Working with communities
Our community engagement and outreach work is tailored to meet the needs and interests of specific target groups, and offers wider access to our objects and resources.
Community engagement
Always part of the story
Places such as The Historic Dockyard Chatham have an important role to play in supporting an inclusive, diverse, and equal society. We are committed to ensuring The Historic Dockyard Chatham is welcoming and inclusive to all and is representative of the communities and audiences that we serve.
Through our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) strategy, we are challenging ourselves to be more accessible, welcoming, and inclusive to everyone. We aim to enable the widest possible access to The Historic Dockyard Chatham and ensure that our workforce and our storytelling reflect the diversity of our local community but we recognise there may be barriers to engaging with us.
We are a major contributor the economy in Medway. We are not only an award-winning visitor attraction, we are also home to a thriving commercial and residential estate. We are an Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) and a strand of the partnership programme centres on engaging with underserved communities in our locality. Over recent years, through our public engagement work programmes, we have delivered successful initiatives in partnership with a range of groups, including Medway African Caribbean Association (MACA), Club Ausome, Kent Association for the Blind, Home Start and Age UK as well as been actively involved in creative groups/programmes such as Creative Medway and Creative Estuary.
Community Events
We run a range of community events both at the Historic Dockyard and within the local community that appeal to a range of different visitors. Where possible, these events and activities are free to access.
Access Events
We run a range of events and activities that are specially adapted for visitors with additional needs.
Demand for these sessions is high and we recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment.
Access Guides
We have worked with AccessAble to produce detailed guides for each of our galleries and public spaces. Click on the links below to view the individual guides.
3 Slip – The Big Space
Changing Places & Accessible Toilets
Command of the Oceans
Hearts of Oak
Commissioner’s Garden
Getting Around
HM Submarine Ocelot
HMS Cavalier
HMS Gannet
Mess Deck
No.1 Smithery
Parking, Entrance, Ticket Office & Shop
RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection
Steam, Steel & Submarines
The Ropery
Wagon Stop
Blogs & Articles
Related Stories
Dive a little deeper into the work we do to engage our communities with our blogs and articles.
