Community: Sea Cadets, Yoakley, W2W, Academy FM, EKFC, Summer Ball, Seaside CEO, KRAN, Places for People, Red Rebel and Martha Trust

Margate Sea Cadets

Congratulations to Lance Corporal Green on her appointment as Lord Warden’s Cadet for the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. This prestigious appointment is a testament to her outstanding commitment, professionalism, and dedication to the Sea and Royal Marine cadet Corps and her local community.

Throughout her time at Margate Unit, Lance Corporal Green has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of conduct, reliability, and leadership. Whether representing the unit on parade, performing as a key member of the band, or supporting younger cadets, she approaches every duty with enthusiasm, pride, and maturity. Her confidence, respectful manner, and ability to conduct herself professionally at civic and ceremonial events make her an exceptional ambassador for the Corps.

Her willingness to step forward and undertake additional ceremonial responsibilities at short notice further highlights her dedication and readiness to serve. Respected by both her peers and adult volunteers, she leads by example and embodies the values and spirit of the Sea and Royal Marine Cadet Corps.

This appointment by Admiral Sir George Michael Zambellas GCB, DSC, ADC, DL, FRAeS, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, is a well-deserved recognition of her hard work and achievements. Lance Corporal Green will no doubt represent Margate Unit, the Sea Cadet Corps, and the Confederation of the Cinque Ports with distinction throughout her year of service.

Yoakley Summer Fair

Friday 5 June | 2.30 to 4.00pm
Entry: £1

Drapers Close, Margate CT9 4AH

Handmade items from residents and
friends

Tombola and raffle

Cake stall

Tea/coffee and biscuit included

Wilderness to Wonderland

Working with local authority, local business and our fab volunteers it is always a pleasure to share the joy of the community gardens we have created together for residents and visitors.

The past few days have been a fabulous celebration of what is possible when we all give and take; ebb and flow…. a little

Wildernesstowonderland have again been asked to supply the flowers for the Prestigious Soul Festival

Thanet Business Network have generously designed and printed a banner to help us invite volunteers and sponsors to join the team.

Terence Painter Estate Agents have sponsored the shortfall needed for Wildernesstowonderland to restock and restore the tourist information planters ready to welcome visitors this bank holiday weekend and for the season ahead

AND we have at last finished phase one of our plans to establish rockery gardens next to the infamous Eliot Shelter at ‘The gateway to Margate.’

Wildernesstowonderland always welcomes new sponsors and volunteers.

Contact [email protected] to explore ways of working together to promote civic pride, community and diversity in Margate.

Thanet Academy FM

Former BBC Radio Kent presenter Ian McGregor is to return to the Kent airwaves to host a weekly soul and Motown show on Thanet’s Academy FM.

The new show will feature soul favourites and singalongs from the birth of Motown in 1959 through the decades to modern day soul practitioners such as Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak plus many soulful surprises.

A Glaswegian by birth, Ian moved to Kent in the 80s, first as spokesperson for Southern Region trains and later as a presenter for BBC Radio Kent where he hosted many shows including his popular Mac ’til Midnight ‘phone-in.

He has since appeared on a number of radio stations including Maritime Radio in Greenwich, Peterborough’s PCR FM, Radio Newark, Corby Radio and Manx Radio on the Isle of Man and is now dropping anchor at Academy FM Thanet in the county where his radio journey began:

“I’m really looking forward to being back on the airwaves in Kent where it all started for me when I was wooed away from a job for life on the railway into the uncertain and always surprising world of broadcasting, ” says Ian. “I’ve been made very welcome by the team at Academy FM which is a vibrant radio station rooted firmly in its community and can’t wait to get going with the brand new show.”

Station Manager Debbie Day added: “It’s fabulous to have Ian back on the Kent airwaves and we’re very pleased he has chosen to join Thanet’s leading station, Academy FM.”

Academy FM Thanet launched in 2010 and can be heard locally in Thanet on 107.8FM, and across East Kent on DAB digital radio, plus on your smart speaker and online at academyfmthanet.com.

Ian’s Soul and Motown Party show launches on Thursday June 4 at 9pm.

East Kent Football Club

The club is looking for new players for our Foundation Sessions and Team Pathways for the upcoming 2026/27 season!

If your daughter loves football or wants to try it out in a fun, supportive environment, come along to our open trials.

When: Saturday 6th June

Saturday 13th June

Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Where: Northdown Park, Margate, Palm Bay, CT9 3TP

Who: * School Years 3 & 4

School Years 5, 6 & 7

Whether they are just starting out or looking to progress into competitive Kent Girls & Ladies leagues, we have a pathway for them!

How to register/Enquire:

Email: [email protected]

WhatsApp/Call Dave: 07566 220987

Standard FA, Kent FA, and UEFA accredited coaching.

Empower Her Summer Ball

Thursday 26th June
7pm Start
Smiths Townhouse, Broadstairs

An evening of celebration, connection and community, all while raising money for the amazing Pilgrims Hospices

The evening will include:
Welcome drink
Canapés
Sax player
Magician
Charity raffle

The event is open to everyone and we’re hoping to bring together lots of local people for a really lovely evening in support of a fantastic local charity.

Empower Her is a local women’s networking and community group created to bring women together through support, collaboration and genuine connection. What started as two friends wanting to create something different has grown into a supportive community of women across Thanet and surrounding areas.

Alongside our monthly meetings, we also organise social events and community initiatives that encourage women to connect beyond business — and this summer ball is something we’re incredibly excited to host.

Tickets: £40

Ticket link: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/empowerher4/2118087

Seaside CEO

A new event in the Seaside CEO series is now open for bookings with guest entrepreneur, Richard Sutcliffe, founder of one of the UK’s fastest growing apparel brands, Passenger, that started with a small production run of beanies and t-shirts and now has an annual revenue of more than £100 million.

Seaside CEO events host & organiser, Emma Jones, said:  “I’m delighted Richard has agreed to be our guest at an upcoming event. He has been on an incredible journey with Passenger that has seen him raise £15m in funding, build sales online and off, break into global markets, and build a world class team. I will be asking him, in a fireside chat format, how he has achieved this and his advice for others.”

The event will take place on Thursday 29th October, 5 to 7pm, at the Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate. It is part of a monthly series of Seaside CEO events on the final Thursday of each month.  Tickets are £5 per person and available here at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-richard-sutcliffe-founder-of-passenger-tickets-1989860417073?aff=oddtdtcreator

Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN)

KRAN is proud to announce two new high-profile patrons.

Politician Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE and contemporary artist Studio Lenca (also known as José Campos) have strong track records of advocating for refugees and asylum seekers, in particular those under 18.

They join existing patrons Lord Alf Dubs (former child refugee politician and campaigner) and Gavin Esler (writer and broadcaster) at the charity, which has hubs in Canterbury and Folkestone.

Baroness Neuberger is a prominent British rabbi and crossbench peer in the House of Lords, author and broadcaster. She has led major healthcare and charitable organisations and is widely known for her social activism.

She says of her new role: “I am absolutely delighted to become a patron of KRAN. As a huge admirer of KRAN’s work and the child of a refugee, I am honoured to be asked to join the very impressive patrons already in position.”

Studio Lenca, who is based at Tracey Emin’s TKE Studios in Margate, is from El Salvador. As a child, he arrived undocumented in the USA.

He says: “Having experienced displacement myself, I remember how powerful it was when other people offered me support. It is now an honour to be a patron for this wonderful organisation and to stand alongside young people as they shape their own futures.

“I started working with KRAN in 2021, and it has been incredible to see the transformative work they do to give young people a voice and a sense of belonging.”

KRAN CEO Dr Razia Shariff says she is delighted to welcome the pair, adding: “We know they will bring new insights and commitments to the young refugees and asylum seekers that KRAN is passionate about.

“The Baroness will continue to collaborate with us in the House of Lords and Studio Lenca in the local communities and art world now as official patrons of KRAN. They will create a more enabling environment and influence understanding in wider communities about the ever-increasing challenges our young people face.”

Places for People

Creating great places means more than building homes. That’s why Places for People (PfP), the UK’s leading social enterprise, has delivered £36,829 of community investment and improvements across Thanet in the last nine months, supporting local organisations, schools and projects that improve wellbeing, build skills and help people thrive.

By investing in initiatives shaped by local needs, PfP’s social value work goes beyond bricks and mortar, focusing instead on the long‑term social, economic and environmental benefits that make communities stronger and more resilient.

PfP is currently delivering two developments in the area – Hartsdown Gardens in Margate, and St Catherine’s Grange in Ramsgate – providing a mix of open market sale and affordable homes for local people. Alongside new housing, PfP continues to invest in community projects and initiatives to make a genuine and lasting difference to the lives of residents and neighbours.

One of the latest PfP‑funded initiatives currently underway is The Garden Gate Project in Margate, a long-established and award-winning therapeutic community garden supporting adults with learning disabilities and people experiencing mental health challenges.

PfP’s £2000 funding is helping the organisation to develop a cut‑flower service, running from April to October, with flowers grown, arranged and delivered by participants, volunteers and staff. The project provides meaningful activity, improves wellbeing and employability skills, strengthens community connections and supports the organisation’s long‑term sustainability.

Rachel van Hoven, Social & Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner at The Garden Gate Project said: “We are very excited about our new cut flower project which PfP has helped us to kick start. Offering locally grown flowers to our community which have not been imported by air, refrigerated and treated with chemicals aligns with our values as a garden which supports the environment and the community. The interest from the people of Thanet in our service has been fantastic and we look forward to hosting Pick Your Own days and workshops throughout the summer as well as running a subscription and drop-in service.”

Nicola Bale, Regional Development Director at Places for People, said: “Our focus at PfP is on creating thriving communities. As well as building much needed affordable homes, our social value work is about delivering real, meaningful impact for the people who live in and around our developments – whether that’s improving wellbeing, building skills, enhancing safety or supporting local schools.

“We’re proud to work alongside local partners and our supply chain to make a difference that’s felt long after construction finishes, and we remain committed to investing in the communities where we build.”

PfP has recently approved £1500 funding for Sea Sense for Schools, a preventative sea‑safety education programme delivered by Tidal Compass through its Tide School initiative. Launching in June, the programme will deliver school assemblies and interactive workshops at two local schools near PfP developments – provisionally Garlinge Primary School and Newington Community Primary School.

Using the Tide School Method, pupils learn how to understand tides, winds, waves and rip currents, with learning reinforced through a free digital Book of Tides shared with families and the wider community. The initiative aims to build confidence, reduce risk and improve long‑term safety in coastal communities.

William Thomson, Head of Tide School, said: “Coastal communities like Thanet have the sea at the heart of everyday life, so helping children understand how it behaves is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to keep families safe. We’re hugely grateful to Places for People for funding Sea Sense for Schools locally, giving pupils practical knowledge about tides, winds, waves and rip currents that they can carry with them for life.”

PfP also works closely with its supply chain to maximise social value locally and ensure investment stays within the community.

In September 2025, groundworks contractor Houlihan, delivered improvements to the allotment area at Royal Harbour Academy in Ramsgate as part of their social value commitment. The upgraded space – valued at £22,329 – is now being used by students, more than 60% of whom are disadvantaged, for Level 1 horticulture training and enrichment activities.

Peter Sexton, Community Engagement Officer from the Royal Harbour Academy said: “It has been a transformational change and is a fantastic working space for our students. As soon as the work was finished, we had a stream of students eager to start working on the allotment site and a gardening club ready to plant veg and add fruit trees to the Orchard. The first growing season provided an abundance of fruit and vegetables including a variety of squash, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, carrots and onions. Thank you so much for the amazing generosity of Houlihan and the fantastic work the team did.”

Earlier this year, contractor Coinford completed approximately £11,000 of improvement works to create new outdoor seating and green spaces for students at Hartsdown Academy in Margate. The works included levelling and turfing an unused area to create a dedicated space for Year 7 pupils, helping new starters feel more comfortable as they transition into secondary school.

Phase 1 of Hartsdown Gardens will deliver 140 new homes, and the first customers were welcomed in December 2025. Future phases will deliver a further 312 homes.

At St Catherine’s Grange, Phase 1 includes 233 affordable homes, with customers moved in from March 2025, and a further 74 affordable homes launching in Phase 2 later this year. #

Red Rebel Collective

The Red Rebel Collective CIC is launching a pioneering 8-week support programme for women experiencing severe premenstrual mood symptoms — including undiagnosed PMDD — funded by Kent County Council via the Thanet Health Innovation Fund.

The PMDD Early Support & Resilience Programme ‘Managing PMDD with Menstruality’ is a free, community-based group programme offering education, emotional regulation tools, cycle tracking and peer connection to women in Thanet who are struggling with severe mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle. The first cohort launches in Margate on Thursday 11th June 2026.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe, debilitating condition affecting an estimated 1 in 20 women of reproductive age. Global research shows that 34% of those with PMDD have attempted suicide — yet awareness remains critically low.

A 2024 survey of menstruating people in Thanet by The Red Rebel Collective found that while only 5% had a formal PMDD diagnosis, 69% reported experiencing hopelessness, thoughts of self-harm or suicidal thoughts before their period. Alarmingly, 41% had never sought help — citing stigma, access barriers and not recognising their symptoms as valid.

There is currently no other dedicated community-based PMDD early intervention programme in Thanet. Many women fall through the gaps — struggling every month but not meeting the threshold for acute mental health services.

The PMDD Early Support & Resilience Programme is a cycle-informed group programme drawing on menstrual cycle awareness, facilitated by a qualified Menstruality teacher with personal experience of PMDD. It is designed to help women understand their cycle, build emotional resilience and find meaning in their experience rather than simply surviving it.

Each cohort supports up to 8 women across 8 weekly sessions, plus one individual 1:1 wellbeing session per participant. Sessions cover PMDD education, the inner seasons of the menstrual cycle, emotional regulation tools, cycle tracking, peer connection and pathways to wider support.

The programme is open to women and menstruating people aged 18+ in Thanet. No formal PMDD diagnosis is required. Participants can self-refer or be referred by a GP, social prescriber or other health professional.

“Women with PMDD are suffering every single month — often in silence, often alone and often feeling dismissed by local healthcare services. This programme exists because they deserve better than that. It is early intervention grounded in cycle wisdom and lived experience and it gives women the tools to understand what is happening to them and to build a life that works with their cycle, not against it. We are proud to bring this to Thanet and grateful to Kent County Council and the Social Impact Gateway for making it possible.” Lisa Higgins, Founder and Director, The Red Rebel Collective CIC

2026–2027 programme dates

Cohort 1 — In person, Margate

Thursdays, 11 June – 30 July 2026, 1.45–3.15pm

Margate Yoga Studio, 160 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2QN (wheelchair accessible)

Cohort 2 — Online

September–October 2026. Referrals open July 2026.

Cohort 3 — In person, Ramsgate

November–December 2026. Referrals open September 2026.

Cohort 4 — Online

January–February 2027. Referrals open November 2026.

How to join

Individuals can self-refer or be referred by a GP, social prescriber or health professional here: https://www.theredrebelcollective.com/pmddcourse alternatively email [email protected]

Martha Trust

The stage is set for Music on the Farm 2026, returning to the beautiful fields of Solley’s Ice Cream Parlour in Ripple on Sunday 14 June, from 12 noon to 8pm (gates open at 11.30am).

Organised by charity Martha Trust, this much-loved annual one-day event promises a full day of live music, family fun and fantastic food, all in support of a vital local cause.

A host of local performers will take to the stage, delivering a diverse mix of musical styles from folk rock and bluesy beats to dance classics and feel-good cheesy tunes.

Performers on the day include:

Muzz & Joe Duo, The Upsetters – Still Upsetting, Situationist!, Lofty Harris, Shiva and Grooveshack.

The entertainment continues with dance displays from Dance with Danni and performances by Deal Ukulele Club. A brand-new compere will host the day- Jonathan Brown from Revitalise The Landmark Centre Deal, with Chris Mansfield and Amy Green capturing the event as official photographers.

Families can look forward to an extensive Kids’ Area, featuring six hours of children’s entertainment coordinated by Creative Arts Workshop Leader and Event Planner Lizzie Willis and delivered by Errin Ashby – Fendt and their dedicated team of workshop leaders.

All children’s activities in this area are included in the ticket price.

Additional attractions include face painting and hair glitter, Karl’s Festival Stall, permanent jewellery and Lashes with Sasha, hand, neck and shoulder seated massages with Mother Earth Therapies, a visit from the Fire Brigade, and much more.

The Martha Tent will be on site alongside traditional fairground games such as Hook a Duck, Coconut Shy and other classic games available for a small charge — ensuring there is truly something for everyone.

Accessibility is a key priority at the event, with Accessoloo on site providing a fully accessible mobile toilet facility, complete with an adult-sized changing bench, hoist and friendly attendant.

Festival-goers can enjoy a wide range of Kent-based food and drink vendors.

All partner vendors will generously donate 20% of their sales back to Martha Trust. The day will also feature a large auction, raffle, and a Barrow of Booze prize draw.

Main Event Sponsorship for Music on the Farm 2026 has been provided by Superior Healthcare Group, Solley’s Farm Ice Cream, Cook Fabrications Ltd, Jenkinson Estates and Birchington-based vehicle recycling business Reclamet.

The event is also supported through a KCC Combined Members Grant from Cllr Martin Paul and match funding through Barclays.

Businesses interested in event sponsorship or able to donate raffle or auction prizes are encouraged to get in touch with the fundraising team on 01304 610448 or email [email protected]

Advance tickets are available online at www.marthatrust.org.uk/musiconthefarm

£45 Family Ticket (2 adults and up to 3 children under 16)

£18 Adult Ticket

£8 Child Ticket