Medway Council lists 26 weekly youth sessions from Grain to Parkwood, 19 marked free, including two free DofE groups. Times, ages and venues by area.
Medway’s council-run youth service worked with 1,624 young people in 2025/26, figures published today show. Those young people came to sessions almost 20,000 times between them.
The council released the numbers at the start of National Youth Work Week, which runs from today until Sunday 8 November. Its own listings show 26 weekly youth sessions across the Medway towns and the Hoo Peninsula, and 19 of them are marked free.
What the youth service did last year
The figures come from the council’s announcement for 2025/26:
- 1,624 young people took part
- almost 20,000 attendances at sessions
- more than 10,600 hours of youth work delivered
- 231 young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) supported to take part
- 20 young volunteers helped run activities
- 10 young people are now working towards a Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The council says 98% of young people were satisfied overall. It says 89% rated their support and their relationship with youth workers as very positive. It has not published how those answers were collected.
A free route to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The part most useful to families is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The council says its group at Strood Youth Centre gives young people another way in when cost, a lack of school-based provision or personal circumstances have kept them out.
Some who finished their Bronze and Silver awards there now volunteer at the centre’s climbing sessions. Several have gained climbing qualifications, and the council says some could move into paid work as climbing instructors with the service.
Two sessions on the council’s listings offer the award, both free:
- Strood Youth Centre, Montfort Road, Thursdays 7pm to 9pm, ages 13 to 19 (listing)
- Woodlands Youth Centre, Woodlands Road, Gillingham, Tuesdays 6pm to 8pm, school Year 7 up to 18, combined with sport and games (listing)
Every weekly session, by area
The council splits its youth centre sessions into four areas. The times and ages below are as the council lists them. Where we say “not stated”, the listing gives no cost.
Luton and Rainham
| Session | Where | When | Ages | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Youth Club | Parkwood Youth Centre, Parkwood Green, ME8 9PN | Wed 4.30pm to 6pm | 8 to 11 | Free |
| Wednesday Squad (additional needs) | Parkwood Youth Centre | Wed 6.30pm to 8.30pm | 16 to 25 | Free |
| Youth Space | Parkwood Youth Centre | Fri 6.30pm to 8.30pm | 11 and over | Free |
| Skate park session | Cozenton Skate Park, Bloors Lane, ME8 7GL | Tue 5pm to 8.30pm | Not stated | Free |
| Street 8s football (email to book) | PSA Performance Centre, London Road, ME8 7RJ | Thu 7.30pm to 9pm | 11 to 15 | Free |
Source: Luton and Rainham sessions.
Chatham, Rochester and Walderslade
| Session | Where | When | Ages | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lordswood youth club (outdoors) | Lordswood Library | Mon 6.30pm to 8pm | 10 to 16 | Free |
| Lordswood girls group | Lordswood Library | Thu 6.30pm to 8.30pm | 11 to 16 | Not stated |
| The Anchor, with free pizza | Sun Pier House, Medway Street, ME4 4HF | Tue 3.30pm to 5.30pm | 14 to 18 | Free |
| Rochester Youth Club | St Luke’s Methodist Church, City Way, ME1 2BQ | Thu 6.30pm to 8.30pm | 8 to 12 | Free |
| Chatham Youth Club | Salvation Army, Church Street, ME4 4BT | Thu 4.30pm to 6.30pm | 13 to 19 | Free |
| Walderslade Youth | Hook Meadow Community Centre, King George Road | Fri 3.30pm to 5.30pm and 6.30pm to 8.30pm | 11 to 18 | Free |
| Street-based session | Chatham High Street and nearby | Fri 3pm to 5pm | 8 and up | Not stated |
Source: Chatham, Rochester and Walderslade sessions.
Gillingham and Twydall
| Session | Where | When | Ages | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| That’s My Jam (music) | Woodlands Youth Centre, Woodlands Road, ME7 2BX | Mon 5.30pm to 8pm | 12 to 18 | Free |
| Chill sport and DofE | Woodlands Youth Centre | Tue 6pm to 8pm | Year 7 to 18 | Free |
| Shine (disabilities or additional needs) | Woodlands Youth Centre | Wed 6pm to 8pm | 10 to 18 | Free |
| Junior hangout | Woodlands Youth Centre | Thu 3.30pm to 5.30pm | 8 to 12 | Free |
| Creative arts and hangout | Woodlands Youth Centre | Thu 6pm to 8pm | Year 7 to 18 | Free |
| Street-based session | Gillingham Park, Canterbury Street | Mon 5.30pm to 7.30pm | 8 and up | Not stated |
| Street-based session | Gillingham High Street | Tue 3.30pm to 5.30pm | 8 and up | Not stated |
| Street-based session | Saunders Street ball cage | Wed 6pm to 8pm | 8 and up | Not stated |
Source: Gillingham and Twydall sessions.
Strood and the Hoo Peninsula
| Session | Where | When | Ages | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motiv8 | Strood Youth Centre, Montfort Road, ME2 3ET | Wed 6pm to 8pm | 11 and up | Free |
| Duke of Edinburgh group | Strood Youth Centre | Thu 7pm to 9pm | 13 to 19 | Free |
| Archery and climbing (alternate weeks) | Strood Youth Centre | Thu 7pm to 9pm | 13 to 19 | Free |
| Junior Youth Session | Strood Youth Centre | Fri 5pm to 7pm | 8 to 13 | Free |
| Grain youth club | Grain Pavilion, Pintail Close, ME3 0ED | Tue 6pm to 8pm | 8 and over | Not stated |
| Hoo street-based session | Pottery Road Recreation Ground, ME3 9BS | Wed 6pm to 8.30pm | 8 and over | Not stated |
Source: Strood and Peninsula sessions.
Strood Youth Centre also runs a Saturday family climbing session. It is open to all ages with no booking, and costs £4 per climber, cash only.
Child-Friendly Medway turns five
The council marked a second milestone today. Child-Friendly Medway, its programme for giving children a say in local decisions, has now run for five years. The council’s announcement and its 2025/26 annual report give these figures:
- 237 free events delivered, supported or sponsored in 2025/26, and 6,772 since 2021
- more than 5,000 books given to children in 2025/26, and 18,058 since 2022
- 10 City Hall question sessions with council leaders since launch, with more than 2,000 people attending
- around 5,000 responses to its second big survey of children, run from May to December 2025
We covered what that survey found in our report on Medway’s children’s survey. The scheme also ran the council’s first Young Mayor contest this year.
What it means for you
- Most sessions need no booking. Turn up at the time listed. Street 8s football is the exception: book by email through the Luton and Rainham listing.
- Check before a first visit. The council’s pages carry no dates for half-term or Christmas closures. Questions go to youth.enquiries@medway.gov.uk.
- Young adults with additional needs aged 18 to 25 can also use the service. Wednesday Squad in Parkwood runs for ages 16 to 25.
- For a DofE place, the Strood and Woodlands groups above are the ones the council lists. Neither charges.
Planning the rest of the school year? Our half-term guide lists what else runs for children across Medway.
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