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A walk through Intra ) Between Chatham and Rochester is a little known area, even to the people of Medway. The area, known as Intra, is a haven from the busy shopping of Chatham and the pre-Covid tourist trap that Rochester could often be. Rich in heritage, with links going back 300 years to the local dockyards, the area is home to many historic buildings, including Master Brewer’s House, Hulks Lane Brewery, a very rare synagogue and several important, if currently dilapidated, examples of Victorian architecture. For the last decade, local artists and designers have made some of the vacant shops their home and the area was recently awarded a grant to help improve this historically important area.
Medway Pride Radio ) Start a radio station they said, it’ll be we have a breakfast show to get you fun they said…. And it is, it’s hard work, to work; a drivetime show to get you home; a talking sports show with but the most amazing fun. Kellie Maloney and sport scientist Just before Christmas and lockdown, Joe Dunbar. Kellie also partners with Hilary Cooke, CEO of Medway her former Big Brother housemate Gender Sexual Diversity Centre Dee Kelly for their Loose Lips chat (MGSD), approached me about helping show. Sunday sees a comedy hour, a set up a radio station for the community. comedy panel show from the lovely Having recently left another radio people at Much Laughter, and a station, I had been asked by a few poetry show listeners can get involved people about setting up a new one, but in. Monday to Thursday at 6pm we Hilary’s passion and commitment to have community news, there is even a the community, not just the LGBTQ+ chance for young DJs to get involved community but across the board, with Superstar DJ on a Saturday is infectious. I thought about it over morning. Christmas, and with one tweet saying However, as packed as our shows are, we would open in time for LGBTQ+ we have found time to bring listeners History Month we were in business! the most amazing array of guests, January was a flood of activity, and we including Judy Murray, celebrity made it, we opened on February 1. stylist Rachel Gold, trans icon Medway is full of the most amazing Christine Burns MBE, award-winning talent, and we have been so very lucky US LGBTQ+ journalist Mark Segal, in attracting DJs (both professional and actress Elizabeth Coffey Williams some who never had done it before) and author Ben Aaronavich. Musicfrom Medway and across the country. wise we have had Lilly Winwood, When you tune in, you quickly discover Susan Werner, Chesney Hawkes and bands Deco, Autumn Fires, we’re different, we don’t have a top Slackkr and the Hot 8 Brass Band. of the hour news, instead we donate Most amazingly this list just scratches the time to charities and community organisations. In fact, for them it’s free to the surface. advertise. We want our listeners to know We’re without doubt the busiest radio just what amazing things are being done station in Kent! by people all across Medway and Kent. How do we do it all? So, what do we broadcast? Music of many genres - pop, rock, dance, R&B, Tune in and find out! Or maybe even get involved by visiting: show tunes, jazz, classical and even prog rock. However, we don’t stop there; www.medwayprideradio.co.uk
However, Intra is also home to the LGBTQ+ community and has sheltered us for hundreds of years. Local historian Rob Flood said: “If Chatham is the gay capital of Kent, then Intra is the crown jewel. “Undoubtedly,” continues Rob “the dockyards brought the workers, and they in turn brought the prostitutes which would eventually lead to the LGBTQ+ community coming along. As far back as the 1850s court records detail a case where a black sailor wearing women’s clothing was arrested for ‘importuning’. In fact, importuning was the term given to men arrested for engaging in sexual acts with other men.” The main building for the community in Intra is the Ship Inn, which is the oldest operating LGBTQ+ venue in Kent, with a long, sometimes potted but always fascinating history. With plenty of inside space and a courtyard area, the pub is home not just to the local gay and trans community but also to much of the local student population. Just behind The Ship Inn is the ME1 gay sauna, offering a quiet, comfortable safe space for locals with large sauna and steam rooms, a hot tub, relaxation cabins and three lounge areas, in short what you would expect. Nestled among hair salons, tattoo parlours and laser surgeries is Hilary’s Electrolysis, which is also home to the Medway Gender and Sexual Diversity Centre (MGSD). MGSD holds weekly support groups for all LGBTQ+ communities, including a support group for partners of trans people and another for parents of transgender youth. While Covid has forced most of the group activities online they have recently started monthly meet ups in the Ship Inn (where else?). It is the HQ of Medway Pride and the newly established Medway Pride Radio. D For more info on MGSD, visit: www.mgsd-centre.org
