Carnival event celebrates diversity in Medway

DJ Mikey Ragga (right) played carnival songs at the event in 2023

A family-friendly community carnival celebrating diversity is set to take place in Kent.

The charity Medway Culture Club has organised the free event, which takes place at Woodlands Youth Centre in Gillingham between 11:00 BST and 16:00 on Saturday.

The carnival, which features steel pan bands, a DJ, dance, arts and crafts, is taking place for the fourth year in a row.

Camealia Xavier-Chihota, charity chairperson, said: "It is a chance for us to get together and celebrate the diversity within our community".

The carnival will be raising funds for the survivors of Hurricane Beryl, which devastated parts of the Caribbean in July.

Medway Culture Club was set up in 2020 "to improve social isolation and promote racial harmony in Medway".

​It aims to "provide supplementary education to support the cultural diversity within our community", a spokesperson said.

Ms Xavier-Chihota said: "We will explore the traditions of the Notting Hill Carnival, which was first held in 1959, by members of the Windrush generation.

"We plan to bring to Medway some of this cosmopolitan event's culture and creativity."

All 400 tickets for the carnival have been allocated, the charity said.