Whitstable Whistler Winter 2022

Winter 2022 / 2023 FREE Modern-day Seaside Stories

WHIT STABLE WHISTLER

A SMUGGLER’S SONG

The surprisingly scary story of North Kent’s Outlaw Gangs

A COMMON THREAD

OF LAND

AND

SEA Whitstable’s original foul-mouthed feminists, Profanity Embroidery Group, are blooming well back

Why our coastline is a treasure-hunter’s paradise

Editorial

Editor

Cheri Percy

Acting editor-in-chief John Murphy

Founder & Publisher Clare Freeman Co-founder & Advertising director Jen Brammer

Design director

Lizzy Tweedale

Publishing assistant Esther Ellard

Contributors

Writers

Amber Akinci

Glyn Brown

Rebecca Caraccio

Amie O’Connor Poole

Guy Deakins

Duarte Figueira

Lorna Harris

Cheri Percy Christopher Stone

Flea Watson

Cathy Young

Photographers

Tilly Conolly Jack Eames

Duarte Figueira

Clare Randell

Parri Thomas

Illustrators

Heera Gul Alex Lee

Jade Spranklen Naomi Stay Becky Thomas

cover image

Profanity Embroidery Group by Jack Eames

Printers

Mortons Print Ltd, Morton Way, Boston Road Industrial Estate, Horncastle, LN9 6JR

♻ We print on recycled paper

Contact Website brightsidepublishing. com

Social Media @whitstablewhistler Advertising and distribution enquiries info@brightside publishing.com

From the Editor

Cheri Percy

Some much-needed comfort and joy

Contents

4 The Scoop – business news and fresh faces this winter, in and around Whitstable

5 Winter wishlist – our colourful cover stars share what they’re lusting after this season

7 The Hot List – from brocantes to breaking bread, hunker down with these wintry wonders

8 Talking shop – we partner up a pair of Bubble-based business to talk shop

10 Written in Stone – our columnist charts Whitstable institution Jim Leverton’s colourful career from Caravan to Cat Stevens

11 So much more than books – Cathy Young finds more than just books after the recent Whitstable Library renovations

December marks the start of the winter solstice and the period of our year with the fewest daylight hours of the year.

Coupled with the fact that we’re facing the biggest fall in living standards on record, the setting is enough to make even the cheeriest of us feel bleak. But even without the sun’s rays, there are still reasons to feel comfort and joy, and that’s what we’re trying to channel in this winter issue of the Whistler

In the darker months ahead, it’s essential that we give thanks for the stability and security surrounding us that we so often take for granted. This grounding realisation is seen none more visibly than in the incredible extended

Issue eight Winter 2022/23 – December to February Published by Brightside Publishing Ltd

family of the Riverside Pantry Project, who are working tirelessly to support locals in need all year round, not just for Christmas. Similarly, Lorna Harris hears the heartwarming story of the hug dolls who have taken up residence at MHS Bradbury Grange and how this initiative is bringing more than just tactile companionship to its residents. For those hunkering down during the hibernation period, we’ve stored up a steady supply of comforting reads too. Glyn Brown invites us to gather around to hear the staggering tale of Whitstable’s smuggling past, as she unearths the infamous gangs that once waded through our north Kent waters. While our thoughtful foodies Wasted Kitchen, who have made it their mission to save our surplus stocks, serve up their humble and hearty dahl as our latest Community Kitchen recipe. Elsewhere, our first foray into the interiors spread shows how one couple’s 1960s bungalow has become a firm family home. There are also thrifty finds from across the Bubble and beyond should you feel inspired to spruce, your surroundings in the new year.

And where would the joy be without a bit of a bloody knees-up with the ones we love? Who better to lead those rowdy celebrations than our colourful cover stars, Profanity Embroidery Group, who return with a fresh stash of F-bombs this February (and right when we piggin’ well need them). With their new works centred around domesticity, but not as we know it, it’s fair to say that the dishes can bloomin’ well wait. You’ve got a whole town to explore…

regulator

13 A common thread – the Profanity Embroidery Group explain why swearing makes you smarter and stronger

16 Cuddles and kindness – Lorna Harris hears how Bradbury Grange isn’t just delivering care but clinical excellence to its residents

18 A fragile treasure – Duarte Figueira sets sail with some of Whitstable’s fishing fleet

21 Soul food – why Riverside Pantry Project’s services are for life, not just for Christmas

24 Community Kitchen with Wasted Kitchen –serving up a hearty dahl and quick pickle recipe with Katy and co

26 Field guide – Rebecca Caraccio wraps up warm for a stroll down Stream Walk

28 Poets’ corner – resident raconteur Flea Watson reflects on a year since the creation of the column

30 Night swimmer – immerse yourself in Shelley Hastings’ captivating story as Meg and Jerry visit our coastline

34 A smuggler’s song – the surprisingly scary story of North Kent’s Outlaw Gangs

37 Of land and sea – Amie O’Connor Poole hears from foraging and fossil experts on why our coastline is a treasure hunter’s paradise

40 Rock my bungalow – feel inspired by this 1960s bungalow renovation to spruce up your surroundings in the new year

42 A league of his own – Guy Deakins speaks to the Kent born and bred events manager at 2022’s Qatar World Cup

44 Beer necessities – our wine whizz gets cosy among the rococo interiors of Harbour Street’s Porto

46 Meet the maker – Amber Akinci introduces the shoe designer making strides with sustainability in her upcycled sneakers

47 Tankertown – the residents of Tankertown get fired up by our fowl-mouthed cover stars

sister publications

We are regulated by IMPRESS. If you wish to make a complaint about anything that appears in the Whitstable Whistler, please visit the website brightsidepublishing.com/ contact

Whitstable Whistler

Margate Mercury Ramsgate Recorder Broadstairs Beacon

Tower Parade music coffee bar welcomes us two by two

New music hound? Coffee connoisseur? At this latest venture on Tower Parade, you can have both (and eat the cake). Run by Julia and Alex, Ark Music and Coffee serves up a selection of carefully curated vinyl and CDs; both brand new and used alongside its locally sourced and roasted coffee. No caffeine? No problem. The teas are ethically and sustainably sourced and there’s even a delicious bunch of freshly baked cakes and pastries to go with them. With gender-neutral toilets and a dog-friendly dine-in space, Ark really does welcome us all aboard (not necessarily two by two, but fine).

Ark Music and Coffee, 6 Tower Parade, CT5 2BJ

Sundae Sundae serves its last scoop (but it’s not all bad!)

Whitstable’s original ice cream shop is putting down its stainless steel scoop after over a decade on Harbour Street. But there’s no need to sob into your sorbet. Loyal shoppers will recall that, alongside a trusted tub of rum and raisin, the familyrun business also offered a suite of great gift items, including the recently launched Whitstable Candle Company. Fuelled by this demand for its scented wares, the Harbour Street staple will open its doors again in spring as Conway & Sons Coastal. It’s still serving until December though, so stockpile those wafers now.

Welcome back Conway & Sons Coastal at 62 Harbour St, CT5 1AG, from March

Winter residency from Cafe + Kitchen at Tankerton 101

Just in time for the cosy months ahead, Tankerton 101 offers a new seasonal space up in, er, Tankerton for local foodie pop-ups, parties and events. We’re particularly thrilled to see the welcome return of Cafe + Kitchen’s royal roast dinners for its autumn/ winter residency. And yes, there’s always room for the homemade crumble.

Tuck in at 101 Tankerton Rd, Tankerton, CT5 2AJ

This new local lifestyle brand is top dog

Love your dog, home, style and the planet? Hound Dog Collective is a new sustainable, luxury brand that makes “handsome stuff for dogs and homes”. Founders Marcus and Rachael are both former design directors, so their beautiful leather leads and collars, hand-thrown dog bowls on oak trays, British waxed-cotton dog beds, utility tote bags, workwear aprons and leather belts are all made to last and age beautifully. Everything is handmade to order in the Whitstable and London workshops to reduce waste materials.

Available at Ruskin in Whitstable, Platform in Canterbury and online at hounddogcollective.com

Husband and wife team launch an oast with the most

New to Cliftonville’s Northdown Road, Oast bakery is now serving up everyday loaves, speciality bakes and sweet buns for sit-in and takeaway. Run by husband and wife team Will and Charlotte of Whitstable’s Grain & Hearth and Ruskin respectively, Oast is a neighbourhood space that you won’t want to miss on your next visit to Margate. Opens December.

Bask in the buns at 68 Northdown Rd, Cliftonville, CT9 2RL

the winter wishlist

From fish and chips subscriptions to neon candles, our cover stars, Profanity Embroidery Group, share the items they’re lusting after this season

LUCY S-S & MARY STOCKTON-SMITH

Alma Caira’s amazing little blown-glass baubles with feathers inside.

almacaira.co.uk/

BRIDGET CARPENTER

A Total Pap cat from Seagulls and Flamingos in Harbour Street.

Seagulls and Flamingos, 12 Harbour St, CT5 1AQ

CLARE JACKSON

I love the nautical clothing in Whitstable Marine. I have just bought myself a yellow smock, very DFL but I love it.

There are a few stripey tops I need in there too.

Whitstable Marine, The Dinghy Store, Sea Wall, CT5 1BX

AMANDA TENNANT

A lovely sweatshirt from Kathinka. Gorgeous fabric or embroidery threads from Lynn at the Fabric Shop.

Kathinka, 37 High Street, CT5 1AP

The Fabric Shop, 46 Harbour St, CT5 1AH

EMILY TURNER

Whitstable gin from Twelve Taps or NULA jewellery (“it never tarnishes!”)

Twelve Taps,102 High St, CT5 1AZ

NULA Clothing, available nulaclothing.co.uk and in Ruskin Clothing, 8 Harbour St, CT5 1AG

ALISON FITZGERALD LUCAS

I’ve been lusting after one of local ceramicist Vicky Hageman’s gorgeous pink mugs with the circle square handles for yonks now. vickyhageman.co.uk/

BERNI MALLINSON

I have my eye on the world’s best fisherman’s jumper in Urbanista – tried it on last year and it has thumb holes!

Urbanista, 24 Harbour St, CT5 1AH

SHARON CAVALIER

Neon candles from Far and Few, “very soothing for the f*****g brain”. Brushes from Vita Stores. “Tthey are design perfection!”

Far and Few, 38 High St, CT5 1BQ

VITA Stores, 64 Harbour St, CT5 1AG

Big pink fluffy jacket from the Clothes Horse. A crate of Whitstable Harbour Gin from the South Quay.

The Clothes Horse, 39-40 Harbour St, CT5 1AH

South Quay Shed, Harbour, CT5 1AB

SUSAN JESSETT

Stocking-fillers from Anchors Aweigh Vintage...

Charming vintage wearables to china, fabrics and threads. Everything on sale has a story which is part of its charm for me.

Anchors Aweigh Vintage, 63 Harbour St, CT5 1AG

NICOLE BATES

Big palm tree light at Valentines Vintage.

A year’s supply of fish and chips on a Friday from VC Jones’s.

Valentine’s Vintage, 21 Oxford St, CT5 1DB

ANNIE TAYLOR

WENDY ROBINSON

Winter Hotlist

DECEMBER

Faversham Makers Market

Ten Faversham-based makers and artists have gathered to form a local collective and a pop-up store in the heart of the town. The pop-up will offer an exclusive curated selection of contemporary homewares, ceramics and art, as well as floral wreaths, organic skincare, accessories and stationery, including stunning prints from our Field Guide illustrator, Naomi Stay.

Throughout November and December, 10-3pm

One Gatefield, Gatefield Lane, Faversham

To find out more, find Naomi on @naomistayillustrates

Lindley Player’s Grimm Tales

Following on from their sellout successes of the Railway Children and Oliver Twist, the Lindley Players Youth Group take on the tantalising twists and turns of Phillip Pullman’s Grimm Tales, adapted for the stage by Philip Wilson.

8 to 10 December, 7.45pm plus matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm

The Playhouse Theatre, 104 High Street

Tickets £10, Members £8 via ticketsource.co.uk

Fundraising fashion fun

Enjoy a night of fun and fashion raising funds for two sartorial titans; Community Clothes Bank and British Red Cross. The show will style only preloved and donated items, with a mini edit collection available to purchase. Plus snag a complimentary prosecco or elderflower sparkle on arrival. We’ll drink to that!

9 December, 7-10pm

The Umbrella Centre, 10 Oxford Street

Tickets £7.50 via eventbrite.co.uk

Superstylin’ with Groove Armada DJ

One half of legendary electronic duo Groove Armada, Tom Findlay, comes to the coast for an intimate DJ set to kick off the festivities. Social dining expert The Merman will be rolling out his sausage party canapé concept with a seasonal twist, with cocktails form Grey Goose mixologist Joe McCanta.

16 December from 7pm

The Worker’s League, 1 Albert Street

Cazzie M sings a selection of hits

By this point, you’ll have heard Shakin Stevens circa 3,567 times in those last-minute dashes to the supermarket, so probably time for some fresh musical sounds.

Luckily Hubbard’s Bakery’s Cazzie M has us covered as she makes her return to the stage with new material (and festive cocktails, to boot).

23 December from 8pm

Around The Clock, 56a High Street Find out more at aroundtheclock. co.uk or @aroundtheclockwhitstable

UK Soul Choir concert

Christmas comes community, style up at the Crescent Turner Hotel, as our beloved UK Soul Choir performs and ushers us all into a festive singalong afterwards. UK Soul Choirs have opened the main stage of the On Blackheath festival and Dreamland Margate’s Camp Bestival party, not to mention sharing the stage with Lemar and soon, Mica Paris! We’re there with bells on.

23 December, 6-9pm

Crescent Turner Hotel, Wraik Hill

For more details on all of UK Soul Choir events, visit soulchoirs.com/

JANUARY

New Year Nutrition

Ditch the fad diets and supercharge your energy levels in this bespoke workshop with Charlotte from Top to Toe Fitness and Katie from West Beach Fitness. From a fun-ctional fitness section to understanding how to build more satisfying plates of food, you’ll leave with new year notes aplenty, topped up on herbal teas and energy balls. Take that 2023.

10 January, 6-8pm

Macknade, Selling Road, Faversham £40 pp Link to purchase

@toptotoefitness

Comb through Whitstable Brocante’s collectibles

A regular monthly sighting at the Umbrella Café, these dedicated retailers and restorers rummage through the ageing antiques so you don’t have to. Instead, you can persuse their sustainably sourced selection of qualitiy vintage and collectibles to unearth a new year treasure for your home. But step away from the mid-century furniture, we’ve got our eyes on that...

14 January, 10-4pm

The Umbrella Centre, 10 Oxford Street

Free admission

Paint, sip and socialise with Art Unscrewed

Fancy yourself as a regular Rousseau? Embrace the umber shades of roe deer as we head into rutting season of a mad march hare with this stag- inspired paintalong from the top folks at Art Unscrewed. Your ticket includes a cocktail, glass of wine or soft drink of your choice to help ease you back into the easel...

19 January, from 6.30pm

Thirty Nine Whitstable, 39 Oxford St Book your spot in advance at artunscrewed.com/

Fisherman’s Friend film matinee

Following the unexpected success of their debut album No Hopers, Jokers and Rogues, we rejoin the world’s oldest “buoy band” a year later struggling to navigate the pressures, pitfalls, and temptations of their newfound fame. A brew and biscuits included in the price, no catch.

23 January, 2-3.30pm

The Horsebridge, 11 Horsebridge Rd, CT5 1AF

Cower at The Crucible

Nothing says winter quite like a witch hunt, are we right? In this captivating parable of power, we find The Crown’s Erin Doherty and Yerma’s Brendan Cowell in a contemporary new staging, designed by Tony Award-winner Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy).

Captured live from the Olivier stage at the National Theatre with *that* rain curtain. Utterly spellbinding.

26 January, 7pm

The Gulbenkian, University Of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NB

Secure your seats at thegulbenkian.co.uk/

Whitstable Farmers’ Market

Local stalls descend on the Old Coal Yard on Belmont Road for the longstanding Whitstable Farmers Market offering up organic produce from Ripple Farm Organics, Goody Ales and Cheesemakers of Canterbury.

28 January, 9-2pm

Belmont Yard whitstablefarmersmarket.com/

FEBRUARY

A walk through the seasons

Follow Langdon Garden’s journey through the seasons as owner Sally, and gardener, Gail, take you around the grounds. Sharing their knowledge of the plants, wildlife and human

history, this winter walk will encourage you to notice, be curious and ask questions along the way. You’re also invited to take notes, sketch or photograph as you go.

7 February, 10-12pm

Langdon Gardens, Langdon Court, Seasalter Rd, Faversham

£15 Tickets available from langdongarden.com/

Roots-fused folk from Julian Taylor Duo

Toronto music scene staple and musical chameleon Julian Taylor takes a trip to the Kent coast with this stripped back version of his full band set up to celebrate returning release and coming of age story, Beyond The Reservoir

7 February from 7pm

The Stables at The Duke of Cumberland, High Street

Email info@whitstablesessions.co.uk for ticket info

Lamenting about bread

Join Grain & Hearth owner and baker Adam Pagor to hone your hand lamination skills. You’ll make butter blocks, practise rolling books, shape various forms of croissants, work on our product presentation, and break bread together with newfound friends. Use your loaf and book in advance.

12 Feburary, 10-4pm

Grain & Heath, 52 Oxford Street

Tickets available via grainandhearth.co.uk

Maisie Adam: Buzzed

Fresh from stints on Live At The Apollo, A League Of Their Own, Mock The Week, and The Last Leg, Best Newcomer nominee Maisie Adam is back with her new show Buzzed. Rammed with witty observations, high-octane energy and some right good jokes, precisely what we need after a very dry January.

25 February, from 8pm

The Marlowe, The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS £17.50 from marlowetheatre.com

B******s to your spring cleaning

Our winter cover stars Profanity Embroidery Group showcase their latest domesticity-themed works in collaboration with Brighton-based artist Vanessa Marr, whose dusters you’ll also find hanging proud at the Twelve Taps Gin Bar. Read more from the blasphemous bunch on page 13.

From 14 February

The Fishslab Gallery, 11 Oxford Street Free admission

Supercharge your new year energy levels with West Beach Fitness

Comb through Whitstable Brocante’s collectibles

See in the seasons at Langdon Gardens

▲ Faversham Makers’ Market pops up at One Gatefield

TALKING SHOP

As told to Cheri Percy Photographer Tilly Conolly

In this ongoing series, we partner up a pair of Bubble-based businesses to talk shop. For the first instalment, we head down Harbour Street to hear from Sally Miller of nostalgia treasure trove Anchors Aweigh Vintage, and Mary Jane Higginson of charming children’s shop Buttercup.

Sally: Is this your first ever shop?

Mary-Jane: Yes, I was teaching before.

Sally: So was I!

Mary-Jane: What was your subject?

Sally: Design and technology, and food.

Mary-Jane: I was also design and technology. And food! I love it when you discover these little webs that do exist.

Sally: Did you always plan to have a toy shop?

Mary-Jane: No, but before I did my teaching degree I completed two years on a course at the London College of Furniture studying toy design. I’ve always loved toys all my life. I still have some of my childhood toys, not for nostalgia but because they are such beautiful objects and hard-earned pocket money bought them. Like you, I appreciate the design that goes into a lot of my toys.

Sally: That’s your eye, that’s what you look for. That’s your gut instinct. We’ve all got one somewhere.

Mary-Jane: One of my biggest drivers is the design elements and how it works for a child. You can tell by the stock that’s in here. I don’t have all-singing, alldancing, plastic, mechanical toys. It’s for children to explore and play and learn with imagination.

When I look back I can see how my interests have led me here but I wouldn’t have sat down and done a mind map and thought that’s what I need to do. It makes me smile when I walk in here which I’m sure yours does, because it’s a passion, isn’t it really? It’s something you love.

Sally: Some days you have your doubts. Seven o’clock in the morning when the postman’s banging on the door… or earlier!

Seasonally-wise, we’re coming up to our busiest time. Everybody’s sourcing something different. We do bring in a lot of vintage decorations. We have new ones as well but they’re in a vintage style. We also have a lot of the vintage ones brought in because we’re part of the California and American Bauble Network.

It’s the perusal time rather than the buying on instinct. Often people say, I’ll come back and see what you’ve got on the day.

Mary-Jane: I hear that a lot, “I’m just getting ideas”, and I do have to say to people because this is an independent shop I can’t and don’t restock like a multinational. If there’s something you like, I’d advise you to think about it sooner rather than later. I’ve got the brand Moulin Roty and not many stores in the UK stock it. Liberty does so people might have to go online, but we’re online too. People are quite surprised when I say that to them.

Sally: People still see it as a novelty.

Mary Jane: We’re lucky in Whitstable. We have a few seasons. The summer season is boosted by events like the Oyster Festival and the Carnival. As a town with all these independent shops, it’s great for people coming here. It takes people like us. Not saying it’s easy, it is sometimes hard to find the rent.

Harbour Street is a high rental. It takes our determination to stay here in our shops that make the town what it is as

well as the fabulous vegetable shops, the butchers, the bakers...

Sally: We do it without realising what effort we all put into it, but when you think about it, it is amazing. Your day, as well as mine, is quarter-filled with people popping in to say hello.

Mary-Jane: Engaging conversations from all ages, tinies as well, and that’s nice for me to see little ones growing up. I’ve been here coming up for eleven years, I’ve got some little people that have been coming in my shop in prams and they’re still coming back!

Sally: Do you ever get comments that, “Oh, our nan used to bring us here!” Or, “Oh, we used to come here!” We were the first stop then.

Mary Jane: Originally people from London probably came down so they could have things like cockles and whelks.

Sally: It started originally from the seafood and we’ve moved on.

Mary-Jane: Our big thing here is being plastic-free and raising awareness with consumers about what they’re purchasing. For children especially, it’s important to consider the future of the world they’re going forward into. We don’t have any plastic bags. We don’t use sticky labels, we use pencils to write prices rather than plastic that’s going to end up floating around in the sea.

Sally: We too are plastic-free

to an extent. My whole business was set up on the recycle. Our changing room is a piece of copper pipe, our shelves are scaffold boards. The whole lot is. All the counter was once a bathroom cabinet. I reuse bubble wrap. A lot of the traders in town bring me their packing, especially James. I’ve got to shout out for James over at Duma. Bless him, he comes down the road with huge wads of brown paper and says, “You can fold it.”

I try and get around town. I’ll go to George’s and see what they’ve got. Not from a competitive point of view but if somebody comes in and wants a three-legged donkey then I try and find something that will meet the criteria. They pop back in and say, “Oh, I found it!” And nine times out of 10 I don’t do it for that reason. I want people to leave Whitstable and smile. That’s the most important thing.

Mary-Jane: And people do pop back in and...

In unison: ...They do say thank you!

Shop Buttercup’s sustainable toys and children’s gifts and books at 16 Harbour Street or online at buttercupwhitstable.co.uk.

Trawl through Anchors Aweigh Vintage’s treasures at 63 Harbour Street or find them online at @anchorsaweighvintage

written i n stone

Writer Christopher Stone Illustration Jade

A dose of Whitstable life, past and present

Jim Leverton is a Whitstable institution. Ex-bass player with Caravan, and a musical icon in his own right, it feels like he’s been here forever. Actually, he only moved here in 1998. He was playing a gig at the East Kent. There was a woman there who he got chatting to. They exchanged phone numbers and, not long after, he moved in with her. So that’s how

he came to Whitstable. He was chasing love and he found it here.

He’s been all over the world, although he was originally from Kent: from Guston, between Dover and Deal. He was in Fat Mattress, which featured Noel Redding of the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He’d known Noel before, having started his musical career with him in a Kent-based band called the Lonely Ones. He was an apprentice bricklayer at the time but gave it all up to become a bass player.

After Noel left the Experience, he formed Fat Mattress with Jim. There was a tour featuring both groups, so Jim got to know Hendrix pretty well. He says Jimi was a self-effacing sort of guy, who was much more interested in finding out about you than he was in talking about himself, although he did change in the end. Jim says you can’t be that big and not change.

In between all this, he was a freelance musician backing up famous singers like Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, Cat Stevens, Leo Sayer and Joe Brown, among others. He’s embarrassed about the Humperdinck connection. He says when he discusses his career with other musicians, he doesn’t like to mention the famous 1960s crooner. He was awful, he says. Couldn’t hit a note. This was in 1967 when “Please Release Me” knocked the Beatles off the number one slot. Jim uses a single-syllable expletive to indicate what he thought of that.

Jim’s other famous connection was with Steve Marriott, lead singer/guitarist with the Small Faces and Humble Pie. Jim was playing with Joe Brown and the Bruvvers at the time. Steve came to the concert with his gran, who was a big Joe Brown fan.

Afterwards, he came to the dressing room. “I like your bass player,” he said. That was the start of a 14-year career in Steve’s band, the Packet of Three, which only ended with Steve’s death in 1991 in a house fire.

It’s amazing to think that someone with such a stellar history should be living such an ordinary life here in Whitstable. Unlike some of the other famous figures

who have lived here, Jim is very down to earth. He tells his stories of life on the road, and of fame gained and lost, with an ironic detachment, as if the life really belongs to someone else.

He is currently working on his next album, with a number of well-known Whitstable musicians. I heard one of the songs while I was around his house. He put it on and was playing air bass along with it. Still obviously in love with the music that has been his life.

l a

Fashion

is at its best when it is sustainable.

Meet Nula: sustainable style, made in Kent.

Run by Whitstable natives, Isobel and Charlotte, Nula is a sustainable womenswear brand sold exclusively online and in Whitstable’s Ruskin.

Designed in Kent’s seaside towns and made in small batches in Margate, Nula garments embrace simple shapes and natural fabrics for a contemporary take on coastal style.

Nula wants to leave the planet better than they found it, which is why they only use responsibly sourced materials. All their  pieces are made from sustainable and low-impact fabrics, such as Tencel, linen and hemp. By making their collection in small batches, and “topping up” as things sell, Nula is able to make according to demand, a really important step in reducing overproduction and waste.

In addition to their small batch production, Nula have managed to make their Margate-made collection “zero waste”. A huge achievement for a small brand, they have partnered with London -based start-ups FibreLab who recycle their scraps into a variety of useful materials (including new fabrics!).

Find Nula in-store at Ruskin, Harbour Street or online at  nulaclothing.co.uk

Follow them on Instagram  @nula_clothing

“He tells his stories of life on the road, and of fame gained and lost, with an ironic detachment, as if the life really belongs to someone else”

Spranklen

so much more than books

“Yay, it’s open again, mummy.”

The small boy on the back of his mother’s bike was delighted to find the Whitstable Library once more ready to welcome people back to enjoy its facilities after being closed all summer for refurbishment. “He’s really missed the library,” his mother agreed, “It’s one of his favourite places.”

Librarian Barry explained that the library, built in May 1961, was typical of that era as it had a flat roof that had needed repair, causing the closure. At the same time, new energy-efficient lights replaced the old skylights and, as a bonus, the whole building was re-carpeted. Even though it had been closed since July, so strong are the links with local schools that children still participated in the Summer Reading Challenge.

“Westmeads Primary School still came fourth in the district of Canterbury,” says Barry. His obvious pride as he tells me this is testament to the dedication and warmth of the staff here. Most of the local primary schools bring children to the library. The children’s area is colourfully decorated with their artwork and the bright seating invites them in to enjoy the books and the friendly space without having to be unnaturally quiet.

For pre-schoolers, on Tuesday mornings, there is Rhyme Time, with mums like Laura Brown joining in with nursery rhymes and songs. “I met a lovely group of mums there and I’m still meeting them six years later,” she shares. Barry explains that it is supposed to be from 11 until 11.30, but with little ones times are flexible and sessions will overrun if they are really enjoying themselves. They are hoping to restart Story Time on Friday mornings for the older preschoolers soon.

But the library is not just for the

younger ones. On Mondays, there is a Talk Time session where users come in from 11 to 11.45am and have a chat, make friends and have a cup of tea. For those interested in crafts, a fortnightly craft and chat session from 1 to 3pm is on alternate Fridays. “It used to be called Knit and Natter but people wanted to include other crafts like crochet; one even wanted to bring in a sewing machine but that might have stretched us too far,” Barry says with a wry apologetic smile.

There is a dedicated area and computer, which will directly link with the Maidstone head office, set up through the Business and IP Centre Network to support new and thriving businesses. Workshops, webinars and advice sessions will form part of the support available, covering the fundamentals of starting and running a business. There are also six static computers with free wi-fi for general use by members of the library, all linked to a printer and also a photocopier.

Near the computer area is a small display of reference books, mostly covering the local area and its history. These cannot be taken from the library, with rarer ones behind glass, but the librarians will always help you to find what you are looking for, to look up either Post Office records that go back to the 1820s, or parish records which go right back to 1520. From these, you could find out who previously lived in your house, or find details of marriages or christenings of past local relatives. There is even a microfiche to investigate historical papers and photographs, although, for some, this is a historical machine in itself. “You’ve still got one of those?” one user asked.

There has been little reference to books in this article; strange for a tour of the local library. Our library is, of course, all

about books but also so much more. “We have about 200 people come through the doors every day,” Barry explains. It is a community asset, not simply a gateway to the imaginative world of fiction or fascinating facts, but a technical and historical resource centre, a place to inspire both young and old, a safe place to meet new people and, in a time when money is short and heating expensive, a warm and welcoming free service for all.

Find out more about how the Business & IP Network can support business with free resources, training and events, both online and in-person, at bipckent.org.uk

Images courtesy of Whitstable Library Writer Cathy Young

With its recent renovations completed, Whitstable Library – which has stood in the same spot for over sixty years – opens its doors again. But this community cornerstone offers more than a warm welcome this winter

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A COMMON THREAD

Writer Cheri Percy Photographer Jack Eames

Before I arrive at Alison Fitzgerald’s house on Borstal Hill (or PEG Heights, as it’s affectionately known in the group), I spot a woman fully clad in yellow. She’s entering a driveway behind a towering green hedge and I know I’m almost in the right place. Ahead of our shoot today, co-founder Annie Taylor has rallied the troops together in matching yellow garb to bring some much-needed sunshine (and swearing) to the incoming darker months. For a bunch of artists famed for their colourful language though, it’s not the first time that Profanity Embroidery Group has gone bright and bold. Last year saw the foul-mouthed flock take part in the Craftivist Collective’s climate campaign, Canary Craftivists. Teaming up with founder Sarah Corbett, the project championed a cleaner and greener world for all. Crafters across the UK were encouraged to send local MPs small handmade canary gifts with thought-provoking reminders of our world’s welfare and for the government to push its climate commitments. The PEG productions were mostly made from scrap or foraged materials. But naturally they brought a bit of their own signature sauce to the stitching. “I said to Sarah, we’ll do it a little bit our way,” begins Annie, “and she was like, ‘That’s fine.’ Then, of course, she started seeing the photos popping up. One Sunday morning I had this text. Obviously we’ve not been very gentle and I said to her, ‘Well, the thing is, we’ve literally got sh*t in the sea!’”

This kind of direct response is precisely what makes Whitstable’s Profanity Embroidery Group so refreshing, particularly against a current political backdrop of woolly inaction. In fact, comedian Kathy Burke commended the group for their punk approach to the (sometimes antiquated) notion of a female-led committee in 2019’s All Women series on Channel 4. Burke found the south-east sew-andsews on Twitter as an alternative to the producers’ hopes to interview the Women’s Institute. Now 25 members strong, PEG meet every two weeks, coming together to craft their latest work, needling naughty words onto quilts, cushion covers and curated pieces that are sold across the UK. And it’s in this setting that I next meet up with the blasphemous bunch, huddled around the open fireside at the Duke with a steady stream of rhubarb gin and tonics.

No longer the docile, voiceless pastime you might associate with Regencystyle manor houses, the humble art of embroidery has come to symbolise the strength and power of a woman’s private inner sphere. “People say, ‘What a waste of beautiful embroidery to ruin it with swear words.’ As if it should only be flowers,” exclaims PEG member Sarah Jesset. “But swear words are beautiful

on embroidery!” reasons Emily Turner. “That’s kind of the expectation, isn’t it, that women are gonna sit there and embroider things. We’ve sat in here loads of times embroidering stuff and the men are over there and they come over. They’re like, ‘Oh, okay!’” “I love it,” retorts Bridget Carpenter with a wicked laugh. Speaking of subverting women’s roles, the Profanity Embroidery Group’s latest team-up sees them participating in Brighton-based artist and lecturer Vanessa Marr’s Domestic Dusters Open Call. The collaborative project (much like Burke’s series) explores contemporary perspectives on the everyday lives of women, inviting participants to embroider their thoughts, and frustrations as words or images onto a yellow duster. The cleaning cloths will then be strung together like brightly coloured bunting, a familiar festoon if you’ve already spotted some of PEG’s proud works around Whitstable.

“Are our knickers coming down then?” asks longstanding member Jan Lewis over the table to Annie. “The knickers are already down,” she answers, swiftly with a grin. For years a string of profanity-embroidered pants welcomed punters at the Twelve Taps Gin Bar. Now the local watering hole will proudly display the dusters as their new-look

bunting from 14 February, coinciding with PEG’s own domesticity-themed exhibition down the road at the Fishslab Gallery.

Even since they began sharing their work in 2014, Profanity Embroidery Group has been pushing people’s buttons. And not just the vintage ones they’ve scored from Sally at Anchor’s Aweigh for their latest designs. When the group first came to exhibit (quite by accident) back in 2014, it was remarkable how little time it took to rile the crowds, as Annie reflects: “I was on the beach with the dog and I got this phone call about 10.15am going, ‘We’ve had a complaint!’ This was half an hour into the first exhibition!” Very much fans of the make-do and mend approach, their compromise involved hanging huge stretches of bubble wrap up at the window to make the content of the show more discreet but, as Annie reasons, “Some people still wouldn’t come in because they thought it looked too seedy!”

For the group’s upcoming exhibition, they’ve decided to quite literally take things into their own hands by stitching together a giant tapestry to dress the window for those who need a bit more cotton wool cocooning their craft. The banner also gives them a chance to get ►

Our editor Cheri Percy sits down with Whitstable’s original foul-mouthed feminists, the Profanity Embroidery Group, to hear why swearing makes you smarter and stronger (and you better bloody believe it!)

back into the swing of things after the last few years. As Annie jokes, “Doing something we can stitch quite badly in the pub, it doesn’t matter if we get beer on it.” But it’s not all outraged cries for censorship in response to their work, as Emily recalls: “One woman came in and said, ‘Oh, I’ve come from Seasalter church’, and I’m like, ‘Okay,

know what this is, right? It’s a sweary thing.’ ‘Yeah, that’s why I’ve come!’ she responded. ‘We’ve just done a workshop on how to embrace your inner f**k because sometimes you just need to say f**k.’” Dumbfounded Emily admits, “That’ll teach me to judge someone who walks through the door!”

Regardless of creed or colour, there is something liberating about embracing the right expletive. Indeed, researchers at the University of Rochester in New York quizzed 1,000 people about 400 typical behaviours and discovered a strong link between intelligence and swearing. Rather than being the sign of someone with a limited vocabulary, the

study – published in the Language Science journal back in November 2015 – found that swearing proficiency was a sign of rhetorical strength. “And integrity,” believes Sarah. “I don’t trust people who don’t swear. I’m more likely to open up to somebody who can be honest and not filter themselves.” It’s not just a sign of integrity but also a valid coping mechanism according to Dr Raffaello Antonio, a counseling psychologist and the clinical director and founder of Therapy Central. “Swearing can have a truly liberating effect when we’re feeling bottled up with frustration,” he says. “Saying the F-word, or similar can have an immediate calming impact on the difficult emotions we might be experiencing.”

The Profanity Embroidery Group appreciates these merits having attended the launch party for Emma Byrne’s book Swearing Is Good For You, in which she argues that our most cherished dirty words are in fact both big and clever. Sarah remembers her own first forays into foul language and the freedom she felt in doing so (despite her father’s reaction). “I started swearing when I was 12. I said ‘bloody’ [and] my dad would say, ‘Do you have to say that?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I do.’ Because it was the only

word that would express what I wanted to say.” But then there’s always been a bit of a barometer when it comes to women’s rage. Something Emily knows all too well tapping into the levels of our vulgar vocab in her work.

“I made a f**kometer. It was bought by a psychiatrist in Guildford for her waiting room,” she admits dryly. “I did a fanny thing too and that was bought by a gynacologist! Some people find it really easy [but] I’m much weirder about it than I thought I would be [when it comes to] stitching it down. I’ve never stitched ‘C**t!’” At this point, Sarah leans across the table to quiz Bridget about whether she’s upped the ante on her swearwords. Legend has it, she was good at stitching and not so good at swearing when she first joined. “That’s what they used to say,” she smiles. “But that’s an urban myth. I grew up with three brothers. Do you think I didn’t know about swearing?”

Only now, of course, the idea of swearing is no longer reserved for the loud and lairy elder brothers or the catcallers on the street after a night out. By crafting slapper slippers and adding some poodle pizazz to the idea of being a silly bitch, Profanity Embroidery Group is reclaiming what once were words used against them into the armour for a

new generation, starting with Bridget’s own growing grandchildren. “I’ve got an eight-year-old granddaughter and she looks at my work around the house. I’ve got one and it says ‘Shit happens’ and she said, ‘I’d like that one for my bedroom.’ Because shit does happen. It’s about learning to understand when it’s appropriate.” And even if it wasn’t, it’s safe to say PEG would call bollocks to that anyway.

The Profanity Embroidery Group’s domesticity exhibition launches on 14 February at Fishslab Gallery, 11 Oxford St. Pick up a copy of their bloody brilliant book, F**k Off, I’m Sewing! Swearing and Sewing That Will Have You In Stitches from your local bookshop or via hive.co.uk

The deadline for final submissions to Vanessa Marr’s domestic dusters must arrive in the post by 30 January 2023. Contact her at domesticdusters. wordpress.com/contact-us/

“People say, ‘What a waste of beautiful embroidery to ruin it with swear words.’ But swear words are beautiful on embroidery!”

you

Cuddles and Kindness

Writer Lorna Harris

Images Suzanne Sirett, resident at MHA Bradbury Grange ©Tim Bailey

With over half a million people living in care

Today I’m at MHA Bradbury Grange, a residential care home nestled behind the trees on Canterbury Road. Bradbury Grange is home to around fifty residents, all with different levels of care needs, including further stages of dementia.

I’ve come along with the intention of hearing more about the “hug dolls” which were recently introduced to Bradbury Grange and which give the residents comfort. These dolls are soft, large and cuddly, with longer arms, and are designed to be cuddled. They have a beating heart nestled within the soft body and can also play music. “We have around four of these dolls,” Beverley

Hickey, MHA operations support manager tells me. “They offer great comfort to our residents. You see them physically calm down.”

I’m fascinated by these dolls and the other nurturing sensory toys, such as cats that purr and dogs that bark, that give residents – all of them with their own stories, loves, and heartaches – comfort as they live out the elder years of their lives.

It’s easy for people to say there is nothing quite like human contact. When others have written about these dolls, there was a mixed reaction, but it is plain to see that these residents all get human contact as well. The staff quietly go about their business, treating the residents with the dignity one would hope to be treated with. There is a kindness to this place that I felt the moment I walked in.

“Lockdown was hard,” says Tim Bailey, deputy manager. “We lost residents. Nobody could visit. But we got through it. Now we can focus on the positives.”

All the residents are now vaccinated, Tim tells me. One can only imagine what those dark days of the coronavirus were like for places like this.

Tim and Beverley are so clearly dedicated and deeply fond of the residents – as are all the team. In fact, today is a special day for Tim. He has been working at Bradbury Grange for a staggering twenty years. After this interview, he is presented with a certificate and some holiday vouchers. I’m in on the secret. “We couldn’t manage without our volunteers. They really are so essential,” he tells me.

Bradbury Grange offers a range of activities. There is a “choir in the care home” on a Wednesday, and a music therapist visits twice a week, who works with groups in one-to-one settings. It’s

all about relaxing the residents, while giving them stimulation and enjoyment. I mean, who doesn’t love a good singsong? Volunteers also fundraise, for activities including a large touchscreen activity table with music and games, and for the residents’ Christmas presents. “Some residents don’t have any family, but we make sure everyone gets something special at Christmas,” Beverley tells me. There is also a chaplain who leads Sunday services and visits throughout the week, and a summer house in the lovely garden.

Next year the team at Bradbury Grange is hoping to fundraise to kit out the dementia garden. I can see the potential. I am sure the kind-hearted folk of Whitstable will be able to help, I say. “What keeps you going?” I ask Beverley. “I just love my work and all the people. It’s nice to talk to you about the positives,” she responds.

It’s lunchtime at Bradbury Grange,

and as the residents wander out from the lunch room ready for the afternoon I see the team in action. A gentle hand, a reassuring smile and chat. It is more than just care. It’s clinical excellence.

We all wonder what later life will be like, for us and for the people we love. Of course, nobody wants to think that they will need care, but the reality is, it happens. According to MHA, around four million older people have a limiting long-term illness or disability, and it is expected to rise to six million older people by 2030.

One can only hope that if it happens to us, then there are people like the team at Bradbury Grange who are able to make our lives a little brighter, along with comforting dolls for us to hug.

To volunteer or find out more about how you can help MHA Bradbury Grange, please email Katharine. Stubbs@mha.org.uk

homes across the UK this winter, we meet the team at Bradbury Grange delivering not just care but clinical excellence for its residents

A FRAGILE TREASURE: WHITSTABLE’S FISHING FLEET

Writer & Photographer Duarte Figueira

This year marks half a century since Andy Riches became a local fisherman. During his long working life, he has witnessed the steady decline of fish stocks in the area, including the once plentiful cod and eel, as well the switch over time to shellfish fishing by most of Whitstable harbour’s fleet.

Nowadays he chooses to fish mostly on days when the weather is clement, and in late autumn he takes his boat the Misty out to bring in lobster and crab from his pots. Today it’s towards the end of the lobster season, so he’s not expecting a large haul. But as Hemingway said, anyone can be a fisherman in May.

“The only thing that is certain in fishing is that fishing is very uncertain,” he quips. This interplay of chance and judgement is apparent throughout the day, as he raises and relays his lines of ten, five and single pots a mile or so from the shore. It’s as sophisticated a job as any computer-driven financial portfolio management in the City.

But it’s also hard and skilled physical labour to control the Misty’s engine and movement while simultaneously hauling in, sorting and measuring the catch, then returning the undersized lobsters and brown crabs to the sea before re-baiting and relocating the pots. Throughout Andy is scrupulous in keeping the front deck clear, collecting up the stray prawns and other small crustaceans who fall out of the pots onto the deck like startled passengers, before he drops them over the side. Like all really skilled work, it looks effortless until you think about

what’s actually going on. On several occasions, Andy extracts a lobster or crab from a pot and addresses it without bothering to measure its dimensions.

“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt,” he says, and over it goes. Later he smiles as he lowers a large female lobster with a mass of caviar-like black eggs around its rear legs back into the sea.

At this time of year, Andy also dredges for local native oysters, which lie several miles out from the town. He’s also contracted to carry out the monitoring of those oysters for Canterbury City Council. It is normal for small fishing boats like the Misty to be multi-purpose, able to winch pots, dredge and trawl to take advantage of the various fishing seasons for different species.

But it’s been a tough year for the Whitstable fishing fleet. In October

Esther Gilson of Cardium Shellfish Ltd and secretary of the Whitstable Fishermen’s Association reported to the Whitstable Harbour Board meeting on disappointing seasons for many local species, including for both cockles and (so far this season) whelks, both mainstays of the local catch. Multiple possible causes for this have been

▲ Andy Riches winching in a lobster pot ▼ Andy in the Misty

Duarte Figueira hears from the fishing community working our coastline on why, despite recent downturns in local catches, their still hopeful for the future of our small fleet

advanced, which remain unproven at present. They include the possible effects on breeding activity of a very hot summer, wider climate change, Thames Estuary dredging and past offshore windfarm piling activity.

In the case of Dover sole, it has also been suggested that stocks were depleted by electric pulse fishing by Dutch boats, a method now banned in the UK and EU. Phil Edwards, a longstanding local fisherman, says the decline is noticeable: “There has been less and less sole over the last five or six years. We used to get a good spring fishery, but that was down by two-thirds this year.”

On the demand side, it is also argued that Whitstable shellfish fishermen may be suffering reputational damage from the well-publicised local sewage discharges and resulting protests, even though not only is much of shellfish catch treated but is in any instance caught a good distance out from the most affected shoreline. Wholesaler Graham West of West Whelks, whose family has been involved in local fishing for over a century, is concerned the local industry is being blighted. Add in the steep price rises in red diesel and the electricity needed for refrigeration and the picture is concerning. “I hope there will still be a fleet in Whitstable for the next generation

and the public will support the industry going forward,” he says.

Gilson, who wants to ensure that the voice of the local fishing industry is always heard, echoes the point: “We need to support the local fishing community as much as we can, including by buying local fish and shellfish wherever possible. We should not always associate the sea with sewage and remember that seafood is treated and that fishermen are careful not to fish after discharges.”

Andy has seen all the changes of the last fifty years, and wonders about the future of the fleet, given all the challenges. “I wouldn’t want to be starting now,” he says. Young people joining the industry would certainly not be doing it for the money. “You’ve got to be bred to it to love it,” he says.

The excellent records held in the Whitstable Museum tell us that the Whitstable fishing fleet has weathered many downturns since they first occupied the then new harbour in the 1830s, including the oyster disease of the 1920s and the decline of cod fishing from the 1960s. Fishermen have also often moved in and out of the industry depending on economic circumstances. For example, in the early 1900s, many oystermen had to find work out of season by hopping and fruit-picking on local farms.

It’s a history of resilience in difficult circumstances that stretches to the present day, when the existence of a working fishing fleet in the harbour is generally recognised to contribute enormously to the attractions of living in or visiting Whitstable, to its sense of its own heritage, and also to the cultural output of the town. Long may that continue.

Andy Riches – Fish and Shellfish specialist Tel: 07816 849718

Cooper’s Catch – Robert and Ben Cooper – a local family business selling at the harbour on Fridays (on Facebook)

Phil Edwards of Millennia Fishing sells at the harbour on Saturday mornings Tel: 07892 799477 (and on Facebook)

Graham West of West Whelks (wholesaler) – Tel: 01227 266873

• Acupuncture with Melanie Gleeson-Lee

• Body and Breathwork for self discovery & emotional healing with Susie Chassagne

• Body Mechanics and Movement Therapy with Doug Roberston

• Bowen Therapy with Selina Firth

• Clinical Hypnotherapy, Coaching & EMDR with Jonathan Dunn

• Counselling with Bonnie Wood

• Homeopathy with Lucy Cartwright

• Massage Therapy with Alice Walsh

• Nutrition with Eva Johnson

• Osteopathy with Gemma Dawson and Jennie Gibbons

• Paediatric Physiotherapy with Fran Thompson, Kent Children’s Clinic

• Physiotherapy with Heidi Warren

• Pilates with The Pilates Studio Whitstable

• Psychotherapy with Rachael Sharrad

• Reflexology & Aromatherapy with Jules Hatfield

• Speech, Language & Myofunctional Therapy with Katrina Rogers

• Upledger CranioSacral Therapy with Keith Davies

soul food

Writer Cheri Percy

In some ways, it feels quite unorthodox to position a food bank in such proximity to one of our biggest supermarkets up on Thanet Way. But then the Riverside Church, home to the Riverside Pantry Project, has never been content with tradition. When the congregation moved to the new location six and half years ago, they were drawn to refurbishing this factory site to be a community hub that would be “good for everyone”.

The multi-purpose space doesn’t just house the Riverside Pantry Project but also boasts a bustling café space that hosts a range of community support groups and provides a warm welcoming space for friends to meet. The auditorium where the church service is held every Sunday is also used for conferences and events for organisations across the area.

As we make our way through the corridors, Kim chats easily with the volunteers, letting out a cheery “good morning” as we pass by. Mandy Reeves leads the Growbaby initiative, which gathers baby clothes and equipment to reshare with the community each Monday. (If your little ones have outgrown their onesies this winter, the team is always open to good-quality donations!) One woman is already exploring the bags of cosy knitwear the team has bundled up. A line of pristine velvet party frocks hangs from the radiator under the window. “I used to work with children so you know what’s

needed,” shares Mandy. “We try and signpost people to the right support because a lot of people don’t know what’s available for them.”

Leaving behind the snowsuits and safety gates, we enter the part of the building that is yet to be refurbished. The temperature immediately drops; as Kim admits, there’s currently no heating out here. The space is used by the Riverside youth in the warmer months, but the long-term plan is to refurbish the whole lower section to become a dedicated youth and children’s space, with a compassion hub to house the Growbaby and Pantry projects.

Behind the double doors, we enter into the belly of the Pantry Project. Working alongside local supermarkets, personal donations and FareShare (the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors), the Riverside Pantry Project distributes food and essential items to those in need across our coastal community. According to FareShare, 90% of their charities have seen demand for support skyrocket this year, but sometimes it can be hard for families and individuals to take that first step towards

a helping hand.

Thankfully, as Kim reveals, Riverside has a network of health professionals and integral members of the school system to signpost people to their scheme: “Doctors themselves will ring us and say I’ve just seen a client, they’ve got no food.” Much like the Growbaby initiative, the team is also quick to signpost to other resources across the county. Kim leads me over to a big whiteboard to walk through the distribution system. “These are the people we are feeding this week that don’t have transport,” she explains. “There are also those that will come and

PANTRY PROJECT PARTICULARS

pick up. Today it’s empty because they’ve completed their deliveries.” Outside of normal hours, emergency requests will then be processed by Kim.

But while non-perishables like long-life skimmed milk and tinned goods are solid store cupboard staples, Kim and the Pantry Project team are also conscious they need to address a family’s nutritional needs too – without unnecessary food waste. “We've asked people to donate fresh items on a Sunday, so that goes out on Monday because we can’t keep fresh items until the following week,” she says. “It’s trying to balance giving fresh stuff and not throwing a load away because it’s gone off.”

We’re not the only guests this morning; Operations Manager Martin Franks and Lead Pastor Keely Bateson are showing around a group of family liaison officers (FLOs), who Kim admits are the key when it comes to identifying those in need. The FLOs are providing referrals for another Riverside Church project –All Wrapped Up. The heart behind this project is to provide Christmas dinner hampers and presents to families in need across Whitstable and Herne Bay. The aim is to provide 150 hampers and presents in the region of £20 for at least 200 local children identified as unlikely to receive any, or very few, gifts.

In its October 2022 press release, Canterbury Food Bank shared that the number of emergency parcels being distributed by the charity had leapt by 72% over the past three months compared to the same period last year. And while the cost of living crisis ►

With one in five working people turning to food banks this winter, Riverside Pantry Project is a crucial lifeline across Whistsable and Herne Bay. But its services are for life not just for Christmas, as our editor Cheri Percy discovers

©Riverside Pantry Project

will only emphasise this surge, for the Riverside Pantry Project a lot of emergency requests result from issues that are far more deep-rooted. “We’ve had referrals because people have had to move out of violent situations. Recently, a 16-year-old boy ran away from home, so we’re trying to keep him fed until they can find a solution,” says Kim. But for every conflict, the team also prides itself on its progress in particularly challenging cases. “We were helping a chap who lives in a boat. He doesn’t have anything, no electricity, but his health worker comes in once a month and collects his food. But he’s moving forward,” she says, clearly moved by the story. “I talked to the health worker and he said, ‘You wouldn’t believe what this is doing for his whole image of what the world is like.’ This is why I do the job.”

It’s not just individual cases benefiting from the scheme though. The Pantry Project is also a lifeline for families with children who have long-term illnesses. She shares the story of one family whose youngest was born with Down’s syndrome. After multiple trips up and down to the hospital, she believes the Pantry Project can act like an extension of the family making a gruesome week that little bit easier. “His mom has been wonderful and so grateful,” says Kim. “She’s been in tears several times. We’ve been in tears. We’ve been able to keep

them going [so] their weekly food is one less thing to worry about.”

To donate an item to the All Wrapped Up scheme, drop it into the Riverside Church, Thanet Way between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, when the café team will also be ready to welcome you. Or to sponsor a hamper visit their donation site riversidewhitstable.churchsuite.com/ donate and select “All Wrapped Up” in the fund drop-down. The Growbaby initiative is open every Monday with no referral needed

STORES OF SUPPORT

Some of the other Bubble-based businesses pitching in to reduce food waste and ensure no family goes hungry this winter.

THE SOCIAL PANTRY, UMBRELLA CAFÉ

Based out of the Whitstable Umbrella Centre, the Social Pantry is stocked with good quality surplus via Fareshare Kent, Neighbourly, Sainsbury’s, Iceland and Co-op Foodshare and fresh stock purchased from Vita Store, Staines Farmshop and Jim’s Butchers via their Pay It Forwards schemes. Each shop is £4; this cost will cover a variety of items up to the value of £20. Pop in or email to enquire about joining as a member. Open Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Umbrella Centre, Oxford St, CT5 1DD

CANTERBURY FOOD BANK

Beginning as a local church project back over a decade ago, Canterbury Food Bank’s vision is caring for local people in crisis by providing

emergency goof parcels, services and facilities to individuals in financial need. Much like the Pantry Project, CFB’s three-day food parcels to individuals and families in short-term financial crisis across Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay and surrounding villages. Unit 29, Joseph Wilson Industrial Estate, Millstrood Road, CT5 3PS

TOO GOOD TO GO

This online app allows you to rescue Magic Bags filled with delicious, surplus food from businesses near you. Simply download the app, search the map and find a restaurant, café, or shop near you that has unsold food. Bags are offered up across Whitstable from rescuing a delicious mix of food-togo from Costa Coffee on the High Street to a selection of pantry staples from Coop on Cromwell Road, even newcomers Ark on Tower Parade are getting involved (read more about them in The Scoop on page 4).

Download Too Good To Go from the Apple or Google store on your smartphone

Dog Grooming Salon in rural setting overlooking Farmland

• Bespoke 1:1 Grooming

• Organic, natural, plant-based, cruelty free, vegan products

• Force Free methods

• Hydro Pro Ultra Bath

• Level 3 Quali ed

• Fully Insured

• Canine First Aid

• Mon - Sat 0900 - 1900hrs

• Taking on New Clients

• Hand Stripping, De Shedding, Breed Standard Grooms

• Experience with large breeds and anxious dogs

©Cheri Percy

COMMUNITY KITCHEN with... Wasted Kitchen

Looking for someone who understands the importance of championing the seasons? Look no further than Katy Cox and her team at Wasted Kitchen. What began as a complementary catering option to the Faversham Literary Festival quickly became a neighbourhood necessity as, three weeks later, we were plunged into a global lockdown that saw us all looking closer to home for supplies and sustainable stock. Overnight, Wasted Kitchen pivoted from the pickles, vinegars and sauces you might’ve spotted on the shelves at Macknade to a full-time food operation.

In the Wasted Kitchen, people are encouraged to get back to basics with a cupboard full of stocks and staples and a keen eye for surplus produce. Or as Katy coins it, “the Ready Steady Cook approach” to cooking. It feels fitting then that for our comforting winter recipe, you’ll need nothing more than a pan, some practical pantry essentials and whatever soft veg you have knocking about in the fridge. And in less than thirty minutes, you’ll have whipped up a hearty humble dahl.

EQUIPMENT

A heavy-bottomed pan

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, chopped (this can be red, white or shallots, it doesn’t matter)

Splash of oil (could be olive or local rapeseed)

3 cloves of garlic

2 x 400ml coconut milk (but this could also be veg stock* or water, it’s useful to keep a jug of water to hand throughout the cooking stage anyway in case the dahl becomes too dry)

Handful of fresh coriander

2 cm of fresh ginger (if you don’t have this, add ginger to the spice list below)

2 chilli peppers, finely chopped

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp curry powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp turmeric

If you don’t have all the above spices, don’t let it stop you, just use what you have!

400-500g split lentils or yellow split peas

*Tip for making your own veg stock: Pop a bag in your freezer and when you’re preparing meals throughout the week, add in your odds and ends of veg, stalks and peelings. When the bag is full, boil it with water and pop it in your fridge to use for homemade stock in all your next dishes

Photographer Parri Thomas

METHOD

DIAL UP YOUR DAHL WITH THESE ALTERNATIVE VARIATIONS

1

Create your base with olive oil, chopped onion, grated garlic, 2cm of fresh ginger (if you don’t have fresh ginger, you could substitute this with powder as an alternative) and a pinch of salt and let that colour.

2 Add the rest of the spices to create a paste and a bit of lemon juice/ or water to loosen the paste mixture. 3

Add the deseeded chillis, fresh turmeric, tomatoes (if you have any soft veg knocking about in the fridge, add them in at this stage; could be a grated carrot, chunks of courgette, chopped tomatoes or peppers). 4

Add the lentils and infuse for five minutes to absorb flavour. 5 Douse the lentils in the veg stock or water. 6

Top with coconut milk or switch this out for chopped tomatoes/passata (whatever you have that needs using up). 7

Leave the dahl to bubble away on a low simmer for 10-15 mins (split peas would take slightly longer) You’re looking for the lentils to turn yellowe and to reduce down the liquid. 8

Make sure to taste it! Add in more salt or lime juice, as necessary.

Serve with homemade Wasted pickles and a handful of fresh coriander.

Lee: Use up root veg by cutting up and roasting in the oven with vegetable oil and curry powder to taste until soft. Fold through your finished dahl.

Mez: Knock up a quick flatbread to serve alongside your indian feast. Just mix equal parts yogurt and self-raising flour and place the mixture into a pan until it puffs up like naans.

WASTED KITCHEN’S QUICK RED ONION PICKLE

1 x red onion (although you can do this with any leftover veg; peppers, carrots, cauliflower)

100ml water

75ml white wine/cider vinegar/ apple vinegar

25g sugar (don’t worry you won’t be eating this, it helps preserve the veg and most of it stays in the liquor)

¼ tsp salt

1 Chop up your onion or chosen veg.

2 Mix your liquor together with the remaining ingredients.

3 Steep the veg in your liquor.

4 Leave to pickle, which should only take a few hours.

PICKLING PARTNERS

Weeping at the thought of another pickled onion? Why not try these alternative flavour combos from your veg box and spice rack.

Red Onion x juniper berries

Cauliflower x turmeric and cumin

Carrot x harrisa

Find out more about Katy and co’s nutrition mission and sign yourself up for Wasted Kitchen’s meal subscriptions at wastedkitchen. co.uk/

field guide

Writer Rebecca Caraccio Illustrator Naomi Stay

Winter has arrived and with it darker mornings and evenings. The smells of woodsmoke fill the air through the streets, bringing an atmosphere of days gone by. Nature begins to rest as hedgehogs and dormice seek a warm space to hibernate. The naked trees stand dormant against the blue cloudless sky.

In the evenings I walk my dogs along Stream Walk. Now a concrete pathway, the stream that still runs beneath fed the backwater reservoir where the Gorrell Tank car park now stands. The reservoir built in 1840 was used to wash away the build-up of silt in the harbour. In summer months, regattas were held here with dazzling fireworks displays over the water. In the winter on the coldest of days, it was used as an ice skating rink by the locals. What an amazing sight that must have been!

gather in the hedgerow, sheltering from the cold wind as falling leaves ride the air like gentle boats. Blue tits are hopping from branch to branch, communicating to one another by two sharp calls “peep peep”, and foraging for seeds and berries. But the bird that has a song that makes me stop in my tracks is the cheeky robin.

This plump little bird with its bright red-orange breast, throat and cheeks, white belly and olive brown wings adorns our Christmas cards and becomes a gardener’s friend looking for a worm to be passed its way. Male and female robins look very similar, while juveniles have speckled buff-brown feathers which moult within two to three months.

Like the nightingale, robins sing from a concealed perch, but their autumn and spring songs are completely different. The autumn song is subdued, while the spring song, which starts around

December time, is powerful, confident and upbeat. The reason for this is not only to attract a mate but also to defend their territory.

In the poem Who Killed Cock Robin?, the sparrow boasts, “With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin.” But it would more likely be a robin, not a sparrow. They are notoriously territorial all year round, sometimes with disputes that would end in the death of another robin. So next time you see this angelic bird singing at the top of a holly tree, do not underestimate it, for they are feisty and mean business.

If you’re looking for a local walk on your doorstep, I recommend going along Tankerton beach up to the nature reserve at Swalecliffe. This area is abundant with bird life, including the brent geese who have migrated from Russia. There are also kestrel and egret. If you want to go a bit further along the coast to Hampton, you may see the peregrine falcon that have been spotted along with the resident kingfisher.

With a fresh nip in the air, resident Field Guide Rebecca Caraccio wraps up warm for a stroll down Stream Walk in the company of a certain red-breasted bird (and bully of the hedgegrow!)

POETS’ CORNER

Curated by Flea Watson Illustrator Heera Gul

Inspired by illustrator

Heera’s “Rings of Powa”, our resident raconteur Flea Watson conjures up her latest poem celebrating a year of union together on this very Poet’s Corner

By Flea Watson

I know my mother by her hands. Those palms that stretch soft like a falling length of string, how long is a length of string? small, sixteen centimetres across, a width we all know because it is used when measuring anything from screwed-up toes in tight school shoes, to frames on the kitchen walls hung up by light fingers which linger across the tops of cupboard doors to swipe a stretch of Sunday dust from where it tries to rest.

By the ritual of the clear varnish that is neat upon her nails, by the way in which she holds them up to the light over the sink, against the bubble of the radio, she remarks that they look like her mother’s hands. She sees her mum in her palms, those sloping lifelines which tell the way from which you came. I wish I saw my mother in my hands, in the delicate fingers and rings which sit elegantly at the stop of her knuckle.

The moments of the mountainscape which sit set in wood and metal, and the memories of our walks and the memories of the trees.

Every moment that my Dad has given her a ring and I have seen the gentle smile that runs from the box to her eyes which light up with a love brighter than silver.

The ring that stacks and twists with our birthstones interlocked, and every time I have seen the glimpse of red sat atop her hand, there’s a skip in my step that jumps as I walk out of the house, there’s a swing in my arms that moves like the times she would squeeze my hand like a secret code

on a Sunday walk down the pinecone road. I won’t mind growing old if it means I can see my mother in my hands.

In my hands, I see the pink and troughs of twentytwo Springs and see my grip upon wet daffodils, with damp chewed nailbeds that spilt and weather with the cold of winters numb fingers run under hot water when home and washed in a rush before dinner.

Warm rings run smooth around rings that slip and stain my fingers green;

I see others in the chips and peaks of my hands.

On my right two thin rings, a curved flat palm that slides into the cup of another, on my left the one ring that still strikes matte silver from the moment when somebody that I love found a smaller ring with the same shape on a pub floor.

When we got dressed the next morning, a slow Saturday with long stretches into a static mellow sunset that scoops the shadows from the room. Before the evening wrapped in duvets and blue light from the telly screen, they passed the ring that holds a metal heart with solid fingers set tight together up to me and let me set it on my finger.

It’s a reassuring sort of calm to see my loved ones in my hands, the sort of calm where the morning is flat and it’s a run to reach the bus, held by rings which make hands that weather age stay the same through all the seasons.

I see my future in my hands, not the tarot of the wrinkles which fold and crease when I curl them up from cold, but in the rings that speak silent languages, I didn’t notice back when my nails were caked in mud. You can see me in the structure, in the hands that

came before me, that built the time it took to take me where I’m going.

When the sun beats our backs at work or school, or a storm is rolling in, it’s the sea that gives us respite and its horizon gives us warning.

It gives us oysters and the means to sail our boats. It brings us all the tourists that make the highstreet thrive, It brings us space to walk our dogs and teach our kids to swim.

In the same way, the sea makes time for us, we now must make time to keep it clean.

As the harvest moon rises, and the days draw shorter on the shore, we can’t neglect this anymore.

This Autumn, I ask you for an equinox of change. Become the brightest moon in the sky, with voices as loud as a stormy tide, to give back to the sea that raised our town and shall for another age.

Flea Watson (they/them) spent autumn running The Ashtray of England Poetry Event at the Fountain Whitstable and writing essays in Tesco café. This poem is for their mum Jaki. Keep up to date with their antics and events @flea.doubleuu.

Heera (she/her) has returned to the Big Smoke and taken up residence with a cat. Have a look at her beautiful portfolio of work @ammipesca

Writer Shelley Hastings Illustrator Becky Thomas @beckyismyname_ design

Meg lay in her morning bath listening to the rain on the window. She was exhausted. She had stayed up late the night before reading the eulogies. She would be sixtyeight next week. Who knew what was curdling inside her. She splashed her face with the milky water then heaved herself out. She dried her back and legs, avoiding the mirrors, and knotted her dressing gown around her stomach.

Downstairs the radio was on and Jerry was cooking scrambled eggs.

‘You slept in late,’ he said.

She flinched as he scraped the metal spoon in the pan.

‘Peggy died,’ she said. ‘I got an e-mail last night.’

‘Who’s Peggy?’

‘Someone I went to school with. I haven’t seen her for decades.’

‘That’s sad.’

‘You wouldn’t have liked her. She was very alternative.’

‘Meg.’ He put the plates on the table. ‘Come and eat.’

The eggs were overcooked. She covered them in salt, and they ate in silence for a while.

‘I just got off the phone to Simon. Poor man. He’s having problems with his son-in-law. County lines.’

Meg gulped at her tea.

‘You know his brother started Biotech?’ Jerry said. ‘They have properties all over the place.’

‘You’ve already told me that, Jerry.’

He put down his fork. ‘Listen, I’m very sorry to hear about your friend, but don’t get into one of those fugs of yours.’

A shirt button had popped open on his stomach.

‘Yesterday I started looking at holidays,’ he said.

‘I’m not going away with Peter and Jean again if that’s what this is

leading to.’

‘It’s not. I’ve organised a night away. A birthday present. Nothing extravagant, don’t worry.’

‘Where?’

‘A cabin in Whitstable.’ Jerry smiled.

‘Oh. I’ll like that.’ She stood up and pushed in her chair. ‘When are we going?’

‘Thursday. I got a deal. The weather is supposed to shift.’

‘I’m supposed to be at the doctors on Thursday.’

‘It wasn’t in the diary.’ He picked up his plate and opened the dishwasher. ‘I can cancel if you don’t feel up to it.’

The rain hadn’t stopped, and the station platform only had a small shelter. It was busy. Meg pulled up her hood and made her way down the steps dragging their case behind her. Jerry had stopped to get a coffee. He turned and made an apologetic face, then followed her, the liquid spilling over the rim of his cup.

‘Just talking to the man that runs the stand. It’s changing hands. Being upgraded.’

‘Isn’t everything?’

Jerry was staring at a couple sharing an umbrella on the opposite platform. The woman looked Meg’s age, she was wearing bright red lipstick, her hair in a neat grey bob. The man, tall and wiry. Meg thought he looked much younger than her. They were laughing and at one point the woman pulled at his chin and kissed him sloppily.

‘Do you ever touch me in public?’ Jerry said.

‘What?’ Meg glanced at the people behind her. ‘Good God, Jerry.’ ‘Sorry.’

‘Of course I do.’

She looked at the scrubland behind the platform. ‘They’re thinking of extending the cemetery, did you see that, all down the bank. There

are signs up on the fence as you come out the station. Such a shame for it to be used for the dead.’

The tracks screeched as a train arrived on the opposite platform and the kissing couple got on.

‘I want to be cremated,’ Meg said.

‘Righto.’

‘I don’t care where you scatter my ashes. Maybe a nice rolling sea, birds swooping.’

The train pulled in and Jerry grabbed their case. ‘It’s coach D.’

As she got on Meg held his arm for a moment to steady herself and he glanced at her hand on his jacket.

‘I’m not being serious, Jerry. You and Nikki can decide. I won’t care what you do with me. I’ll be dead.’

The cabin was better than in the pictures, two small rooms with the front mostly glass and right on the sea. The weather had cleared, and they managed a windy walk along the front, past the sailing club and up to the slopes. Jerry wanted to keep going, walk through the nature reserve, but Meg was hungry, so they went back to the high street and got dinner to take to the cabin, a pile of chips and battered fish. The smell of vinegar filled the room. They sat on wicker chairs, the chip paper covering their laps and watched the sky turn pink and the sea a shimmering grey. ‘This is lovely,’ Meg said. ‘Well done.’ She held up her glass and Jerry filled it.

‘I’m glad I got something right.’

Jerry was drinking local ale from the bottle and soon Meg could see his eyelids drooping. He began to snore. She went to grab more wine and a blanket and opened the doors. She thought about Nikki. How little they saw of her. She was working for Oxfam and always travelling abroad. Whenever she talked about her job, Meg felt patronized. She thought on some level her daughter was ashamed of her.

She poured herself more wine and stood in the doorway, looking at the sea frothing as it hit the pebbles. The tide was going out. She felt a drunken impulse to go in. She glanced at Jerry, his mouth hanging open, and began taking off her clothes. Socks first, then trousers. She wrapped a towel around her waist. The stars were out and there was no-one around. She unzipped her fleece and pulled her jumper over her head, then took off her vest and bra. Her breasts sagged and touched the red lines on her waist where her trousers were too tight. She could see her naked reflection distorted in the glass. She pulled the towel tightly around her. She had to go in now. She poured another glass of wine and glugged it back. Then walked quickly and painfully across the pebbles. The sailing boats moored at the end of the beach seemed to be whistling her on. She knew she was drunk. She kept her eyes fixed on the blinking lights of the turbines in the distance.

At the water’s edge a wave lapped over her toes. It was very cold. She would go in quickly. She threw her towel back and waded in, peeing, the temporary warmth a relief. When a wave came, she plunged, her whole body screaming. She splashed through the salty water, teeth chattering, swimming towards the lights on the horizon. She hadn’t gone far when she turned to look back at the cabin. She could see everything. Jerry oblivious, asleep in his chair. She wanted to go further, but another wave came, and she lost her footing. She went right under and was surrounded by blackness, sound muffled. She kicked up, desperate for air and swallowed a mouthful of water. I can’t drown here, she thought, how ridiculous, it’s shallow, but she was panting, spitting. At the next wave she turned onto her back, an old instinct kicking in, her stomach and breasts breaking the skin of the water. She tried to head towards the shore, but she went in the wrong direction and hit the end of the wooden groyne with the top of her head. She clung to the slimy wood and caught her breath. She looked up at the stars as the swell of the water tried to pull her back in. She had a flash of a holiday in Spain where Nikki, still a baby, had rolled off the bed and whacked her tiny head on the white marble floor. Her legs had buckled as she scooped her up and ran out to the patio screaming for Jerry, ►

who had been dozing peacefully in his chair.

Another wave crashed, but she held on. She felt calm, like she had just woken up from a long deep nap. She was the only one out here, her weightless body in the vastness of the water. Their cabin looked fake, like a theatre set far in the distance. The strange symmetry of the wicker chairs facing out. She watched the door slam in the wind and Jerry wake-up and call out. He ran into the bedroom and then back to the doors. He picked up her bra from the floor. His acting was terrible, she thought. He was shouting in the doorway. She watched him run along the sea path in his socks and then onto the beach. She called out to him, and he slipped over. Jerry, she thought, for God’s sake, put on your boots. A wave came over the back of her head and when she came up for air, he was swimming towards her. She felt shingle under her feet as he pulled her arm over his shoulder. They moved slowly together, wading, inching along. His hands slipping on her wet skin. He was wheezing. When they got to the shore, they embraced.

Inside, he rushed around desperately grabbing towels and blankets. He wrapped her up, got the small blow heater and pointed it right at her. ‘Meg. Are you okay?’ She spat into her towel. He sat next to her and kissed her face, he was soaking, his sodden clothes dripping all over the floor. ‘I thought you were drowning,’ he said. He was shaking. He looked at the empty wine bottle and her pile of clothes by the door and started to cry. ‘What the hell is going on?’ He was breathing hard, sobbing into his hands. Her teeth were chattering. She had never seen him like this. Her body was tingling and she felt wide awake. She pulled the blanket right around her like a cocoon and looked back out at the sea. ‘I had the urge to swim,’ she said.

He made a high-pitched sound. ‘I thought you were...’ He stood up, peeled off his wet socks, and went into the shower room slamming the door and making the whole cabin shake.

The next morning Meg slept in late. When she woke Jerry was sat out on the beach drinking tea. She got dressed and piled the wet towels and

blankets in the corner. She walked behind him on the way to the station, him dragging their case along the small pavements of Harbour Street. The day was cold but fresh. She wanted to stop and look in some of the shops at the trinkets and books but knew better than to ask him to wait.

They sat together quietly on the train, both staring out the window at the town drawing in.

‘Nearly home,’ she said. She looked at his soft round stomach. He was wearing an old green jumper that she liked. They walked together past the cemetery and down the hill. At home he picked up the mail and went straight upstairs. She sat at the table in the kitchen waiting for him to come down but when he didn’t show she started to sort through the kitchen drawers, clearing out the old Tupperware and dented pans they never used and wiping it down. She turned the radio on and got quite involved, scrubbing off the grime from the inside of the cupboards and lining everything up so it would be easier to cook. When he eventually appeared, she waited for him to notice but he just put on his wellies and went straight into the garden.

That night they went up to bed without exchanging a word. He read for a while, puffed on his inhaler, then switched off his light. She lay wide awake looking at the ceiling. Here we are, she thought, two animals in pyjamas. She turned so she was looking at his back and the pink creases in his neck. Then she reached over, and being careful not to wake him, rested her hand gently on his shoulder.

Shelley Hastings is a writer and producer. Her stories have been published by Southword Magazine, Galley Beggar Press and Dear Damsels. She is the winner of The Seán O’Faoláin Short Story Prize and The Aurora Short Fiction Prize @peckhamshell | shelleyhastings.co.uk

I’m standing in a churchyard in the pretty village of Herne, looking at a gravestone. Beneath my feet is a fearless, maybe impetuous, young sailor who’d joined the ranks of the Blockade men, Georgian forerunners of the coastguard, trying to stamp out the smuggling that had exploded along the north Kent coast and beyond. If it seems uncool to big up a lawman pitted against desperate smugglers, well, Sydney Sydenham Snow’s was a brave and ugly death, and the gang he fought on the beach at Herne Bay wasn’t full of loveable rogues. Maybe you think smugglers were genial fisherfolk trying to make an extra penny to feed starving children, and maybe things did start out like that.

But by the time Snow was killed, in April 1821, smuggling had become a lucrative trade run by gangs with ruthless leaders; we’re talking 19th-century mafia. Fortunately Whitstable’s part in this was a little less blood-soaked. In fact, one strand of it could even be called humane.

a smuggler’s song

Kentish smuggling first developed when the government levied duties on wool, England’s main European export. This hit Kent’s many sheep farmers hard. For centuries, they sidestepped paying the tax by exporting wool illegally to France – but in the 1660s that illicit

export was given a death penalty. It didn’t stop the smuggling, but changed it radically; smugglers began to carry weapons or use armed minders, and violence became inevitable. The Isle of Sheppey’s name means “Isle of sheep”, and naturally Sheppey was at the centre of the owling trade (“owling” possibly from the call smugglers gave in the dark).

King of England Edward I had handed Sheppey town Queenborough a charter to import and export goods duty-free. That handy loophole was closed in 1575, but the spirit of free enterprise waywardly continued.

And then import taxes on luxury items began to be imposed, and the entire situation exploded. Tobacco, gin, French

brandy, lace and the rest of it meant the black economy went wild: organised crime on a gigantic scale. Half the gin smuggled in England was landed in Sussex and Kent. And in north Kent, that wasn’t hard.

In the 18th century the outline of the Thames estuary was less well-defined than today. Ships bound for London made their way through treacherous channels and, from around Whitstable, mud banks, and many ran aground. Frequently this overnight wait for the tide wasn’t just due to bad navigation – it was an excuse to unload half the cargo into a flurry of small boats that had mysteriously appeared. Once the smugglers had their parcels of tea or

tobacco, they vanished. Only locals knew the safe routes back over the marshes to dry land.

Don’t go drawing back the blind and looking in the street...

In its lucrative mid-period, smuggling was so widespread that much of the population of the county was involved, from fishermen to pub landlords to churchmen and magistrates – hiding, transporting, financing. Because smuggling was still seen as less of a crime and more as vital income for the poor, the “gentlemen” with their anonymous codenames (“Blacktooth”, “Poison”, “Joseph Nobody”, the delightful “Cursemother Jack”) got sympathy because their treatment, transported or hanged on gibbets, at Whitstable up on Borstal Hill, was harsh. But as the gangs grew in ferocity, attitudes started to change. And the gangs were overwhelming – forty or fifty men, and on a prosperous run with a big haul several gangs might unite into groups of up to three hundred. These were extremely tough guys. You didn’t betray a smuggler. You kept your mouth shut.

Them that asks no questions...

We’ll get to the worst gangs. But for now the well organised and highly

If you wake at midnight and hear a horse’s feet...

In the 19th century, smuggling was rife along the north Kent coast. We pour through the paraphernalia to unearth the infamous gangs that waded through our waters

Writer Glyn Brown

successful Seasalter Company, based to the west of Whitstable, actually seems pretty decent. It was founded by a Dr Isaac Rutton from Ashford, who leased the Seasalter Parsonage Farm. Odd thing to do – the farm was in an obscure location, bounded by sea and marshes. Not so odd if you wanted to establish an undercover enterprise. The beach was mud and shingle, ideal for beaching vessels without damage. Cargoes of brandy and tobacco could be landed here, then taken via Yorkletts, Dargate and Herne Hill to Lenham; heavy carts relayed goods on to London. Rods with brooms attached would be shoved up chimneys along the way if the coast was clear; by night, it would be lanterns. The Seasalter Company flourished for over a century.

Whitstable played an active part in the trafficking trade. Bribery meant officials looked the other way as packages were unloaded from the beach where the Old Neptune stands, along Island Wall then spirited through Whitstable’s tiny smugglers’ alleys. In fact, at the end of the 17th century, officialdom was represented by one single corrupt boatman.

But during the Napoleonic wars, a different trade operated here. Many French prisoners lived in appalling conditions on disease-ridden prison hulks on the Thames. If they could escape, those who could pay would be smuggled from London to Whitstable on an oyster boat (allegedly the landlord of the Fountain might even send a carriage and horses for the richest ones). They’d rest up for a few days and then be shipped off, probably from Swalecliffe’s Long Rock. The man most notorious in this regard is James Feaste, the Scarlet Pimpernel of Whitstable. Dapper, skilled in subterfuge and fluent in French, by the time he was 22, Feaste was smuggling silks and spirits and conducting a phenomenal number of escapes, charging £100 for every four prisoners he got back, sailing on a clear night, to their homeland. Between 1793 and 1815, Whitstable hoys and smacks regularly scudded prisoners across the sea, returning laden with contraband for London. The town’s oystermen knew the French coast so well, Wellington used their information to plan his campaigns.

For actual menace, though, it’s time to consider Kent’s two most notorious gangs, who seem to have taken extortion and brutality to Tarantino-esque levels. Here’s where our boy Snow comes in.

By 1817, Blockade groups had been set up – Royal Navy officers and ratings who patrolled the sea and land to intercept contraband – a dangerous, high-risk job. On the night of 24 April 1821, the North

“Cargoes of brandy and tobacco could be landed here, then taken via Yorkletts, Dargate and Herne Hill to Lenham”

Kent Gang, lead by the noxious Stephen (nicknamed “Carver” for obvious reasons) Lawrence, were waiting on the beach by Herne Bay’s Ship Inn for a consignment of brandy and gin, the usual. Sydenham Snow, just 24, appeared with the patrol he led, outnumbered twenty to one, and challenged. He was shot, but his own gun refused to fire, so what does he do? The crazy kid draws a knife and runs forward, his own personal charge of the Light Brigade. Pistol balls in the thigh and shoulder brought him down, and the smugglers casually reloaded. Snow wasn’t dead. He was dragged to the Ship to be patched up but there was little left of him, and he died the next day. A trial of five gang members collapsed. Naturally.

But the tide was turning, and it had been for a while. The beginning of public resistance may well have involved the Hawkhurst Gang, the most feared crew in England. Back in 1747, they’d decided to take control of the usefully situated village of Goudhurst, and began to inflict a reign of terror. Into this stepped 29-year-old William Sturt, who’d just left the army. He found his village cowed and told the gang it was over. Amused, they promised to kill everyone and burn Goudhurst to the ground. They gave a date for it: 21 April. Sturt used the time to train up the villagers and reinforce buildings. And it worked. The smugglers were vanquished, turned tail and ran. And after all of this, taxes on many key goods were finally lowered around 1842 and smuggling, at least of this kind, finally faded away.

So there you have it. As for me, I wrap my scarf more warmly around my neck and head back from St Martin’s Church. On the way, I wonder if my Whitstable address, Sydenham Street, has any connection here. If Sydenham Snow and the good guys of the era, smugglers or not, were as brave as some of them sound, I hope it does.

Visit Whitstable Museum to hear more about Whitstable’s weighty role in the trade which covers a whole host of historical artifacts surrounding the smuggling trade

Won’t get told a lie, so watch the wall, my darling...

Of Land And Sea

Amie

With a background in marine biology, Tom’s role is to to deliver marine environmental education and awareness along a stretch of the north Kent coast including Whitstable.

“When it comes to what you can see along our coastline, it’s always a fifty percent split; what you see at high tide and what you see at low tide. They are totally different environments.

“First, you have to look for some type of habitat. At low tide, we have extensive mudflats. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like much is there, but everything there has adapted to that environment. Look out for the tops of the tubes of sand mason worms, usually covered in sand and shells, which allow other creatures to take hold of an area.

“Low tide is also a good time to look for shark teeth. To find the best areas, you have to think about the geological history, not the physical history. You have to think about what it looked like 54 million years ago. The cliffs below Reculver are one of the best places to look. On shingle beaches, it can be hard to see them, so it’s best to look on the sand, where there’s a natural sieving process as the tide goes in and out.

“Heading out after storms at high tide, you get evidence of what is living subtidally. If you look along the tide lines you will find things like honeycomb sponge, which is bright orange and looks a bit like a brain (living creatures that have been detached during the storm and dry out and die on the shoreline). Then there are the different seaweeds, reds, greens and browns. Reds live sub-tidally like ribbon weed, greens live closest to the shore and browns live mid-shore.

“Looking further out, off Seasalter on Horse Sands you might see colonies of seals out on the banks. Also, you might

spot harbour porpoises and even whales and dolphins. It’s not only marine life that you can find on the beaches here. There can be interesting glassware and other finds, often from the second world war tip site at Swalecliffe, which spread down from Longrock towards the town as the north side eroded, prior to the beach replenishment works there.

“People have found everything from fossils to stone age tools on this coastline. It’s important to check you’re not taking something from private land. If you do find something that might be of interest, it’s best to contact a relevant museum and the Finds Officer for Kent, so they can advise.

“In general, we encourage a ‘look and leave’ policy when it comes to beach finds. Taking more care of the environment is so important.”

Tom Hawkins is Coastal Development Officer for Canterbury City Council.

Fergus Drennan is a wild food experimentalist and educator

Having started gathering his first plants aged four, he has been gathering for himself and others since undergoing two years of chef training at Thanet College in the 1990s. Fergus has written regularly on wild food and foraging for publications including BBC Countryfile ►

Writer

O’Connor Poole

We dig deep with the local experts on land and sea to glean their tips for reaping the rewards of nature’s free bounty

Fergus Drennan

Tom Hawkins

Magazine and The Ecologist. His latest project, with partner Charissa, sees him creating “leather” products using a combination of food waste and gathered plants, with a book and online course available in the new year.

“Wild food foraging for me is a life-long pursuit and is both a hobby, work, and practical way to supplement my diet with seasonal foods, so it pays the rent and answers the hunger pangs of the belly.

“Having lived around Herne Bay and Canterbury for 35 years (although now living in East Sussex) and with my mother and sister still living locally, I know the area well, and that is vital for successful foraging. I love the area for its range of habitats, from a range of woodland types to estuarine, coastal and even urban socalled wasteground. Rivers, salt marshes and hedgerows all offer up a unique range of wild plants and fungi. I particularly like to gather tangy sea buckthorn berries, sea beet (wild spinach), seaweeds such as dulse, rosehips, and certain fungi such as horn of plenty (my favourite) and hen of the woods.

“When it comes to gathering wild foods, there is ‘easy’ in terms of abundance and availability and ‘easy’ in terms of identification. Without the prerequisite identification skills, wild foods remain invisible irrespective of

their abundance. But if you know what you are looking for, the ‘easiest’ things to find are dog rosehips, sea beet, marsh samphire, sea purslane, elder flowers and berries, blackberries, sour cherries, seaweeds, and countless fungi.

“The use of wild foods on a regular basis can have a profoundly beneficial effect on both mental and physical health, and not in small part by the way it can influence your range of gut flora, and the microbiome. A friend of mine, Mo (Monika) Wilde, recently completed a year-long project eating solely wild food and documented its effects. As

well as writing the book The Wilderness Cure she’s set up the Microbiome Project, which I will be taking part in next year. Full details can be found at thewildbiome.mn.co/feed

“There are so many books available on foraging now. I’d recommend any books by John Wright such as Mushrooms, The Edible Seashore and Hedgerow, Geoff Dann’s Edible Mushrooms, and my favourite wild food book, the first edition of Wild Food by Roger Phillips. There are also Facebook groups to help with identification and general foraging inspiration.”

The Kent coast has an amazing variety of fossils and minerals to offer. Herne Bay in particular is a wonderful location for finding seaside treasures.

People flock from all over the UK and beyond to find the famous otodus obliquus shark teeth (predecessor to the megalodon) which can be found from Reculver Bay up to Beltinge Bay, along with 30 different species of shark and ray teeth.

Fish, turtle and crocodile remains can also be found and all date between 54 and 56 million years ago.

No need to forage for Elliot’s Instagram page, they’re at @se_kent_fossils

Herne Bay with Reculver Towers in the distance ©discovering fossils

rock my bungalow

Photographer Clare Randell

lex Nurse and her wife Sue Baker live on Wheatley Road with their six year old daughter Pip and rescue cat Kitty. The 1960’s semi-detached bungalow was originally home to Sue’s mum Barbara, who lived here before the pair took over the place when she passed away in 2020. Wheatley Road has since become a passion project for the pair of them, bringing their own touch to the space while honouring some of Barbara’s original possessions and creating a firm family home. Most of the items featured are vintage or retro-sourced locally with a real push towards high street finds and local makers.

A

The Ladderax was Sue’s mum and dad’s from the 60s. Until recently, it housed Queen Elizabeth mugs and plates (Barbara was a huge fan!). These original Ladderax are now very popular again.

The school chairs surrounding the dining table are original ones that Alex picked up in Sittingbourne.

The VIROL sign is from the Rye Emporium, Rye’s largest antique warehouse specialising in art deco, mid-century and unique and decorative pieces.

Most of the prints are from local artists. The one above the piano is of Seasalter, while the woven bowls are from Macknade.

The drawers in the bedroom are midcentury and were Barbara’s.

The bench at the end of the bed is an original old-school gym bench.

Alex’s grandmother was a

and the

has moved around with Alex and Sue over the years. They are hoping Pip may follow in her great-grandmother’s footsteps and end up playing it.

talented pianist

piano

The worktop that the sinks are sat on is an old TV unit that Alex and Sue went to collect from a seller in the Isle of Sheppey.

The rusty planters in the outside pic at the front are upcycled filing cabinets.

The upcycled gas heater lamp is from Duncan McKean at Albert & Edward, who used to be Alex and Sue’s childminder (you might remember his story from Issue #5 Meet The Maker), available from &Co, 110 Tankerton Road

A league of his own

What a sporting year 2022 has been. The Lionesses in the Women’s Euros. The Winter Olympics (and Paralympics), the Women’s American Football World Championships and England’s recent T20 win. And, to bow out the year, November saw the Qatar World Cup kick-off. It’s a high-stakes event that has faced criticism and is the first held in the Middle East. But underneath the logistical furor, there is a team of hard-working professionals bringing the tournament to our screens. One such key instigator is Whitstable’s own Ian Lichfield.

Kent-born and bred, he is a man that’s literally been there, done that. So how did he end up working as the event manager for the 2022 Qatar World Cup? His career began back in the late 1970s and early 1980s around the New Wave era. “My friend, who I met when I was 16, was working with producer and promoter Harvey Goldsmith. My first job was promoting and staging an event at the Duke of York theatre in the West End with Hazel O’Connor, Glenda Jackson, Rik Mayall and Ade Edmonson, and Alexis Korner. I even took a bow with them all on stage!”

Not all of his encounters with such chart-toppers were as glamorous though. While most of us appreciate that what happens on tour stays on tour, Lichfield recalls a few bad apples. “Any difficult stars were treated to extra smoke machine! One unnamed star was a proper diva and demanded no brown carpet underneath his keyboard and no brown smarties – of course, this was ignored!” he says with a laugh.

From WC1 to UK-wide to the Middle East, the fledgling events manager suddenly found himself booking shows for everyone from 80s icons Wham and Duran Duran to guitar hero Bryan Adams and iconic vocalist Dame Shirley Bassey. The latter really took a shine to 29-year-old Lichfield, as he recalls fondly: “[She] gave me a bear hug! Bassey was great to work with but came with strict instructions from her management:

no champagne before the show!” This string of high-flying performances led to a prestigious position managing Hans Zimmer’s recording studio in Fulham, hiring out keyboards to other notable names like Midge Ure. But after 14 years Lichfield decided to get out of the music industry (“It’s a young man’s game!”) and diversify into major event branding. As he explains: “I was hired by the market leader in 2010 and went on to work on sporting events like the London 2012 Summer Olympics and throughout the Middle East.” Up to 180,000 spectators a day entered the park to enjoy the games that year, making the venue a principal focus of Olympic activity.

But while many were revelling in the exhilarating experience, Lichfield had other concerns. “[It’s] difficult because everything is running late. I have a job to do and need to deal with mega-stressed clients (organisers and design agents) to give them reassurance and confidence in their project,” he admits. Ever the professional, decades of delivering large-scale events have given some much-needed clarity. “I focus on the job in-hand which involves managing dozens of workers day-to-day and getting involved myself. I love being hands-on and will often be found dangling off scaffolding. When the UK was watching the London 2012 opening ceremony, I was up a ladder until 5am, branding the beach volleyball court on Horseguards Parade!”

When Lichfield finally returns to Whitstable, you’d imagine he’d be ready for a sit-down after all that but he has another project to manage here in the Bubble. But this one’s the kind of team dynamics he prefers. “We own a holiday let, the Jolly, so I’ll often be touching up paintwork and anything else that needs doing. But it’s a walk in the park as my wife Annabel takes control!”

The FIFA World Cup is taking place in Qatar until 18 December. To book an escape at the couple’s holiday let the Jolly, visit whitstablethejolly. co.uk/whitstablethejolly.co.uk/

Writer Guy Deakins Images courtesy of Ian Lichfield

After a sensational sports year, we speak to Kent-born and bred events manager Ian Lichfield about his tour tales from the new wave era to his latest gig at 2022’s Qatar World Cup

Illustrator Alex Lee @storyofalex

Necking back the Bairrada and burgundys of Portugal, our wine whizz gets cosy among the rococo interieurs of Harbour Street’s latest international hub

When winter stalks in, don’t you just want to slip to somewhere warm on the continent? Oh, me too. So we went to Portugal for an evening, or that’s how it seemed, it was encantadora.

You’ll have noticed port and wine bar Porto sitting like a ripe grape on Harbour Street, its frontage the oxblood shade of a glass of special reserve or late bottled vintage. Since it appeared, I’ve gazed through its window at the dramatic interior, but I’m wary. A fortified wine, Port can be a two-edged sword and Mr B and I have previous in this regard, one new year’s eve having drunk so much of it with pals that when we got home to our then first floor flat we had to negotiate the stairs on all fours, repeatedly toppling backwards in an increasingly tedious Laurel and Hardy way and finally having to help each other, once one of us reached the landing, as if scaling the Matterhorn.

Still, we brace ourselves, but it’s hard to maintain a sober approach as we enter the thimble-sized bar, where we’re seated at the only table left twelve minutes after the place opened at 4pm. We’re enveloped in a decadent, warm, rococo vibe, and genuinely could be in coastal city Porto, or even a tiny, booze-filled chapel. Seats and cushions of squashy velvet, baroque gilt-framed mirrors, chandeliers and vintage Mad Men-style ads; colours are muted olive green, gold and smoky tobacco. Wooden tables with lamps and, lining the walls, bottles, bottles, bottles. And before you even look at a menu, a decanter of water appears, plus a bowl of fluffy, nutty popcorn.

Owner Helio Andrade (picture a

young, prematurely greying Louis Jourdan) flits calmly from table to table and is suddenly kneeling by our side, offering friendly, enthusiastic advice. Born in Porto, Helio has an illustrious history in hospitality, starting as head waiter at the Savoy’s newly opened Beaufort Bar. He met his fiancée Holly at the Corinthia; Holly’s parents live in Whitstable and, says Helio, “I felt in love with Whitstable the first day I came to visit…” He was looking for a new direction when this property came up: “I could not resist. The dream of my own wine bar and, like the ones at home, cosy, intimate, but still classy.”

Among its international offering, Porto includes 35 Portuguese wines. Predictably I ask for the closest to a sauvignon blanc, and we settle on a glass of São Domingos Bairrada, £5, which is delicately floral, creamy but brisk. Mr B dithers, but Helio suggests the “burgundy of Portugal”,

a Vieira de Sousa White Reserve from the Douro, £8.20 a glass and aged in French barrels. Savouring the rich gold liquid, Mr B observes, “He’s not joking about the oak. It’s got the honeyed apricot of a burgundy but you can almost taste the branches.”

Food is necessary by now. The menu of “petiscos”, or snacks, is wideranging, including skewers of grilled chicken, chorizo and red pepper (£10), cheeses with bread, quince jelly and dried fruits, sardines with sourdough and Portuguese pickles, and flaky, cinnamon-dusted pastel de nata custard tarts. With a big bowl of mixed nuts and one of succulent olives, there’s time to look around. Samba crooning in the background, a cross-section of folks chat amiably across tables, people we know, some people we bumped into once and hoped to re-encounter, all navigating a vast labradoodle, Izzie, sprawled like Catherine the Great and commanding three-quarters of the floor space. An atmospheric patio garden boasts heaters and shrubbery.

Porto offers 35 different ports. We pick a mixed-tasting menu, a glass of Cockburn’s Fine White, a Barros 10-year-old Tawny and a Ramos Pinto Collector Ruby Reserve, £13 for 50ml of each. (More water!) The white is sherry-like, a little sweet for me. The aromatic tawny smells fiery, and like brandy you can almost feel its heat in your sinuses. But the ruby – ah, man. A dark brick red, this is a bacchanalian beauty of a drink, with chewy layers of fig and prune. Take it slowly.

As we leave, someone is describing a dog wedding on the beach, and I do wind up having hazy dreams about that. But absolutely no fuzzy head the next day. Hm. I think I might be booking (it’s wise to book) a trip to Porto again very soon.

Porto, 61 Harbour Street, Whitstable CT5 1AG

CATHERINE AYRES

Writer Amber Akinci Images Courtesy of the artist

No longer out with the old and in with the new, hoards of us are looking for ways to reuse and renovate. But what if you could make strides with your tired trainers? Meet the shoe designer making leaps and bounds with her fresh-looking footwear

Have you ever looked at an old pair of shoes and wished you chose coastal blue instead of buttercup yellow? Or have you popped on your once pristine white sneakers to find that they are now a sort of dusty shade of brown? Well, so have I. Until my wonderful friend Catherine started customising shoes into almost anything your heart desires.

As an art and graphic design graduate, Catherine always knew she was a maker at heart and continued making until she landed on the doorstep of a business. With oodles of experience in designing, painting and printing when lockdown struck, suddenly Catherine’s artistic adventures ground to a halt. Bound to her home (like most of us), she sat still for the first time in a long time. “I’d usually spend hours each day at work,” Catherine tells me, “so being at home felt quite strange.”

Catherine spent a good portion of early 2021 travelling, and quarantining, in and around southeast Asia. Catherine’s travels have been interspersed throughout her life, and each has led her further with her artwork. “I’d like to think my time travelling inspired my art so it felt very natural to just change my canvas,” she says. After a chat with our friend Alex,

a fellow artist, she was inspired and took to her new pair of Nike Air Force 1s. “Nike trainers are probably the most sought after, but they can also be quite a good canvas for intricate designs,” she explains.

Catherine paints pretty much anything, from Peppa Pig designs on a teeny pair of plimsoles to vibrant Korean comic strips. Each design brings so much joy and a personalised touch.

“I never thought I’d sit and find a new business from painting shoes, but here we are,” she says, now with a huge array of designs under her belt. So many of us are searching for a more personalised gift for our loved ones, especially after only having a mass-produced and single-purpose market to rely on. The throwaway behaviour can certainly halt here. They serve more than just a home for your feet. When not busily painting, you can find Catherine running around at the Sportsman in Seasalter, where she will often don her newly refurbished Converse.

There’s also an economical layer to Catherine’s work. Through a few different cleaning concoctions and a bit of elbow grease, she’s able to bring up shoes like new. She brings an old pair of greying trainers back to life, making them feel like brand-new without the trip to the dump or the ker-ching of your Monzo app. Catherine is a sibling of seven, and so always keeping shoes in a good condition helped keep the costs down at home. On top of this, Catherine is also able to create a new shoe entirely, another highly sustainable side to this business. Think of it like a tattoo cover-up. A once scuffed pair of white trainers are now ordained with flowers and butterflies, or a grubby pair of once-white Vans is now an art pop dream. This mindful and clever process turns what could have been a shoe bank donation into a new appreciation for a well-loved pair of shoes. Catherine’s promotion of creating a personal wardrobe staple follows Jack Johnson when he sang reduce, reuse and recycle.

Catherine gathers most of her new shoes from their origin website but has made some previous deals to get some kicks from secondhand places as well. In terms of tools, tapes, and other resources, she scours the high street and makes stops at George’s Mini Market as well. “Supporting local has always been drummed into us, so I always try my best to shop in town,” she says. She has even completed a pair of Air Force 1s for Papa Bianco, the Sourdough Pizza company on the dock in Faversham, which some staff members will wear on shift around the premises. Catherine has been studying, living, working and creating in and around Whitstable all her life, so now trading here is one more way of keeping and supporting local.

As a small, local and self-made business, Catherine relies on followers and word of mouth for support. Hot foot it to take a look at her latest creations at @customfootwear_uk

del Renzio & del Renzio Architecture and

Interiors

& Interior Design

studioulanowski.com @studioulanowski

DESIGN | REFURBISHMENT | RESTORATION | BUILD | LANDSCAPES

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