31 December 2019

Wow what a year 2019 has been... following our December 2018 fundraiser, on the Peninsula, we helped raise awareness of the detrimental impact, the proposal at the Lodge Hill site of 3000 homes, would have had on both community and nature and were successful in reducing the final number to 500 homes. We followed this up by petitioning Medway Council regarding its ongoing proposals of mass development elsewhere on the peninsula.

From March we implored local business owners to ditch single use plastic, working with the community group 'Towards a Plastic Free Medway' to reduce Medway's impact on the environment.

May saw us stand our highest ever number of candidates in a local election, which resulted in our highest ever number of votes (over 6000!!) and Marilyn Stone won our first parish council seat, in the parish of High Halstow.

In August we joined the local fight against a high profile development, in Rainham, which if approved will decimate 60,000 apple trees across 126 acres, of prime agricultural land. We've also been fighting to save green spaces from council development in Twydall, we believe there are far better sites available for our much needed social housing.

In September we stood with students and workers across the globe in demanding climate action by protesting along the Wartling Street / Top Road / A2 followed by a march through Chatham High Street with the Medway Youth Climate Change Movement.

We released our Green Local Plan in October following Bernard's consultation on the Council's proposed plan. Please see our website for the full report. In November we held our largest ever event, as we welcomed Extinction Rebellion national spokesperson Dr Rupert Read, who delivered his talk "Climate & Ecological Collapse?". Local councillors were amongst those who attended and we look forward to working with them over the forthcoming year.

In what feels like a blink of an eye we find ourselves in December and General Election territory, we stood 3 Prospective Parliamentary Candidates across Medway, and successfully increased our vote share from 1.3% to 2.4%.

Beyond 2019.... We are thoroughly committed to demanding change in what will be a pivotal year in the fight for humanity's future and we will continue our fight both locally, nationally and internationally. The climate waits for no one and its clear from the increased warming in Russia, the continued burning of the Amazon and Australia, not to mention the incessant melting of the "permafrost" that individuals like us, like you, must step up and demand action.

Our first 2020 meeting will be on Sunday 12th January between 3pm and 5pm, if you would like to attend please send us a message for more details.

From everyone at Medway Green Party HQ we wish you and your family a safe and enlightened New Year!