T100 is a creative community project that aims to celebrate local stories and places, and share them with the wider world!
T100 continues to grow each year, gaining new walkers, new routes and new partners to support the programme. What began as a celebration of Thurrock, 10 miles, 10 walks, 10 days, has developed into a project stretching along and across the estuary, into Southend and over to Kent, hence the name change to T100.
The interest in the project and the support it has received from local people and organisations, volunteers and communities has allowed it to extend and expand, exploring more areas of the estuary and offering residents the chance to get out and explore their area, as well as bringing in visitors to discover its history and culture. Thurrock remains the base for Kinetika (who manage T100) and it’s also the start and end point for the walks so will continue to be a central source of inspiration for the ongoing development of the project.
How did it all begin?
In 2015, we were invited by the Council’s Public Health Department to develop a Thurrock walking and arts festival to change people’s attitude to walking, reveal accessible footpaths across Thurrock and get people talking to each other. Working alongside Thurrock CVS and 19 community forums across the borough, a 100-mile walk was mapped and the first silk batik flags, now a signature feature of Kinetika’s work, were created.
Over the following years themes have ranged from Thurrock 100 Stories in 2016, site specific performances in 2017 and a call out for recipes in 2018.
In 2019 the theme was Welcome to the Kitchen Table and invited the many diverse communities in Tilbury and Southend to share their stories through recipes that were written up and drawn in workshops led by Kinetika artists. These were transformed into two hand-printed tablecloths and 27 small silk flags that travelled with Ali, a core team of artists and local volunteers on a 15-day continuous walk. The aim was to meet new people, inviting them to join in and see the places that they already know from a fresh perspective, starting a conversation while sharing food together, that might change the perception from both within and without of these overlooked places.
A few numbers
With the help and support of local people, so far we have mapped and explored 67 local walks, made 137 silk flags, run a dance programme, published a book of 100 local stories, commissioned a beautiful set of costumes and new theatre performances as well as engaging thousands of people. In 2019 alone we walked over 195 miles.
Walk Archive
The walk routes remain on the website for everyone to use. Click on the images to go to each archived year.
T100 Book
Support the project,buy the ‘Thurrock 100 Stories’ book here. £5 +p&p
Some Thurrock 100 stories are available on the T100 Stories interactive web page; use the pins on the map to find locally relevant stories and click to open.
What Next?
Over the following three years, with support of the National Lottery Community Fund we are inviting our growing team of volunteers and supporters to imagine how T100 can become an independent organisation from 2023. One that produces an annual festival to celebrate the people of Thurrock, showcasing talent, resourcefulness, resilience, diversity and to collectively imagine a healthy, future-proof, creative community.
If you’d like to be part of this contact: Katie@kinetika.co.uk
Connect with Us
If you’d like to volunteer to lead or steward a walk in your own area, or have suggestions or questions, please contact us here.
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Newsletter
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