Dane Valley Woods
Dane Valley Woods is having another of our Quiz Nights on Wednesday, February 28 at Lesters’ pub in Ramsgate Road from 7:30pm.
Our quiz nights are one of our most important fundraisers and we would struggle to fund the project without them.
Hosted by local DJ Horace Hotman, the quiz is £3 per person (maximum of 6 per team), with the additional option of ordering a hot meal at reasonable prices. Space is limited, so if you want to guarantee a table please book in advance. Our quiz nights are our main fundraising event, which help to pay for all our annual running costs (insurance, tool maintenance, website hosting etc) – there will be a raffle too, so don’t miss out!
We’d also like to mention that you can support our work by participating in the new Thanet Community Lotto. Tickets are £1, of which 50p goes towards Dane Valley Woods if you choose us as your local cause. For more details please visit our page here: https://www.thanetlotto.co.uk/support/dane-valley-woods
Finally, a quick request for information. We recently cut back our willow fedge at our allotment HQ. We have kept the cuttings in the hope that they can be made into some clever things. If you know of (or are) a willow weaver and would be happy to lead a community workshop, please get in touch!
You can keep more closely up to date with our activities through our Facebook and Twitter accounts, plus our website at www.danevalleywoods.org
Inner Wheel Club of Margate
A very busy fun evening (only made possible by Sylvia Pulling’s organisation) was had by all, when the Inner Wheel Club of Margate held their annual Silent Auction on Tuesday 13th February
This event is a firm favourite with all members of the club and is popular with other Inner Wheel clubs in Thanet. We were joined by members of Westgate and Birchington, Broadstairs and Ramsgate Inner Wheel Clubs. All participants were designated a number, and bidding took place. After a delicious meal items were then distributed to the highest bidder. Over £200 was raised for our President Barbara’s charities Operation Sunshine and Strode Park Foundation.
Forthcoming events include a Beetle Drive, a craft afternoon, both in February, a dinner meeting with a speaker in March, Ten Pin Bowling in April and Pimms and Puddings in May.
New members of all ages are welcome to come along and they will certainly receive a warm welcome.We raise money for good causes and have fun and friendship whilst we are doing it. For further details please call Amanda on 01843 862225.
Margate Civic Society
Our next meeting will be held in the Ballroom at the Walpole Bay Hotel, Fifth Avenue, Cliftonville on Thursday, 1 March at 7.30pm – attendees are requested to be seated by 7.15pm.
The meeting will start with members’ news, followed by our guest speaker: Rod LeGear MCIfA (Vice President, Kent Archaeological Society, Chairman, Kent Underground Research Group) whose illustrated talk will be entitled ‘Margate Caves and Thanet’s Underground Heritage’ – which will be followed by an opportunity for any questions.
As always, during the evening raffle tickets will be on sale (£1 per strip or 6 for £5) with the draw taking place at the end of the evening.
All are welcome – nominal entrance fee is £3 for non-members.
If interested in joining Margate Civic Society, please see our website www.margatecivicsociety.org.uk for details.
Thanet Masons
Thanet Masons will be watching the Winter Paralympics closely after supporting local student James Barnes-Miller in his quest to achieve a medal in Snowboarding. Pictured are representatives of Porta Maris, Trinity and Emergency Services Lodge, supported by the Cornwallis Charity James received £1,100. Unfortunately James had his vehicle broken into and his equipment stolen, subsequently a further £350 was raised by the 3 Lodges to help replace his equipment.
Parish of Birchington
All Saints, Birchington, St Thomas, Minnis Bay and St Mildred’s, Acol
We are now into the reflective season of Lent in the Christian calendar. This is the time when we remember Christ’s 40 days and nights fasting in the Wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan, prior to His Crucifixion on Good Friday and his Resurrection on Easter Day.
Lent changes every year in accordance with the lunar calendar, as does Easter Sunday. This year, Lent started on February 14 which is known as Ash Wednesday and is the day following Shrove Tuesday and it continues until Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday, which is Thursday March 29 before Easter Sunday on April 1. Traditionally, we eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday because it was a way of using up the milk, flour, sugar and eggs, which were not going to be eaten during the fasting of Lent. During Lent, Christians try to follow Jesus’ example and give up vices, which can be things such as chocolate or alcohol, in a bid to grow closer to God and to show they have self-restraint. Often people try to do something constructive as well, such as donating time or money to a charitable cause.
In the Parish, all money from charity events and church collections during Lent is donated to ‘Helwel Trust’ which supports rural development projects in Northern KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, where there is a great deal of poverty. These ‘self-help’ activities are greatly appreciated by the people there. Many of our members will also be supporting ‘Porchlight’, the local charity for the homeless, by ‘giving up’ something we may usually take for granted, which, if we were homeless, we would not have, such as hot showers, a cosy bed, clean clothes, food, etc. members will calculate the cost of these things and then donate the appropriate amount of money to the charity, during the whole of Lent, as well as giving up some luxuries. We shall be holding ‘Frugal Lunches’ or Coffee Mornings, every Monday for the first five weeks of Lent, thereby raising money, awareness and enjoying fellowship with others. All are welcome to attend these events, but you need to book in.
Our first event was a ’Pancake and Soup’ lunch held on Shrove Tuesday at Kearns Hall. 60 people were entertained to 3 different home-made soups and bread, followed by pancakes, and contributed about £250 to the fund-raising for Helwel. The photos show two of the pancake ‘tossers’ in action!
Coffee mornings start at 10.30am and lunches start at 12.30pm.
Monday 26th February Coffee Morning at the Vicarage, Minnis Road.
Monday 5th March Soup Lunch at Kearns Hall. Please book with Loraine 07835 330562
Monday 12th March Coffee morning with Tessa.
Monday 19th March Soup Lunch at Church House. Please book with Tessa 842416.
There will be a Morning Service for Mothering Sunday on March 11 at 11am at St Thomas Church, Minnis Bay, at which posies will be distributed to mothers/carers/guardians.