the Princess Irene explosion ..the ww1 submarine out off Stoke marshes ..dead man’s island burials..Hoo Fort and Darnett Fort upon Castle list goes on”
Medway resident,

Get Involved

You can join in straight away with these activities! Download our 300 Steps Trail, share your thoughts of the river, design a pennant or add a photo of the river to our community video!

Creating a community video

We’re putting together a joyful community video to celebrate the River Medway — and we’d love for you to be part of it!

Do you have a favourite photo or short video clip from the river? Maybe a peaceful walk, a stunning view, or a special memory? Whatever it is, we’d love to see what the River Medway means to you.

Share your photo or clip with us via a google form and we will bring them all together to create a special piece of art that will be shown at the Festival of Chatham Reach.

Design a Pennant

Sharing your thoughts about the River Medway

Help us understand how you feel about the river by completing this quick survey!

Results so far:

Are you proud of the River Medway?

300 Steps Trail

Take a 10 minute walk and rediscover Chatham’s green spaces, amazing history and incredible riverside location.

Hand in your completed form to Chatham Library or Sun Pier House with your email address to win a free sailing trip for 2!*

300 Steps Trail Competition – Terms & Conditions

  1. Eligibility

    • This competition is open to residents of the UK aged 18 years or over, except employees of the organisers or their immediate families, or anyone else professionally connected with the competition.

    • Entrants under 18 must have consent from a parent or legal guardian to participate.

  2. How to Enter

    • Complete the 300 Steps Trail and submit your completed trail along with your email address to either Chatham Library or Sun Pier House.

    • Only one entry per person is allowed. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

    • Incomplete or illegible entries will not be accepted.

  3. Closing Date

    • All entries must be received by 11:59 PM on 31st August 2025. Entries received after this time will not be considered.

  4. The Prize

    • The prize is a free sailing trip for two people aboard a Thames Sailing Barge, arranged in conjunction with Tiller & Wheel.

    • The trip will take place in September 2025; the exact date, time and departure location will be arranged directly with the winner.

    • The prize has no cash alternative, is non-exchangeable, and is non-transferable.

  5. Winner Selection and Notification

    • The winner will be selected at random from all valid entries and notified via the email address provided by 3rd September 2025.

    • If the winner does not respond within 7 days of notification, the organiser reserves the right to offer the prize to an alternative winner.

  6. Data Protection and Privacy

    • By entering the competition, you agree that your personal data (including your email address) will be used solely for the purpose of administering the competition and contacting the winner.

    • Your data will not be shared with third parties for marketing purposes. All data will be handled in accordance with current UK data protection laws.

  7. Liability and Disclaimer

    • The organiser accepts no responsibility for entries lost, damaged or delayed, or for any failure in communication due to technical or other reasons.

    • The organiser reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of unforeseen circumstances or events beyond their control.

    • The winner and their guest participate in the sailing trip at their own risk. The organiser and Tiller & Wheel accept no liability for personal injury, loss or damage unless caused by their negligence.

  8. Governing Law

    • These terms and conditions are governed by English law. Any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

  9. Organiser

    • This competition is organised by Sun Pier House, in collaboration with Tiller & Wheel and  Chatham Library

Upcoming Events

Some of our exciting events coming up soon! More information will be shared as we have it – make sure you are signed up to our newsletter or following us on socials to be kept in the loop!

Memory Tags – Medway Libraries

Mucky Medway? Workshop

MESS ROOM tactile footprints workshop

BIG DRAW little people – The Big River Draw

Giant River Medway Mosaic intallation

300 Footsteps Under 5’s activity

Nautical Stitches Workshop

Lego Legends of the Dockyard: 300 Steps to the River Workshop

MedwayArtBox Exhibition

Sticks n Stones Festival

Watercolour Sunsets Workshop

River Reflections Sailing trips and collage workshop

Floodwall Mural Activity

300 Steps to the River Exhibition

Festival of Chatham Reach

The project so far…

Our ambition is to create 300 “moments” celebrating Chatham and the iconic River Medway. These will include large scale festivals and events as well as our social posts and workshops. Check out everything we have shared so far!

300 Steps to the River “Moments”

176

300 Steps Launch

Sailing Suncatchers

Pennant Workshop

Lego Legends -The Anchor

River Medway Mosaic Workshop

Rochester Riverside Doodle

BBC Radio Kent Interview

Origami Boats Workshop

Thursday Art Club

Chatham Carnival

Our Partners

Tiller & Wheel

Tiller & Wheel CIC was formed in 2019 by Sun Pier House’s very own husband and wife team, Ed Gransden and Heather Burgess.

As the custodians for four historic sailing vessels; three Thames Sailing Barges – Edith May, Lady Daphne and Ardwina and a Whitstable Oyster Smack – Thistle F86, Tiller and Wheel aspire to create a sustainable business model to ensure their ongoing preservation. To do this they aim to inject arts & culture at the core of the business and redefine their purpose, from industrial working craft to cultural platforms.

Tiller and Wheel is dedicated to promoting the historic East Coast fleet of smacks and barges and providing high quality experiences and events aboard these historic vessels, and as the first to offer FREE sailing trips and an affordable subscription model, making sailing an option for all.

Creative Estuary

Creative Estuary logo

Creative Estuary’s ambition is simple: To transform 60 miles of the Thames Estuary across Essex and Kent into one of the most exciting cultural hubs in the world.

Creative Estuary is a consortium of public sector and cultural organisations, working together to support the TEPC. They include the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Kent and Essex County Councils, the Greater London Authority, 11 local authority areas represented by Thames Gateway Kent Partnership and Opportunity South Essex, South East Creative Economy Network (SECEN), University of Kent, University of Essex, Locate in Kent, and cultural organisations Metal, and Cement Fields.