Grain Coastal Park (May Volunteering Day) - do you have any spare time to help?

Volunteers from across the area will be helping with work to develop and improve Grain Coastal Park tomorrow (Sunday). These photographs show some of the things that have been achieved over the past few months.

Although a lot has already been done to improve the local environment, like clearing paths, pruning bushes, painting car park bollards and installing new information signs, there's still more work to do. New volunteers are always very welcome, just a few hours a month really will make a difference!

If you're interested in getting involved tomorrow, there’ll be plenty of practical tasks to do. And help is needed with a plant survey in the afternoon.

If you would like to lend a hand, sessions will be from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm (meeting at the beach car park). Volunteering days will be held on Sunday 5 June and Sunday 3 July.

This project is being led by the Kent Wildlife Trust, with the support of Grain Parish Council and Medway Council. If you would like more information, or to discuss how you can help, please contact Paul Pearce (Kent Wildlife Trust) on 01622 662012 or send an email here.
 

May Concert at Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church - book your tickets now!

There’s still time left to book your place to see the Snowdown Colliery Welfare Brass Band (pictured below), when they take centre stage at Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church on Saturday 14 May at 7.30pm.

They will perform a variety of tunes, including a special selection of music from the 1940s. There’ll also be a sale of works by St. Werburgh Craft Club.

To book tickets (donations of £7), or for more information, contact Stuart on 01634 251705. Proceeds from this event will go to the Church restoration fund.

Farmers’ Market (Allhallows), Saturday 30 April 2011

The next Allhallows Farmers’ Market will be held this Saturday, from 10am to 1pm, at Allhallows Village Hall (Stoke Road, Allhallows, ME3 9PF).

Pop along for fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, meat, bread, cakes, honey, homemade cards, pet food, plants, sweets, bags, jewellery, candles, gifts, charity mugs and many other stalls.

To book a stall, contact 01634 270360.
 

Getting ready for the celebrations!

The village square in Hoo will this Friday host a Royal Wedding Party extravaganza, organised by the Hoo Village Events Committee.

With the bunting in place and months of hard work and planning coming to a head, the ticket only event has now completely sold out! Those attending are set for a glorious day celebrating the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

It will be an exciting occasion for Hoo and I’m sure everyone will have a memorable time!
  

Boot Fair and Farmers' Market (Allhallows), Sunday 10 April 2011

A Farmers’ Market will return to Allhallows Place (Touring and Caravan Park) this Sunday, from 9am to 5pm.

There’ll be a good selection of stalls and activities, including a play area for the kids and a licensed bar for the adults! Hot food and refreshments will be served all day, so pop along and enjoy what will hopefully be a relaxing day in the sun!

Allhallows Place is at Stoke Road, Allhallows, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9PD. Visit their website here.
 

Farmers’ Market (Lower Stoke), Saturday 9 April 2011

The next Lower Stoke Farmers’ Market is tomorrow (Saturday), from 10am to 1pm, at Stoke Village Hall (Mallard Way, Lower Stoke, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9ST). Pop along for fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, honey, sweets, handmade cards, jewellery, handbags and many other goods and produce.

To book a stall, contact 01634 270360.
 

May Concert (Hoo), Saturday 14 May 2011

Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church is holding a concert on Saturday 14 May at 7.30pm.

Performing a variety of tunes, including a special selection of music from the 1940s, the Snowdown Colliery Welfare Brass Band will take centre stage. There’ll also be a sale of works by St. Werburgh Craft Club.

To book tickets (donations of £7), or for more information, contact Stuart on 01634 251705. Proceeds from this event will go to the Church restoration fund.
 

Easter Market (High Halstow), Saturday 16 April 2011

There’ll be an Easter Market at High Halstow Memorial Hall (The Street, High Halstow) on Saturday 16 April.

Starting at 12 noon and going on until 3pm, you can pop along to buy tasty Easter treats and goodies, including chocolate eggs, cakes, refreshments and lots lots more!
 

Hoo Boot Fairs at the GEC Bowls Club

Sunday Boot Fairs, organised by the GEC Bowls Club (Bells Lane, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9DZ) will take place throughout the summer.

Held in the sports field next to the club, the first Sunday Boot Fair will be on April 3 and other dates include: May 1, May 29, July 3, August 7 and September 4. Trading from 6am, bargain hunters are encouraged to get along early!

If anyone would like a pitch – just go along on the day (as early as possible). There is a charge of £5 per pitch.
 

Farmers’ Market (High Halstow), Saturday 2 April 2011

The next High Halstow Farmers’ Market is tomorrow (Saturday), from 9.30am to 11am, at the Village Hall (The Street, High Halstow). Pop along for meat, bread, vegetables, greetings cards, jewellery, candles and many other goods and produce. There’s also a meat raffle, with an opportunity to win a £30 voucher!

The High Halstow Farmers’ Market is held on the first Saturday of every month, at the Village Hall.
 

Farmers’ Market (Allhallows), Saturday 26 March 2011

There will be a Farmers’ Market at Allhallows Village Hall (Stoke Road, Allhallows) this Saturday, from 10am until 1pm. Pop along for local produce and many other goods.
 

The Beacon (April) Parish Magazine of Hoo St. Werburgh - Out Now!

The latest edition of The Beacon is now available, containing details of local events and other interesting features. Although delivered to some areas of the village, copies may be purchased from local shops, including: Choicemeats at 1 Fourwents Road and the Newsagent at 35 Knights Road.

For further information, contact the Editor (Mrs Muriel Bewsey) on 01634 252129.
 

New to You Clothes Sale (Hoo), Thursday 24 March 2011

The Five Bells pub in Hoo (1 Stoke Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9BE) will host a 'New to You Clothes Sale' this coming Thursday, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. The event will be held in the function room and admission is free.

The event will help raise funds for the Royal Wedding Street Party (organised by the Hoo Village Events Committee), set to take place at the end of April.
 

Royal Wedding Party (Allhallows), Friday 29 April 2011

Allhallows Village Hall (Stoke Road, Allhallows) will play host to a Royal Wedding Party on Friday 29 April.

Kicking off at 3pm and going til late, there will be games and fun from 3pm, including a special ‘Mr & Mrs’, Bingo, face painting and a best hat / crown competition. There will be a buffet between 5.30pm and 6.30pm and a chance for the best movers in Allhallows to show their dancing talents in a disco from 7pm onwards.

Everyone is welcome to go along and have some fun! All children will receive a commemorative ‘Wills & Kate’ medal!

Tickets are priced at just £3 (Adults), £1.50 (Children) and £8 (Family ticket). For more information or to buy your tickets – contact Maria on 07919 968353 or Lisa on 01634 272942.
 

Appealing for your help!

I was invited along to Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church this week to find out more about the current financial problems, which have been widely reported in local newspapers. I met Rev. Andy Harding and Church Warden Mick Hollands - pictured below - Mick (left) and Andy (right).

The Church is currently facing a huge financial problem and is appealing to the local community for help. A letter of appeal (below) will be published in the next edition of Village Voices and in The Beacon (Parish Magazine). Information is also being delivered to local residents in coming weeks.

The long and short of the situation is that the Church’s expenditure exceeds their income by at least £2000 per month. This has been made worse by the recent discovery of a major structural problem that will cost around £165,000 to repair.

Even if, like me, you aren’t a regular church goer, there’s no doubt having a Church in the village does help maintain a sense of community, so do read the letter of appeal (below) for more background information about the financial situation.

With limited options for raising additional income, the Church is desperately seeking financial support from the local community.

Attached to this post are copies of the relevant Gift Aid, Direct Debit and Donation forms. To open these forms – just click on the images and print. You can also get in touch via the Contact Page of this website and I’ll email these forms to you. The donation forms are also available at TAGGS Coffee Shop (25 High Street, Hoo).

As well as the financial appeal from the Church itself, an independent petition has been launched by members of the community who want to help safeguard the Church’s future. The petition is asking the Bishop of Rochester, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, to "provide adequate funding to keep Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church open."

Hundreds of local people have already signed the petition, demonstrating a real sense of how people feel about the local Church. It will hopefully do much to highlight the urgent need for donations.

For further information, contact any of the following: Stuart Coombes on 01634 251705, Rev. Andy Harding on 01634 250291, Mick Hollands on 01634 251979, Laura Judges on 01634 251253 or Linda Jones on 01634 253378.
 

Grain Coastal Park - do you have any spare time to help?

Last Sunday morning I headed for the Isle of Grain to help with work being done to develop and improve Grain Coastal Park. This project, which is being led by the Kent Wildlife Trust, with the support of Grain Parish Council and Medway Council, is a great example of the community coming together to help improve our local environment.

Even though it was a really chilly day, we quickly warmed up getting stuck into the various tasks, like clearing paths, pruning bushes, painting, digging holes and preparing the ground for the installation of new information signs.

There’s still a lot more work to do to, so new volunteers are always very welcome – and a few hours a month really will make a difference!

If you're interested in getting involved, the next opportunity to lend a hand is on Sunday 3rd April, from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm (meeting at the beach car park). There are further sessions being organised on 1st May, 5th June and 3rd July.

If you would like to find out more about this project, or to discuss how you can help, please contact Paul Pearce (Kent Wildlife Trust) on 01622 662012 or send an email here.

Many thanks to everyone pictured for allowing the use of these photographs (above).
 

A great day for George!

Together with lots of other Hoo residents, I went along to the Charity Fun Day at Hoo Village Institute on Saturday, which was organised to help raise money to purchase much-needed equipment for 5-year old local boy George Goodsell (pictured below with mum and dad).

George, who has cerebral palsy, was leading the fun when I arrived - proudly displaying a painted face, whilst tucking into some very tasty looking chips!

It was really good to see so many local people showing their support and enjoying the activities and stalls - with the cake stall providing far too much temptation for most, including me!

The Rev. Andy Harding (pictured below) enjoying a much needed burger and hot drink!

Although I was only able to get along for a short time, the event continued long into the afternoon, with a special Legends Football Match (pictured below) featuring Brian Wolfe, Dave Kerr, Bob Wyles, Ken Burrett, Mick Dodd and many others.

To end the day, there was lively musical entertainment and dancing to The Backbeats, featuring Brian Goodsell.

The event was a great success thanks to many local people who worked tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly. These included Nancy Waller, Linda Perfect, Kevin Sherman, Klayre Goodsell and Maureen Tong-Ralphs.

I’m really pleased to report that £2000 was raised on the day. I know George’s family will be enormously grateful to everyone for their support and contributions.



If anyone would like to donate money to help purchase equipment for George – please get in touch via the contact page on this website and I’ll let you have the contact details for George’s family.

Many thanks to Linda Perfect for supplying some photographs, including those of the football match.

 

Village Voices is out now!

The February / March edition of Village Voices, the community newsletter for Hoo and Chattenden, is out now!

Packed with community information, this edition reports on the opening of the newly re-furbished Co-Op in Hoo and there's a useful item about the forthcoming 2011 Census.

Copies of Village Voices are usually available at the Post Office in Hoo (15 Main Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9AA).
 

High Halstow Hikers (March Walk), Sunday 13 March 2011

The next High Halstow Hikers walk will take place on Sunday 13 March.

Meeting at High Halstow Village Hall (The Street, High Halstow), the group will set-off for Stoke at 10am. Covering a distance of around 6 miles, there might also be an opportunity to explore some of Stoke Saltings (depending on what the weather is like).

This walk is being led by Alan Marshall, who I joined last summer for a really interesting walk around Lower, Middle and Upper Stoke - learning lots of fascinating things about our local history and environment.

For more information about the High Halstow Hikers, email Mitchell Dowsett here.
 

Quiz Night by Lonestar Linedancing (Hoo), Saturday 26 February 2011

A Quiz Night, hosted by Lonestar Linedancing, will be held on Saturday 26 February - with proceeds going to the refurbishment of Hoo Village Hall.

Starting at 8pm, anyone wishing to attend should arrive for 7.30pm and take drinks and nibbles along, as there won't be a public bar! Tickets are £5 per person, with a limit of 6 people (maximum) per team. Raffle donations are very welcome.

The event will be held at Hoo Village Hall (Pottery Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9BS).

To book tickets, or for more information, contact Val Plummer on 01634 256279 or Teresa Gissing on 01634 251475.
 

Isle of Grain, WW2 Anti-Tank Obstacles

The foreshore at the Isle of Grain is a great place to explore, regardless of what the weather is like! A few days ago I went to Grain for a walk, and decided to take a look at the WW2 anti-tank obstacles north-west of the main beach.

Given its location along the Thames Estuary, the Isle of Grain has a long history as a strategic defensive position.

The concrete anti-tank obstacles (pictured below) were constructed c1940 to protect the area's coastal defences, in anticipation of German invasion.

Three types of obstacle were used to form the defensive line: cubes, pimples (a flat-topped pyramid often referred to as 'dragon's teeth') and caltrops.

Caltrops are a rare type of asymmetric concrete obstacle which can be seen piled against the seawall at the southern end of the foreshore (pictured below). Although there are many anti-tank obstacles across the country, those on the Isle of Grain are of special interest - visually striking because of the different and unusual forms of obstacle which together, at nearly 600m in length, form an impressive defence.

Because of their special interest, these defences were given Grade II listed status in 2009.

Anyone wishing to explore the Isle of Grain foreshore should look at Medway Council’s Tranquil Treks booklet (Walk 1 - Grain). Click here to view this guide.
  

The Beacon (March) Parish Magazine of Hoo St. Werburgh - Out Now!

The latest edition of the Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Magazine is now available, containing details of local events and other interesting features. Although delivered to some areas of the village, copies can be purchased from local shops, including: Choicemeats at 1 Fourwents Road and the Newsagent at 35 Knights Road.

For further information, contact the Editor (Mrs Muriel Bewsey) on 01634 252129.
 

Spring Concert (Hoo), Saturday 5 March 2011

Hoo St. Werburgh Parish Church present a Spring Concert on Saturday 5 March at 7.30pm.

The concert features international soprano Christine Hubbard and classical tenor Kenneth McCarthy, whose varied programme will include songs from the classics, shows and proms.

To book tickets, or for more information, contact Stuart on 01634 251705.­ Proceeds from this event will go to the Church restoration fund.

Charity Fun Day (Hoo), Saturday 5 March 2011

A Charity Fun Day will be held on Saturday 5 March at Hoo Village Institute (pictured below).

The event, which kicks-off at noon, is being organised to help raise much-needed cash for the purchase of essential equipment for George Goodsell, who lives in the village and has cerebral palsy.

There will be games for children, stalls, duck racing and much more fun - all taking place at the Hoo Village Institute, 25 Main Road, Hoo, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9AA.

At 3pm a special Legends Soccer Match will kick-off, featuring Brian Wolfe, Dave Kerr, Bob Wyles, Ken Burrett, Mick Dodd and others. And from 8.30pm there’ll be dancing to The Backbeats, featuring Brian Goodsell.

Contact Hoo Village Institute on 01634 250836 for more information.

 

Hoo St. Werburgh on film!

I was recently told about a website featuring locally made documentary films about Hoo St. Werburgh.

The site, run by Gazelle Films, captures local village life from days gone by. There are 10 local films to watch, including a multi-part documentary about the history of the village, a film about the Hundred of Hoo Railway and other shorter films that show different scenes from the area.

Visit the Gazelle Films site by clicking here. Look out for the menu on the right of the screen, displaying the names of all films listed.
 

Volunteer at Grain Coastal Park

I've mentioned previously the excellent work being carried out by the Kent Wildlife Trust at Grain Beach - or Grain Coastal Park as it is now becoming known.

With members of the community giving up their spare time to help out, the Trust is busy clearing paths and scrub, erecting fences and new signs, weeding, litter-picking and generally improving the overall environment.

I went along to the latest monthly volunteer day last Sunday. I was given the task of clearing overgrown paths that had long since been covered over. Whilst I wouldn't think of myself as 'green fingered' or experienced in this sort of work, I had a really great time. I was given instructions on what to do and it was a good way of using up unspent energy and to get some fresh air.

I was only able to help out in the afternoon on Sunday, but next month I'll try to make sure I can be there the whole day.

With the backing of Grain Parish Council and Medway Council, the Kent Wildlife Trust is meeting at Grain Coastal Park every month to continue their work. The next opportunity to lend a hand is on Sunday 6 March, from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm (meeting at the beach car park). There are further sessions being organised on 3 April, 1 May, 5 June and 3 July.

For more information, contact Paul Pearce (Kent Wildlife Trust) on 01622 662012 or send an email here.
 

Planning for the future of the Hoo Peninsula

On Monday evening I went along to the Hundred of Hoo School to take part in a meeting organised by Medway Council about their planning strategy for the Hoo Peninsula.

Known in ‘local government speak’ as the Local Development Framework, this sets out planning strategy in Medway for the period up until 2028.

There was a good spread of people from across the Peninsula present, to first hear a presentation on the planning strategy and then discuss in smaller groups some of the issues raised, in particular how the development framework will affect the Peninsula.

Discussion topics included: sustaining village life; connecting to the natural, rural and historic landscape; employment opportunities; village planning, and managing the impact of the Lodge Hill development.

More information about the Local Development Framework can be found by clicking here. Catherine Smith (Rural Strategy Manager) can be contacted by email here, by phone on 01634 331358 or in writing to Catherine Smith (Rural Strategy Manager), Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TR.
 

High Halstow Hikers (February Walk), Sunday 13 February 2011

The High Halstow Hikers will be heading away from the Hoo Peninsula for this month’s walk.

Meeting on Sunday 13 February at 10am, the walk will begin at the main car park of Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve. This is on the right-hand side of the A228 if travelling towards Cuxton from Strood, and after the roundabout above the junction with the M2 (location map).

The walk is expected to be quite muddy in places so, if you are going along, make sure you wear suitable clothing and footwear.

More information about this walk can be obtained from Mitchell Dowsett by emailing here.

Details of future monthly walks organised by the High Halstow Hikers will appear on this site.

 

Farmers’ Market (Lower Stoke), Saturday 12 February 2011

There will be a Farmers' Market at Stoke Village Hall (Mallard Way, Lower Stoke, Rochester, Kent, ME3 9ST) on Saturday 12 February, from 10am until 2pm. Pop along for local produce and much much more!