Gravesend’s Vaisahki 2024 was the usual mix of good humour, great food and riotous colours.

The Sikh community hosts a wonderful celebration on the streets of Gravesend, to which all are welcome, of any faith or none.

I met some lovely people, had a great time and will definitely be back next year.

The Jacob Marley leaves Gravesend for the last time and the sun sets on a ferry service that has carried passengers between Tilbury and Gravesend for over 700 years.

The ferry's cancellation is another symptom of the funding crisis hitting local authorities across the UK.

I’m delighted to announce that the first print edition of The Gravesend Journal is now available.

This first edition tells the story of Tony and Vicki Harris, who founded a community group, The Table, to feed the homeless and those in need.

In 2021, UK consumers drank 2.5 million litres or 10 million bottles of water per day. That’s a lot of plastic. It’s great that you’re all drinking so much water; good hydration is important. But when you buy bottled water, you are driving a chain that’s having a significant impact on our environment.

One of my favourite buildings in Gravesend is the Borough Council Civic Centre and Woodville Theatre.

Designed by renowned architect Henry Thomas Cadbury-Brown construction started in 1964, and the building was opened on 15th November 1968.

The theatrical ‘get-in’ is a bit like moving house. You arrive at your new home early in the morning with all your worldly possessions piled in the back of a van.

There’s furniture to be unloaded, lights to be put up, and the sound system to be installed. Inevitably, something doesn’t quite fit and you don’t know where the kettle is.

A bike shop has traded from this site in Windmill Street for some 60 years. However, at the end of November Tri The Bike Shop will put up its shutters for the last time.

I spent the morning with manager Leo Brown (not shown), Stuart Britten and James Medhurst.

Some images from Gravesend’s Vaisakhi celebration. This annual celebration of the spring harvest in Northern India is centred around the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara.

Tony and Vicki Harris have been on a journey that would change their lives, seeing Tony giving away all their money and most of his clothes. It would lead them to start a group that would feed up to 50 people, six nights a week, during the height of the pandemic.

I stumbled on this wonderful installation of images, by the artist EVEWRIGHT, dedicated to people of the Windrush Generation. They are displayed on the windows of the Tilbury Bridge Walkway, just a few metres from the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry.

I was reading about the history of The Waterloo pub when it occurred to me - this being census day - the first record of many pubs is when they show on a census.

Fill in your census if you haven’t already, you’re making history and when pubs reopen, pop to your local and buy a pint, we’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Are you looking forward to pubs reopening? Here’s what is hoped will happen.

On April 12 - Restaurants and pub gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outdoors - including alcohol.

Pubs across the country have had a torrid year. The square mile of central Gravesend had 29 trading pubs and bars as we entered the first lockdown. Sadly it seems inevitable that not all of those would reopen when restrictions are partially lifted on April 12.

We’re told we are a living through the strangest of times. Yet, it’s surprising how quickly sights that a few months ago would have seemed entirely alien become ordinary.

At some point, these things will become history, so it seems only fitting to record some of them.

This production of Rapunzel could be just another casualty of a dreadful pandemic that continues to kill thousands worldwide. Maybe it’s nothing more than that.

The Gravesend to Tilbury ferry, currently the most easterly Thames crossing, heads to Tilbury with no passengers on it’s 1 pm sailing.

Operated by JetStream the ferry runs Monday-Saturday.

The riverside outdoor gym closed inline with Government COVID-19 restrictions.

A small boy looking at the ships on Thames at Gravesend.

The MV Columbus was partway into a 120-night world cruise when owners Cruise and Maritime Voyages went into administration.
Since 14th April 2020, she has sat patiently waiting across the river from Gravesend.

The Darnley Pharmacy now dispenses prescriptions from a window. This saves patients needing to enter the shop, reducing the risk to them and the staff.