News

In line with the Government rules, the children’s playgrounds at Sandgate Park and Enbrook Valley (Fremantle Road) will be reopened for use from Saturday 4th July.

However, we ask all park users to be careful in the use of the playgrounds and adult exercise equipment. Both parks will have signs in place reminding users how to stay safe.

It is not possible to clean the equipment between use, so any surface is only as clean as the hands of the people who’ve touched it before.

• Clean your hands before and after using the equipment.
• Don’t touch your face and ensure you cover your mouth if coughing
• If you can’t maintain social distancing, wait your turn
• At busy times, use the equipment for a reasonable time only
• One family member should accompany a child in the playground

On Saturday 18th July Tony Quarrington will be bringing his award winning walking tours to Sandgate for the first time.

Tony developed the Sandgate Walking tour programme after discussions with Sandgate Parish Council earlier this year. The Parish Council are supporting the programme with promotion and a small grant.

Tony will be delivering a minimum of ten tours between mid July and late October. All tours will start at the Chichester Memorial Hall at 11am on a Saturday and last approximately two hours. 

It had been hoped that the majority of the tours would coincide with the fortnightly Farmer’s Market, but that might have to wait a little while longer.

Enbrook Park, the Castle, High Street, seafront, Old Fire Station, library, parish church and former primary school are just some of the attractions that Tony will focus on along the walk.

In addition to the history, culture and architecture of the village, he will also explain the role of many of the prominent personalities, such as H.G. Wells, Sir John Moore, William Wilberforce and Hattie Jacques, that have shaped and illuminated Sandgate over the centuries. 

Tony, who lives in Folkestone, has been conducting walking tours in the town for the past three years, focusing on The Leas, harbour and seafront, Creative Quarter and the East Cliff. He is excited to be venturing further afield and sharing his passion for the village with his guests.

Sandgate Parish Council Chairman Tim Prater welcomed the launch of the programme. Tim said:

“When I started the conversation with Tony about bringing his walking tours to Sandgate we hoped we would offer something new and different for the village and our visitors.

“We hope that this summer as many people as possible enjoy an outdoor, socially distanced tour with Tony and learn more about our village, its history and the people that lived (and live!) here.

“It would be great to see this become a regular feature in Sandgate for years to come, and we look forward to working, and walking, with Tony!”

2020 Sandgate Walking Tour Dates:

• Saturday 18th July
• Saturday 1st August
• Saturday 15th August
• Saturday 29th August
• Saturday 5th September
• Saturday 12th September
• Saturday 19th September
• Saturday 3rd October
• Saturday 17th October
• Saturday 24th October

Since Sandgate Parish Council took on the maintenance and running of Enbrook Valley Park in Fremantle Road a couple of weeks ago, we’ve already started improving the area and getting the playground ready for the post-Covid reopening that we really hope is not far away.

The playground equipment has been checked, swing seats replaced where needed and frames repainted to make sure its safe and tidy. The bench in the playground has been refurbished as well. The weeds that were growing through the matting have been sorted, and signage updated.

We’ve had the 5-a-side goals painted, and we’ve got some more works planned. we will be cutting back the overgrown area of weeds near the footpath entrance from Enbrook Valley and also doing the same down the one side of the football pitch to make it a bit squarer: that last one will need to wait until the Autumn though!

There will soon be a leaflet through local doors asking for people to get involved in taking care of the park: from keeping an eye on it and reporting problems to litter picking as required and even getting involved with new planters and beds: watch this space!

Do you love someone who lives with Dementia, Autism or who has the possibility of walking off and getting lost?

We hope we never have to help you, but we are here if you do need our help.

One way you can prepare for such an incident (however remote) is to complete an “At Risk of Going Missing” form, it will take approx 10 minutes and will ask you lots of questions about your loved one. These are the questions Police and Search Teams will ask, they are easier to answer whilst sitting calmly with a cup of tea than in the middle of the night when your loved one missing.

We hope you never have to hand this form over to a search team but if you do having it ready will benefit the search team.

https://www.ksar.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/At-Risk-of-Going-Missing-form-v4-FINAL-replacement-file.pdf

Although its still a work in progress, we’re bringing live an updated Parish Council website at sandgatepc.org.uk

We’ve tried to retain and enhance the functionality of the old site, and make it simple and more accessible to use. We publish all agendas and minutes of meetings on our website, and increasingly a variety of news and other updates as well.

To best keep in touch of the news of the Parish Council we offer two different email update options: automatic email updates each time new posts are added to the website, and our email Parish newsletters for residents and businesses. You can find out more about both and subscribe for free at https://sandgatepc.org.uk/email-updates-and-newsletters/

We are also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sandgatepc/ which is where we live broadcast our online Zoom Full Council and Committee meetings (which we are currently holding in place of face-to-face meetings).

Sandgate Parish Council are delighted to have taken control of the Enbrook Valley Play Area on Fremantle Road from Folkestone and Hythe District Council securing the long term future of the park.

Immediately the lease was agreed works were done to tidy up around the children’s play area in preparation for re-opening when permitted by Government. Other works are planned including repainting some of the play equipment and new seats on swings to ensure everything is in the best condition.

Sandgate Parish Council Chairman Tim Prater said:

“We’ve been running Sandgate Park for some years, and local residents really appreciate the care and attention we’ve paid there. We plan to pay the same attention here, and talk to local residents to make sure it is a park they want to use and value.

“Much of the park is in a good state already, but we’ll be getting a few more things tidied up and cut back over the next few weeks, including painting the current goalposts and removing one area of overgrowth and weeds.

“We want to talk to local residents about making the best use of the park. Would any groups be interested in taking on planters or planting beds there if they were created? What other facilities would people like to see there? Would anyone be interested or able in helping keep an eye on and maintaining the Park?

“We’d even like to discuss what the name of the Park be – is ‘Enbrook Valley Play Area’ the right name, or something else – I always thought of it as ‘Fremantle Road Park’, but we’re open to discussion!”

If you’d like to get involved in the park, drop us an email to clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk.

The playground in the Play Area will be opened as soon as Government guidelines recommend the re-opening of playgrounds. At this time (1st June), they have said playgrounds should remain closed. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

Sandgate Parish Council also have taken ownership (on long leases) of land alongside Sandgate Esplanade, including the green alongside the Battery Point wall and area near the Sir John Moore Memorial.