Connect… With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections with support and enrich you every day.

• How to Connect
• Local Councils
• Art, dance drama or music
• Film
• Books and writing
• Singing and Music
• Nature and Wildlife

How to Connect? Join a club or a group

There are many clubs and groups in Kent and Medway for you to join which cover a wide variety of interests, some ideas and suggestions are listed below but there are other ways of finding a club or group local to you: Firstly keep your eyes open when you are in towns or villages keep an eye open for posters or notices advertising local events, clubs or groups. Visit your local library, libraries usually keep a list of local clubs and groups for you to look through. If you want to find your local library and you live in Kent click here or if you live in Medway click here.

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Local Councils

Local councils in Kent and Medway also keep online directories of local community groups, events and activities, these directories may be another good place to find a club, group or society to join.

East Kent - Click to expand »

Medway - Click to expand »

West Kent - Click to expand »

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Connect through Creative Arts, Dance or Music

If you are interested in art, drama or music and we have listed some additional sources of information that may help you connect locally.

Creative Arts

If you want to learn how to paint, learn how to make jewellery, become a potter or even learn how to take amazing photographs, there maybe a club local to you or maybe an adult education class that can help you connect and help you learn a new skill as well. To search for what local education is available in your area click here if you live in Kent, or if you live in Medway click here.

Start 2 is an online resource that can help you get more creative they have lots of projects and ways you can get more creative to see their website click here.

Dancing

Whether you want to learn to dance strictly ballroom, or belly dancing, want to swing out or learn to dance ceroc, dance can be a great way to keep active, meet others - and have some fun! Kent or Medway Adult Education list local dance classes. Kent Adult Education run dance classes across the whole of Kent. Click here or if you live in Medway you can search by clicking here. Or try Dancing in the UK and search their database for a local school or class by clicking here.

Drama

Drama and acting can be great for building confidence and increasing your social network. You don’t need to be in the spotlight, you could work behind the scenes by being a set designer, costumer or even the director! To find out what is avaliable locally in Kent & Medway you can click on the links below:

The Kent Drama Association has a comprehensive list of local amateur drama groups, you can search their database by clicking here. AmDram has a list of Kent and Medway based local drama groups, to search their local list click here. Or you could find a class through Kent or Medway Adult Education. If you live in Kent click here, if you live in Medway click here.

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Film

If you love films and cinema you could connect through your love of films and cinema. To find your local film society we have compiled the list below. Click on the link that is most local to you:

• Film on Friday - Mayfield film society Tunbridge Wells
• Woodchurch Film Society Appledore Kent
• Cranbrook Film Society
• Egerton Film Society
• Faversham Film Society
• Maidstone Film Society
• Thanet Film Society
• The Fleapit Cinema Club (Westerham)

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Books and Writing

If you see yourself as a budding novelist or you love reading and want to join a book club here’s some suggestions of how to get started.

Book Clubs

Ask in your local library. To find your local library, click here if you live in Kent, or if you live in Medway click here. Libraries often keep information on local book clubs, in some areas they run book clubs themselves. There is also a growing number of online book clubs, below are some links:

• BookCrossing
• The TV Book Club
• Penguin readers’ group site
• Reader’s place
• Bloomsbury Reading Club
• Richard and Judy Bookclub

Writing Groups

If you want to learn how to write, join a writers group locally and share and learn how to write. Here we have listed some contacts for writers groups. The Writers Circle has a list of local groups, you can search their listing by clicking here or you can search in the National Association of Writing Groups database by clicking here. Or you could find a class through Kent or Medway Adult Education If you live in Kent click here, or if you live in Medway click here.

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Singing and Music

If you are interested in either singing or music, to get connected with like minded people we have listed some suggestions for you here. Making Music South East has a database for singing or making music which you can search by clicking here. The Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health runs local health and wellbeing singing groups in Eastern Kent. To find out if one is running near you email: [email protected] or to find out more go to their website by clicking here. Adult Education in both Kent and Medway run music and singing courses across Kent and Medway to find out more click the links below: If you live in Kent click here, if you live in Medway click here.

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Nature and Wildlife

Do you love nature and wildlife, do you want to see more of Kent and Medway? Do you want to connect with others who have a passion for nature? There are clubs, groups and classes all across Kent and Medway where you will be able to meet others with similar interests.

Kent County Council parks and leisure is the best place to find out about walking, cycling, horse riding, and all parks in Kent, for more information click here.

There are lots of Countryside Management Partnerships based all over Kent and Medway. These community based projects have different ways of getting you in touch with nature and are a great way of getting all of your Six Ways to Wellbeing in one activity. Follow the Countryside Management Partnerships link to go to the website.

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