T3 Christmas Newsletter

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hi everyone,

This is our first Festive Newsletter, and let's start with a recap of all we've done this year.

Well, it's been quite a year!


In March we had our Spring Fair which was very well attended. A great day with great

music, book swap, plant swap, lots of different stalls and tea and cakes!

We were also at the Homewood School Farmtastic Fair. We'd helped the students install a

giant bug hotel in their farm's chicken run and they invited us to attend.

In April we had our second succesful town Clean Up Day. We also went Bug Hotel building

again, this time at Tenterden Infants School. We went to Highbury Hall Preschool to

help the kids plant sunflower seeds, which then grew big and tall and helped the hall

look lovely and summery.

At Tenterden's May Fair we unveiled our now-famous Smoothy bike and even though it was

muddy and damp it made quite an impression.

Later in May we teamed up with jo Vos, the town's Community Warden, and PCSO Archer for

a free Bike Marking session at The White Lion.

Tenterden's Diamond Jubilee Fair saw us with the Smoothy bike again and then on Bank

Holiday Monday we were at Highbury Hall again for our retro Time Tunnel of Tunes, our

version of a 1950's coffee bar!

In late june we were at Tentertainment with Smoothy bike again and then in August we

hosted a green energy concert at Zion Baptist Church which we called Lo-Carb/Hi-Fi.

there were performances from Nina Clark, The Lucky Ones, Pierre Vincent, Inburst and Up

All Night, all powered by batteries charged via solar panels and wind turbines!

September saw our third town Clean Up and our contribution to Harvest Festival where we

unveiled our Local Food Map and talked about Food Miles.

In November we hosted a PotLuck Supper at Highbury Hall to help raise money for the

ongoing renovations, and in December we have been seen at Homewood Christmas Fair and

Late Night Shopping, raising money for an orphanage in Benin and Highbury Hall's Youth

Cafe. On Dec 26th at the Vine Inn we have yet another Boxing Day walking quiz planned,

"Exploring Tenterden".

We have made donations to :-  The Mayor's Charity, Tentertainment, Folk Festival, and

over £100 to Tenterden Youth Club at Highbury Hall, for refurbishment/Youth Cafe.

Prizes were donated to us by :- Tesco, Liquid Pleasure, Old Dairy, White Lion, The

Vine,The Lemon Tree, Carolyn Carter Massage,The Potato Shop,Romney Marsh Wools,The Nutmeg  and

numerous individuals.

Upcoming events :- Exploring Tenterden (Dec 26th, the Vine, 12pm), Renewable Energy Talk (Mon Jan 21st, Tenterden Club, 7:30), Green Energy Fair in

Ashford, (Sat Jan 19th, County Square Shopping Centre)

TBA: Clean Up Day (March/April), Quiz night (March) ,Craft Fair (April)

Watch this space for further details.

Last year I remember saying something along the lines of 'peace, love, harmony and more recycling'. Well, on a personal level, I have had some of the above... my daughter Rosie was born in September and she's beautiful. As to the more recycling bit... on the upside, we had two successful town cleanups, and it appears from the leaflet that came through our door the other week that Ashford Borough Council is definitely making an attempt to 'up its game' in the recycling department. On the downside, the Cobbs Wood Estate council rubbish/recycling centre is closed for an upgrade, which will take quite some time, meaning that now we are severely limited for a while. Also Chris Weir on the Cranbrook Road has quit taking plastics, which is a great shame.

As to my hopes for the New Year... I would like to see more people recycling, composting, growing their own food and taking a more proactive approach to waste and saving energy. I'd also like to see an increase in volunteerism, and hope to get our LandShare idea off the ground - that is, matching up people with the skills, desire and ability to grow a vegetable garden who don't have a garden to do it in with people who have the garden space and neither have time or ability to take care of it.

We at T3 hope your Christmas is a happy one and your New Year filled with endless possibilities.

See you soon!

Jeff, Carolyn and all at T3