Dear Terry,

Welcome to the November Newsletter – a little earlier than usual as we have added a meeting on the afternoon of Sunday 26th November in addition to the upcoming talk by Paul Lewis on Wilkie Collins on the evening of Tuesday 28th November. For those of you who booked for Paul’s talk be reassured this remains as your emailed ticket states. But for anyone else, I am afraid it is now fully booked.

The National Grid ‘Sea Link’ Proposal and Local Environmental Concerns: Members Meeting Sunday 26th November at 3pm at The Queens Head

Members living in Ramsgate should be familiar with the above feedback request from the National Grid about their ‘Sea Link’ proposed project. We believe these documents will have been received by every household in the town but if you did not receive one, we aim to have copies available at the meeting.

Included with the distributed pack is an explanation from National Grid of why the project is needed and the stages of the consultation process. It has also been covered by local media and the button below will link you to a review that appeared online from the Isle of Thanet News.

This is a big and rather complex issue so The Ramsgate Society has organised an afternoon event for our members to learn more about the project and the possible environmental impacts on the Minster Marshes so we all feel better able to complete our ‘Feedback Form’ to the consultation process that ends on 18 December.

This is not part of our regular talks programme and it is only open to Ramsgate Society members. It will take place in the upstairs function room at the Queen’s Head at 3pm on Sunday 26th November. There is no charge but we do ask that you prepare by reading the description and purpose of the planned work in the documents sent to you by the National Grid or, at least in the newspaper article accessible above.

It is fair to say that there has been quite a lot of environmental concern expressed about the impact of these proposals at the Kent landfall end and affecting Pegwell Bay and the Minster Marshes. The main purpose of our event is to learn more about the bases for these concerns.

The event will be chaired by John Walker for The Ramsgate Society with contributions from:

• Becky Wing – Thanet District and Ramsgate Town Councillor
• Keith Ross – a Ramsgate & Pegwell Bay wildlife guide and wildlife filmmaker
• Nik Mitchell – Local wildlife campaigner.

Terry Prue

This promises to be a very interesting meeting that we should approach with open minds. As an environmentalist I am very concerned about the potential damage to one of Thanet’s important sites for species diversity and natural habitat.

However, the challenges facing us as the climate crisis intensifies require extensive development and expansion of our electricity distribution network to deliver green electricity and help us move away from our fossil fuel dependence. Without such work our whole existence is threatened, not just that of the Minster Marshes.

Habitats and their wildlife adapt and recover from extensive injuries. What I wish to understand is why this particular site was chosen, what alternatives were considered and why were they rejected, and what can and will be done to maximise the protection of this important site and minimise the damage to it?

Phil Shotton
Ramsgate Society Lead on Environment and Climate Change

Advent Doors 2023

Photo: Richard Oades

Once again it will soon be time for Ramsgate embark on the lovely tradition of Advent Doors when from December 1st until Christmas Eve local people decorate their porches, shop windows and front yards and invite everybody to an event to raise money for charity.

Following on from last year’s successful Sea Shanty Advent Door outside the Maritime Museum we are joining in again with our event which will be on Saturday December 2nd 6.30-7.30pm.

This year as the museum yard is inaccessible the Queen’s Head has kindly offered us their outside area. There will be mulled wine (small charge) with a free mince pie.

Come along and take ‘A Snowy Walk in Ramsgate.’

Advent Doors will be raising funds for a local charity; still to be decided and highly likely to be for the local Winter Shelters. So please bring along some cash for the collection if you wish to contribute.

Ramsgate Society members raised over £300 last year so let’s give ourselves a target to raise that amount and even more.

Look forward to meeting you for a snowy walk!!

Sue Gyde

Ramsgate Glass Centre and the East Cliff Shelters

Photo: Davena Green

Photo: Guy Sawtell

The Ramsgate Society has held the lease for maintaining the thirteen seafront shelters for over 14 years, they were restored around 2012 at a cost of £450,000 after the Society successfully raised the funds to do so.

Sadly, this did not stop the vandals from smashing the panes of glass, so Ramsgate Glass were asked to do the repairs.

They became so helpful with keeping the shelters glazed that on one occasion I phoned to report damage and their answer was it had already been done; they had beaten me to it!!! Kevin, the owner, would drive past and notice a pane broken, the next day it was repaired.

This year a group of Volunteers have been very hard at work cleaning, repairing, painting, and trying to brighten up the East Cliff Shelters and many times we have noticed that Ramsgate Glass are out as well replacing many panes that were missing or damaged, and there were quite a few.

We cannot thank them enough for what they are doing for our community, free of charge, by keeping on top of the vandals’ damage, which is what we all hope to achieve by maintaining them.

We all owe them a great thank you for all that they do for Ramsgate, we are so grateful for all their full support and assistance.

If you ever need glass repairs or mirrors etc., please do not hesitate to use this wonderful family-run business, they are a credit to our town.

Davena Green

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