On Wednesday 27 April Kent Business School held the Kent & Medway Business Summit. Jasmin Harraz who is currently studying her GCSEs at Chatham Grammar School and is on a work experience placement was there to see the event unfold.
Here she explains why Medway Council’s Richard Hicks who presented ‘Our Future is Medway’ inspired her to reflect on a childhood growing up in Medway and all the reasons to celebrate the area as a cultural hub both in the past, present and future.
“From the moment I moved to Medway at the age of six, I was captivated by its rich history and diverse culture. Over the years, this heritage has been celebrated through festivals, events, and cultural activities such as the Rochester Sweeps, Dickens and Dickensian Christmas festivals, and the annual Rochester Christmas market. Medway’s diverse culture has encouraged me to educate myself about this fascinating area and learn all there is to know about its unique past, leading me to visit many historic and tourist sites within the area, including the historic dockyard, Rochester Cathedral, and Rochester Castle.
Being of Egyptian heritage, cultural diversity and awareness in Medway made me feel comfortable, accepted, and valued for who I am within its community. I am also looking forward to Medway hopefully becoming the UK’s City of Culture in 2025 as the award will leave a legacy for Medway, boost local pride, and attract investment to the area.
I picked up new hobbies and developed a wide range of new interests while living in Medway. I’ve been encouraged to improve my reading skills by visiting the Chatham Library on a weekly basis. True crime is my favourite genre.
I also enjoy leisure time and Medway Park, known as ‘Medway’s flagship centre of sporting excellence,’ is home to an Olympic sized pool which I’ve visited all my life regularly as part of a swimming club and for general fun with friends and family.
One of my favourite places in Medway is Capstone Park, a former farm that has been transformed into a landscaped park and open-space area. I enjoy going there because there are so many different habitats to explore, such as ancient woodlands and a freshwater lake, not to mention the park’s mountain bike course.
While the beauty of Kent can be witnessed all around Medway, with five main railway stations, and London less than an hour away by train, Medway is just a stone’s throw from the bustling city of London. Personally, I value the convenience with which I can visit London because it allows me to spend more time with family and friends who live there, while also providing me with more job and education opportunities in the near future.”
Interested in finding out more about our Medway Campus? See our virtual tour here.