Think Chatham - and you think of the Historic Dockyard. Think Gillingham and it’s The Gills FC. And then there’s Rochester - well, Dickens, a cathedral, a castle and Kelly Brook spring to mind.

But what of Rainham?

For most, it conjures up a sprawling commuter town spliced in half by the busy A2 connecting London to the coast.

Not helped by the influx of housing developments, the most seen since the nation's massive post-war rebuilding programme, coupled with the lack of community facilities to serve a growing population, Rainham is in danger of losing its identity.

And for years, many have believed the town has been seen as the poor relation to its neighbours, particularly Gillingham.

That’s the fear of the town’s vicar, Nathan Ward, who’s in charge of the parish church in the heart of the High Street.

And it’s why he and his team at St Margaret's are spearheading an ambitious £10 million project over 10 years under the banner Putting Rainham First (PRF).

Armed with data supplied by more than 2,500 people who shared their thoughts on key issues such as heritage, arts, culture, quality of life and faith, the survey provides the foundation for PRF.

Nathan said the feedback was “phenomenal” and some of the responses “surprising”.

Among the alarming results to emerge were those from young people canvassed at the four secondary schools in the area - Leigh Academy, Rainham Mark, Rainham School for Girls and The Howard.

Of those surveyed, 10% of more than 2,000 pupils said they intended to move away from the town at the earliest opportunity.

The lack of cash machines was a bigger bone of contention than crime and antisocial behaviour, perhaps reflecting the high number of older residents and bank closures in recent years.

And on top of the wish list was a cinema.

It became obvious that if Rainham is to survive, urgent action is needed to move forward over the next 100 years and stop its younger generation from leaving town

Nathan feels the church is best placed to take the helm, a place where men and women have worshipped for more than a thousand years.

He said: “The church is at the hub of the community.

“During Covid, it was the church that reached out with our Just Say Hello food bank and a newsletter to keep people informed.

“With Covid, the world has changed, and that includes Rainham.

“Here, the poor and getting poorer, and they are hidden because of the abundance of wealth we have.”

With this in mind, one of the first points of action has already been taken.

An application has been submitted to the council’s licensing committee to show films and alcohol at the church - a cheaper option than a family having to fork out a considerable sum of money to go to one of the cinemas further afield.

St Margaret’s already hosts a wide range of activities for all sectors of the community - from OAP (Overcome, Achieve, Prosper) Exercise, craft workshops for toddlers and Citizens Advice sessions.

There’s a packed music and arts programme throughout the year - including the recent Piano Week when Nathan pulled off a major coup by getting American jazz legend Curtis Stigers to perform in the nave of the church.

He said: “It’s not just a building. It’s important to get people in here to use it all the time.

“And I’m not expecting them all to be here for the 10.30 service on Sunday.

“Although we have increased our congregation by 28% in the last year.”

And what would he say to critics who believe the church should be solely a place of worship?

“I would say churches started off as a place where people gathered. Cattle markets were held in them”, he said, adding: “And anyway, Jesus was interested in people having fun. We should hold on to that context.”

In the past, he feels Rainham has lurked in the shadow of its larger neighbour, Gillingham.

When the borough council took over the town in 1928, local folklore has it that fiercely loyal residents confronted a man on a ladder trying to change the sign at their station to Gillingham East.

The workman thought better of it, and it remained Rainham.

Some people living on roads named similarly to ones in Gillingham suddenly discovered their address had changed overnight.

Gillingham already had an Oxford and York road, so York became Durham and Oxford became Asquith.

And it wasn’t until 2010 that the parliamentary constituency of Gillingham was changed to Gillingham and Rainham.

More recently, there was uproar when The Angel pub in Lower Rainham Road reopened after a major refurbishment and it was branded with Gillingham. The sign outside was quickly repainted.

To bring the town into the next century, millions is needed to invest in the church where people have worshipped for more than a thousand years. There’s evidence of it being there during the reign of William the Conqueror and very likely before the Norman Conquest.

It’s in constant need of refurbishing and updating to accommodate the whole community, and drastic moves are needed in the churchyard, which is rapidly in danger of filling up.

Nathan firmly believes that the people of Rainham deserve to have their final resting place in the shadow of the 100ft tower, and one answer may be a communal vault for loved ones’ ashes.

Putting Rainham First is working with several high-profile agencies to achieve its goal. They include National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Diocese of Rochester, Arts Council England, the Community Fund and Medway Council

The team is working with several specialist consultants, including architects, quantity surveyors, structural engineers, all with heritage expertise.

Nathan said: “At the end of the day we are not a dying church struggling to survive. We are a thriving church here to serve the community.”

What you might not know about Rainham…

The first known reference to a church in Rainham is in the Domesday Monachorum since at least the time of William the Conqueror.

When Rainham became part of Gillingham, all of the Rainham streets which had duplicates in Gillingham were renamed.

The cement used to build the original Wembley Stadium was manufactured in Rainham.

St Margaret's Church was named St Margaret of Antioch since at least 1138.

One of the bells that still rings at the church today was made in 1582 by Robert Mot and rang out to proclaim victory after the Spanish Armada in 1588.

The Rainham-based Roeginga Pottery, which operated on the site where the restaurant Darjeeling Heights is now, patented the colour Rainham Blue which appeared on most of its pieces.