The Front Page. - Copy 202 (Road Safety,RNLI Latest, Wilfred Owen Poet, Coalfields Regeneration)
4 October 2011
KCC Urban Road Safety Campaign
Kent County Council is bringing its ‘Urban Roads’ road safety campaign to Dover. Pulling into Biggin Street on Saturday 8th October from 10am, the road show includes a hazard perception road safety simulator, allowing drivers to test their own skills in a controlled environment. With more than 70% of crashes in Kent occurring on urban roads, the Council aims to raise awareness of the hazards and inappropriate use of speed, which lead to these figures.
A key factor in the cause of many road crashes in urban or built-up areas is inappropriate speed; that is driving too fast for the current road conditions but not necessarily above the limit. With many drivers using the speed limit as a target, any change to the immediate environment, such as children playing near the road, a nervous learner driver, a distracted pedestrian or a cyclist changing lanes, can mean that even driving at the limit could be too fast.
Nigel Collor, KCC Member for Dover Town, paid for the road safety campaign’s visit to the town from his Member Highway Fund, a grant each county council member has to spend on road improvements in their area.
Mr Collor, pictured,who is also supporting the campaign by helping to staff the KCC road show, said:
"I am committed to the cause of road safety in Dover. This campaign is a great way to engage with local drivers and discuss their contribution to making roads safer for us all. This is a good example of a proactive service provided by KCC and I fully support the aims of the campaign."
Kent County Council Road Safety’s, Steve Horton highlights the issue with a comparison of driving past a school at different times of the day or night.
“On an early morning in the summer holidays it may be perfectly safe to drive past a school at or close to 30 mph. However, your speed should significantly change when driving past the same school on a wet December afternoon around 3pm, when a drastically reduced speed would be more appropriate and a lot safer. If you drive down the same road 100 times and nothing happens, it is easy to become complacent, but it doesn’t mean it will always be like this. When something does happen, as surely it will one day, the question is will you be ready to deal with it? Speed limits are a legal maximum and not an indication of safe or target speeds.”
Bryan Sweetland, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste said. “The road environment is constantly changing and we are urging drivers to see the hazards, don’t take speed to the limit and read the road. Make sure you choose an appropriate speed for the conditions. This assessment of speed needs to be made constantly as the hazards change constantly. I am really please that Mr Collor used his Highway Member Fund to raise awareness of road safety in the area.”
The campaign activities are also based around life sized hazards which drivers should be looking out for during their everyday driving. Members of the Road Safety team will be raising awareness of the campaign by engaging with road users and encouraging them to take part in an online competition on the campaign’s dedicated website.
Visit www.seethehazards.co.uk for more information.
* *
Busy warm weekend for Dover lifeboat.
Dover’s RNLI crew responded to two emergencies on Saturday (1st) and another three on Sunday (2nd).
For the first callout on Saturday the volunteer crew were paged at 1310hrs and under the command of Deputy Coxswain Jon Miell, City of London II was soon under way to assist the casualty vessel. The 40’ yacht had been sailing between Ramsgate and Dover when its fire alarm systems alerted the skipper to a potential problem. With three adults and two young children aboard the skipper wisely called for assistance.
In unseasonably warm weather and calm sea conditions the lifeboat was quickly on scene approximately three quarters of a mile off the old Kingsdown Rifle Range. On arrival the lifeboat crew found that an angling vessel had kindly gone to assist the disabled yacht and the cause of the alarm was identified as a malfunctioning piece of machinery. Unable to proceed it was decided that the lifeboat would take the vessel under tow and head for Dover.
The weekend’s second incident began even before the first one was completed. As the lifeboat was towing the disabled yacht and approaching Dover Harbour, other vessels in the area reported sightings of possible wreckage in the water. So as soon as the yacht was handed over to the lifeboat’s shore crew in the Marina, the lifeboat headed back to sea to investigate. Despite a lengthy and comprehensive search nothing was found other than a dead porpoise.
Sunday afternoon also saw the lifeboat crew called out twice. The first was to reports of youngsters in difficulty on an inflatable near Copt Point but before the lifeboat launched it was confirmed they were being aided by some kayakers. Almost immediately after being stood down from this incident the lifeboat was tasked to a person in the water at Folkestone Harbour. This man was removed from the water just as the lifeboat arrived off Folkestone Harbour.
The busy weekend finished with a ‘Stand by’ during Sunday evening when Dover Coastguard requested the lifeboat when more youngsters in an inflatable were reported drifting out to sea from the area of the Warren. As the crew assembled news came that the people at risk were safe.
* *
Villagers in the tiny French farming community of Ors have paid a moving tribute to the greatest of our wartime poets with the creation of a Wilfred Owen memorial centre.
Owen was killed at Ors in the last week of the First World War and spent his final days sheltering in the cellar of a small forester’s house, from which he penned his last words, a desperately poignant letter to his mother assuring her of his safety.
Intrigued by the pilgrimage of British visitors to Ors, and the force of Owen’s work, the village mayor M. Jacky Duminy began a campaign to raise a fitting tribute to the man that many consider to be the greatest writer of war poetry in the English language.
The result is a strikingly modern white sculptured building for quiet contemplation of Owen’s work. Lines of poetry are projected onto the walls and readings are played from recordings by Kenneth Branagh. In awful contrast below, untouched, is the dingy cellar, Owen’s last refuge.
The designer is Turner Prize nominee Simon Patterson, who said: “Many people have contributed to this project over many years but none more so than M. Duminy and the community of Ors. The passion here for Owen’s work and the determination to create a lasting tribute to him is truly moving. It was a great honour to be offered the commission and it was with great trepidation that I accepted the challenge to pay homage to such a man.”
The Wilfred Owen centre La Maison Forestiere was officially opened on Saturday 1 October and is just outside Ors, a two hour drive from Calais via Cambrai and then Cateau-Cambresis.
Many thanks to the team at P&O FERRIES for the story above.
* *
More than £68,500 is still available this year to assist community groups in the former coalfield areas of Kent – and local voluntary and community organisations are being invited to apply for grants.
Bridging the Gap is a Coalfields Regeneration Trust funding initiative administered in partnership with Dover District Council. It offers funding between £500 and £5,000 to local groups and organisations looking to expand, improve or offer new services to residents of the former coalfield areas of Kent. Bridging the Gap has previously funded a wide range of projects including refurbishment of community buildings, printing of village magazines, and equipment for sports clubs and leisure activities.
The application process is straightforward and fast with advice and assistance readily available. DDC is keen to hear from voluntary or community organisations or groups that could be helped with funding.
For more information about Bridging the Gap funding please contact Una Mills, Community Development Officer on 01304 872274 or email unamills@dover.gov.uk
KCC Urban Road Safety Campaign
.....Comes to Dover
Kent County Council is bringing its ‘Urban Roads’ road safety campaign to Dover. Pulling into Biggin Street on Saturday 8th October from 10am, the road show includes a hazard perception road safety simulator, allowing drivers to test their own skills in a controlled environment. With more than 70% of crashes in Kent occurring on urban roads, the Council aims to raise awareness of the hazards and inappropriate use of speed, which lead to these figures.
A key factor in the cause of many road crashes in urban or built-up areas is inappropriate speed; that is driving too fast for the current road conditions but not necessarily above the limit. With many drivers using the speed limit as a target, any change to the immediate environment, such as children playing near the road, a nervous learner driver, a distracted pedestrian or a cyclist changing lanes, can mean that even driving at the limit could be too fast.
Nigel Collor, KCC Member for Dover Town, paid for the road safety campaign’s visit to the town from his Member Highway Fund, a grant each county council member has to spend on road improvements in their area.
Mr Collor, pictured,who is also supporting the campaign by helping to staff the KCC road show, said:
"I am committed to the cause of road safety in Dover. This campaign is a great way to engage with local drivers and discuss their contribution to making roads safer for us all. This is a good example of a proactive service provided by KCC and I fully support the aims of the campaign."
Kent County Council Road Safety’s, Steve Horton highlights the issue with a comparison of driving past a school at different times of the day or night.
“On an early morning in the summer holidays it may be perfectly safe to drive past a school at or close to 30 mph. However, your speed should significantly change when driving past the same school on a wet December afternoon around 3pm, when a drastically reduced speed would be more appropriate and a lot safer. If you drive down the same road 100 times and nothing happens, it is easy to become complacent, but it doesn’t mean it will always be like this. When something does happen, as surely it will one day, the question is will you be ready to deal with it? Speed limits are a legal maximum and not an indication of safe or target speeds.”
Bryan Sweetland, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste said. “The road environment is constantly changing and we are urging drivers to see the hazards, don’t take speed to the limit and read the road. Make sure you choose an appropriate speed for the conditions. This assessment of speed needs to be made constantly as the hazards change constantly. I am really please that Mr Collor used his Highway Member Fund to raise awareness of road safety in the area.”
The campaign activities are also based around life sized hazards which drivers should be looking out for during their everyday driving. Members of the Road Safety team will be raising awareness of the campaign by engaging with road users and encouraging them to take part in an online competition on the campaign’s dedicated website.
Visit www.seethehazards.co.uk for more information.
* *
Launch to suspected fire on yacht
Busy warm weekend for Dover lifeboat.
Dover’s RNLI crew responded to two emergencies on Saturday (1st) and another three on Sunday (2nd).
For the first callout on Saturday the volunteer crew were paged at 1310hrs and under the command of Deputy Coxswain Jon Miell, City of London II was soon under way to assist the casualty vessel. The 40’ yacht had been sailing between Ramsgate and Dover when its fire alarm systems alerted the skipper to a potential problem. With three adults and two young children aboard the skipper wisely called for assistance.
In unseasonably warm weather and calm sea conditions the lifeboat was quickly on scene approximately three quarters of a mile off the old Kingsdown Rifle Range. On arrival the lifeboat crew found that an angling vessel had kindly gone to assist the disabled yacht and the cause of the alarm was identified as a malfunctioning piece of machinery. Unable to proceed it was decided that the lifeboat would take the vessel under tow and head for Dover.
The weekend’s second incident began even before the first one was completed. As the lifeboat was towing the disabled yacht and approaching Dover Harbour, other vessels in the area reported sightings of possible wreckage in the water. So as soon as the yacht was handed over to the lifeboat’s shore crew in the Marina, the lifeboat headed back to sea to investigate. Despite a lengthy and comprehensive search nothing was found other than a dead porpoise.
Sunday afternoon also saw the lifeboat crew called out twice. The first was to reports of youngsters in difficulty on an inflatable near Copt Point but before the lifeboat launched it was confirmed they were being aided by some kayakers. Almost immediately after being stood down from this incident the lifeboat was tasked to a person in the water at Folkestone Harbour. This man was removed from the water just as the lifeboat arrived off Folkestone Harbour.
The busy weekend finished with a ‘Stand by’ during Sunday evening when Dover Coastguard requested the lifeboat when more youngsters in an inflatable were reported drifting out to sea from the area of the Warren. As the crew assembled news came that the people at risk were safe.
* *
FRENCH PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FINEST OF ENGLISH POETS
Villagers in the tiny French farming community of Ors have paid a moving tribute to the greatest of our wartime poets with the creation of a Wilfred Owen memorial centre.
Owen was killed at Ors in the last week of the First World War and spent his final days sheltering in the cellar of a small forester’s house, from which he penned his last words, a desperately poignant letter to his mother assuring her of his safety.
Intrigued by the pilgrimage of British visitors to Ors, and the force of Owen’s work, the village mayor M. Jacky Duminy began a campaign to raise a fitting tribute to the man that many consider to be the greatest writer of war poetry in the English language.
The result is a strikingly modern white sculptured building for quiet contemplation of Owen’s work. Lines of poetry are projected onto the walls and readings are played from recordings by Kenneth Branagh. In awful contrast below, untouched, is the dingy cellar, Owen’s last refuge.
The designer is Turner Prize nominee Simon Patterson, who said: “Many people have contributed to this project over many years but none more so than M. Duminy and the community of Ors. The passion here for Owen’s work and the determination to create a lasting tribute to him is truly moving. It was a great honour to be offered the commission and it was with great trepidation that I accepted the challenge to pay homage to such a man.”
The Wilfred Owen centre La Maison Forestiere was officially opened on Saturday 1 October and is just outside Ors, a two hour drive from Calais via Cambrai and then Cateau-Cambresis.
Many thanks to the team at P&O FERRIES for the story above.
* *
COALFIELDS REGENERATION TRUST FUNDING AVAILABLE
More than £68,500 is still available this year to assist community groups in the former coalfield areas of Kent – and local voluntary and community organisations are being invited to apply for grants.
Bridging the Gap is a Coalfields Regeneration Trust funding initiative administered in partnership with Dover District Council. It offers funding between £500 and £5,000 to local groups and organisations looking to expand, improve or offer new services to residents of the former coalfield areas of Kent. Bridging the Gap has previously funded a wide range of projects including refurbishment of community buildings, printing of village magazines, and equipment for sports clubs and leisure activities.
The application process is straightforward and fast with advice and assistance readily available. DDC is keen to hear from voluntary or community organisations or groups that could be helped with funding.
For more information about Bridging the Gap funding please contact Una Mills, Community Development Officer on 01304 872274 or email unamills@dover.gov.uk