Whitstable Maritime is a charity set up to help people experience and benefit from Whitstable's maritime heritage, culture and environment.
Using the power of our past and present connections to the sea, we offer a range of fun, healthy and educational activities for people in our community and beyond to benefit from.
Examples of our charitable work are:
- Restoring one of the last remaining Whitstable Oyster Yawls: The Gamecock for people in our community to enjoy using and benefit from
- Whitstable Coastal Trail - Encouraging healthy activity and supporting our coastal businesses through offering locals and visitors a beautiful route to explore the coast and learn about our maritime heritage and environment at 8 Highlights featured on the map.
- Working with Kent Wildlife Trust and Marine Conservation Society to use our local maritime environment as a place to promote conservation and encourage activities that support our local community's needs.
We fund raise to make these activities available to as many people as possible, including people with any disadvantage, so they can be free or subsidised.
Please explore our work in more detail using the website and if you'd like to know more about how to get involved with what we offer, become a volunteer or donate we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Editorial
May 2025
Susannah is now well established as Chair of Whitstable Maritime and – to continue the metaphor – the last thing she needs is a ‘back-seat driver’. So, while I shall always be willing to assist with the Charity when invited, this is my last Editorial of the website.
Early in my career in Education I had the privilege of working with a range of companies in the Midlands and one of the lessons I learnt was the importance of ensuring the careful management of Succession Leadership which could make or break an organisation, large or small. This outcome was readily transferable to the management of schools and, I would argue, also apples to voluntary organisations such as Whitstable Maritime. In our case the task was easier because the Charity is well-grounded in its aims and had several established programmes – the Gamecock restoration project, the Coastal Trail, and the annual Shows which had been disrupted by the pandemic.
As you will be aware, there is now a desire to restore the Show on Saturday 9 August. We have been building on our pre-pandemic experience because the rapid rise in attendence at the three Shows suggested the basic formula was sound: the insistance on a maritime theme, the engagement of local charities and other organisations, and the restriction of commercial outlets to those already resident in the Harbour. Of course, a growing proportion of our visitors become ‘regulars’ so it is important to create new features that will keep the programme fresh as well as retaining popular activities. This year, the Show has a stronger community engagement at the planning stage, an extension from the confines of the Harbour to a section of the coastline, and the creation of a Heritage Boat-building Centre. If successful, the latter should further strengthen the links between the Show and the Charity’s aims.
As to my future? There is no plan but retirement does not seem an option! Yes, in the classic phrase, I do wish ‘to spend more time with my family’; however, I also aim to try and keep body and mind active. Whitstable Maritime has given me an interest and a network of interesting people. I sincerely thank you for sharing the journey.
Gordon
You can follow developments with the 2025 Harbour & Boat Show on:
https://www.whitstableboatshow.org.uk/
Whitstable Maritime Partnership 2024
We are grateful to our partners for their support in fair winds and calms.
The Gamecock Restoration - A Second Life
How many of us have the opportunity of extending our working life by 60/80 years?
