Thanet Male Voice Choir
Thanet Male Voice Choir were proud to be able to present a cheque for £3000.00 to Macmillan Cancer Support, following their Annual Christmas Charity Concert, which took place in December at Holy Trinity Church Broadstairs. As always, the choir were supported by the children of Upton School Choir, and Proteus Brass.
After an enforced three year break due to covid restrictions, the concert was a sell out. Thanet Male Voice Choir will next be in concert on 15th March at All Saints Church Birchington at 7.30pm . Further information can be gained by visiting the choir’s website www.thanetmvc.org.uk/concerts
The choir are always on the look out for new singers, details about how to join us can be obtained by emailing [email protected]
Margate Sea and Royal Marine Cadets
Lt Kelly Tonks, of Margate Sea and Royal Marine Cadets, has recently progressed from Officer in Command to Commanding Officer.
The current Commanding Officer Lt (SCC) Kellt Tonks Bsc (Hons) RMR, was originally an air cadet with 99 (Folkestone) Squadron ATC until she joined the Royal Marines in 1992.
She passed for service with 637 Troop in November 1992 before going on to serve with 42 Commando, RM Deal and the RM Poole and serving in Cyprus, Norway and a number of other locations. She also represented the Royal Marines, Royal Navy and Combined servives at rugby and the Royal Marines at football.
She left the Royal Marines in 1998 and went to study at the University of Portsmouth, graduating in 2001 with a Bsc (Hons) in leisure resource management. During her time in Portsmouth she joined C (Duke of Connaught) Company, Princess Margaethe’s Own, 6/7th Battalion, Princess of Wales Royal Regiment where she rose to the rank of Sergeant, becoming the Regimental Recruit Training Team (RRTT) Senior NCO for C Coy. During her time with the Company she served in the United States and Canada, Norway, Belgium, France, Ukraine, Cyprus and the Mediterranean and also represented the Regiment at the Infantry Cross Country Skiing Championships at Lillehammer in Norway and at the Army Downhill Skiing Championships in Serre Chevalier France.
Kelly returned to the world of cadets in 2012, working with the air cadets as Adjutant to 99 (Folkestone) Squadron and then CO of 305 (Ashford) Sqn until she transferred to the Royal Marines Cadets in 2017. She assumed command of Margate Unit Sea and Royal Marines Cadets as OIC in June 2021 and was appointed Commanding Officer in 2023. She lives with her fiancée Vix in Canterbury and has a daughter, Heather, who is now almost 20,
Hereson School reunion
A school reunion marking the 80th birthdays of former students of 1B1 class in 1954, then aged 11, which will take place at the Racing Greyhound pub on the 1st April between the hours of 1300 to 1730 where a small buffet will be laid on for those attending.
Over many months organiser and 1B1 former pupil Sideny Anning has researched through Ancestry for other possible members, but because of advanced ages, he found out sadly that many have passed away. With others because he has no name to put to the faces in the photograph he has drawn a blank sadly.
But he has had a fair response from others who were not in 1B1 class but were at Hereson from 1954 to 1958 who wished to come along and he has agreed. Sidney has about 23 in number including some of the wives and one widow. The reunion is by invite only. If you wish to attend please email Sidney at [email protected]
Margate Civic Society
After our winter recess: we look forward to welcoming Members to the first meeting of this year’s Lecture Programme, details as below:-
Thursday, 2 March at 1930 hrs (attendees to be seated by 1920 hrs please)
Speaker Kathy Bailes (The Isle of Thanet News) Kent Press and Broadcast Awards – Kent Commitment to the community 2020, Kent news website of the year 2018 and Kent Digital Journalist of the year 2017.
Topic: Local News Media Today and the Growth of Independent Publishers” – followed by an opportunity for any questions
Holy Trinity Margate Hall, St Mary’s Ave, Margate CT9 3TN – ample parking available outside the church.
Entrance Fee: Non-Members/Lapsed Members : £3.50 nominal fee.
As always during the evening, refreshments and merchandise will be on sale, together with raffle tickets (priced £1.00 per strip or 6 for £5.00) with the draw taking place at the end of the evening.
If you are interested in joining Margate Civic Society, or wish to find out more, please see our website www.margatecivicsociety.org.uk for further details.
Margate Rotary Club
Many of us worry about the cost of our electricity, but thousands of Ukrainian families have no electricity at all, after the bombing of power stations. They are facing a tough, cold, frightening winter.
This was discussed at Margate Rotary Club – which recently celebrated its centenary – where Past President Mike Bastow suggested that 24 people paying £25 each would raise more than enough to buy a generator to keep a family warm.
Local business connections liked the idea of defraying the costs of a four-course dinner with wine towards the £600 target. Steve Hogman of the Family Butchers in St Peter’s donated the meat. Mick Curtis of Drink Warehouse and Damien Cooke of Cooke and Co Estate Agents took care of the wine. The Club’s French Twin, Lille Sud Rotary, donated superior champagne for a raffle.
Mike and Sharon Bastow, ably assisted by Sharon‘s brother Trevor (former chef at The Tartar Frigate), did all the cooking for the dinner last Friday (3rd). 24 diners paid £25 a head. 1,000 raffle tickets had been sold at £1 each. An auction and an anonymous donation brought the total to £2,800 with some Gift Aid.
The original aim was to send one generator to Ukraine. That one dinner, with some help from a generous community, means that another Rotary Club connection will soon be driving FIVE generators to Ukraine, for families in dire circumstances.
There are several Rotary Clubs in Thanet, serving people in need at home and abroad. If you would like to be part of a fun group that has community service at its core, get in touch with Margate Rotary and they will share with you how a little effort can make a big difference to others’ lives, as well as your own! www.facebook.com/RotaryClubMargate
Report by David Stringer
Curant Care
Curant Care Ramsgate grand opening on February 6 with:
Sibi Kumar CEO
Lucas Adams Registered manager.
Ellie Penfold Recruitment consultant.
Presley Bunting Operations manager
Amanda Nahoor Area manager.
At Curant Care we are extremely proud of our reputation as a company that specialises in creating successful outcomes. We believe in supporting people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. We provide a wide range of support to the community and to anybody age 18+. This can range from hourly personal care visits shopping and domestic visits all the way up to a live in service.
Please pop into our new branch 30 King Street Ramsgate CT11 8NT or call 01843 307003 or email [email protected] for any enquiries. We are also recruiting care staff please call or email Ellie on [email protected]
Sandwich Quay toilets survey
We have launched an online survey to gather feedback from the public concerning the Sandwich Town Council-maintained public toilets at the Quay area. You can view the survey here: https://forms.office.com/r/9gCwfDCfjh.
The Sandwich Quay Conveniences are split into three sections.
1) Disabled toilet, accessed externally. 40p per use via a contactless card door mechanism.
2) Disabled toilet and shower, accessed externally. £4.00 per use for 20mins via a contactless card door mechanism. Currently requires maintenance due to vandalism.
3) Two bathrooms (one male and one female), accessed internally. Adjoining small office with storeroom. Currently closed pending development.
The contactless card door mechanism was implemented in May 2021. The opening hours are roughly 8am/9am to 5pm. They are cleaned every few hours. Vandalism is a persistent problem, costing staff time, repairs and closing of facilities. Current forecasted costs of running the conveniences is c.£16,000, down from c.£25,000 in 2018/19.
The survey closes on February 15.
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