Shepway Chairman's Blog

In the Lion’s den

August 28th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Lion at Wildlife Heritage Trust

It is Thursday 26 August and Councillor Allen Wells, the mayor of Ashford Borough Council has invited other mayors and chairmen from around Kent to visit a remarkable place in his district. It’s the Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a big cat sanctuary near Smarden.

Bengal Tiger at Wildlife Heritage Trust

The Wildlife Heritage Foundation started when the owner of Marley Farm rescued two tiger cubs from a circus in Newcastle. These cubs are now the oldest inhabitants of the sanctuary and have been joined by lions, lynxes, leopards, in fact all sorts of big cats. The animals are kept in large enclosures with a 3″ square mesh between them and us.

I once visited the Kruger National Game Park in South Africa and went on safari but I’ve never been so close to so many big cats. They are both beautiful and terrible. Beautiful in their grace, their steady gaze and exotic markings. Terrible in their strength and watchful menace.

Brian and friend watched by our group

Brian, one of the staff who has been with the Wildlife Trust for many years, is our guide and his love and respect for the cats is obvious. As he takes us round the sanctuary he often stands right next to the mesh and some of the cats rub against him.

Brian shows us how he checks if a cat is fit by giving them a piece of meat at a height where they need to stretch up and this allows any problems to be seen. It’s also how he can check if a cat is pregnant. The Wildlife Trust is involved in breeding programmes to release cats into the wild in both Africa and Russia.

Amur leopard

Brian tells us that there are currently more lions in England than Uganda as Idi Amin had so many killed. A conservation programme is under way to give Africans economic incentives to keep lions alive and Brian had been to Africa with a lion bred to be released in Uganda. He was currently working on a project, funded by three big oil companies, to increase the number of Amur leopards in the Far East of Russia.

Cllr Susan Carey and Tamzin Dunstone of Shepway District Council with the three lions

The Wildlife Heritage Fund is not a zoo but can be visited if booked in advance (it only allows small numbers of visitors). There’s more information on the website www. whf.org.uk

Cllr Allen Wells, Mayor of Ashford and furry friend

Tags: Ashford, Wildlife Heritage Fund
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Out on a Lympne

August 23rd, 2010 by Susan Carey

The Community Challenge Cup

Thursday 19 August is the date of the Community Challenge Cup a five a side football tournament for teams from the Elham Valley in Shepway and Capel in the Dover District. And the weather looks grim. It is raining when I arrive and the rain just gets worse. Fortunately there’s plenty to do at the village hall as the organisers have taken the opportunity to hold an exhibition of services available to the public including Age Concern, National Coastwatch and the NHS. Two nurses are on hand to do health checks and I’m given a run down on what to look out for to identify a stroke.

John and Gail Keeble on the Coastwatch stand

By the time I’ve toured the stands and chatted with Susan Lamb of the village hall committee members, the rain has stopped and I settle down to watch the mathces. As well as the youth teams, there’s a team from the Police and one of the Community wardens. You might think that the adults would have an advantage as they are larger and stronger but the finalists are Lympne and Capel. Capel have won for the last two years and this year look like making it a hat trick. The match is decided on a penalty shoot out and the home team, Lympne walks off with the trophy.

The winning team

There’s also an extra contest to win a set of signed photographs of Arsenal players. The player who keeps the ball off the ground for the longest is the winner and the winner of this game of ‘keepie uppy’ manages 65 kicks. (I subsequently read that the world record is held by someone who in January 2010 managed a 30 mile journey without once letting the ball touch the ground.)

The Shepway Community Safety Unit is on hand to provide music and, when the Police win a match, they play ‘I fought the law and the law won.’ Most apt.

Shepway Community Safety Unit

The youngsters show a good team spirit and, whilst everyone wants to win, the games are free from fouls and injuries.

Lympne is a lovely spot to spend the day and, apart from the early rain, the only drawback is that when the ball is hit over the fence it’s sometimes picked up by a horse and comes back wet. Somehow the community wardens always seem to end up with the job of retrieving the ball.

Penalty play off

It is of course the Community Wardens’ event and they have put the teams together and helped them train. Gary Harrison covers Elham, Lyminge and Etchinghill, Sue Covus Lympne, Tanya Clarke, Hawkinge and Paul James Capel. PC Trevor Moody is also a leading light in the running of this event and many others have helped make it a success. This is the fifth year the Community Challenge Cup has been held and it deserves to be a permanent fixture every summer.

Tags: Capel, Elham, Etchinghill, Hawkinge, Lyminge, Lympne
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A great time in Greatstone

August 23rd, 2010 by Susan Carey

The 25th anniversary cakes

This afternoon, Wednesday 18 August, I am at the village hall in Greatstone where the Greatstone Senior Singers are celebrating their silver jubilee with not one but two magnificent cakes decorated with the names of the songs they are singing at their special concert. The show is a sell out and I’m told that they never need to advertise as a loyal fan base and word of mouth fill the hall.

The Greatstone Senior Singers group was formed 25 years ago by Bert Burrows. Bert has since died but his widow, Muriel, still sings with them. There is no lower age limit but the group’s activities are daytime which means most members are retired and ages range from ’60 to young 90′. Two years ago they received funding from the Kent Community Foundation for a new minibus so, as well as singing for their own pleasure, the Greatstone Senior Singers entertain people at schools, old people’s homes, day care centres and wherever else they’re asked.

I have been invited to today’s show by Alison Ryde who is secretary of the Greatstone Senior Singers. Alison is a relatively junior member as she has only been singing with the group for six years whereas most of the singers have ten or twenty years membership. Alison puts this stable membership down to the friendliness of the group and I’m certainly struck by the welcoming atmosphere, just how cheerful the singers are and how this communicates itself to their audience.

: “There’s an awful ot of coffee in Brazil”

The show is in two parts with songs from musicals and music hall including one of my all-time favourites ‘There’s a Hole in my Bucket’ with a mixture of solos and group singing with the audience encouraged to join in. There’s a Buck’s Fizz moment during one of the numbers when the three dancers whip off their skirts to reveal vast bloomers. This was more amusing and innocent on stage than it sounds when described!

Cllr Carole Waters

In the audience is fellow District Councillor, Carole Waters who is cabinet member for sports and culture at Shepway and Nigel Turley of Action with Communities in Rural England who does such a lot to help local groups find grant funding. Along with everyone there, we have a great time and if you want to find our more about the Greatstone Senior Singers either to join or to hire then visit their website www.greatstoneseniorsingers.org

"Hats Off!"

Well done to all the singers and particular thanks to Rosemary for the dance routines, Lynn for the costumes and Doreen for the celebration cakes.

Tags: Greatstone
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Gateway to Nature event

August 22nd, 2010 by Susan Carey

Green Flag Cake

Today’s theme is cake and the first one is in Hythe by the Royal Military Canal.

It is Wednesday 18 August and a day of activities, Gateway to Nature, to show the work that Shepway District Council does together with the Environment Agency in tending the Royal Military Canal and its banks. This makes it seem very dry and worthy but in fact it’s all great fun.

Kate Hayes & Laura Pinkham

There are fishing lessons (complete with wriggling maggots as bait) and fly fishing lessons on the grass to practice casting. There is face painting (Laura Pinkham of Shepway sports some very pretty flowers) and there is the Shepway MAP (Mobile Activity Programme) with games for the children.

There are the vehicles that cut the grass and dredge the canal and the Fire & Rescue Service have brought along a Fire Engine. The children love all these large machines especially as they are able to climb all over them. There’s a water tank full of fish caught in the canal by the trainee anglers and lots of photographs and models of creepie crawlies which live in or near the canal.

A bird hide by the canal

We are also taking the opportunity to celebrate the Green Flag awarded to the Royal Military Canal. This is the first time Shepway has won a green flag for the Royal Military Canal and it is a great accolade for Chris McCreedy, Parks Manager, Kate Hayes, the Royal Military Canal Manager and their team. Green Flags are awarded to public areas which are welcoming, healthy, safe and secure, clean and well maintained. They must also promote the environment and heritage of the area and involve the local community.

Chris McCreedy in the hide

The Royal Military Canal is both useful and decorative as it is part of the drainage system of the Romney Marsh, it also provides recreation to anglers, boaters, horseriders, cyclists and walkers and a ribbon of green through Seabrook and Hythe. The canal is 28 miles from Seabrook in Kent to Cliff End in East Sussex and there are now plans to extend the footpath along the next stage from Hythe to Lympne.

Judith McCormick, Hythe town clerk & Michael Lyons, Hythe town councillor

As well as members of the public (of all ages) we are joined by Judith McCormick, the Hythe Town clerk and Michael Lyons who is both a town and district councillor.

My role is to thank everyone for their efforts in keeping the Royal Military Canal so well, to congratulate them and to cut the cake. I also take the opportunity to try my hand at fishing but I’ll spare you the tale of the one that got away.

Cllr Susan Carey, Kate Hayes & friends go fishing

Tags: Hythe, Royal Military Canal
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‘In Remembrance of All Comrades’

August 15th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Standard bearers near the memorial stone

Today, Sunday 15 August, I am in Folkestone for a service of Remembrance of VJ Day arranged by the Folkestone and District Branch of the Burma Star Association. VJ stands for Victory in Japan and it is 65 years since VJ Day was declared when the Japanese government agreed to an unconditional surrender and brought World War II to a close. Among those attending are veterans from World War II as well as those of more recent service and some serving personnel.

Christ Church, Folkestone

The venue is the Garden of Remembrance next to the tower of Christ Church which is all that remains of the church after an air raid on Sunday 17 May 1942 by the Germans. Just three people were in the church at the time of the attack (two died and one survived the attack) but had it been just half an hour later it would have been full of soldiers. A stone plaque marks the date.

The Garden of Remembrance has a memorial stone with a bronze plaque showing the Burma Star and the words ‘In remembrance of All Comrades 1939 – 1945′ followed by the Kohima Epitaph. We congregate around this for the short service. The town mayor of Folkestone, Cllr Tom McNeice lays a wreath, as do I on behalf of Shepway and several others, including 2 (South East) Brigade which has its headquarters locally in Shorncliffe.

Cllr Susan Carey with veterans after the VJ Day Remembrance service.

My mother recalls VJ Day vividly. She was a newspaper delivery girl of the evening papers and the newsagent told her to make sure she knocked on every door when she delivered the paper with the good news about VJ Day and the end of the war. At every house she was given a small sum of money for bringing such good news.

The Memorial in the Garden of Remembrance Folkestone

The Kohima Epitaph

When you go home

tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

we gave our today

Tags: Burma Star Association, Folkestone, VJ Day
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Howzat in Hawkinge

August 12th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Sunday 08 August and today’s event is at the cricket club in Hawkinge. Ian Lamb of the Hawkinge Cricket Club has invited respresentatives from organisations that have helped the club and I am there to represent Shepway District Council together with my friend and Hawkinge resident, Peter Sellars.

Hawkinge Parish Council chairman, Dave Callaghan is also present and talks about his wish to see a sports area encompassing both the football and cricket clubs which are on neighbouring sites. Plans for a Sports Pavillion on the football club site are now well advanced.

Hawkinge Cricket Club also has plans as it needs extra training facilities for the growing number of youngsters who want to play cricket. Phil Payne tells me that Colts membership is now over 70 (girls and boys) and that Hawkinge Cricket Club has teams competing in the league in the Under 15, Under 13 and Under 11 age groups. The seniors and older players use the fixed practice net for much of the time and the club really wants a deciated practice area for the younger players. Fundraising is currently under way.

Bobbin Court v Hawkinge

The cricket match makes an picturesque backdrop to the afternoon, regrettably Bobbin Court win, but it’s good to know that cricket is thriving in Hawkinge.

Tags: Hawkinge
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An Enjoyable Emergency

August 12th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Saturday 07 August and my next event is to call in on the Emergency Services Day at Littlestone Lifeboat Station on the Romney Marsh.

Charlie Davis, Cllrs Susan Carey, William Richardson and Judith Richardson

I’m accompanied by William Richardson, District Councillor for Lydd and his wife Judith. This is the first Emergency Services Day at Littlestone and none of us know quite what to expect. What we find is impressive.

The lifeboat station and the surrounding area are full of people and full of things to see and do. There’s a fire engine to clamber over, ambulances and police motobikes. There’s a band playing, a bar, food stalls, face painting and hundreds of people having a good time.

One of the first people we meet is Charlie Davis, the Lifeboat Operations Manager of the Littlestone RNLI which also has its equipment on show. All the equipment all has a feel of ‘big tough toys for big tough boys’ but, whilst it may be fun to marvel at, all the hardware on show it has serious purpose and saves lives.

Cllrs Shane Lawrence and William Richardson

We also meet another of the District Councillors, Shane Lawrence who represents New Romney Coast. Shane and his girlfriend, Sereta, are selling raffle tickets for the RNLI and have been hard at work all day. They are delighted at the turn out and the great atmosphere and are already talking about next year’s event.

I’m introduced to Mrs Oiler in the RNLI giftshop who is now in her nineties and still helping raise money for the RNLI. I also say hello to Alan and Rosemary Snoad who are mayor and mayoress of New Romney and sitting on a bench dedicated to Mrs Oiler’s husband.

Now to two highlights of my visit. To my delight, I find there are no less than twelve Newfoundland dogs on site. They are very large dogs (Shetland pony size!) with thick, black fur which must be very uncomfortable in the hot weather we’ve been having. They have been in the sea demonstrating how they can save swimmers who get into difficulties. One of the older dogs graciously allows me to pet him. What lovely creatures.

Another unexpected delight is a ride in a small helicopter over the Romney Marsh courtesy of Helicharter. It’s a wonderful way to see the world and the Romney Marsh looks even more beautiful from the air. And if you would like to book a helicopter ride you can contact them via their website www.helicharter-uk.com/

Littlestone and Dungeness from the air

Congratulations to everyone involved in putting on such a fun event which both educates people about the emergency services and raises money for the RNLI.

Tags: Littlestone, Romney Marsh
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Hawkinge Allotments on Show

August 7th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Eileen Blythe and Nick Lord of the Hawkinge Allotment Society

Today, Saturday 07 August, I am visiting the Hawkinge Allotments in Stombers Lane for their Open Day.

The Hawkinge Allotment Society has been in existence since 2003 but it has taken six long years for them to find a site. Four councils have been involved – Shepway District Council, Kent County Council, Hawkinge Parish Council and Dover District Council. The land is just over the border in Dover, Shepway District Council own the land and have leased it to Hawkinge Parish Council and Kent County Council has also been involved in the ownership and footpath issues.

Cllr Susan Carey, Mike and a friend

The Hawkinge Allotment Society were finally on site in April 2009 and all the sites have been allocated with five villagers on the waiting list. Plots have been allocated based on seniority of membership. The car park is plot 1, the raised beds plot 2 and the first full plot is number 3 and belongs to the chairman, Eileen Blythe.

Eileen first contacted me about the allotments in 2005 and I’ve brought the letter with me. Eileen is delighted to be reminded and asks to keep the letter for the society’s archives.

The chairman's hat

In honour of the visit I have trimmed my hat with roses from my own garden and I’m pleased to see that one of the plots also has roses although most are devoted to the edible.

It’s really impressive to see how much the gardeners have achieved in such a short time. Eileen tells me that some people have been on their allotments almost full-time and it shows. There are towers of runner beans, rows of greens, lavender, sunflowers and even chickens. I’m also very taken by the scarecrows. Mike, who has a particularly fierce looking example tells me that he is a new gardener and did not have much idea about how far apart he should plant his crops and has learned that next time he needs to give them more space.

George, Peter and Cllr David Godfrey

Raised beds are very much in evidence and the Hawkinge Allotment Society was able to offer some very smart subsidised wooden compost bins. There are also some very smart sheds and each plot has its own particular style. Some plots are shared and there are a few ‘starter plots’ which are 1/3rd size. The Hawkinge Allotment Society’s youngest member, George 14 years old, tends one of these.

Shepway District Councillor David Godfrey is a also a member of the Hawkinge Allotment Society and one of the people who made the allotments a reality. I also had a role as the County Councillor for Elham Valley and was able to help with grants for rabbit-proof fencing and the compost toilet.

The fundraising continues for more equipment and raised beds and, should enough villagers come forward for plots, Eileen has her eye on a neighbouring field….

The visit ends with a cup of tea and a sample of courgette tea cake (delicious) in the large communal shed with some of the gardeners as well as visitors from the National Allotment Association.

Cllr Susan Carey and members of the Hawkinge Allotment Society

The allotments will also be open between 08 00 – 10 00 and 12 00 and 16 00 every day during National Allotment Week which runs from 9 – 15 August.

PS Anyone who wants an allotment in Hawkinge should contact Hawkinge Allotment Society at The Old Brickfields, Stombers Lane, Hawkinge , CT18 7AP or e-mail eileen@hawkingeallotments.org.uk to be put on the waiting list.

Tags: Hawkinge
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Bowled over by the Chelsea pensioners

August 6th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Cheriton Bowls Club members with the Chelsea Pensioners

04 August sees a visit to Cheriton Bowls club by the Chelsea pensioners and I’m invited to greet them together with Folkestone town mayor, Tom Mcneice.

The Royal Hospital in Chelsea was set up in 1682 for the ‘succour and relief of veterans broken by age and war’ and has continued to look after forces veterans ever since.

Cheriton Bowls club v Chelsea Pensioners

The visiting bowls team from the Chelsea Pensioners mean business and turn up in their bowling outfits rather than their more familiar scarlet uniforms. Leading the group is Colonel Mark Barker who is the very tall man in the front row of the group photograph (I am just visible in blue behind him). The visitors are able to play a few games before heavy rain sets in and I leave them to a splendid feast laid on by the Cheriton Club.

Shepway District Councillors Dick Pascoe, David Godfrey and Peter Gane

Also at today’s event are club members and district councillors Dick Pascoe and David Godfrey and Cheriton district councillor Peter Gane.

As well as meeting the Chelsea Pensioners I am also delighted to find two of my Newington friends, Jan and Ron Fagg among the Cheriton Bowls Club members.

The White Horse

An added treat is a splendid view of the White Horse on the escarpment above the Channel Tunnel. Designed by Charles Newington and laid out by Charles Beaugie and the Gurkha regiment, the horse is also the symbol of Shepway.

Cllr Susan Carey, chairman of Shepway District Council with John Reed, the Cheriton Bowls Club Captain

Tags: Cheriton Bowls Club, Folkestone
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Picnic in the Park

August 5th, 2010 by Susan Carey

Barbara Todd, Lady Mayoress of Canterbury, Cllr Susan Carey, chairman of Shepway District Council and Cllr Pat Todd, Lord Mayor of Canterbury

Tuesday 03 August is the annual picnic hosted by the Lady Mayoress of Canterbury in the Westgate Gardens. Our group includes the mayors of Folkestone and Hythe as well as mayors and chairman from across Kent and Sally Pickersgill, the High Sheriff of Canterbury who also happens to be the daughter of Shepway District Councillor Stan Hayward.

Pat Todd, Lady Mayoress of Canterbury and Sally Pickersgill, High Sheriff of Canterbury

Westgate Gardens and Tower House were given to Canterbury City Council in 1936 by Stephen Williamson whose wife , Catherine, was a city councillor and served as Mayor from 1938 to 1940. Tower House is used as the mayor’s parlour as well as for meetings and civic functions and, if it rains tonight, it will also be used for the picnic.

The gardens are beautiful and the rain holds off. After the picnic we all head for the Gulbenkian Theatre to see The Old Stagers production of ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’. The Old Stagers believe they are the oldest surviving amateur dramatic society in the world and they have been appearing in Canterbury in cricket week since 1842. Many of the original ‘old stagers’ were cricketers.

The money raised from the picnic and raffle go to the Lady Mayoress’ charities which are the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Strode Park (which provides care for disabled people) and Help for Heroes.

Shepway District Council is working closely with Canterbury City Council to share back office costs and projects that attract European funding (See the Green Fair story)

Inside Tower House

Tags: Canterbury
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