Sunken Gardens Society
Our past month has seen us celebrate all the wonderful people that give their time, skills and knowledge to the Sunken Garden Society with delicious tea and cake events – firstly during Volunteers Week, where we were joined by the Mayor of Margate, who handed out certificates acknowledging the contribution that is made to making, and keeping, the Sunken Garden the hidden gem that it has become.
“It was great to meet the volunteers that make and keep the sunken gardens looking so fantastic – it’s incredible to think that so much of this was done in just eight years!” Cllr Leo Britcher
The Mayor returned later in the month with the Mayoress for The Great Get Together Community Picnic, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. We played games, chatted and met visitors and volunteers, old and new, aided by more homemade cake and refreshments.
The event was also used as a launch for membership of the Sunken Garden, as a group supported by donations and grant funding for specific projects (eg the Sunken Garden Eco Fair and stonework repairs), we are continually looking for core funds to support the general running of the Society and are inviting everyone to join us for just £20 per year. This gives early-bird notice to talks and walks, free access to some events, a custom badge and quarterly news about the Garden and events.
Open School East spent a sunny Saturday Community Gardening Day with us, bringing a pop-up growing and cooking workshop led by Community Chef Thom Eagle with young people from Despacito Art School sharing planting, fermenting and pickling alongside their recipes and foraging tips.
The Sunken Garden Eco Fair 2026 will take place on Sunday 20th September, 11.30am to 4pm – keep your eye on our socials for announcements or sign up for monthly news via the website thesunkengarden.co.uk
Follow @SunkenGardenSociety on Instagram and Facebook to see up to date news.
Sunken Garden Society is also signed up with Thanet Lotto – buy a ticket, nominate your chosen group (us!) and at least 60% of the money comes to the Sunken Garden – you are also in with a chance to win. https://www.thanetlotto.co.uk/support/sunken-garden-society
We run regular monthly gardening days on the last Saturday of the month from 10am to 12 noon – the next one will be on Saturday 25th July
For more details about our gardening group, future initiatives and how to become a Sunken Gardens Supporter, please contact Jenny Duff at [email protected]
East Kent Veterans
Lorraine Newcombe, a senior sales executive at Invicta Lodge in Westwood Cross, has been honoured with an award at the East Kent Mind Veterans Recognition Awards, acknowledging her exceptional commitment to the local veteran community and wider charitable causes.
Lorraine, who works at the Churchill Living over-60s development, has gone above and beyond her role to support veterans across East Kent. Among her many contributions, she has opened the doors of Invicta Lodge to host the Veterans Christmas Party, providing a warm and welcoming venue for ex-military to come together to celebrate the festive season.
She has also organised veterans’ information sessions at the development, focusing on the importance of wills, trusts and Power of Attorney – practical and vital guidance for ex-military and their families. In addition, Lorraine has arranged fundraising initiatives in support of East Kent Mind, including a charity fashion event at Invicta Lodge in partnership with Love London Clothing, which raised £826 for the mental health charity.
Lorraine’s community spirit extends further still, supporting both old and young. She also hosted a special Loose Women event at Invicta Lodge in support of Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, joined by the Chair of the District Council.
Of her outstanding award, Lorraine Newcombe said: “I’m so honoured to receive this award. The veteran community in East Kent is full of remarkable people, and it has been a privilege to play even a small part in supporting them. Invicta Lodge is a real community hub, and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve together – whether that’s bringing veterans together at Christmas, helping them plan for the future, or raising funds for such important causes.”
Jacqui Egan, divisional sales and marketing director at Churchill Living, added: “We are immensely proud of Lorraine and everything she has done to support the veteran community and local charities.
“This award is thoroughly deserved and is a testament to her warmth, dedication and the spirit she brings to everything she does. Lorraine embodies everything we believe in at Churchill Living – that our developments should be places where people truly thrive, and where the door is always open to the wider community. Lorraine’s hard work hasn’t stopped there, and she is continuously engaging with our local community in Westwood Cross, to support as many groups as she can – this never goes unnoticed.”
QEQM Hospital League of Friends
Thanks to the kind generosity of our supporters, we have funded an iPad, shown with Speech and Language Therapist Leila, for use by patients in the Hospital.
It is populated with the relevant readymade communication and cognitive therapy apps, enhancing therapy provision, and is of particular benefit to patients being treated for swallowing and communication issues. It also gives patients the opportunity to try apps they may then choose to purchase for their own smart devices to continue their therapy at home.
We are delighted to be able to make a difference to our Hospital in ways like this. Please visit www.qeqmfriends.com or our Facebook page to find out more about us.
Happy 15th birthday Cogs Club
Cogs club started in 2011. Fifteen years ago the first two clubs opened, one on 21st July in Cliftonville and the other the next day, 22nd July, in Ramsgate
The three original facilitators are still running Cogs. Sue and Sheena are still running their club out of the URC Church in Ramsgate Lesley is now running three clubs – one in Birchington at the Hall in Kent Road, and two in St Peters at the Baptist Church.
Cogs Club is based on and run in the same structured way as a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy session except it is a day of activity rather than 2 hours. It also provides the family/carer/significant other with a day’s respite.
The day is from 10am to 3pm, once a week, for as long as a member can benefit from the stimulation. It is a day of activity, stimulation, music and fun for a person with mild dementia. Fun is a key component to the day.
Cogs Clubs are for people with mild to moderate cognitive difficulties. There are eight clubs in Thanet – in Ramsgate, Cliftonville, Broadstairs, Birchington
Contact Specialist Nurse Practitioner Jackie Tuppen text 077 435 934 13 or email [email protected]
Dementia Friendly Folk Concert
Chartwell House by Boutique Care Homes, in partnership with Broadstairs Folk Week, is proud to announce the return of its Dementia Friendly Folk concert for its fourth consecutive year.
The event takes place on Wednesday 12th August, from 2pm-4pm at the Sarah Thorne Theatre, Fordoun Road, Broadstairs, CT10 2BN.
What started as a first-of-its-kind initiative in 2023 has grown into one of Folk Week's most loved and anticipated events, bringing together residents, families, and members of the wider community for an afternoon of inclusive music, movement, and genuine connection.
Krista Bubble and The Wood Urchins return for another year, bringing their signature style of warm, accessible folk that makes everyone in the room feel part of the dance, regardless of age or ability.
This year’s event carries extra meaning. Dementia Friendly Folk was named Dementia Friendly Community Project of the Year at the Dementia Care Awards 2025, national recognition of the work that Dementia Friendly Folk has come to represent: a belief that culture, community, and creative experiences should be open to everyone, including those living with dementia.
Music sits at the heart of the event. Research has shown that music can release feel-good endorphins, spark conversation, and unlock long-forgotten memories for people living with dementia, often reaching parts of the mind that other forms of communication cannot.
Familiar melodies can trigger vivid memory recall, reduce anxiety, and encourage spontaneous movement even in those with more advanced cognitive decline.
Dance adds another dimension, with gentle rhythmic movement known to support physical coordination, lift mood, and create a sense of shared experience that transcends the barriers dementia can put up between a person and the world around them. Dementia Friendly Folk is built on exactly this understanding. Every element of the programme, from the tempo of the tunes to the way the dancing is called, is chosen to make participation feel natural, safe, and joyful.
The afternoon is designed from the ground up to be genuinely inclusive. Gentle Ceilidh movements, careful calling from Krista, and a warm, unhurried atmosphere mean that wheelchair users, those with limited mobility, and people living with dementia can take part fully and comfortably.
In previous years, the event has welcomed residents from Chartwell House alongside members of Thanet Dementia Action Alliance, local families, and Folk Week visitors, all sharing the same floor.
Jaye Dry, Admissions Manager at Chartwell House, said: “Reaching our fourth year feels like a real milestone. What began as an idea to make Folk Week accessible to people living with dementia has grown into something that belongs to the whole community. Winning the Dementia Care Awards last year reminded us why we do this, and this August we’re hoping to create even more of those moments that people carry with them long after the music stops.”
Kai Hoffman, Festival Director of Broadstairs Folk Week, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing back our Dementia-Friendly Gentle Ceilidh for a fourth year in partnership with Chartwell House.
“It’s become one of the festival’s most heartwarming events, celebrating the power of music, movement and community, and ensuring that Folk Week remains an experience that everyone can enjoy.”
Tickets are available now, with limited spaces to preserve the calm, welcoming environment that makes the event so special. Adults £7 | Under 16s £4. To book, visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/broadstairsfolkweek/2135167
Charity Spa Day for SEN families and professionals
Rise Retreats is hosting a charity wellness day to support STAK.Life, where locals are encouraged to relax and unwind while supporting a good cause.
The wellness retreat is situated near the historic Minster Abbey, with both interesting architecture and extensive outdoors space.
It’s hosted by beauty and holistic therapist, Alex La Roche, and SEN consultant and trainee reflexologist Nadia Law.
The charity day, on 18 July at 9.30am to 5pm, is a great way to consider both mental and physical wellbeing.
Those attending the retreat can get a variety of treatments, including shorter mini-treatments and back, neck and shoulder massages. Those looking for alternative medicine may take part in the reiki session, or benefit from reflexology. Alongside these, are facial and scalp massages.
Refreshments are also provided, with tea, coffee and cake available for a small donation.
As part of the day is also a wildlife workshop, hosted by James Bonthron, providing an in- depth look at rewilding and how to make your garden a bit more wild.
This month, all proceeds from the day will be going to STAK.Life. Nadia is hoping to make a difference for the charity.
She said: “We believe holistic therapies are an amazing way to promote health, mental health and wellbeing and we run monthly wellbeing days to ensure these holistic practices are available at an affordable price for all to experience.
“We have both experienced supporting neurodivergent colleagues and have both been impacted by suicide. We were supported by wonderful friends who became our safe community. We are now strong enough to give back and support a charity that is close to our heart.”
The event is at Parkminster, Bedlam Court Lane (near Minster Abbey), Minster, Ramsgate, CT12 4HQ
Appointment only – pre-booking required. Call 07932 324812
Rewilding workshop, £5, call the above number.
Kent Wildlife Trust
Kent Wildlife Trust is calling on supporters to help raise £130,000 by 1 September to fund the long-term work needed to restore habitats and bring wildlife back across the county.
Across Kent, nature is disappearing at an alarming rate. Habitats have been fragmented, rivers reshaped, wetlands drained and species pushed closer to disappearance. More than 200 species in the county are now threatened or endangered, and natural habitats continue to shrink and degrade.
The Back from the Brink appeal is part of the Trust’s wider Nature Restoration Fund, a three-year programme aiming to raise £3 million by 2030 to reverse this decline.
Wilding restores natural processes, helping nature recover with less human intervention over time. While it can appear that the work is finished once trees are planted or scrub is cleared, the reality is that nature recovery takes decades of careful management, specialist knowledge and sustained investment.
The appeal shines a light on what restoration really takes, drawing on examples from across Kent Wildlife Trust’s sites:
At Ironhurst Valley, the Trust’s newest reserve, 350 acres of former arable and sheep-grazed farmland are at the very start of a long transformation. Degraded soils are being stabilised and the first signs of woodland and hedgerow are starting to take shape.
At Hunstead Wood, former conifer plantation is returning to wetland and woodland. Clearing invasive rhododendron – around six hectares so far, at £8,000 per hectare – has been one of the project’s biggest tasks.
At Ham Fen, decades of drainage had degraded the wetland. Restoration through rewetting and grazing has been transformed by the introduction of beavers.
Simon Bateman Brown, Deputy Director of Land Management at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “Nature doesn’t recover overnight or even over a few years. What we’re doing at our reserves like Ironhurst Valley, Hunstead Wood and Ham Fen is decades of patient, careful work – rebuilding soils, restoring habitats and giving species the conditions they need to come back.
“Slowly, we hope to see nightingales find shelter in regenerating hedgerows, dragonflies return to rewetted pools, and rare plants and butterflies reclaim spaces where nature was once lost. This appeal funds that work – sustained investment, not a one-off fix.”
Many landscapes across the county are now too degraded to recover unaided. Historically, large herbivores and natural processes shaped Kent’s ecosystems, but with many of these species gone, active restoration is often the only way to restart nature’s rhythm.
To donate or find out more about the appeal, visit kwtg.uk/back-from-the-brink
Rett UK
Margate musician Thomas Abrahams is planning to have his dreadlocks cut off for charity Rett UK.
This charity is close to his heart because his sister is diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Rett syndrome. He’ll be having his dreadlocks cut off at Folkestone harbour arm at 1,30pm prior to his gig there on 8th August.
Thomas said: “Many of you will have seen my sister Lottie dancing at my shows. She is such an inspiring human being and she really is a huge part of who I am today. She also has a rare neurological and genetic disorder called Rett Syndrome. It’s rough.
“ And I’ve seen first-hand the challenges it brings to everyone involved. Imagine having a child who appears fine for their first few months but then in quick succession begins to lose their abilities. Ultimately ending up completely reliant on others for the rest of their lives. Imagine how lonely and frightening this feels as a parent? Who do you call? Then imagine being that individual with Rett syndrome who can’t even tell you what it is they’re going through.
“Rett UK is a parent led charity that is truly a lifeline for these people and it’s run completely on donations. They provide an incredible range of services all in a bid to helping people like my sister live their best life.
“This is a big deal for me, I won’t have had hair this short since 2001 and I don’t wanna lose all my hair and it not be worth it. So please help me out in making this a big fundraiser. Donate to a great cause, share this fundraiser with others, and come on down to watch me being shorn on Folkestone Harbour Arm. 1.30pm on Saturday 8th August followed by two hours of me jamming away with my head bouncing around like never before!”
Find the fundraiser at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/thomasabrahams
Martha Trust
Martha Trust is delighted to announce the return of Music4Martha at The Square, celebrating its milestone 10th anniversary on Sunday 2nd August from 12 noon to 6.30pm.
The much-loved community event, organised in partnership with The King’s Head, Dunkerley’s of Deal, and The Port Arms, will once again transform The Square into a vibrant hub of live music, entertainment, fundraising and family fun.
Martha Trust Fundraising & Events Manager, Kerry Banks BEM, will lead the charity auction.
Long-standing Martha Trust supporter Mark One Sound and Light will be providing sound and PA services throughout the event.
The event will officially open at 12 noon with a performance from Emma Black, followed by an exciting programme of entertainment featuring:
DAPA (Dean Academy of Performing Arts)
Thomas Abrahams
Muzz & Joe Duo
Miami Vice Solo
Nightwatch
Grooveshack
The event is proudly supported by a number of generous sponsors, including:
Superior Healthcare Group (Headline Sponsor)
The King’s Head
Dunkerley’s of Deal
The Port Arms
Soul Chef Kitchen
Walmer Installations
Higsons & Co
Dilnot Smith & Son Independent Funeral Directors
Visitors can enjoy much more than live music, with a variety of fundraising activities and attractions taking place throughout the day. These include a charity auction, raffle, and the ever-popular chance to win a Barrow of Booze.
Family-friendly activities will be available throughout the event, with Petal and Punk Face Painting on site alongside Martha Trust’s other partner stalls Deal’s Dairy Delights and KC’s Confectionery.
Professional photographer Chris Mansfield will be capturing the day’s highlights. Anyone attending who would prefer not to appear in photographs is kindly asked to make this known directly to the photographer.
The charity is currently seeking auction prizes, raffle prizes, and donations of bottles or cans of alcohol for the Barrow of Booze fundraiser.
Anyone wishing to donate or find out more can contact:
Kerry Banks BEM at [email protected]
Music4Martha at The Square – Celebrating 10 Years. Sunday 2nd August, noon – 6:30pm, The Square, Deal. Free Entry
The Old Station Nursery
The Old Station Nursery, which runs sites including in Thanet, has been recognised by parents as one of the Top 20 nursery groups in the UK.
The group, operates 73 nurseries nationwide. It has received the award from daynurseries.co.uk, one of the UK’s leading nursery search and comparison sites. The recognition is based entirely on reviews from families and carers of children attending its settings.
Nursery groups were evaluated across a comprehensive range of criteria, including overall standard, facilities and outdoor space, learning and development, resources and equipment, care and activities, staff, food and nutrition, management, cleanliness, safeguarding, and value for money.
Across the UK, there are 1,641 nursery groups and over 15,000 nurseries, employing over 400,000 people and supporting around one million children aged from three months to five years.
Amanda Hopkins, Reviews Manager at daynurseries.co.uk, said: “The vision and ethos of a nursery group play a vital role in shaping the environment of its settings and influencing children’s social, emotional and physical development.
“The Old Station Nursery has demonstrated the positive impact its nurseries have on children’s wellbeing, learning and development. We would like to congratulate them on being recognised by parents as one of the top nursery groups in the UK.
“It is a significant achievement to be rated so highly by families and carers.”
To view The Old Station Nursery’s group profile, visit: https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/day_nursery_search_results.cfm/searchgroup/56151055OLDA
Free primary school breakfast clubs
The Labour MP for East Thanet has welcomed the announcement that five more primary schools in the constituency will begin offering free breakfast clubs from September 2026.
Polly Billington said on Monday (6 July) that from September this year Newlands Primary School in Ramsgate, St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School in Margate, Drapers Mills Primary Academy in Margate, Chilton Primary School in Ramsgate, and Ramsgate Arts Primary School will all be able to offer free breakfast to every pupil at the beginning of the school day.
The new clubs bring the total number of free primary school breakfast clubs in East Thanet to eight, following the successful opening of clubs at Salmestone Primary School in Margate, Northdown Primary School in Margate, and Dame Janet Primary School in Ramsgate.
The new clubs open at the same time as Labour’s cap on school uniforms comes into force. For some families, heading to school after the summer holidays will now be almost £1,000 cheaper because of cheaper uniforms, free breakfasts, and the expansion of free school meals.
Polly Billington MP said she was delighted that even more families across Thanet would now benefit from the government’s Best Start programme.
She said: “It’s fantastic news that another five primary schools in East Thanet will be opening free breakfast clubs from September, bringing the total across our constituency to eight so far.
“I’ve seen first-hand the difference these clubs make. When I visited Salmestone Primary School’s breakfast club last year, children told me how much they enjoyed spending time with their friends before lessons, while parents spoke about how they gave a helping hand with childcare and tackling the cost-of-living.
“Combined with our cap on school uniform costs and the expansion of free school meals, Labour are making sure that every parent gets the support they need so their children can learn and thrive.”
From September, schools in East Thanet must also comply with the new legal limits on the number of branded uniform items they can require. It means parents can buy more of the everyday basics, like trousers and shirts, from any shop or supermarket rather than one pricey supplier.
New statutory guidance also means schools will need to take more steps to bring down the cost of individual branded items like blazers and jumpers. It comes after polling found a third of parents still worry about uniform costs.
