LOCAL

Shaping the borough, making a difference

Spring 2019

AMELIA Pg 10

Development

Pg 16

Recycling

Pg 25

Events

Follow the latest news at... TWellsCouncil TunbridgeWellsBoroughCouncil tunbridgewells.gov.uk

 5
Welcome to The Mayor

Spring Local! 6 to 7
Are you ready for a kaleidoscope of colour this spring? Whether you have a garden, RTW in Bloom
balcony or planter, how about participating in this year’s bloom competition? – find
out more on page 7. Have you got ‘green fingers’? Why not grow your own produce,
see page 8 for details of some allotments that are available.
We always try and squeeze in as much information as we can, and this edition is
no exception. We’ve already mentioned the gardening related activities, but you’ll
9 to 11
also find information, from volunteering to council committee meetings, and local Your Town Your Future
elections to the Mayor’s charity, developments in Royal Tunbridge Wells and lots of
community news.
We didn’t have room to tell you more about the news that the community grants
scheme is to continue, with funding guaranteed for three years. The community 16 to 18
grant has been especially welcomed by Trinity Theatre who’ve also had news of Recycling More Together
a successful National Lottery Heritage Fund application which will help create a
unique attraction and visitor destination.
There’s our regular feature on the new recycling and waste service on pages 16 to
18. Although Urbaser, our new service provider starts in a couple of weeks time,
they’ll spend a few months getting used to the rounds before the new service is
18
introduced at the end of September. Find out about the roadshows coming up and Farmers’ Market
don’t miss our introductory offer for the opt-in garden waste service.
We’ve got plenty of events to tell you about – take a look on page 25. Perhaps
you want to try your hand at something new – how about volunteering? Kent High
Weald Partnership is always looking for new volunteers. Find out about some of 19
their projects on pages 12 and 13. Discover Cranbrook
If you fancy exploring the borough, why not see what Cranbrook has to offer.
You can discover some of their local attractions on page 19.
Enjoy!
Lizzie Goodwin, Editor
20 to 21
Kent High Weald Partnership
We produce Local to keep you up-to-date about Council services
and news. If you have any comments about the magazine, we’d love
to hear from you. Contact us by:
E-mail: Localemail@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
25
Phone: 01892 526121 Events
Post: Lizzie Goodwin, Communications Manager, Tunbridge Wells
Borough Council, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS
TWellsCouncil TunbridgeWellsBoroughCouncil
26 to 28
To advertise, contact Space Marketing Ltd on 01892 677721
Assembly Hall Theatre Guide
or e-mail davidh@spacemarketing.co.uk
Advertising helps to keep our costs down. We do not endorse the
external products and services advertised in Local.
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.

If you require Local magazine in large print or on audio please phone 01892 554273

TW1810 3
 THE MAYOR

Spotlight on the Mayor’s Charity

Tunbridge Wells
Mental Health
Resource (MHR)
Each year the Mayor of
Tunbridge Wells adopts a charity
to support for the duration of the
mayoral year. After his election
in May last year our new Mayor,
Cllr Len Horwood, announced
he was choosing Tunbridge Wells
Mental Health Resource (MHR)
to be this year’s Mayor’s Charity.
Here, Jenny Williams from the charity recaps
on the last few months and what it has
meant to them to be the Mayor’s Charity:
‘Being the Mayor’s Charity has been a
‘The Mayor, Mayoress and their team have extra exposure that comes from being the
fantastic opportunity for us, not just in terms
worked so hard over the past few months Mayor’s Charity has been invaluable. We
of fundraising but also in terms of shining
to raise funds for our small charity – from a have felt the overwhelming support of the
a light on the issue of mental health. Now
Civic Service at St Augustine’s Church and community this year. To the Mayor’s Office,
in our 25th year, we’re working harder than
a Civic Dinner at the High Rocks Hotel, to to those who have put on a fundraising
ever to support those in our community who
a clay shoot at West Kent Shooting School event, donated a raffle prize or followed us
are suffering from mental ill-health. Last
and a bowls match at the Grove Bowls club. on social media, thank you. Your support
year we helped over 950 people, across five
We are so grateful for their efforts, which means the world.’
key projects, who have complex, enduring
so far have raised an incredible £13,000!
mental health conditions, including anxiety, You can find out more about Tunbridge
Thank you so much for all your hard work!
depression, PTSD, bi-polar and borderline Wells Mental Health Resource and future
personality disorder. For many our work is ‘Stigma and hostility towards those with fundraising events at twmhr.org.uk. If
not just life-changing but life-saving, and mental illness are still prevalent and stop you are a local charity and would like to
in a borough which is estimated to see a people seeking help and make those be considered as a future Mayor’s Charity,
projected increase of 26 per cent in severe suffering more vulnerable. By supporting please contact the Mayor’s Office at
mental illness by 2020, mental health MHR this year, the Mayor has helped mayor@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.
charities are now needed more than ever. give us a much louder voice and the

S ign up for the monthly newsletter to receive more news and

information about what’s happening in the borough.
It’s a great way to get the latest updates from the Council about services, projects
and items of interest, and keep in touch with the things that matter to you.
Sign up at Twbc.online/news

5
COMMUNITY
Bloom 2019
‘People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the
whole time to have such things about us.’ – Iris Murdoch
I Royal Tunbridge Wells in
n 2018 Royal Tunbridge Wells won a
Gold award in the South & South East in
Bloom competition and a Silver Gilt in the
national Britain in Bloom finals. This year
we have been selected again to represent
our region in the 2019 RHS Britain in Bloom
UK Finals in the Large Town category and
our aim is to get the Gold!
You can help us to make our national
entry a success by taking part in our local
Bloom competition, volunteering in our
parks, participating in the Open Gardens
scheme, or sponsoring a flower planter or
a basket for the town.
6
Bloom Competition
Entries to the local Bloom competition are
open to residents, businesses, community
groups and schools across the town
of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The 2019
campaign will be launched at Calverley
Precinct on Friday 12 and Saturday 13
April, between 10am and 3pm, and the
team will have plants and seeds to give
away. We hope to see you there!
Open Gardens with the
Hospice in the Weald
The gardens of Tunbridge Wells are
opening twice this June. Funds raised
from ticket sales and donations will
support both organisations, the Hospice
and RTW in Bloom:
●● Royal Tunbridge Wells Open Gardens
2019 will take place on Sunday 9 June,
from 11am to 5pm, with eight beautiful
gardens taking part across the town.
royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk
GE WEL
ID
L TUNBR
YA
O
RO
●● Sherborne Close Open Gardens 2019
will take place on Sunday 30 June,
from 11am to 3pm. Making their first
appearance in the Hospice Open
Gardens scheme are 11 gardens and
the grounds of Sherborne Close in
Hawkenbury.
To purchase tickets in advance for both
events (£5 and children go free) call Helen
Timms at TWBC Parks Team on
01892 554031.
Bloom Sponsorship
Would you like to promote your
business and beautify the town
at the same time? Please
sponsor a flower basket,
planter or plants for our parks
and gardens. We would like
as many local businesses as
possible to get involved. All
sponsors will be acknowledged
on planter plaques, on the Royal
Tunbridge Wells in Bloom website
and in all our literature.
LS
IN BLO
M
 COMMUNITY

COMPETITION
ENTRY FORM
Closing date: 30 June 2019
(1 June for allotments)
You will be sent a £5 voucher to spend at
Coolings Garden Centres, our sponsor, when the competition
closes on 30 June.

Please tick which category you will be entering

(You can tick more than one category)

Best Basket Best Street and Flats

Planter/Tub/Container Best Front Garden

Best Community Best Front Patio/

Allotment/Garden Balcony

Best Wildlife Garden Best Café/Pub/Club

Best Business Ground Best Shop Front

Best Allotment Best Back Garden

Best Commercial
Basket/Planter

Entrant’s name___________________________________

Address________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

____________________________Postcode___________

Join Our Campaign!

E-mail__________________________________________

Phone number___________________________________
Contact us:
Leave at Gateway, 8 Grosvenor Road or post to:
Website: royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk
Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom, Town Hall,
E-mail: competition@royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk Royal Tunbridge Wells TN1 1RS.
Phone: 01892 554 031
Your personal details will be treated in accordance with the Data
RoyalTunbridgeWellsinBloom Protection Act and will only be used for the purposes of the Royal
Tunbridge Wells in Bloom competition. In completing this form you
RTWinBloom agree to Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom sharing your details with
Coolings Garden Centres our sponsor for the purpose of issuing the
£5 Coolings voucher when the competition closes on 30 June 2019.
7
COUNCIL

Car Park Permits

Inspiration when
family and friends visit
Tunbridge Wells
You’d be forgiven for asking what on earth has
racing, gurning and competitive smoking got to do
with Tunbridge Wells? We thought that too when we
received a blog entry for the VisitTunbridgeWells.
com website! The nuggets of knowledge that our
blogging partners have about our borough are
utterly captivating. For instance, where IS the first
Our new Virtual Permit Parking
System goes live this month.
This online system will provide
a number of benefits and
●● Visitor permits can be activated
improvements for you.
on-line when required – no more
Permits purchased from 1 April running outside with a voucher
2019 will be virtual, therefore: when your visitor arrives!
●● Paper permits will no longer need to We shall be contacting all customers
be displayed who are due to renew from the end of
March onwards, giving them details
●● Upon successful application/
of how they can set up an account on
renewal, virtual permits will be
the new system. And of course, as
valid from the date chosen by the
always, our Gateway team will be on
customer
●● Customers will have complete
hand to support new applications and
renewals.
visibility of all permits purchased,
with expiry dates, and can make
If you have a paper permit which
is valid until after 1 April 2019,
any changes by self-service
please contact parkingpermits@
●● For permits assigned to more than tunbridgewells.gov.uk to make any
one vehicle, a physical permit will changes.
no longer have to be moved from
one vehicle to the other

TWLotto
brick house in the town and where are the nefarious
Pleasure Gardens?
And how many of you know about the Fairy Glen as
well as the Cold Bath? What about the Tulip Festival
at Pashley Manor? The palatial Penshurst Place? Would you like to support
The medieval buildings in Cranbrook, including the local good causes and be
museum itself? in with a chance to win
These stories about the quaint little villages of our £25,000? You can if you
region, from Cranbrook to Speldhurst, provide play TW Lotto! TW Lotto – it only takes
fascinating insights as well as inspiration for visitors seconds to join and you could
TW Lotto is the weekly online
to the borough. win up to £25,000 in the weekly
lottery set up by the Council
In addition, the VisitTunbridgeWells website has to benefit local charities and online draw!
an abundance of information on places to stay, eat offers a potential £25,000 And if you are a local charity or
and drink, walking trails, events, indoor and outdoor jackpot. Now in its second year, good cause, sign up today to
activities, plus things to see and explore. As well as TW Lotto is helping nearly 70 start benefitting from the TW
the website, our Tourist Information Assistants are local organisations benefit Lotto funding! It’s free to join so
here to help at the Tourist Information Centre in The from additional funding, with what are you waiting for?
Pantiles. 60p from every £1 ticket sold
going to good causes in the For more information or to
And you can keep up with all the latest visitor news purchase tickets visit
borough. You can choose
by following us on
which organisation you want to
@TWellsTourism VisitTunbridgeWells support when you sign up to TWLotto.co.uk

8
 DEVELOPMENT

EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS TRANSFORM THE TOWN IN 2019

During the next few years, over

£500 million is being invested
in Royal Tunbridge Wells by the

Public Realm
Premier Inn
Council and private developers,

Crescent
who are demonstrating

Road
2019

The Pantiles

Hawkenbury Homes
confidence in the future of the

1887,
area with their commitment to
make improvements.

Business Improvement District

2020

The Belvedere
Summer
2019 September November
As well as the Council 2019

Amelia

Calverley
2019

Square
developments, you’ll see from
2021
the chart opposite that work on
End of
the old cinema site is due later 2020
this year; housing in Hawkenbury Summer
2022 2021 Winter
too; apartments in the Pantiles; 2021 2022
March
renovations to Royal Victoria 2022
Place, plus a new hotel on
2023
London Road will soon be
complete.
2024
Projects that will strengthen and 2024
transform the town for future
Timeline
generations.

Amelia
Culture & Learning
The Amelia will be an innovative and Centre brought together, as well as the listed buildings up-to-date to give access
unique centre for culture in the heart of Gateway and Visitor Information Service, to all, will enable diverse, exciting activities
Tunbridge Wells. Its name is taken from in a redesigned and more efficient space. for more than 400,000 visitors each year.
Amelia Scott (1860–1952), a prominent Visit our new website theamelia.co.uk for
Culture and leisure is at the core of our
local campaigner for women’s suffrage. more information.
Five Year Plan, and this new innovative,
Working closely with Kent County Council integrated centre will transform and
to shape the future of culture and learning revolutionise how visitors access these
in our borough, we are delighted that heritage and leisure services – learning in
construction of the Amelia – a unique new and unexpected ways. Bringing the
£13.3 million heritage, cultural and
learning centre – is planned to start in
summer 2019. The project has been
awarded generous funding by the National
Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council
England.
It will see Tunbridge Wells’ library,
museum, art gallery and Adult Education

9
DEVELOPMENT
Crescent Road
Car Park Renovation
If you’ve parked in Crescent Road Car
Park in Royal Tunbridge Wells recently you
will know that a lot of work has been done
to refurbish and give the car park a face
lift. We hope you like the new look.
You’ll see further changes when work
starts on an extension to the car park
which will provide additional spaces.
There may be some alterations to the
routes through the car park when the
extension work gets underway but these
will be clearly marked and a majority of the
car park will remain open to the public on a
daily basis.
Contractors hope to be on site from May/
June time and the work is being planned
so that it is completed before the end of
the year.
Public Realm
Enhanced Space
Roadworks have begun outside the Amelia
on Civic Way, and the road will be closed
for a few more weeks.
This is the start of work to improve the look
of this part of the town centre. The setting
of the War Memorial will be enhanced as
the improvements create the sense of a
public square for use on civic occasions
like Remembrance Sunday.
10
Calverley Square
Culture & Business
As part of our Five Year Plan, you
may be aware that we put forward
ambitious plans to bring about a £90
million development. This includes a
state-of-the-art 1,200 seat theatre to
transform the type of high quality shows
performed, and vastly improve the
experience for theatre goers. Additionally
there will be an office building that will
accommodate the Council over one
floor, leaving two floors for much needed
office space for businesses to rent. The
development also includes a 261-space
underground car park and a public
square that links the development with
Calverley Grounds. This investment is
expected to bring around £34 million
into the local economy each year…
benefiting residents, businesses and
By reducing the width of Mount Pleasant
Road, between its junctions with Monson
Road and Church Road, and discouraging
vehicles during the next phase of the work,
wider pavements and more public space
will be created. Traffic restrictions will be
introduced, and a new 20 mph zone will
make it a safer, more pleasant place for
pedestrians.
visitors. Permission
was granted at a
Full Council meeting
in December 2017
to proceed to the
planning stage. Plans
were subsequently
submitted early in
2018, with planning
permission granted in
May of last year.
Since then, detailed
designs continue to be
developed and surveys
undertaken for an
autumn start on site.
The build is expected
to complete during winter 2021.
Just a few weeks ago an independent
public inquiry began to consider our
application for a compulsory purchase
order for land and rights of access
for the project. A decision is expected
sometime in June.
Engagement has, and continues to
be carried out with near neighbours
of the scheme. If you are interested
in finding out more, please visit the
website calverleysquare.co.uk where
we have placed background information
and many FAQs. If you are interested
in getting up-to-date information, you
can also sign up to receive our regular
newsletter.
This project brings us a step closer to
being recognised as a vibrant, regional
cultural destination by 2024.
It will cost around £1.3 million, and we are
delighted that £1 million of this has been
secured by Kent County Council from the
South East Local Enterprise Partnership.
We are providing the remaining £300,000
as part of our approved capital
programme.
 DEVELOPMENT
Businesses are working together to shape
the future of Royal Tunbridge Wells
At the end of last year,
businesses in town voted in
favour of a Business
Improvement District (BID)
from 2019–2024.
Why?
Despite a diverse mix of high quality
branded retailers, specialist independent
shops, hotels, bars and cafes and
businesses across a range of sectors,
Royal Tunbridge Wells has not been
immune to the economic challenges
facing many town centres. Businesses
have suffered and retailers particularly
have struggled with the changing face
Kent Highways is carrying
out the work on behalf of
the Council, and completion
is expected by the end of
September 2019.
of consumer behaviour and the
impact of online shopping.
The BID, led by Royal Tunbridge
Wells Together, will strengthen
the business community, and
now gives those businesses the
power to make significant, targeted
and sustained improvements to
address the concerns that they
have raised.
What does this actually
mean?
●● a budget of over £450k per year
●● bigger and better events and
more promotion of the town
●● an investment of over £635,000
in a five year period to develop
new events and help ensure that
existing events are economically
viable
●● an investment of £495,000 over
a five year period to promote the
town further afield, to bring in
more visitors which will help all
businesses
LOCAL PLAN
UPDATE
Positive progress is being made on
the production of a new Local Plan
for the borough, which will set out
how infrastructure, employment,
retail, leisure, green space, and
residential development will be
delivered in the next 15 years.
The levels of need for development (as
established through evidence-gathering that
the Council has been undertaking, and in the
case of housing, as set out by government
policy) are much increased above previous
plans. Tough decisions will need to be made
on where and how this development is
accommodated, given the existing pressure
on certain transport routes and infrastructure,
and the extent of the borough that is
designated due to its heritage, or as Green
Belt, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and
so on.
Public consultation will take place on a Draft
Local Plan – known as a Regulation 18
consultation – from August to September
2019: this is an eight week (rather than
the statutory six week) consultation period
as it falls over the summer holiday period.
Businesses and residents are encouraged to
add themselves to the Council’s consultation
database at tunbridgewells-consult.
objective.co.uk (please click on the gold
Log In/Register key).
There will then be a further period of
consultation – on a Pre-Submission Local
Plan (Regulation 19) – from March 2020 to
May 2020; this is again an eight week (rather
than the statutory six week) consultation
period as it falls over the Easter holiday
period. The timetable is then to submit the
Local Plan in autumn 2020 for examination by
the Planning Inspectorate. Further information
is available on the Council’s website
tunbridgewells.gov.uk/residents/planning/
planning-policy/new-local-plan.
11
COMMUNITY

Grow
Your Own
For residents who don’t
have a garden, or for those
who have particularly
green fingers and need
more space, allotments
are a fantastic community
resource. There are currently
vacancies at a number
of allotment sites in the
borough.
Speldhurst
Speldhurst Allotments have
been in existence since 1924
when land owned by the Rector
of Speldhurst was allowed
to be used as allotments for
the benefit of the Parish of
Speldhurst. When the Rector
died in 1942 he left the land
in a Trust so the allotments
could continue. Nowadays,
trustees are appointed to
govern the allotments through
an administrator who collects
the rents and water costs and
appoints allotment tenants.
The allotments are situated in
the centre of the village adjacent
to the Village Hall and the
Recreation Ground. There are
54 individual plots and there are
currently a number of vacancies.
Further information can be
provided by contacting the
Administrator on 01892 862746.
Royal Tunbridge Wells rod allotment will cost £50 per
There are currently vacancies at
year to rent. The water supplied
on site is included in the rental
three of the town’s allotment sites:
fee. For the Eridge Road and
Eridge Road Sandhurst Road sites there is
11 allotments: 9 x 5 rod plots, 1 x also a one-off, non-refundable
6.5 rods and 1 x 7 rods in size (1 payment of £10 for the key to
rod is approximately 25m2) the gate padlock. A full postal
address, e-mail address and
Ferrars (Cornford Lane)
a contact telephone number
three allotments: 5 rods each
are required for the tenancy
Sandhurst Road agreement. Only residents of
six allotments: 5 x 5 rod plots the town can apply for the town
and 1 x 8 rods allotments.
Hilbert Recreation Ground For further information or to
two allotments: 1 x 3.5 rods and apply for an allotment please
1 x 5 rods contact Helen Timms from the
Parks team on 01892 554036 or
The rent from 1 April 2019 is
e-mail Helen.Timms@
£10 per rod so an average 5
tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

Weald Information Centre, Cranbrook

Revised Opening Hours
From 1 April to 30 September 2019 the centre
will be open for drop-in visits on Fridays only
from 10am to 3pm. If you are unable to visit on a
Friday and have urgent matters to discuss face
to face, an appointment can be arranged to see
you on a different day by calling the Council’s
Customer Service team on 01892 526121.
From 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020 –
pre-booked appointments only will be available
at the centre.
From April 2020 the Council will no longer
provide a drop-in service at the Weald
Information Centre. You will still be able to
contact our Customer Service team on 01892
526121.

12
 COUNCIL

Council Committee Meetings NEXT MEETINGS

Members of the public may Planning March
attend meetings of the Council Planning & Transportation Cabinet
Decides planning applications and
and are encouraged to development related matters Advisory Board
participate. Every public meeting 18 March, 6.30pm
Frequency: every three weeks
will have an agenda published Finance & Governance Cabinet
five working days before the Licensing Advisory Board
meeting which sets out the items 19 March, 6.30pm
Sets licensing policies and oversees
to be discussed and details of
the granting and review of individual Planning Committee
how to get involved. licences 20 March, 5pm
People wishing to speak at meetings Frequency: quarterly Communities Cabinet Advisory Board
will need to register with Democratic
21 March, 6.30pm
Services, via the contact details set out Overview and Scrutiny
in the agenda. Registration opens when
the agenda is published and closes at Challenges policy and decision- April
4pm on the last working day before the making, is a critical friend and looks at Overview and Scrutiny Committee
meeting. borough-wide issues 1 April, 6.30pm
Frequency: usually six per year
PUBLIC MEETINGS Audit & Governance Committee
2 April, 6.30pm
Audit and Governance
Full Council Scrutinises the Council’s finances
General Purposes Committee
3 April, 6.30pm
All members of the Council meet to and risk management policies
decide the overall policies of the Council Planning Committee
Frequency: usually five per year
10 April, 5pm
Frequency: usually six per year
Joint Transportation Cabinet
Cabinet Board 11 April, 10.30am
Manages most of the day-to-day Working group of the Council and Joint Transportation Board
business within the budget and policies Kent County Council on highways 15 April, 6pm
set by the Council and transportation issues Full Council
Frequency: usually 11–12 per year Frequency: quarterly 24 April, 6.30pm

Cabinet Advisory Boards General Purposes

May
The three Advisory Boards give back- A variety of functions which are not Planning Committee
bench members and the public an early reserved to other committees 8 May, 5pm
opportunity to influence decisions to be
made by Cabinet Frequency: quarterly Annual Council, Full Council
22 May, 10am
Frequency: three weeks prior to Cabinet
Annual Cabinet
22 May, 11am
Annual Audit & Governance
Committee
22 May, 11am
Find out more
You can subscribe to email notifications to be informed when an Please be aware that meeting dates and
agenda is published or download the mod.gov app to automatically times are subject to change or cancellation.
If you wish to attend a meeting, please
receive any related documents.
contact the relevant officer to confirm that
Full details are available on our website the meeting is going ahead as scheduled.
Subscribe for updates on the Council’s
tunbridgewells.gov.uk/meetings website. 13
COMMUNITY
We are looking for more schools
to take part in our Clean Air for
Schools air monitoring initiative,
sponsored by ourselves and
Maidstone Borough Council.
An exciting new opportunity
now in Tunbridge Wells
The futURe store has opened in Royal
Victoria Place. Supported by Town & Country
Housing, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council,
Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, and in
partnership with 360 Employment Evolution,
this one-stop shop provides training
courses and an in store team offering FREE
employment and training help and advice.
Need a new job? Want a better job?
Change of career? Need to build your
skills or gain qualifications?
The futURe store team would love to meet
you. futURe store aims to help those who are
unemployed, young and old, have barriers to
work or need training to get into employment.
14
We want air quality across the borough to
improve and we need your help to do it.
As part of the project, each school receives
two free air monitoring tubes per month,
to be positioned around their grounds.
Data will be collected by students until the
end of the school year in June 2019 and
returned to the Council. We have a few
schools already taking part, but we really
want as many as possible to sign up. We
will be getting the schools to do something
different next year to keep the initiative
interesting.
As well as raising awareness of air pollution
and the importance of reducing car journeys
to school, participation fits well with the
‘The futURe store helped me to get an
interview quickly. They helped me to apply
and I started training before Christmas. I now
have a permanent contract thanks to futURe
store.’
Are you an employer wanting to
recruit staff?
We would like to hear from you too. We
can help to promote your employment
opportunities and offer in-work training.
For more information or to find out how
you can benefit from what the futURe store
offers, please contact Mel Crosby on 01622
232718 or at mel.crosby@tchg.org.uk.
National Curriculum Key Stages 2 to 5,
addressing SC2 Science and relating to
PSHE – Developing a Healthy Lifestyle.
The project could also be undertaken as an
extra-curricular activity with an Environment
club, Green Team or Eco-Committee if you
have one.
So if you are a teacher in the borough of
Tunbridge Wells, or you have children at a
local school, please encourage your school
to contact us. For more information and
contact details visit tunbridgewells.gov.uk/
cleanairforschools.
MONDAYS: 9.30am – 4pm
1-2-1 support, training course searches,
job searches, CV preparation.
TUESDAYS: 9.30am – 5.30pm
Training courses as advertised.
See our brochure in store and website
360-ee.co.uk
WEDNESDAYS: 9.30am – 4pm
Lunchtime talks in store by local
employers, discussing their business and
employment opportunities. Events and
dates as advertised.
THURSDAYS: 9.30am – 7pm
Self employment enterprise support and
networking.
FRIDAYS: 9.30am – 4pm
Young People focus (16 – 24 years).
 COMMUNITY
Youth Hub Success
Over the past few months staff
from Kent County Council’s (KCC)
Tunbridge Wells youth work team,
the Council’s Community Safety
team and the local policing team
have been working in partnership
to target local children identified as
vulnerable.
An early intervention and preventative
approach was used to consider what groups
of young people said they wanted to change
about their life chances, including how they
could ensure that they did not take part in
anti-social or risk taking behaviours.
KCC’s Early Help and Preventative Services
were asked by the Council and the police
to take the lead in designing a targeted
programme which would offer life-skills and
positive activity alternatives, to encourage
positive behaviour. This unique partnership
approach has included several Council
departments, charities, the police and local
businesses.
After a hugely successful six week course,
another 10 courses were developed around
subjects such as Work Readiness, Offending
Behaviour, Healthy Relationships and Anti-
Bullying.
The professionals who met the young people
in April 2018 noticed a significant change
when they met them again in November.
They were more engaged, turned up on time
and most significantly, they had aspirations
and were focused on the future.
A third of the young people had secured
employment or training, with the rest
remaining in education. The young people
involved demonstrated a clear sense of self
and were more positive and aspirational
about their own futures. It was clear from
their feedback that they had benefited from
the new approach. Feedback from across
the partnership supported the notion that
early intervention and partnership working
with young people in the community
improves outcomes for them as well as
benefitting the wider community.
For more information on the project, or if
you have a young person you think could
benefit from joining the scheme, please
contact the Tunbridge Wells Youth Hub on
03000 416200.
case study
My name is Lucy. I am 16 years old and live
with my mum and my sister. We used to live
in the Midlands but my dad was very violent
towards my mum and us so we moved to
Tunbridge Wells when I was in primary
school. It was hard to find new friends and
adapt to the new school. I was doing well
academically and passed 11+ exams, but
I found it difficult to blend in with the girls
in school. I think I am different and just not
interested in the same stuff. I made friends
outside of school who I used to meet every
day in the local parks. Sometimes we would
skip school and just hang out.
We started to try some drugs. First just from
time to time we would smoke cannabis, then
someone would bring other stuff – you name
it we have tried it. It started to get out of
hand and we’d do anything to get the drugs.
None of us came from wealthy families, so
we would shoplift and then try to sell it to
others. Some of the girls would be doing
favours to older males. When I think about
it now it feels pretty scary and disgusting but
we didn’t care at the time. Some of us would
be arrested; some of us would be exploited.
I dropped out of school. I felt I was on my
own and just wanted to leave home and be
independent.
One night when we were in the park, the
Council and the police came to talk to us.
They asked us what we would like to do
as a group. They kept coming every week
and offered us some activities – it felt good
to come to a warm place where there was
food and the same people each week. We
would talk about healthy relationships,
drugs, school, and work. It felt like we were
not treated like ‘naughty’ kids; we were
listened to. We felt safe to discuss issues
with the staff. It also felt like we were doing
something constructive. We have signed up
for Early Help support and go to the Youth
Hub on Grove Hill. I don’t know where I
would be without their help. My mum didn’t
actually believe me when I told her about
the projects I was involved in when I was
going out in the evening.
I have recently been offered mentoring from
a police Detective Inspector because I would
like to join the police when I finish school.
I know I wasn’t an angel but I would like to
change and use my experience to help other
young people. Most of my friends are doing
well, and are back in school or have got
jobs. I didn’t know that there was so much
help and support available – I am glad I was
found by those who helped me.
15
RECYCLING

NEW SERVICE
ns Paper
-recycl Food rde Ca &
Ga n

ab
Non

le
t i ns There w
Our new eight year w arecycling,
ste waste and street
w acleaning
ste wa s te
contract ill be
nosticcs han
with Urbaser Ltd starts later this month. The new contract, which
la ges to yo
current s ur

&
we have awarded in partnership with Tonbridge & Malling

P
ervaircdbeoaur
Borough Council, will mean an improved recycling service for 30cSepte ntil

d
a r t o n s mber
residents. Although we are working in partnership and Urbaser this year
When th
.
will be providing services across the two boroughs, each council e al
waste an neet w fcooi ntract start
d recyclin s on 30 M

M
will continue to manage its own services and deal with enquiries g service

l
while the arch you
details o will conti r
from residents in their borough. You can find out more about the f the new nue as n
You will b i collection ormal
e in
t efomrmse s are finali
new service on our dedicated waste website including frequently d when y sed.
going to o u r n e w service
start and
asked questions, a timeline of the changes, and details of how you hard to m we are w is
inimise a orking
your bin n y c h a nges to
can register for the opt-in garden waste service – collection
day.
twbc.online/waste3.

WHAT’S INCLUDED FROM 30 SEPTEMBER?

The new service will include a weekly food waste collection and fortnightly
household waste collection, and street cleaning services. We are also
More recycling
going to be providing an increased kerbside recycling service to residents.

The There are recycling

fortnightly sites located
recycling collection aroundglass with your
will include
Tunbridge
plastics Wells where you can recycle
and cans.
many different materials:
Cardboard and paper will remain in a separate container.

Cans
There will also CDs
be a new fortnightly &
collection for small electrical
& tins books
items such as toasters or kettles plus batteries and textiles.

We will be providing information on what you will be able to recycle from

September over the coming weeks and months. Check future editions of
Local or our new waste website –
Glass bottles Shoes &
twbc.online/waste3
& jars textiles

16
 RECYCLING

rde
Ga n
ns
Ca &-recycl Paper Food NEW RECYCLING
rde
Ga n
ns
Ca & Paper

ab
Non
AND WASTE SERVICE

le
t i ns w t i ns
e wa s te

tics
aste w aste
ROADSHOWS
wa s te

astics
las l

GARDEN WASTE &

&
P

P
ard
boar Visit our new recycling and waste ardboar
service roadshows this spring to find

C
d

d
ar ton c s ca s
This will be collected fortnightly via the new out more about the new r t o nservice.

chargeable Staff from the Counciltaand Urbaser

etal foopt-in
i
service. e l foi
will be touring the borough to meet
M

M
l

l
You can register your interest for the opt-in residents and answer any questions
garden waste collection at
items you may have. ite s
twbc.online/garden3 m
The roadshows are a great opportunity
You may prefer to compost or take your garden waste to your nearest to find out more about Urbaser and the
household waste recycling centre at North Farm or Tovil. Details of other improvements to your collection services. You
items that can be taken to the site can be found at kent.gov.uk. We are will also be able to see the new bins and food
in contact with KCC about the potential for a new site that would be able waste caddies for the first time, plus there will
be some great freebies to take away –
to better serve residents in the east of the borough.
twbc.online/roadshow3

INTRODUCTORY OFFER COME AND SEE US

Sign up from Tuesday 7 May to Friday 2 August ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS
to receive a £10 discount on your first year’s Friday 12 April and Saturday 13 April
10am to 3pm
More recycling
subscription. Calverley Precinct, outside Royal Victoria
Place, Royal Tunbridge Wells
Signing up to the new opt-in service in advance will ensure your garden
ound waste continues to beThere are
collected recycling
when sites located
the current collections end on 27around
CRANBROOK
ycle September 2019. It’sTunbridge
easy to pay by Wells where
direct debit you
and your canwon’t
payment recycle
be
taken until shortly before the service commences in September. Saturday 11 May, 10am to 1pm
many different materials: Regal Car Park, High Street, Cranbrook
If you have already registered your interest in the opt-in service, thank
you - we’ll send you a reminder when it’s time to sign up. If you haven’t PADDOCK WOOD
registered yet, register your interest today to ensure you don’t miss out on Saturday 18 May, 10am to 1pm
Cans
our introductory offer – twbc.online/garden3 CDs &
Waitrose Car Park, Church Road,
& tins
If you sign up to the opt-in garden waste service after
books Paddock Wood
Friday 2 August 2019 the cost will be £52.

KEEPING YOU INFORMED

Look out for more information on the new recycling and waste service in future
editions of Localbottles
Glass magazine, leaflets
Shoesthrough
& your door, and on our Facebook
and Twitter pages.
& jars Also come along
textiles see us at one of the roadshows.
and

17
COMMUNITY

Check the plastic

recycling symbol
On the bottom of most plastic products
there is a chasing arrows triangle with a
number in it. The number inside the triangle
tells you how easily the plastic can be
recycled – 1 and 2 are the best and can
even be upcycled into new products; 6 and
7 are generally used to indicate multi-layered plastics
that are hard to reuse.

Tunbridge Wells Independent

Farmers’ Market
If you like to buy fresh and local, visit the independent
Farmers’ Market in Market Square, Royal Victoria Place,
Royal Tunbridge Wells. The market takes place every 2nd and
4th Saturday of the month, from 9am to 4pm.
Come along to enjoy fantastic local produce including
fish, meat, bread, eggs, cheese, honey, plants, cakes and
vegetables.
For further information, e-mail
tunbridgewellsfarmersmarket@gmail.com.

Single Use Plastics

O
ver the last year the Council has been investigating reducing
single-use plastics in the workplace. A Task and Finish Group
was asked to look at recycling in the Town Hall, and whether
any improvements could be made. As part of their investigation the
group spoke to local businesses that have assessed their workplaces
and taken action to reduce their environmental impact.
The Task and Finish Group concluded that there are areas where the
Council could be more sustainable, such as reducing the reliance on
coffee machines and non-recyclable cups, which if removed could
produce financial savings as well as being of real environmental
benefit. The group is now working towards making changes that will
enable the Council to be more environmentally aware.
They are keen to get the key message out that, in terms of plastics:
we all need to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The Council’s
new recycling and waste contract, which comes into effect later this
year, will give residents an enhanced kerbside recycling service which
will include glass collection.
If you have any queries about the work of the Task and Finish Group
please contact Nick Peeters, Scrutiny and Performance Officer, at
nick.peeters@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

18
 TOURISM

Discover Cranbrook
T
owards the eastern boundary of the borough of Tunbridge Wells is the medieval
market town of Cranbrook. Known as the ‘Capital of the Weald’ and once the centre
of the region’s medieval cloth weaving industry, Cranbrook is now better known for
its school, and the catchment area is noted on local estate agents’ particulars for houses in
the area.
Cranbrook hosts two popular street events which are well worth visiting. ‘Cranbrook
goes Nuts in May’ is a Chelsea Flower Show fringe event which this year will take place
on Sunday 26 May – this is organised by Cranbrook in Bloom which again has been
selected to participate in the Britain in Bloom competition. There is probably no better
way of showing what Cranbrook has to offer than to visit the ‘Cranbrook goes Nuts in
May’ website (cranbrookgoesnutsinmay.co.uk) and watching the video and Radio
Kent interview with Gwenneth Heyking. The second street event is the quirky Cranbrook
Apple Festival, featuring amongst other attractions the extraordinary Red Barrows,
which takes place in October.
The restored Union Mill, one of the finest smock mills in the UK, dominates the
Cranbrook skyline. The windmill will open on 6 and 7 April for the Kent Big Weekend
from 2.30am to 5pm (the first 25 visitors will receive a free bag of flour). The Mill will be
open every Saturday thereafter at the same times and some Sundays. Details are on
the website unionmill.org.uk.
The beautiful and historically important St Dunstan’s Church is some 600 years old,
with the outlines of the present building thought to have been laid out on 19 May,
the Saint’s Day of St Dunstan. It is often referred to as the ‘Cathedral of the Weald’
because of its size and elegance. Prepare for your visit by looking at the Friends of St
Dunstan’s website fostd.org, then ‘follow the way’ boards inside on your tour. On the
website you can also find details of Friends’ events as well as research family history
in the online churchyard inscriptions. To find out about church services and activities,
visit stdunstanscranbrook.org.uk. The church has wonderful acoustics, making it a
popular performance venue for local and other musical groups.
Cranbrook Museum will open again on 2 April. Visiting times are from 2 to 4.30pm,
Tuesday to Saturday. This year its special exhibitions are all based on local artists and
their works, starting with works of the Windmill Group, followed by some of the paintings
by the late Michael Woodford (including his outstanding stained glass windows in the
Golford Chapel) and concluding with the famous Cranbrook Colony of Artists with works
from Webster, Horsley, FD & G Hardy, O’Neil, and Mulready.
Do explore this gem in our borough soon; you’ll be glad you did!

19
PARTNERSHIP

Forest School Growing

in Tunbridge Wells
‘Three-quarters of UK
children spend less
time outside than prison
inmates... A fifth of the
children (surveyed) did
not play outside at all on
an average day, the poll
found.’
-Guardian online 25 March 2016
The benefits of play and
learning outdoors are well
documented and supported
by Play England, Learning
Outside the Classroom,
and Ofsted. KHW are proud
to be making a significant
contribution to the physical
and emotional wellbeing,
as well as the confidence
and independence, of an

T
he Kent High Weald unprecedented number of
Partnership, (KHWP) children in the borough of
working in partnership Tunbridge Wells.
with Southborough,
Broadwater Down and
Bidborough primary Dunorlan Park Island
Restoration
schools, are doing their
bit to reverse this trend
and bring all the benefits

of play and learning in
the outdoors to local
children.
During the Christmas
term they worked with
over 100 children per
week – an extraordinary
number of children
to involve in outdoor
activities. Southborough
School took part in
Curriculum Enrichment
sessions (outdoor
learning and play);
Bidborough pupils
participated in Outdoor
Adventurous Activities where
the Forest School principles
of child-led learning and the
opportunity to take supported
risk under the supervision of a
Forest School Practitioner were
employed; and Broadwater
and Southbrough schools took
part in KHW’s traditional Forest
School.
If you are a school and are
interested in getting your
children involved in Forest
School or outdoor activities on
a local greenspace, please visit
khwp.org.uk
or contact the team at
forestschool@khwp.org.uk.
O
ver the last few years Kent High Weald Partnership
has worked with their volunteers to carry out a variety
of projects to address erosion around the boating
lake in Dunorlan Park. This spring, thanks to funding from the
Council and the Friends of Dunorlan Park, they will be turning
their attention to the smaller of the two islands in the lake.
Wave action and overgrazing by the large population of
geese and ducks have resulted in serious undercutting
of the island over the years. The priority is to establish a
protective fringe of reeds and other pond plants to halt and
reverse the erosion. The team will be using pre-planted coir
rolls to create a ring around the island, and will be filling the
gap between the bank and this ring with brushwood and silt
to give the reeds a sheltered area to colonise. All the new
plants will be protected with netting to protect them from
the geese until they are properly established. Don’t worry –
ramps will be installed so the wildfowl will still be able to get
on to the island to shelter and nest!
To find out more about Kent High Weald Parternship and
how to get involved in the volunteer projects, visit
khwp.org.uk or call 01580 212972.

20
 PARTNERSHIP
Health and Wellbeing Projects
Natural Ways to
Wellbeing
Natural Ways to Wellbeing is a Kent-
wide Countryside Partnership scheme
that links people to nature using the
great outdoors. The projects help people
improve their health and wellbeing, whilst
often simultaneously enhancing local
greenspaces for wildlife and community.
Park Time
Park Time is an eight week horticultural
therapy programme based in Tunbridge
Wells for adults over 18 years old struggling
with poor mental health.
Working together in a group of eight to 12,
participation in gardening and conservation
activities offers physical and psychological
health benefits, opportunities to engage
with and learn about local greenspaces and
wildlife, as well as a chance to meet new
people, learn new skills, and experience the
wellbeing benefits of nature. Participants
are supported by trained horticultural staff
from Kent High Weald Partnership and a
qualified counsellor from West Kent Mind.
Park Time is funded by Live Well Kent.
The aim of the programme is to start to
equip participants with the confidence
needed to feel comfortable continuing
to engage and be active, whether by
continuing to volunteer, moving on to
another project such as the Sherwood
Shed, or to independently investigate
other volunteering, training or employment
options.
Forest Time
Forest Time is an outdoor family-focused
intervention that works with deprived
families who are experiencing difficulties
with relationships, communication and
behaviour. Using tried and tested Forest
School style methods, we promote positive
long-term change in family function and
wellbeing.
Disadvantaged families that have children
who are struggling with poor mental health
and low aspiration or achievement
are directly referred to this 10 week
programme by local schools. The families
attend weekly sessions run by experienced
Forest School and family support staff,
participating in activities such as fire
lighting, shelter building, outdoor cooking,
natural arts and crafts and woodworking,
all with an element of mindfulness. The
activities are designed to promote self-
confidence, cooperation and trust, and
the programme offers rare, quality time for
these families to spend together in a calm,
non-judgmental and supported setting.
‘Forest Time has really helped us
strengthen communication between
us, our child and the school. It has
given us all a deeper insight into
Poppy, her motivation and behaviour.’
Forest Time Parent
Community Gardening
Projects
Kent High Weald run a variety of projects
across the borough of Tunbridge Wells,
under the I Dig banner.
I Dig Sherwood
Based on a Town & Country allotment,
this project is a new community food-
growing and healthy eating project for
Tunbridge Wells.
Originally funded by Tesco’s Bags of Help
campaign, Kent High Weald Partnership
has turned an underused patch of land
in the centre of the Sherwood estate into
a community growing hub and haven for
wildlife. Residents are encouraged to
grow fruit and vegetables, learn about
the nutritional benefits of fresh food, and
to gain enough confidence to grow their
own. For those joining the ‘I-Diggers’ the
benefits include a spot of gentle exercise,
the chance to learn new skills and eat tasty
fresh food, as well as time spent in great
company. With smaller plots and raised
beds the project gives easy access to
gardening for all abilities.
I Dig Showfields
At the other end of town, Kent High Weald
Partnership has been working with local
groups to brighten up the green areas
around Broadwater. Raised beds were
built to grow herbs outside the Rowan Tree
Surgery. Working with the Council, Town
& Country Housing and the Broadwater
Community Forum, the outdoor space
for children from the Little Learning Tree
Nursery has been improved.
And although it might not be the first place
that springs to mind if you’re thinking about
the traditional country craft of hedgelaying,
KHW spend a couple of days each winter
working with local volunteers to tidy up
the old overgrown hedge along the Eridge
Road.
To find out more about these health and
wellbeing projects and how you can get
involved please call 01580 212972 or visit
khwp.org.uk/ways2wellbeing.
21
FAIRTRADE

Fairtrade is putting the focus on

women cocoa farmers
The Fairtrade Campaign 2019 comes to Tunbridge Wells.
2019 marks more than 25 years of
Fairtrade in the UK. In Tunbridge Wells
we’re a Fairtrade Town and so we
supported this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight
campaign which ended on 10 March.
The message from the campaign which
is one that will echo throughout the year,
She Deserves a Living Income, focuses
attention on the fight for a living income for
the world’s poorest farmers and workers,
and in particular women farmers who grow
the cocoa for our chocolate treats.
Fairtrade sees a living income as a
human right not a luxury. To Fairtrade, a
living income is enough money to have
a basic standard of living, not a luxurious
lifestyle; it means enough money to pay
for essentials like clothing, medicine and
education.
More than half of the world’s cocoa is
grown in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. When
the world market price for cocoa crashed
in 2016 it pushed many cocoa farmers
deeper into poverty.
For families where women are the cocoa
farmers it’s even harder as they typically
receive less income than households headed
by men. Fairtrade is focusing on women
farmers as they say that years of studies
have shown that directing more independent
income into the hands of women speeds
up the rate of development for the whole
community.
Buy a Fairtrade Easter egg
Farmers who sell on Fairtrade
terms have the Fairtrade
Minimum Price which offers
them protection in uncertain
market conditions, yet
currently only a fraction of
the cocoa leaving West Africa
is certified Fairtrade. You can
make a difference by making a
simple change such as choosing to
buy Fairtrade chocolate.
Every bar of Fairtrade chocolate, and every
Fairtrade chocolate Easter egg you buy,
makes a difference to the life of a woman
cocoa farmer.

Tweet and show your

support
Fairtrade is the most widely recognised
ethical label in the world and one that has
paved a more conscious way of shopping
since it started more than 25 years ago.
The Tunbridge Wells Fairtrade Town
campaign began in 2004 and the town
achieved its Fairtrade Town status in 2007.
The local group will be using their social
media accounts on Saturday 16 March to
promote this year’s campaign supporting
women cocoa farmers. You can join
them by retweeting their messages
using hashtags #Shedeserves (a living
income), TunbridgeWellsFairtradeTown,
#ruralwomen.

To get in touch with the Tunbridge Wells Fairtrade Town Group

contact@twfairtrade.org.uk
Tunbridge Wells Fairtrade Town Group

@flashywells twfairtrade.org.uk
22
 ELECTIONS

MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED

TO VOTE AT THE LOCAL ELECTIONS
Local and Parish Council elections will take place
on Thursday 2 May 2019. Make sure you are Key dates:
registered to vote. Friday 12 April – final day to register to vote
Local elections will take place for the following wards: Monday 15 April – final day to register for a
postal or postal proxy vote
Benenden and Cranbrook Park
Wednesday 24 April – final day to apply for
Culverden Pembury a proxy vote
Frittenden and Sissinghurst Rusthall
Thursday 2 May – Polling Day
Goudhurst and Lamberhurst Sherwood
Please be aware that the timetable may
Hawkhurst and Sandhurst Southborough and High Brooms change in the event of days being appointed
Paddock Wood East Southborough North for public thanksgiving or mourning.
Paddock Wood West Speldhurst and Bidborough
Pantiles and St Mark’s St John’s
You can register to vote online at

Parish elections will take place for the following parishes:
Bidborough Parish
Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish
• Cranbrook Ward
• Sissinghurst Ward
Frittenden Parish
Goudhurst Parish
• Goudhurst Ward
• Kilndown Ward
• Curtisden Green Ward
Paddock Wood Town
• Paddock Wood East Ward
• Paddock Wood West Ward
gov.uk/register-to-vote
Pembury Parish To vote by post or proxy please go to
yourvotematters.co.uk/how-do-i-vote and
Rusthall Parish download the correct form. You can then either
e-mail the completed form to us at Elections@
Tunbridgewells.gov.uk or post it to The Elections
team, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Mount
Pleasant Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN1 1RS.
Southborough Town
• Southborough East & High
Brooms Ward Please note: you may have recently completed a
• Southborough West Ward Household Enquiry form from the annual canvass,
• Southborough North Ward notifying us who is resident at your address. This was not a
registration form to enable those people to vote. You must
complete your own individual invitation to register form to be
Speldhurst Parish
able to vote in elections.

Love Where We Live Awards 2019

A date for your diaries! help make our borough a great place
to live and work. Awards include Best
Our popular, annual Group, Young Volunteer of the Year,
The online nomination form will be
community awards and Sports Achiever of the Year, so start
available on our website in May, plus full
details will be available in the next edition
will open for thinking now about who deserves your
of Local magazine.
nominations in May. nomination this year!

There will be seven categories to choose The lucky finalists will be invited to attend
from, recognising those clubs, groups, the awards ceremony in October at the
businesses, charities and individuals who Assembly Hall Theatre. 23
 Your local Shutter Specialists

ervice
ty S
ali

u
100% Q

ee
nt
L if ra
e ti m e G u a

Too much time on

your hands?
We are looking for people to
volunteer and help us run this
active heritage railway.
Everyone is welcome.

Why not come along and meet our friendly teams at either Eridge,
Tunbridge Wells West, or Groombridge stations.

Or email volunteering@spavalleyrailway.co.uk
for more information

• Stylish • Made to Measure

• Unique Ranges • justshutters.co.uk
Eat, Drink, Stay, Enjoy
01892 618854 hello@themountedgcumbe.com
www.themountedgcumbe.com
The Common, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN4 8BX

Opening Hours: Food Service Times:

Mon-Wed 11am-11pm Mon-Thurs 12-3pm 6-9.30pm
Thurs-Sat 11am-11.30pm Fri-Sat 12-9.30pm (3-6pm Light Menu)
Sunday 12-10.30pm Sunday 12-8pm (4-8pm Light Menu) 01892 575 858
@MountEdgcumbeTWells @TMountEdgcumbe @themountedgcumbe

24
T2776 JS 2019 MAR Tunbridge 94x233.indd 1 06/02/2019 12:02
 EVENTS

EVENTS
Spring has finally sprung and there’s lots going on
in the borough over the coming few months to
encourage you to get out and about!
tunbridgewellsevents.co.uk
If you are looking for inspiration or details of what’s on, look no further
than the local listings site tunbridgewellsevents.co.uk. Tunbridge Wells
Events is a unique, independent event listings site that typically lists
around 300 local events each month! The site has been operating for
the past 10 years, and is a valuable resource for anyone interested in
what is going on in the borough.
The site is free to use, so if your passion is music, comedy, theatre,
dance, film or anything else, go online to check what’s on locally. It is

F
also free to register events – you can submit details of an event you
are organising to be@tunbridgewellsevents.co.uk. As with all listings ollowing last year’s successful silver anniversary year,
sites, it is advisable to confirm event dates and times with venues 2019 has started with a bang for The Forum. Co-founder
directly before travelling. Jason Dormon was recently awarded a Civic Medallion
for his commitment to the venue over the past 25 years, and to

Pub in the Park

is returning to
Tunbridge Wells this
summer and tickets
are on sale now
Join us for the biggest
celebration of the best food
and music the country has to
offer. With a stellar line-up of
chefs, pubs and music, Pub in
the Park (12–14 July) will play
host to Tom Kerridge’s two
Michelin-starred pub,
The Hand & Flowers, plus
a selection of other top UK
pubs and restaurants who
will serve signature tasting
dishes. Combined with great
live music, chef demos, top
quality shopping and other
festival fun, Pub in the Park
has become the UK’s fastest
growing food and music
festival.
For more information
including line-up and tickets
visit pubintheparkuk.com
the wider music scene in the town. A Civic Medallion is given to
those people who have made an outstanding contribution and
who have been highly active in contributing towards community
life. Jason was presented with the award at February’s Full
Council meeting. Congratulations Jason!
Later this month at the venue, you can catch local band
Lady Bird on their first national headline tour (Wednesday
27 March, 7.30pm). Two days later Dream State, winners
of Best Breakthrough Newcomer at the 2018 Kerrang
Awards, play with support from Parting Gift (Friday 29 March,
7.30pm). Keston Cobbler’s Club playon 6 April, followed by
The Orb on 11 and 12 April.

Unfest, the annual local music and arts fringe festival,

returns over the May Bank Holiday Weekend (23 May – 27
May) with events at various venues in the town including The
Forum, The Sussex Arms, The George and The Bedford. You
can follow the festival at

@UnfestTW unfesttwfringe

For more information on upcoming

events or to book, visit twforum.co.uk

25
ENTERTAINMENT

Assembly Hall Theatre

Mini Guide – Spring 2019

Wed 3 Apr
Here Come The Girls
Mon 11 – Sat 16 March
Cat In The Hat Fri 5 Apr
Dance
DanceFest 2019

Music Music
Thurs 21 Mar Sun 7 Apr
Dire Straits UK RTWSO

Music
Fri 22 Mar Ben Portsmouth:
Taking Care of Elvis

Music
Mon1 Apr
Collabro

Dance
Tues 2 Apr The Big Dance
Extravaganza

Mon 8 Apr
assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Paul Merton’s Impro Chums

26
 ENTERTAINMENT

Family
Thurs 11 Apr
Brainiac Live

Music
Fri 12 Apr
Michael starring Ben

Music
Sat 13 Apr
The Drifters

Music
Sun 14 Apr
RTW Choral Tues 7 – Sat 11 May
TWODs – Legally Blonde The Musical
Music
Tues 16 Apr
That’ll Be The Day
Music
Mon 13 May
Les Musicals

Music
Thurs 16 May Luther Vandross
Celebration

Music
Fri 17 May
The Summer Of Love

Comedy
Sat 18 May
Julian Clary

Music
Sun 19 May Rumours Of
Fleetwood Mac

Fri 19 Apr – Sun 21 Apr

The Jungle Book

Comedy
Sun 28 Apr
Rhod Gilbert

Variety
Tues 30 Apr
Ladyboys of Bangkok
Weds 22 – Thurs 23 May
Jools Holland

27
ENTERTAINMENT

Music Dance
Fri 24 May Sat 24 Aug
Illegal Eagles Dreamboys

Family
Comedy Thurs 3 –
Sat 25 May Horrible Histories:
Ruby Wax Sat 5 Oct
Awful Egyptians
Family
Music Thurs 3 –
Sun 26 May Horrible Histories:
Walk Right Back Sun 6 Oct
Terrible Tudors
Dance
Comedy
Fri 31 May Kevin Clifton in Burn Thurs 10 Oct
Henning Wehn
The Floor
Music
Music
Sat 1 Jun The Counterfeit Sat 12 Oct
Get Ready
Stones
Dance/Family
Sat 8 – Comedy
My First Ballet: Mon 28 Oct
Sun 9 Jun Ben Elton Live
Sleeping Beauty
Dance/Family
Comedy
Fri 14 Jun An Evening with Sir Mon 4 Nov
Kevin Bloody Wilson
Ranulph Fiennes
Music
Comedy
Sat 15 Jun Fri 8 Nov The Simon &
Jimmy Carr
Garfunkel Story

Music Comedy
Sun 23 Jun Fri 22 Nov
Vivaldi and Piazzolla Ed Byrne

Sat 7 Dec – Sun 5 Jan 2020

Peter Pan
Thurs 27 – Sat 29 June

28
The Tiger Who Came to Tea assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
 HEADER
Theatre transforms lives
The Assembly Hall Theatre’s Creative Learning
Department has been created to engage, educate
and enrich the lives of everyone in our community.
Be it through youth theatre, charity projects, school
visits, open heritage days or art and crafts projects,
we’re on a mission to make a difference – placing
community right at the heart of the theatre.
During the past year alone we have delivered
over 146 hours of free cultural activities across
the borough. Through offering free and inclusive
sessions, we are fulfilling our commitment to make
the arts accessible to everyone. Over 3,000 students
and groups have participated in cultural events
since the department’s inception two years ago
and over 12,000 have been to see our shows.
Highlights include the introduction of our formalised
work experience programme. Five local students
applied to take part in week long placements, engaging
with every department in the
theatre. And by collaborating with
Trinity Theatre and Tunbridge
Wells Museum, we were able
to offer the students a broad
insight into the role of cultural
organisations in the town and the
wide variety of careers on offer
within the creative sector. We look
forward to welcoming this year’s
students onto the programme.
In autumn 2018 we delivered
13 illustration workshops with
the talented artist Matt Syms,
assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
AssemblyHallTheatre
resulting in nearly 500 primary school children creating
a huge, colourful advent calendar which was displayed
in the theatre foyer during December. The calendar
was part of our community Christmas pantomime
installation, and an additional 125 people from six
local community groups contributed to its creation.
The team also
played a key role
in the magnificent
First World War
Centenary poppy
installation displayed
across the front
of the Town Hall
last November. An
estimated 25,000
poppies were
created and 5,000
people took part. The resulting display attracted
widespread attention from both visitors and residents
and drew huge critical acclaim from the media.
This is just a small taste of the wide and
varied work the team undertakes. For more
information on upcoming projects and how to
get involved contact Bethan Minter, Creative
Learning Manager, Assembly Hall Theatre, e-mail
Bethan.Minter@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.
If you would like to make a donation to support
this valuable work, please go online and make
a contribution at the Support Us page on our
website assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk
Thank you!
ahttw AssemblyHallTheatre
29
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