New Romney Mayor making

The Mayor Making at the Assembly Rooms, New Romney, Monday 10th May.

More to follow.

The parade

Cllrs William Richardson, Susan Carey and Carol Waters

The Romney Marsh Scout District St George’s Day Service at St Nichols Church New Romney followed by a parade on Sunday 18 April.

More to follow.

Happy Birthday Beavers!

The Beavers in New Romney know how to enjoy themselves.  On my last visit for their AGM they had a chocolate feast.  This time there is birthday cake as this  Beavers Colony is 27 years old which makes it the longest established in Kent.

The Beaver Colony

This evening, Thursday 22 October I am with a large and enthusiastic audience of family and friends to celebrate the 27th birthday party.  We watch the Beavers talk about what they have been doing and entertain us with songs.  We are also invited to join in ‘Four and Twenty Blackbirds’ complete with gestures.

Cllr Susan Carey, Shepway District Councillor presenting the badges

My role is to hand out the badges the Beavers have earned in the last few months and to admire the models they have made.  This time I remember to use my left hand to shake hands with the Beavers.

Left-handed handshakes are said to have started when Baden Powell, the founder of the Scout Movement,  met an African chief.  The Chief transferred his shield which he held in his left hand to his right which contained his spear and offered his left hand as a sign of friendship.  So Baden Powell adopted the left-handed handshake for the Scouts as a sign of trust and friendship.

Shirley Carey cuts the cake

The cake is cut by Shirley Carey, Ted’s widow.  Ted was a former mayor of New Romney and involved in many clubs and good causes.  He is much missed.

Cllr Susan Carey, Shepway District Council Chairman

You will notice that I am wearing a  poppy which I had bought earlier that day at the Poppy Appeal Launch at County Hall.  Someone at the New Romney event tells me poppies should not be worn till 01 November.  There isn’t any definitive ruling on this but I suppose people might think you’re recycling last year’s poppy if you wear it mid-October!  Mine will reappear in November.

PS The Royal British Legion have clarified the matter by saying the way to wear poppies is ‘with pride’ and they be worn from the moment of purchase.

The Right Worshipful Mayor of New Romney, Alan Snoad and Chairman of Shepway District Councillor, Susan Carey

The last Saturday of July is always the New Romney Country Fayre.  I am the guest of the Right Worshipful Mayor of New Romney, Councillor Alan Snoad as are many other town mayors from across Kent. 

The Mayor of Lydd, David Kersey with the Mayor and Mayoress of Ramsgate David and Liz Green

The day starts with a parade along the High Street and the visiting dignitaries make a fine addition to the pageant as we stand in front of the town hall resplendent in our chains.  As well as applauding the floats and the fancy dress our role is to put money into the buckets that each group brings with them to raise funds for their activities or charity.  I spot, Hawkinge Harry.  How could I fail to spot him when he towers over the parade led by District Councillor David Godfrey.

David Godfrey, Hawkinge Harry and friends

The parade also includes the visiting town band from Ardres, Morris dancers, motorbikes and a fire engine.  An ecletic mix.

District Councillors Carole Waters, Willie Richardson and Russell Tillson are on hand to support the event as well as hundreds of local people and visitors.  The Fayre spreads over two fields and among the stands selling wares is the Shepway Community Safety team promoting events for young people and dispensing advice on safety.

Shepway Community Safety Unit

Pigs streaking along

My favourite event is the pig racing where all the pigs are named after MPs such as Douglas Hogg and Alistair Crackling. 

The Ardres Band

This was a wonderful fun event and I recommend that you put the New Romney Country Fayre on Saturday 31 July in your diary for 2010.

Morris Dancing in the High Street

Beavers at New Romney

Who could resist an invitation to a Chocolate Feast?  Not me.  So Thursday 02 July sees me joining the 1st New Romney Beavers for their annual Chocolate Feast.  The weather is very sultry and I hope the chocolate is not going to melt.

The event is very well attended with plenty of Beavers and many more supporters filling the modern and spacious scout hut. 

I see District Councillors Carole Waters and Clive Goddard as well as representatives from Lydd town council.  We all enjoy the Beavers’ singing and comedy sketches and the presentations of chocolate to several of the helpers.  Before we know it the AGM is over (they called it a chocolate feast to trick us into coming!) and everyone is allowed to visit the stalls with their games and competitions and yes, there is plenty of chocolate about so it wasn’t all a trick

I win some chocolate dog biscuits at the tombola so it was definitely worth coming.  And of course it was worth being with the New Romney Beavers to see the children having such a great time and the community there to support them.