LOCAL

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council magazine

tunbridgewells.gov.uk
Spring 2016

inside:

Civic Complex
special
Volunteering
News, features
and loads more

Welcome to
Spring Local!
This winter has been the mildest I can remember,
but its still lovely to be entering springtime and
seeing the early flowers appearing. That splash
of colour cant help but put a smile on your face!
Talking of flowers and colour, the Bloom 16
campaign has started get all the details on
p18-19. Whether youre interested in museums,
art, things to do or generally whats happening
in the area, the magazine has information to
keep you up-to-date.

Local costs less than 9p a copy to

produce and deliver to your home.

Pay-as-you-go car club

11

Happy reading!

Wycinanki
The Art of Polish Paper Cuts

Lizzie Goodwin
Editor

Hub
receives
two grants
We produce Local to keep you up-to-date about
Council services and news. If you have any
comments about the magazine, wed love to
hear from you. Contact us by:

12

E-mail Localemail@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Civic Complex

Phone 01892 526121

Post Lizzie Goodwin, Communications Manager,
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Town Hall,
Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1RS
TWellsCouncil

TWBC_Comms

To advertise, contact Space Marketing Ltd,

01892 677721
or e-mail antoinettem@spacemarketing.co.uk
Advertising helps to keep our costs down. We do
not endorse the external products and services
advertised in Local.

18to19
RTW in Bloom

13

to

21

Mayor & Mayoress

highlights

The information in this publication was correct at the time of going to print. Tunbridge
Wells Borough Council cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions or
subsequent changes.

If you require Local magazine in large print or audio CD please phone 01892 554273
TW783

The Co-wheels car club expands

in Royal Tunbridge Wells
Smarter
Your pay-as-you-go car club is
now even bigger and better.

Three new vehicles have been added

to the Co-wheels car club fleet to meet
increasing demand and extend access to
the vehicles beyond the town centre.

Where are the cars?

New hybrid and low
emission cars, plus a
fully electric car are now
available in dedicated bays
across the town as shown
in the map, from just 4.50
per hour.

Cleaner

ne
e
e
r
G

Why join the car

club?
For many people, using
the car club is a great
alternative to owning a
vehicle, offering all the
convenience of a car
without the inconvenience
of all the costs associated
with ownership. Car club
members pay a oneoff registration fee and
book the vehicles online;
journeys are charged either
by the hour or at a day
rate.
Co-wheels is a social
enterprise company that
invests all profits back into
the scheme and there is
no cost to the boroughs
Council Tax payers.

Find out more and claim your code for 20 free driving credit:

co-wheels.org.uk/tunbridge-wells

r
e
p
a
he

Sit down for breakfast,

stand up for farmers
Before you finish eating
breakfast in the morning
youve depended on more
than half the world
Martin Luther King Jr 1967
We are dependent on farmers every
day for the food we eat, not only those
locally but from across the world.
Almost 50 years after Martin Luther
King Jr made this famous speech,
our lives are more closely entwined
than ever before. Your breakfast may
have included coffee from Kenya
or tea from India, cocoa from Cote
dIvoire or sugar from Malawi. Local
farms produce milk and meat, cheese,
eggs, fruit and grain. Without farmers
producing our food, our lives would be
very different.
It is a sad truth that millions of
smallholder farmers and workers toil
hard every day to grow 70 per cent of
the food we eat. Ironically, they also
comprise half of the worlds hungriest
people. If we all started our day with
Fairtrade and local produce, many more
farmers could feed their own families
and communities all year round.

During Fairtrade Fortnight (29

February 13 March), many different
groups took part in the Fairtrade and
Local Breakfast Campaign. Tunbridge
Wells Borough Council held their own
breakfast in the Town Hall with the
Mayor, Councillors, local businesses
and children from secondary schools.
Community groups, schools and
churches also held their own breakfast.
All they had to do was ensure that
the breakfast included at least one
Fairtrade drink and one Fairtrade food
for the breakfast to count as Fairtrade.
Local chefs also got involved
producing their own signature
Fairtrade and Local breakfast dish. To
find out more go to twfairtrade.org.uk/
index.html and watch the chefs bring
their recipes to life.
Breakfast is the most important meal
of the day, providing us with nutrients
including the carbohydrates, vitamins
and minerals we need to keep healthy
and start the day well. Research
shows that eating breakfast is a good
way to help people control their weight.
People who do eat breakfast, even a
light meal such as fruit and yogurt, are
slimmer because they tend to eat less
during the day, especially high-calorie

snacks.
As Easter approaches, perhaps you
could think of making your breakfast
hot cross buns with Fairtrade sugar
and fruit and have Fairtrade orange
juice and fruit on the table. All the
support we give our farmers will
ensure that they keep producing the
food we all need to stay healthy.
There is lots of information on healthy
low-fat breakfasts on the NHS
website, including lots of recipes nhs.
uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/
Healthybreakfasts.aspx and health
advice on twfairtrade.org.uk.

No Use Empty celebrates ten years

The initiative to bring longterm empty properties back
into use recently celebrated
its 10th anniversary.
Launched in 2005, No Use Empty
(NUE), a collaboration between Kent
County Council and the twelve district
councils, has helped to bring 4,100
empty homes back into use. NUE can
provide financial assistance to owners
of empty properties towards the cost of
renovation or conversion of a property.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council also

has an empty property assistance
scheme. Subject to availability of funds,
interest-free financial assistance can
be provided to renovate, improve or
convert long- term empty properties
and return them to use. Since 2012
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
and NUE have provided 475,000 in
financial assistance bringing 12 empty
homes back into use.
Financial assistance is only one of the
measures used to tackle empty homes.

A further 80 properties have been

brought back into use since 2012 as a
result of advice, discussion of options
available and information provided to
property owners.
For more information please contact
the Private Sector Housing team on
01892 554241.
Further information on No Use Empty
is available at: no-use-empty.org.
5

A great
time to be
outside!
The conservation

volunteer team at
Grosvenor and Hilbert
Park are looking for
new volunteers, so
now that spring is upon
us, why not get fit and
healthy in the great
outdoors? Youll meet
new friends and help
to protect your local
wildlife too!

They meet every Thursday

and carry out large-scale
gardening works and
conservation tasks in the
park to improve the area

for wildlife and people.

Volunteer tasks help
to maintain the varied
habitats within the park,
from the wetlands to the
meadows and the ancient
woodland.
Tasks start at 10am
and finish at 3pm, but
volunteers are welcome
at any time during these
hours for whatever time
they can give. All tools,
training and refreshments
are provided so no
gardening or DIY prior
knowledge is needed.
Regular volunteers are
offered training courses
funded through the parks
Heritage Lottery Fund
restoration project.

Anyone interested please

contact Steff DAgorne
at steff.dagorne@
tunbridgewells.gov.uk or
call 07917 643961.

The project and volunteer

training is part of the
Heritage Lottery-funded
restoration project in
Grosvenor and Hilbert Park.

Hub receives not one,

but two grants
The prospect of a Heritage, Cultural & Learning
Hub in the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells is a
step closer following the recent announcement
that Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC)
and Kent County Council (KCC) have been
successful in securing support from the Heritage
Lottery Fund (HLF) of 4.3 million, including a
development grant of 178,000.
Shortly afterwards, Tunbridge Wells Museum & Art Gallery
got more good news, this time from The Arts Council to
ensure arts remain at the heart of the hub, potential funding
of up to 1 million has been earmarked.
Work can now progress to select and appoint external
professionals to develop what will be one of the best cultural
centres in the region. This stage of the project will include
drawing up the building designs. To meet HLF timescales the
second-round application must be submitted within two years
and, subject to funding, construction could begin as early as
January 2018.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent

County Council are working in partnership to
deliver the project that brings together in one
organisation and one service the museum,
art gallery, library and adult education. This will
create a new Heritage, Cultural & Learning Hub
in the centre of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The
proposed hub is viewed as something which will
be at the heart of the community and something
which will strengthen the cultural, heritage and
leisure offer of the town centre, borough and
wider area.

One Vision
One Building
One EXPERIENCE

Artist's impression of the future hub

8

Local Plan progress

The hearing sessions concerning the
Site Allocations Development Plan
Document were completed in December
and we now await a final report from
the independent Planning Inspector as to
whether the document can proceed and
be formally adopted.
During the hearings a number of changes to the
document were proposed by respondents, the
Inspector and the Council. A consultation on these
changes was held recently.
Our primary focus is now to progress work on a new
Local Plan. The new plan will look at growth and
development in the borough up to 2035. As part of this
a 'Call for Sites' has gone out; this process provides

an early opportunity for developers, landowners, town

and parish councils, and other interested bodies to
put forward potential development sites to the Council
for consideration. The sites will be assessed for their
suitability for development under a process known as
a Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability
Assessment (SHELAA).
Work will also soon be under way on updating a
number of the Councils evidence based studies,
including
Employment Land and Recreation/Open Space. The
findings from these studies will identify surpluses/
deficits, with the new Local Plan allocating additional
land to meet any identified needs.
Up-to-date information can be found on our website:
tunbridgewells.gov.uk/allocations.
If you wish to be informed of further consultation
events on the Local Plan, please e-mail your contact
details to planning.policy@tunbridgewells.gov.uk.

Weight For It!

Free weight loss group coming to a venue
near you. Help and advice available from
qualified and experienced professionals.

Have fun, b
motivated, be
supported ane
d
be healthier

St John's Recreation Ground, Beltring

Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells TN4 9UA

Tuesdays, starting 12 April 2016 for

10 weeks, 10.30am 12pm

Horsmonden Village Hall, Back Lane,

Horsmonden TN12 8NJ

Tuesdays, starting 12 April 2016 for

10 weeks, 1.30 3pm

Grosvenor Pavilion, Grosvenor and

Hilbert Park, Auckland Road, Royal
Tunbridge Wells TN1 2HU

Wednesdays, starting 13 April 2016

for 10 weeks, 10.30am 12pm

The Camden Centre, Market Square,

Royal Victoria Place, Royal Tunbridge
Wells TN1 2SW

Wednesdays, starting 13 April 2016

for 10 weeks, 1.30 3pm

The Camden Centre, Market Square,

Royal Victoria Place, Royal Tunbridge
Wells TN1 2SW

Thursdays, starting 7 July 2016 for

10 weeks, 6.30 8pm

Booking is essential. If you have a BMI of 28 or more contact the

Health team on 01892 554201 or e-mail health@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
For more details visit our website
www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/choosing health
or follow us on twitter @ TWBC_Health
Please note sessions will not take place during half-term.

10

late
chocboar

es
ar cub

9 sug

Lets get
sugar smart
we probably
all eat too much
sugar its lurking
everywhere! If you
have a smartphone
download the
Change4life Sugar
Smart App for free
and see for yourself
how much sugar is
in everyday food
and drinks.

Tunbridge Wells Museum

& Art Gallery
Current exhibition: Wycinanki
The Art of Polish Paper Cuts
Until 17 April 2016
This exhibition, curated by Justyna Pyz, brings together
examples of the Polish folk art, Wycinanki, from the Horniman
Museum and Gardens. Perhaps modelled on traditional Jewish
papercuts, Wycinanki originated as an inexpensive means of
decorating the homes of rural labourers. They were often made
for religious festivals and family celebrations and have distinct
symbolic designs cut from paper.
The exhibition will show extraordinary papercuts commissioned by
the Horniman in 2010 including pieces by renowned artists such as
Apolonia Nowaka from Kurpie region and Helena Miazek from owicz,
together with contemporary responses from Tunbridge Wells.

Future exhibition: Small Tales

28 April 3 September 2016
In this exhibition a tall tale will unfold in a miniature world.
The gallery space will present a new story from a smallscale realm, told through an installation of dolls' house
furniture. The curators at the museum are working with a
writer and artist to reimagine the large treasure trove of
tiny furniture in the museum store. This will result in an
exhibition showcasing a new written and visual narrative
to be explored.

Hospice in the Weald

Forget-Me-Not Appeal
Often the small things mean the most
and a long lasting memento of a
loved one can mean the world.
Dunorlan Park is proud to be part of the Forget-Me
-Not Appeal a display of beautiful hand-painted
ceramic flowers against the backdrop of our
stunning park, visit from 1 14 May.

Designed by local ceramicist Liz Blande, for a

minimum donation of 25 you can keep one of the
flowers a special way to remember a loved one.
Hospice in the Weald delivers care and support
to patients with terminal illnesses, their families
and carers across West Kent and East Sussex.
Please contact Caroline Clark for more details
01892 820506 or e-mail: caroline.clark@
hospiceintheweald.org.uk.

11

A new look for the centre of

Royal Tunbridge Wells
There are ambitious plans
for the centre of Royal
Tunbridge Wells which
mean a new theatre and
new council offices could
be additions to the towns
landscape. On these pages
wed like to bring you
up-to-date with whats
happening now and what
might happen in the future.

civic complex are both mentioned as

areas of change in 'Our Five Year Plan'.

Council Leader David Jukes made his

aims for the town centre clear in 'Our
Five Year Plan' (2014), the document
that sets out what we want to achieve
in the coming years. He wants the town
to be a cultural centre for the area and
a new theatre is important if this is to
happen. The current theatre and the

Whats been agreed so far

Independent specialists have already

said that to refurbish the Town Hall
to a standard required for use well
into the 21st century will cost around
10 million; its a similar story for the
Assembly Hall Theatre. During summer
2015 the theatre was given a minifacelift that cost around 1.5 million.
This meant that immediate problems
were addressed and the theatre could
continue to operate, but the longer term
issues with the building remain.

Last October the Councils Cabinet

members agreed that work should
commence to look at the design of
new offices on the Councils car park
on Mount Pleasant Avenue and to look
at the ongoing office accommodation
needs of the Council.

New Council building with a main entrance from

the new public space and an elevated council
chamber overlooking the park

Remodelled Mount Pleasant

Avenue to establish a new civic
space and improve the setting
and approach to the park

12

New theatre with a principal frontage on to

the new civic space and a raised terrace
overlooking the park

Following this, at the Full Council

meeting in December councillors
agreed, in principle, to the development
of a new theatre to replace the
Assembly Hall. They gave approval for
work to start to look at all the options
so that in the future a full and informed
decision can be made.
At the same meeting in December
councillors agreed, again in principle,
to vacate the Town Hall and move to
new offices on Mount Pleasant Avenue.

Whats happening now

Specialists are looking at what space
the Council might need in a new
building and whether other tenants
would be interested in sharing the
building.
Options are being explored for the
new theatre to identify where it might
go, whilst still keeping the Assembly
Hall open for business during the
development period; this includes the
option of locating a new theatre on the
Great Hall car park site.
Conversations have already taken
place with some local groups and these
will continue as we move forward with
the project.

The building can include a variety of

complementary uses to maintain activity
throughout the day

Artist's impression
showing the
potential new
approach
to Calverley
Grounds, framed
by the new Council
office and theatre

Artist's impression
showing the potential
for new civic buildings
and space at the
Great Hall site

Developing a cultural and learning

hub is a separate project, but we
are making sure that all the work we
are doing is integrated.
How new car parking could be
provided in the town is also being
considered, and finally we need to
get an accurate assessment of how
much this would all cost.
Its too early to say what the future
of the Town Hall will be. We respect
the heritage and significance of
the existing buildings on the civic

site and theres no plan to demolish

the Town Hall. However, the work
thats being done now will set out a
development framework for the civic
complex.

What happens next

We will continue to move forward with
designing a new office building to go on
the Mount Pleasant Avenue site.
We will do more studies around the
options for the theatre and the future
of the civic site. We will talk to more

people and involve them in this process

so we can be sure the decisions that
are finally made are the best for our
residents, theatre users and visitors.
A new Heritage, Cultural & Learning
Hub and the prospect of a new
theatre, alongside other developments
in the town like the expansion of
Royal Victoria Place and Union
Square, shout loudly about growth in
the town. Royal Tunbridge Wells is
definitely open for business!

13

Seven weeks left until the Police and Crime Commissioner

Election and Local Elections on 5 May
On Thursday 5 May
there will be the
Police and Crime
Commissioner
Election and Local
Elections in our
area. Everyone will
be voting for the
Police and Crime
Commissioner for
Kent, and some
people will also
vote for their
borough and parish
Councillors.

In order to vote you must

be on the electoral register.
The deadline to be added
to the electoral register is
Monday 18 April and you
can register online at
gov.uk/register-to-vote.
If you do not have access to
the internet, please contact
the elections office to find
out how you can register.

several days, so if you

need to register please fill
in the online form as soon
as possible. If you apply
after 4 April, please supply
evidence of your identity
to help us process your
application quicker. To find
out what identification we
need, please contact the
elections office.

Due to the change to the

registration system back
in 2014, applications now
have to be verified by the
Department for Work and
Pensions before we can
add them to the electoral
register. This can take

If you are unable to vote in

person on Thursday 5 May,
you can apply for a postal or
proxy vote. Please contact
the elections office for an
application form. Completed
postal vote applications
need to be with us by

Chocolate anyone?
With Easter on the horizon, its interesting to
note that many Easter egg manufacturers
are now trying to reduce the amount of
packaging they use.
Thats good news for everyone wanting to
protect the environment, as we look to buy
eggs with the least amount of packaging.

14

After the egg has been eaten, if the

packaging hasnt been turned into a
creative masterpiece, remember that
cardboard containers can go into the
relevant green box (please flatten first). The
foil surrounding the egg can go into the box
with the plastics and cans, although any rigid
plastic packaging still needs to go into the
green rubbish bin.

5pm on Tuesday 19 April,

and completed proxy vote
applications need to be with
us by 5pm on Tuesday 26
April. However, you must be
registered to apply.
You can find more
information on our website
at tunbridgewells.gov.uk.
In addition you can
contact the elections
office on elections@
tunbridgewells.gov.uk or
01892 554024.

Please keep using your

brown bin for any food
waste so that it can be
turned into compost for
farmers to use on
their land.
We will be improving
crops and cutting down on
artificial fertilizers used.

Thank you for recycling

In January, Royal Tunbridge Wells

Together was formally launched at an
event in the Assembly Hall Theatre.
Royal Tunbridge Wells Together is a group of
businesses whove joined up with the aim of
promoting the vitality of the town and making it
an even better place for businesses and visitors.
Royal Tunbridge Wells Together will be funded
through the support of larger businesses and
subscriptions from smaller organisations, with
a contribution from the Council. Having already
raised 250,000 towards its costs for the first
three years, the group is
moving ahead with plans
to appoint a manager who
will take the groups ideas
forward and make them a
reality. Watch this space!
15

Volunteer outdoors, have

fun, make a difference,
and get fit!
We run practical conservation task days in
the Tunbridge Wells area every week on
Wednesday and Thursday.
We need volunteers to help us look after the local nature
reserves and green spaces, to make sure they remain
valuable for wildlife and the local community.
If you can spare a day or just a few hours in your week,
we would love to have you. No experience is needed; we
provide the tools and instruction, and you can come as
often as you wish for as long as you wish.

What are the benefits?

Learn new skills
Gain experience
Meet new people
Discover hidden gems
Get fresh air and exercise
Do something worthwhile
Have fun
Free biscuits, tea and coffee!

16

To find out what is

happening near you
visit khwp.org.uk, call
the Kent High Weald
Partnership on
01580 212972, or e-mail
info@khwp.org.uk.

17

2016
Following our success in
retaining the Gold award for
Tunbridge Wells in the Large
Town category, and numerous
individual awards for our
parks and open spaces, the
Bloom team is getting ready
for flowering season 2016.
We plan to install more floral displays
across the town and to continue
working with local residents, friends'
groups, schools and businesses to
make our town more beautiful.
Since the launch in 2010, our local
Bloom competition keeps growing. Last
year we received a record number of

18

146 competition entries and we hope to

do even better this summer! So please
enter our competition and go colourful
and creative with your gardens,
baskets, allotments and planters.
Closing date for competition entry is
30 June (1 June for allotments).
Dont worry if you dont have a garden
or a space for hanging baskets you
can get involved in the Bloom campaign
by joining a Friends group volunteering
in a park near you, or signing up to a
local conservation project led by Kent
High Weald Partnership. You can also
join our friends at Love Where We Live
campaign and organise a Big Clean Up
in your area.
Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom is
a great opportunity to promote your

business while helping to keep

the town blooming so please
consider sponsoring our campaign.
All donations will help us to install
more seasonal flower displays and to
beautify the town.
Come along to Royal Tunbridge Wells
in Bloom launch days on 8 and 9 April,
at Calverley Precinct from 10am until
3pm. Meet the Bloom team and our
sponsors and partners, give us your
ideas and fill in the competition form!

Blooming Schools
The Garden and the Bee Art Poster
competitions are still open to all schools
in Royal Tunbridge Wells. The deadline
for entry is 1 June. Contact us for
details!

Competition Entry
Form
Closing date: 30 June 2016
(1 June for allotments)
On receipt of your entry form you will be sent
a 5 voucher to spend at Coolings Nurseries,
our main sponsor.
Please tick which category you will be entering
(You can tick more than one category)

Best Basket

Best Street

Planter/Tub/Container

Best Front Garden

Best Community
Allotment/Garden

Best Front Patio/

Balcony

Best Wildlife Garden

Best Caf/Pub/Club

Best Business Ground

Best Shop Front

Best Allotments

Best Flats

Best Commercial Basket/Planter

Entrants name______________________________
Address___________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Postcode___________
E-mail_____________________________________
Phone number______________________________
Leave at Gateway, 8 Grosvenor Road or post to:
Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom, Town Hall,
Royal Tunbridge Wells TN1 1RS

Do you want to get involved?

Contact us:

TWBC Parks tel: 01892 554031 e-mail: parks@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

RTWiB website: royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk

e-mail: competition@royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk
19

Cranbrook Museum
One of the most
popular paintings
of the Victorian era
was The Sweep' by
Frederick Daniel
Hardy, a member
of the Cranbrook
Colony of artists.
The group lived, worked
and socialised in Cranbrook
during the mid to late 19th
century and all exhibited
their work regularly at the
Royal Academy (RA). JC
Horsley was responsible for
designing the first Christmas
card in 1843.
Cranbrook Museum has a
room dedicated to the works
of these artists and has over
400 reproduction copies
of their pictures. Until five
years ago, however, they
had no original paintings
in the collection. Now they
possess one by each of
the six artists, courtesy of a
generous benefactor who
had no previous connection
with the town. His generosity
stemmed from his admiration
of the Colony artists and
the museum's work in
establishing a study centre
for their pictures.

This gentleman had

particularly wanted to
purchase a version of
'The Sweep', which
depicts a group of
children watching a
sweep at work in what
is now room nine of the
museum. The curator
and another dedicated
volunteer had cooperated
with their patron (a very
private man) at every
stage of his searches
for suitable paintings to
The artist FD Hardy with Thos Webster at the Old Studio c1884
donate and to join him
in viewing days at the
London auction houses.
was published in 1865,
Then, in September 2015,
with copies sold throughout
he located an oil painting in
the land. The final version
the Lake District which had
was painted in 1896, but
been with the same family
the artist who exhibited 93
for over 100 years. 'The
pictures at the RA during
Little Chimney Sweep' as
his lifetime, painted a small
it was titled was purchased
version in 1885 'The Little
and donated to Cranbrook
Sweep' and wrote on the
Museum. lt now hangs
back 'A present to myself.
above the very doorway
That is now in a private
shown in the painting, and
American collection.
next to the same chimney.
Cranbrook Museum, which
Nine versions of The
has wonderful collections on
Sweep' have now been
display, is open 24.30pm
discovered, though each
Monday to Saturday (and
differs in size and detail.
Bank Holidays) from April to
The first was exhibited at
October.
The benefactor, Mr George
the RA in 1862 and sold for
Bednar
Paul Donovan
210. The image proved so
popular that an engraving

Love Where We Live Awards 2016

Theyre back for the fourth consecutive year, so if you didnt nominate
previously, and wanted to, youll have a chance this year. As before, there
will be many categories to choose from and the closing date is 29 July 2016
so plenty of time to be thinking of those worthy of recognition.
The lucky finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony on Tuesday
11 October 2016 in the Assembly Hall Theatre. Full details will be in the
next edition of Local magazine.

20

Some highlights from the busy and varied life of

the Mayor & Mayoress of Tunbridge Wells,
Councillor David Elliott and Mrs June Crowhurst

Group photo of the

St John Ambulance
Cadets at their award
s
evening

In full regalia with some

Italian students visiting
the Council Chamber

With our
guests the gold
award junior
European
gymnast
champions on
the Town Hall
stairs

Lots of smiles from our guests

visiting from the Kerala area
of India

of the
Lined up in front e
th
at
l
ia
or
War Mem
Parade
ay
D
ce
an
br
em
Rem

Welcoming participants from the

Walking with the Wounded Walk
of Britain with local ATC and TS
Brilliant cadets
Celebrating a special birthda
y
with a resident of a local
Tunbridge Wells care home

eries

Nurs
ascals
R
e
l
t
t
i
the L
day
d fun
joy at
Much opening an
l
officia

With the Mayors local

postman at the busy sorting
office just before Christmas

Mayor w
promoti ith his electric b
n
ik
environ g energy saving e
ment an
,
d health

In front of the Big Bus

promoting Healthwatch Kent
21

Best Theatre Shows

in 2016

Theres nothing like a new

theatre season to put a little
spring in your step. Here are
just six shows at the Assembly
Hall Theatre in the coming
months that you are sure to
love. In a season rich with live
music, dance, theatre, comedy
and much more,
theres plenty
to be excited
about.

TORTOISE AND
THE HARE is the
latest in Northern
Ballets awardwinning series of
Short Ballets for
Small People which
already includes the
hugely popular Ugly
Duckling, Three Little
Pigs and Elves & The Shoemaker. The
ballet has been created to introduce
families and young children to live
dance, music and theatre.
Recommended for children aged
47years, this adorable and heartwarming production retells the muchloved Aesops fable about a Tortoise
who, tired of being teased for his
slowness, challenges a speedy Hare to
a race. delightfully performed
and expertly staged new short ballet
for young people The Stage (Fri 25
March).
If you liked Jersey Boys, youll love
LETS HANG ON! A group of 10
seasoned entertainers pay tribute to
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons'
classics while also paying tribute to
the Broadway show, The Jersey Boys.
Lets Hang On! captures the trademark
vocal virtuosity, tight harmonies, and
crisp choreography that made The
Four Seasons one of the greatest

vocal groups of all time. This full

blown stage show includes all the
great Four Seasons mega hits like
Sherry, Big Girls Dont Cry, Walk
Like A Man, Cant Take My Eyes Off
Of You, December 63, Who Loves
You, and many more mega hits of the
60s; all presented in a high-energy
and polished
production (Sun 27
March).

TAP FACTORY
is where Stomp
meets Tap Dogs!
and the rhythm
never stops. On
an industrial
set composed
of a two-tier
scaffolding
rig and six
drumming
stations; one
with a regular
drum kit and congas and the other,
with two oil drums apiece, the tappers,
who are also the drummers, let rip. A
tremendously visual and highly exciting
show, the worlds best tap dancers and
international musicians blend urban, tap
dance, hip hop, percussion, comedy,
and cirque acrobatics (Wed 6 April).
Following her acclaimed performance
in Calamity Jane, Jodie Prenger now
steps into Andrew Lloyd Webber and
Don Blacks classic musical, TELL
ME ON A SUNDAY. The show charts
the romantic misadventures of a
young English girl in New York in the
heady days
of the 1980s.
Brimming with
optimism, she
seeks success
and love.
But as she
weaves her
way through
the maze
of the city

LULU
AN EVENING W

ITH

22

and her own anxieties, frustrations

and heartaches she begins to wonder
whether she's been looking for love
in all the wrong places. This iconic
musical, with a wonderful original score,
features the chart-topping Take That
Look Off Your Face and title track Tell
Me On A Sunday (Fri 15 April).
Pop darling of the 60s who relit her fire
in the 90s with Take That, LULU the
singer is still the only British female
solo artist to appear in the charts for
five straight decades and still be as
hip and full of energy today as when
she first hit the charts as a 15 yearold in 1964. The Grammy-nominated
singer will be performing hits from her
50 year career, such as 'To Sir With
Love', 'The Man Who Sold The World',
'Relight My Fire', and of course Shout.
As well as performing songs from some
of her musical heroes, such as soul
legends Ray Charles and Otis Redding,
she will also be taking us on a musical
journey recalling personal anecdotes,
song-writing experiences, and other
entertaining stories (Mon 18 April).
Elephant conservationist Saba
Douglas-Hamilton grew up close
to crocodiles. Also a TV presenter of
BBC series This Wild Life and Big Cat
Diaries, she will take you on an evening
of exciting animal stories and intimate
behind the scenes tales of life in Kenya
with your young family. (Wed 20
April).
'The more you watch elephants,
the more you begin to see the world
through their eyes.'
Assembly Hall Theatre,
Tunbridge Wells 01892 530613
assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Whats On
Assembly Hall Theatre
March
Thu 17 Mar
Fri 18 Mar
Sat 19 Mar
Tue 22 Mar
Fri 25 Mar
Sat 26 Mar
Sun 27 Mar

April
Sat 2 Apr
Sun 3 Apr
Wed 6 Apr

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac

Think Floyd
Purple Zeppelin
Mark Beaumont
The Tortoise and the Hare
(ballet)
Champions of Magic
Lets Hang On

Liza Pulman Sings

Hollywood
RTWSO - Kempf
Tap Factory

Box office 01892 530613 / 532072

assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Thu 7 Apr
Fri 8 Apr
Sat 9 Apr
Wed 13 Thu 14 Apr
Fri 15 Apr
Sat 16 Apr
Sun 17 Apr
Mon 18 Apr
Tue 19 Apr
Wed 20 Apr
Thu 21 Apr
Fri 22 Apr
Sat 23 Apr

Banff Film Festival

Tosca
The Royal Rumble
Peppa Pig's Surprise
Tell Me on a Sunday
A Night of Dirty Dancing
All Star Stand Up Tour
Lulu
Pasha Kovalev
Saba Douglas-Hamilton
Soul Legends
Julian Clary
Sea Symphony: VaughanWilliams (RTWCS)
Tue 26 Sat 30 Apr Carousel (TWODS)

May

Sun 1 May
Sat 7 May
Wed 11 May
Fri 13 May
Sat 14 May
Thu 19 May
Fri 20 May
Sat 21 May
Sat 28 May
Sun 29 May

Eric Bibb
Keith Barry, Brain Hacker
Otis Redding Jnr
Russell Watson
Mister Maker and the
Shapes
Jools Holland
Roy Ayres and His Band
Counterfeit Stones
Clare Teal and her Mini Big
Band
Pinocchio Ballet

For accessibiity information please visit

January
9
23
February
13
27
March
12
26
April
9
23
May
14
28
June
11
25
July
9
23
August
13
27
September 10
24
October
8
22
November 12
26
December 10
No Market 4th weekend
in Dec

For more information

please contact the
Farmers Market
Manager on 01892
554244 or e-mail
farmersmarket@
tunbridgewells.gov.uk

@TWBCFrmrsMkt

TWBC Farmers Market

23