How Kent celebrated the Royal Wedding

Kent street party celebrating the Royal Wedding

London is not the only one who celebrated the Royal Wedding last night. People all over Kent made lots of efforts to organise parties and get-togethers in order to join the nation on this lovely occasion.

On the 29 of April several venues organised parties, fireworks, dinners and even street parties. Leeds Castle near Maidstone set up an Open Air Cinema showing the wedding live and later on the musical Mama Mia and entertained the guests with fireworks, being open from 9 in the morning.

In Chatham at the Pentagon Shopping Centre there was a Prince Charles lookalike and the household guard. Many lovey family activities to enjoy including a Punch and Judy show, a prize draw, craft workshops, face painting and a chance to sign the giant congratulations card for Will and Kate.

Almost every town organised a street party with neighbours coming outside with food and listening to bands.

Watch below a video of one street party that took place on Martyrs Field Road in Canterbury

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Adoption rate decreases

A recent survey reveals an 6% decrease in the adoption rate in Kent in the last two years. While children waits in foster centres most genuine parents interested in adopting blame the long and complicated process of being approved to become adoptive parents.

With 4,655 children in the Adopted Children register following court orders, the figures of completed and successful adoptions continue to drop. It should come as no surprise that the children most sought by adoptive families are really young. Almost 60% of children adopted in 2009 were aged between one and four, compared with 15% of children aged 10 and over. Most of the children in the Adopted Children Register following court orders were born outside marriage.

Ruth Pack, social worker at Ashford Adoption Team, explained the process through which a family can adopt a child. “The process has two stages the assessment part and the matching part. In the first part we try to evaluate the family, give them as much information as possible and decide whether they are suitable and determined to receive a child in their care. After they are approved by a panel, they enter the matching process. This part depends on the availability of a child suitable for the family.”

Mrs Pack emphasised the fact that the parents are given chances to back out of the project every few weeks and with more and more information about what they should expect if they are chosen as possible parents. “It is important that they know what they’re getting themselves into. They need to have real expectation of what it’s going to be like,” added the social worker

“It is not something they should enter lightly. They need to be motivated, to accept the child for who he is.”

Assessing the parent or parents usually takes around 8 months. Though it seems a long time, Mrs Pack says it essential to prevent cases in which the adoption is not successful and the child’s placement is even further delayed.

Mrs Jane, who asked us not to reveal her surname, said: “Me and my partner are now waiting to be approved by the panel. It’s been a long run so far and it’s not over. But I can understand why they need so much time to check everyone. Plus it gives you as a future parents the time you need to get accustomed to the idea that this is happening and you will finally be a parent.”

Nowadays there are less children to place, but also less adoptions happening. In the 1970s there were 21,495 adoptions in England and Wales. Following the introduction of legal abortion in 1967, this number hit a rapid decline in the children available for adoption.

The Act suffered several changes throughout the years, but in 2005 the Adoption and Children Act was implemented, modernising the legal framework to include as possible parents single people and same-sex couples.

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Margate Stadium redevelopment

Margate Football Club is seeking to appeal to Thanet Council’s decision to deny changes to its stadium development plans.

The club is currently consulting legal experts of possible solutions. They have been discussions proposal for a Travelodge hotel, education facilities and a pitch at Hartsdown Park. This project was approved planning permission five years ago.

But this year the club and its development partners have made some amends to the plans, one of which is to build a smaller hotel. The council did not take into consideration the changes as just an “amendment” to the initial approved plan and is not asking for a new application from the club.

Fans were those who rejected the council’s decision in fear that it will postpone the final date of the project and may even put it in danger of being cancelled. According the supporters’ comments on website, they blames the council “of going back on its previous decisions.”

Meanwhile the club’s website displayed a statement saying: "The club and development partners are reviewing the options available to them; continue to consult with legal advisors, while maintaining dialogue with Thanet District Council."

Club director Keith Piper provided the council with a petition revealing five thousands signatures supporting the development. He said: "The development will provide 20 full time and 30 part time jobs and continue to be a significant source of revenue in the local economy."

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The Home Front Bus alert

The Home Front Bus has been intriguing Canterbury residents ever since it’s been set up on High Street. The bus gives a tour of the 1940’s lifestyle in the UK.

The Home Front Bus has got on display detailed reconstructions of a 1940’s living room, a shop, a street destroyed by bombs and an air raid shelter, each containing period features and artefacts similar to the sights and sounds during World War 2. It is meant to educate young children of the experience that their grandparents had during the war and aims to do it in an exciting way.

Organisers Norman Burnett and Eddie Chambers claim the bus aspires “to fully utilise the Home Front Bus by making this unique resource available to schools and the general public and to employ people in period costumes to bring the displays to life, some of whom experienced the trauma of those times first hand.”

Visitors, young and old, seemed thrilled by the experience. Every aspect has been taken care of, from the costume of the salesman in the shop to the ticket, the conductor hands you when you enter the bus. Anna, who was barely 12 when her town was bombed, said: “A bomb fell right outside my house, so I am lucky to be alive. I think they (the Home Front Bus) are doing a wonderful job, teaching young ones about that time. It should help them value life more.”


Watch the video below to see how the tour went

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Have it Greek!

On High Street in Canterbury, behind a black pub-looking window and door, there is hidden the most amazing Greek cuisine.

The Manolis Taverna is the only Greek restaurant in town and has not more than 8 tables. Decorated in white and blue and with souvenirs original from Greece, the restaurant surprises with its genuine and delicious Greek food.

The owner and chef is Rhodes-born Manolis who welcomes every client and introduces him into the Greek culture. He said: “After I serve all the meal, I like to come into the restaurant, talk to the customers, find out their story. I tell them about the food and the island where I grew up. “

Hidden behind the till, there is a wall full of pictures taken with customers, previous staff and family. “I’ve taken these in order to memorise some great moments during parties or just regular meals. They are all taken here and give it an element of familiarity and intimacy.”We are not posh, but we are very friendly and happy about any customer that walks through the door.”

Watch the video to find out more about your new favourite restaurant in Canterbury

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Social enterprise to be launched in Canterbury

Canterbury HM Prison has used the services of many volunteers from both University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University. Now MBE Paul Marsh, coordinator of the volunteering programme, is setting up a social enterprise designed to employ those who would otherwise volunteer.

The organisation will soon be launched and it will have in place programmes some of which will involve working with offenders in order to help reoffending.

Mr Marsh says: “I strongly believe this social enterprise will benefit the community. It will be of great help to the prison as well as providing paid opportunities for the volunteers.”

Mr Marsh was recently awarded the prize ‘local legend’ from the organisation ‘Canterbury People’. The award will help increase the chances of receiving even more funding for the enterprise.

Watch the video to find out more

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Local Legend is chosen

Canterbury people have spoken up and decided on their local legend. While it wasn’t an easy fight against Orlando Bloom and the archibishop of Canterbury, MBE Paul Marsh got the prize.

Retired last year, Paul Marsh was awarded MBE at the Queen’s birthday last year in return for his services to HM prison. A year before that he and the Multifaith team in HM Canterlbury prison won the Butler’s Trust award. With so much success and recognition, it should come as no surprise that Canterbury residents wanted him as their local legend.

The prize was given by the online organisation ‘Canterbury People’ and Mr Marsh has become the face of Canterbury People. You will be able to see him on billboards around town. Based on a public vote, three finalist were chosen. A panel of judges looked at each case and after analysing the votes and the finalists’ profiles.

The panel included managing director of Northcliffe Digital, Roland Bryan, and Lisa Buckingham, the editor of the Financial Mail on Sunday, who was recently awarded an OBE for services to journalism and women's issues.

A representative of the judges said: “In Paul, we found someone who demonstrated a real passion for their work and commitment to their town. It was for this reason that we felt Paul really deserved the title 'Local Legend'.

Watch the video below to find out more about Paul Marsh

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