300 Steps to The River

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

Just 300 steps from Chatham High Street, the River Medway is a vital part of our town’s identity and we celebrated it! Through 300 creative moments, events and activities, we brought new energy to the riverfront and invited everyone to explore, imagine and connect.

The project featured exciting new workshops and events, alongside Sun Pier House classics with a twist. It all culminated in the joyful Festival of Chatham Reach, a riverside celebration 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,

The project highlights

300 Steps Launch

Guess the River Length

Pennant Designs

Medway and Me Survey

Semaphore Flag Trail

Memory Tags – Medway Libraries

300 Steps community video

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

300 Steps Trail

Activity Book

Chatham Carnival

Shift and Drift Exhibition

Wendy Smith. Moonlight Sea Garden, 2024. Acrylic on Canvas. 50x100cm

Mucky Medway? Workshop

Nautical Stitches Workshop

BIG DRAW little people – The Big River Draw

Giant River Medway Mosaic intallation

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

MESS ROOM tactile footprints workshop

MedwayArtBox Exhibition

Sticks n Stones Festival

300 Footsteps Messy Paint

Watercolour Sunsets Workshop

300 Steps to the River Exhibition

Chatham Pennants

300 Steps Temporary Tattoo’s

Floodwall Mural “Dockyard at War”

Edith May “Rubbish Art” Mural

Festival of Chatham Reach

Medway and Me – Survey Results

Over 100 people shared their views on the River Medway, here are the results:

You can still get involved!

Download our 300 Steps Trail, design a pennant or create an origami boat.

300 Steps Trail

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

300 Steps Trail Competition NOW CLOSED

– 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

Design a Pennant

Origami Boats

https://sunpierhouse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Origami-Boat-Instruction-Sheet-2.pdf

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.