Thank you to everyone who joined us on Tuesday 15th September at Rochester Community Hub for our Annual General Meeting. It was fantastic to see such support from our members and councillors. FoRCE Vice Chair, Kristian, opened the meeting with thanks for everyone’s continued hard work and highlighted another year of growth, community spirit, and new initiatives.
Highlights from the evening included:
- Treasury: Thanks to grants, membership subscriptions, and donations, FoRCE’s finances remain in good health.
- Projects: Work continues on improving Churchfields Bank, planning the installation of Bird Boxes and Insect Hotels, and working with Medway Council Greenspaces team to develop a process for maintaining trees in accordance with Conservation Area regulations
- Membership and Volunteers: We continue to grow, with 17 subscribed members, many new Friends, and continued support from groups like the Kent Police Cadets. Volunteer activity sessions have seen excellent growth, so much so that we've needed to purchase additional tools and equipment
- Events: Our activity calendar for 2027 will be published in November or December
Elections were officiated by Councillor Alex Paterson, and we’re delighted to confirm the following committee positions for the year ahead:
- Vice Chair / Technology / River: Kristian Hansen
- Treasurer: Nia Rowlands
- Secretary: Courtney Wilson
- Membership: Jacques Parker
- Events: Jo Summers
- Partnerships: Terri Zbyszewska
- Maintenance: Aileen Smith
- Without Portfolio: Will Kingsland
Looking ahead, members discussed the following issues:
- Reopening of Rochester Pier following important specialist maintenance work: details are scant, but FoRCE is optimistic
- Working with Medway Council's Greenspaces Team to address tree care, mowing,
- Phase 2 of our long-term Hedgerow project
- Exploring opportunities to bring our model of volunteering to other parts of Rochester
- Progress on Section 106-funded improvements to the Esplanade play area
- Proposed flying boat statue in Esplanade Gardens to celebrate the importance of Short Brothers to Rochester's history
The meeting closed with thanks to all volunteers and supporters for their vital contributions — and a shared determination to keep Rochester’s green spaces thriving.