RAMSGATE SEAFRONT CONTROVERSY: MAGAZINE PUBLISHES MORE EMAILS

Thanet Watch magazine has published more details of embarrassing emails relating to the row over Ramsgate seafront.  

The controversy began in August when the magazine received an email from the Canterbury based Cardy Construction company relating to the controversial Royal Sands seafront project.

The email suggests a director of the company took a call from “the chief exec” of Thanet District Council, asking for an “off-line chat” about the much-delayed development.

Cardy said the email: “was edited and issued by an unauthorised person within our organisation.”

Now the magazine is publishing more details of emails between the magazine and the company.

Thanet Watch editor Norman Thomas said: “There has been much speculation about the authenticity of the email. We’re publishing the full details of the correspondence to enable people to make their own minds up.

“Something very strange is going on with Ramsgate seafront and we should be told more.”

Also in the new issue of THANET WATCH magazine…

--THANET EARTH: THE THREAT TO LOCAL BEES

--THE PLAN TO FLOOD MARGATE’S OLD TOWN

--RAMSGATE’S TUNNELS: WARTIME SQUALOR REVEALED

The new October issue of Thanet Watch is on sale in newsagents across Thanet now, price 80p.Thanet Watch is a not-for-profit community magazine published by Thanet people for Thanet people.

STAND UP FOR LABOUR

Coming to a venue in Thanet  near you  -  

STAND UP FOR LABOUR

Following a successful launch in Brighton at the 2013 Labour conference

The STAND UP FOR LABOUR Comedy Roadshow is set to touch down in Thanet over the next few months.

Compered by London circuit favourite, and recent Margate resident, Andre Vincent the shows will bring some light relief to an otherwise hectic Planet Thanet.

Organised on behalf of STAND UP FOR LABOUR for a series of events throughout Kent, the shows will bring into the county the very best of UK Stand Up.

6th OCTOBER 2013 – Sarah Thorne Theatre, Broadstairs

1st DECEMBER 2013 – The Centre, Birchington

3rd MARCH 2014 – The Granville Theatre, Ramsgate.

Put together by Malcolm Bailey, Malcolm has served as a promoter, agent and personal manager to a number of comedy legends: Frank Skinner, Alan Davies and Caroline Aherne.

With this pedigree you can guarantee a quality product .

Tickets £8   Doors  7.00pm

Contact:  maljb@mac.com

 http://tinyurl.com/StandUpForLabour1

Thanet Council - Council hands keys over to redeveloped hotel

People in the image from L to R: Craig George (housing Services Manager, TDC), Andrew Emmerson (Housing Improvement Officer, TDC), Peter Smith (Asset Management Surveyor, KCC), Cllr Linda Aldred (Ward Councillor of Cliftonville West), Cllr David Green (Cabinet Member for housing, TDC), Cllr Clive Hart (Leader of the Council), Terry Driver (Contracts Manager, R R Richardson Ltd), Anita Pearce (Area Manager, Homes & communities Agency), Lauren Hemsley (Strategic Housing Manager, TDC)

Thanet District Council is to hand over the keys to the new tenants of the former Hotel Embassy on Surrey Road. The keys of these homes will be handed over to two local families, who are on the council’s housing register.

For the past nine months local companies including builders, roofers, plumbers and many more, have been sub-contracted through R R Richardson Ltd, the main contractor, to work solidly on renovating this empty building. Originally a 30-bed house in multiple occupation, these homes, now known as 50 & 50a Surrey Road have been turned into two four-bed dwellings.

This Edwardian building was originally built in the time when Margate was a thriving holiday destination. The refurbishment of these beautifully built homes is part of the council’s 10-15 year ‘Live Margate’ programme, which aims to encourage prospective investors and developers to build this up and coming town into what it used to be.

On Friday 27 September, ward councillors and all involved in the renovation visited the now complete building for the first time since being completed, which was a satisfying moment for all.

Councillor David Green, Cabinet Member for Housing said: “The council is proud to have worked with some astounding architects, contractors and officers on this project. Everyone involved has done an excellent job and should be very pleased.

“This is the start of a huge programme in Cliftonville, which is bursting at the seams with potential, creating a dynamic place for families to live.”

To find out more on the next project in the Housing Intervention Programme, please go to www.thanet.gov.uk/livemargate

Free dog microchipping event comes to Thanet

Thanet District Council and Dogs Trust are teaming up to offer free dog microchipping for Thanet residents.

By April 2016, every dog owner in England will have to microchip their pet to help decrease the amount of stray animals on our streets. Owners who do not comply could face fines of up to £500.

The council is offering a chance for people to turn up and get their dogs microchipped on:

• Wednesday 25^th September, Dalby Square, Margate, 10am-4pm
• Monday 21 October, Government Acre, Ramsgate, 10am-4pm

Currently, you can expect to pay £20-£30 to have your dog microchipped at the vet, but by coming along to one of our events, you can get your dog microchipped for free.

Dogs Trust has set aside a substantial investment to ensure that every owner can have their dog chipped as it has been researched that compulsory microchipping is the single most effective way to get a dog returned to its owner.

A microchip (technically called a Radio Frequency Identification Device or RFID) is a small electronic device, which is the size of a grain of rice. The microchip is coded with a unique number that can be read by a scanner that energises the microchip using a radio signal.

Defra have set the three year target to ensure that everyone involved (owners, breeders and enforcement agencies) understand what is expected of them and will be able to plan ahead.

Local authorities, the police, dog wardens and vets will all have scanners. Any dog that is found straying or reported for dangerous behaviour can then be traced back to the owner.  If the authorities come across a dog after 2016 that does not have a microchip the owner will be required to have it chipped urgently or face a fine.

Cllr Michelle Fenner said: “We are proud to be working together with Dogs Trust on these worthwhile events, which are free to Thanet residents.

“Helping to work towards the April 2016 deadline, is a step in the right direction that we hope people will comply with.

“This year, the council has picked up 115 strays so we are hoping that this number will decrease once more dogs are microchipped.

Thanet District Council’s dog wardens deal with the following:

• Stray dogs and lost dogs
• Noisy dogs
• Dangerous dogs
• Dog fouling and beach bans

Please contact your local enforcement officers on 01843 577000 or emailstreetscene.enforcement@thanet.gov.uk

Council Supports Ambitious Artwork in Cliftonville

Thanet District Council has given artist Alex Chinneck permission to use an empty property on Godwin Road in the Cliftonville area to create his latest innovative art installation as part of his project ‘From the knees of my nose to the belly of toes’. At 28 years old, this is his boldest project yet as he continues to theatrically combines art and architecture in physically amazing ways.

The British artist and designer began the construction at the end of August, on his most ambitious installation to date. The plan is to peel the façade of a four-storey house in Margate away from the rest of the building. As the curving bricks, windows and doors slide into the front garden of the property, which has been vacant for eleven years to reveal its upper floor to the public below. 

Cliftonville is a district striking for both the grandeur of its architecture and for the challenging social issues it has faced in the last thirty years. Together with the Council’s widely applauded use of culture as a tool for regeneration, this provides an ideal context for the work.

The artist chose 1 Godwin Road from a number of properties owned by the council, for its character and location. In the short-term, the artwork will attract people to rediscover Cliftonville as part of the UK's original seaside resort with its historic architecture and growing creative buzz.

Ten leading companies from across British industries have agreed to donate all necessary materials, manufacturing capabilities and professional services required to build the sliding facade.

This project follows Chinnecks acclaimed 2012 installation ‘Telling the truth through false teeth’, in which the artist installed 1248 pieces of glass across the façade of a factory in Hackney to create the illusion that its 312 windows had been identically smashed and cracked.

Alex Chinneck is a London based artist and designer: www.alexchinneck.com. He is the founder of The Sculpture House: www.thesculpturehouse.co.uk, a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors and a graduate of Chelsea College of Art and Design.

Cllr Clive Hart, Leader of Thanet District Council, said: “I am delighted Thanet District Council is supporting the contribution of the arts in this area. This kind of innovative art will encourage and attract people from all over the world to Thanet, which is a very exciting prospect for us.

Thanet is a haven for the arts and welcomes people world-wide to see its stunning and picturesque sceneries and sunsets.”

ALL NEW THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL WEBSITE LAUNCHES

An exciting new Thanet District Council website launches today, bursting with information and features to help people to find what they need quickly and easily. 

Resident feedback was used to help design the new site which has been organized around the most frequent queries that the council receives so that people will be able to find the information they need faster. The site will continue to evolve using this approach to better meet the needs of residents and other visitors. 

Content on the site has been rewritten, reorganized and an improved search engine has also been added. Council publications are now more accessible, whether reading them on screen or printing them. 

The new look website showcases Thanet at its best and has been built using modern technology so that it can be accessed from any digital device – PC, laptop, tablet or smart T.V. 

Built entirely in-house, the council has utilized the latest and most popular approaches to web design. 

The use of open source software has significantly reduced the cost of the new site and any ongoing additions and functions in the future.  

Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Cllr- Michelle Fenner said: “I am delighted with the new TDC website. It’s easy to use and navigate and showcases Thanet beautifully.  The focus on our residents’ information needs was a priority in the redesign of the website and once they have visited it, I am convinced that residents will agree.”  

“This is only the beginning for improvements to our digital communications – the council is working hard on offering more new and improved digital solutions where appropriate so that we can continue to give our residents modern and efficient services.”   

Visit the new Thanet District Council website today thanet.gov.uk

Ambrette to host ‘Flavours of Syria’ Charity Dinners

The Ambrette award-winning restaurants in Rye and Margate are to host two ‘Flavours of Syria’ gourmet evenings to raise funds for victims of conflict in the country.

Chef patron Dev Biswal has developed a special tasting menu of dishes from the region with the help of Turkish and Kurdish friends from the regions. The menu will be served on 15^th September in Rye and 29^th September in Margate, priced at £25 per head, £5 of which will be donated to Syria Reliefwww.Syriarelief.org.uk. If the evening proves popular, The Ambrette will hold further similar events for the charity.

“Flavours of Syria is a humble effort from our team to contribute to the huge humanitarian crisis in the region,” said Dev, adding “Culinary traditions of a people are always a true reflection of the cultural splendour of their region - Syria is a classic illustration.

“The fusion of Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian and Christian cultures within Syria has produced an astounding and diverse cuisine. Researching the cuisine was an eye-opener to the fact that without the tags of ethnicity, beliefs, colour and origin we are all similar at heart. The urge to live, dine and feast is inherent to our genetic make up,” he said.

The Ambrette has recreated some classic Syrian dishes such as ‘Makdous-pickled stuffed eggplant in olive oil’, ‘Sharhat mtfay -  Lemon garlic thin steaks’ and "Roz Bhaleeb -Syrian rice pudding’.

Biswal feels that much of the media debate has focussed on whether the world should take military action against, over shadowing the human tragedy.

"Two wrongs do not make a right and never will do - there has to be another way other than violence and bloodshed.  My heart goes out to the people ofSyria,” added Biswal.

A NEW DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THANET

An exciting new Destination Management Plan was tonight (Thursday 12 April) adopted by Thanet District Council’s Cabinet to help Thanet to gain more benefit from the visitors it receives. 

The plan was created in consultation with stakeholders for the whole of Thanet to encourage partnership working to achieve its aims.  

The three priority areas identified were:

• Beach management and development
• Coastal regeneration
• Telling our stories  

Key activities for these priority areas have been included in the plan with timescales for delivery, identified partners and stakeholders, milestones, resources and outcomes. 

The activities are focused on improving the visitor economy and encouraging investment in Thanet. It builds on current plans and activities and uses what’s unique about Thanet to make it stand out from the competition. 

New ways of working to achieve the aims of the plan will be driven by a partnership between the tourism industry and the public sector, where TDC will act as a catalyst, facilitator and partner. 

Cabinet member for Tourism, Cllr. Iris Johnston said: “I am delighted with the new Destination Management Plan. Tourism and the visitor economy is a priority for the council, as recognized by our Corporate Plan. The Destination Management Plan and activities will help to facilitate partnership working across sectors to achieve our agreed goals for the future of tourism in Thanet.” 

To find out more about the Destination Management Plan visit www.thanet.gov.uk

FUNDING APPROVED FOR 15 AFFORDABLE NEW HOMES

Thanet District Council’s Cabinet tonight (Thursday 12 April) agreed for £300,000 from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to be used to help to bring 15 empty properties in Thanet back into use as affordable housing. 

The £300,000 will provide the necessary match funding for the council’s successful bid for Housing and Communities Agency (HCA) funding in April 2013.

The main focus of the funding is to bring empty properties in town centres back into residential use. The council will now proceed to identify appropriate properties for lease and repair. On completion, the properties will be advertised through Choice Based Lettings to households on the Housing Register in accordance with the council’s Lettings Policy. 

Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr. David Green said: “Tackling Thanet’s housing needs is a major priority for the council and this funding will help to go some way towards doing just that. We have a long housing waiting list and insufficient housing to offer so achieving this funding is great news. The council will continue to focus on the area’s housing needs and leverage any opportunity that will help us to achieve positive results for our residents.”

Help keep your beaches clean

Thanet District Council’s Thanet Coast Project is running two Beachwatch events in September as a part of the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) annual national campaign, reaching out to anyone who would like to volunteer.

Everyone has the chance to volunteer and ‘turn the tide’ on beach litter to join a dedicated team, ensuring that the North East Kent Marine Protected Area (NEKMPA) beaches remain clean and safe for all.

Two beaches in Thanet will be receiving a thorough clean on Saturday 21 September. MCS beach clean and litter surveys aim to highlight the issues of beach litter around the UK’s coastline by surveying what items are picked up and cleared away. Other beaches are to be surveyed by Coastal Volunteers (Thanet Coastal Wardens) for the NEKMPA.

Sponsored by Cummins Power Generation, the beach litter survey will last two and a half hours and promises to be a fun and informative social occasion with gloves, bags and sticks provided.

The Beachwatch Big Weekend is the perfect opportunity for people to help keep our beautiful beaches clean, and at the same time contribute to the largest national beach litter survey - comprising of over 400 beaches. The results are vital in turning the tide on litter which has been steadily increasing since the surveys began in 1994.

The four main sources of litter found on UK beaches come from the public, fishing, sanitary waste (particularly cotton bud sticks and face wipes) and shipping. These finds are collated nationally and help to influence changes to laws on the disposing of waste at sea and investment in better sewage treatment at the coast.

Councillor Iris Johnston, Cabinet Member for Community Services said: “We would welcome volunteers to come forward to lend a hand on this healthy and rewarding outdoor activity that will help keep the beaches safe and clean for people and wildlife.

“Thanet proudly displays Blue Flags for eight of our beaches, proving that we have some of the best beaches in the world with clean sand, good beach facilities and high standards of water quality.

You can volunteer to help at this weekend’s event, or view further information about the North East Kent Marine Protected Area and coastal volunteer wardens on www.thanetcoast.org.uk

JEWISH HERITAGE DAY Sunday 15th. September and Sunday 29th September 2013 from 10.00am - 3.00pm

               MONTEFIORE SYNAGOGUE AND MAUSOLEUM, RAMSGATE

                                Honeysuckle Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT11 8AA

                                       European Days of Jewish Culture & Heritage

                                         Organised in the UK by B'nai B'rith UK

          Access also possible from Dumpton Park Drive, CT11 8AD; opposite Winterstoke Way CT11 8AG

THANET DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

In 2012 VisitEngland bought out principles for developing Destination Management Plans and Thanet, under its new Labour administration, was the first authority in Kent to use these guidelines to deliver its district plan.

 

Thanet District Council engaged Blue Sail and Visit Kent to produce a plan as a work stream of the Thanet Regeneration Board and TDC Cabinet Member Cllr Iris Johnston has been overseeing the project at each and every step. The plan sets out the priorities for the next five years to help Thanet achieve its potential as a visitor destination.

 

At TDC tomorrow (Thursday 12th Sept) the Cabinet will be asked to approve the Thanet Destination Management Plan.

 

Among a wide range of objectives, the comprehensive draft Thanet Destination Management Plan before Cabinet tomorrow evening urges Thanet partners to ‘stimulate the environment to encourage investment in new quality visitor attractions, visitor experiences and places to stay’.

NEW HOTEL - MARGATE

 

KCC are today (Wednesday 11th Sept) proposing a hotel for the Rendezvous site on Margate seafront. The Rendezvous site was given to KCC by the former Conservative administration at TDC as Thanet's contribution to the Turner Contemporary project.

 

Generally speaking the hotel proposal from KCC is in line with the proposed Thanet Destination Management Plan, but it will be for KCC to obtain planning permission, access project funding and to create a hotel development that is acceptable to the people of Thanet and attractive to our future visitors.

Published by Thanet Labour Group Press Office. 44 Northdown Road, Margate, Kent, CT9 2RW.

“GOLDEN BALLS” EMAIL: DID COUNCIL ASK FOR SECRET MEETING WITH BUILDER?

Thanet Watch magazine has received an email claiming Thanet council approached a builder for secret talks about a controversial project on Ramsgate seafront.

The email purports to have come from Mike Stannard, a director of Kent-based Cardy Construction.

In the email Stannard is alleged to have taken a call from “the chief exec” of Thanet District Council, asking for an “off-line chat” about Royal Sands.

“He does not want lawyers or others involved,” says the email, “and felt that me/Cardy and him were the two people in this project that could influence success for the project . Not sure why I have been singled out, but I guess if I can finally pull this one off, I would be Billy Golden Balls.”

The email, addressed to Stannard’s colleagues in Cardy, was received by Thanet Watch in answer to a request for a comment on another matter.

Norman Thomas of TW believes it may have been a simple mistake: “It looks to me like someone hit the “reply” function when they meant to hit “forward”

Cardy claims the email was sent out by an “unauthorised” person.

“Following an investigation by our IT manager,” Mike Stannard told Thanet Watch, “I can confirm that the email was edited and issued by an unauthorised person within our organisation and subsequently we will be undertaking an internal review. This review may well result in disciplinary actions being taken.”

Thomas of Thanet Watch said: “It’s certainly a rather strange email. For example, it refers to the chief executive of the council as a man, when in fact she’s a woman. But it raises more questions about what’s going on with this long-running development which has left Ramsgate seafront severely blighted now for over 12 years.”

The new September issue of Thanet Watch is on sale in newsagents across Thanet now.

Kent Green Party – Nigel Farage Dangerously Ignorant

UKIP Leader, Nigel Farage, has been described by  Kent Green Party as “dangerously ignorant” following his comments about fracking made whilst visiting Dover and Deal. According to reports Farage described fracking as a “God given opportunity” and “gift horse” (1) for the people of Kent.

Green Party spokesperson, Councillor Ian Driver said “Evidence is mounting that shale and coal bed methane gas extraction methods are extremely damaging. They deplete and pollute ground water supplies, increase greenhouse gas levels, cause earth tremors and destroy natural habitats”.

“In Kent 75% of our water comes from underground aquifers already under stress because of years of over extraction and pollution (2). Yet the latest applications to Kent County Council for exploratory drilling for shale and coal bed methane gas are located right on top of the East Kent Stour aquifer which supplies water for half-a-million people in the Ashford, Canterbury  Dover, Deal, and Thanet areas”(3).

“For Farage to describe a threat to the water security of one third of Kent’s population as a God-given gift-horse, suggests that he is a dangerously ignorant person who is out of touch with growing public concerns”.

“Kent Green Party is opposed to fracking. Instead of depending on fossil fuels, we propose major investments in developing new renewable energy sources” (4).

We will work closely with campaign groups across Kent to stop damaging gas extraction.  This will include taking peaceful direct action like Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas, who was recently arrested at the Balcombe anti-fracking protest.

Ends

248 words

FURTHER INFORMATION: Ian Driver, County Press Officer, Kent Green Party: Tel: 07866 588766.

Promoted by Stuart Jeffery for Kent Green Party, 82 Buckland Road, Maidstone ME16 0SD

KENT GREEN NEWS, free ezine, is available by subscription at www.kentgreenparty.org

DREAMLAND SITE TRANSFERS TO THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL

Ownership of the iconic Dreamland site in Margate has transferred to Thanet District Council today (Tuesday 3^rd September). 

In partnership with The Dreamland Trust, the council will now progress with plans to create a world class visitor attraction for Margate – an amusement park of thrilling historic rides.

Surveyors will be the first on-site to assess the condition of the land, which has stood empty for more than five years. Further work will also be undertaken to protect the three important heritage assets on the site, the Grade ll* listed Scenic Railway, the Grade ll* listed cinema building and the Grade ll Menagerie Cages. 

During this time, The Dreamland Trust and renowned HemingwayDesign team, will continue to lead on developing a brand and will progress with the creative design of the park. 

Although this is a key milestone for the project, the compulsory purchase of the site is still subject to legal challenge by the former site owners, which is due to be heard at the Appeals Court on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September. 

Leader of Thanet District Council, Cllr. Clive Hart, said: “The transfer of Dreamland to the council is another significant step towards creating a world class visitor attraction on this site. With overwhelming public support and the vital funds in place, we have been resolute in our commitment to deliver this landmark project and believe that the compulsory purchase of the land was the only viable option to save and restore the site. 

“The continued legal challenge is nothing short of frustrating. The council has carried out significant urgent repairs to the important heritage assets and has been saddened to see the site stand vacant and unused for such a long period of time.  

“With support from the Secretary of State, and the High Court, we are hopeful that the right outcome will be determined at the appeal, and will continue to do all we can to unlock the regeneration of this part of Margate.”

The Dreamland Trust Chairman, Nick Laister, said: "The transfer of the site to our partner Thanet District Council is one of the biggest milestones in our efforts to return Dreamland to its rightful place as Margate's biggest visitor attraction and to the people and community of Margate. 

"The Dreamland Trust and TDC have worked very hard to secure this transfer in the best interests of Thanet, as having a large, derelict wasteland in the middle of the seafront has been so detrimental to the image of Margate. The transformation of the town has already started following the opening of Turner Contemporary in 2011, and the reopening of Dreamland as the world's first amusement park of thrilling historic rides in 2015 will be the another big step forward for the resort. 

"We hope to be able to cross the final hurdle at the Court of Appeal later this month. We have the right team in place to deliver this project and, with the necessary funding now available to us, we are confident that the people and businesses of Thanet will not have to wait too long now to see visible progress on site."

THANET WATCH UNCOVERS THANET’S REVOLTING PAST

The people of the Isle of Thanet, east Kent, have been among the most rebellious in the country, according to an article in the new issue of Thanet Watch magazine.

Editor Norman Thomas said: “These days the area has a reputation for apathy, but in reality it has a long history of popular revolt and riot – more than most places.” 

The first recorded revolt on the Isle goes back as far as 1300, when tenants rebelled against their landlord, the abbot of Canterbury. Just 80 years later Thanet people were on the march again in the Peasants’ Revolt.

In 1830, Thanet farm workers were burning down buildings and destroying machinery in the Swing Riots. Thanet was home to one of the few female rioters, Elizabeth Studham, sentenced to death for setting light to the poor house in Birchington.

Later in the century popular violence centred on Ramsgate. There were two riots over the selling of fish in the port – one in 1838 and the other in 1886.

But the biggest trouble came in 1920 with the Great Coke Battle, when the people of Ramsgate fought running battles with police to try to stop the moving of locally produced coke in German ships.

“This was a huge battle,” said Norman Thomas. “There was rioting for three days and three nights. Hundreds of police from across Kent and London were called in.

“What’s interesting, of course, is why Thanet has this history of popular rebellion. I believe it’s to do with the longstanding poverty of the area and the arrogant behaviour of its local leaders.

“We have a pattern of people being exploited and pushed around, and then of discontent boiling over into direct action.”

The new September issue of Thanet Watch, price 80p, is on sale in newsagents across Thanet now. It also includes revelations about the ongoing Ramsgate seafront controversy and the threat to Thanet’s drinking water from fracking.

Lachrymose: A choral salute to those lost at sea

2 September 2013

Press release Lachrymose: A choral salute to those lost at sea This autumn Turner Contemporary presents an extraordinary programme of contemporary musical activities which culminates in the musical performance Lachrymose, a choral response to the conflicting emotional landscape of remembrance which commemorates the 2014 centenary of the beginning of the First World War. With a particular focus on the WW1 roll-call associated with the Margate War Memorial at Trinity Hill, local singers unite at Turner Contemporary in a series of interdisciplinary workshops and music-making activities concluding in a community musical co-production. The performance has been developed by Producer Tania Holland-Williams and will see both musicians and non-musicians coming together to create, perform and experience music in new and unusual ways. Central to the musical programme is the development of a new work Lachrymose led by composer Jon Hering. This new and unaccompanied choral work brings together a range of local communities to co-create a vocal response to the conflicting emotional landscape of remembrance. Drawing on folksong and sea shanty for material, the final work sits within the contemporary classical music genre. The programme is open to the public and will offer a series of choral and poetry workshops across November culminating in two performances of Lachrymose at Turner Contemporary on the afternoon of 23 November 2013. Lachrymose was conceived by Tania Holland-Williams. The work is co-commissioned by Tania Holland-Williams and Turner Contemporary and composed by Jon Hering. You can be a part of the commemoration by taking part in workshops, which culminate in performances on Saturday 23 November 2013. Sat 2 Nov - 11am to 5.30pm Sun 10 Nov - 10.30am to 5.30pm Sat 16 Nov - 1.30pm to 6pm Sun 17 Nov - 10.30am to 5.30pm Performance: 23 November 2pm & 3.30pm Participating singers do not need to be able to read music but will need to make a commitment to the project, including attending every rehearsal session and practicing outside rehearsals. To take part in the Lachrymose workshops, please contact Tania Holland-Williams attaniahollandwilliams@gmail.com by Friday 4 October 2013.   Quotes Tania Holland Williams says: “I wanted to produce a piece of work that would provide an opportunity for singers of all shapes and sounds to be intimately involved in the pursuit of something we loosely term contemporary classical music - very much hoping that people would enter into a vocal and creative adventure with us.Lachrymose, with its attendant and varied vocal elements all set within the framework of ensemble choral singing, creates a platform for performers and audience alike through which to begin their journey.” Jon Hering says: “There is something very powerful and honest about music written just for the human voice. There is something equally powerful about a large number of people coming together with a common emotional subject, and working together to explore and express this. I am really interested to discover what can be achieved by this temporary community, and how we will use our shared talents and experiences - in the striking setting of Turner Contemporary.”    Turner Contemporary gratefully acknowledges financial support from PRS for Music Foundation andArts Council England

NEW SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THANET WATCH OUT NOW!

THANET WATCH, Thanet’s own monthly investigative publication is back, packed with controversy, revelations and fascinating facts.

In the new issue:

FRACKING DANGERS:  Does fracking pose a threat to our drinking water? What’s the position of Thanet MP Laura Sandys?

RAMSGATE SEA FRONT CONTROVERSY:  Rogue email claims council boss requested secret meeting with construction company director

TURNER’S ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS:  Thanet’s most high profile art gallery has staff on zero hour contracts – is this right?

NASTY NUNS II: One woman’s story of inhuman and shocking treatment in a childrens’ home in Broadstairs.

THANET’S HISTORY OF RIOT:  Peasant rebellions, battles in the street, anti-German riots, farm workers in revolt –  Thanet Watch uncovers an amazing record of popular unrest.

ALSO: All the events and entertainments across the Isle for the month ahead.  

If you want to know where you can your copy of Thanet Watch, ring us on 01843 604 253 or 07989 070 843.

And please let us know what you think!

Christine

THANET WATCH

13 Grosvenor Road

Broadstairs

CT10 2BT

Tel 01843 604 253

inmeds@yahoo.co.uk

www.thanetwatch.wordpress.com

Thanet Sports Awards 2013

Thanet Sports Awards are back! Bigger and better than ever before and now’s your chance to nominate.

The annual event is organised by Thanet District Council’s Sport Matters team, working in partnership with the Thanet Sports Network, showcasing local sporting talent and achievement across all ages with a full range of sporting abilities.

The event is now in its 5^th year and is expected to be the best yet. It will build on from the huge success from last year’s event, which saw over 350 people in attendance.

This year’s event will combine community sports nominations, school based awards and will also showcase a ‘surprise’ sporting champion guest speaker to talk about their experiences and journey into sport.  Last year the nominees were greeted by 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jade Jones, who rose to stardom with her gold winning Taekwondo display in London.

The Thanet Sports Awards aims to encourage all clubs big or small to get involved in this year’s event. There is a category for everyone and this could be your opportunity to reward someone at your club or school. 

The Thanet Sports Awards 2013 will celebrate “all things sport” – not just high level achievement but also those who have shown extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication.  Family, friends, coaches, teachers and sport professionals are invited to nominate individuals and teams in a number of categories.

Online nominations are available on www.thanet.gov.uk/sportsawards and will go LIVE from Friday 23^d August with nominations closing at Midnight on Friday 11^th October.

The only conditions are that nominations must be residents of Thanet or members of Thanet based clubs & Schools, and nominations must be for the period 1^st September 2012 to 1^st September 2013. We only need one nomination for each individual or team and the panel will judge each on its merits. Plus those who were nominated last year can be nominated again.

“We were overwhelmed by the response last year” said Cllr Iris Johnston, Cabinet Member for Community Services at Thanet District Council. 

“A year on from the London 2012 Olympic Games we aim to continue the sporting legacy by providing plenty of opportunities for all tiers of the community to be inspired and get involved. 

“Thanet Sports Awards is a fantastic opportunity to reward all the hard work that local voluntary clubs, schools, volunteers and performers put into local sport.”

The Thanet Sports Network is also offering local businesses and other organisations the opportunity to sponsor the awards themselves.  Sponsorship for one award costs £350 with two awards costing £500 and includes the company name and logo on the award, logo and company description in the event programme, two VIP tickets to the event and presentation of the award to the winner. 

Further information and a sponsorship application form are available at www.thanet.gov.uk/sportsawards or call the sports team on 01843 577032.

NEW BOOK FINDS LAUGHS IN RAMSGATE CEMETERY

A book about the deaths and burial of notable and less-than-notable inhabitants and visitors to Ramsgate may sound rather uninviting reading.  However, the stories wound about these now permanent residents of the town, and the history of Ramsgate Cemetery itself, make for absorbing and at times amusing reading, revealing as they do an aspect of life (!?) most of us only glimpse in moments of bereavement or tragedy.

  Michael Hunt, author of A History of Ramsgate Harbour and A History of the Ramsgate Fishing Industry has turned his attention to the cemetery whose entrance on Cecilia - originally Cemetery - Road (the name was changed following residents’ objections) has welcomed funeral cortėges beneath its arch for the past 142 years.  Since its opening in 1871 Ramsgate Cemetery has received the distinguished, the humble, the heroic and the tragic; those who in life achieved a degree of fame and those whose story has never before been told.  Here lies the man who trained sea-lions to hunt submarines, the young Canadian seaman tragically killed by his own brother and the victims, old and young, of accident, conflict and medical short-comings over the past century and a half.

Telling Tales is subtitled Encounters in Ramsgate Cemetery, and the narrative takes the form of a dialogue punctuating the stories of those whose inscriptions and monuments provide the physical landscape against which the narrative is set.  But is this an internal dialogue, or one between acquaintances disputing among the graves?  This question is left for the reader to decide.

If you want to know who was the guiding visionary behind Ramsgate’s East-West Cliff-linking road; who really invented the diving helmet; who was the first Men’s Wimbledon champion and what became of him; or wish to explore the short-comings of health & safety regulations in Victorian times, these and many other fascinating facts and revelations will emerge from beyond the veil for those who contact Michael’s Bookshop, 72 King Street, Ramsgate CT11 8NY, (01843) 589500; or on-line www.MichaelsBookshop.com, where they may learn something to their advantage. Black armbands not obligatory.

"Telling Tales" by Michael Hunt is priced £8.99 and is launched this month (September). .