Thanet community news: Birchington Man Shed, camera club, Rotary and community foundation

Birchington Man Shed team

Birchington Man Shed

The Grand Opening (at Quex Craft Village on Thursday, August 25) was a fantastic success. The predicted rain stayed away and over 45 people visited us during the day with many of those staying for the opening event.

At 2pm the Chairman of Birchington Parish Council, Cllr Neville Hudson, cut the ribbon and the doors opened. Most of our activities were on show around the Man Shed with our wood craft display getting a lot of interest. So much so, we had 3 new members sign up there and then. At this rate both the morning and afternoon sessions on Monday and Thursday will be full. We may have to open another day, which would be amazing.

Cllr Neville Hudson and Mike Kite from the man shed

We have many people to thank . A special thank you to Cllr Neville Hudson for opening the event, Shahla’s Cakes for supplying a lovely selection of delicious homemade cakes, Academy FM for taking an interest in us, also Eileen and Jackie for serving the refreshments. Members of both Herne Bay and Minster Man Sheds visited us, as did Katie from Social Enterprise Kent and Trish from South East Steel, also Teresa from Age UK paid us a visit.

We always welcome new members especially if you are an experienced wood turner willing to pass on your knowledge to others.

September will see us embark on a substantial railway layout. We hope that in the long term we will be able to take our layout to a railway exhibition. We will need various skills to achieve this including woodworking, track laying and maintenance, building scenic, designing and making railway and general buildings, electronic control of points and signals, building rolling stock, and of course someone to run the trains. There will also be the opportunity to bring your own loco and rolling stock along to give it a run.

Other activities at the Man Shed include woodturning, building rocking horses, bird boxes, hedgehog houses, bug hotels, wooden toys, library boxes, and any other projects suitable to our ability to produce them. At the model-making table, we are currently halfway through building a balsa wood aeroplane capable of being fitted with a petrol or electric engine. We have an electronics section where we are repairing remote control cars, also programming, and coding, via the internet, our Arduino Kit. There are five bicycles in need of TLC awaiting someone to come and repair them so we can pass them on at a small profit to anybody that needs one.

We have recently been given two more computers, making four in total and we have experts drop in to give us tuition on IT matters including the ever popular pursuit of building your family tree. Also glass engraving for the more artistic.

Come along and share your enthusiasm, humour, ideas and skills. Have a cup of tea and coffee and enjoy some good-natured “banter”.

A feeling of “Well Being” is essential for all of us. Pay us a visit and join if it is right for you. Don’t let loneliness and isolation get you down, be part of an organisation that values you. There are no bosses at our shed, just an intention to deliver something worthwhile for everyone.

Birchington Man Shed is affiliated to the Association of UK Men’s Sheds, and is based on the Australian Man Shed concept. We are supported by South East Steel, Social Enterprise Kent Fund, Kent Community Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund.

Find Birchington Man Shed on facebook here

Isle of Thanet Photographic Society

Members have enjoyed their summer out and about with cameras and mobile phones taking lots of images to show on 8 September, which is the first night of our new season.

Later in the month, members will be judged on the results of the “summer project”, based on eight different subjects set by the Chairman, Andy Shaw. Andy said: “I am looking forward to seeing how members responded to the challenge I set them and of course to our new season. We have an exciting programme lined up, including competitions and speakers. It will be great to welcome everyone to the Portland Centre in St Peters, Broadstairs – our new venue for 2022/23”.

Meetings are on Thursdays beginning 8 September at 7.30 pm. Annual adult membership costs just £35 and the weekly fee is £4 (£5 for guests).

We are always looking for inspirational guest speakers and competition judges so anyone who would like to come and support the club in this way would be most welcome to get in touch via our website.

For further information about the club, including membership and the programme, please visit our website: www.isleofthanetphotographicsociety.co.uk or find us on Facebook.

Rotary Club of Westgate & Birchington

There’s nothing “square” about Rotary!

We were delighted to welcome David Bowie enthusiast Kat Webb who took time off from her 20th Century B&B in Birchington to come and give an illustrated talk “In Ziggy’s footsteps”. It’s 50 years since David Bowie’s meteoric rise to stardom from humble gigs at Cliftonville Hall to appearing on Top of the Pops and the Old Grey Whistle Test on Christmas day 1972. A leading figure in the music industry, he is now regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

To find out more about us foot-tapping Rotarians have a look at our Facebook page or our website at www.wb-rotary.co.uk. Guests are always welcome at our meetings; Contact Dave Alker on 07962 929700

Kent Community Foundation

Kent Community Foundation is committed to supporting projects which protect Kent’s beautiful countryside and coastline and address social issues which are intertwined with environmental impact.

During Great Big Green Week (24 September – 2 October), they are highlighting the financial support that is available for charities and community groups who want to affect change.

Kent Community Foundation award funding from their Environment Themed Programme to projects improving local spaces and encouraging more sustainable ways of living that understand the link between poverty of life and poverty of environment and aim to improve the most affected communities.

Average grants of £4,000 support projects which may include the planting of trees and hedging regeneration, restoration of local habitats, organised litter picking, and beach cleans, community garden projects, projects focused on educating children about local wildlife and nature or learning about growing and cooking your own food or initiatives using solar panels or insulation to make community buildings greener.

Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said: “We believe that local community action can be at the heart of delivering valuable solutions to lessen our impact on the environment, and importantly, offer benefits that local people can reap. Through our funding we want to help address the potential future impacts of warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers on the future prosperity, environmental quality, and health and well-being of our local communities.

“This year we awarded  £3,722 to Well Projects C.I.C. from our Environment Themed Programme to run a series of creative workshops that explore ecology and environmentalism for adults with learning disabilities and young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and we hope to fund many more projects in the Thanet area.”

To find out more about funding from Kent Community Foundation’s Environment Themed Programme visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding#step4 or to find out more about The Great Big Green Week visit www.greatbiggreenweek.com

Advice clinic

Kent Community Foundation has been funding organisations across Kent and Medway for over twenty years. Last year they awarded funding totalling £4m to charities and community groups across the thirteen districts, with over £300,000 awarded to organisations in Thanet.

On 29 September, Kent Community Foundation Grants Manager Rachèle Verrier will be holding an Advice Clinic to offer Thanet based charities and community groups who support children and young people, the opportunity to discuss what funding is available from the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund.

The Advice Clinic will be held at the Millmead Early Years Centre Dane Valley Road, Margate, CT9 3RU on Thursday 29 September and limited appointments are available between 11am to 3pm.

Rachèle Verrier, Grants Manager, Kent Community Foundation, said: “The Thanet Advice Clinic on 29 September, will give community groups and charities the opportunity to discuss funding of up to £5,000 from The Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund for organisations that support children and young people in the Thanet area. I am looking forward to meeting local grassroots organisations and in particular those who have not previously received grants from Kent Community Foundation, to discuss what funding requirements they have and to offer tips on how to present their future applications.

“Our previous Advice Clinics have been very popular and as appointments are limited, I recommend that you book as soon as possible to secure a place.”

It is essential to pre-book one of the one-to-one appointments by emailing [email protected] and to find out more about funding from Kent Community Foundation please visit www.kentcf.org.uk/funding