Stagecoach South East/ Age UK
Stagecoach South East’s festive Santa Buses have spread holiday cheer across Eastbourne, Thanet, and Ashford throughout December, delighting customers with visits from Santa and his elves, all while raising over £3,000 for local AgeUK centres.
Customers travelling on the festively decorated buses enjoyed sparkling snowflakes, colourful greetings, and the chance to meet Santa and his helpers on board. Beyond the joy and festive fun, the initiative raised vital funds to support AgeUK’s work in the community, helping older residents stay connected, supported, and engaged during the holiday season.
The total amount fundraised across East Sussex and Kent includes a whopping £2,500 for AgeUK Thanet. In addition AgeUk East Sussex received £405 and Age UK Hythe, Lyminge and Ashford, £161.
Joel Mitchell, Managing Director at Stagecoach South East, said: “Our Santa Buses are a cherished tradition, and we’re thrilled to have brought festive cheer to so many passengers this year. We’re especially proud to support AgeUK, whose work has such a positive impact on older people in our communities. A huge thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this year’s fundraising a success.”
Customers can continue to support AgeUK online, helping local older residents stay connected and supported throughout the year.
Chartwell House
Chartwell House in Broadstairs has been awarded a 5-star food hygiene rating by the Environmental Health Officer (EHO), the highest standard achievable under the national Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
The 5-star rating recognises Chartwell House’s commitment to the highest standards of food safety, hygiene, and quality. The assessment, conducted by the local authority Environmental Health Officer, evaluated the home’s food handling practices, cleanliness and condition of facilities, and management of food safety procedures.
Food hygiene ratings aren’t just about compliance – they’re about trust, safety, and wellbeing.
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, managed by the Food Standards Agency, helps residents and families make informed choices about where their loved ones receive care.
Ratings range from 0 (urgent improvement needed) to 5 (very good), with assessments covering everything from food storage and preparation to kitchen cleanliness and staff training.
For care homes, where residents depend on daily meals for nutrition, comfort, and quality of life, food safety takes on even greater significance. A 5-star rating provides reassurance that every meal is prepared in an environment that meets the most rigorous hygiene and safety standards.
At Chartwell House, this achievement reflects the skill, dedication, and attention to detail that the kitchen team brings to every single meal.
Kevin, Head Chef at Chartwell House, said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved a 5-star food hygiene rating at Chartwell House. It reflects the care, skill, and attention our kitchen team puts into every meal, every day. Most importantly, it reassures our residents, families and guests that food safety and quality are always our top priority.”
Diane Blake, Home Manager at Chartwell House, added: “This 5-star rating is a testament to the hard work and professionalism of our entire kitchen team. Food is so central to our residents' daily experience – it nourishes, brings comfort, and creates moments of connection. Knowing that every meal is prepared to the highest safety and hygiene standards gives our residents and their families complete peace of mind. I couldn’t be prouder of what Kevin and the team have achieved.”
The kitchen team at Chartwell House works closely with local suppliers to source fresh, seasonal produce, creating menus that are tailored to individual dietary needs and preferences. From daily meals to special celebrations, food at Chartwell House is thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and served in a welcoming, restaurant-style bistro environment.
For more information about Chartwell House or to arrange a visit, please visit www.chartwellhouse.care
Quigley Theatre Arts
This will be our 4th year hosting a charity danceathon and this year we are raising money for the British Heart Foundation and Kent Surrey Sussex air ambulance.
Previous charities we have supported are – Bowel Cancer UK, Sands, RNLI Margate and Young Lives vs Cancer.
Date: Sunday 1st March 2026
Anyone who would like to dance;
Times: Under 16s – 10am-11am (collect sponsorship prior to the event)
Adults – 11.30am-1.30pm (£5.00 suggested entry fee)
For anyone not dancing we will be open from 10am with the day concluding by 2.00pm. Everyone is welcome to come and have a slice of cake and a drink, there will also be stalls, tombola, raffle and other games to play.
Location: The Centre, Alpha Road, Birchington, CT7 9EG
Please book your spot with Quigley Theatre Arts on [email protected] or 07900685632
Broadstairs 41 Club (BETA)
You are invited to join our club for our dinner and talk meeting on Tuesday, February 10th at The Botany Bay Hotel in Kingsgate. We will be enjoying some good food and bonhomie, followed by a talk that promises to be interesting, informative and really helpful if you have any leather goods at home.
The after-dinner talk will feature Nelson and Jenny Were. Nelson will be sharing some secrets of his leather goods trade, together with tips for taking good care of your prized possessions.
Award-winning leather bag designer and maker, Nelson, has enjoyed seeing his bags on sale in top London stores. He has been based in Quex Craft Village for over 10 years and says that he loves Thanet. “I don’t know if it’s the sea air, the vibe, or the people here, but something about Thanet stimulates creativity.”
His primary business is designing and making his distinctive leather bags, though he also takes bespoke orders. He was thrilled a few years ago to be commissioned to make a bag for the then Archbishop of Canterbury, as a ‘Thank You’ for the Easter week he spent in Thanet.
More recently, he has also been restoring well-loved bags and briefcases. The idea was prompted by a customer not wanting to part with her old, well-loved Louis Vuitton, which badly needed reviving. “Word got round,” said Nelson, “and I really enjoy bringing the old bags back to life.”
Many of us have a prized bag or briefcase – often a treasured gift or moment of extravagance – that is now looking too well-used and loved to take out. Bring it along! After the talk, Nelson will be happy to give some tips on home restoration, or a guide quote for the cost of the full, professional job.
About Broadstairs 41 Club (BETA):
We are part of the Round Table family. The organisation was founded 99 years ago by a young Louis Marchesi (uncle of the Broadstairs hoteliers and restauranteurs). As a member of Norwich Rotary Club, he saw a need for a social and service club where younger members would feel more ‘at home’. The Round Table movement has since become global and has made significant contributions to society, while its members have had fun while expanding their social networks.
Broadstairs Round Table was well-known for its winning carnival-floats, but much more besides. It was one of our current members who, back in 1974, persuaded the club (then area clubs, then the national organisation) to get behind his ideas for fund-raising, after meeting Shirley Nolan and her young son who needed some life-saving treatment. The total amount raised was enough to fund a new organisation, now simply known as ‘Anthony Nolan’. Countless lives have since been saved by them. (Thank you, George).
’41 Club’ was born out of the initial rule that members had to leave when they reached 40. Although still known as Broadstairs 41 (Broadstairs Ex-Tablers Association), membership is now open to any men aged over 40 (there is a sister club for the ladies). We meet on the 2nd Tuesday monthly, usually at The Botany Bay, though 5 or 6 meetings a year involve ladies and partners for various activities – especially the meeting nearest to Valentines Day.
To book in for the meal and talk, or if you want to know more about the club, contact our President, David Stringer, – [email protected]
Hornby Hobbies
Hornby Hobbies has recently installed an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) outside its offices, making lifesaving equipment publicly accessible to the local community, 24 hours a day.
The AED was awarded through Benenden Charitable Trust in partnership with Benenden Health and St John Ambulance, as part of a scheme to increase access to emergency equipment and support community wellbeing.
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, and having an AED nearby can significantly improve survival rates. By installing the unit externally, Hornby Hobbies hopes it can be used not only by staff, but by members of the wider community should it ever be needed.
Margate Town Council
Margate’s residents are invited to share their views on detailed plans to set up a new parish council for Margate. A public consultation has launched.
Setting up a new town or parish council must follow a specific process called a Community Governance Review. This began in July 2025 following approval from Thanet District Council’s Cabinet to ask residents’ views on a new town or parish council for Margate.
As part of this Community Governance Review, Thanet District Council is now inviting local people to share their views on the specific details relating to the size and make up of Margate’s new parish council.
Responses to the consultation are encouraged from Margate residents, businesses, community organisations and local groups, and can be submitted via a short online survey. This is open until 5pm on Monday 16 March 2026.
This latest survey follows an earlier consultation held between Friday 15 August and Sunday 28 September 2025. Local people were asked to share their views on whether it was time to set up a Parish Council for Margate. Of the 773 responses received, 700 were either in favour or strongly in favour.
Further information about the Community Governance Review for Margate, the role of town and district councils, and a link to the survey is available on the website. People are strongly encouraged to review the webpage before completing the survey.
Cllr Rick Everitt, Leader of Thanet District Council, said: “Margate is the only place in Thanet that doesn’t already have a parish or town council. Last summer we asked residents, businesses, community organisations and local groups whether they wanted a parish council for their town. Almost everyone that responded told us that yes, they do.
“In response, we’ve drawn up plans for how the council would work. Now it’s time for local people to look at these and tell us what they think, as part of this second public consultation.”
Anyone who is unable to complete the survey online can request an alternative format by calling 01843 577000. Paper forms will also be available from Thanet’s Gateway Plus, Cecil Street, Margate CT9 1RE during normal opening hours.
It is expected that a final decision will be made by July 2026 and that if a new parish council were to be approved, it could be formed in May 2027.
