DELIVERED TO HOMES IN IN THIS ISSUE LYMPNE, Volunteer for a Lympne LYMPNE NEWINGREEN, project, Councillor Vacancy COURT-AT announced, new footpath STREET AND NEWSLETTER WEST HYTHE proposal MARCH 2021 ROAD And much more! Lympne Playing Field Redevelopment Update. Although it has been difficult with Covid and the weather, the last of the trees have been planted on the east side of the field in line with the overall plan. We have chosen native species: silver birch, hazel, hawthorn, alder, field maple, crab apple, rowan, wild service tree, aspen, holly, goat willow, small leaved lime, bird cherry and wild cherry. The money for these trees was from a grant from Folkestone and Hythe District Council obtained by the tree group of Georgina Donaldson, Iona Watts and Rosemary Granthier. The next stage of the plan is to raise the money for an all weather path around the Playing Field. Until this money is raised we intend to mark out the track by mowing it slightly lower than the rest of the grass. Around this path we plan to position various benches. This is something we could do before the all weather track is in place so that they can be enjoyed this summer when we may still feel more comfortable meeting outdoors. To make this happen we are suggesting that the benches could be sponsored. Durable benches range in price from about £400 for a normal bench to about £600 for a picnic bench. Our team of volunteers would install them. As a thank you all donating FULL DETAILS PAGE 6 would have their name (or another of their choice) to acknowledge their generous donation added to a plaque fixed to the bench. If you are interested in sponsoring or part NEWS LETTER DIRECT TO YOUR sponsoring a bench please contact our Chair, IN BOX? – SAY NO Megan on [email protected] or call MORE 07588 227773 If you would like to receive this The Village Hall Playing Field Working Party. newsletter direct to your email each month please copy the following link into your preferred browser and subscribe to our E-newsletter service. SERVICING, MOT’S, BRAKES, CLUTCHES, TIMING BELTS http://eepurl.com/hfeE9v AIR CONDITIONING, TYRES, WHEEL ALIGNMENT Alternatively scan the QR code to be taken to the & VEHICLE ELECTRICS subscription form. Only a first name and an email are FOR ALL MAKES OF VEHICLE required. VOLKSWAGEN GROUP SPECIALIST HELP THE COUNCIL SAVE SOME TREES AND SOME SEAT SKODA AUDI VOLKSWAGEN MONEY If you subscribe to the e newsletter and wish to be COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE removed from the hand delivery service please CAESARS WAY, FOLKESTONE, KENT, CT19 4AL 01303 275 795 send your name and address to the Council Clerk at [email protected] A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS TRADING FOR OVER 40 YEARS Green Shoots in Lympne As we come out of lock down(we hope)are we going to lapse back into taking our green beautiful village for granted? Should we be building a greener community which will ensure our youngsters have a lovely healthy and friendly environment to grow up in ? We already have two great initiatives on hold at the moment but going ahead soon. The Playing field development and the Airfield Memorial Park. But what about others which have been suggested? Revamping the Trim Trail Renewing the paths and access to Millennium Wood. Establishing a footpath from Castle Drive to Shepway Cross. Joining the Churchyard to the Gods Acre Charity and establishing it as a nature reserve as well as a valued lovely burial ground. If you are interested in getting involved let the Parish Council know by sending your contact details to [email protected] FAULT REPORTING It is very easy to report a fault in the road or footpath or to get some action with overgrown verges etc. Just visit - www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem You will receive a reference number and be able to track the progress of the issues you have reported. THIS ARTICLE IS RUBBISH ! What I meant to say was this article is about rubbish. The rise in visitors to our village, the encouragement to use our open spaces by resident and having to book a slot to deposit waste at the KCC waste sites; all well meant but have had a knock effect on the volumes of litter being found. As the picture shows here, attempts are being made to use the public litter bins but even when faced with a full bin the thought of taking the rubbish home for disposal seems to pass many by, Lympne Village Hall Committee. leaving our WE NEED YOUR HELP - volunteers and the authorities to clear up BOOKING CLERK REQUIRED. an unsightly and unhygienic mess and With the hope of some normality in sight we are others to observe when using our walks and now in need of a new Booking Clerk to help us as open spaces. we slowly reopen to hirers. One resident has witnessed people using the ARE YOU HANDY WITH A SPREADSHEET & HAVE A public bins to dispose of what appears to be COUPLE OF HOURS A household waste which apart from being WEEK TO SPARE? unnecessary increases the strain on the Our efficient booking system is all in place and can be accessed from home. capacity of the public bins. This is the perfect time to get to grips with it while things are quite in the hall and our departing clerk Please, if you are a resident, consider taking is still on hand. your rubbish home for disposal. If you can help out your Village Hall Committee. If you see any overflowing bins, these can Please contact us for more information be reported to the District Council on the Tania 07779983654 or following email waste.recycling@folkestone- [email protected] STUDYING HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY IN LYMPNE (SHAL) One of our members was trawling through the art section of the Victoria and Albert Museum and came across this etching of St Stephen’s Church. It faces west with Romney Marsh on the left and indicates very rundown buildings immediately to the east of the church in what is now part of the churchyard. Unfortunately no information was recorded and in subsequent searches this etching has not come to light again, so we do not know what date this would have been or who the artist was. Obviously artistic licence has to be taken into account! However, if the etching is fairly accurate and the artist was overlooking the buildings as is shown, was there a much taller building or tower close by (or was he sitting in a tree)? If anyone has any ideas or is able to share any light on this, we would be very interested to hear. Due to a clash with Kent Archaeological Society online talks and discussions, SHAL will be moving its meetings to the 3rd Tuesday of the month, currently online and continuing at 7.30pm. Please contact Fiona Jarvest for further details on [email protected] or phone 01303 237143. LYMPNE AIRFIELD HISTORY SOCIETY Since the February issue of the Lympne Newsletter in which I featured the Lympne Trials, I can now report that Sydney Camm, the designer of the Hurricane was definitely here at Lympne. A photograph of him on the airfield in 1925 with his first design, the Hawker Cygnet and its pilot George Bulman confirms this. This was not a Lympne Trials year, which took a break in 1925 returning in 1926 when the Cygnet was the overall winner. Lympne and Reach for the Sky By John Simpson Most of the UK population must surely have heard of the exploits of Douglas Bader, through the book and 1950’s film biopic Reach for the Sky. His loss of both legs in a flying accident in 1931 has been well documented. Little is known of the part that Lympne Airfield played in the real events of his return to flying in the RAF in June 1932. The book Reach for the Sky by Paul Brickhill told that story. The film did not. Sir Philip Sassoon, Under Secretary of State for Air invited Douglas to spend a weekend at Port Lympne House. He suggested he bring a friend from his Squadron. So he brought Pilot Officer Peter Ross, his friend down to Lympne in his MG sports car. That Saturday afternoon they spent their time lying by the swimming pool. Overhead 601 Squadron Hawker Demons flew from the airfield as part of their summer camp activities. Bader was heard to say, ‘By God I wish I were up there again’. He went on to say to Sassoon that it would be easier than driving his MG with less footwork. To his pleasure, Sassoon asked him if he would like to have a go at it in an Avro 504 trainer. He was so excited, as he replied that he would. Sassoon promised to set it up with the CO of 601 Squadron. At Dinner that night he was told it had been arranged for the Sunday morning. In the morning, together with Peter Ross in the other cockpit, they prepared to fly to RAF Kenley in Surrey. He told Ross to do no more than switch on in his cockpit and not to touch anything, as he would be operating the Avro 504 all by himself. He turned away from the hedge at the Aldington Road b boundary and opened up heading north down the grass airfield until at 55mph he lifted the aeroplane off the ground.