Dover News - July 2008

The record for the fastest crossing of the Channel by an amphibious car has been broken. Sir Richard Branson's time of one hour 40 minutes, set in 2004, was smashed today by Professor Hans Georg Nader, from Germany, who completed the crossing from Dover to Sangatte in one hour 14 minutes and 30 seconds.

Dover Museum helped turn back the march of time when more than 1,000 pupils from across Kent and Surrey came along to learn what the Romans did for us, with the return of the popular Roman Festival.

Housing inspectors have acknowledged Dover District Council's 'strong vision for the future of Dover and its housing supply' and have rated strategic housing services 'fair' in an independent report released today.

From fire-eaters, stilt-walkers and face-painters, to live music, street entertainers and a giant firework display, a street party for the whole family is being held on Dover seafront to celebrate the launch of the Olympic handover from Beijing to London on 24 August.

Following an extensive review process over the last 11 months, the Scrutiny Committee at Dover District Council has delivered its major review of future health service provision in the district.

Residents are invited to come along and talk about opportunities for young people in the area, and how Dover District Council and Kent Youth Service work with young people for the future, at the next Dover North Neighbourhood Forum.

A fantastic evening of free cinema is coming to Connaught Park this summer with a special 30th anniversary showing of the popular musical Grease, certificate PG, on Friday 22 August. Tickets for the event will be available from next Monday (14 July).

A special anniversary is being celebrated in style with a range of fun activities for the whole family in Connaught Park on Sunday 20 July, from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, to commemorate the amazing 125th anniversary of these popular local gardens.

A packed free day out for the whole family, with an exciting range of high-flying demonstrations and displays, is coming to Pencester Gardens on Saturday 19 July from 11am to 4pm, with the Community Safety Day 2008.

As part of ongoing work to ensure Dover District remains a safe place to live, work and visit, the Dover District Community Safety Partnership is launching a major 'Talk To Us' campaign. The aim of this wide reaching campaign is to seek the views of residents on community safety issues that are affecting them, to enable the partnership to be better placed to address these issues, and a special questionnaire has been prepared.

Innovative new play areas were official launched ysterday in Pencester Gardens in Dover and Marke Wood in Walmer following work by Dover District Council and a successful bid to the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme.

Far reaching work to look at opportunities for young people in the district has led to the approval of a major new Youth Strategy, which is already leading to positive actions. Following consultation coming out of the strategy, a Reach For The Sky event is being held at The Ark in Dover on Tuesday 22 July, from 10am to 1pm.

In the run up to the big street party on Dover seafront on 24 August, organizers have launched an appeal for children born on 20 December 2004, who have registered as '2012 children' with London 2012, and who also want to be involved in the local celebrations of the Olympic handover from Beijing to London.

A major far-reaching boost to transformational work for a world-class future for Dover District is being celebrated today, following exciting news from the Government that the district has been successful in its bid for Growth Point status.

Visitors are invited to make their mark at Dover Museum on Monday 28 July - with a Family Day to make your own bookmarks, and the opportunity to tell your own story about your treasured memories of childhood to 'Museum TV'.

More than 500 pupils from across Kent learned all about life in Tudor times at the latest of the popular festival events at Dover Museum.

National crime statistics released yesterday show that over the year, recorded crime has fallen by 9% over England and Wales, and by 10% across Kent, and (based on British Crime Survey comparators) recorded crime for Dover District has fallen by 13%.

Some 400 cyclists, from the keenest enthusiasts to amateur pedallers, will be getting up early on Wednesday 23 July to start a four-day trip cycling from London to Paris to raise money for the charity Action Medical Research. Setting off on three different routes from three London locations, at the end of the first day around 300 riders will stop to rest at Dover before catching the ferry to France.

Two mini hovercraft have made a crossing from Dover to France and back to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first commercial hovercraft service from Dover. Russ Pullen and Nelson Wood, from Flying Fish Hovercraft, piloted the 10-foot craft in near-perfect conditions.

Dover Grammar School for Boys showed their business savvy and wowed the Young Enterprise UK judges, by scooping the runner-up place at the Young Enterprise Company Programme National Final held at The Park Lane Hotel in London.

A joint Homelessness Strategy has been developed by the four East Kent Authorities of Canterbury City and Dover, Shepway and Thanet District Councils, following consultation with key stakeholders.

A Battle of the Bands contest is looking to strike the right chord as part of the street party on Dover Seafront on Sunday 24 August to celebrate the Olympic handover from Beijing to London.

A British lorry driver living in Italy was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court today (28 July 2008) to five and half years imprisonment for the importation of 200.25 kilos of cannabis through the Port of Dover.