Whitstable Unplugged

Whitstable Unplugged Whitstable Unplugged is an initiative that addresses the impact of smartphones on young people's mental health and wellbeing.

🚀After a year of collaboration between schools, educators, researchers, young people and community organisations, the Ca...
29/05/2026

🚀

After a year of collaboration between schools, educators, researchers, young people and community organisations, the Canterbury Schools’ Pledge on Smartphones & Smart Devices is being officially launched.

The first launch event on 22 June at the University of Kent is invitation only, bringing together schools involved in ‘The Social Experiment’ – a social impact project, as part of Generation FOMO – exploring life beyond smartphones, supported by the Psychology Department.

The second event is for you 🫵

🎭 Monday 29 June
📍 Gulbenkian Theatre
🕖 7.00pm

Join us for a special performance of ‘s Generation FOMO, performed by A-Level drama students from .

Written by and based on young people’s real-life testimonies, this verbatim play shines a light on what it feels like to grow up online: the pressure, anxiety, comparison and loss of connection so many young people experience today.

The Pledge will be announced here alongside a panel & audience discussion. It’s the perfect chance to come together for an open and honest conversation.

🎟️ Tickets are priced on a donation basis, and you can book here: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/generation-fomo/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleASGnhdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAacCVaE-wIRa46WANkQ7ZOFY3bSjZfOJaggKkxyTnQ09XrVrlnIOeueaxmGJ3A_aem_-Wv9-YY62opFc2_mawDYxQ

We’d love to see you there; to celebrate the work of all those taking steps to protect childhood and support families in navigating a constantly connected online world.

🔔 Whilst you’re here – a reminder that Smartphone-Free Sunday is coming up on 31 May. Let’s all unplug and reconnect with the world around us. It’s just for one day, so go on give it a go – it will do wonders for your wellbeing!

We did it 🙌The government, last night, announced social media restrictions for under 16s, regardless of the consultation...
28/04/2026

We did it 🙌

The government, last night, announced social media restrictions for under 16s, regardless of the consultation outcome. This sits alongside the legislation of a smartphone ban in schools.

The tireless work of so many of you — the bereaved families, health professionals, teachers, parents, police, countless organisations, MPs, and the House of Lords — has made this happen.

To the interviewees from ’s play Generation FOMO, to the actors who so brilliantly portrayed their stories, and to the panellists who showed up to countless ’s post-show discussions. To all our volunteers and to our wonderful community, THANK YOU 🙏

The government listened and has made the right decision 👏

Thinking of all the children & their families who’ve been affected by the harms of social media. This legislation is for you and for the next generation 💙

We know there’s still work to be done, but this is a huge win. And a middle finger to the tech giants.

Thanks for featuring us ☺️
25/04/2026

Thanks for featuring us ☺️

16/03/2026

Cover Reveal! The Spring edition of the Whitstable Whistler is here!

A note from our editor...

Spring in Whitstable is a masterclass in transformation. You can see it in our landscape as the salt-hardened earth begins to soften and the first bursts of green reclaim the coastline.

Nobody understands this delicate, powerful transition better than Sarah Morgan and her team at The Garden Creative. We chatted with Sarah about her exhibition garden at RHS Hampton Court, her appearance on BBC Gardeners’ World, and she even shared some tips to help you push forward to make your garden beautiful for the year ahead.

That spirit of “pushing forward” is pulsing through our community right now. It is particularly inspiring to see Whitstable activists making waves in Westminster, raising their voices to create change.

We got the latest from Whitstable Unplugged and Portrait Theatre, who recently took their production, Generation FOMO, all the way to parliament. By performing for policymakers, they directly challenged the status quo and are campaigning for vital changes in social media laws to protect our young people. It is a stirring example of how a local spark can ignite a national conversation.

And pushing forward and looking to the future is just what the organisers
of Whitstable Carnival are doing with their plans for the summer. To help
raise funds for the annual event, they are thinking big by holding a weekend
music festival this July. We get a sneak peek of what you can expect, so you
can make sure you save the date and bag tickets for this slice of the summer.

This issue of the Whistler is dedicated to those who refuse to stand still. Whether it’s through art, activism or the quiet tending of a garden, Whitstable is shaking off the frost and stepping into the sun. As the days stretch out and the light lingers longer
over the harbour, I hope you feel that same surge of momentum.

Let’s stop waiting for the season to change and start changing the season ourselves.

16/03/2026

Whitstable Unplugged has made it into the spring edition of the 🗞️

Back in January, along with , we took Generation FOMO into the corridors of power, where young people’s voices about smartphones, social media, and childhood were heard. It was a powerful moment, and we’re pleased to see the story captured so thoughtfully by in our wonderful local paper.

If you’re out and about on Whitstable High Street, do pick up a copy and turn to page 37 (or read the digital version via our link in bio ⬆️) to read all about why this movement matters and how young people’s experiences helped shape the conversation.

We love our high street and the incredible community that continues to support this work. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far.

SmartphoneFreeChildhood

We’re joining thousands of others this month for OFF FEBRUARY 🎉🗓️ ’s global challenge is to go 28 days without social me...
31/01/2026

We’re joining thousands of others this month for OFF FEBRUARY 🎉

🗓️ ’s global challenge is to go 28 days without social media in your pocket. That means removing all your social media apps from your smartphone for the whole of February.

🧑‍💻 The challenge doesn’t require you to permanently delete your accounts. It’s just removing all those addictive apps for the duration of February. If you really need to check your social media, then access your account from a computer.

🔌 This February we’ll truly practice what we preach and unplug. We’ll disconnect from our digital lives and reconnect with real life. Our Smartphone-Free Sunday (22nd Feb) will still go ahead, but we won’t be reminding you on Insta or Facebook.

See you on the other side 👋

24/01/2026

New year, fresh start… and the perfect excuse to switch off for a bit 📵

This Smartphone-Free Sunday (25 January) we’re celebrating another treasure from our brilliant high street: 💙

Pop in and see Jackie, who has a wealth of knowledge and is a wonderful supporter of having an unplugged day. Her shop is full of character and pieces you just won’t find on an endless scroll.

We’ve loved hearing the comments following her recent workshops about how good it feels to slow down and properly connect. And this is exactly what Smartphone-Free Sunday is all about.

So if you can, join in tomorrow. Leave the scrolling behind and support a local business.. Have a wander, a chat, a cuppa… whatever helps you reset and reconnect.

We all need a little digital detox sometimes.

11/01/2026

🎭
What does taking Generation FOMO, by , and a panel of experts to Parliament look like?

☕️Well, something like this: months of planning, rehearsals, countless emails, follow up phone calls, late-night conversations and copious amounts of coffee.

💙 But it was ALL worth it, because whilst it was hard work, the entire time we held the lives of young people in our hearts & minds. The event went incredibly well, and the message was heard loud and clear.

Our moment in parliament mattered. And so do all the other voices we’re hearing from parents, educators, clinicians and young people, all sharing stories of concern, heartbreak and urgency. What once felt like isolated worries are being recognised for what they are: a collective reality for many so people.

👂We’re at a critical point right now, but are our concerns being listened to?

Today, the Conservatives announced they would restrict under-16s from accessing social media platforms and would ban smartphones in schools. Speaking on the Laura Kuenssberg programme, Kemi Badenoch acknowledged just how addictive these so-called “social” platforms can be.

But is the welfare of our children truly being put at the forefront of political decision-making, across all parties?

We’ll be following the conversation with hope and holding the government to account.

Follow us along as we build on our momentum, to effect change where it really matters.

Photo credits: and University of Kent l Chris Wenham



poirot.canton









07/01/2026

💬 Speaking on 7 Jan, 2026

Today, Gabrielle Grant, Co-founder and Director of Whitstable Unplugged, spoke on about their event with taking place this evening in Parliament.

This moment offers a unique opportunity for MPs to hear directly from a generation growing up online, and to take part in a discussion with educators, mental health professionals and young people.

We hope many MPs will join us in Westminster tonight, and to act in the best interests of children and young people.

Huge thanks to everyone making this happen, including Portrait Theatre, the incredible cast, our chair & panel contributors, and the MPs supporting this event.

The Kent contingent is strong 💪





poirot.canton








The Whitstable School
Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys

ProtectingChildhood

06/01/2026

💬 Why is this play important to you personally?

Because it reflects our lives, our pressures and our reality.

Watch the cast answer today’s final question, before our big event tomorrow evening.







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