‘Really enjoyed it – great way to find new things about local area & feel a community spirit’
In 2018, Thurrock’s walking arts festival, led by Kinetika, brought diverse communities together through walking, talking and sharing recipes to reflect the rich diversity of the people that live along the Thames Estuary and explore where our food and traditions come from.
With a team of 16 volunteer walk leaders and working with a total of 26 diverse food businesses, Kinetika delivered 14 specially curated walks ranging from 2 to 5 miles across the Local Authority areas of Southend, Castle Point, Thurrock, Gravesend and Dartford.
Participants said:
All the ‘hosts’ were so incredibly generous, welcoming and knowledgeable – it really made me see my community in a new light. Diverse, vibrant, warm and rich with experiences. Thank you for this fantastic opportunity!
Enjoyed meeting, mixing & chatting with strangers. Excellent picnic must try to get recipes!
Such an amazing event, walking & talking with groups of people & sharing food at the end.
A selection of Mike Johnston’s photos are below, see all of them here.
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Workshops
‘I have learnt new skills, made friends and thank you’
Creative workshops with diverse communities in Southend and Tilbury generated imagery and written content reflecting participants’ memories of and stories attached to favourite recipes. The content was in community screen-printing workshops to make two large-scale colourful table cloths which were used on all the walks as a catalyst for further conversations.
Walk highlights
Southend Pier to Shoeburyness Beach 8 July 2018
‘Beautiful, inclusive, accessible for all, generous and thoughtfully prepared, creates a wonderful community feeling.’
Devised and led by the Southend Hindu Association this walk was a sell-out success, culminating in a specially prepared Indian Picnic.
Photos, walk map and original info for walkers can be found HERE.
Grays Town World Taste Trail 19 July 2018
‘This event was brilliant, I got to try places I have not been confident enough to go in before’
This walk took in seven diverse food places in the town, many of which had not been visited by participants before. We are keen to build on this foundation in 2019.
Photos, walk map and original info for walkers can be found HERE
La Cocina Publica, Tilbury Port 21 July 2018
This year Kinetika collaborated with Chilean arts organisation Teatro Container, on their UK Premier tour, to bring La Cocina Publica, their Public Kitchen, to Tilbury as part of the Port Open Day on 21st July.
Teatro Container worked in the kitchen with local and diverse community groups prior to the event to devise a menu, drawing together local recipes and foods, stories and songs. Their mobile kitchen was built inside a shipping container, which offered a place to share moments and memories and collectively discover, rediscover and appreciate food from around the world.
The Community Feast took place after the Tilbury Carnival Procession, facilitated by Kinetika, where local Tilbury children and families danced their way to the Port with the Tilbury Docker, along with T100 walkers.
Photos of the event can be found HERE.
