Kent Miners Festival 2014
- 7 August 2014 17:30270340This year the event is again being held at Tilmanstone Welfare Ground and will be even bigger and better than last year.
Free transport to the festival is available from many surrounding villages and from Deal with the timetable for busses shown at http://www.kentminersfestival.org.uk
Still with free admission, this Community festival gives something back to the people who live within our surrounding communities, offering heritage exhibitions, music, Boxing displays and Football and other activities for all members of the family, young and old, to enjoy.
From 10am till 5pm, you can come along and be entertained by both Snowdown & Betteshanger Colliery Brass Bands along with other entertainers, dancers, circus workshops, excellent catering and much more.
Our Charity & Health Marquee is always great, where you can learn about the work of local organisations, the services on offer and to get health information whilst having fun with their displays and supporting their fundraising.
Our Heritage teams from across the four Kent Collieries have been working hard all year to put on a special Mining Exhibition including a commemoration of the role played by the mining community in WWI.
The Fun Dog Show is with us again this year so, from "Best Rescue" to "Best in Show", bring your family pet along to win a rosette - you can download an entry form from our website or join in on the day.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 7 August 2014 17:53270341One of the very few events we try to get to each year.
- 8 August 2014 18:18270377Me too Vic.
That means at least four of us will be going then.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 9 August 2014 02:47270381There will be 100s more sir but I will be waiting for the gates to open. I get on so well with the public out there and love to walk round and have a chat and watch the lads boxing do not like seeing girls do it and that is why I packed the Dover Boxing club up.Anyway see you there or before out at the railway at last on that one you can now see what work has been done on the bridge.
- 9 August 2014 09:19270388Vic.
There will be a few 1000 this year my friend, of that I am sure.
We have some lads from Catch 22 coming for a visit on Friday morning, would be good if you were able to be there to show them what help you need with the bridge.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 9 August 2014 10:53270396Ok thank you for telling me I will be there at 0830hrs.
- 10 August 2014 07:59270431Sorry it will not be to about 1100hrs on Friday Gary We have to go to the Canterbury/Hos/first.
But we do need lots of help Painting is being done at this time if weather is good,We have some staging to go around it first also need help doing that still a lot of weeding and clearing up to do round the bridge and funding is needed as always. - 10 August 2014 09:25270436Vic
A few of them will be out there on Wednesday, so I've just been told."My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum" - 18 August 2014 08:17270814One to watch tonight.
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/deal/news/documentary-explores-kent-coal-miners-22041/ - 23 August 2014 14:45271008Reminder of shuttle bus times for Monday.
- 23 August 2014 17:16271012We will be out there if it is not raining hard about 10.00hrs and looking forward to a good day out.
- 27 August 2014 18:28271211Despite the downpours, this year's KENT MINER'S FESTIVAL was a triumph of the community spirit that defines the former mining villages of East Kent.
The boxing display was a big hit again this year, organised by the "Aylesham Boxing Club" and included other local and county wide clubs, they drew a great crowd, despite some spectators getting soaked they still stayed for a large part of the day
The Heritage Marquee which was sponsored this year by UNITE, contained a newly made colliery themed embroidery, which complemented historic "Miners Banners" and other fascinating displays about Kent's Coaling History, including the community's contribution to the first world war.
Children and parents shared in learning circus skills and enjoying the antics of "Stupididity" with their pantomime horse. The festival fun dog show went ahead with best in show won by Tilly, who was also the dog the judges would like to take home with them. When done Tilly.
Thanks to DDC's Coalfield Regeneration Level1, ASLEF Thompson Solicitors, Sussex LRC, Beech Grove Community, Tilmanstone Salads and to other sponsors and supporters of this year's festival, our community spirit shone through, making this event as good and as successful, as all of the other's.
Sheppey EMU's did an excellent job of marshalling the event in very difficult conditions.
Mark Lumsdon-Taylor from Hadlow College, opened the festival and was the main sponsors of this year's KMF.
Mark was delighted to see so many people turn out from our local communities and to see their happy smiles when meeting friends and family.
Watching our visitors spend hours in the Heritage Marquee, enjoying the entertainment and the boxing, gave him a great insight to our community spirit.
He really enjoyed his trip to East Kent Railway to open their Woodlands Miniature Railway as well.
I can tell you all, that Mark and Hadlow College, have agree to host next year's Kent Miners Festival at Betteshanger and that I am looking forward to our first meeting, to start organising next year's event.
As always, many thanks to my committee who have been brilliant over the last two years and to our visitors for their much appreciated support.
Gary Cox
KMF Chairman"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
