The Banner
Issue N° 2026/01
Time to look forward
First, a very warm welcome to the first issue of our newsletter, designed to inform you of events which have already taken place and, more importantly, those which are being planned.
Before we peer into the future, let’s take a brief glance at the end of 2025, when a group of supporters gathered in the Common Room of La Providence, Rochester’s almshouses dedicated to the descendants of “Huguenots”, French Protestant refugees of the 17th century.
The event was greatly enjoyable, and we plan to arrange further such gatherings. At present, we’re considering a date around Europe Day, Saturday 9 May. Look out for more details later.
There are many reasons for hope regarding the “Reset” with the European Union. Mr Johnson, when he was Prime Minister, withdrew the United Kingdom from many projects which we didn’t need to leave, among them Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. We were re-admitted to Horizon Europe on 1 January 2024, and we shall rejoin Erasmus+ in 2027.
Additionally our government is meeting regularly with the European Commission to negotiate arrangements for creative artists, such as musicians, to work in the EU, freed from the restrictions imposed by “Brexit”. Discussions are also taking place to ease the restrictions on trade in food and agricultural products, and to allow young people from the UK and the EU the freedom to travel throughout Europe.
It is in this spirit of hope that your committee is proposing a number of events in the coming months, with street stalls in Maidstone (14 March), Strood, where we’ve never ventured before, (11 April) and Rochester (25 April). They are all on Saturdays, from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m.
If you have even a half-hour to spare to engage with the passing public, and hand out leaflets, your assistance will be greatly valued. We’ll publish details closer to the time.
Then, as already mentioned, we are planning to mark Europe Day (9 May) with a social event; more details to follow.
Of course, the purpose and passion of the European Movement is not restricted to Medway and Maidstone! What we aim to do, is add impetus to what the national movement is doing.
It will be ten years in June since the British public voted to sell its birthright as a member of the EU for “a mess of potage”. To mark the occasion, National Rejoin March will be gathering on 20 June to walk through London. This will be the fourth such demonstration of the people’s desire to re-enter the European family. We urge you, if at all possible, to support it in any way you can.
While The Banner will be used by your committee to communicate information about the Mid Kent group and the movement at large, we hope that supporters will feel encouraged to contribute their own articles and reports. You can email your manuscript for consideration to Nicholas or Derrick.
That’s all, fellow europhiles. We’ll hope to have another Banner for you next month.
European Movement Mid Kent 