Allhallows Life - November Edition

The November edition of Allhallows Life is now available. Just click on the image below to see the full copy.

This month’s edition includes information about Christmas events, news from Allhallows Primary School, a list of services at All Saints Church, details of Remembrance commemorations, a Fireworks Extravaganza at Allhallows Leisure Park (on Saturday 5 November) and the first meeting of the new local history group (on Sunday 6 November). And lots lots more!

Allhallows Life is the magazine of Allhallows Parish Council. Take a look at their website by clicking here. The magazine also features items from St. Mary Hoo Parish Council. Take a look at their website by clicking here.
 

High Halstow Photographic Competition

I was really pleased to be invited along to join the judging panel for the High Halstow Annual Photographic Competition the other evening.

All the photographs entered into the competition were impressive and really showed off the unmistakable beauty of our local area. Many of the photographs entered will appear in the special 2012 High Halstow Calendar, with the winners in each category announced at November’s Parish Council meeting at 8pm on Wednesday 9 November (at Memorial Hall, The Street, High Halstow).

Above: an entry from last year!

The 2012 Calendar will also be unveiled at the meeting, with copies on sale. They’ll be priced at £6 (large) and £5.50 (small) and will also be available at the Village Shop on Christmas Lane and at the Church Market, taking place in Allhallows (more details on that event to follow shortly).

I was chuffed to help judge the competition and I’m looking forward to seeing all those who took part and congratulating them on a job well done!

…and judging these photos has prompted me to get out and about with my own camera again soon!
  

The Battle of Grain

Many thanks to Michael Dale, a Parish Councillor at St. James Isle of Grain, who recently sent me a copy of an old newspaper article (pictured below), with the headline ‘The Battle of Grain’.

The article appeared in the Chatham Standard on 28 May 1980 and showed events that the newspaper described as 'Medway's most dramatic industrial clash'.

Michael was a Rural Police Officer here on the Hoo Peninsula, from 1966 to 1992, and has many stories to tell about his time on the beat, some of which I will try and share on this site very soon. If he’ll let me!
 

High Halstow Hikers – upcoming walks . . .

A couple of walking dates for your diary . . .

November Walk

On Sunday 13 November the High Halstow Hikers will be walking along the Medway, taking in Teston, West Farleigh and Wateringbury - a varied walk with lovely views across the river. Just over 2 hours to complete, the distance will be about 5 or 6 miles. It might be muddy, depending on what the weather has been like, so wearing appropriate footwear is encouraged. Dogs will need to be on leads for much of this route. And for anyone interested - there’s excellent ale and food served in the Tickled Trout afterwards - so don’t forget to bring some money if you’ll be staying for food!

Setting out at 10am, the meeting point will be the public car park at the bridge by Teston lock - a short distance from the A26 on the B2163.

December Walk

On 18 December the group will be taking a local route right here on the Hoo Peninsula. It’s one of my personal favourites, taking in Northward Hill Woods and the farm tracks leading towards Cooling and the RSPB reserve at Bromhey Farm. This walk will take around 2.5 hours and cover 6 miles or so.

Meeting at 10am at the High Halstow Village Hall Car Park (The Street, High Halstow).

For further details contact Mitchell by emailing here, or phoning 01634 254428 - or if you want to join the group for one of these walks, just turn up!
 

Christmas Events on the Hoo Peninsula

I know it’s only October, but I thought I’d mention that details of Christmas events taking place here on the Hoo Peninsula will be added to this site soon. I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on opportunities to stock up on mince pies and other tasty festive treats!

Please let me know about any event you are planning by using the contact page.

 

Latest from Lodge Hill - Public Exhibition on 21 & 22 October 2011

Land Securities have arranged a final exhibition before submitting an outline planning application to Medway Council. The exhibition will be staffed by members of their development team and will take place later this week, on:

Friday (21 October)
3pm to 7pm - The Lodge, Lodge Hill Lane, Chattenden, Rochester, Kent, ME3 8NE

Saturday (22 October)
11am to 3pm - The Lodge, Lodge Hill Lane, Chattenden, Rochester, Kent, ME3 8NE

As part of the exhibition, Land Securities are offering a guided tour of the former Chattenden Barracks (now demolished) and part of the Lodge Hill Training Area. This will be by vehicle. Places should be booked in advance and will be provided on a first come first serve basis. The tours will run approximately every half an hour during the public exhibition sessions. Call 0845 683 2544 to book a place on the tour.

Visit the Land Securities (Lodge Hill) website by clicking here.
 

Diary Date: Hoo Christmas Fayre

Advanced notice about Hoo’s Christmas Fayre - this year taking place on Saturday 10 December in the Village Square. I’ve no doubt this will be another great success!

More details to follow soon . . .
 

Still time to vote for the UJ Community Partnership!

There’s still time to cast your vote for the UJ Community Partnership, from the Isle of Grain, in the Natwest Bank CommunityForce award scheme.

As I mentioned on this site a couple of weeks ago, your vote could help this group, which promotes social-inclusion by providing a range of learning opportunities and the chance for people to meet and share experiences.

A win would mean a £6,000 award. Every vote counts and those with the most votes (in each category) get the money - it’s as simple as that!

Please cast your vote before the closing date, which is next Monday (24 October) at midday. Just click here.
 

RSPB October newsletter (On the Marshes) out now!!

The October edition of the RSPB’s newsletter for the North Kent area, ‘On the Marshes’, is out now - just click the image below to download a copy!

Visit the websites of the local RSPB groups: Gravesend and Medway.
 

Allhallows - an award winning village!

The 2011 Kent Village of the Year awards were presented at a ceremony in Dunkirk last week - the Dunkirk near Canterbury that is!

It is great news that Allhallows scooped two of the awards up for grabs, picking up the top award in the Social Action category, and also being named Best Newcomer. (It was Allhallows’ first entry!)

Noleen Skudder, who is the Treasurer of Allhallows Youth Club and a Parish Councillor, submitted the bids and said: “our success is testament to the commitment, hard work and dedication of a number of volunteers within our community, whom all deserve recognition and praise. None of this work would have been possible without the generous funding and support we've received from a number of organisations and individuals and we thank them all.”

The annual competition is run by ‘Action with Communities in Rural Kent’.

Take a look at the website of Allhallows Parish Council by clicking here, where you’ll find more information about these awards and details of events taking place in Allhallows.
 

Neighbourhood Watch on the Hoo Peninsula - would you like to get involved?

Medway Neighbourhood Watch is keen to hear from anyone interested in helping to set up new schemes here on the Hoo Peninsula. If you'd like to get involved and want to find out more, contact John Haddaway (Watch Liaison Officer) on 01634 792131 for a chat. Alternatively, send John an email by clicking here.

Visit the Medway Neighbourhood Watch website here.
 

Cast your vote for the UJ Community Partnership!

Voting has now opened in NatWest’s 2011 CommunityForce awards programme. The scheme gives hundreds of community projects and charities the chance of winning a valuable £6,000 award. And there’s a fantastic group here on the Hoo Peninsula seeking your support and, more importantly, your vote!

The UJ Community Partnership (pictured below on a carnival float) is based on the Isle of Grain, but supports everyone living on the Hoo Peninsula. The group provides many different activities that promote social-inclusion, through organising events and learning opportunities.

The Partnership helps people learn, or improve, IT skills and runs first aid courses for young mums looking to work with children. A course is being planned that will help people with personal financial management and a new activity-filled Lunch Club is also set to launch.

Set-up in 2003, the UJ Community Partnership is run by a team of hard working local volunteers. They're always very busy raising money, which allows them to continue providing vital services to local people.

Veronica Cordier, who manages the group, told me this week: ‘We need everyone to go online and vote for us. If our bid is successful, we will use the NatWest award to install good economical gas heating at our Grain facilities, which will improve the atmosphere of our building and make us more financially efficient - meaning our cash donations can be much better spent’.

To show your support, and to find out more about this impressive community project, click here and look for the ‘Vote for Us’ button.

Please cast your vote for the UJ Community Partnership before the closing date on Monday 24 October 2011 (at midday).
 

Another fantastic fund-raising total from Macmillan High Halstow

Last Friday morning I joined a good many other local residents at the Memorial Hall in High Halstow, for the Macmillan Cancer Support 'World’s Biggest Coffee Morning'.

With it being another incredibly hot day, I opted for a cold orange juice rather than coffee, which went down nicely with some rather tasty homemade carrot cake - I only had the one slice I promise!

It was good catching up with Rena Digby, Ann Smith and Angela Forward (all pictured below), of the High Halstow branch of Macmillan, who worked incredibly hard to make the event such a great success.

Whilst I kept to one piece of cake, I do have to admit to buying some homemade strawberry and blackberry jams and a pot of marmalade - all looking very tasty and made of mostly locally picked produce. I can’t wait to tuck in. All in the name of charity of course!

It was good seeing a few familiar faces at the coffee morning. And it was good to bump into new High Halstow Parish Councillor Christine Watson (pictured below).

I don’t think we’re related, but it was really good hearing about the many exciting local projects that the Parish Council have in the pipeline.

I’m pleased to report that Macmillan High Halstow’s coffee morning exceeded last year's total (when they raised over £600), this time raising £750. The total might increase as more and more donations are received - I'll keep you posted. A really tremendous effort!
 

Wow, now that’s hot!

The record has been broken for the highest temperature recorded in October, at 29.9c (85.8f) in Gravesend at 2.42pm this afternoon.

This beats the previous 26-year record of 29.4c (84.9f) recorded on 1 October 1985, which was recorded in the market town of March in Cambridgeshire.

Of course, there isn’t a weather station here on the Hoo Peninsula, but we are usually slightly warmer than Gravesend - it certainly feels like it today.

Bring on the water bottles please!
 

High Halstow Times - October Edition

The latest edition of the High Halstow Times is now available. Just click the image below to see the full copy.

The High Halstow Times is the magazine of High Halstow Parish Council. Take a look at their website by clicking here.
 

Allhallows Life - October Edition

The October edition of Allhallows Life is now available. Just click the image below to see the full copy.

Allhallows Life is the magazine of Allhallows Parish Council. Take a look at their website by clicking here. The magazine now features items from St. Mary Hoo Parish Council. Take a look at their website by clicking here.