About Us

In 2012 the Big Local programme made its way to Chatham, giving rise to Arches Local and the boundary in which we work. Since then, Arches Local has developed a diverse and collaborative partnership united by a shared mission: to transform the dreams and aspirations of our local community into reality. We’re co-chaired by two local residents, Kate Mechedou and Fiona Wiseman.

Our flagship projects include creating Kent’s first urban Neighbourhood Plan, delivering an ambitious urban greening programme and running a holiday hunger initiative, known as Fit & Fed, for hundreds of young people every school holiday.

We also support a range of weekly activities from sowing to singing. Stay up-to-date with our latest events on our Facebook page.

Each step in our journey has been guided by an annual plan, with our latest and final plan available to read here.

While our Big Local journey comes to an end in 2025-26, we’re committed to making meaningful changes that will benefit our community for generations to come.