You can't celebrate without cake!

​As John Kempton reported a few days back MQPS was represented at the commissioning ceremony of HMS Medway. A couple of photos have been sent in showing their acknowledgement of Medway Queen's links to HMS Medway, a River Class patrol vessel.

John reported on the 19th: "very pleasant weather today here at Gillingham, good job to, as just back from commissioning ceremony for the new HMS Medway. Much gathering of the great and the good, including our patron Lord West, what a great ship and ship's company. The ceremony was great with the marine band. I presented to the executive officer a copy of a painting we have of the ship outside Chatham dockyard pre-war, with an old naval ship in the back ground.We are affiliated with the new ship, and I am sure you join me in wishing her and the company all the best."

Thanks to Pat Cooper for the pictures.

Medway Queen West hope to repeat their success of last year with more Christmas cards - now available for 2019.

​Two designs this time, “Holly” (left in picture) and “Santa”. The cards are approximately 6 inches square and printed on 350gsm card. An initial quantity has been delivered and we’ll order more according to demand - thanks to online printing!  This might result in a brief delay when sending orders out. The message inside both cards is "Merry Christmas" and details of the card and ship are printed on the back.

The Medway Queen Carnival Float was originally designed and built by Barry Ellen. In 1986 Barry’s son Jamie decorated his box cart in the shape of the Queen with the aim of joining Medway Carnival in order to raise people’s awareness of the preservation society.  This inspired Barry to make a replica which he could tow behind his car. Over the next few years, as materials and time allowed, the railings, seats, funnel and fiddley, captain’s cabin and purser’s office and bridge were added. Dolls were purchased and dressed as passengers and crew. 

It is now kept under cover at Gillingham Pier and in 2017 Andrew Haskell repaired the lighting system, added a smoke generator to the funnel and made other necessary repairs to the float. He has been taking the model to various local events with the assistance of members of the “Saturday Team” since then and the carnival float continues to do its bit for our ship.

​(From our members' magazine, Full Ahead, Autumn 2018 issue.)​

Besides conducting the ship tours and running the Visitor Centre and shop the Saturday Team still get out and about to promote the restoration project. Raising awareness of the ongoing work of the volunteers and our ship’s public opening times.

This last weekend they were out I force, flying the flag for the society, with the carnival float at Chatham Historic Dockyard’s “Salute to the Forties” event. The team comprised Martin, Joe, Brian, Andrew and Woody.
​
Thanks to Brian and Martin Goodhew for the photographs.

Not one, but two more, "Wheels of Time" top awards for Medway Queen!

Holly and Maisey, pictured with members of the Saturday Team Joe, Andrew and Woody, at their presentation of top award for visiting all 40 "Wheels of Time" attractions in Kent. We were pleased they chose the Medway Queen as the attraction they wished to revisit to receive their special badges and certificates on Saturday 21st September as part of our Heritage Open Day event.
 
Picture taken by Martin Goodhew