The Medway Badminton Association was founded as an unincorporated voluntary organisation more than sixty years ago. Details of its actual formation have been lost over the course of time but it is believed that thoughts of forming the Association existed prior to World War II, only to be deferred pending cessation of hostilities. What is known is that the first Annual General Meeting was held in 1948. It commenced as an association of badminton clubs in the Medway Towns of Chatham, Gillingham and Rochester. Its purpose was to provide a representative structure for grass roots badminton and to foster competition between local clubs.
The development of the Association in the 1970s with all its responsibilities, particularly with those related to the complexities of operating a new badminton facility in Castlemaine Hall, raised questions about forming a limited company. This was fully discussed with the Association's solicitors and the former trustees were consulted. Opinions obtained indicated that it could be advantageous and measures were taken to implement a proposal at the 35th Annual General Meeting of the unincorporated Association in July 1983.
The AGM approved a draft Memorandum and Articles of Association and, following further consultation with its solicitors, the Association was formally incorporated as a non-profit making company limited by guarantee on 23rd September 1983. This introduced a significant change. Hitherto the Associationwas an association of clubs. Now it became an association of individual members, and so it remains today.
Work commenced early in 1974 with much needed help from the Royal Engineers and a small army of enthusiastic members.
Although the hall was not built to the standards of today and constraints in its construction were necessary as a consequence of underfunding, its use has held up reasonably well. The recession of the late 1980's had an adverse impact and education related users disappeared. Even the clubs suffered a decline in membership and court use reduced. Nevertheless, interest from new users and participation in Local Authority initiatives helped recovery and court bookings stabilised.
At various times since construction thoughts have focused on extending the Hall to provide additional courts and generally to improve facilities. Nothing transpired as sources of funding always presented an insuperable problem. Moreover, site conditions hardly lend themselves to economic solutions.
In 2003 the Community Club Development Programme administered by Sport England with assistance from the National Governing Bodies of Sport was launched. The Association immediately saw it as a source of possible funding. Castlemaine Hall met all the criteria for making an application and one was hastily submitted.
Enthusiastic support from the B.A. of E. and Kent Badminton Ltd. led to funding for a major project to refurbish the Hall. This not only embraced the needs stated earlier, but also included a new playing surface for the courts and lighting more suited to the game of badminton. The scheme completed in 2005 cost nearly £230,000 with the Association contributing approximately one-fifth.
Castlemaine Hall has the benefit of a 99 year ground lease with 69 years remaining before termination or renewal. Badminton in North Kent therefore has an assured base. The future rests firmly in the continuing sound management of the Association and its ability to weather economic changes and fluctuations in badminton activity.
