Connecting the stories of our people

From the outset, our lead organisation, Tilbury on the Thames Trust, has worked closely with the Port of Tilbury. Their financial and in-kind support has been instrumental in ensuring Start Thurrock is a success.

Through significant funding and a range of practical resources, from the offer of office space and the provision of admin support, the Port has played a key role in helping us get impactful arts and cultural projects off the ground.

It’s rare to see a major port — an organisation intrinsically linked with transport, logistics, and heavy industry — be so engaged in the arts and culture. However, the Port of Tilbury is much more than a place for ships to dock. It sees itself as part of the story and heritage of our borough. The Port isn’t just a place where goods and people pass through — it’s a cultural touchpoint, influencing and connecting the stories of the people who live in Tilbury and the surrounding areas. Their corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach recognises that their activities as a company impact on society, the environment, and the economy. It informs the way they conduct their business, making sure they operate responsibility, ethically, and in a transparent and accountable way.

The Port’s vision is to blend community and commercial uses at the Grade II Cruise Terminal complex in Tilbury as part of a wider ambition to connect the Port to the communities on its doorstep. It’s funded and hosted a range of creative projects, including a 17-foot puppet of a dock worker, and a large carnival.

As Lucy Harris, Director of Tilbury on the Trust explains: “It’s unusual for a corporate organisation like a port to get behind arts and culture. You assume these sectors aren’t linked but when you consider our national stories, our heritage, they’re deeply rooted in the diverse communities that have passed through the Port. Arts and culture are intertwined here. I always say the Port of Tilbury is woven into the very fabric of our local communities.”

One of the most notable community initiatives backed by the Port was the Windrush 75 event, which celebrated the contributions of the Windrush generation to the UK. As part of this, a series of dance workshops allowed young people to connect with their cultural heritage in an interactive and creative way.

You can watch a video of the event below.

Additionally, the Port Open Day, a bi-annual event attended by hundreds of local residents and Port employees, provided an opportunity for us all to work together and create a full circle of collaboration. The Port supported Start Thurrock by providing a base and resources, which in turn allowed us to host a creative activity encouraging participants to reflect on what they’re most proud of in Tilbury and to vote on creative activities they’d like to see at Tilbury’s annual Picnic in the Park event. This then enriched the Port’s vision for community engagement because the Picnic in the Park event is run by Tilbury Riverside Project who have their offices in the terminal, and as a result, Start Thurrock were able to bring two acts to the summer event. This highlights how we’re all intertwined and feed into each other to create community-driven outcomes.

The Port is also the main sponsor of the Orsett Show which contributes to both the economic and social growth of the region.

Because of the Port’s generosity and their commitment to delivering positive community outputs, we support with creative activities when they’re working with communities to engage with residents. In return, they support us to enable more community decision-making, and to provide access to arts and cultural experiences.

This partnership between Start Thurrock and the Port of Tilbury illustrates how industry and culture can coexist and grow together. Through their ongoing support and the freedom they allow us, we’ve been able to provide invaluable opportunities for local residents, and we must celebrate that we’re all connected through the stories we share and the experiences we create together.