Dover News - December 2006

Volunteers who provide local radio programmes for patients in Buckland Hospital have decided to call it a day. At a meeting on Thursday 30 November it was decided to wind up the Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service.

The Conservatives no longer have an overall majority on Dover District Council. Cllr Paul Dawkins, who was a Conservative councillor representing Walmer, has resigned from the Conservative Party and joined the Liberal Democrats.

The newest cross-Channel ferry, Norfolkline's Maersk Dover, was officially named on Saturday by Janet Ladyman, wife of Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman.

Top ranking safer parking success is being celebrated after another seven Dover District Council car parks gained special awards - giving the district the highest number of accredited areas in the south and the second highest in the country for a Local Authority.

More than 40 delegates from all over the UK came to Dover District Council on Friday (1 December) to discuss major issues affecting communities across the area at a meeting of the National Executive of the Coalfield Communities Campaign.

As the festive season draws near and winter nights and darker mornings draw in, Dover District Council's Community Safety Unit is reminding people to set a shining example and make sure they can be seen on the roads in the dark or in fading light.

Dover RNLI lifeboat station is calling on local people to sign up as crew members and help their lifeboat station. Anyone interested in serving on the crew must either live relatively close to the station or work in town during the day.

Fast-craft operator SpeedFerries are asking whether anyone would like to invest £50,000 or more in their company. Chief Executive Curt Stavis said many customers had asked for shares in the company, which runs a ferry between Dover and Boulogne.

Dover's shops are vying for pole position in a town-wide Christmas Window Competition.

An innovative trial of magnifying window lenses to address 'sideswiping' accidents was launched today by the Road Safety Minister Stephen Ladyman.

Resurfacing work begins this week on the A256 York Street, Dover, to try and make the road safer leading up to the Folkestone Road roundabout.

Dover District Council and Kent Police have issued guidance to the public on staying safe over the Christmas period.

Following the successful introduction of free parenting classes earlier this year, further free classes for parents of teens and pre-teens are being held by Dover District Council and Kent County Council Adult Education Service. This includes new courses at the Buckland Community Centre and Elvington Community Centre in the new year.

Dover District Council has announced arrangements for the Christmas period. The offices at Whitfield and the Dover District Council @ Your Service office in Castle Street will be closed from 5pm on Friday 22 December to 9am on Tuesday 2 January.

As Christmas approaches, Dover District Council is reminding people across the district to think of the environment and to recycle their Christmas trees after the festivities - and following last year's success, the Council is arranging special collections of trees.

The Christmas lights have been switched on at the Burnham House Veterinary Surgery in Castle Street, Dover. Vet Jeremy Stattersfield invited along some little friends to perform the switch-on ceremony, bringing a colourful scene to life.

Dover District Council has been offered funding to encourage recycling across the area thanks to WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), helping communicate its recycling messages more effectively throughout the district.

Dover town centre was turned into a Winter Wonderland on Saturday as musicians, entertainers, street traders and even snow helped give shoppers a festive treat.

This year's Dover Town Centre Management Christmas Window Competition has been won by Jeremy Stattersfield of Burnham House Veterinary Surgery.

The Environment Agency is asking people in Kent to help protect brown trout living in the River Dour in Dover. Officers are concerned that recent work to improve the populations of fish will be damaged this winter if people do not respect the sensitive spawning time.

Women doing their Christmas shopping in South Kent are being warned about a gang of female criminals who have struck nearly 20 times in the past month. The offenders who are described as women of Eastern European appearance have stolen at least 19 purses from women shopping in Folkestone, Hythe and Dover.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a pedestrian was hit by a car and killed near Dover. Simon Davis, a 39-year-old local man, was walking along the A258 Dover to Deal road near the Swingate Inn at 8.40pm on Boxing Day when he was struck by a red Peugeout 306.

One of the two women killed in a four-vehicle pile-up on the M20 motorway near Ashford on December 21 came from Dover. Hazel Croucher was one of two probation officers who were killed on their way home from their office Christmas party in Maidstone.

Three people with local connections have been included in the New Year's Honours, announced today.