Kent Miners Festival

The Miners of Kent, past and present, deserve to be remembered and it is important to show this country we are still here and still together as one Community.

Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August 2011

A hat trick was scored on Bank Holiday Monday with a very successful, third, Kent Miners Festival on the village greens of Aylesham.

Two very welcome additions to this year’s festival was Aylesham Co-op, with Alex and his Team and Tilmanstone Salads with Corinna Redsull and the Site Employee Forum, joining us with their sponsorship support.

Along with their sponsorship and the many Volunteer’s who marshalled this year’s Festival; we were able to hold another fantastic Free Community Event.

Jane Lambert, the Co-operative’s Membership Officer for Kent said: “The day proved to be a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to local communities and ethical campaigns. It was a great chance for the whole family to come down and find out what being part of The Co-operative Group is really all about. “We welcomed new members, and were also able to say thank you to our existing members for their continued support.”

Many thanks to Neville Southall, former Wales International Goalkeeper, not just for opening our festival but also for bringing along his apprentices to assist on the day. Neville works hard in our communities and we would like to thank him and his team of lads for their support on the day.

 It also gives me great pleasure in thanking All my committee and many others, who worked so hard to put this festival on for all of us. Too many to name them all, they know who they are and I want to thank them for their help and enthusiasm throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to work with you all and I am really looking forward to getting together again soon, to plan next year’s KMF.

 Thompetts Coaches, Roberts Coaches, Mark 1 Music, Oatmor Harris and other local business’s, all played a part in making this a success. Many people work hard all year round to produce this festival but without groups like Emus, Invicta Marshalling, Beach Grove_ Community, Marilyn and friends from St Peters Church, St Finbarrs and lots of others, my apologies to those who I have not been able to name but again you know who you are and should feel proud that you all played a vital part in turning this Community Event into a great day out for everyone.

Moving this free Community Event into Aylesham, proved to be a good one, when an estimated 6000 visitors turned up to enjoy themselves. Even the weather was with us, no rain this year. Lots of entertainment on stage with the Betteshanger & Snowdown Colliery welfare Bands, who were both exceptional this year. My favourites Masquerade, dancers & singers,who put on two great displays along with Beech Grove Singers & Snaptime Serenaders.

The Kent Community Coal Queen, organised by the Aylesham Carnival Court team had another successful year, well attended, well received and well enjoyed.

Liz French’s rendition of Kay Sutcliffe’s Coal Not Dole, made a few us old miners shed a tear (could have been her singing).

Then,  FatetheJuggler Folkrock, finished off on stage and were so good, the crowd did not want them to stop, they could have played all evening, in fact they came off the stage and  sat down on the grass and kept on playing with the happy visitors that did not want the day to end.

That old childrens favorite, was here again, Ozzy with his Balloons, he tells us that next year he will come along dressed as a clown, that’s worth coming next year for, just joking, Ozzy, lol.

One new addition to this year’s festival was our show arena, George and his Team, put on two fantastic Stunt Cycle shows; they were very popular and came with their own fan club.

Our very own local Boxing clubs with guests from Hastings, Folkestone and Ramsgate, displayed their skills in the arena and were also a great hit with our visitors.

Stevie, with her Four Paws and More Dog show was something new for this year and along with Greyhound Whippets and German Shepherds Rescue joining in, we hope to build up on the animal side next year, so please contact us if you want to join in next year with any animal show or charity?

We have already identified some improvements we can make for next year which is exciting for us because we know that with these improvements we can have a bigger and better Kent Miners Festival on 27th August 2012.

More to come.