Who is the Wicked Fairy? - Canterbury City Council

Transcription

District Life
The magazine from Canterbury City Council for residents of Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable and district
Who is the
Wicked Fairy?
It’s a mystery – see pages 16-17
Major projects to boost
culture – page 5
Bouquets for our gardeners – page 7
Christmas refuse collection dates – page 9
Issue 17 | Winter 2004
District Life 17
Featured articles
A change in behaviour
Page 13
How Canterbury district is cracking down on antisocial activity.
Helping hands
Page 21
More than 1,000 people are helped by the Herne
Bay Volunteer Bureau each year. Find out how...
What’s in store at the museums?
Pages 28 to 29
From war memories to fossils to old cartoons
there’s something for people of all ages at the
district’s museums.
Regulars
News round up
Starts on page 4
Residents Card offers
Pages 18 to 19
Cover story
Win six months gym membership
in our Active Life competition
Christmas is coming and it’s not just the goose that will
be getting fat. Most of us enjoy a few festive treats
during December, but by the New Year thoughts turn to
diets and keep fit regimes.
Active Life has a range of leisure facilities to help boost
your health and fitness, at centres in Canterbury, Herne
Bay and Whitstable. And by answering the three
questions below you could win six months gym
membership in our prize draw. The answers can all be
found in this issue of District Life.
1 What is the name of the Olympic medallist
honoured at a civic reception?
2 Name the three charities supported by the Lady
Mayoress this year.
3 Name the singer starring in The Marlowe Theatre
panto this year.
On offer is Five Star membership worth £171. The six
months need to start before April 2005, and the winner
would be required to pay for an induction session
costing £17.70. Entrants must be over 16 years old.
Send your answers with your name and address by 10
January 2005 to:
A quirky Christmas
scene at Whitstable’s
West Beach.
Active Life Competition, District Life, Canterbury
City Council, Military Road, Canterbury CT1 1YW
Picture by local
photographer Tim
Stubbings at
Panoptica (see
Tim’s website at
www.panopticaimages.com).
All entrants will receive a free day pass for an Active Life leisure
centre. Please note that names and addresses will be passed to
Active Life for marketing purposes.
Last issue’s winner
The winner of the competition to win panto tickets in
the autumn edition was Mr J Hunt of Whitstable.
Managing Editor – Glynis Alexander
Phone: 01227 862 051, fax: 01227 453 136, e-mail: [email protected]
Additional editorial – Rob Davies and Steve James
Advertising – Steve James
Design and art direction – Mark Roberts
Additional photography – Mark Roberts and Robert Berry
The quarterly news magazine for residents and businesses in the Canterbury district. Published by Canterbury
City Council with the support of paid advertising. Print by Polestar Colchester. District Life and Canterbury City
Council accept no responsibility for loss or damage, however caused, to any material submitted for publication.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior permission of the publishers.
Rated excellent by the Audit Commission 2004
You can also get this publication on tape,
or in Braille or large print.
Please phone Glynis Alexander on
01227 862 051 or e-mail
[email protected]
Published in December 2004. Printed on environmentally
friendly paper. Please recycle once you have finished
with this publication.
DLF-GA-MAGA4-1039/District Life 17
News round up
Whitstable
Castle
Time for a
restoration
is
on
little light
The lighting at the Clocktower on
Herne Bay seafront has now been
improved thanks to a £5,700 scheme by
the city council.
The clocktower faces have been backlit
and the bell tower at the top lit up for
the first time.
The scheme was designed by
specialist lighting company Brendan
Pollard Associates, who were behind
the successful project to light up
Reculver Towers.
As with Reculver, the lights
are environmentally
friendly. They switch on
automatically at dusk and
turn themselves off at
midnight.
The clocktower was
donated to Herne Bay
in October 1837 by a
rich widow called Ann
Thwaytes. It is believed
to be the first freestanding purpose-built
clocktower ever.
Page 4 District Life 17 Winter 2004
The first step towards
achieving an ambitious
restoration of Whitstable
Castle and its gardens has
been taken by the city
council.
The council has been
awarded a £30,000 project
planning grant by the
Heritage Lottery Fund. This
will pay for three consultants
to produce studies that will
support a future bid for the
restoration work.
This is the first step towards
a better and brighter future
for the castle and gardens.
It is the town’s only public
park and the council really
wants to restore it to its
former glory for the benefit
of local people.
The grant is important
because it confirms that the
Heritage Lottery Fund considers the project is
worth funding. Obtaining funding for such a
big scheme is a lengthy process and is likely
to involve a two-stage bid over several years.
However, the council is hopeful it can achieve
everything it wants to.
One stop for
all you need
to know
Proposals for the restoration include
reopening the existing toilet block in the
gardens, an outdoor events space for music
and theatre performances, a play area for
toddlers and extensive landscape restoration.
You can keep up with
latest news from
Canterbury City Council
on our website at
www.canterbury.gov.uk
In addition, there are plans to increase the
amount of parking for castle visitors by
creating more spaces on Tower Hill, which
would be made one-way. There would also
be safer crossing points for pedestrians and
safer routes for cyclists.
The site contains a wealth
of information about the
services provided by the
council, and has useful
forms that can be
completed online.
News round up
Culture to grow
in Canterbury
Canterbury is poised for a number of major
cultural developments over the coming
months and years.
Significant projects such as the
redevelopment of both the Royal Museum
and Gallery and the city library at the
Beaney Institute, and the Marlowe Theatre,
are planned.
Meanwhile plans are in hand to develop
proposals for a Cultural Quarter of the city,
around St Peter’s Street, Westgate Towers
and Palace Street.
The initiatives have gathered pace
following on from the city’s bid to become
the European Capital of Culture 2008.
Although Liverpool was the ultimate
Olympic star
honoured
by district
choice, Canterbury has nonetheless been
recognised as a centre of cultural
excellence, and a number of positive
outcomes have resulted.
This summer it was announced that
Canterbury is to receive £750,000 from the
national Urban Cultural Programme to
develop arts projects in the district.
Other funding has also been secured to
kickstart the redevelopment of the
Marlowe Theatre. After 20 years as a
theatre, the much-loved venue is in need
of refurbishment, and at the same time its
potential is being hampered by the size of
the building and scale of the site.
Consultants have now been appointed to
take the project forward. Plans are for the
new-look Marlowe to be on an expanded
site, where it will offer new and exciting
opportunities for educational facilities, for
example, as well as attracting bigger and
better shows.
The project is expected to cost almost
£20 million and take several years.
Meanwhile Canterbury City Council
and Kent County Council are working
in partnership to increase the size of
the Beaney Institute building and
improve access.
The aim is also to provide a better
experience for people using the Beaney,
linking the different aspects of its use,
and moving away from the present
somewhat old-fashioned set-up.
The beautiful Beaney Institute building in Canterbury High
Street, housing the library and Royal Museum and Art
Gallery
Future editions of District Life will
follow progress on all these exciting
schemes.
Georgina and her parents
Local girl and Olympic
medallist Georgina Harland
has been honoured for her
achievements at a civic
reception.
Georgina was greeted at
Tower House by the Lord
Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr
Martin Vye, and presented
with a bouquet in
recognition of winning a
bronze medal in the
modern pentathlon.
Originally from Waltham,
near Canterbury, Georgina
triumphed in one of the
most demanding
competitions witnessed in
Athens this summer.
Winter 2004 District Life 17 Page 5
News round up
Down(load) with the kids
Local school students got the chance to
quiz councillors in a Canterbury City
Council initiative – and went on to vote for
those whose answers they liked best.
Secondary schools throughout the district
were invited to take part in I’m A Councillor
Get Me Out of Here, a web-based project
which encouraged young people to interact
with councillors over a three-week period.
Organised to coincide with national Local
Democracy Week, the aim was to give
young people a chance to make their
voice heard – and get answers to their
most pressing questions.
Five city councillors – council leader Alex
Students at Kent College interact with councillors in the chatroom, watched by Graham
Perkins, Sue Ashmore-Fish, Pat Todd, Chris
Letley, Canterbury High’s Head of Sixth Form
Took and Mike Nee, representing the
had to make do with the runner-up position, with the
council’s three political parties – volunteered themselves
other two being declared joint Youth Champions.
and posted information about their personal priorities and
policies on the site.
During the event councillors visited Canterbury High
Young people were provided with passwords to access the
site, and could then challenge each of the councillors in a
question area, and discuss issues with them in a live chat room.
School to talk to students and help relaunch their School
Council, and visits to other schools were also arranged as a
result of the project.
At the end of each week the councillor polling the fewest
votes was ‘evicted’ leaving Cllrs Perkins, Ashmore-Fish and
Todd to battle it out in the final week. In the end, Cllr Todd
We had a large and very keen
bunch of students in Canterbury
and the councillors really captured
their imagination
Cllr Perkins said interacting with youngsters via the
website had been a great opportunity. “Young people
don’t always consider councils to be relevant to them,” he
said. “But through this we were able to discuss issues
important to them, and show how they can influence
council decisions. Many of their questions were quite a
challenge, but there was also a tremendous fun element,
which we all enjoyed.”
Cllr Alex Perkins and Cllr Pat Todd with pupils from Canterbury High
School during their school election
Shane McCracken of Gallomanor Ltd, the company which
ran the I’m A Councillor project at 28 councils throughout
the country, paid tribute to the success of the initiative in
Canterbury. “We had a large and very keen bunch of
students in Canterbury and the councillors really captured
their imagination,” he said.
News round up
Bloomin’ lovely
The gardeners responsible
for the beautiful displays in
the district’s parks and
gardens this year have
been thanked for all their
hard work by the Lord
Mayor of Canterbury, Cllr
Martin Vye.
On 28 October Canterbury
district was granted ‘Action
Area’ status by the Home
Office in the national bid to
tackle anti-social behaviour.
They are all employed by
the city council’s
environmental services
contractor Serco. Among
the parks and gardens they
maintain to such a high
standard are the Dane John
The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress with the Serco gardeners
Gardens and Westgate
Gardens in Canterbury,
gardeners responsible for their maintenance,
Memorial Park and the seafront in Herne
who have worked extremely hard to create
Bay and the grounds of Whitstable Castle.
such beautiful and colourful displays.
Cllr Vye said: “The public parks and gardens
have looked absolutely wonderful this year
and the council has received many letters of
praise. It is all down to the dedication of the
Action
stations!
“I was delighted to welcome them to Tower
House for morning coffee and thank them
personally for all the pleasure they give to
residents and visitors alike.”
Kids love the ‘Make That’ challenge
A children’s craft club set up in February is proving so popular that an
appeal has gone out for extra help.
The Make That Craft Club is held every Thursday from 4pm to 5.30pm at
the Spring Lane Neighbourhood Centre in Canterbury. Local children
aged five to 11 can attend the sessions for 50p a week.
The young artists make masks, badges, play dough models, sock
puppets, pictures, cards, door signs, and even pizza toasts.
During the school holidays the club, which is supported by Canterbury
City Council, holds additional sessions at Lucerne Neighbourhood Centre
in Seasalter, where face-painting is a special hit.
To join in the fun children must have a completed and signed registration
form from their parents or guardians. These can be picked up from a
neighbourhood centre office. To find out more, or to offer your help at the
sessions, contact Sally Harrison on 01227 477 960.
Only 40 areas of the country
have been given this
designation, and Canterbury
was selected because of its
success in tackling antisocial behaviour.
Trevor Kennett, the city
council’s Assistant Head of
Community Development,
said: “Action Area status is a
powerful tool and will bring
positive results for everyone
living and working in our
district – apart from those
who commit anti-social
behaviour.”
Let the bus take the strain!
Don’t forget to use park and ride if you’re
coming into the city for your Christmas
shopping.
Once again, the city council is laying on
extra services at the three sites – Sturry
Road, Wincheap and New Dover Road.
On Thursday evenings between 2
December and 23 December (late night
shopping evenings), the buses will be
running until 10.30pm.
And on all Sundays between 21 November
and 2 January (excluding Boxing Day),
there will be full services from all three sites
from 10am to 6pm.
On other days, normal services apply,
starting at 7am and ending at 8pm.
New waste collection arrangements update
Sacks
in the
city...
...and on the coast, and in the villages!
In the last two
editions of District
Life, we have been
explaining the new
waste collection
arrangements that
will be starting
next year.
The council will be
introducing a system
known as alternate weekly
collections. Recyclable
waste in clear sacks and
garden waste in greenlidded bins will be collected
one week, followed by
landfill waste in grey-lidded
wheelie bins the next week.
New scheme to start
The new system starts on
Monday 7 February and will
affect around 6,000
properties in the Whitstable
area. A further 6,000
households will then join the
scheme every month after
that. The whole district will
be taking part by November.
Every household will
receive a letter from the city
council one month before
they are due to join the
scheme. With the letter will
be comprehensive
information about
recycling, plus a calendar
showing dates of which
week is the recycling and
garden waste collection
and which week is the
landfill collection.
It is essential that this
calendar is not thrown
away. It should be kept
somewhere safe so that
residents can check which
type of waste should be
put out for collection on
which week.
There is no limit to the
number of clear recycling
sacks that can be put out
on the recycling collection
week. The council will be
increasing the number of
sacks on each roll from 13
to 17 and these will still be
delivered direct to homes
every three months.
Extra rolls of clear sacks are
available from the
household recycling centres
at Vauxhall Road and Studd
Hill and the council offices in
Canterbury, Herne Bay and
Whitstable. Clear sacks full of
recyclables can also be
Yes – put it in clean!
Paper, cardboard, magazines,
newspapers, food and drink cans,
aluminium foil, plastic bottles*,
yoghurt* and margarine tubs*.
*
No – leave it out!
Food waste, china, glass,
garden waste, textiles, polystyrene,
drinks cartons and plastic bags.
New waste collection arrangements update/Christmas collections
No more rubbish excuses...
dropped off at the Vauxhall Road centre
between doorstep collection dates, if wished.
For landfill waste collections, the council’s
policy of not taking away any waste not
contained within the bin will continue
under the new system. Special
arrangements have been put in place for
households on the council’s approved sack
list. All properties on the sack list have been
written to separately.
All waste should be placed outside the
property by 7am on collection morning. The
council suggests all households paint their
house number onto their bin.
The council cannot state clearly enough
the importance of the calendar showing
the collection dates. Keep the calendar
and check it regularly to ensure the right
waste goes out on the right week.
Important!
Christmas waste
collections 2004
Your waste collection service
(landfill, recycling and garden
waste, bulky waste and clinical
waste) will take a break over
the festive period. Please
make sure you do not put out
your recycling sacks and
wheelie bins during the
specified break periods.
Landfill waste
No collections between Monday 27 December to
Friday 31 December 2004 inclusive.
Recycling and garden waste
For advice on recycling or more
information on the new system, call 01227
862 211.
There will be a three-week gap between your
collections. Please remember to make sure you
read your recycling collection date calendar
during this period.
Why is the council making this
change?
Bulky waste
Space in landfill sites is running out.
Canterbury’s will be full by 2017 and we
urgently need to find a solution to where
our waste will go. It is vital we recycle as
much waste as possible to prolong the
life of landfill sites.
The other options for waste disposal are
incinerators and more landfill sites – and
nobody wants these on their doorstep.
The council believes that by introducing
alternate weekly collections, the amount of
waste recycled will go up. It’s now time for
every resident to do their bit and recycle as
much waste as possible.
No collections from Monday 27 December 2004 to
Sunday 9 January 2005 inclusive.
Clinical waste
No collections from Saturday 25 December to
Tuesday 28 December 2004 inclusive.
Please remember to put out your recycling sacks and wheelie
bins before 7am on the day of your collection.
Need help? Give us a call on 01227 862 211. Further information
about recycling initiatives can be found on the council’s website at
www.canterbury.gov.uk/recycling
working in partnership
News round up
A hands on
approach to
accessibility
Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre prides itself on its facilities
for disabled people, but recognises that there is always
more that can be done.
With this in mind Head of Marketing Karen Adams took the
matter into her own hands – literally – after taking a look at
how well the theatre catered for deaf people.
She said: “In 2001 we were runners-up in the Queen
Elizabeth’s Foundation for Ease of Access Awards, and
while we were doing signed performances for most weeklong shows, we had no members of staff who could help
deaf people when they were booking a ticket. I felt this
was definitely an area in which we could easily provide
better access.”
So two years ago Karen started to learn sign language, first
taking Level 1 at Canterbury College, followed by a
bridging course to consolidate her achievements. With no
college course offering Level Two locally, Karen took
private tuition for six weeks during last summer, sitting the
exam in August. Her hard work paid off as she was the only
person to pass the challenging test!
“I am grateful to Canterbury City
Council for paying for much
of my studies,” said Karen. “I
am now working towards
Level Three, studying parttime in London, and hope
to continue to
interpreter level if I am
good enough! Who
knows, maybe one
day I will be
standing on the
side of the stage
at The Marlowe
Theatre
interpreting.”
Karen gets to
grips with a
new language
Union of needs needs you
The District of Canterbury Credit Union is due to start
operating soon and is looking for help from local people.
Organisers would appreciate support in one of three ways.
They are seeking:

Founder members who would invest an initial £1,000 as
seed capital for the venture (security is guaranteed).

Expressions of interest from potential savers and
borrowers who will use the service, and

Volunteers to help run the Credit Union as ‘tellers’,
operating the day-to-day business on laptop computers
from three centres.
For further information about investing, borrowing and
volunteering for the Canterbury Credit Union call 0845
257 5012.
New licence opens
doors for supervisors
Club and pub door supervisors from the district can now
apply for their new Security Industries Authority Door
Supervisor’s Licence.
All door supervisors must have their licence by 28 February
2005. After that date, it will be an offence to work as a door
supervisor without a licence.
The scheme is a national one introduced by the
Government and aims to make door supervising more
professional. Door supervisors will have to receive 28 hours
of training, pass exams and be checked by the Criminal
Records Bureau. Licences are issued to individuals, not
premises, and run for three years.
Door supervisors must complete their 28 hours of training
before they apply for their licence. A local company called
Mission Security Services, based in Wincheap, has joined
forces with Canterbury College to set up training sessions.
For more information or to book, contact John Bland,
Skills Advisor, on 07834 105 363.
The city council’s Commercial Health Manager, Roger
Vick, said: “The door supervisor plays an important part
in meeting the objectives of the new Licensing Act,
especially on public safety and crime prevention. They
help provide for safer socialising and responsible
management of a licensed premises.”
News round up
Nights of
1,000 stars!
On a cold, dark December night it is hard
to imagine sitting under the stars enjoying
an outdoor theatre performance. But this
summer a staggering 20,000 people did
just that, taking advantage of a number of
outdoor shows in and around Canterbury.
The Marlowe, which organises outdoor
performances in the city as well as in the
theatre itself, helped stage seven shows
from June to August, giving a total of 73
performances.
The theatre put on The Wind in the Willows
in the Norman Castle, The Odyssey in the
Westgate Gardens, and Much Ado About
Nothing in St Augustine’s Abbey. In
addition, staff were involved in the
promotion and ticket sales for the Sounds in
the Grounds concert and the performance
of Don Giovanni in Goodnestone Park
Gardens, the annual Global Bandstand
event in Dane John Gardens, and The
Mystery Plays in Canterbury Cathedral.
Theatre Director Mark Everett is delighted
with the figure of 20,000 tickets sold for
these shows. “This was a significant amount,
because it should be remembered that
apart from our annual August ‘dark’ week
when, for maintenance reasons, no shows
are put on, the main programme in The
Marlowe continued throughout the period.”
The business
rating game
Every five years the
Valuation Office Agency
gives all business properties
a new rateable value which
councils use to work out
the Business Rates payable.
The agency has been
sending out the new
rateable values to
businesses since the
beginning of October. If
you need further
information you can call the
Valuation Office on 01303
852 900 or visit either
www.mybusinessrates.
gov.uk or www.voa.gov.uk
The government is
introducing a new rate relief
scheme to help small
businesses with only one
property. Businesses will
have to apply to the council
once details of the scheme
have been finalised.
Staff in the city council’s
Business Rates section can
help with enquiries about
relief, or about your new bill
when it is issued in March.
Call 01227 862 326 or 862
316 for advice.
Class of 2004
Anyone who was once a student will recall
that great sense of freedom on leaving
home for the first time, arriving in a
strange town and making new friends.
And with the University of Kent, Canterbury
Christ Church University College, Kent
Institute of Art and Design and Canterbury
College all in the city, Canterbury has more
students than the average town.
The four institutions between them have
around 33,000 students, many of whom
come from outside the district.
Canterbury City Council is keen to make
sure that they have as much information
as possible to enjoy their time in the city,
and has, for the first time, produced a
students’ guide.
The leaflet has been
distributed to many
first year students,
giving them brief
details on matters
such as council tax,
housing benefits,
parking, voting,
rubbish and
recycling. The
guide also draws
their attention to
leisure centres,
The Marlowe
Theatre and
museums. It directs
them to a special students’ web page
where they can find more detailed
information.
In addition, the leaflet includes advice on
how to maintain good relations with local
residents – reminding students of the need
for considerate behaviour, such as keeping
noise down at night, and not playing loud
music outdoors or with windows open.
The Wind in the Willows at Canterbury ‘s
Norman Castle was a great success
The students’ page can be found at
www.canterbury.gov.uk/students
A day in the life of...
A change in
a
beh viour
People don’t need reminding that antisocial behaviour – including rowdy
street drinking, intimidation, prostitution
and drug dealing – is a menace.
The perpetrators may only be a small
minority, but they can ruin the quality
of life for whole communities. And the
cost to the nation’s taxpayers, at
£3.5 billion a year, is staggering.
Like all areas, Canterbury district has
its element of anti-social behaviour.
But the city council and its partners
are fighting back, and showing others
how it’s done. And leading the battle
is the council’s Assistant Head of
Community Development, and Joint
Head of the district’s Public Safety
Unit, Trevor Kennett.
In September, Trevor was made an
anti-social behaviour ‘ambassador ‘ by
the Home Office in recognition of his
work in dealing with an assortment of
anti-social behaviour. There are only
eight ambassadors across the whole
country.
And despite the depressing
newspaper stories and images on our
television screens, Trevor feels that real
progress is being made through using
ASBOs and other imaginative methods.
Report by Steve James
Canterbury district was the first local
authority in Kent to make use of new
legislation and use an ASBO.
“But all ASBOs are a representation of
community power. Along with the
police, we may issue them, but it is
the community that supports us in
their delivery. We rely on the vast
majority of the law-abiding people
to help us locate problems.”
Trevor added: “The increasing use of
ASBOs throughout the country means
that I’m in increasing demand as an
‘ambassador’. Other areas – such as
Sunderland – have been very
interested in what Canterbury is
doing, and I’m happy to help.
“I’ve seen attitudes change from ‘can’t
do’ to ‘can do’,“ said Trevor, “and there’s
a growing appreciation that inaction
is not an option. What we’re doing is
very powerful, and it works.
“Those who commit anti-social
behaviour don’t like it when the
system works. They hate it when
bodies join up and close the
loopholes they’ve relied on in the past.
There’s nowhere to hide anymore.”
The Public Safety Unit can be
contacted on the anti-social
behaviour reporting line 01227 289
260, or you can e-mail the team at
[email protected]
Trevor and his team are helping
communities to make their
neighbourhoods safer, better places to live
“Canterbury district is highly
regarded throughout the rest of
the UK as finding solutions to
anti-social behaviour,“ said
Trevor, “and through working
in partnership with other
bodies, such as the police
and social services, we’ve
made real progress.
“Two powerful tools we use
are anti-social behaviour orders
(ASBOs) and acceptable
behaviour contracts (ABCs).
Meet the Lady Mayoress
Charity and cheer
in equal measures
Glynis Alexander meets the Lady Mayoress, Jennifer Vye
Jennifer Vye is a Lady Mayoress with a mission – to
involve as many people as possible in fundraising events during her year in office.
She is the First Lady of the district,
accompanying the Lord Mayor on countless
civic engagements. But she is more than just
the Lord Mayor’s escort and has a distinct role of
her own to play, heading the annual Lady
Mayoress’ Charity appeal.
Mrs Vye, a former headteacher with 34 years’
experience in primary education, has the
energy, enthusiasm and skills required to
meet this daunting challenge. Together
with her hand-picked committee of
volunteers, she has already organised a
wide range of fund-raising events,
from coffee mornings to a brewery
tour, Old Stagers theatre performance
and open air musical concert.
Mrs Vye has chosen three charities to
benefit from her year in office – Kent Air
Ambulance, Relate and Volunteer
Reading Help. All three are causes she
strongly supports – the air ambulance for
its life-saving work, Relate for their
valuable counselling skills which relieve
stress in families, and Volunteer Reading
Help for its important contribution to
helping children to improve their literacy,
and gain confidence.
She is delighted at the way people have
responded to her initiatives. “People have
been so supportive and given generously
to the causes that it’s been a pleasure as
well as a privilege to be in this position,”
she says.
“I love choosing clothes, and I especially enjoy meeting
people, so the office of Lady Mayoress has not been hard
to adapt to!” she said. Even so, Mrs Vye says she never
dreamt she would one day be representing
Canterbury at high-flying functions, mixing with
famous names, and being photographed dozens of
times each month.
“Certainly I am enjoying it, but the most
important thing is to organise charity events
that appeal to the widest possible range of
people, and make sure that local people who
work hard in so many ways get the thanks
they deserve. I don’t want to inhabit a rarefied
stratosphere – I want to involve people from
our community – in Canterbury, Herne Bay,
Whitstable and the villages.”
Forthcoming events certainly demonstrate that
commitment to variety – there is to be a
swimathon across the district in the New Year, a
Sing For Your Life event in March, film premiere, a
traditional civic ball in the spring, and an open
evening at Chaucer College, Canterbury in January,
demonstrating aspects of Japanese art and food.
If you would like to support the Lady Mayoress’
charities visit her pages on the Canterbury City Council
website, www.canterbury.gov.uk, under the ‘Council’
menu.
A leaflet giving more information about the three
charities chosen by the Lady Mayoress is available by
calling 01227 862 192, e-mailing
[email protected] or by writing to:
The Lady Mayoress’ Charity
Tower House
Westgate
Canterbury CT1 2DB
Small green thumbs
Council meetings diary
Members of the public are welcome at
most meetings of Canterbury City Council,
its committees and panels. You are advised
to check details before attending, by calling
Committee Section on 01227 862 009.
Whitstable Harbour Board
10 December at 3pm
Parish Social Centre, 15A Castle Road,
Whitstable
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
15 December at 7pm
The Guildhall, Canterbury
Teachers and pupils from Hoath Primary School show their award winning garden to the
Lord Mayor, Cllr Martin Vye
Pupils at Hoath Primary School
have won a major countywide
award for their environmentally
friendly garden.
They beat off competition from
schools and community
organisations across Kent to win the
prestigious Fox Award in this year’s
Gardening for Wildlife scheme.
Gardening for Wildlife is an initiative
that aims to make gardens more
wildlife-friendly. It is run in
partnership by Canterbury City
Council, Kent County Council, nine
other Kent district councils, the Kent
Wildlife Trust and sponsors
Mid Kent Water.
Every year, the school or
community group project judged
to be exceptional is awarded the
Fox Award. Hoath has been chosen
for the award in recognition of the
enthusiasm, interest and
knowledge of the pupils and their
ongoing involvement in gardening
for wildlife.
Hoath has its own wildlife garden
that is maintained by children from
the school’s environmental club with
help from teachers and volunteers.
District to remember the Holocaust
An exhibition entitled ‘Another
Time, Another Place’ is being
hosted by Canterbury City Council
to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
The display, which tells the story of
the Holocaust and the courage of
survivors, is on show in the district
for three weeks.
Admission is free, and the
exhibition is suitable for adults and
children over 12.
17 to 25 January
The Undercroft, Eastbridge Hospital,
25 High Street, Canterbury
26 January to 1 February
Horsebridge Arts and Community
Centre, Whitstable
2 to 4 February
Central Bandstand, Herne Bay.
Contact Glynis Alexander on 01227
862 051 for further details.
Council meeting
20 December at 7pm
Scrutiny Management and Review SubCommittee
5 January at 2pm
Council Offices, Military Road, Canterbury
Canterbury Area Member Panel
10 January at 7pm
Development Control Committee
11 January at 7pm
Executive
13 January at 7pm
Whitstable Area Member Panel
17 January at 7.30pm
Parish Social Centre, Whitstable
Herne Bay Area Member Panel
18 January at 6pm
Christchurch Centre, Underdown Road,
Herne Bay
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
19 January at 7pm
General Purposes Committee
20 January at 7pm
Further dates can be found on the council’s
website at www.canterbury.gov.uk
My life
Toyah Willcox may
have travelled
around the world
as a result of her
success in the
worlds of music,
film and theatre,
but ask her where
one of her
favourite places is
and she’ll tell you
it’s Canterbury.
Rob Davies fights
his way through
the magic thorn
bushes to ask a
few ‘pointed’
questions...
you!
She’s behind
My life
It’s official – Toyah Willcox
loves Canterbury! So much
so, in fact, that earlier this
year, she and her husband
Robert Fripp, rock musician
with the band King
Crimson, were looking to
buy a house in the area for
use as a holiday home.
Toyah says: “I really do love
Canterbury and it’s always
one of my favourite stops
on any of my tours. It is a
great city for walking and
has a fabulous
concentration of really
good restaurants. I love the
fact that the theatre is in
the heart of the city. It
means you can get out and
walk around easily,
particularly along the city
walls, which is a beautiful
area. Canterbury is also very
strong on history and
architecture, both of which
interest me greatly.
“Sadly, we didn’t find the
property we wanted, but
we haven’t given up hope.
I’m a big believer in fate, so
who knows, the perfect
place could come along
when we least expect it.”
She is a big fan of the
Marlowe Theatre and says
it is a great place for an
artist who does lots of
touring to perform.
“You always get a great
audience at the Marlowe.
You can tell it is a muchloved theatre when you see
such a successful ‘Friends of
the Theatre’ group
operating. When I
performed in Peter Pan, I
made my entrance flying in
from the back of the stage.
That was a wonderful
experience, one that I’ll
never forget.”
Earth Show, This Morning,
Holiday and the ultimate
recognition of This Is Your
Life in 1996.
Toyah’s biography makes
fascinating reading. From
major hit records to
appearances in countless
theatre and film roles
stretching over nearly 30
years, she has performed in
towns and cities across the
world. She began her
acting career at the Old
Rep Drama School in her
In 2002, Toyah embarked on
the Here and Now tour with
fellow 80s pop stars such as
ABC, Howard Jones and exSpandau Ballet members.
Toyah says: “There has been
a massive revival in 80s
music and the arena tour
was amazing. We were
performing to sell out
crowds at places like
I really do love Canterbury
and it’s always one of
my favourite stops on
any of my tours
home city of Birmingham.
Roles such as Mad in the
punk film Jubilee and
Monkey in Quadrophenia
soon came along.
Then there was her music.
Hits included It’s A Mystery, I
Want To Be Free, Brave New
World and Be Proud, Be
Loud, Be Heard from albums
such as Anthem and The
Changeling. In 1982, she
won best female singer at
the then Rock and Pop
Awards (now Brit Awards).
Theatre roles have included
Calamity Jane, Amadeus,
Peter Pan, numerous
pantomimes and A
Midsummer Night’s Dream,
while television
appearances include
Doctors, The Heaven and
Wembley and Manchester,
and it gave me such a buzz.
You look out at a sea of
faces, who know every
word of your songs. They
sing along and sound
louder than you do, it’s
quite extraordinary.
“We took the Here and
Now tour out around to
some of the smaller
venues in the UK in
October this year, and one
of the places we played
was Canterbury. As usual, it
was very well received.
“I enjoy every live
performance I do, be it
theatre or music. Working in
the entertainment industry
is so special. It is never the
same, never predictable.”
Toyah is back in Canterbury
this Christmas to star in the
Marlowe Theatre’s
pantomime, which this year
is Sleeping Beauty. She will
be performing alongside
former Eastenders star Jack
Ryder and local comedian
Dave Lee.
“I’m really looking forward
to it. Sleeping Beauty has
not been done for a long
time and it’s a lovely story.
We have a great team that
works on the panto and the
roles we get are always
challenging. I believe that
performing in panto should
be as challenging as a role
in a musical or play.
“It’s very hard work, with two
shows a day and three on
Saturdays. You don’t really
think about it, you just get
on and do it. Over the run,
the team does get very close,
as you would do when
you’re thrown together over
a period of time.”
So will we see Toyah
donning that red leather
catsuit that made such an
impression in last year’s
Marlowe panto? “Probably
not”, she laughs. “But I am
looking forward to lots of
tricks and special effects so
we can put on the best
possible show for the
packed houses the panto
always attracts.”
Sleeping Beauty at The
Marlowe Theatre runs from
Thursday 9 December to
Sunday 30 January. For
more information, or to
book tickets, call the box
office on 01227 787 787.
Residents Card offers – January to March 2005
Residents Card offers
If you are over 18 and live
in the Canterbury district
you qualify for a residents
card. The card entitles you
to a host of special offers
throughout the district,
including attractions,
restaurants, hotels,
products and services.
Apply today to benefit
from being a resident.
The offers are subject to availability;
some have date constraints and will
not be offered for the entire period.
Please check offers with attractions
before travelling.
Allied Carpets, Cow Lane, Wincheap
Industrial Estate, Canterbury
10% discount on purchases of carpets, vinyls,
woods, laminates and rugs at the Canterbury
store only. Excludes fitting, underlay and
ancillaries, and is not valid with any other
concession. Phone: 01227 761 071.
Birth Works, Birthing Pool Hire
Canterbury Information Centre, The
Buttermarket, Canterbury
Downland Cycles, London Bound Platform,
Canterbury West Railway Station
Offer 1: 10% off gifts bearing the Canterbury
Offer 1: 10% discount on repairs, servicing and
accessories on joining Spokes at Downland
Cycles.
Offer 2: Free Spokes High Viz waistcoat with
every bicycle including Brompton bicycle (while
stocks last). Phone: 01227 479 643
email: [email protected]
Information centre logo.
Offer 2: Free Canterbury Visitor Guide
(normally sold for 50p). Phone: 01227 378 100.
Canterbury Roman Museum, Butchery
Lane, Canterbury
Free admission for cardholders and their children.
Phone: 01227 785 575.
Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction, St
Margaret’s Street, Canterbury
20% discount on admission prices.
Phone: 01227 479 227.
Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction Gift Shop,
St Margaret’s Street, Canterbury
10% discount off all items purchased in the gift
shop. Phone: 01227 454 888.
Canterbury West Gate Towers Museum
Free admission for cardholders and their children.
Phone: 01227 789 576.
Castle Arts, 76 Castle Street Canterbury
10% discount on all art sales when paying by
cash/cheque/debit card. Phone: 01227 766 616.
E-mail: [email protected]
East Kent Wills
10% off all services, including wills, inheritance tax
saving wills, protective property trusts and
enduring powers of attorney.
Phone: 0800 169 8038 quoting Ref. SB1.
English Heritage
Two for one on admission. Offers are not valid on
special days or evening events. Collect a voucher
from Whitstable, Herne Bay or Canterbury
Information Centres.
1 September 2004 to end of February 2005:
St Augustine’s Abbey, Dover Castle and
Lullingstone Roman Villa.
To check winter opening times, phone: 0870 333
1181 or visit: www.english-heritage.org.uk
The Evenhill, High Street, Littlebourne
20% discount on an overnight stay.
Phone: 01227 721 084 or email:
[email protected]
Offer 1: 15% discount on pool hire
Offer 2: 10% discount on baby massage classes
Offers valid with any other concession. Phone
01227 830 880 or see www.birthworks.co.uk
Chives Café at The Horsebridge, Whitstable
Brewery Tours at Shepherd Neame, Court
Street, Faversham
One free delegate place when booking an initial
meeting. Phone: 08703 210 565 or e-mail:
[email protected]
10% off tour tickets. Advanced booking is
essential, phone: 01795 542 016 or book online
at: www.shepherd-neame.co.uk
Conquest House Antiques, Palace Street,
Canterbury
Fitzgerald Jewellers, 26 Burgate, Canterbury
Canterbury Broad Oak Nature Reserve,
Broad Oak Road, Canterbury
10% off purchases. Phone 01227 464 587.
Offer 1: 10% discount on all sales of watches and
jewellery.
One child enters free with every paying adult.
Phone 01227 452 447 or see www.econet.org.uk
10% off parking when purchased via the smart
card system (Offer not exclusive to Residents
Card). Phone: 01227 862 429. E-mail:
[email protected]
Canterbury Guild of Guides
25% discount on guided walks for groups of up
to 12 residents. A 90 minute guided walk through
the city centre (including the Cathedral precincts)
for £30 per group of 12 (normally £40).
Phone 01227 459 779 or e-mail:
[email protected]
10% off the bill. Phone: 01227 281 255.
Conference Iffin, Iffin Lane, Canterbury
Council Pay and Display car parks
County Hotel, Canterbury
£50 per person per night’s B&B for friends and
relatives (subject to a minimum two night stay at
weekends and based on double occupancy).
Phone: 01227 766 266.
Ferns Canterbury Café, above Canterbury
Information Centre, in The Buttermarket,
Canterbury
5% discount off your bill. Phone 01227 781 885.
Offer 2: 10% discount on all repairs.
Phone 01227 767 206
Fresh Aspects, Canterbury
Offer 1: Free business potential meeting
(normally £275).
Offer 2: Two free Business Builder Breakfast
Forums. Please book early, phone: 01227 762 694.
Residents Card offers – January to March 2005
Global Travel at Pilgrim’s Coffee Shop, St
Peter’s Street, Canterbury
Offer 1: 5% discount on all holidays.
Offer 2: 1/2 price insurance with every holiday
booked.
Offer 3: 10% off the bill in the coffee shop.
Phone: 01227 464 531.
Iffin Farmhouse, Iffin Lane, Canterbury
£10 discount when booking for two nights or
more. Phone: 08703 210 565 or
e-mail: [email protected]
Jacob’s Bar and Brasserie at the County
Hotel, Canterbury
10% discount off food. Phone: 01227 766 266.
Kent Ballooning
10% off balloon flights. Freefone: 0800 032 50 60.
Kim Wood Jewellers, 68 King’s Street,
Sandwich
10% off purchases, restoration, and repair
services. Phone: 01304 617 700 or
Kings Hall, Beacon Hill, Herne Bay
10% discount on tickets for all shows (excluding
hall hire). Phone 01227 374 188.
Kings Hall Tea Rooms, Beacon Hill, Herne Bay
2 for 1 on teas and coffees, check winter opening
times as the tea rooms may close during
inclement weather. Phone 01227 373 322.
23 Queens Street, Deal
10% discount on orders from our showroom:
Fitted kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and
showers, UPVC windows, doors and
conservatories. Not valid with other promotions.
Phone: 01304 381 014.
Park and Ride
30% off parking when purchased via the smart
card system (Offer not exclusive to Residents
Card). Phone: 01227 862 429.
United Print Group, Canterbury
Pilgrims Hotel, 18 The Friars, Canterbury
Have you got yours yet?
Offer 1: 15% off accommodation.
Offer 2: 10% off the bill in the coffee shop.
Phone: 01227 464 531.
Rail Canterbury (rear of France shop),
Palace Street, Canterbury
5% booking fee (normally 10%) when purchasing,
rail, sea and Eurostar tickets, hotels and car hire.
Phone: 01227 450 088 or email: [email protected]
RCL Supplies, Canterbury
Specialist suppliers of Compatible ink cartridges,
laser toners & fax film rolls for your printers and
fax machines. 20% discount and free delivery on
orders of £30 + VAT. Phone 01227 768 812 or
email: [email protected]
Sportique, 72 High Street, Ramsgate
Ladies sportswear boutique. 10% discount on all
purchases.
Sully’s Restaurant at the County Hotel, High
Street, Canterbury
10% off rocks, fossils and minerals on cash or
debit card purchases. Phone: 01227 280 998.
10% discount off the seasonal a la carte menu.
Phone: 01227 766 266.
Museum of Canterbury with Rupert Bear
Museum, Stour Street, Canterbury
The Magic Toadstool, 13 Tankerton Road,
Whitstable
Free admission for cardholder and their children.
Phone: 01227 475 202.
Children’s party organiser. One additional child
free with every standard or budget party
booked. Phone 01227 281 280. E-mail
[email protected]
10% discount on contemporary pottery and
glass. Phone 01227 453 471,
10% off all meals and drinks on Saturdays. Café
open 10am to 4pm. Phone: 01227 274 880
Discounts on our range of recycled and
compatible inkjet and laser cartridges, free
delivery on orders over £25.00 delivery within 72
hours Phone: 01227 264 933 or email:
[email protected]
Lyre Studio (Arts & Gifts), 7a High Street,
Whitstable
Neville Pundole, The Gallery, The Friars,
Canterbury
Whitstable Community Centre Café, St
Mary’s Hall, Whitstable
If you are over 18 years of age and you are
also a local resident you are eligible to apply
for a Residents Card. Apply for your card
today. It costs you nothing but can give you
many savings on local attractions, products
and services.
Application forms from libraries and
information centres, or on 24 hour
answerphone: 01227 378 153 and also
online at www.canterbury.gov.uk
/residentscard
Businesses and attractions
If you would like to know more about
making an offer (which can be tailored to
suit your business needs) please visit the
website www.canterbury.gov.uk
/residentscard or call the Tourism Unit on
01227 862 064 e-mail:
[email protected]
The King’s School Recreation Centre,
St Stephen’s Road, Canterbury
5% off any membership fees
excluding direct debit payments.
Odeon Cinema, St George’s Place Canterbury
25% discount off Tuesday standard ticket price
(£4.50 normally £6). Phone: 08712 244 007.
Phone: 01227 595 602
www.kingsrecreation.co.uk
The information published is given in good faith on the basis of information submitted to Canterbury City Council. Canterbury City Council cannot guarantee the
accuracy of the information and accepts no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or other damage caused
by the reliance on the information contained in this publication, or in the event of the bankruptcy or liquidation of any company, individual or firm mentioned, or in
the event of any company, individual or firm ceasing to trade, is hereby excluded.
Helping hands
Volunteer!
Getting to and from a hospital or doctor’s
appointment can be a real problem for
many people who are elderly or for some
reason can’t get about. And being unable
to tackle the garden as the grass and
weeds grow higher is distressing.
But thanks to the network of Volunteer
Bureaux, help is often only a phone call away.
Herne Bay Volunteer Bureau, which helps
more than 1,000 people a year, is
celebrating its 20th anniversary in January
2005. Since it was established the group
has answered countless calls for help from
individuals and organisations in the town.
Based at the Hazell Nevill Centre in
Mortimer Street, Herne Bay, the Bureau has
a committed group of volunteers. Many
give up their time to act as drivers, helping
local residents who would otherwise be
unable to get out for appointments,
shopping or clubs. In one month they can
be kept busy with around 600 journeys,
throwing a lifeline to many people.
Volunteers are also in demand to help out
with gardening when people find it too much
to cope with, either due to age or illness.
Then there is the small army of volunteers
who staff the office, answering the phone
and matching volunteers to jobs.
There is a long list of organisations that rely
on the Bureau to provide willing volunteers
to help them, including the Red Cross, The
Umbrella Club, The Blind Club, Carers Voice,
Age Concern, the Alzheimers Society, the
Stroke Club and many more.
“Volunteering is a rewarding and fulfilling
experience,” says Bureau manager John
Hawkings. “We can bring together those
wishing to offer their time and skills and
people who need help in the local
community.”
John and his team will help would-be
volunteers fill in application forms, link them
with a suitable organisation, and support
them as they begin their volunteering.
If you would like to know more you can
contact John Hawkings on 01227 366 992.
You can contact the Canterbury Volunteer
Bureau on 01227 452 278 and the
Whitstable Volunteer Bureau on 01227 264
743.
Jane Holland (left), John Hawkings and Maureen Nixon get to grips with the office work
News round up
Princely offerings
at The Kings Hall
Placements that work
A new booklet offering
advice to local employers
about taking students on
work experience placements
has been published.
‘Placements that work’ has
been put together by
Canterbury 4 Business, the
district’s economic
partnership comprising the
city council and the local
business community.
The booklet gives general
guidance and practical
advice about offering work
placements that provide
maximum benefit for both
the student and the business.
The Kings Hall is Herne Bay’s oasis for entertainment,
offering a handy venue close to the town centre.
It is in use week in, week out for a wide range of activities,
yet there are still some local people who don’t realise what
a gem they have on their doorstep.
Built in 1913, The Kings Hall boasts many original
architectural features, and includes a palm tea room, large
hall and sprung dance floor. It is licensed for shows, music
and even civic weddings, and is run by Canterbury City
Council. The hall can cater for 650 people seated, 600 for
dancing, or 400 for dinners.
King’s Caterers provide top quality catering and employ an
award-winning chef who has cooked for celebrities.
In addition to the regular traditional cream teas and
Sunday carvery on offer every third Sunday in the month,
the hall can be hired for shows, dances, weddings,
cabarets, bands, parties, fairs, hen nights and boxing - quite
a variety of uses! Regular bookings include line and salsa
dancing and even belly dancing.
This year for the first time the venue is offering works
Christmas parties with a full meal and a disco.
Among forthcoming events are:

Friday 10 December – Grand Ol’ Opry (country and
western tribute)
It has sections on planning
for a placement, health and
safety requirements, setting
up contracts between the
student and employer, how
to manage the student while
they are on the placement
and assessing performance
when the placement ends.
The city council’s Economic
Development Manager,
Penny Sharp, said: “Successful
work experience placements
provide many benefits to
both employers and
students. They offer students
of today the opportunity to
prepare for the challenges of
tomorrow and raise the
community profile of the
business to parents, teachers
and employees.
“The Canterbury district is
very short of good work
placements for young
people. We hope this guide
will encourage more
businesses to come
forward, because the future
success of the local
economy depends on
recruiting young people to
the business world.”
Copies of ‘Placements that
work’ are available by
calling the Canterbury and
Swale Education Business
Partnership on 01227
378 195.

Thursday 16 December – Utter Madness, Madness
tribute act

Saturday 18 December – Blues Brothers tribute

Friday 21 January – Terry Lightfoot, jazz performer

Friday 18 March – Jess Conrad, singer
There is a wedding fair at the hall from 10am to 5pm on
Sunday 23 January, with £1 admission, and a Valentine
special on Saturday 12 February when an Elvis tribute
singer will serenade you at your table. The £20 ticket also
includes a buffet and disco.
Tickets for events are available from The Kings Hall on
01227 374 188, The Marlowe Theatre box office on
01227 787 787 or from the district’s Information Centres
in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.
News round up
Gateway to the Middle Ages
A Heritage Lottery funded cataloguing
project has opened up a treasure trove
at Canterbury Cathedral Archives.
The Chartae Antiquae, or ‘ancient
charters’, have been known to
scholars for centuries but it is hoped
that the new catalogue will bring
them to a wider audience.
There are more than 7,000 charters,
over 30 dating from before the
Norman Conquest. Their contents are
wide ranging and they’re full of
human interest. Royalty, intrigue, sex,
politics, and, of course, religion are all
represented.
The majority of the charters are title
deeds, a rich quarry for family and
local historians, allowing them to
reconstruct long-dead families and
lost landscapes. There are documents
from all ranks of society and from
women as well as men.
suggesting that he wasn’t used to
writing and may have been illiterate.
Thomas Becket’s martyrdom in 1170
transformed the life of the
cathedral and also left its
mark on the charter
collection. The many
documents
associated with him
include a grant of
land from William de
Tracy, one of his
murderers, and an
account of a miracle at his
shrine in 1445.
There is also a magnificent collection
of more than 3,300 seals – pieces
of wax, stamped with
distinctive designs and
inscriptions, attached to
the documents to
authenticate them.
Kings and queens,
archbishops, bishops,
the cathedral priory and
other religious houses, the
nobility and gentry and
many more ordinary people are all
represented. The designs are
interesting and varied and some are
small-scale works of art.
Arguably the most significant
document is the Accord of Winchester
which established the archbishop of
Canterbury as Primate of All England in
1072. William the Conqueror signed
the agreement with a very shaky cross,
To book a viewing appointment or to
get more information, call Canterbury
Cathedral Archives on 01227 865 330.
D’Arts and crafts festival success
A D’Arts Festival held recently celebrated
the creative talents of Canterbury’s
Northgate residents.
parents and under fives from SureStart
and Northgate Early Years Project, a
photo collage of Northgate residents.
Held at the Northgate Community
Centre in Military Road, the grand finale
included work by Refuge in Art, a group
of present and former residents of the
Rising Sun Women’s Refuge, pastel and
paint drawings by parents and a superb
quilt designed by children from
Parkside Primary Community School.
Querns Residents’ Association organised
their neighbourhood to create five
mosaic plaques to decorate the
wall at one end of their new play
park, and a young people’s film
expressed how they felt about
youth activities in the area.
MCCH Club Connect’s display included
some silk paintings and collage. And a
group of artists from the centre’s art
club decorated the walls with a variety
of paintings and drawings, including
landscapes, animal portraits and still life.
Also on display were t-shirts designed by
future, or a group who would like to
experience a D’Arts workshop, please
contact Sam Terry on 01227 862 516,
or email samantha.terry@
canterbury.gov.uk
The festival was declared a great
success, and inspired new ideas for
future projects. D’Arts is a
community drama and arts project
funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
If you are a local business interested
in sponsoring or working in
partnership with the project in the
Querns youngsters enjoyed mosiac making
Fear of crime survey
1. For each of the following issues, please tick the box which most accurately
describes your feelings:
Very
frightened
Frightened
Very
Not
concerned Concerned bothered
Anti-social behaviour
Arson
of crime survey
Burglary
Car crime
Criminal damage
Domestic violence
Canterbury Crime
and Disorder
Partnership wants
your help to gather
information about
crime and safety in
the district.
Drug misuse
Please complete and return
the following short
questionnaire. Your answers
will then be analysed and the
results used to prepare the
three-year Community Safety
Strategy to be published in
2005.
Vandalism
Under the Crime and
Disorder Act the council,
police and other parties must
work together to tackle
crime and disorder, analyse
crime over the past three
years, and ask local people
for their thoughts on their
fear of crime.
Excessive alcohol
consumption
Racial crime
Homophobic crime
Irresponsible behaviour
Sexual assault
Violence in public places
Threat of violence in
public places
2. For each of the following issues, what precautions do you take to protect
yourself from being a victim of crime?
Have done/
do already
Avoid going out in the daytime
Avoid going out in the dark
Use taxis
Carry less money
Leave lights on in house
Never go out alone
Avoid poorly lit areas
The survey is particularly
interested in issues which
give people the most
concerns, and matters they
are genuinely frightened of.
Avoid parks
The results of the
questionnaire will be
compared to those from a
similar survey in 2001 to see
if initiatives by the local crime
and disorder partnership
have made a difference.
Install CCTV at home
Avoid woods
Use house alarms
Use security lights at home
Use routes covered by CCTV
Use security device for vehicle
Keep a dog
Carry personal alarm
Would
consider
Not
necessary
Fear of crime survey
Ambulance
Service
Education
Service
Community
(you)
Health
Service
Social
Service
Fire
Service
Kent County
Council
Canterbury
City Council
Police
3. Please tell us who you feel is responsible for dealing with each of the following issues. You may choose
more than one organisation/service.
Anti-social behaviour
Arson
Burglary
Car crime
Criminal damage
Domestic violence
Drug misuse
Excessive alcohol consumption
Racial crime
Homophobic crime
Irresponsible behaviour
Sexual assault
Vandalism
Violence in public places
Threat of violence in public places
4. Optional questions:
Are you
male
female
How old are you?
Under 18
19-30
31-45
46-60
over 60
Where do you live?
Canterbury
Whitstable
Herne Bay
Rural area
Please complete the survey as fully as you can and return to:
Trevor Kennett
Assistant Head of Community Development
Canterbury City Council
FREEPOST 41
Canterbury
CT1 1YW
by 7 January 2005. If you don’t want to cut up your copy of District Life, a
photocopy of these two pages are acceptable. No stamp is required.
Survey forms can also be returned by hand to your local council office.
If you prefer you can complete this questionnaire online by visiting
www.canterbury.gov.uk/crime
News round up
Hungary for partnership
Canterbury and the Hungarian city of Esztergom have
signed a City to City Partnership.
It aims to establish ways in which the two cities can work
together on projects of mutual benefit, such as European
funding programmes, tourism, economic development
and cultural and community links.
The initial approach for the two cities to form a partnership
came from Esztergom, who were looking to establish
church-based links. The city council had also been looking
for a partner city from one of the new European Union
member states, and the relationship between the two
areas has grown from there.
Cllr Pepper said: “With the proposed changes to the way
European funding programmes are organised likely to be
introduced in 2006, it is important for Canterbury to have a
partner in one of the new member states.
“Close links with Esztergom will give us a much better
opportunity to access any European funding that may
come available in the future. In
addition, with the similarities
between the two
cities, there will be
many things we
can learn from
each other.”
Esztergom is a city with many similarities to
Canterbury. It is located 40 miles north of
Budapest on the River Danube and is roughly the
same size as Canterbury. The Cardinal Archbishop
of Esztergom is the head of the Church in
Hungary. Esztergom also holds relics of St Thomas
Becket, which were taken to the city very soon
after his murder.
Cllr Pepper (left) and the
Mayor of Esztergom
shake on the partnership
The agreement was signed by Ron Pepper,
Deputy Leader of the Council, and the Mayor of
Esztergom, Tamas Meggyes, in the presence of
the Hungarian President, Ferenc Madl.
Fresh look at council homes
A major review of the Canterbury
district’s 5,400 council homes is being
carried out.
Under the ‘Housing Futures’
programme Canterbury City Council is
looking at various options for the
future management of the properties.
Councils all over the country are going
through the same process under
instructions from the Government. This
is to make sure that the council’s
housing will meet the Government’s
minimum ‘Decent Homes Standard’
and that it will be sustained.
expect from the housing service.
The council must consider four options
– to continue running the council
homes, to manage them ‘at arm’s
length’ for example through a Trust,
take advantage of the private finance
initiative, or to transfer the properties
to another owner.
There is a set process laid down by the
government for this review, and the
council must have its final
recommendation approved by the
government by July 2005.
The city council is currently
considering how each of these options
would affect future maintenance and
refurbishment of the homes. It is also
taking into account what tenants
Experts have been commissioned to
help with key stages of the review,
including making sure that tenants’
views are properly taken into account.
Detailed consultation on the options
will take place in the New Year with
tenants and other groups.
Museum news
Memories needed
for people’s war
Do you remember the
Canterbury Blitz, eating dried
egg, collecting shrapnel or
listening to Vera Lynn on the
radio? Did you live in the
Canterbury, Whitstable or
Herne Bay area during the
Second World War? Or can
you recall the wartime stories
of relatives or friends?
If so the WW2 People’s War
project would like to hear
from you!
Part of a nationwide initiative
by the BBC – the project is
looking for people to share
their memories of life during
the Second World War, either
in the armed forces or on the
Home Front. The project is
run locally by Kent County
Council’s libraries and
archives and Canterbury City
Council’s museums.
The memories are then
posted onto the BBC’s WW2
People’s War website.
One lady recalled her
grandmother holding a
dustbin lid over her head as
protection from the Blitz,
while another described
losing everything after being
bombed out three times in
less than a year.
As well as forming a valuable
national archive for anyone
interested in finding out
more about the war, some of
the best stories will be used
in a series of BBC television
and radio programmes to be
broadcast next year.
A display of wartime
artefacts, photographs and
documents relating to the
project can be seen on the
ground floor corridor of the
Beaney Institute (housing
Canterbury Library and the
Royal Museum) until the end
of the year. It includes items
from museum, library and
archive collections, many on
show for the first time.
To find out more please
contact Canterbury Library
on 01227 463 608, or visit
the WW2 People’s War
website at www.bbc.co.uk/
dna/ww2
Anyone wishing to donate
any locally relevant Second
World War material should
contact Martin Crowther at
Canterbury Museums on
01227 475 204.
More information about
Canterbury’s museums is
available online at
www.canterburymuseums.co.uk
A young visitor to the Blitz Gallery at the Museum of Canterbury tries on a wartime helmet
Find out more...
Visit the new Blitz
Gallery at the Museum
of Canterbury in Stour
Street - for exciting
displays about the city
and its people. Call
01227 475 202
Climb the stairs at
Canterbury’s Royal
Museum to discover
what the local Buffs
regiment got up to on
active service. Call
01227 452 747
Visit Herne Bay Museum
to see Barnes Wallis’
bouncing bomb! Call
01227 367 368
Visit Whitstable Museum
to see a small display of
artefacts and photos
from the Second World
War. Call 01227 276 998
Pop into your local
library to consult books,
newspapers and photos
relating to the war.
Visit Canterbury
Cathedral Archives to
consult a fascinating
range of original
documents about
Canterbury and the
surrounding area in the
Second World War. Call
01227 865 330
Pick up a free World War
Two Sources in
Canterbury information
sheet from the
Canterbury Reference
Library.
Call 01227 463 608
Museum news
Homecoming for Pip,
Squeak and Wilfred
Visitors get into the spirit at a Fossil Roadshow
Gold-rush in Canterbury!
Gold and other precious
metals from the earth’s
crust star in this year’s Fossil
Roadshow at Canterbury
Royal Museum and Art
Gallery. This free annual
event takes place on
Saturday 12 February 2005
from 10am to 12.30pm and
from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
Gold-fever struck Kent in
1578 when the world’s
largest smelter was built in
Dartford during the first
Canadian gold-rush.
Visitors to the Fossil
Roadshow will be able to
examine samples of the
‘black ore’ that was part of
the 1,000-ton cargo from
Baffin Island, or try their
hand at ‘panning’ for gold.
Find out all about the
Elizabethan adventurer Sir
Martin Frobisher and his
scheme: was he a fraud, or
was there really ‘gold in
them thar hills’?
Meet experts and bring
your fossil, rock or mineral
finds for identification.
There will also be latest
finds from the area
presented by members of
local fossil and mineral
groups, including the
Oyster Coast Fossil Society,
Medway Lapidary and
Mineral Society, and
Sheppey Fossil Study Group.
These groups have given
enthusiastic support to the
museum’s Fossil Roadshow
for the past six years, so you
can get fossil advice from
the experts!
The first 50 children
attending will receive a free
specimen of ‘fool’s gold’
(iron pyrites) – sadly
organisers can’t give away
the real thing!
Access to the gallery is via
stairs – unfortunately
wheelchair access is not
yet possible.
For further details about
the Fossil Roadshow
contact Ralph Anderson or
Martin Crowther at
Canterbury Museums on
01227 452 747.
An important collection of
drawings by local illustrator
Austen Bowen Payne,
featuring the characters Pip,
Squeak and Wilfred, has
been bought at auction by
Canterbury City Council.
The council’s Museums and
Galleries Service acquired
the collection with the help
of a generous £1,000 grant
from the Herne Bay
Historical Records Society.
Once cataloguing has been
completed, illustrations from
the collection will be
included in future
exhibitions at the museum.
Pip (a dog), Squeak
(a penguin) and Wilfred
(a rabbit) were A B Payne’s
most famous characters. He
illustrated them for the
Daily Mirror alongside
stories conceived and
written by Bertie Lamb,
which first appeared in
1919 and delighted
generations of children.
A B Payne was a long-time
resident of Herne Bay,
spending the last 20 years
of his life living in Sea View
Road. He gave the drawings
to his friend Irene Hyde two
years before his death and
they remained in her family
until now.
The council’s Head of
Culture, Janice McGuinness,
said: “Herne Bay Museum is
a great place for families to
visit. The presence of Pip,
Squeak and Wilfred in
future displays and
exhibitions will enhance
the museum experience
and be a fitting tribute to
one of Herne Bay’s most
famous illustrators.”
News round up
Council decisions go
under the spotlight
A few years ago the way Canterbury
City Council operates was changed
in accordance with the Local
Government Act 2000, moving away
from the old committee system.
Since then, the full council of 50
members has made major policy
decisions and set the budget, while
the Executive comprising eight
councillors makes daily decisions.
Councillors who are not on the
Executive can sit on the Overview
and Scrutiny Committee, which at
the time of writing, is made up of 19
councillors, drawn from all three
political groups. The role of this
group is to check the decisions of
the Executive, carry out reviews and
help with policy development.
Meetings are held in public and
anyone is welcome to attend.
Between meetings Scrutiny
Reviews are undertaken to look at
issues in detail.
In the process of carrying out a
review councillors work with local
people, businesses, community
groups and other partners, and the
purpose of the exercise is not to
criticise decisions that have been
taken, but to find ways of making
services more effective.
Suggestions for a review can come
from a councillor, council officer or
even a member of the public by
lobbying a councillor about a
particular issue of concern. Cllr Harry
Cragg, Chairman of the Overview
and Scrutiny Committee said: “The
scrutiny role is very important in
terms of the accountability and
openness of the council. Reviews of
decision-making are thorough and
can lead to significant
improvements to services.”
At the end of the work, conclusions
are compiled into a report outlining
what is good about a service or
policy, together with suggested
improvements.
You can find out more by visiting
the Overview and Scrutiny pages on
www.canterbury.gov.uk under
the ‘council’ menu. Alternatively, call
Wayne Gough on 01227 862 332
or Dan Hamlin on 01227 862 059
for further information.
Is your display the best in town?
Canterbury City Council and the Kentish Gazette
are on the lookout for the homes with the most
impressive outdoor Christmas decorations.
Entries should be submitted to the Kentish Gazette,
Christmas Lights Competition, 9 St George’s Place,
Canterbury, CT1 1UU, by 13 December 2004. Please
include the address of the property you are nominating
and, ideally, a photograph of the festive display.
Overview and Scrutiny
case study:
Christmas lights are
a shining example of
how the system works
Shops and businesses across the district are
being encouraged to decorate and light up
their windows this Christmas – and there
could be prizes for those whose efforts are
the most impressive.
The initiative follows a Scrutiny Review of
Christmas Lights last year. The idea was one
of a number recommended by the panel of
councillors who looked into the festive
lighting provided by the council locally.
Some had felt the displays could be better,
and there was particular concern over the
state of lights in Herne Bay. It had been
suggested that the council was not doing
its best in terms of Christmas lighting
across the district.
But despite these initial concerns the panel
found that the standard of festive lights in
the area is in fact good compared to other
districts in Kent.
The panel, which was chaired by Cllr
Gabrielle Davis, consulted businesses in
Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable, and
also spoke to the area member panels. In
addition they quizzed eight other local
authorities about their lights, and visited
two other Kent towns to see their displays.
In their final report they said that the
budget should be maintained, and that
while businesses wanted to be involved in
designing and planning displays, they were
less keen to contribute towards the cost.
They also recommended holding a
competition for the best dressed and lit
shops to give the towns an even greater
festive atmosphere.
News round up
Quality or bussed
A new era in bus travel across the Canterbury district has
now started.
Canterbury City Council, Kent County Council and
Stagecoach in East Kent have all signed up to a Quality Bus
Partnership, which aims to improve bus travel for local people.
Targets have been set for the next 10 years, including
increasing the number of passengers using buses and
improving the punctuality and reliability of the services.
The first scheme covers the existing routes 4 and 6, which
link Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable. A new fleet of
state-of-the-art buses has been introduced and a new
timetable is providing a regular service of four buses an
hour during the day.
Other changes the public will notice include new bus
lanes and bus priority schemes, better access to services
for people with disabilities, ‘real-time’ electronic displays at
bus stops showing when the next bus will arrive,
innovative deals on tickets, higher standards of training for
staff and high quality bus shelters.
From left: Cllr Alex Perkins, county councillor Graham Gibbens and Paul
Southgate from Stagecoach sign up to the Quality Bus Partnership
The city council’s Head of Transportation and Engineering,
Viv Pritchard, said: “An efficient public transport system is
essential if we are to reduce congestion around the city.
There is a lot of work to do over the next few years if we
are to achieve all our targets, but everybody involved in
the Quality Bus Partnership is committed to ensuring the
improvements happen.”
Fare’s fair for taxis
The city council, Kent Police and
the local taxi industry have
launched a new scheme aimed at
preventing late night customers
from not paying for their journey.
Stickers are going up in the
district’s 220 cabs informing
customers that they may be asked
to pay either a deposit or full fare
before their journey starts. The
decision whether to make the
request will be at the discretion of
the driver, but is only likely to affect
evening and late night fares.
The change is being brought in at
the request of the taxi industry to try
and combat the increasing number
of incidents of people ‘doing a
runner’ before paying the driver.
The council’s Executive member for
Cllr Julia Seath, Inspector Ray Carver and
Trevor Hall and Richard King from the
Canterbury District Taxi Forum at the
launch of the sticker scheme.
environmental services, Cllr Julia
Seath, said: “The council is very
supportive of the local taxi industry
and wants to help them be as
successful as possible. Clearly, it is
unacceptable for people to evade
paying their fare and we are happy
to help fund the cost of the stickers
if it makes customers pay up before
their journey starts.”
Recycling success
The city council’s recycling scheme has been
declared one of the best in the country at
the National Recycling Awards 2004.
It was one of four schemes shortlisted in
the ‘recycling target success’ category.
Despite being described by the judges as
‘spot on in terms of using investment to
achieve tonnage’, it was eventually beaten
to first prize by Stockport Council.
The city council’s scheme, which was
launched in November 2002, uses clear
sacks to collect recyclable materials such as
paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles.
Green-lidded wheelie bins are also used to
collect garden waste.
Judges praised the extensive marketing
and publicity campaign that accompanied
the introduction of the new scheme. It
helped the city council reach a recycling
rate of 30.95 per cent in the 2003/4
financial year, by far the best in Kent.