Hythe Life Magazine winter edition issue 26

ISSUE 26 • WINTER EDITION 2020

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LOVE LOCAL • RE AD LOCAL LIVING IN LOCKDOWN: HOW TO BOOST YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

RHDR RAILWAY SURVIVAL: COMING BACK FROM THE BRINK

SHOPPING LOCAL: A BOOST FOR THE TOWN'S RETAIL

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A note from the team...

Issue 26 // Winter Edition

Welcome to the winter edition of Hythe Life Magazine. Normally at this time we would be providing you with details of Hythe Late Night Shopping and all the Christmas events and activities taking place in the area. Sadly we are still in the grip of COVID however with a vaccine on its way there is an air of optimism that we will be slowly returning to some sort of normality by spring/Easter next year. It is great news that the rules and regulations that have dominated our lives will be relaxed to allow families to spend time together over the Christmas holiday period. The Hythe Life Team are sure that the good people of Hythe will make the best of things and celebrate in style. The community as a whole has pulled together and helped and supported each other throughout both lockdowns and the slight lifting of restrictions in between and will no doubt continue to do so. Support is there for those who need it and the people of Hythe should be proud of how they have reacted to these unprecedented circumstances we all find ourselves in.

With the four week shutdown and the loss of Late Night Shopping your high street needs your support more than ever this year. Therefore please shop local and support local businesses during this difficult year. It only then remains to say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

REMINDER: Advert & editorial deadline for spring edition:

The Hythe Life Team

29th January 2021

07881 783 677

 @HytheLife

www.hythelife.org.uk

 /hythelifemagazine

Enquiries to marketing@hythelife.org.uk

 @hythelife

Director & Editor:

Hemanshu Patel

editor@hythelife.org.uk

Sports & Events Editor:

Tristan Alder

sports@hythelife.org.uk

Captain Callum McKenna

Phil Heading

Guy Meurice

Matt Wilson

David Poore

Jo Wilson

Chris Turnbull

Sally Chesters

Holly Hunt

Pete Raine

Allister Barsby

Martin Whybrow

Matthew Piper

Danny Martin

Swital Patel

Alastair Griggs

Emma Walters

Thanks to:

TCD Design & Print

Guest Writers: Angela Dickinson

Barry Hammond Lorna & Maria Graham

Kelly Miller Hythe Life Community Interest Company

Company No. 09028862

Address: Cornerways, Sandling Road, The Green, Hythe, Kent CT21 4PS Disclaimer: No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent of the editor. Whilst ever care has been taken to ensure the information in this publication is accurate, Hythe Life Magazine cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services appearingin this publication. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. We reserve the right to edit contributions and not to publish any contribution or advertisement that is either unsuitable for our format or inconsistent with our editorial policy.

4 | www.hythelife.org.uk

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W H AT ’ S I N S I D E

// Ed 26 WINTER EDITION

the features

8 Hythe Watch

14

Photographic Club

18

Shop Local

24

British Flowers Rock

38

RSPCA - A Year in the Life

42

Living in Lockdown

60

Tai Chi

Keeping up with the council

44 Property Market Bounces Back

12 Reverse Advent Calendar

Christmas Appeal

46 Light Railway Survival Lifeline

16 From Humble Beginnings

Big Boys Burger Co.

48 Locked Down Theatre

20 Artistic Visions

of Hythe & Saltwood

22 Bringing Hops Back to Kent 26 Gleaning

Community Hop Farm

An Occupation as Old as the Hills

28 Hythe in Bloom

Brightens the Loos!

30 Life in Lockdown

Surviving the Pandemic

36 Cinnamon Poached Pear 6 | www.hythelife.org.uk

A Hide & Fox Delight

50 Rotary

Back from the Brink

Keeping Drama Alive

Community Support Hub

52 Shop Local This Christmas 54 Hythe Kids 55 Puzzles

After Uncertain Start

Save Businesses

Fun & Games

A Few of our Usual Brain Teasers

58 Christmas and Lockdown Starter Kit 62 Hythe Life Sports

Football, Running & Sailing!

Aid Fat Loss

YOUR AWARD WINNING HYTHE ESTATE AGENT EweMove has been awarded Best National Estate Agent for Sales and Lettings at the EA Masters This is a huge achievement for us, as the EA Masters, in association with Rightmove, assesses 25,000 agents nationwide.

We were judged on our property marketing, customer service and results during a data analysis project and a mystery shopping exercise.

Damien Guest Branch Director

Book your FREE valuation appointment. Select a date and time online at: www.EweMove.com/Hythe or call (24/7): 01303 764 959 EweMove respects any existing sole agency agreement already in place with another agent.

Winter 2020

Issue 26

www.hythetc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Hythe Watch NEWS FROM HY THE TOWN COUNCIL

Message from the Town Mayor

Councillor’s Corner

We sadly had to cancel our traditional Remembrance Sunday service this year. We are sorry for those who found this temporary change to be uncomfortable, but our main priority will always be to keep our residents safe.

We cancelled in accordance with the new lockdown and Government Guidelines, as it would have been irresponsible for us to encourage large gatherings at an 11am service, especially with a rapidly rising number of Covid-19 cases locally.

For many others and myself, this year has been all about learning to adapt, to flow with the changing tide and making the most of what we have... So we were happy to find a safe and respectful way for us to still commemorate Remembrance Sunday, even during these difficult times.

Along with our neighbouring councils we chose an earlier and much quieter time in the morning to pay our respects at our War Memorials.

I was accompanied by my chaplain, Callum McKenna, and my daughter, and it was an honour to lay a wreath on behalf of our communities in Hythe.

We stayed for a quiet moment of reflection and remembrance, then went to safely observe our two minutes silence from our homes at 11am, as was encouraged nationally by The Royal British Legion.

We invited all those who would have attended our event to lay wreaths, to privately do so at different times throughout the morning, so not to encourage crowds all together at 11am.

Sunday was a very important and poignant day of remembrance and I thank those who safely paid their respects, as we must never forget those who lost their lives to keep us safe and those who continue to keep us safe today.

Next year I hope we can resume our traditions and all pay our respects side by side.

Until then, I hope everyone is safe and taking care of one another in true Hythe style, with that distinct community spirit that we all love so much!

Responding to a proposal from the Hythe Green Preservation Society, Hythe Town Council has unanimously agreed an initiative that will keep this open space safe for perpetuity. This is via national charity, Fields in Trust, and its “Green Spaces for Good” programme.

Fields in Trust works with landowners, including local authorities, to protect publicly accessible parks and other green spaces. Angela Lewis, head of programmes at Fields in Trust, provided a presentation at HTC’s online full council meeting in November and took questions. She explained the benefits of the programme, as reflected in the fact that Fields in Trust works with nearly 300 local authorities, over 650 town, parish and community councils (including, of late, Dymchurch Parish Council for Dymchurch Rec) and over 150 private landowners who have at least one park or green space protected.

A Deed of Dedication, which is underwritten in contract law, will now be drawn up and this will ensure the Green will be protected while management and ownership remains with the council.

The Green is a much loved and heavily used feature of the town. We know that it has been under threat in the past and it is great news for the town and its residents that it will now be safeguarded for current and future generations. We are very grateful to the Hythe Green Preservation Society for their proposal and for all the work they put in to look after and improve the Green.

8 | www.hythelife.org.uk

Councillor Martin Whybrow Protecting Hythe Green

Delivering our 20-mph zone We are delighted that the 20 mph zone for Hythe was delivered by KCC and its contractors in mid-November. Financed by the town council using the developerfunded Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), it will improve safety from Stade Street to the east to West Parade to the south and St Leonard’s Road, Cinque Ports Avenue and Portland Road to the west, plus all roads in between.

The scheme has been very well received by residents and was facilitated by support for such zones from central government, after a nation-wide study of existing zones showed conclusively that they bring a reduction in speeds, fatalities and serious injuries.

Why not elsewhere? While wholly positive (and everyone recognises that it will not deter anyone who still wants to drive like an idiot), inevitable questions have arisen from residents in other parts of the town about whether additional roads could also be made 20 mph (particularly neighbouring South Road and Twiss Road). Unfortunately, if average speeds are too high (typically above 25-26 mph) then this is difficult to achieve because Kent Police say that 20 mph would not be enforceable. As such, for both these roads, additional traffic calming measures are proposed, with KCC applying to central government’s second tranche of Emergency Active Travel funding… watch this space. Any proposed measures would go out to consultation for residents to comment.

Hythe Watch NEWS FROM HY THE TOWN COUNCIL Councillor Jim Martin When the Government decided not to extend free school meals during the halfterm, the Mayor of Hythe, Naomi Slade, called for volunteers and donations to step in and help those children most in need. The people of Hythe responded! Working with the Salvation Army in Portland Road, Hythe, the Mayor and fellow town councillors were able to provide 165 lunches during the five days, feeding 33 children in total. Due to health restrictions, providing hot food or even sandwiches was not possible, so the Mayor’s lunch-bag contained a mix of bananas, apples, a loaf of bread, sandwich spread, baked beans, milk and a chocolate biscuit.

A big thank you to Callum McKenna for letting the Mayor use the Salvation Army Hall, thank you to the people of Hythe who volunteered, those who gave their time, those who donated part of their weekly shopping and those who donated their cash. By coming together and following the Mayor’s lead, the people of Hythe, yet again, demonstrated a true community spirit. And Hythe's efforts even gained a tweet from Marcus Rashford who, of course, was so central to raising awareness of the need for such support.

There are now plans under way for a wider free lunch project for the Christmas holidays, with the town council, Salvation Army and various other local businesses, charities and other groups involved. Details will follow, including on the Hythe Town Council website.

Mayor of Hythe's hair-raising deed for charity Councillor Jenni Hawkins When I first met Councillor Naomi Slade at the election count last May, one of the first things I noticed was her long, thick, wavy hair: the other thing that struck me was her positive energy and enthusiasm for people, animals and the environment. So when I read a Facebook post about Naomi's plan to shave off her beautiful hair for charity, I wanted to call her straight away and tell her not to do it. However, I knew she was the kind of person who would go through with her promise, which she did, raising an impressive £3,280 for The Pilgrims Hospice.

On her Just Giving page, Naomi wrote 'On the 30th October, the anniversary of my best friend Clare losing her mum, I will be shaving my hair to raise money for the Pilgrims Hospice. Diane volunteered at the hospice for nearly 10 years and peacefully passed away there, Before After surrounded by friends, family and colleagues. […] It made me realise how important our hospices are and the need to fundraise, to help support the incredible work they do.'

This is especially pertinent this year, as The Pilgrims Hospice which is reliant on donations for around 80% of its costs, has had to cancel many of its fundraising activities due to Covid-19. Cancelled events include the annual Hospice Cycling Challenge which has raised £825,000 since 2010, and the popular Ashford Christmas Fair and Craft Market which was supposed to take place this month. Despite all of this, the Hospice has still managed to provide vital support to both in-patients and those in the community.

In addition to raising £3,280 for the hospice, Naomi has donated the incredible 36 inches of hair to The Little Princess Trust where it will be transformed, along with other donations, into beautiful wigs. The Trust then gives these wigs for free to children and young people who have lost their hair through cancer treatment or other conditions.

As you can see from the photos Naomi's new haircut looks fabulous; however, she says she's still getting used to how cold it gets without her hair and often feels the need to wear a hat, even whilst indoors.

www.hythelife.org.uk | 9

Hythe Watch NEWS FROM HY THE TOWN COUNCIL Tree planting Update

Christmas Lights We are really pleased that the Town Council have managed to get the Christmas lights up earlier this year. We think they look amazing and complement our beautiful, unique High Street. Hopefully, the shops and cafes can safely reopen soon for some sustainable Christmas shopping and mulled wine.

You will be delighted to know that HTC are planting lots of trees in Hythe. The trees all come from the Woodlands Trust and are part of their community planting programme. The trees are a mix of indigenous species: Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Pussy Willow, Hazel, Rowan, Holly, Crab Apple, Silver Birch and Oak. Councillor Jim Martin has been busy planting along the north bank of the Canal between Seabrook School and the Sea Road bridge. As agreed with the FHDC Canal officer and the tree officer, the gaps in the trees along the Canal will be filled in with new trees. The idea is to increase habitat for birds and insects. The target is to plant over 1,000 trees and this is likely to be exceeded!

YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLOR IS

EAST WARD

SOUTH WARD

NORTH WARD

WEST WARD

Tamsin Cullen

Angela Dickinson

Malcolm Dearden

Lorna Fraser

T.Cullen@hythe-tc.gov.uk

A.Dickinson@hythe-tc.gov.uk

M.Dearden@hythe-tc.gov.uk

L.Fraser@hythe-tc.gov.uk

Jenni Hawkins

Jim Martin

Penny Graham

Keith Miles

J.Hawkins@hythe-tc.gov.uk

J.Martin@hythe-tc.gov.uk

P.Graham@hythe-tc.gov.uk

K.Miles@hythe-tc.gov.uk

David Owen

Naomi Slade

Sandy McConnell

Paul O’Connor

D.Owen@hythe-tc.gov.uk

N.Slade@hythe-tc.gov.uk

S.McConnell@hythe-tc.gov.uk

P.O’Connor@hythe-tc.gov.uk

Tim Prater

Martin Whybrow

Doug Wade

Harry Williams

T.Prater@hythe-tc.gov.uk

M.Whybrow@hythe-tc.gov.uk

D.Wade@hythe-tc.gov.uk

H.Williams@hythe-tc.gov.uk

Hythe Town Council’s newsletter has been written by Hythe Town Council.

Hythe Town Council Offices, Oaklands, 1 Stade Street, HYTHE, Kent CT21 6BG For more information call: 01303 266152 or email: admin@hythe-tc.gov.uk

10 | www.hythelife.org.uk

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Reverse Advent Calendar

By Captain Callum McKenna

For the last four years, our Reverse Advent Calendar Campaign has been a huge success and has helped provide a life line for local residents well into the New Year. We’re bringing it back again for 2020!

The idea is a really simple but lovely one that draws upon the tradition of opening an advent calendar window every day in December from 1st-24th. What we’re asking you to do is to pop something from the shopping list below into a box each day in December. This will then be donated to our local food bank to help local individuals and families who find themselves in crisis over Christmas and into the New Year.

Captain Callum McKenna of Hythe Salvation Army, who distribute the calendars each year as part of their foodbank, is grateful for the support of Hythe Life readers over the past few years, ‘We love this tradition which Hythe Life have started in our local community and it makes a real difference to our Foodbank supplies. This year has been a year like no other for our Foodbank: in the six months between April and October alone we supported 986

12 | www.hythelife.org.uk

people, from 468 households with food. For context, that’s a staggering increase of nearly 200% on the same period last year. The economic impact of the pandemic is taking its toll. That said, we’ve also seen record levels of donations: generosity, kindness and community spirit are in high supply in Hythe!’

We’ve produced a handy ‘cut out and keep’ shopping list for you below to refer to when deciding what to buy. It’s the perfect size to be tucked in a purse or stuck to the fridge! Ideal items include dried, tinned and long-life foods and drinks, as well as treats such as biscuits, and non-food essentials like deodorant and washing powder. Don’t forget the littlest and furriest members of the family either: baby food, nappies and wipes are always needed, as are dog and cat foods! The most important thing is that everything is non-perishable and a

couple of months within its best before/use by date.

This year, we also recognise that many people aren’t getting out and about for shopping as much: if you’d like to donate to the amount you would have spent on food to The Salvation Army’s food fund you can do that to www.justgiving.com/HytheSAFoodFund Donations can be dropped off at The Salvation Army on Wednesday 23rd December between 10:00-12:00noon, Saltwood Village Stores or Age UK in Hythe and Lyminge any day during W/C 21st December between 9:30 and 3:00pm.

With your help, we can make a real difference to some of our community’s most vulnerable members this Christmas.

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Alison Chapman We would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year and thank you for all your support through out this difficult year for us all.

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13

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HYTHE LIFE

By Phil Heading The Club celebrates its 10th Anniversary in 2021, having started as Saltwood Camera Club in 2011. In that first year there were 15 members and under the guidance of Eddie Manly the Club grew steadily. The club relocated to the Hythe Sports Pavilion in 2018 and changed to the Hythe District Photographic Club, to better reflect the geographic spread of it’s members and it’s focus on taking photographs rather than the equipment used to take them. After all, as renowned photographer, Peter Adams observed; “Photography is not about cameras, gadgets and gizmos…

A camera didn’t make a great picture, any more than a typewriter wrote a great novel” Phil Heading took over the chairmanship in 2019 and continued this philosophy as the Club now has some 50 full/student members.

Unfortunately Covid restrictions interrupted its programme and since March 2020 these meetings have been held online each month and over half the members have joined these to review the photographs taken by members for the monthly set project.

The Club does not invite professional judges to critique members photographs, but finds more value in constructive discussions of the images by the members themselves. The Club has a broad range of experience amongst the membership with many experts willing to share their skills with those who are new to photography. The Club also runs regular workshops on photographic techniques, and editing, and also facilitates professional presentations on a wide range of subjects. The increasing use of phone cameras is welcomed and this is reflected in the outcome of the monthly members vote for their favourite Photographs of The Month.

The Club does try to get out more! Regular

Tom Lloyd - Disappearing Derelicts Dungeness

14 | www.hythelife.org.uk

Ken Cannell - House Proud

photoshoots have been a feature over the past few years where members can share skills and experience. Visits to Folkestone harbour, Sandwich Seal Safari, Biddenden Vineyard, Lydden motor racing circuit and Lympne castle being a few of the outings.

The current pandemic has inevitably meant that the Club has had to modify its programme, but apart from the monthly online meetings and extra workshops, it has also remained active on its Facebook page which has 150 ‘friends’ and has developed a WhatsApp® group which enables members to keep in touch and be made aware of local photo opportunities at short notice.

The Club’s website carries all the information about future activities as well as providing galleries of the images taken by members. This year it also carried the photographs prepared for the Annual Exhibition, which was intended to be on display at Hythe Library in September. This became another victim of the pandemic so was

Trevor Allnutt Washed up Apple

transferred to an online exhibition on the club’s website and proved very successful, with visitors from around the world.

2021 promises to be another exciting year as the Club looks forward to resuming its faceto-face meetings at the Hythe Sports Pavilion as soon as the current restrictions are lifted. A full programme of events has already been mapped out for the coming months.

As a further celebration of the Club’s 10th Anniversary it is great news that ‘Hythe Life’ will be partnering with the Club as sponsor during 2021. This exciting development offers great opportunities for working together, and the Club looks forward to joint ventures during the year. The support of such an established local magazine is much appreciated, and a further indication of how far the Club has come since its small beginnings in Saltwood in 2011.

New members are assured of a warm and friendly welcome, irrespective of their previous photographic experience. Enquiries can be made through the website. If you enjoy taking photographs and would like to be part of a local success story, come and join us! https://hythedistrictphotographicclub.jimdo .com

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FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

By Guy Meurice

Gaz and Guy, owners of Big Boys Fine Burger Co. on the Old High St. in Folkestone have always had a drive to do their own thing. Unafraid of being a bit different (or even occasionally a bit weird) it’s at the core of almost everything they do.

During the latest lockdown they’ve launched their cook-at-home burger kits. These gourmet packs include everything you need to make one of their epic ‘specials’, locally delivered on a Friday to your door. Recent kits have included the obs’Cene, a spicy collaboration with ‘Cene Magazine and Don’t Risk It For a Brisket (We’ll Bring It To You), which is accompanied by their 9 hour smoked USDA brisket and the realisation that their burger names have become too ridiculous.

Most recently their weird and wonderful journey has taken them onto Facebook Marketplace, where they’ve purchased a 1970’s Commer van. Seeking new avenues to expand and diversify their business in these strange

and events. They will soon be opening a crowdfunding page so that their fans can help them to make the burger van of their dreams a reality. Guy says “We’re hoping to offer some really cool rewards for people who support the crowdfunding. I want to have a whole panel of the van dedicated to the people who have helped us over the years. We wouldn’t be where we are now without the help of our friends, family, staff and customers so I want to make sure they know how valued they are!”

Keep an eye on their social media for the crowdfunding launch, and if you’re feeling hungry, head to their website https://bigboysburgers.co.uk/shop to order one of their delicious cook-at-home burger kits.

“It was quite difficult to come up with something that stood out of the crowd, as we all had to use the same ingredients. In the end we really wanted to ensure the flavour really came through so focused on that. ” From a BBQ in an oil drum at Saltwood Cricket Club, to a pop-up at the Nutmeg in Hythe, they made their home on the Old High St in Folkestone in 2014 and have since taken their burgers all the way to winning Burger Chef of the Year 2020 at the National Burger Awards.

Their winning entry, ‘Oniontended Consequences’, was made with ingredients provided by the sponsors of the event and was selected as the winner by the sponsors. Coowner and head chef Gaz says “It was quite difficult to come up with something that stood out of the crowd, as we all had to use the same ingredients. In the end we really wanted to ensure the flavour really came through so focused on that. Previously winners had been more showy, but I felt that ‘flavour over form’ was the best option.”

16 | www.hythelife.org.uk

and unpredictable times, the brothers hope to be able to bring burgers back to Hythe with pop ups from the van along the seafront and on the High St. Their new acquisition needs a little modernisation, as it is a bit of a ‘barn find’. The engine is currently stored in the back of the van itself. They’ll begin by stripping everything out of the van and taking stock of what is there.

Gaz’s brother and co-owner Guy says “We’re really biting off a lot with this one, but we’ve been dreaming of a proper American food truck since the very beginning and this is a British version of the US Chrysler step vans. I’m really excited to get my hands on it and start to make it our own.”

Their dream for the van is to have it up and running in 2021 to be able to cater weddings

Photo ©Amelia Hedley

Photo ©Amelia Hedley

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Your Magazine Needs You As a Community magazine we are always keen to report interesting things in the local area.

This is where you come in. If you have a story or a piece of news that you think is of interest to the people of Hythe let us know and we will be delighted to include it in a future edition of the magazine. Be it historical, current or just simply about a local unsung hero who you think deserves recognition, email us at: editor@hythelife.org.uk All submissions will be considered by the Hythe Life Editorial team before a decision is made as to whether it will be included in the magazine.

Submission of an article is not a guarantee that it will be published.

www.hythelife.org.uk | 17

Shop Local this Christmas, with shophythe.co.uk

By Angela Dickinson

Like many people with busy lives, I tend to do a great deal of my gift shopping on-line, particularly around Christmas when, as a teacher/parent/town councillor there’s SO MUCH to do and the dark winter evenings make the comforts of home more attractive than trailing around shops. This year it looks like I’ll be browsing and clicking without guilt!

Following a 102% surge in UK demand for online shopping, click-and-collect and deliveries throughout 2020, local entrepreneurs have collaborated on a new initiative to help support Hythe’s High Street traders this Christmas, by bringing Hythe’s eclectic and unique mix of traders straight to you for all your Christmas gift needs.

The website has been designed with the customer in mind, so that we can shop in

Business and Tourism Association.

For local businesses, the concept is simple, enabling them to reach a wide audience but without creating an additional technical burden for them. The website provides a virtual ‘shop window’ and a focal point for local shoppers.

Once the customer clicks, they will be taken to the traders own online offering to complete their transaction. This could be an eBay shop, an Etsy store or even a page on social media.

“By supporting local businesses we can also contribute towards a healthier environment, choosing a local company over a chain can actually have a positive impact on the environment. ” categories such as ‘gifts for him’ (which is always the HARDEST thing about shopping!).

There’s also something to suit most budgets with ‘gifts under £30’ and ‘stocking fillers’ available too.

After overseeing the successful launch of a similar project for Folkestone’s Old High Street traders (shoptheoldhighstreet.co.uk) local-shop devotee (and Big Boy Burger co-owner) Guy Meurice recognised that Hythe’s small businesses deserve a similar boost. Keying into Hythe residents’ affection for their High Street and loyalty to local business, shophythe.co.uk will enable shoppers to browse for gifts with confidence that their money is staying in the local economy and supporting our community.

The project is being supported by the Hythe

18 | www.hythelife.org.uk

This ensures there are no additional fees and leaves control of the purchase and customer services firmly in the hands of local traders, so that the all-important personal touches and individuality of Hythe Street won’t be lost.

Shopping local has so many other advantages too! It creates valuable local employment, helps maintain the local personality and character of our town, and facilitates really high-quality personalised customer service that just can’t be replicated by national chains and international taxavoiding-megalithic dotcoms (you know who I mean!).

By supporting local businesses we can also contribute towards a healthier environment, choosing a local company over a chain can

actually have a positive impact on the environment. If more people chose to pop to the local high street rather than driving to the superstores, this would considerably reduce air pollution, reduce traffic and improve the quality of the nation’s high streets. Thanks to shophythe.co.uk you can now do your bit from the comfort of your home, and your collection or delivery is just short step away.

Shop local this Christmas (and beyond) shophythe.co.uk shoptheoldhighstreet.co.uk

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M: 07976 290538 www.hythelife.org.uk | 19

Artistic visions of Hythe and Saltwood

By Matt Wilson

How can we best appreciate the landscapes in and around Hythe and Saltwood? Over the centuries a small group of important artists have depicted it, and I believe that their method of seeing and recording it can in turn help us to appreciate it better.

My favourite painting done in the village was painted by a lesser-known artist called George Lambert in 1762, now in the Yale Centre for British Art. Lambert’s subject was Saltwood Castle, and he depicted it in a romanticised evening light, from below and beside a group of idling farm workers and sheep. It looks more like a Tuscan hill village, and the castle doesn’t have a great sense of architectural accuracy. It was painted in a period where British artists were taking their lead from European landscapists like Claude and Poussin, softening native vistas to emulate Italian landscapes – a style later dubbed the ‘picturesque’. Despite the embellishments it’s obvious that Lambert visited the site,, taking in a range of perspectives on the castle and amalgamated them to achieve a pleasing composite.

Not much later, in 1795 a young JMW Turner and Thomas Girtin sketched Saltwood Castle with a more purposefully accurate artistic method. The Girtin is currently also in the Yale Centre for British Art and the Turner is in the Ashmolean in Oxford. They are both quite different from the Lambert, showing an

20 | www.hythelife.org.uk

attentive exactness and a freshness of vision that makes them look as if they were drawn yesterday.

Turner came back to Saltwood and Hythe later in his career. In around 1816 he walked here along the coast from Folkestone, sketching along the way, and took an extended detour to sketch Saltwood Castle, this time from several perspectives. If you use the Tate Gallery website and search for Saltwood you can see all the drawings from a single sketchbook and work out the exact walk he took. It looks like he came up from Hythe to draw the sea-facing facade of the castle, then circulated around it to capture the entrance.

Then he seems to have walked up onto the ridge by Blackhouse Hill where from the same spot he sketched the castle once more, and the view of Hythe. The mark-making is different to his and Girtin’s earlier approach – this time rapid, impressionistic yet deft, and he conveys the spirit of the scenes better than any photograph could.

Of more importance to Turner’s oeuvre and British art in general is a view he took from the

hill above the RHDR station (built later) in Hythe. This view (labelled D10497 in the Tate archives) was later transformed into a popular engraving (Tate T05259) in 1824 which includes St Leonard’s church, the military canal, the army barracks and a group of soldiers in the foreground. This combination of a serene landscape with a coded message about the defence of the realm is characteristic of much of Turner’s work in the period.

In the twentieth century Hamish Fulton, a later Saltwood resident, characterises himself as a ‘walking artist’ whose art, rather than being a physical object like a painting or sculpture, is the act of hiking itself. Two local works exemplify his work: Whitehill Wood / A Two Day Walk from Saltwood to Canterbury and Back / Travelling by way of the Roman Road from 1972 and 1975’s France on the Horizon. Both are photographs that make a record of these ‘art walks’.

Fulton’s approach chimes with all the art I’ve discussed, and hopefully settles the question of how you can best see our local landscapes With eyes primed for natural beauty, artistic visions and historical interest: get walking.

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www.hythelife.org.uk | 21

Bringing Hops Back to Kent

By David Poore

It is two years since a small group of friends came together to talk about the idea of a community hop farm in Hythe, and took the first important decisions… such as what to call ourselves… and we became Hythe Hops. Over the course of these two years we have grown significantly from the group of six or so that originally chewed over the idea over a glass of beer or two. So, what have we achieved, where are we now and what plans/hopes do we have for the future?

We have grown our community… the germ of our idea is now a very solid reality. Our 119 members tend 195 hop plants in 99 locations in private gardens, allotments, in pots and in the ground. Whilst we are all “Hythe Hops growers” our hops are also to be found in Sandgate, Folkestone, Dymchurch, Ashford, Acrise, Sellindge and Lydd.

We have harvested our hops successfully and this process is a new experience to (almost) all of our members. The challenge is to organise to one (or more) days convenient for as many growers as possible to harvest and deliver these in preparation for the next stage of their journey. Across two harvest days this year growers picked 71kg of hops to be weighed in and logged for bagging up and delivery onward to our partners.

Those partners are local brewers and dryers – HopFuzz has supported us generously this year and last; Docker Brewery is a new partner this year. This season we have dried about half of our harvest, thanks to a further new partner, Hukins Hops at Tenterden.

Our hops make good beer! Hop Buzz (a green hop ales) was our first brew this year –

22 | www.hythelife.org.uk

the same recipe as last year - and has been very well received in local pubs from Folkestone to Dymchurch. After this initial brew, we can now also use our dried hops to continue to deliver beer made with local hops right through to Summer 2021! Fortunately, under current Covid-19 restrictions, Docker Brewery is making all of our brews with them available in cans and will even do home delivery!

What have we learned? Although generally tough and easy to grow, hop plants are not indestructible – and the dry and windy weather this year was especially challenging for both new and second year hop plants. Some fell prey to sooty mould, others to wind damage, lack of water and others never really got out of the blocks. Luckily, these long-lived plants are very hardy, and in most cases we expect they will revive next season and continue to crop for up to 15 years. One thing we can confirm: a zinc-galvanised grower is not suitable for a hop plant – certain death!

Where are we headed? A good number of local pubs and hotels have joined our community and grow hops in their beer

© Paul Cochrane

© Paul Cochrane

© Paul Cochrane

gardens, and this is a connection that we hope to expand. Growing hops and then selling beer made with those same hops is proof of the local food story that we are proud of. We also would like to see more hops grown on community land, and there are discussions underway which we hope will see sponsored hops around Hythe and maybe elsewhere.

The Covid-19 situation this year has severely limited our social activities, and whilst Zoom is very useful, it cannot replace the face to face mingling and chatting that brings our community together. We have every hope that next year will be very different and bigger! We are always looking for new members, so why not join our merry band of local growers: For more info visit: http://hytheenvironmental.community/ hythe-community-hop-farm/ To sign up with Hythe Hops next year: email hythe.hops@gmail.com

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BRITISH FLOWERS ROCK!

Grown Not Flown ­ Supporting UK suppliers.

By Jo Wilson.

In light of our current situation, many of us are continuing to adapt in a stoic and pragmatic way. There are some who have begun to depend upon local farms or shops to supply them with food and household items that supermarkets have been unable to provide, thereby changing the way they shop, relying on local rather than imported goods.

I have been in conversation with Ben Cross – aka ‘Alstroemeria Ben’ – a fourth generation grower at Crosslands Flower Nursery in West Sussex, about growing all year-round Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily). These are everpresent in bouquets, highly durable and pet-friendly. I am interested to learn about supporting UK growers, boosting sustainability, and highlighting the need to invest in our economy.

4. Propagation of Alstromeria is done by rhizome division, or growing from seed - are these both easy to do?

All our plants are grown under licence and are not your average garden varieties as they are bred for their vase life and colour for the cut flower trade. But the public are best to buy the plants of the garden varieties online, in garden centres or at garden shows.

“Over 90% of cut flowers in the UK are imported and the environmental impacts of that are huge! ” 1. Where is your business based and how would you sum up your focus and ethos?

I’m a fourth gen grower here at Crosslands Flower nursery which has been going since 1936 and we have been based in Walberton near Arundel since 1957 where I live today.

We have also, perhaps, learned to forego some luxuries, whilst clinging on to others. If, like me in the past, you have readily added a bouquet to your shopping delivery basket, or clicked and sent a celebration bunch, without knowing where the flowers have come from, you may be interested to know that over 90% of cut flowers are imported. This practice not only comes with a heavy carbon footprint, but also fails to support the network of incredible nurseries and growers within the UK. In warmer countries, a lot more water is used, flowers are stored in big freezers, and smaller, less vibrant plants are packed tightly for long-haul transport.

24 | www.hythelife.org.uk

2. How has the virus outbreak affected the day to day running of Crosslands?

Because I live on the flower nursery it’s been life as normal on the nursery so I’ve been lucky I can keep busy and both mentally and physically fit.

3. How would you describe the Alstroemeria flower?

Alstroemeria is known in the UK as ‘dry crop’ and a ‘cool crop’ as it’s very sustainable to grow here as it takes little water in the summer months and little heat in the winter to grow and produce flowers.

5. Finally, what would you say to convince a new, or reluctant, customer, that buying from a British grower is the best choice?

Over 90% of cut flowers in the UK are imported and the environmental impacts of that are huge! My blooms have much less of a carbon footprint, no chemicals are used after harvesting, we use bio control instead of pesticides, and our flowers are fresher and will last longer. Remember British flowers rock Ben’s nursery contributes to a sustainable way of life, as chemicals are not used to spray the plants, and packaging is both recyclable and reusable. As well as employing local people and running apprenticeship schemes with local horticultural colleges, Ben also visits floristry colleges to give his British Flowers Rock talks, and campaigns avidly to spread the word about British flowers. Something to think about, next time you pick up a bunch!

Crosslands Flower Nursery can be found near Arundel, in the village of Walberton, West Sussex.

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info@hythegardenlandscapes.co.uk www.hythelife.org.uk | 25

Gleaning An Occupation as Old as the Hills

By Chris Turnbull

Hythe Environmental Community Group is all about a community-led approach to making the Hythe area a more fulfilling, sustainable place to live.

The Bible tells farmers to: “leave corners of their fields unharvested, not to pick up that which was dropped (gleanings), and not to harvest any over-looked produce that had been forgotten when they harvested the majority of a field. These things should be left for the Poor, for strangers, widows and paternal orphans.”

Gleaning was a right of the poor up to the late 18th century, under common law. After a farmer had harvested his crops, labourers and poor members of the farming community could gather any leftovers in the fields, providing a useful supplement to a family’s income or providing additional food. Present day food inequalities together with wastage caused by our perceived preferences for “perfect” fruit and veg, rising unemployment, increasing poverty and the need to support many people in their own homes have given gleaning an important position in community volunteering.

In the UK, the prime mover for gleaning is “Feedback” which is a campaign group working to “regenerate nature by transforming the food supply system”. Waste is at the top of their agenda and they provide training and resources for local gleaning hubs to get up and running.

26 | www.hythelife.org.uk

With their help, we now have a highly active and successful gleaning hub as part of Hythe Environmental Community Group.

The gleaning activity is only a small part of the story which would be pointless without an effective local distribution network which can target those in need and it has been fascinating identifying and working with all of the wonderful local groups whose aim that is.

These include schools running foodbanks or supplementing free school meals, The Salvation Army, Rainbow Centre and Action on Homelessness in Folkestone, Kent Refugee Action Network, Folkestone Women’s Shelter, Home Farm Trust, Single Mums and the amazing Streetz2Streetz as well as the Covid Hubs/Age UK kitchens and The Pilgrim’s Hospice.

Community support for our gleaning has been great and we now have 37 potential gleaners on our list. Unfortunately, many can’t always join the gleans, but we regularly raise a team of 8 -12 which is large enough to satisfy the needs of our local customers. From April to the writing of this article in November, we have run 63 gleans, and rescued 25 tonnes of fruit and veg which would otherwise have gone to waste. 23 tonnes have gone to our local charities and organisations and the other 2 tonnes were picked by our teams for supply to London and Thanet foodbanks.

Our wonderful farmers have given us access to their cherries, plums, apples, pears, potatoes, greens and squashes and our list of sources for produce grows all the time. This year we have started to include a little urban gleaning where we go in and clear unwanted fruit from local gardens and private orchards, reducing the massive wastage that occurs every year. If you know of fruit or veg that went to waste this year, let us know and we will try to

make contact with the owner next season to avoid the same happening.

Looking to the future, we are committed to supporting a local hub approach to gleaning and to help other groups set up other hubs in East Kent. There is plenty of produce to be gleaned and it is very satisfying to be able to deliver it to your local charities. Currently we work closely with Deal-based “Deal With It” and hope that initial discussions with Folkestone, Dover and Thanet will bear fruit (and veg).

Currently, under Covid restrictions, we unfortunately have to travel in multiple cars.

However, this does enable good cargo carrying and it may be that when car sharing is again sensible, we will be looking for the loan of a minibus to minimise environmental impact from travel and give the required load carrying capacity.

Gleaning is fun, sociable, healthy (physically and mentally) and gives an interesting insight into the challenges of farming these days. If you’d like to join us or have skills/contacts that can help us – please drop me a line at hytheecg@yahoo.com Website: https://hytheenvironmental.community/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups /1403528403025955/ Email: hytheecg@yahoo.com

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Hythe in Bloom

brightens the loos!

By Sally Chesters

From left to right: Gill Bond, Caroline Armstrong, Stu Armstrong, Sally Chesters

Hythe in Bloom operates under the auspices of Hythe Civic Society and, since 2004, it has worked hard to provide summer and winter floral displays in and around Hythe, including tubs in the High Street and railing-mounted troughs in Prospect Road.

This autumn Hythe in Bloom has taken on a new challenge. The large flower bed outside the public toilets in Chapel Street, Hythe, had been suffering from neglect so, with the help of Folkestone and Hythe District Council, volunteers cleared the bed and re-planted it with a colourful array of shrubs and plants to brighten up this area of the town.

The beautiful apricot-coloured roses – donated many years ago by the Hythe Rotary Club – have remained, as has the Phormium and perennial Geraniums, and these have been joined by Choisyas, Daisies and Stachys. A

beautiful selection which should provide allyear-round interest.

Gill Bond, one of the volunteers, said: ’The flowerbed was looking very sad and neglected, so it is a pleasure to bring it back to life to brighten up this area of the town. The several hours it took to do the work were well worth it.’

Photographs show the flowerbed after planting and the volunteers who carried out the work.

For more information contact: Sally Chesters (01303) 266118

“The flowerbed was looking very sad and neglected, so it is a pleasure to bring it back to life to brighten up this area of the town.”

Why Volunteer?

The work on brightening the flowerbed outside the loos is just one of a number of projects in which Hythe Civic Society is involved - many of which require the support of volunteers. Over the past year, hours have been spent planting troughs, weeding, planting trees and watering and the number of volunteer hours expended runs into the hundreds.

Out of interest, some of the volunteers were asked why they volunteer and here are some of the responses they gave….

28 | www.hythelife.org.uk

‘Our friendly and loyal Hythe in Bloom gardening neighbours suggested we might be interested!’

‘Having moved to Hythe, I was so pleased to see the planters in the High Street. Lots of colour but more importantly, showing that people were happy to give up their time to the enjoyment of others.’

‘It’s good for you and the community’ ‘I volunteer because it’s hugely satisfying, I meet fantastic people and I want the place where I live to look great!’

‘A study suggests that volunteering is one of the top ten contributors to personal happiness.’… ….So, if you are not a volunteer already, why not give it a try? A group of volunteers meets every week to do some gardening somewhere in the town. If you would like to join the group – or help with tree-planting etc – call Sally Chesters on 01303 266118 for more information….it’s not guaranteed but it is hoped that personal happiness will follow…

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Life in Lockdown

by Holly Hunt

After Boris announced the lockdown, the world became a crazy, chaotic and complicated journey into the unknown. A journey in which we sold out of toilet roll. It was insane. However, after the initial excitement of schools shutting, it became clear how drastic this change would be.

Many young people, including myself, believed that the nationwide lockdown would end up being a few months where we could work on ourselves and our education before returning back to a safe reality under the umbrella of a working vaccine. We did not expect to be kept inside for 5 months to ensure the safety of those around us, let alone be entering a second lockdown this late in the year.

Amongst all the confusion we felt, we decided to make the most of it. FaceTime and Zoom became our most used apps as we strived to keep in touch with our friends and more

minutes before your first online lesson was extremely helpful, yet at the same time it became a very bad habit. Staying up late and waking up even later became a hurdle that many of the students had to tackle, but the hardest was motivating ourselves. I asked a few of my classmates general questions about their individual experiences and challenges in lockdown, and many replied saying how difficult it was to remain on track with studying and staying healthy.

In an interview with one of my classmates, she mentioned that "without the structure of a

“Whilst it is hard for us to see the positives of the situation as we enter another lockdown, we must look forward rather than backwards.� importantly the elder members of our family who had to shield. It was a big change which had more than a few teething problems, but it almost immediately became flawlessly integrated within our daily routines. It made everyone feel more involved in people's isolated lives - a welcome and happy distraction from the press conferences and news headlines which became increasingly more worrying every day.

This positive mindset did not last as long as I would have hoped. Sleeping, working and relaxing predominantly in my bedroom did have its negatives as well as its positives. Of course, rolling out of bed to throw on some clothes ten

30 | www.hythelife.org.uk

timetabled day and being at school, it was much harder to remain focused with all the distractions in my room." This was a common feeling throughout many students, including myself. Following this answer, I asked her how she managed to keep herself motivated, if at all. She replied confidently with "I made my own timetable! I made sure I studied during the time I would have been at school and then exercised or tried something new around school hours. It worked for the most part!"

The good news is that we all managed to come out the other side of the lockdown with a smile on our faces and a headstrong determination to tackle our school and social

life again. Even though school life is ten times the pressure for our A-Level year with ten times the amount of precautions to prevent the spread of this virus, we are too grateful to complain! It has come as a welcome break from partaking in online learning for five months and we could not be more relieved.

Whilst it is hard for us to see the positives of the situation as we enter another lockdown, we must look forward rather than backwards. We have so many family events to celebrate, loved ones to hug and places to visit. For many people, life has changed irrevocably and will never be the same again. Even for those of us who have been lucky enough to have not been adversely affected, the experience of lockdown is likely to be with us forever and undoubtedly colour who we are in our future lives. We must not underestimate that, whilst individually we may have gone nowhere, collectively we have travelled far.

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www.hythelife.org.uk | 35

HILL

Recipe Cinnamon poached pear, white chocolate mousse, salted granola & butterscotch sauce

By Allister Barsby

Poached pears

u 4 pears u 500ml water u 1 cinnamon stick u 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped u Juice of 1 lemon u 150g caster sugar In a large saucepan bring to the boil all the ingredients except the pears. Peel the pears and using a melon baller remove the seeds from the bottom. Place them into the simmering syrup and turn the heat right down. Cover with a cartouche (a disc of baking parchment) and cook gently for about 10 minutes until tender. Leave them to cool in the syrup.

White chocolate mousse u 150g crème patissiere u 300g melted white chocolate u 1 whole egg u 3 egg yolks u 40g caster sugar u 450ml double cream In a stand mixer add the egg, yolks and sugar. Whisk on high speed until they have quadrupled in size and are light and fluffy.

Warm the crème patissiere and whisk in the white chocolate until smooth. Whisk the double cream until medium peaks.

Quickly fold the egg sabayon into the white chocolate followed by the whipped cream.

Pour into container and set in the fridge for at least 5 hours.

Pears sorbet u 500g peeled and diced pear u 75g sugar u 75g water u 1 lemon juice u 30g glucose syrup Place all the ingredients into a pan with a lid.

Put onto a medium heat and cook until the pear is completely soft. Blend until

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completely smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Allow to cool and churn in an ice cream machine until the desired consistency.

Place in the freezer.

Salted granola u 300g rolled oats u 60g pinenuts u 60g pumpkin seeds u 60g honey u 20g maple syrup u 60g dried cranberries Mix all the dry ingredients except for the cranberries. Spread out on a baking tray and bake at 160C for 15 mins stirring every 5 mins to get a nice even golden colour. Add the honey and maple and bake for another 10 mins stirring occasionally. Take out the oven and add the cranberries. Mix well and leave to cool.

Butterscotch sauce u 200g sugar u 100g glucose syrup u 500g cream u 50g water Make a dark caramel with the sugar, glucose, and water. Take off the heat and gradually add the warm cream, whisking as you do. Be careful here as the cream will boil vigorously. Once all the cream is added, place back over a low heat and cook for 10 mins to dissolve all the caramel. Allow to cool and put into a squeezy bottle.

Once all of the components are made and ready to use you can plate the dish…

Start by spooning some granola on the plate followed by dots of the butterscotch sauce. Using a warm spoon do a nice “quenelle” of the mousse and then squeeze some more butterscotch over the top in a zig-zag. Cut the pear into quarters and place onto the plate followed by another nice quenelle of the pear sorbet. Enjoy!

AA Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence

‘Patrons Allister Barsby and Alice Bussi are extremely proud to announce that Hide and Fox has been awarded 3 AA Rosettes’ The small fine dining restaurant in the village of Saltwood, Hythe, opened in June 2019 as a welcome addition to the food scene in Kent.

It has quickly attracted the attention and interest of food inspectors and critics; the AA Guide awarded 2 Rosettes for the new opening last year, followed shortly by more visits, impressed by the team talents and passion. Despite one of the most challenging years, 2020 has brought excellent news as well as bad, and Hide and Fox has been recognised has one of the best restaurants in the South East and is proud to hold the 3 AA rosettes accolade. Described by the guide Managing Director Simon Numphud as ‘a cosy intimate restaurant with a contemporary setting, where a strong local reputation has been quickly established. Precision cooking utilising the very best seasonal Kentish produce’.

The owners and their team are extremely proud of the fantastic achievement and look forward to welcome many more new guests!

The Green, Saltwood, CT21 4PS www.hideandfox.co.uk restaurant@hideandfox.co.uk 01303 260915 COVID 19: our opening times and menus may vary.

Please visit our website for any updates.

AA Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence Expect modern British cuisine served in an intimate and relaxed restaurant, with a focus on carefully sourced seasonal ingredients and fine wines.

Allergy Information we will be happy to assist with your dietary requirements

www.hythelife.org.uk | 37

A year in the life of our

RSPCA Animal Welfare Officer

By Martin Whybrow

It was a big decision by the RSPCA Folkestone and District Branch trustees (of which I am one) to recruit a full-time staff member. However, we saw a clear role for a local animal welfare officer (AWO) who could complement the work of the national charity’s front-line staff (the branch is a separate charity). As soon as Hythe-based Lucy Smith took up the post in June 2019, it was clear that the decision was the right one.

It is likely you will have seen Lucy out and about in her striking van – another expense for the branch, along with all the training and equipment! She has made a huge difference in raising the profile of the local branch and the national charity. The RSPCA’s invaluable work is clear in its vision: “A world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion”.

Lucy’s work is extremely varied. To gain an idea of this, let’s look first at just one month from this year.

In July, Lucy received a total of 76 assistance requests. These included 69 requests for advice and information about rehoming, help with injured wildlife, transportation for reptiles, assisting National Society Inspectors, and dealing with stray cats. There were also seven reports of cruelty and neglect from local organisations and members of the public.

Gull season wasn’t over yet, and 22 calls involved gulls, both juvenile and injured adults.

These included a gull trapped on a roof with a broken wing. With help from the resident, the gull was rescued and taken to a local vet for treatment.

Other gull rescues involved chicks that had left the nest a little too early and were cared for by the RSPCA until they were ready for release.

A kestrel was found in a Cheriton park and taken to Mallydams (the RSPCA’s wildlife rehabilitation centre near Hastings), where the team assessed him and felt he was too weak to fly, so he stayed there until recovered.

Lucy was called to a signet on Hythe canal. A member of the public had concerns for his right leg, after monitoring he was witnessed climbing onto the bank to join his swan family, so we were able to leave him with his family.

Lucy collected an injured pigeon within a few minutes of it being posted on Facebook.

This was much appreciated by the person who found him and shows the positive impact of having our own local AWO.

Finally, a handsome fox was reported being out during the day and seemed disorientated.

Lucy managed her first solo fox capture - not an

“There is a lot of re-housing of pets across the year and it is always really satisfying to see an animal settled with a loving new owner.” easy task - and delivered to Burnham House, one of our local partner vets, for on-going care.

Animal rescues can often bring considerable public interest. Back in January we experienced one of our biggest, in collaboration with other agencies, a stranded seal on the beach along Prince’s Parade. Then there was Paddy the pigeon (named by the security staff!), who broke into Debenhams in March, proved elusive but was finally caught by Lucy, and given some well deserved food and rest to get him fit enough for his release.

There is a lot of re-housing of pets across the year and it is always really satisfying to see an animal settled with a loving new owner.

Helped by a generous donation, we also ran a month-long neutering programme for dogs in the Folkestone area back in February.

Continued on page 40

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Here at Hythe Vet Centre we want to deliver the very best in professional veterinary care whilst maintaining a loving, caring and family ethos. After a long search for the right place for our passion, we believe that we have found it, here in Hythe.

THESE INCLUDE: • Dedicated parking.

• Purpose built surgical theatre, imaging suite and kennels.

• Spacious waiting area and large consulting rooms.

• X-ray machine with digital processor allowing faster developing times.

• An ultrasound scanner similar to those used in human hospitals.

• Heated theatre table – to keep your loved ones cosy warm!

• Air driven dental machine, not unlike what you would find at your own dentist!

• The latest veterinary practice computer system – this will increase the efficiency of the mundane administration side of things.

• An oxygen concentrator – this will provide the oxygen that we will use during anaesthetics. Its biggest bonus is that it means that we will not need regular oxygen bottle deliveries, reducing our environmental impact.

Combining 25 years of experience in small animal veterinary practice, Colin, Helen and their team aim to provide a first class service to both you and your beloved pets.

We have been awarded Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons General Practice recognition. This is a sought after accreditation that gives you peace of mind that our practice adheres to strict professional standards.

Call:

01303 260003

www.hythevetcentre.co.uk

Hythe Vet Centre Osborne House, Portland Road, Hythe CT21 6EG

E: hello@hythevetcentre.co.uk

Lucy also keeps in regular contact with our local homeless community, including providing food and blankets. Our branch offers welfare vouchers to those with pets to cover the cost of veterinary treatment if needed. These are for use at our RSPCA clinic at Havelock House in Dover Road.

Of course, Covid-19 has had an impact on Lucy’s work this year. We have worked with local animal charities and the Hythe and Romney Marsh Community Support Hubs to donate pet food and leads for the Hubs’ dedicated volunteer dog walkers.

There is an important communication role.

This could be to highlight seasonal dangers, such as checking for hedgehogs before lighting a bonfire, advising on animals and fireworks, warning about the danger of leaving dogs in cars in hot weather, or national campaigns, such as Rabbit Awareness Week.

Until the disruption causes by Covid, Lucy had done a massive amount of work in our local schools. The last visits, pre-lockdown, were in March, to Brockhill Performing Arts College for

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a Sixth Form workshop, St Mary’s Primary Academy in Folkestone, and Little Oaks in Sandgate. Here’s what the latter posted afterwards: “Today we had a visit from the RSPCA. The lady spoke to the children about the importance of keeping animals safe and what we should do if animals need help. The children really enjoyed talking and interacting with Lucy, they also had the opportunity to look inside her van and see all the equipment they use.”

The communications includes our facebook page, which has seen a huge surge in followers and likes thanks to Lucy’s efforts, such as “Mugshot Monday!”, which is particularly popular, cheering up everyone at the start of each week! There are a lot of posts trying to connect owners and lost pets (microchipping helps enormously).

There is a current campaign to warn people about the dangers of litter to animals, with striking posters now up on noticeboards across the district. Hazardous items include angling equipment and 2020’s new addition to the nation’s litter, disposable facemasks.

We are so grateful to all of our members and the many people who kindly donate to us.

There have been particular causes in the year that people have really got behind, such as Ash, a lovely female black cat, who unfortunately had to have an operation to remove her eye.

Among this year’s donors was new Folkestone-based Not For Humans pet

boutique, who chose us as their charity for their opening event, with a donation equal to 10% of profits from their first four days opening. Lucy cut the ribbon to open the store in September.

And sometimes we make donations as well. In February, we donated £250 from our branch fund to assist with veterinary care during the awful wildfire crisis in Australia.

If you see Lucy out and about, give her a wave and a smile! And do contact us if you would be interested in volunteering, becoming a trustee or would like to donate. You can find us on facebook, phone 07936 911613 or email welfare@rspcafolkestonedisrtrict.co.uk If your pet needs veterinary treatment through our clinic please call 01304 206989 for more information and advice (please do not turn up with your pets without first calling the surgery).

Living

in Lockdown

By Lorna & Maria Graham

My favourite author Mark Manson says: “You don’t build psychological resilience by feeling good all the time. You build psychological resilience by getting better at feeling bad”. And in lockdown I have personally realised the most powerful coping mechanism for dealing with stress and uncertainty is to embrace the days where I don’t feel my best.

Nothing’s quite as inevitable as the deterioration of your mental health during a Covid-19 nationwide lockdown. With a lack of social connection, mass unemployment, threat to everyone’s safety and security and general isolation with more time in the day to be constantly checking news feeds, Covid-19 is a big threat to everyone. With winter looming, and Christmas up in the air, the next month is going to be tough. So being in the right mindset is critical.

Lockdown 2.0 is particularly challenging as the winter kicks in. With shorter days and

starting the day with a sense of achievement.

Get up and get out! Exercise in the morning when the weather is better and then you can enjoy your day with endorphins pumping through you. Even going for a walk will lead to a positive mood change.

Being mentally resilient is all about acknowledging your achievements no matter the size. Therefore during a time when there’s not much you can do, make sure you recognise the little things you accomplish. And enjoy the little things that brighten up your day. By using mindfulness and altering your mindset, the

“Open-mindedness to a change in habit is hard. Take time for yourself, and say yes to all the boring suggestions people throw at you to reduce the boredom” colder weather, the only bliss we found in the first lockdown of outside exercise becomes less appealing. However, the benefits of getting out despite the bitter cold are worth it. During a time where the social pressure to motivate yourself is limited, it’s hard not to snooze your alarm till noon. Personally, achieving anything without social pushes is a challenge. You’ve no pressure to get to work for 9am or make the most of your gym membership, so motivating yourself becomes a significant challenge for making the most out of your day.

In times like this, routine is key. Making your bed and getting out of your pyjamas even when you’ve nowhere to go will already have you

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smaller things in life can become the best parts.

The meditation technique of simply focusing your mind on your surroundings when going out for your daily exercise makes a walk you’ve done many times before a new experience. I’ve discovered focusing on the sounds and people around Hythe is both relaxing and enjoyable.

This technique keeps your mind clear of anxiety. Your mind can only focus on one thing, so on a day when you may feel particularly anxious or stressed, focus on your outside surroundings. I encourage everyone to find something small, enjoyable with little stress added to it that gives you a sense of achievement.

Everyone has their own methods to reduce the madness. Sometimes cracking open the jigsaw puzzle your family has had on the top shelf, untouched for years, on a Saturday night rather than going to the pub might seem deflating. But it’s something to do. Perhaps going for a run or blasting your favourite songs in your bedroom gets you uplifted, do as much as you can to keep yourself stimulated.

Open-mindedness to a change in habit is hard. Take time for yourself, and say yes to all the boring suggestions people throw at you to reduce the boredom. With simple steps of mindfulness, embracing the lockdown life will lead to enjoyment in new ways.

Lockdown is challenging for all of us in different ways. In the run up to Christmas it’s important to note that for some Christmas is the loneliest time of year. Throw in a potential lockdown and it’s a difficult time, to say the least. A powerful tool of making yourself feel better is by being kind to others. You may not be able to drop in on loved ones or volunteer this year but smiling at others along the high street, or saying hello, for many goes a long way. Having a social distanced chat with a stranger will not only brighten your day but may make theirs. So, there’s no better time to adhere by the saying ‘it’s the small things in life’.

Your local Chartered Surveyors can help you with

•

Building & House Surveys

•

Party Wall Ma琀ers

•

Landlord and Tenant / Service Charge Disputes

•

Expert Witness Appointments

•

Disabled Access Audits

call 01303 239000 or www.collier-stevens.co.uk 1st Floor , The Old Auc琀on Rooms, Marine Walk Street, Hythe CT21 5NW

ARE YOU A HOMEOWNER OVER THE AGE OF 55?

IF SO HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED RELEASING THE MONEY IN YOUR HOME TO:PAY FOR A HOLIDAY – THE CRUISE OF A LIFETIME OR SEE FAMILY DOWN UNDER REPAY YOUR EXISTING TRADITIONAL MORTGAGE – INTEREST ONLY OR REPAYMENT REPAY OTHER EXISTING DEBTS – CREDIT CARDS, LOANS, HP ETC CARRY OUT HOME IMPROVEMENTS – EXTENSION, NEW BATHROOM OR KITCHEN ETC HELP THE FAMILY OUT WITH A GIFT – DEPOSIT FOR THEIR OWN HOME, WEDDINGS ETC

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL PETER WINSTANLEY NOW ON: 07973 615557 OR EMAIL; PETER.WINSTANLEY@EQUITYRELEASE.CO.UK WWW.EQUITYRELEASE.CO.UK

www.hythelife.org.uk | 43

Property Market In Hythe

Bounces Back After Uncertain Start To Year

By Matthew Piper Purplebricks Local Property Expert

2020 has without doubt seen some of the most challenging times in recent years for Estate Agents in the local area. With the COVID-19 pandemic rocking the market to its core in the early part of the year, agents are now experiencing record breaking sales figures making the coming months an exciting and potentially lucrative time to move.

So, what has caused this sudden upturn in business that has taken so many by surprise?

Back in March the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced a full lockdown; it could not have come at a worse time for the housing market. Agents were just starting to see an improvement on a poor end to 2019, which had been mainly as a result of market uncertainty and lack of confidence related to the General Election, the Christmas period and imminent Brexit. However, with so much delay and frustration caused by lockdown, both buyers and sellers returned to the market in early June

that “nearly 9 out of 10 transactions are no longer subject to stamp duty with the average bill falling by £4,500”. However, with the average house price in Hythe being cited by Zoopla at £363,998, some £107,998 above the average UK house price of £256,000 (Nationwide House Price Index), many would experience far greater savings thus making already attractive Hythe properties even more appealing.

The second factor that has undoubtedly seen buyers choosing 2020 as their year of choice to move is the historically low Bank of

“both buyers and sellers returned to the market in early June in their droves with a new insatiable appetite to buy and sell that hasn’t been seen in years” in their droves with a new insatiable appetite to buy and sell that hasn’t been seen in years.

This increased activity can be attributed to several factors, the first being The Chancellor of The Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s decision on the 8th of March to abolish Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on purchases up to £500,000 in an attempt to encourage people back to the market once more.

Many saw this as a green light to kick start their plans to move with earnest, often choosing to bring forward in some cases by several years to make the most of this rare saving.

Zoopla, a leading property market quoted

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England Base Rate. On the 19th of March in line with the Stamp Duty Holiday the Governor of The Bank of England Andrew Bailey slashed the already low base rate to a ground-breaking 0.1% down from 0.25% to fire up the economy during the COVID-19 crisis. Tens of thousands took this as their opportunity to borrow money at an exceptionally low rate and flooded to the market to take lenders up on the offer of a lifetime.

The final reason behind the local market’s sudden surge in activity can be explained by people’s shift in priorities. Hythe has long been synonymous with buyers coming from out of the area, London in particular to make the most

of the open spaces and beautiful coastline and this year has been no different, in fact more so.

As search criteria changed and many people are spending more time at home, many are preferring to relocate to Hythe (and surrounding areas) or to purchase second homes and are now happily choosing to commute to the hustle and bustle of city life.

The excellent high-speed links from Folkestone and Ashford to the capital, often available in under an hour, suggests that this trend shows no sign of slowing.

As you can see the local market now is firmly heading in the right direction again after an unpredictable start to the year with prices in October reaching a record high since 2015 with an increase of 5.8% (Nationwide House Price Index).

What is certain is whether you are looking to move now, or in the future, Hythe’s property market will always command a high price for those that are fortunate enough to live in the town we love.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of Hythe’s residents a Merry Christmas and most importantly a happy and healthy New Year.

Keeping Britain moving safely Local Expertise Fair ć˜€xed fee of ÂŁ1,499* Pay later option

T&Cs apply

We can also connect you with mortgage advisors, surveyors and solicitors.

With our free app you can keep up to date on the progress of your sale. Get round the clock access to feedback from viewers, message potential buyers directly and see offers in real time all within the palm of your hand.

And for life outside the app, your Local Property Expert is with you at every step.

Book a free virtual or in-home valuation

Matthew Piper Your Local Property Expert for FOLKSTONE & HYTHE

07785 188136 *Fixed fee payable regardless of sale. Viewing services cost extra.

A4 11-20

Light Railway Survival Lifeline The

first but very valuable steps back from the brink

By Danny Martin General Manager, Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

Looking Back...At the close of the first lockdown I reflected in Hythe Life on the big gap in the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway’s finances that the pandemic had caused and the serious risk this posed to our plans and indeed our very future.

I also introduced the very different way we would need to safeguard our customers within the train with individual screens between compartments and that there would be a need for you to book in advance.

The good news is that people responded positively and soon we were back running trains from our beautiful terminus in Hythe. As the summer went on each and every one of those trains had every compartment full and daily running resumed and continued most weeks until our normal shutdown at the end of October. Of course there were less trains, less catering and shop spending but we felt we were back making a positive contribution to the tourism scene our Town and District are famous for.

Fearing to look forward but giving it a go Behind the scenes finger nails were getting shorter, number crunching was an everyday

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event but it was clear there was not enough to get us through the winter and well prepared for the next year and beyond.

We had continued to watch for opportunities and the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage sponsored by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport came on the radar. It was designed to ensure the survival of our national treasures (tick) our heritage (93 years in the making in the case of the railway) (tick) and to ensure generations to come could learn, experience and enjoy a trip through the wonderful changing landscape of Romney Marsh, on the finest mainline in miniature in the world, pulled by the original steam locomotives two eccentric millionaires had as their dream (tick tick). And so midnight oil was burnt to complete a comprehensive and searching application. Then the clock ticked as reviews were undertaken, and criteria/eligibility were checked.

Generosity and kindness abounds Meantime we had no way to judge the chance of success and so the notices of possible redundancies were drawn up and communicated, minimum maintenance plans devised for the winter and further bids made for donated materials through the generosity of so many who gave to keep us going (my thanks to each and every one). We started a winter survival initiative and schemes to raise funds were devised.

The generosity of local people and the ingenuity of ways to seek donations amongst our management, paid staff and volunteers was humbling. EDF at Dungeness sponsored coal, The Shepherd and Crook at Burmarsh and their customers held a Quiz night with proceeds to the railway and many individuals did more for free, gave more and encouraged others to do the same. Our supporters group the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway Association dug particularly deep and donated rail for winter maintenance, a very expensive commodity.

And then the email came late on a September Friday afternoon. “You have been successful but, keep it under your hat” as there will be a big nationwide announcement in 7 days. Still we did not know if the scheme would be oversubscribed or what the conditions would be. Suffice to say when the news did come it exceeded our expectations (but not our bid of course) and very clearly we were back from the brink.

Our valuable work, our dedicated people and the joy the railway gives to so many had been recognised. We were and are so very grateful.

About turn (in military speak) or Direction adjusted (in modern day management gobbledegook) We then realised the enormity of what we now have to deliver.

Suddenly compulsory redundancy was off the table, normal hours could resume for many and orders could be placed for the essential items that we usually use every winter. But of course we were now late to the race and had to shop around extensively. Staff had to be redeployed to new areas of work. Plans had to be re-written and communicated. But we now could overcome the deferred maintenance, prepare more coaches with Covid screens for a busier start to 2021, bring another engine or two back from their mothballed state and carry out renewal of another lengthy piece of track in the January/February quiet period (for passengers). All good news and a great motivator.

Everyone has risen to the challenge and every station had its wish list dusted off.

locomotive “The Bug” would not be acceptable.

However, where can they be stored? Quick shout out to our working parties – volunteer groups happy to help, full of energy and a can do attitude. We have the shed, recently vacated by the railway’s long standing friend and local resident Tony Crowhurst, but it needed readying for a new role. Yes, they said we can do it and they did with some generously given help from our track team to connect the shed back to the rails. Thanks to them all.

Work Begins (let’s see how it affects our beloved Hythe) So let’s look at what that means for our wonderful station at Hythe and because it is the place on the railway many readers will know best. Similar approaches will occur elsewhere.

Santa’s Tearoom Before the funding had been announced we had decided that Christmas trains, which have been running for approaching 40 years, should not succumb to the pandemic. Yes, the trains would carry less people, we would need to ask Santa to stay 2m away and we would need our biggest venue decorated to maximise the space available for social distancing. But that largest space is the Light Railway Hall and the adjacent tearoom so trains will need to run New Romney to Hythe and not Hythe to New Romney. But can it be done? Ideas, Ingenuity, Funds. Many hours worked by paid staff and volunteers. We are there. Just hope Santa remembers the change of postcode!

Santa’s Steam Hauled Sleigh But Santa services without the sleigh pulled by the railway’s smallest and much loved

But what about the signals, turntable and all that goes with them?

Right outside the sleigh shed is the signal-box, the turntable and the signal gantry (a lattice steel beam over the tracks) holding up in the air the traditional semaphore signals that authorise the start of so many journeys for excited passengers. But how rusty and grubby they were. Key to the Heritage Funds objectives is making sure all these vital areas get looked after too. So hands up who will get cold, wet and grubby tackling them? Straight away our Duty Controller offered to change from his warm office and lead. Regular volunteers then said “Me too” and they were off. The pictures show the smart finish. The crossing gates to the foot crossing just outside the station leading to and from the Royal Military Canal footpath got sorted too.

Don’t forget the Roof Keeping the passengers dry on wet days, the snow off the tracks and giving the station its traditional feel is the overall station roof.

Probably barely noticed by many from the inside is the build-up of moss on the outside.

Increasing the load on the roof, regularly blocking the gutters and down pipes and damaging the tiles and mortar clearing that moss is a specialised business and another one to tackle now to extend its life. Local firm JBS Brick and Stone Restoration are on the case with the moss disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner using our own maintenance trains. The improvement is dramatic and the benefits long lasting.

Here’s to 2021 All of us nationally and locally look forward to better things from 2020. The railway is no different and we will be working hard all winter to make sure that is the case.

We will hit the floor running by extending our post-Christmas running known as “Mince Pie specials” from Monday 28th December to Saturday 2nd January 2021. Running between New Romney and Dungeness with our special social distancing coaches these provide a steam hauled start to the New Year and plenty of fresh air in the dramatic setting of Dungeness.

There is plenty of free parking at New Romney but tickets do need to be booked in advance www.rhdr.org.uk.

And if all the interesting projects tempts you to become a volunteer and help then we would love to hear from you too (volunteering@rhdr.org). If you would like to contribute to the fundraising for the years ahead we would be very grateful too. Our fundraising page can be found here www.rhdr.org.uk/fundraising.

www.hythelife.org.uk | 47

Notes from a

locked-down theatre

By Pete Raine, Hon. Treasurer, FHODS

Monday March 16th was an emotional day at the Tower Theatre in Shorncliffe. We were just two days off the first night of the FHODS production of Vicar of Dibley. The technical rehearsals over the weekend had gone well, the cast and backstage crew were poised for the run, and all four nights had full audiences, with over 1000 tickets sold.

But with every day, the inexorable progress of coronavirus made us more concerned. That very morning, a ticket holder had come into our office to ask if the show was going ahead.

“Well, at this stage, it is,” we told her.

“Oh thank goodness for that,” she said. “We all need a good laugh!”

But sadly it was not to be. The briefing from Downing Street that afternoon strongly recommended that theatres suspend their productions, and we felt we had no option but to cancel the run. The following Monday, all theatres were told to close for the foreseeable future and so the lights went out in the auditorium.

But not in the rest of the theatre. Despite our four part-time and hardworking staff being furloughed, volunteers took over to keep the building ticking over and making improvements too. Dressing rooms were refurbished, walls repainted, wiring renewed, scenery and props

The auditorium at the Tower Theatre as it ought to be…

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…..but, sadly, as it is now.

re-organised, all in the spirit of hope that the virus would decline and we could re-open the theatre. Socially distanced productions were planned, and a new play, “The Audience”, was cast and in rehearsal when its production was rendered impossible by the Rule of Six. Dreams were dreamed, shattered, and dreamt again.

So now, along with the rest of the country, we face an uncertain future. We know that live theatre is an integral and important part of our culture, just as much in Folkestone and Hythe as in the West End or Stratford-on-Avon. We have been supported by some Government funding, we have borrowed more from the bank, and we have also set up a GoFundMe page, and any contribution, small or large will be greatly appreciated. We would also like to take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to all that have already generously donated. Details can be found on our Facebook page or via www.gofundme.com/f/save-thetower-theatre.

We are also extremely grateful to the amazing 90% of our ticket holders who, when

offered a refund, have opted to hold on to their tickets in the hope that the shows they have booked for will be staged. Those of us in the cast of the Vicar of Dibley are desperately trying to keep our lines in our memories for when that happens!

We are making the theatre Covid-compliant so that when the time comes, we can open our doors safely and welcome our audiences back again.

A proud volunteer with a newly painted dressing room.

So, the next time you drive along North Road past the Tower Theatre, spare a thought for the empty auditorium. And the moment you hear that we are able to put on a show – please buy your tickets and support the only dedicated live theatre in Folkestone and Hythe. FHODS was founded way back in 1902, and has weathered two World Wars and a multitude of challenges since then. Indeed, the Tower itself was originally built as a garrison church in the middle of the Second World War. We won’t let the pandemic beat us.

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger – “We will be back!”

www.hythelife.org.uk | 49

Rotary

By Barry Hammond

Hythe Rotary continues to do what it can for the Community in these difficult times. Despite all the problems we are making plans for future events and, where we can, we use the power of the internet to keep in touch with our contacts and connections.

Currently we are working with the Community Support Hub, and together with The Hythe Festival Committee and the Scouts, we are coordinating a “Thank You “ for all Hub volunteers and their families. It will be no small

consequences becoming manageable. We also hope, importantly, to reflect on the feelings and events some of us have personally experienced and shared during the whole process.

“Currently we are working with the Community Support Hub, and together with The Hythe Festival Committee and the Scouts, we are coordinating a “Thank You “ for all Hub volunteers and their families.” task because so far the number exceeds at least 500 people who have devoted their time to help us.

The event will be held in daylight time and be family oriented. We hope it will give us all some space and time to celebrate getting the Corona virus under control, and of the

We do not know when this event can be held. Simply, it has to be when we can safely mingle. However we are doing the core planning now. We think the event should be free and are therefore looking at all fundraising opportunities. We anticipate that for such a good cause, many will, generously and

"Hythe Rotary working in the Community" 50 | www.hythelife.org.uk

freely, offer their services or entertainment.

Also, our THYNK project starts again this month for the fresh student year at Brockhill Park Performing Arts College. We have all learned a lot since the project began and our capacity and range of subjects has been expanded. It is critical to create awareness of THYNK in the Community. Interestingly, the use of the internet to deliver sessions has given us a greater scope and the ability to build a library of sessions which can be available for us more widely.

This broader marketing approach will start shortly through Rotary Radio.

Finally, did you know that Rotary has been closely involved on an international scale to work to eradicate another virus, Polio? Our volunteers have travelled to hotspots throughout the world to deliver and administer the serum. Only Pakistan and Afghanistan remain to be cleared. To celebrate this, thousands of crocuses have been planted in Ladies Walk and Oaklands Park to acknowledge that millions of vulnerable children have been immunised. Watch the flowers bloom next spring and think of the achievement!

Also, did you know, on a local scale, that Hythe Rotary helped install an open-air teaching area in Brockhill Park for use by all local schools?

We can turn our hand to many things. Can we help you?

Contact Barry Hammond on 07931133282.

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SHOP LOCAL This Christmas Small businesses are the beating heart of local communities and they’ll only thrive if locals make full use of them and support them. This is truer than ever as small businesses are forced to adapt to the impact of Covid 19, many of them have become a true community lifeline. But it’s not always easy to know how we can do our bit to support local businesses. Here are some ways we can help.

Offer your support There are many more ways you can support local businesses, such as: 1. Help the high street and support the local economy Shopping at local businesses pumps money into the local economy, and by spending money in their local shop, restaurant, café or pub, shoppers can do their bit to aid our national recovery across the country.

2. Save jobs – and create even more Supporting our high streets creates jobs in local communities, supporting often young and disadvantaged people to find employment.

Helping to grow the number of jobs in our local areas makes for a better place to live and work, which then creates a healthy economy for the community.

3. Great deals People might be surprised to see just how competitive the prices are in your local shops.

Independent retailers often reward regular customers, while others often provide great deals that can’t be found in major outlets – meaning people save money as they spend.

4. A safe way to shop Businesses across the country have been following government guidance and implementing a range of measures to ensure people are safe while they shop, such as

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customer limits inside the store, plastic partitions at tills and hand sanitizing stations.

5. Preserving the heart of the community A thriving high street is key to boosting the potential of a village or town where people can socialise as well as shop. Local businesses also generate revenue to support council services such as libraries, parks and roads that benefit communities across the UK. 6. Spoilt for choice Small and local businesses often stock items which are made locally and aren’t available anywhere else, providing a great range of choice and unique products that bring muchneeded originality and variety into communities – including rare finds and items that aren’t mass produced.

7. A better shopping experience Small businesses are often run by people who live nearby. As the UK continues to recover from the pandemic, the experience of buying locally from a friendly face offers a dose of normality that many people may have missed.

8. Help the environment Local shops often source their goods locally, helping to reduce their carbon footprint. When shopping local, people are also more likely to walk or cycle to get there – doing their bit to reduce air pollution, reduce traffic and improve the quality of the nation’s high streets.

9. Leave positive reviews and share the word It’s free to leave a positive review on TripAdvisor, Google or social media and takes only a few minutes of your time, but the benefit to the business could be huge. If you’ve had a good experience with a restaurant, bar or even a product, leave a nice review to help it attract more business.

You could even go one step further by sharing details about the business with your friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the most valuable marketing tools for small businesses, so make sure to share the word.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: From corner shops and florists, to newsagents, cafes and pubs, our high streets are at the heart of every community in every corner of the UK. Business owners have done an incredible job so far to welcome shoppers back safely, and I hope people across the country will do their bit this week to help our high streets bounce back to protect jobs and support local communities.

Federation of Small Business National Chair Mike Cherry said: It’s vital now more than ever that we do what we can to support our local small businesses. The past few months have been among the most difficult that businesses have ever had and as we slowly reopen, the public can help by supporting their local businesses. Whether it’s your local grocer, decorators or florist, they all need the support of their communities in order to survive this crisis and thrive.

UK Government Source

Y A T S L A C LO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT TRADERS

E V A S

S E S S E BUSIN

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES

HYTHE KIDS Find local kids clubs and activities visit our website: www.hythelife.org.uk

Winter Wordsearch

Chocolate truffles

EVERGREEN HIBERNATE HEATER BRISK EARMUFFS

A no-bake recipe that is quick and easy!

FROSTBITE GLOVES ICICLE REINDEER WOOLLEN

INGREDIENTS • 100g/4oz plain/cooking chocolate • 100g/4oz butter, at room temperature • 275g/10oz icing sugar • Grated chocolate/sprinkles for rolling truffles in.

• Optional: Pre-bought writing icing/smarties if you want to decorate.

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INSTRUCTIONS 1. Put an inch or two of water in a small pan, bring to the boil and take off the heat.

2. Break the chocolate into a heat proof bowl and place over the water. A child can slowly stir this under supervision. One melted, add the butter and stir until melted. Then remove bowl from water.

3. Sieve the icing sugar into the chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.

Allow to cool.

4. Take a heaped teaspoon’s worth of mixture and roll into a small ball.

Repeat until each ball is formed.

5. Roll the balls through the grated chocolate/sprinkles, put them in a chocolate box and you’re done with a ready-made gift for a family friend, relative or teacher!

6. If you want to decorate them with children, take a slightly bigger ball, and put a smaller one on top, and decorate like snowmen!

Are you joking?

Winter Quiz

1. What are the fruit on a rose called?

What do you get when Santa becomes a detective?

Santa Clues!

2. What’s the name of the 2020 Netflix Christmas movie starring Forest Whitaker?

What do you call a reindeer with bad manners?

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

3. What did ‘My True Love’ send on the fifth day of Christmas?

4. Name the seasonal cake treat that contains marzipan.

5. What is a more common name for a toboggan?

RUDE-olph!

Puzzle solutions can be found on our website:

Frostbite!

Why are Christmas trees bad at sewing?

Because they always drop their needles!

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www.hythelife.org.uk

What kind of photographs do elves take?

Elfies!

HL Puzzles Crossword 2

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Down 1. Downy fruit (7) 2. Shaped and dried dough (5) 3. Game bird (6) 4. Kitchen appliance (4) 5. Open pastry with fruit filling (4) 7. Sticky candy (6) 9. Heated bread (5) 12. Edible tuber (6) 14. Sweetner (5) 16. Cooked meat or fish coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried (7) 17. Thick soup (6) 18. Cook slowly in liquid (4) 20. Large edible ray (5) 21. Vegetable (4)

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Language Lessons In a group of 28 junior high school students, 7 take French, 10 take Spanish, and 4 take both languages. The students taking both French and Spanish are not counted with the 7 taking French or the 10 taking Spanish. How many students are not taking either French or Spanish?

What is the missing letter?

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What number should replace the question mark?

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An Age Old Problem The ages of five family members total 107 between them.

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The ages of Margaret and Stuart total 29 between them.

The ages of Stuart and Jeffrey total 44 between them.

The ages of Jeffrey and Brian total 57 between them.

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The ages of Brian and Philip total 46 between them.

How old is each family member?

Answer___________________ www.hythelife.org.uk | 55

Arrow Word Item of footwear

Element

Furnishing layout

Dairy prodcut

More or less

Enclosure

Every or all

Belonging to him

Drink slowly

Molecule

Monkey or ape Marine mammal Diplomat Poison

Pig pen

Mother of pearl

Secret Long poem

Nothing more than specified

Lowest point

Pouch

Domain

Matured

Puctuation mark

Sang-Froid

Japanese currency

Be nosey

Small recess

Examine carefully

Australian state, initially

Large flatfish

Momentary

Effrontery Cogwheel

Hollow grass

Treat carefully

Flightless bird

Reckless

Unwell

Corrupt payment

Sylphlike

Fit

Repair

Impulse Armed conflict

Spoil

The night before

Depression

Stroll

Beauty shop

Handwear

Astute

Fierce Competition Three teams from England, Scotland and Wales, are competing for two trophies, one for golf and one for tennis. How many different outcomes of the two competitions exist?

ENGLAND GOLF Answer___________________

SCOTLAND TENNIS WALES

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True or False Crossword In this crossword there are two clues for each word.

Can you work out which is true and which is false?

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Across 1. Type of metal / Type of wood (4) 3. Unmarried man / Unmarried woman (8) 9. Dried plums / Dried grapes (7) 10. Type of bird / Type of insect (5) 11. Male relative / Female relative (5) 12. Raise / Lower (7) 13. Strong / Weak (6) 15. Complied / Refused (6) 19. Type of boat / Type of flag (7) 21. Stringed instrument / Woodwind instrument (5) 23. Young men / Young women (5) 24. Concentrated / Watered down (7) 25. Problem / Result (8) 26. Wet / Dry (4)

Down 1. Fruit / Vegetable (7) 2. Worldly / Callow (5) 4. Ask / Reply (6) 5. Animal / Fish (5) 6. Place where books are kept / Place where bees are kept (7) 7. Mountain chain / River valley (5) 8. Type of bird / Type of mammal (6) 14. Bicycle part / Plant part (7) 16. Enlighten / Bewilder (6) 17. Feared / Looked forward to (7) 18. Artist's workroom / Banquet hall (6) 19. Parts of a book / Parts of a clock (5) 20. Valuable item / Worthless item (5) 22. Speak / Remain silent (5)

Friends 5 friends live in the same road A, B, C, D, E. The numbers of B, C, D when multiplied together equals 1260. The numbers B,C, D when added equal twice E’s number, and is even. A’s number is half as much again as E’s. The road numbers run from 2 to 222. What are the 5 house numbers?

Answer___________________ www.hythelife.org.uk | 57

Christmas and Lockdown starter kit to aid fat loss

By Alastair Griggs

It’s been a year of ups (well very minimal) and downs (quite a few!) and now Christmas is approaching quickly you might be a little concerned about your waistlines. As a Personal Trainer writing this, you’re probably thinking I’m going to give you the old spiel about how you can still get results over Christmas which, yes you can, but I’m here to tell you not to stress about it too much.

Now that is probably not something you would be expecting from someone who runs a fitness business and advocates fitness and health.

Which of course I am fully behind, but I look more to supporting people who struggle getting in shape. Right now it’s super difficult and I get it, because of the uncertainty and the stress in the world about Covid-19. People losing income, jobs, lives changed, it’s a tough time and for me to come in and say to you ‘come on you can change your body’ isn’t going to help you.

I’m here to tell you not to stress about losing weight or getting in shape, you’re thinking too far ahead. It’s like worrying about changing your car tyres before you’ve even bought a car! Right now, what you need to focus on is the next three following points: 1) Find something you enjoy The one thing I found during the first lockdown was every man and his dog started running.

Look I’m not knocking running by all means, if you enjoy running, go running but if you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it.

If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t maintain it.

So if you start something you don’t enjoy you’ll fail before you’ve even started. You don’t need to start big, maybe start going for a walk, cycle, scooter, rolling skating, swim, AGF Fitness group sessions (we have a free trial week, all you need to do is text “FREE” to 07734 405 192 to claim your trial). Whatever it is, you just need to enjoy it. The way you find out if you enjoy it is by trying it and seeing if it works for you (Our

58 | www.hythelife.org.uk

members LOVE it, don’t just take my word for it check out reviews on our Facebook page).

2) Become more aware What do I mean by this? Just become aware with your food and what you consume. I am very to the point, I don’t beat around the bush.

Obviously if you are reading this far down you might be interested in finding out more information. For example, if you are unhappy with your weight, your problem isn’t what you eat (carbs aren’t the problem, chocolate or alcohol isn’t the problem), your problem is the amount you consume for the amount you move. You are consuming too many calories and you need to become aware of where they are coming from. Here’s two tips for that: a) Every time you go to eat something, just check how many calories are in it. b) Track what you consume in a free app called MyFitnessPal, just scan the bar code and it’ll give you all the details of the product.

This is not obsessive or weird, this is to make you aware of what you are consuming.

Normally you would just take something out the packet and eat it, without knowing exactly what you have just consumed. So just take a couple of minutes of your life per day to quickly check what you’re consuming.

3) Drink more water Water is a FREE tool which is very effective to help you achieve fat loss. Drinking 2.5/3L of

water per day fills you up and when you feel full you tend to consume less food. As water contains no calories, you will feel full with no expense of calories. This also means you will then be less likely to consume food which does contain calories.

One study showed most overweight people drank 1.5L of water or less per day, and people that were in shape drank 3L+ per day. Success leaves clues, water is free so there’s no excuses.

So get your water bottle and make sure you’re hitting 2.5L+ of water per day without fail.

To sum it up. ● Find some exercise you enjoy, try lots of different types. ● Become more aware of what you are consuming, look at the calories or use a free app called MyFitnessPal to make it even easier. ● Drink at least 2.5L of water per day, it fills you up plus makes you feel more energised.

Have a great Christmas guys!

Alastair Griggs The guy that makes your life easier when it comes to getting in shape.

Founder of AGF Fitness.

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Tai Chi

By Martin Whybrow

The ancient, traditional practice of Tai chi works on many different levels and for all age groups. At a physical level, it improves suppleness, strength, co-ordination, balance, and agility. At a mental level, it can bring calmness, helps to focus the mind and increases energy. No wonder it is increasingly prescribed by doctors and that many of us who start it find it has a transformative effect.

Practitioners of yoga, meditation, dance or other martial arts often find that the internal and flowing approach of Tai chi perfectly complements these activities. While drawing from all the fascinating strands of Chinese spiritual and philosophical thought, Tai chi is not tied to any religion or dogma, so is available to anyone. Students can move at their own pace and there are always deeper levels and new skills to learn.

"Every time I go to a class, I feel better at the end than the start,” says local student, Jonathan.

“Every time I learn something I realise that I am only just starting and that it may take years to fully appreciate it. It's really simple and amazingly complex, both relaxing and challenging.”

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Complementing Tai chi is Qigong, a powerful health exercise that has been practised for centuries by millions of Chinese people. It is based on repetitions of precise sets of movements, specifically designed to benefit health on many different levels. Qigong is easy to learn and enjoyable to do. Even a few minutes of practice can have an invigorating and rejuvenating effect.

Kath Jones has been doing Tai chi and Qigong for almost 20 years and has been teaching it locally, in Folkestone, Hythe and Sandgate, for the last four years or so, having moved down from London. Prior to Covid-19, the day-time and evening classes took place at a range of venues; at present, they happen via the ubiquitous Zoom, which is working well, although we are all looking forward to getting together again – as well as the physical and mental benefits, there is the social side as well.

Pre-Covid and hopefully not too far off again, there were also London weekend classes, which some local students attended, and for the fully immersive experience, retreats. In addition, the school of Tai chi that Kath teaches – Mei Quan – has ever more online resources https://taichinews.com/ plus a community site for registered students. Live streamed daily Qigong classes via Zoom over these last few months have proved an invigorating way to start the day.

Local student, Amanda, says: “Both the Tai chi and Qigong classes are invaluable to me. They help me relax and find stillness while also

strengthening my body. I have noticed a distinct difference in how I feel in my daily life since regularly attending classes… You can just attend the classes for the physical and psychological benefits but the advantage of being part of the bigger Mei Quan school is that there is so much more available to help you immerse yourself in the culture and theory behind Tai chi if you want that. I highly recommend giving it a go. I loved it from the start but it just keeps getting better as you go.”

The qualities of calmness and grounding, with the benefits carried over into the rest of the day, are common themes when talking to students. And while we might have been brought to the practice for one reason at the outset, many of us are then drawn to it at a deeper and deeper level.

Here’s what some other local Folkestone, Hythe and Sandgate students had to say.

“I’m in my mid-sixties and I have been attending Tai chi classes for just over 18 months. I would really recommend the lessons.

The physical benefits include increase strength in legs and arms, improvement in balance and posture. I also enjoy the breathing and relaxation techniques. You develop skills for dealing with minor aches and pains but also stress and anxiety.

“The class provides an hour when you can totally switch off from everyday life. The atmosphere is welcoming and very encouraging with no sense of competition. It suits most levels of fitness because you are really encouraged to go at a pace that suits you. I always leave the class (and I know this will sound trite but it’s true) with a sense of achievement and refreshed.”

Carolyn

Lucie says: “I joined a year ago as it was a recommended practice to manage my back pain.

Not only has Tai chi helped in this respect, it's also helped relieve stress and grounds me when feeling overwhelmed. I love the classes which are run by a magnificent teacher - there are so many different and unique movements to learn, even after a year I have only skimmed the surface of this lifetime practice.”

anyone gives it a go and you will feel healthier and stronger whether it’s a real or Zoom class.”

Beginners that join for a new term often form a closely knit group, collectively learning the Qigong moves and piecing together the Tai chi form, working with Kath and each other, and forming friendships in the process.

“I originally thought Tai chi was for the older generation and younger people did kungfu. How wrong I was! I have been studying martial Tai chi for around a year now as well as all the other elements and love it! ” There is also the more martial form of Tai chi for those that want to explore this. Lucie explains: “Not only does Kath teach Tai chi and Qigong, but also martial classes which I attend.

Here you can learn some Jackie Chan-style moves and bring out your inner kung-fu warrior! Maintaining classes through the pandemic has helped keep me calm and focused, as well as keeping me connected with the friends I have made through the school.”

Another local martial convert is Adam: “I originally thought Tai chi was for the older generation and younger people did kung-fu. How wrong I was! I have been studying martial Tai chi for around a year now as well as all the other elements and love it! Especially now we have started doing sword style. I feel fitter and healthier and love the way Kath is able to explain what moves and sequences support and affect different parts of the body. All the class members are supportive and knowledgeable and I have started to make some good friends. I recommend

“For someone who’s brain rarely switches off, Tai chi is my mediation,” says Sonya. “I’m still in a place of learning but it’s definitely my calm!

There’s so much to learn with a very step by step process approach, and what’s nice about it is that everyone is on their own journey and still so supportive and encouraging of one another. My Tai chi Family!”

If you are interested in joining us and starting on the Tai chi and Qigong journey, contact Kath at kath@meiquan.co.uk

“It’s wonderful…. Even though I suffer with my hips and am having a hip replacement, it’s done me so much good.”

Sandy “It’s brilliant for flexibility and balance. I just love it. It’s got everything going for it: a bit aerobic, meditation.”

Julie “I find it helps me calm down after a hectic week at work. It just chills me out. It settles my mind and body. It’s a thing I look forward to every week now.”

Prudence “It’s really improving my coordination.”

Mary “I find it grounding. The discipline is good for me - in a nice way – it’s good to have that focus. I feel really energising, I swap lethargy and lack of enthusiasm for enthusiasm and energy by the end of the class… it’s amazing!”

Kate “I was having problems with my back, but since doing Tai chi, it has disappeared. I am very happy. When I do Tai chi I feel relaxed, my mind is calm. It’s beautiful; very relaxing, very rewarding to do it.”

Cristina “When I started I couldn’t believe how well I felt, so much so that I do it every day now, for at least half an hour, and I would say that it is life-changing. I feel calm in body, mind and spirit. I’ll carry on doing this ‘till the day I can’t move, which is lovely.”

Jane

www.hythelife.org.uk | 61

HL Sports

Welcome to the winter edition of Hythe Life Sports. Whilst the local sporting scene did manage to return in some form following the first lockdown the second brought further interruptions especially to our local football team. We hear from the club’s Martin Whybrow with an update and also have the latest fixture list which (fingers crossed) will mean the Cannons could be back in action very soon. With no Boxing Day Run or Boxing Day Dip this year many people may decide to do their own thing this year to work off their Christmas dinner. We have some winter running tips to make sure you stay safe if you do venture out. Hopefully in the next edition we will have some more positive news as local sport once again starts up.

FOOTBALL

Cannons on hold!

By Martin Whybrow

two as it is about the football. It is one of the town’s community hubs, run by a small bunch of dedicated directors and volunteers. As with so much of what makes our town special, let’s hope that normal service can resume as soon as possible and we can return to cheering on the Cannons!

Results 12/11/20 – 31/10/20

As with all grassroots sport, Hythe Town FC’s season came to a juddering halt with the second lockdown. We had been preparing to welcome top of the table coastal rivals, Hastings United (who, coincidentally, would have been our next visitors when the plug was pulled on last season). Sadly, a match that would have seen a bumper gate (albeit with a restriction on numbers for all clubs prior to the full lockdown) could not take place.

The club had already had Covid-related upheaval in the previous couple of weeks. Shortly before kick-off, a home evening league match with Sittingbourne was deemed unable to go ahead by the referee as one of our players had tested positive and, while he was not in attendance, the test results for a few other players had not come back. We had been liaising with the league about the situation and had been given the goahead.

The following Saturday, in the FA Trophy when we travelled to Hertfordshire to play Royston Town, we were still missing players due to Covid and late test results.

It had been going reasonably well until the halt, with the team sitting eighth in the league and with a bit of a run in the FA Trophy (we went out at Royston). We’d been somewhat inconsistent, as reflected in a 6.0 win at Whitstable and a great comeback from 2.0 down to beat Ashford Town in the previous round of the FA Trophy, but also a couple of disappointing performances and results.

Now we hold our breath and hope that we can resume before long. A glance at the fixture list shows that the earliest date we are due to next play a league game at home would be 22nd December versus Ramsgate, when we will hopefully try again against Sittingbourne.

Our Reachfields Stadium on a match day is a sociable destination for many regulars. It as much about chatting with friends, having a moan (sometimes!) or celebration and enjoying the fresh air and maybe a beer or

62 | www.hythelife.org.uk

12th Sep

South Park

FA Cup

H

1-2

L

19th Sep

Burgess Hill Town

League

H

3-2

W

26th Sep

Chalfont St Peter

FA Trophy

H

3-0

W

3rd Oct

Phoenix Sports

League

H

0-4

L

6th Oct

Sevenoaks Town

League

A

2-2

D

10th Oct

Herne Bay

League

H

1-0

W

13th Oct

Whitstable Town

League

A

6-0

W

17th Oct

Ashford United

FA Trophy

H

2-2*

W

24th Oct

Haywards Heath Town

League

A

2-4

L

31st Oct

Royston Town

FA Trophy

A

0-2

L

* Hythe Town won on penalties

HL Sports FOOTBALL

League South East Table 2020-2021....

Team

PL

W

D

L

F

A

Diff

Pts

1

Hastings United

7

5

2

0

13

3

10

17

2

VCD Athletic

8

5

1

2

18

7

11

16

3

East Grinstead Town

6

4

2

0

16

6

10

14

4

Whyteleafe

6

4

1

1

15

7

8

13

5

Sevenoaks Town

8

3

4

1

14

10 4

13

6

Faversham Town

6

3

3

0

8

3

5

12

7

Whitstable Town

9

3

2

4

12

20 -8

11

8

Hythe Town

6

3

1

2

14

12 2

10

9

Ramsgate

6

2

1

3

10

10 0

7

10

Herne Bay

6

2

1

3

9

9

0

7

11

Ashford United

6

2

1

3

9

11 -2

7

12

Cray Valley PM

5

1

3

1

6

6

0

6

13

Three Bridges

6

2

0

4

11

15 -4

6

14

Chichester City

5

2

0

3

7

11 -4

6

15

Phoenix Sports

7

2

0

5

7

16 -9

6

16

Whitehawk

6

1

2

3

7

9

-2

5

17

Haywards Heath Town 7

1

2

4

11

19 -8

5

18

Sittingbourne

5

1

1

3

8

12 -4

19

Burgess Hill Town

7

1

1

5

5

14 -9

Hythe FC Revised Fixtures – 2020/21 Date

Team

Comp

H/A

19th Dec

VCD Athletic

League

Away

22nd Dec

Sittingbourne

League

Home

26th Dec

Ramsgate

League

Home

28th Dec

Faversham Town

League

Away

4

2nd Jan

Whitehawk

League

Home

4

9th Jan

East Grinstead Town

League

Away

12th Jan

Whyteleafe

League

Away

16th Jan

Sittingbourne

League

Away

23rd Jan

Haywards Heath Town

League

Home

26th Jan

Cray Valley PM

League

Home

30th Jan

Herne Bay

League

Away

2nd Feb

Chichester City

League

Away

6th Feb

Sevenoaks Town

League

Home

9th Feb

Ashford United

League

Away

13th Feb

VCD Athletic

League

Home

27th Feb

Chichester City

League

Home

6th Mar

Hastings United

League

Away

13th Mar

Whyteleafe

League

Home

20th Mar

Cray Valley PM

League

Away

27th Mar

Three Bridges

League

Away

3rd Apr

Ashford United

League

Home

5th Apr

Ramsgate

League

Away

10th Apr

East Grinstead Town

League

Home

17th Apr

Burgess Hill Town

League

Away

24th Apr

Whitstable Town

League

Home

1st May

Phoenix Sports

League

Away

3rd May

Faversham Town

League

Home

8th May

Hastings United

League

Home

15th May

Three Bridges

League

Home

22nd May

Whitehawk

League

Away

Given the current circumstances, The above games may be re-arranged.

Please check the club’s fixture line on 01303 238256 or the website www.hythetownfc.co.uk for up to date information and kick off times.

www.hythelife.org.uk | 63

HL Sports RUNNING

Winter Running Tips During the first lockdown many people took up running and other outdoor activities to keep themselves fit both mentally and physically. Now that winter is here with its cold dark evenings and given the ongoing restrictions, many people will want to carry on running, cycling and walking.

Likewise many of us take up running to try and work off the excesses of Christmas. The arrival of winter, especially once the clocks go back on the last Sunday in October, can be bad news for runners, beginners and experts alike. The cold, wet weather not only dampens your enthusiasm but also your feet! Running in the dark becomes unavoidable if you work from 9-5 so whether you’re heading out early or late, follow these easy tips to stay safe and be seen this winter.

Be Seen!

Wearing bright fluorescent colours is a great idea during the day but at night white kit with reflective panels shows up better in vehicle’s headlights. Winter kit often features reflective areas, and many running shoes come with reflective panels on the heels and sides. You can also customise any kit that you already have with adhesive strips and shapes.

Reflective strips attract the most attention when you attach them to the parts of your body that have the greatest range of movement, such as feet, lower legs and arms. There are also a range of reflective bands and clothing that come with flashing LED lights in them that not only light you up like a Christmas tree but also ensure you are seen from distance.

Traffic Always face the on-coming traffic when you’re running on a road with no pavement. The only exception to this rule is you’re approaching a blind corner, when you should cross to the opposite side of the road then cross back again as soon as it’s safe. This applies at any time of day but especially at night when drivers may not expect to see a pedestrian let alone a runner.

Wearing a head torch will ensure drivers see you long before they reach you, as well as helping you to pick out the safest route if the ground is uneven.

Balance When you run in the dark your sense of balance shifts due to a loss of peripheral vision. It’s therefore important to train your body to adjust to running at night rather than expecting it to cope automatically. Instead of choosing a route based on scenery, try to find a well-lit run with an even surface to avoid falls or strain injuries.

Safety First No matter how careful you are when you run at night, be prepared for unforeseen events. Always tell someone where you’re planning to run and roughly when you’ll return. Take a mobile phone and stick to well-lit, busy routes

WRITE FOR HYTHE LIFE SPORTS Do you belong to a local sports club or team? Do you have writing skills? Would your club or team like to be featured in the next edition of Hythe Life Magazine? If the answer is yes, please email us your editorial, along with images and we will do our best to get it featured in the next magazine @ sports@hythelife.org.uk

64 | www.hythelife.org.uk

HL Sports SAILING

Exciting times ahoy for 2021

By Bob Davidson

Hythe & Saltwood Sailing Club (HSSC) were delighted this year to receive a very welcome investment grant from Sport England. The money has enabled HSSC to press ahead with a program of improvement works to the Club house at Hythe beachfront.

Scores of club members have pitched in to volunteer their services with the refitting of both the sailing and social facilities. A new galley kitchen has been installed and the bar area renovated. In addition, extra storage facilities for boards and boats have been added.

This means that HSSC are now able to organize more sailing, kayaking and boarding activities, and to welcome new members from the local community who would like to get involved in water sports.

Club commodore, Marc Carney says: “Part of our plan is to continue our drive to become self-sustaining, which in turn allows us to invest our income back into the club as a whole. This means we can continue to offer sailing experiences for new-comers, RYA training courses and most importantly, to provide a great place for our members to enjoy what they love the most – getting out on the water!”

Former National Champion windsurfer, Marc took over as Hythe and Saltwood Sailing Club (HSSC) Commodore in 2019 and immediately set about transforming facilities in readiness for 2020. Marc says, “We had a good summer in the end. The pandemic meant that we were not able to utilise everything as much as we would have liked, however, despite the difficulties it is great to see record levels of membership with people wanting to get involved in the dinghy sailing, windsurfing and other water sports”.

2020 marked the first year when the club could open (subject to pandemic rules), seven days a week. The inclusion of ‘Loaf by the Sea’ has meant that Hythe provides more quality beach services and not just to members of the club, but anyone seeking some restful time out and away from the stress. Grant and Kate Ahlers of ‘Loaf by the Sea’ commented: “We are very excited to have the opportunity to work alongside the HSSC and bring a new food and drink destination to the Hythe sea front. We are selling a range of delicious homemade sandwiches, bagels, pastries and cakes to both the public and members of the HSSC, as well as outstanding coffee, cold drinks and ice cream”.

The new addition has led to more people coming to spectate some world class racing that includes GB and international champions. The Hythe youngsters are also enjoying what’s on offer, learning to sail and windsurf with some of them, including Herbie Stewart, Millie and Ellie Spice, going on to compete (and win!) in national 2020 events (pics).

Our current star member is Jenna Gibson who was the 2019 ‘Windsurfer of the Year’, and the current Windsurfing Slalom World Champion. This means that she is one of the fastest women on water. Racing on both fin and hydrofoil, Jenna not only wins her races, but is capable of utterly destroying world class competition. This year’s PWA championships held in Croatia were no exception, with Jenna leaving the rest of the world in her wake. However, you do not have to travel the world to watch Jenna perform as she trains here in Hythe. Jenna says, “For top speeds part of the skill when competing is to try and maintain constant contact with the water without taking-off. The sharp waves off Hythe can present a particular challenge. Holding the rig down here, the practice provides excellent shape for low-flying skills anywhere”.

A great beach activity All of this means that there is even more reason to come and enjoy the sailing in Hythe. We very much hope that the 2021 spring racing season will begin in March. You can come and see some of our current and former international star sailors. In addition to all the organized events and general watersport activities, during the season there is weekly racing on the following days: Tue 6 pm windsurfing longboard racing Thu 6 pm dinghy racing Sun 11am dinghy racing As the poet Rumi once said, “On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world is full of beauty. Today is such a day”. May 2021 bring you many such days.

www.hythelife.org.uk | 65

REMINDER: Advert & editorial deadline for spring edition: 29th January 2021

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01303 87 51 95

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Delivery to Lympne Minimum order '12 Sellindge Minimum order '15 Lyminge and Etching Hill Minimum order '15 Plus '2 Delivery charge

Selling Homes In Hythe Whatever The Season!!

If you are considering a move in 2021 call us now to arrange your market appraisal on 01303 266022

Happy Christmas Hythe!

49 High Street, Hythe, Kent CT21 5AD Tel: 01303 266022 www.lawrenceandco.co.uk | findahome@lawrenceandco.co.uk