Local For Tunbridge Wells - Summer 2009

LOCAL www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Here comes summer

Inside:

Keep your kids safe in the sun Excellent for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Mayor’s 100 photo

The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council magazine Summer 2009

Index If you would like to comment about any article in Local, or make suggestions for any that should be included, we’d love to hear from you. In the first instance contact: Diane Talbot Communications Manager, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS [email protected]

Thank you Welcome to our Summer edition of Local. The first one you will have received from an excellent council! We are still celebrating after being told by an independent government watchdog that we have been rated ‘excellent’ - the highest grade possible, especially because less than five years ago we were rated weak by the same body. That won’t make us complacent though, and you can see from the stories in the magazine that we’re still making a difference to the communities we serve and giving you the best value for money we can. The Mayor recently brought together 101 people aged 0 to 100 – you can read about this heart-warming occasion inside. Thank you for all your feedback – please keep sending in your ideas for articles. Happy reading!

tel: 01892 554270 For postal enquiries please contact: Town Hall Royal Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1RS tel: 01892 526121 fax: 01892 534227 e-mail: [email protected] text: 07870 526121 textphone: 01892 545449 Personal callers should visit the Gateway at 8 Grosvenor Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The information in this publication was correct at the time of going to print. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions or subsequent changes. Published by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council – 01892 526121 Photography by David Hodgkinson – www.sweetmoon.com Printed by Footprint Innovations – 01892 545440

If you require this information in large print, on audiotape or in any other format please contact us in any of the above ways.

Featured in this issue: A Safer Town ____________________ 5 Youth Page ______________________ 6 Healthy Eating Awards ____________ 7 LocalView_______________________ 9 Places to visit ___________________ 10 Mayor’s 100 photo ______________ 12 Keep your children safe __________ 14 Tunbridge Wells Tea Dances ______ 15 New recycling scheme ___________ 16 Events _________________________ 18 Vic Reeves _____________________ 19 National Volunteers’ Week _______ 20 Excellent! ______________________ 22 LOCAL

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Community Safety

A Safer Town – thanks to partnership The Safe Town Partnership, together with local businesses, the Police and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, are working harder to ensure that shoppers come to Royal Tunbridge Wells rather than competing larger towns by ensuring that people are safe and that businesses are protected from crime. The partnership ensures that shops, businesses, the Council and the Police work together to eliminate known criminals from the town and catch any that do offend. Members of the Safe Town Partnership are issued with Safe Town Radios that are used to report to other members and the Police, incidents of shoplifting or antisocial behaviour. Offenders are then tracked, using CCTV, until they are caught. Known offenders are actively banned from the members’ premises and any found to be entering are sent packing by the Police. The scheme has members from large retail stores to smaller shops and other businesses in the town, such as the Gateway and YMCA, who all benefit from having instant access to community police officers. Its Chairman of the Board is David Brand, a former manager at W H Smith. He says: ‘Currently, 60% of stores are members. It would be great if all the shops in the town could join the scheme so that we could have comprehensive coverage. As a former manager of one of the larger stores, it was easy to assure our head office of the benefits of the Safe Town Partnership and we had no hesitation in signing up.’ Centre Manager of Westfield Royal Victoria Place, Geoff Jones, explains,

‘Safe Town is an excellent scheme for both Royal Victoria Place and the town centre because it promotes Tunbridge Wells as a safer place to shop and visit. We actively encourage our retailers to sign up to the scheme which also offers them the support of the ‘Shop Safe Radio’ scheme. In these difficult times, businesses large and small need as many tools available to them as possible to prevent crime damaging profits. The good thing about Safe Town is that it encourages all local retailers and businesses to work together in partnership to help reduce crime. Recent statistics show that the detection rate in members’ premises was 59% as opposed to just 23% in non-members’ premises, and 70% of stolen property was recovered in members’ premises, compared with 30% in non-members’. This clearly indicates why Royal Victoria Place is proud to actively support this scheme which makes Tunbridge Wells a safe and more pleasant place to shop.’ The Safe Town Partnership has a similar scheme in place for the nighttime economy – Pubwatch – so pubs and clubs who sign up are able to notify one another if a known offender is in town so that staff can refuse them entry. In addition, those who commit offences are excluded from the nighttime members’ premises. Jeremy Aldous, Portfolio Manager of Targetfollow, owners of the Pantiles, adds,

‘As a shopper I would much rather go to a place where I feel safe and the Safe Town Partnership provides that reassurance. Some of the owners of shops on the Pantiles are members and we value the quick response we get from the Police when an incident does occur. Those not on the scheme will of course get the same response, but without the use of a radio they are unable to let other colleagues know simply and effectively and this gives offenders time to make their getaway. With Safe Town Radio it’s like hundreds of pairs of eyes all watching – and with CCTV in on the act too, we can track criminals until the Police can catch them.’ Chief Inspector Russell Nyman explains, ‘Kent Police wholeheartedly support the Safe Town Partnership. This is partnership working at its very best. Tunbridge Wells is a safe town and by using this system we can help to reduce not only crime, but the fear of crime.’ Councillor Barry Edwards adds, ‘I really hope that all the businesses in the town centre will sign up to become members of Safe Town. Our crime rates are amongst the lowest in the country. By working together we can hope to one day stamp it out completely.’ Local businesses wishing to become members of the Safe Town Partnership should contact them on 01892 512985.

Local residents from the Tunbridge Wells borough took advantage of free safety and crime advice at a recent event held by the Community Safety Partnership. The Council, Police and other organisations met local residents to demonstrate how they reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime. Many visitors were surprised at just how low crime is in the borough. LOCAL

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Youth Page We’ve again invited young people from our borough to share their stories with us. These stories are contributed by the young people about what matters to them. The views are their own and may not necessarily reflect those of the Council. Thanks to Emily Martin, a Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Youth Councillor, who had the idea for the pages and coordinates the content.

- Wapzone So what’s happening in Tunbridge Wells at the moment? As a teenager it almost seems my duty to complain about the lack of facilities available here, but who wants to read such a belligerent view of their town? Recently I’ve come to the realisation of how ridiculous this futile complaining is; when one looks for something interesting to do, there is plenty on offer – as long as you are willing to put in your time and effort. I’ve been a volunteer at a local church (Tunbridge Wells Christian Fellowship, Hanover Road – yes, it was the one the wall fell off!) with a children’s group called Wapzone for just over a year now, and have loved every minute of it! Wapzone provides a fun and safe place for children to be on a Friday afternoon after school, (5.15 to 7pm) and caters for children of primary-school age. We play games, sing and dance, eat sweets, and generally have a lot of fun. The children who come are all lively and vibrant, and although many of them are brought up in Christian families, there are also many who may not have heard from the bible before, but still have a great time. I find Wapzone to be a fulfilling and satisfying way to spend my time; working with children is so rewarding, particularly when the children become familiar with you. A few weeks ago a Wapzone trip to the Bowlplex was organised, and all the children who came seemed very happy at the end of the day! I’ll admit that when one realises an eight year old can win against them at bowling it can be fairly depressing, but it did not stop me, or any of the other leaders, having a fantastic time too! After bowling, the children made a quick stop for lunch, with one boy deciding to put ketchup all over his face. His face was swiftly wiped, but I was still laughing and so was he. It is so encouraging to see children laughing and is one of the best things about being at Wapzone. I am so glad that I have found a place like TWCF and Wapzone to be, as there is such a feeling of acceptance. I love seeing the children grow and watching them react to the encouragement of the leaders. It’s one of my favourite things about living in Tunbridge Wells.

Save the Sumatran Rainforest! The stunningly biodiverse rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo, situated on the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia, only home of the Orang-utan, Sumatran Tiger, and the Sumatran Rhino, are amazing eco-systems, yet they are under threat, and vast areas of rainforest have been cut down and destroyed to clear land for palm oil plantations. So what can we in Kent do to help? Palm oil, harvested from these rainforests, is used in many cakes, biscuits and cereals, yet it is completely unnecessary; there are always alternative products of the same food type that do not contain palm oil and there is almost always no difference in price. So I would urge you to try to buy products that do not contain palm oil; simply check the ingredients and buy a product that does not contain it, unless you are sure that the palm oil comes from countries that do not have a problem with ongoing rainforest deforestation. The destruction of vast areas of rainforest is horrendous and unsustainable. The palm oil plantations create areas dominated by one species, with a complete loss of biodiversity; there are huge problems of soil erosion as ground vegetation is removed; the plantations no longer provide food and habitats for the rainforest creatures which are forced to retreat with the ever-shrinking forest; and animals that do stray into the plantations, looking for food, are shot or, in the case of infant Orang-utans, they are taken from their mothers and kept in tiny cages before being sent off as pets. This is completely unsustainable!

‘Ask not what the natural world can do for you but what you can do for the natural world!’ I urge you to avoid products that contain palm oil from areas with ongoing problems of rainforest deforestation and save the Sumatran rainforest! For more information please see the RSPB’s Save the Sumatran Rainforest campaign website (donations are great and can help buy areas of rainforest that can then be protected).

Ruth Jesse

Joshua Powell

If you would like to submit an article for these pages, please e-mail [email protected] We cannot guarantee inclusion 6

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Healthy lifestyles

Two new Healthy Eating Awards for our area! A night away from the kitchen needn’t strain the waistline so if you’re looking for restaurants that serve healthy options look out for the Council’s Healthy Eating Award certificates across the borough. To qualify for a Healthy Eating Award, businesses must demonstrate that they provide healthy choices for their customers by reducing fats, especially saturated, salt and sugar in preparation and service wherever possible, and menus should promote fruit, salads and vegetables. There are currently 92 award-holders across all kinds of eating establishments, and recently our first Chinese and Indian restaurant awards were made to The Simla Cuisine in Paddock Wood and the Happy Harvest takeaway in Silverdale Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The Simla Cuisine Restaurant offers Indian dinning in their newly-refurbished restaurant, and a take-away service is available. Abdul Miah, owner of The Simla Cuisine, says ‘We’ve recently reprinted menus so the healthier options such as oven-cooked tandoori dishes, tomato-based curries, rice, chapatti and dal dishes can be easily identified by my customers. We have also introduced some new dishes including Tela fish, a Bangladeshi speciality.’ Josephine Loh owner of the Happy Harvest vest has made a number of changes to her dishes to reduce both salt and sugar content. She says ‘Vegetable oil and a lighter version of coconut milk are used. We have also introduced some new dishes including ncluding a dish with grilled salmon and mixed vegetables.’ To see the full list of the Healthy Eating Award-holders go to: www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/ healthyeatingawards or contact Karen Rowe on 01892 526121 or e-mail [email protected].

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Information Government funding to provide more housing advice Help is at hand for those facing problems with housing, money worries or job insecurity via new advice services based at the Tunbridge Wells Gateway. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council joined forces with Rother District Council in East Sussex and successfully bid for £200,000 of Government funding to boost housing services in both areas. The two councils are using the funding to develop their partnership with their local Citizens Advice Bureaux who have employed welfare benefit advisors/debt counsellors, and with Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) who employ the employment/training advisors. The new staff are in place and will provide a service to clients referred by the Housing Team and Town & Country Housing Group.

A chance to meet new faces An exciting project that brought people together took place in Cranbrook recently. A ten-week pilot project ran in Evernden House, Cranbrook, offering training and leisure activities for those over 60. Media charity Sound Architect managed the programme and provided the activities. Over this period 24 people learned about IT in the morning, enjoyed a very popular cooked lunch provided by trainees from Pepenbury, and in the afternoon participated in creative reminiscence sessions. The purpose of the project was to meet new people, learn new skills and interests, enjoy social/creative activities and reduce isolation. Volunteers from the WRVS and Age Concern supported the project, funded by Town and Country Housing and Kent County Council. Participants’ comments included: ‘It gave me exactly what I needed – a nonchallenging introduction to using IT. This will allow me to use my own computer and the confidence to go on to more advanced IT courses.’ And a volunteer involved said, ‘I loved it and would really like to see the project develop and become a regular feature for the elderly. Having elderly parents myself with early dementia I know how important it is for them to reminisce in a supportive environment’. Rachel Lewis from Sound Architect said, ‘It was a very exciting and rewarding project for the older participants and many wished it could continue. It is very rewarding to see so many organisations working together so effectively and with such great results.’ If you would like to be involved in a similar activity, either as a participant or a volunteer, please contact Heather James of the WRVS on 01322 554250 or Sound Architect on 07592 021590 for further information.

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Information

‘Love Tunbridge Wells Week’ 4 – 11 April 2009 Our ‘Love Where We Live’ campaign that aims to promote and enhance community pride saw local groups and residents in the borough host activities as part of ‘Love Tunbridge Wells Week’ between 4 and 11 April, organised by the Kent High Weald Partnership (KHWP) with the support of parish and town councils and community groups. The activities were a way for residents to celebrate what they like about where they live and to make improvements where possible.

Sort out those niggles with a click! A great new online resource that allows you to quickly report areas that need attention has been introduced. Residents can submit fault and incident reports directly to the Council over the internet, such as the location of graffiti, an abandoned vehicle, an overflowing recycling site, or a damaged street nameplate. The same facility allows residents to request a service, such as a new wheelie bin/recycling container, or a bulky waste collection. LocalView is a new online service enabling people to search for and locate properties, people and property information in the Tunbridge Wells borough. By simply entering an address or postcode, visitors to the LocalView website can retrieve information specific to that location and surrounding area including:  the relevant councillor  planning applications  neighbourhood statistics for population, health, employment, education, housing, crime and the environment  flooding, pollution and other environmental information  residents’ parking zones  tourist information on where to stay, places to visit, what’s on, shopping and where to eat Visitors can also use the ‘Find The Nearest’ facility to search for services local to their area including doctors, dentists and recycling sites. All of the information retrieved can be represented on a map to give the viewer an idea of where these facilities are in relation to their location.

Showfields Number One Community Centre, along with Showfields Library, ran activities that raised awareness of local wildlife, with each person taking home a bird box that they had made to help attract birds to their garden or local green space. Similar activities were also run at the TN2 Centre in Sherwood. The week focused on physical improvements to the borough as well as appreciating the local wildlife and history. A community litter-pick took place at TN2 with the support of the TWBC Street Scene team who provided all the necessary equipment and services. Paddock Wood Parish Council were also busy with volunteers repairing town planters and improving the appearance of Paddock Wood. Through ‘Love Where We Live’ it is possible to do your bit and make a difference at any time. If you would like more information please go to www.lovewherewelive.com.

Love Where We Live, our campaign to promote and enhance community pride now has its own Facebook page – if you are on Facebook, become a fan – search for Love Where We Live under groups using the normal search facility. LOCAL

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Update

Top places to visit in the borough this summer With the Summer holidays just around the corner, why not consider a holiday at home this year and explore some of the places visitors from all over the country and the world come each year to see in the Tunbridge Wells area? Children of all ages – and even those of us who are slightly older – will love a trip on the Spa Valley Railway. Hop on board the regular steam trains departing from the Old West Station in Royal Tunbridge Wells and travel in style to High Rocks or further on to Groombridge. Make a day of it, and take the short walk from Groombridge station to Groombridge Place & The Enchanted Forest, where a day of fun and adventure for the children awaits. If you prefer something less energetic, a gentle stroll around the gardens surrounding the manor house is a perfect way to unwind. The Seven Wonders of the Weald – a group of seven, very different visitor attractions all within ten minutes’ drive of each other – make it easy to put together a day or a couple

of days out in the Kent countryside. Choose from the breathtaking gardens at Sissinghurst Castle (currently the star of a BBC 4 programme); mountain biking, cycling or walking at Bedgebury Pinetum and Forest; a picnic and a walk along the shores of Bewl Water; an entertaining music recital in the impressive Georgian manor house at Finchcocks; wine tasting at Lamberhurst Vineyard; a visit to the tranquil and beautiful gardens at Marle Place or at Scotney Castle – now with a recently-opened tea room and shop. The Seven Wonders Pass offers savings of up to £120 at all of the Seven Wonders, and is fantastic value at £25. The Pass is available for purchase from the Tourist Information Centre in the Pantiles and online on the Council’s visitor website – www.visittunbridgewells. com. For details of all of the above visitor attractions and more to see and do in the area over the Summer, contact or visit the Tourist Information Centre in the Pantiles – 01892 515675 – or visit www.visittunbridgewells. com.

Setting a high standard The Council’s Standards Committee ensures high standards of ethical behaviour amongst borough and parish councillors and independent members. Since May 2008, complaints about councillors are now being dealt with by local councils rather than the Standards

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Board for England. The Standards Committee has published an annual report setting out details of its work over the past 15 months. You can view the report at: www.tunbridgewells.gov. uk/standards or copies are available at the Tunbridge Wells Gateway and the Weald Information Centre in Cranbrook.

News

Fairtrade Fashion Show pulls in a crowd Tunbridge Wells celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight with a Fairtrade Fashion Show. Models included students from local schools and the stunning set was the result of much hard work by students from Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School. Eight primary-aged children were awarded prizes from a ‘Design a T-Shirt’ competition that the Fairtrade Town Group organised and took a spin on the catwalk showing off their ‘Designer T-Shirts’. Tunbridge Wells first achieved Fairtrade Town status in 2007. This year’s fashion show highlighted the importance of Fairtrade Cotton whilst helping to maintain the town’s status.

Next stop Hawkhurst for fun! A weekend of great fun is planned in Hawkhurst over the late August Bank Holiday at a fundraising event for the Kent Air Ambulance and Hawkhurst pre-school. The fun begins at 1pm on Sunday 30 with a Carnival Parade starting at Hawkhurst Primary School via The Moor, The Colonnade and Highgate Hill. Afterwards on The Moor from 2pm there will be arena events, a dog show, stalls and side shows. The Fire Service will be giving displays and there will be a Tug of War. Live bands will play from 5 until 9pm. Visit www.hawkhurstfete.org.uk for more details.

Archery adds another string to Bedgebury’s bow Archery sessions at Bedgebury continue right through the summer until the end of October. They take place on Bedgebury’s Events Arena outside the Walled Garden. Hourly sessions will run from 10am ‘till 7pm every day until 31 October.

Twitter Residents and others now have a new way to keep up to date with the Council’s news. We have signed up to the micro-blogging site Twitter where our press releases are posted. Follow TWellsCouncil to find out more!

All ages and abilities are catered for from six years upwards – care homes and day services welcome. All equipment is supplied. Sessions cost £5 (normal car parking charges apply) and can either be booked in advance or on the day – 07856 924934.

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A truly heartwarming occasion An idea by last year’s Mayor, Cllr Mike Rusbridge, developed into a lovely event where old and young got together for a momentous photograph. 100 people – aged from 0-100 years were gathered to help with celebrations to mark 100 years of ‘Royal’ Tunbridge Wells. The town received its ‘Royal’ prefix in April 1909 and 100 years later on 16 April, 101 people gathered at the Assembly Hall Theatre for an historical photograph. Greg Clark MP, former mayors and residents from across the borough came together to celebrate the town. When asked why they wanted to be in the photograph there were many wonderful responses, including: ‘I love where I live because we’re in the heart of the High Weald with access to so many beautiful towns and villages,’ Grace Wain, age 23 and mum to Benjamin, seven months. ‘I love Tunbridge Wells because it retains its former glory and it is a gracious town,’ Mrs Helena Barber, age 100. The event was a wonderful chance for residents of all ages to meet and talk about what makes Royal Tunbridge Wells so special. Cllr Mike Rusbridge commented: ‘The reality of seeing 101 Tunbridge Wells residents aged from one to 100, all together in the Assembly Hall, brought home the significance of this historic photograph. That in 100 years’ time, when our town celebrates 200 years of the ‘Royal’ prefix there may be some of the photographed youngsters able to view it, is a moving thought and I am very privileged to have been Mayor for this special occasion. Thanks to all the applicants, successful or otherwise, and to everyone involved in ensuring that it took place. It required tremendous organisation and planning and I am truly grateful for all the efforts that made it a success.’ To see individual photographs of the event visit www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

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Information

Keep children safe in the sun Here are some great tips to keep your little ones safe: 

Set good habits for the future Teaching children safe sun habits while they are young sets a good pattern for later life.



Remember you can burn in the UK The Great British sun is quite capable of burning your child! Take extra care at home as well as abroad.



Use shade Keep babies in complete shade: under trees, umbrellas, canopies or indoors. Provide shade for prams and buggies, if possible.



Cover them up When outdoors, protect a baby’s skin with loose-fitting clothes, and a widebrimmed hat that shades their face, neck and ears.



Wear sunglasses Buy good quality, wraparound sunglasses for children, as soon as they can wear them. Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive brands.



Find hats they like Encourage children to wear hats with brims, especially if they are not wearing sunglasses. The wider the brim, the more skin will be shaded from the sun.



Use sunscreen wisely Use at least a factor 15 sunscreen and choose a ‘broad-spectrum’ brand that has a four or five-star rating. Apply to areas that cannot be protected by clothing, such as the face, ears, feet and backs of hands. Choose sunscreens that are formulated for children’s and babies’ skin. These products are less likely to contain alcohol or fragrances that might irritate the skin and cause allergic reactions.

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Apply sunscreen regularly Put some on before children go outdoors, then reapply often to be sure of good coverage. Use waterproof brands if children are swimming or playing outdoors with water, and reapply after towelling.



Don’t forget school times Remember play times and lunch breaks on Summer school days too. Give children a hat to wear and, if they can’t apply sunscreen at school, cover their exposed skin before they go.

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How secure is your garden? You hear about people having power tools, mowers and push bikes stolen, but the possibility of becoming a victim of garden crime is low. That said, there are many things you can do to make it less likely and give you peace of mind. Top tips  Don’t leave belongings unsecure and vulnerable – lock them away  Mark your belongings with your postcode and house number  Keep boundary walls and fences maintained  Invest in some thorny plants  Consider anti-climb paint on outbuildings  Secure locks, bolts and windows on outbuildings  Good external lighting can protect against intruders, especially dusk to dawn or movement sensors  If you have an alarm system you might wish to extend this cover to include the garage. Insurance may also be cheaper! If you need further security advice, the Tunbridge Wells Community Safety Partnership has produced a leaflet with more information on garden security. To request your copy call Lizzie Goodwin on 01892 554151 or visit the website www.twellscommunitysafety. org.uk to download a copy. Alternatively, you can call your local police station and speak with the crime prevention officer.

Information

Tunbridge Wells Tea Dances Over 50 young at heart people joined a Tea Dance at the Camden Centre recently and it was so popular that more are planned for 2 July, 30 July, 27 August, 24 September, and 29 October all at 2.30 – 5pm at the Camden Centre. Older people have asked for these and have told us that maintaining their mobility was the most important factor in maintaining their health.

HOT in Tunbridge Wells!

There will be a dance teacher available to help those new to dancing or who want to learn a few new steps. Tea, coffee, and some healthy snacks will be provided free of charge. The dances are organised by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and funded by West Kent NHS under the Choosing Health initiative which aims to make healthier choices easier. People interested in attending should contact the Healthier Communities Team at the Borough Council, on 01892 554411 to reserve a place as numbers are limited.

Taking those first steps towards a healthier life can often seem daunting and a near-impossible task. How do you fit in more exercise when you’re a working mum? How do you eat more healthily when there aren’t enough hours in the day? How do you get your kids to eat their greens? Help is at hand! Residents of Tunbridge Wells will now be able to get oneto-one support from the new Health Outreach Team (HOT), part of the Healthier Communities Team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The HOT can help you to take small but significant steps in the right direction. The HOT will work with residents to help you identify your own goals and how you can achieve them. The HOT can also offer ongoing support, with text messages, e-mails and phone calls, for those who appreciate a bit of extra encouragement. The HOT will be working across the borough so look out for them in a town near you. If you would like to know how to get in touch with HOT, please visit our website at www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk and go to the health pages or e-mail [email protected] or phone 01892 554411. LOCAL

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Love Where We Live

A new recycling service A new doorstep recycling service will be introduced in July. Cans and plastic bottles will be collected fortnightly from your property, along with your paper, card and compostable waste. The new collections will operate in a similar way to those currently carried out for your paper and card and compost. We will supply you with a new box, the same as your existing green one, and the new box will be collected on the same day as all your other recyclables (your existing brown bin and green box). Cory Environmental, our new contractor working on behalf of the Council, has purchased a new fleet of vehicles which have two separate compartments. One side takes paper and card and the other side will be for the plastic bottles and cans. It will be really important to keep your plastic bottles and cans separate from the paper and card because they will both be recycled at different places. We will be asking you to please rinse out your food cans and plastic bottles before placing out for collection to avoid attracting unwanted attention from undesirable wildlife.

All plastic bottles should have the tops removed and be squashed – thanks to those of you who pointed out that we hadn’t done that on our front cover photo in the last issue and apologies for the confusion. The contents of your green wheelie bin – the non-recyclable waste – is now taken to the energy-from-waste facility at Allington. All of this waste that is not suitable for recycling is incinerated and used to produce electricity which is fed into the national grid. This reduces the amount of waste that is sent to landfill and makes sure that any waste that cannot be recycled is put to good use. Please help us to make sure that the new recycling service is successful and help us to reduce even more of what we throw away. Don’t forget that if you have a brown bin, all your leftover food waste, peelings and food that is no longer edible can all be put into the brown bin – simply wrap in newspaper or use a paper bag and put the items into the brown bin for composting. Please also continue to recycle your glass bottles and jars at the local neighbourhood recycling centres. To find out where the nearest site to you is, e-mail us at recycling@ tunbridgewells.gov.uk or telephone us on 01892 526121, look it up on www. tunbridgewells.gov.uk/localview or pop in to Tunbridge Wells Gateway or the Weald Information Centre in Cranbrook.

A big thank you to all of you – from April 2008 to March 2009 you recycled a massive 47.2% of rubbish, a fantastic achievement which amounts to 23,050 tonnes of waste that was recycled or composted. It would be really great if the introduction of the new recycling service in July meant that at the end of this year we could recycle or compost more than half. 16

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News

New Kent Adult Carers Strategy Carers are unpaid family members or friends who care for people who have long-term conditions, disabilities, illness, or who are frail. It is estimated that three in five of us will be a carer at some point in our lives and that there are 43,000 carers in South West Kent alone, all of whom have given up other opportunities to care for their loved ones. Almost 20% of carers in Kent care over 50 hours per week, many struggle to hold down a job and over 20% suffer from ill-health themselves. Carers FIRST supports carers with information, advice, advocacy and short carer breaks. They also organise a variety of training events, support groups, and social events. They partner with organisations such as Age Concern, the MS Society and b-eat, an organisation for those with eating disorders, to provide support to carers. In addition they provide carers with a voice, sitting on Kent-wide boards such as the Supporting Carers Implementation Group of the Kent Partnership Board and the Carers Advisory Group. If you are a carer and would like to become a member of Carers FIRST or if you know someone who could benefit from our support, please contact Gillian Douglass on 01732 357555 or e-mail [email protected].

Not knowing the law could cost new landlords dearly Homeowners attempting to stave off the impact of the recession by renting out rooms, or their entire properties, are being warned that a lack of knowledge of landlords’ responsibilities could lead to fines of up to £20,000. Rising unemployment and bills are forcing many homeowners to look at creative ways of covering the mortgage. Renting out a property can provide extra income, but not knowing the laws could end up costing far more. People can avoid mistakes simply by following LACORS (Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) guidance which advises new landlords how to: 

Speak to their mortgage lender



Get references from potential tenants



Prepare a formal tenancy agreement



Take a deposit, and ensure it is properly protected



Obtain an energy performance certificate



Find out whether a property licence is needed



Get all gas and electrical appliances checked



Minimise the risk of fire

For a copy of the national guidance call the Housing Renewal Team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 01892 554409.

Online access guide People with a disability or mobility difficulties can now benefit from a unique new guide, designed to help thousands of residents to get out and do what they want to do. The guide is available to use for free via Tunbridge Wells Borough Council website, www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk. By visiting the site you can check, for example, whether a shop is accessible to a wheelchair user, whether a cinema can offer a hearing loop, whether a hotel offers adapted rooms, and whether a restaurant offers menus in large print or Braille. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has worked with and funded DisabledGo, a national accessibility project, to develop the guide which provides access details to some 1,000 goods and service providers including shops, pubs, restaurants, theatres, hotels, train stations and other public venues. Those without access to the internet at home can access the guide at the Gateway in Royal Tunbridge Wells, or the Weald Information Centre in Cranbrook where free internet access is available. LOCAL

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Events What’s on and where for the next three months! Assembly Hall Theatre Why not enjoy a pre-theatre meal before the show or a light bite in the interval? Our café is open from 6pm. For more information e-mail AHCafe@tunbridgewells. gov.uk or call 01892 530613. A sample menu can be found on our website www.assemblyhalltheatre. co.uk There is something for everyone to enjoy in our next season. john hessenthaler for Original Entertainment Programming presents

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BASINGSTOKE THE ANVIL TUESDAY 7 JULY 01256 844244

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TUNBRIDGE WELLS ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE WEDNESDAY 8 JULY

01892 530613/532072

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John Mayall with special guest Smokin’ Jackets

This is one of the very few dates in the UK that this Blues legend is playing – so book now! Wednesday 8 July 7.30pm £26.50 – restricted view £24.50

Milkshake! In My First Concert Great fun for children with all their favourite TV characters and presenters, Fifi & Bumble, Peppa & George, Rupert Bear, Little Princess, Noddy & Tessie Bear and Me Bump & Little Miss Daredevil. Saturday 18 July 10.30am, 1.30pm & 4.30pm; Sunday 19 July 11am Saturday at 10.30am all tickets £10; Saturday 1.30pm, 4.30pm and Sunday 11am: adult £14.50, child £12.50, family x 4 £50 (cast is subject to change)

Madhatter’s Tea Party for 4-8 years Jazz by Bob Cox and his Jazz Men Classic film picnic All enquiries to the Box Office at Trinity Theatre 01892 678678 or www. trinitytheatre.net Other events: 1 July: film – The Young Victoria 2 July: music – Peter Knight’s Gigspanner 3 July: film – The Young Victoria 4 July: dance – Cascade Dance 5 July: children’s event – Pinocchio 5 July: film – Genova 7 July: film – Che – part one 8 July: film – Che – part two 14 – 19 July: theatre – Tartuffe (The Imposter) 23 July: Trinity Youth Theatre (TYT) – The Trial/ Metamorphosis 24 July: TYT – Attempts On Her Life 26 July: film – Blue Eyelids 2 August: film – Let The Right One In

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National Youth Ballet – Cinderella Music: Paul Reade Choreography: Wayne Sleep The highly-acclaimed National Youth Ballet brings their company of talented young dancers from all over the country to perform Wayne Sleep’s highly entertaining ballet Cinderella to Tunbridge Wells. Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 August adult £14.50, child £9.50, groups – for every 10+ get one free ticket Book online at www. assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk or call our Box Office on 01892 530613/532072.

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Trinity Summer School Monday 27 July – Friday 31 July, 10am – 3pm each day, ages 10 – 15 years This year’s Summer School is presented by Trinity in collaboration with resident mask theatre company Strangeface. Participants will have the chance to explore and develop a performance created on the theme of Fool’s Gold through the use of text, their own words and their imaginations! This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about masks and puppets and to work with professional artists. The complete creative process will see the group having a go at designing, prop making, writing, acting and other technical aspects of theatre in an intensive week. On the final afternoon there will be a public performance in the main house. ‘Amazing! Exhilarating! Fun!’ – participants in last year’s workshop Children’s Activities Week 24 August for 8+ years – including: Painting Workshops by Billy Showell Musical Workshops by Anthony Zerpa-Falcon and Jong-Gyung Park

Shakespeare Workshops Prepare Yourself for Drama School workshops by Peter Basham and Elinor Lawless.

Trinity Week A fundraising bonanza of events to raise awareness and money for the theatre – ‘Your Town, Your Theatre’ Saturday September 5 through to Sunday September 13 Events will be held in the Theatre and the beautiful garden during the weekends:

1940s Weekend – Not War on the Line The Spa Valley Railway will be hosting their first ‘1940s weekend’ on 27 and 28 June. The weekend links into a number of themed 1940s events that are taking place in the towns and villages surrounding the railway. The event will offer visitors an opportunity to sample aspects of life in the 40s. There will be a dance company performing 40s dancing at the stations, youth groups will be ‘evacuated’, 40s food will be on offer courtesy of a local pub, and there

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will be a NAAFI wagon at Groombridge. Weather permitting there will be a Spitfire flypast, followed by the Red Arrows. There will also be a 40s themed weekend in the town centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells, including a free evening band concert. There will be further attractions at nearby Groombridge Place and it is hoped that a shuttle bus will run between Groombridge Place and the station.

Summer fun for kids Multi-sports and arts activities are back this summer at a venue near you, so there is no need to stay indoors and get bored, come and join in the fun! Activities are available for 6-11 year olds and include parachute games, tag rugby, cricket, mask making, clay moulding and much more. Throughout the borough there are numerous activities taking place including at the sports centres in Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood and Cranbook and the Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery. For more information on any activities please pick up the Summer Activities for Young People brochure available from your local sports centre, TIC, Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery, Weald Information Centre, and the Gateway, or contact Natalie Coode, Sports and Wellbeing Officer on 01892 554201 or sports@ tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

Vic Reeves is in town This summer, popular TV comedian and artist, Vic Reeves, will be curating a surreal exhibition at Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery. ‘The Natural History of Kent and Sussex – Through my binoculars’ will feature objects from the Museum collections alongside original paintings by Vic. This must-see exhibition will run from Saturday 4 July to Saturday 29 August 2009. Vic has created seven new paintings especially for the show, inspired by objects from the Museum’s collections. The exhibition will also feature natural history specimens, presented by Vic in unusual and unexpected ways. Vic is best known as a TV personality but also has a successful career as a painter and sculptor. His work has previously been shown at the Royal Academy of Arts, and his paintings are currently on show at a private London gallery.

The themes of the show are ‘Black and White’ and ‘Natural History’. Vic has submitted a draft design for the show, which Museum staff say is ‘imaginative, ambitious, and extraordinary!’ Vic is a huge fan of museums and he is especially keen on birds and bugs! At the recent announcement of his involvement, Vic, who lives in Kent, said: ‘Museums are cool, especially Tunbridge Wells Museum and Art Gallery. I am really excited about curating this exhibition which is a first for me. You must come and see it, you will be astonished.’

Mela A wonderful celebration of diverse cultures is due to be held on Sunday 19 July. The Tunbridge Wells Mela will take place in Calverley Grounds from 12-6pm and will feature dance, singing and food from around the world and the UK. Highlights this year will be B21, a popular bhangra band led by Bhoota Jagpal and Bally Jagpal, two of the biggest names in the bhangra industry who will be performing their unique contemporary urban bhangra sound, and Hot Rats, a popular Kent-based group who perform Celticstyle World, European and original folk rock.

For a full programme and further details visit www. tunbridgewells.gov.uk or find us on Facebook – Tunbridge Wells Mela.

Giant maidens on the loose! Four giant maidens are being created to celebrate the start of the Weald Forest Ridge Landscape Partnership Scheme. Come and find out about the story of the maidens, join in an arts workshop and see the start of their journey. This will be a celebration of the elements that make up the four medieval forests of the High Weald, ending in the maidens’ awakening and a fiery finale. Wednesday 5 – Sunday 9 August, 11am – 4pm each day, 1 – 6pm on Sunday 9 August: King Charles Church Hall, 3 Warwick Place, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TA You can visit the Broadwater maiden while it is being created by a Same Sky artistin-residence. If you’d like to help create the maiden, you can book on to a session on Saturday 8 or Sunday 9 August from 1 – 4pm by calling Bec on 01273 571106, or by e-mailing [email protected] For more information on the Weald Forest Ridge Scheme please contact Ruth Dawson on 01580 879954 or e-mail [email protected]

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News

Kent Karrier Do you need to get out and about but have difficulty using public transport? Kent Karrier is a fully accessible dial-a-ride service that takes its members from their door to places in their local area.

National Volunteers’ Week Why volunteer? – What’s in it for me? Do you have some time to spare that you’d like to fill with something useful? Perhaps you think volunteering is not for you, but have you thought about what you could get out of it? Through volunteering you can learn new skills or improve those you have, through training or practical experience and broaden your knowledge. As well as meeting new people and potentially making good friends, you might have great fun and do something different! Your CV will look more impressive to a potential employer with volunteering experience, and you may find your confidence and self-esteem growing. Whatever your interestS or skills, there’s an opportunity out there – who knows where it may take you. But don’t just take our word for it – read what these volunteers have to say about why they do it. What made you volunteer?

I had cared for my father when he had cancer until he died, then I was a carer for my mother who had dementia, also my husband who developed Parkinson’s Disease and in retrospect I think I needed something else to give me a bit of a breather, therapy perhaps.

You can join the scheme if you have a medical condition that makes travelling on public transport difficult. A year’s membership costs £5 and all you pay after that is a fare every time you travel. For an application form phone 01622 605349. You need to book your journey by phone at least a day before you want to travel. Your carer can travel with you and does not have to be a member, but must pay the appropriate journey fare. The number to call is 0845 094 4629.

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Diane Clarke Hospital Radio Tunbridge Wells How long have you been a member of Hospital Radio Tunbridge Wells?

Six years but our organisation is very nearly half a century old. It was started in a cupboard at the Kent and Sussex then moved to a Portakabin at Pembury and at the present time we have an excellent set of studios housed in the old mortuary back at the K&S.

What is your role there?

I am now a presenter, but I have served two years as secretary and then two years as manager. As a presenter I think I take a sideways look at life and have a quirky imagination. Sometimes when I am behind the mic even I do not know where my imagination will take me. Mostly I want to be entertaining but easy on the ear. And if I can make them smile, I’m happy. Do you ever get to meet patients or members of the public for feedback?

We do get letters and cards from patients and one of our most important roles is collecting and playing requests. Then we have several outside broadcasts a year when we play music to the public and relay it back to the hospitals through a network of cables. This is one of our main ways to generate income because we are a charity. Why should other people think about joining Hospital Radio?

Apart from firmly believing in the service we offer, which is to help those in hospital to feel like individuals in an environment that can rather make one feel just part of a crowd at a vulnerable and sometimes rather daunting time in life, it has also been a jumping-off point for some who have joined mainstream professional broadcasting.

Update life, and at the same time meeting lots of interesting people. Out of all the exhibitions he has hung in the gallery he says the one that stands out for him was the one on Domestic Violence last year that exhibited over 100 pairs of shoes donated by women and celebrities.

Wyndham Westaway Trinity Theatre Assists artists to hang their exhibitions, also volunteers as an usher. Wyndham has given up much of his time for 9 years to support trinity theatre in church road. He is a familiar face at Trinity helping all the artists to get the best from the space in the gallery with years of experience at hanging all sorts of art works! When asked why he began volunteering Wyndham says:

I’ve always had an interest in theatre and the arts. Trinity is such a fantastic asset to the town and to the community that I wanted to help it in whatever way I could to keep it going. A great opportunity to see great theatre, film and art in a local setting, that’s what it brings to my

It made quite an impact on those who saw it; it was so unusual it made people just stop and think. Barbara Bliss, Peter Cooke, Dawn Stanford and Jackie Johnson Tenant Representative Committee We represent the tenants of town and country housing group. and if they have any problems we represent and support them and act as a go between to help them. So there are meetings to attend and many events. Peter as a volunteer of 8 years when asked what does volunteering bring to your life? Says well it certainly makes life more interesting It’s very rewarding when we can help tenants. Its good fun, we meet lots of nice people and more than that, what we do is important. We represent our tenants in board level decision making that positively affects their lives. We’re a very active group always looking

for more members and through what we do the TRC also helps to fund all the community groups and activities that help make life better. Doing what we do brings a great sense of satisfaction. Olive Cherry RNIB

She says it brings a feeling of usefulness to her life to help and support the charity in this way. And that she has more faith I human nature when she sees people giving generously outside superstores. She recalls one instance of this seeing someone digging deep and giving a whole five pounds for her collection.

5 months ago Olive first began volunteering to collect money for the royal national institute for the blind. Her tasks include taking and collecting the Sooty Collection Boxes to shops as well as hours standing collecting outside stores. The money she collects goes directly to supporting the blind and partially sighted and olive first began to help out through being touched by someone who is partially sighted… her own granddaughter.

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We’re Excellent!

An independent watchdog has assessed Tunbridge Wells Borough Council as an ‘excellent’ council. CPA is an inspection undertaken by the Audit Commission that rates councils as Excellent, Good, Fair, Weak or Poor. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council had been assessed as ‘Weak’ in 2004 and had volunteered for reinspection in 2008. Speaking about the re-categorisation, Leader of the Council, Councillor Roy Bullock, commented: ‘This result is a testament to the tremendous team spirit that exists here at the Council and to our focus on delivering well for our communities. I would like to thank publicly and congratulate not only our fantastic staff and Councillors at the Borough Council, but also all our partner

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organisations that have worked with us and helped us to achieve this ‘Excellent’ rating. ‘For the future, we have an ambitious agenda and we can look forward with confidence to continuing to provide excellent services that respond to the needs of the people of the Borough of Tunbridge Wells.’ The CPA report appears on the Council’s website at www. tunbridgewells.gov.uk. Further confirmation of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s rise to excellence was confirmed when it received its annual letter from the Audit Commission. The local government watchdog recognised that the Council continues to improve strongly and could

recommend no additional areas for improvement. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is the 65th best performing council out of 388, and 68% of its services that are measured against those of other councils are amongst the best. The Council was praised for its ‘innovative’ approach to regeneration that has seen a partnership with private developer John Laing to revitalise its town centres, for its consistently high recycling and composting rates that are amongst the best in the country, and for the Tunbridge Wells Gateway. Progress was also noted for the Council’s housing services in reducing homelessness and ensuring residents spent less time in temporary hostels, as well as its quick processing of benefits claims – all of which are important in the current economic climate.

Tag! Tunbridge Wells Rugby Football Club held the 2009 Tag Rugby Festival sponsored by AXA PPP. The event was a huge success with 300 students from many of the local primary schools taking part. Teams were placed into six groups of five to play the first round of matches in a mini league format. The six winning teams, along with the two best runners-up, then progressed through to the cup quarter-finals. The losers of these matches then competed in the Plate semi-finals, whilst the remaining four second-placed teams from the group stages competed in the Shield competition. All three finals were played simultaneously. Mead School beat Bishops Down 10-9 in sudden death extra time in a thrilling Shield final which was a credit to the quality of play shown throughout the day. Mead ‘B’ beat Brenchley 7-5 in an equally exciting game to win the Plate. The Cup final was contested between Claremont’s A and B teams. It was a fitting match for the final, the quality on both sides of the pitch outstanding with both teams playing some attractive and inclusive rugby. St Mark’s were awarded the Fair Play trophy and will now take their place at the Kent County Fair Play Finals. Fresh fruit was supplied by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and the event was supported by the School Sports Partnership and Skinner’s. For further information on the junior section of the Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club please contact Becci Bridges on 07786 360286 or 01892 825514. Alternatively, visit the club’s website www.twrfc.com.

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