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Sentinel

Local Matters

Newington

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October 2021

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

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

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Report from your County Councillor for Newington There have been some reports in the media that winter road gritting will be affected by the HGV driver shortages. However, the teams who drive gritting vehicles for Kent Highways work full time for KCC and our partners so we do not expect to see any issues this winter. They are supplemented as usual by some of the local farmers who are issued with snow ploughs that can be attached to their tractors. KCC is holding a consultation on its Heritage Strategy. Do have a look and I think you’ll be surprised at quite how much it covers. One of the issues we’d like views on is whether the windmills owned by KCC (including the one at Stelling Minnis) should have a trust to operate them. We’re also asking for views on metal detecting on KCC land. Please respond by 13 December at www.kent.gov.uk/ about-the-council/have-your-say On 02 November KCC is holding its annual Kent Environment Strategy Conference to look at the progress made by KCC, Medway and our district council partners on the environment agenda. The conference is a mixture of in person and online and a YouTube recording will be available afterwards. Our Plan (Pollinator Action Plan) will also be holding a conference on 23 November. This will be entirely online and again will be available on YouTube afterwards. The theme is on how linear structures such as roadside verges, railway embankments, waterways and paths in people’s gardens can support pollinators and other wildlife. The Kent Nature Partnership which is hosted by KCC is looking for a new chairman as Dr Caroline Jessel who currently chairs it is soon to retire. Do have a look at https://kentnature.org.uk/ and contact me if you’d like to know more about the role. We’re looking for someone to follow Caroline who has experience in this area but above all a real interest in advancing the natural solutions to climate change work already under way. 6

The Government has made funding available to KCC for one-off grants to help young people resume social and sporting activities. These Reconnect grants can be up to £8,000 and can be used for activities till August 2022. Full details at https://www.kent.gov.uk/ leisure-and-community/community-grants-and-funding/reconnect/ locality-grant There are also Government grants available via the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty Unit for projects that support the natural environment. See https://kentdowns.org.uk/our-projects/farming-inprotected-landscapes/ Finally, thank you to those who responded to the consultation about whether to keep the booking system for KCC’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). We received 10,635 responses which will take some time to be fully analysed. In the meantime we’ll soon be trialling same day bookings at the Folkestone HWRC as it’s already clear that this is something people want to see introduced. Susan Carey Member for Elham Valley Kent County Council

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

folca.co.uk 8

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. 10

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. 11

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 13

£14.99 Great gift

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

Charity number: 1122652

N E P S U S

D E D

The editor of The Sentinel is also responsible for sending Hythe, Newington and Sandgate related event information to the Folkestone Herald. If you have an event you wish to publicise it is needed by Tuesday at 17:00. The information should appear in the edition two weeks later although it is not guaranteed. 14

ill as w t g ke lon nt r a a M r as o w e o h h t t d e f s w e. a th tsi der rad d e ou tra ill t p g ho nin ith n st s w i It run le, d ca ep ssib an e k po

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Light lunches available local in church after lunchtime concerts

Great gift only £11.00 including P&P (UK mainland) www.the-find-online.com 16

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.

All tickets must be purchased online

Sunday 24th October 2021 1430 & 1900 Concert 1

Sansara Vocal Ensemble Fayrfax Quincentenary Robert Fayrfax & Josquin des Prez Descendi in hortum meum Eterni laudis lilium Baises moy a6. Ave Dei patris filia Stabat Mater Maria plena virtute

Josquin Fayrfax Josquin Faryfax Josquin Fayrfax

The concert of approximately one hour will be given without an interval Sunday 24th October will be the 500th anniversary of the death of Robert Fayrfax, who is regarded, before Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, as one of the fathers of English Church Music. Described as “the leading figure in the musical establishment of his day” and “the most admired composer of his generation”, his work was also a major influence on John Taverner, as well as Tallis and Byrd. This concert, presented by Sansara, contrasts works by Fayrfax with that of his contemporary, the Frenchman Josquin des Prez, who died the same year on 27th August. Winners of the 2015 London International A Cappella Choir Competition, and described in The Observer as having “perfect intonation and a clean, pure sound...choral singing with real depth ”, “slipping easily into the elite ranks of exceptional performers”, (Choir & Organ), and “truly special”, (Sir James Macmillan), Sansara is an award-winning vocal collective uniting the next generation of choral artists. Their vision is to inspire, engage and connect people through choral music-making, whilst their mission is to give voice to meaningful stories through a versatile portfolio of projects, programmes and collaborations. Their vocal ensemble will present this special intimate anniversary performance in celebration of this unique day.

Tickets are only available online at www.ssemk.org

All tickets: £25.00 (to include seat, refreshment, programme sent by email and single raffle entry for a bottle of spirits) Booking a single seat will automatically block any adjacent seat Should you require more than two seats together, which are in line with social distancing regulations please email the box office first at ssemk@gmx.com or ring 01233 72124

“To play a wrong note is insignificant but to play without Passion is inexcusable” Ludwig van Beethoven

All concerts of approximately one hour will be given without an interval

WOW Design-led gifts and interiors 76 High Street Hythe Kent CT21 5AL

01303 265340 www.facebook.com/wowhythe

Now open for business Please keep safe 18

In the Church this November 2021 November 14 Holy Communion 10.00am Followed by an act of Remembrance at 10.55 at the war memorial. November 28 Holy Communion 9.30 am December 5 Benefice service 10.00 am Do look at the church notice board for further announcements. For any further Church information please call 01303 270604

Report from your District Councillor for Newington Housing Service My Cabinet Portfolio covers the Council housing service which is going through positive and exciting changes. 1st October 2021 was the first anniversary of the Council bringing the service back in house, a challenging year in which many improvements to the service have been put in place with more on the way. The new teams are to be congratulated on their efforts in bringing the service out of regulation by the Social Housing Regulator Two major steps have been announced to increase the supply of affordable homes 1. Highview A new development of 30 homes, will be built on the former Highview school site in Moat Farm Road, they have been designed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council's in-house team, and are all for affordable rent. When complete, they aim to be zero carbon in use. The team has, for the first time, been joined by three tenants who are assisting in looking at different ways of ensuring the homes substantially reduce carbon emissions, as well as accessibility and place-making. The zero-carbon-in-use initiatives include: mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems (MVHR), photovoltaics (solar panels), battery power storage (which links with the panels), and air source heat pumps (ASHP). Work is expected to start on Highview's 24 houses and six flats (which include wheelchair-compliant units) early next year.

.2. Biggins Wood funding boost It was announced earlier this month that this development of new homes will receive a £1,15 million grant from the Brownfield Land Release Fund (BLRF) from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Following the purchase of the site in 2016, it was agreed by F&HDC's cabinet in July 2019 that a scheme would be taken forward to create 77 homes -23 of which will be for affordable rent - and 5,600 square metres of commercial space. The pandemic stalled the plans to develop the site so the award of this grant will get the project back on track

Some good news stories Customer Service Award Excellent customer service by Folkestone & Hythe District Council has been recognised for the eighth year in a row thanks to our motivated and dedicated staff. The authority retained its prestigious Customer Service Excellence Award from the Centre for Assessment (CfA) and gained extra "pluses". As a result of these findings, F&HDC has been awarded Compliance Plus and has a total of 17 pluses, which means it is amongst the elite and contributes to setting the standard other services providers can strive for. Record number of Green Flags for our parks Kingsnorth Gardens is the latest park in the district to proudly fly the Green Flag after being awarded the prestigious international accolade for the first time. The popular haven in Folkestone joins the Royal Military Canal, Lower Leas Coastal Park and Radnor Park - all of which are 22

managed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council - in holding the status for 2021/22. The award is given to green spaces which boast the highest possible environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities. As we enter the winter months I would encourage everyone who is eligible to get their Flu and Covid Jabs including the Covid booster. My wife and I have had both Cllr David Godfrey Cabinet Member for Housing and Special Projects

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