CALLING all former Chatham Dockyard workers. March 31 is the 20th anniversary of the closure of the Royal Navy’s 400-year-old base on the River Medway.

Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, which runs the 80-acre historic part of the former naval dockyard, is planning a big reunion of ex-workers - Dockyard Mateys Reunited - to mark the anniversary.

The event, on April 1, will be a time both for nostalgia and for looking forward. It is being supported by Medway council and the Medway Messenger newspaper.

To register your interest in the reunion, complete the coupon which will be published in the Medway Messenger newspaper each Monday and Friday.

Bill Ferris, the Trust’s chief executive, said: "The closure of the dockyard was a traumatic experience for everyone who worked there and for the Medway Towns as a whole. The base was crucial to the local economy. But life had to go on.

"We want to give former workers the opportunity to look around, to take a trip down memory lane, and at the same time to see how much progress has been made in the former dockyard."

The dockyard shut-down, first announced in the Commons three years earlier, dealt a devastating blow to Medway’s economy. Unemployment soared to record levels as around 5,000 people joined the dole queue. But, slowly, Medway began to recover.

The Trust began the daunting task of restoring and preserving the historic yard’s huge collection of listed buildings, while at the same time attempting to attract the visitors who would help pay for it all.

Meanwhile, work also began on transforming the 300-acre central part of the former Yard around basins 1 and 2, into Chatham Maritime, which now comprises the showpiece St Mary’s Island housing development and prestigious office developments.

Chatham Maritime is under the control of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) - a Government-funded body.

The transformation of the old Naval Base was completed with the creation of Chatham Docks at the Gillingham end of the former dockyard. This successful commercial docks is run by Medway Ports Authority.

Details of the April 1 event - which will be held at The Historic Dockyard - have yet to be finalised.

All you need do at this stage to register your interest is to return the completed coupon from the Medway Messenger to the address shown to give the organisers some idea of numbers. Alternatively, those living outside the area, could call Jenny Wormleighton on 01634 227800. The event is free.

The Historic Dockyard Trust would like to record people's memories of their time at the Yard, so that the voices of some of those who worked at the Yard can be preserved for future generations. Please indicate on the coupon whether you would be willing to be interviewed on the day.

No tickets will be issued. Just keep reading the Medway Messenger for information. A full programme for the day will be published nearer the time.