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Civic Champion Awards 2022

This year The Ramsgate Society Committee is asking all members to nominate potential Civic Champions for 2022. Please complete the nomination form online. Consider the criteria of the six categories and write a brief synopsis of why you think this person, team or organisation should be considered. Each Ramsgate Society member can nominate up to three candidates. Make sure the name of the nominee is clearly written and provide contact details if you have them. Please send the completed nomination form by April 30th 2022.

The Ramsgate Society Committee will consider all nominees using the criteria and members’ comments and will let all members know of the final selection in August. The Civic Awards Ceremony will be held in November. We look forward to receiving all your nominations.

There are six categories for our Civic Champion Awards:

Arts and Culture

Enhancing and increasing participation in arts, including music and creative leisure activities.

Community

Achieving outstanding results by initiating, organising and/or delivering a community programme or event which has benefitted the town or a community.

Education

Improving and enhancing development opportunities for children and young people.

Heritage and Environment

Improving or revitalising the environment, culture and heritage.

Health and Wellbeing

Providing services that enhance the health and wellbeing of people in the town. For example, developing sport and leisure opportunities or enhancing and increasing participation in physical sport, leisure activity or recreational pursuits.

NOTE: This award is intended for those involved in ‘running’ the sport/leisure activity, e.g., coaching/administration, etc as opposed to those who participate in these activities.

Community Champion Award

A special achievement award celebrating an individual or individuals for their outstanding contribution and dedication to Ramsgate over their lifetime or significant period. This person will have gone above and beyond, over many years, demonstrating a long-term voluntary commitment to the town and the wider community.

In special circumstances, the Society may make a lifetime award to a person who lives outside the town’s boundaries, providing the deserving voluntary service concerned has been wholly or predominantly carried out for the benefit of Ramsgate and its people.

Sue Gyde and Graham Woolnough

Upcoming Events: Pegwell Bay Beach Clean

Sunday April 10th 1.30pm to 3.30pm

Following a very successful and well-attended beach clean in April 2021, we are once again organising The Pegwell Bay Beach Clean on Sunday 10th April 2022 from 1.30 till 3.30pm. We have been advised that that tide will be out at that time for easy access to the beach.

Pegwell Bay is one of Europe’s most important staging posts for migrating birds and insects. It is both a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) but unfortunately the area suffers from litter – mainly small plastic items being washed up on to the beach all year round.

We are meeting at the car park in front of the Viking Ship Café from 1pm onwards. The Café will be open for drinks and refreshments before and after the event.

Thanet Coast Project and and Ramsgate Town Council have kindly offered to provide us with the Litter picking equipment and after the usual briefing and health and safety talk, we will proceed down to the beach and start the beach clean. We will be working in small groups in line with health and safety guidance.

Once again, we are thankful to Kent Wildlife Trust, Thanet Coast Project, RTC and TDC for the loan of equipment and support.

Do come and join us and bring your friends, children and grandchildren!

John Walker and Meher Basit

Heritage Events for Your Calendar

Update on the Granville Theatre / Sandcastle Project

Image courtesy of Kent Film Foundation

Local residents, representatives from local societies and civic groups and local councillors gathered at a meeting at the Churchill Tavern on Monday 7th March to hear about Thanet Council’s decision to refuse a bid from the Kent Film Foundation (KFF) to take ownership of The Granville Theatre. The meeting was Chaired by Karen Constantine, the KCC member for Ramsgate.

As we reported in our June 2021 newsletter, Kent Film Foundation’s bid proposed a renovation of the theatre space with two cinema auditoria one of which would double as an events/theatre venue with a capacity of over 300.

KFF’s bid was turned down by TDC officers in a process which lacked transparency. As far as KFF is aware they were the only bid.

Fears were expressed that the Council intends to strip the venue of its listing as an Asset of Community Value and sell the venue on the open market.

This decision may be taken at the next TDC cabinet meeting on the 17th March, although it is unclear whether this is on the agenda yet. The agenda is usually circulated to councillors a week in advance and was not known at the time of writing this item.

Our own view is that:

• The Granville Theatre is a great asset to Ramsgate which lacks a theatre and cinema space.
• There are concerns about the process which led to the refusal of this bid.
• There are multiple benefits of the venue for the community.
• Several local youth groups have relied on the venue for regular clubs for the young, who have few alternatives.

At a time of great anxiety and Mental Health stress, following the Covid pandemic and the most recent Russian aggression in Ukraine, there is a great need for a shared community and cultural space as could be offered by the refurbished Granville Theatre.

For more up-to-date information on the campaign to ask TDC to reconsider the decision to disallow the Kent Film Foundation to bid to take over the Granville see this Facebook site:

You may also wish to sign the petition on this matter.

Paul Shearer and John Walker

Contact the Ramsgate Society

If you have any queries about or for the Society please get in touch

Members with events, workshops or news that you would like the Society to consider featuring in its newsletter please contact: news@ramsgate-society.org.uk