The Sentinel

Sentinel

Local Matters

Newington

a dce2.0 company

July 2022

This magazine is compiled and edited by David Cowell who is totally responsible for content.

If you do not wish to receive these magazines please email UNSUBSCRIBE to him at david@thesentinel.org.uk

U 3 A Swing Band Concert & Cream Tea

Traditional Jazz and Songs by the U3A Swing Band, together with a Cream Tea Saturday 3rd September 3:00pm £10.00 in advance, tickets available from Greta Raja 01303 488091/greta.rajadhyaksha@tiscali.co.uk Mel Wrigley 01303 837146/text only 07543 629444 Raffle Bus Route 17

Friends of St Nicholas Church Newington Restoring and maintaining this historic building and its grounds Charity Number 1122652

WOW Design-led gifts and interiors 76 High Street Hythe Kent CT21 5AL 01303 265340 www.facebook.com/wowhythe

Folkestone and Hythe Cats Protection shop in Hythe is now open: Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm.

New measures in place to protect customers and volunteers. Stringent cleaning regime and quarantining system to further protect customers and volunteers and only 2 customers in the shop at any one time. Many bargains from £1.

Contact shop on 01303 264285 and general enquiries on 0345 260 1253 2

Support local

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Report from your County Councillor for Newington Like so many others I came down with Covid at the beginning of July and, whilst I’m now testing negative, I am not yet recovered. It will take a while to catch up with emails etc..

I do have some good news to share. On 05 July, Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills, published its report on KCC’s Children’s Services rating them as ‘outstanding’ (the top mark). The breakdown of the scores was: 1.The impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families – Outstanding 2.The experiences and progress of children who need help and protection – Good 3.The experiences and progress of children in care and care leavers – Outstanding 4. Overall effectiveness – Outstanding This makes makes KCC one of the best performing councils in the country.

This is important on so many levels not least in the difference it makes to some of the most vulnerable children in Kent. Ofsted are notoriously tough in their judgements and such high marks are rarely given. Several years ago KCC’s Children’s Services were judged to be failing and it cost £30m to put matters right.

I’m really delighted to share with you this external validation of the progress we have made since then.

Over the summer holidays KCC is funding bus passes for children and families as part of the Reconnect programme. There’s a Young Person’s Bus Pass for those in Years 6 to 13 for Stagecoach and Arriva buses and a Family Bus Pass for up to four family members. Both passes are available between 23 July and 31 August and can be arranged via school/college or online (see the KCC website).

Please continue to take precautions against avian flu. All bird keepers whether they have pet birds, a commercial or a backyard flock are legally required to take effective and precautionary biosecurity measures. This includes cleansing and disinfecting hard surfaces and fencing off ponds or standing water to reduce birds’ contact with wild birds. If you find a sick or dead swan, goose, duck or other wild bird do not pick them up but report them to the Defra Helpline 03459 33 55 77. For the latest bird flu situation, and guidance for both keepers and members of the public, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu Susan Carey Member for Elham Valley, Kent County Council

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If you have any photographs of the area either current or past do send them to me by email and I will feature them in future editions.

If you just have prints do drop them into Clyme House and I will scan.

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All now available in paperback and on Kindle Set in Folkestone in the heady days of the late 60s.

They say if you can remember it, you weren't there!

Two plays. One an imaginary meeting between Dylan Thomas and Brendan Behan in a Fitzrovia pub. The other is Caitlin Thomas reminiscing after the untimely death of her husband.

This is the tale of Hana, a young girl who moves from where she was born in London, to the Kent coast. They discover a wonderful area called Prince's Parade which is full of amazing animals, has a beautiful canal and is right next to the sea too! By buying this book you will be helping to protect it. All profits from it will be donated to the Save Prince's Parade campaign which aims to halt plans to develop the area into a housing estate.

Very funny, and surreal story about a man and a woman on their first date: Bolton Brady and Veda, set in London, November 2001. Bolton is forty, not into assets, has never lived with a woman and looked into the future and seen loneliness. So he decides to do something about it. He advertises in a lonely-hearts column, and receives six replies, but after experiencing one disaster after another only Veda remains between him and his sanity. As the day unfolds the line between reality and fantasy becomes blurred, building to a surreal, yet poignant, conclusion.

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All now available in paperback and on Kindle

This walk through the history of Sandgate to the present day was first performed at the Chichester Hall a decade ago on Wednesday, 9th June. It is now available on Kindle or in paperback.

Now available on Amazon. Great evocative yarns of worldly travels.

A Loose Cannon tales of a lapsed activist

Ted Parker

The title of the book hints at how, as a ‘loose cannon’, Folkestone born Ted’s risk-taking got him into trouble on a number of occasions whilst being a considerable advantage in his working life.

As a young journalist, Reg Turnill met most of the prewar political personalities and later became the BBC's space correspondent being the only one in the press room when the historic Houston we have a problem message came from Apollo 13.

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All now available in paperback and on Kindle Janet Holben. Paperback. Folkestone Cemetery has around 15,000 graves (27,000 people) there are stories of skulduggery and innocence, murder and bravery, grandeur and squalor – but mostly there are stories of everyday people living their lives.

This account brings some of those stories back to life and will perhaps bring an understanding of how Folkestone was shaped by terrible wars, widespread disease, the unforgiving sea, the new railway and fashionable society – but mostly, by the people who lived, loved, made their livelihood and finally died here.

Westbrook House School Folkestone was a fee-paying preparatory school for boys aged 6 to 13 years. It was situated in three existing adjacent former late Victorian private houses in Shorncliffe Road with a 3-acre playing field to the rear which backed onto the main railway line.

It was the life-time ambition of Kenneth N G Foster (1903-1984) (photo c.1958) who initially bought up the first house in 1946. Under his Headmastership the school started taking both day and boarding pupils in 1947. By the 1950’s the school was thriving requiring a sizable number of characterful teaching and domestic staff.

F O L C A Folca is the old name for Folkestone We celebrate all activities in the Folkestone and Hythe district also known as Shepway See our comprehensive Directory and Blog pages

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Shop Local. www.sandgatebusiness.org.uk

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To advertise in all three of The Sentinels with circa 3000 targetted readers and growing please email me at: david@thesentinel.org.uk for a rate card.

Thank you.

We are a small family run business, trading for over 30 years in the heart of Hythe High Street at number 51 (CT21 5AD) and we pride ourselves on customer service and of a range of products with high quality produce. We cater for all needs, whether it's a small treat for your pet, tapioca to make your favourite nostalgic pudding, or some of our delicious, local, free range eggs, perfect for cooking, baking and breakfasting!

At U-Weigh we have more than 400 items in store, ranging from cupboard essentials to sweet treats and snacks. We have a large selection of herbs, spices and seasonings to take your meal plans to every corner of the world, and to cater for the home bakers and amateur chefs, some cupboard staples; flours, sugars, cake mixes, pastas and rices. As dried food specialists, we all have a wide knowledge and will not hesitate to help with any queries or questions you may have.

Take a look at our many products, write your list and pop into the shop. We're also doing our bit for the planet by introducing paper bags, and don't forget, if you are trying to be more green, you can bring your own tubs, jars and containers to fill up. www.u-weigh.co.uk

www.facebook.com/uweigh/ From the cutting-edge London design agency Here Design - writer and poet Philip Cowell, and award-winning designer Caz Hildebrand, author of The Herbarium, this playful, original, beautifully designed book brings to life the punctuation marks we use every day, including: The dashing dash So-called "quotation marks" The colon: and on and on.

The shouty exclamation!

Kindle edition The three dots of... £9.99 (Not forgetting the brackets) Hardback And even more 12

£14.99 Great gift

Guided Walks Around Old Hythe Every Thursday, June to September Discover the secrets of this ancient Cinque Port and soak up the atmosphere amongst its historic architecture. See the Royal Military Canal, built to keep Napoleon at bay. Visit St Leonard’s Church (free tour included) and wonder at the bones in the famous ossuary/crypt.

Tours of the church (without a walk) start at midday.

Meet at Hythe Town Hall, High Street CT21 5AJ at 10:30am - no need to book.

Walk £2 per person (Ossuary £2 extra).

Allow 1½ hours for walk plus 45 minutes for church/ossuary

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Support

Light lunches available local in church after lunchtime concerts

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Newington & District Gardeners Association

Summer Show

Newington Village Hall Folkestone, Kent CT18 8AU

Saturday 30th July 2022 Show Opens 2.30pm

Free Admission

Refreshments

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Report from your District Councillor for Newington What a start to the Summer and I’m not talking about the weather! Local Council services and business have suffered badly from the delays at Eurotunnel and Dover causing problems for all of us with many local business suffering as customers cannot reach them and deliveries cannot be made. It seems that we can face more of the same during the holiday period.

Notwithstanding the causes and finger pointing we really do need a better control of freight entering Kent.

News from the District Council The first festival of skills for the Marsh is coming this summer. Romney Marsh Inspires is for the whole community but with an emphasis on young people and the opportunities available to them.

It is being held at The Marsh Academy on Wednesday 20 July and is organised by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, The Romney Marsh Partnership and The Education People.

A range of training and careers' providers will be present, along with "local champions" who have helped shape the area. There will be workshops, interactive activity and talks from organisations including the NHS, South Kent Ambulance Service, Digital Kent, South Kent Mind, KentChoices and Screen South.

Levelling Up Funding Bid Creating a sustainable, attractive and welcoming gateway to Folkestone town centre by moving the bus station and replacing it with a green park is at the heart of a £19.8 million funding bid to be made to central government.

Better signage and obvious walking links bringing visitors from the town's central railway station via a new park in Bouverie Square and into a greener, vibrant Sandgate Road and Guildhall Street shopping area will also form part of the submission.

The bid for Levelling Up funding was agreed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council Cabinet (16 June 2022). Councillors also confirmed the allocation by the council of 10% of the overall cost in match-funding, as encouraged by government.

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Taxi Fares The public is to be asked about the first rise in licensed taxi fares in Folkestone & Hythe for 10 years.

The maximum fare that hackney drivers can charge while they are working in the district is set by the council. Following 34 representations from local drivers, Planning & Licensing committee members agreed this week (28 June) to increase the baseline hackney tariff by 10% - the first rise since 2012.

This will go out for a four-week public consultation and if no objections are received, the new fares will come into force.

fly-tipper in court Congratulations to our enforcement team in obtaining a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order, an 18-month Community Order and fines of nearly £1,800 have been given to a man for his repeated fly-tipping and waste offences. Full details can be found at Repeat fly-tipper in court - Folkestone & Hythe District Council (folkestone-hythe.gov.uk)

Council housing As part of my Portfolio, I attended meetings of the Strategic Tenants Advisory Panel (STAP) and of the Independent Living Forum (ILF). STAP is made up of tenants of non-sheltered housing stock whereas IL represents tenants in our sheltered housing schemes. Feedback from tenants at these meetings has been constructive and helps us with our plans to update and maintain our properties.

Summer is here.

Despite World events and traffic turmoil casting a shadow over everyday life I hope we can all find a way to enjoy some summer sun and fun including The iconic Red Arrows set to thrill crowds on Sunday 21 August.

Cllr David Godfrey Cabinet Member for Housing and Special Projects 19

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Support your local Farmers' Markets in 2022

ill as w t g ke n t ar s lo an w M e for a ho h t at ide rs w e. h d t s e d out rad l tra e op ing ith t stil h n w n is It run le, d ca ep sib an ke pos

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Support

Light lunches available local in church after lunchtime concerts

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Our new Tapas menu served every Friday and Saturday evening from 6:30pm-9:30pm.

Please call 07944924448 to book a table If you would like to submit an article or letter please ensure it is emailed to me by the 20th of each month.

I will print almost anything as long as it’s not libellous, racist or unkind.

Name must be supplied but can be withheld if requested.

Please put your articles etc in plain text or Word and images should be in .jpg, .tiff or .png.

My contact details are: Address: Clyme House, Hillside Street, Hythe, Kent CT21 5DJ Mobile: 07771 796 446 email: david@thesentinel.org.uk 28