By Cllr Susan Carey
Despite the chill Ann Hutt, one of the organising committee, reckoned there were more people than ever at the popular Hawkinge Fun Day.

The annual event held on the Green in front of the Community Centre had lots for the children with inflatables to bounce on or slide down and a climbing wall run by the Army cadets for climbing and abseiling.

Local businesses were represented or sponsored events and I was pleased to see Terlingham Vineyard, a new enterprise based in Hawkinge which produces really splendid wines. Penny Riley presented me with a glass of her award winning sparkling wine and I was quickly joined by District Councillor Stuart Peall and Hawkinge Parish Council Chairman Dave Callaghan. District Councillor David Godfrey is also at the event sporting a high visibility jacket as he is helping run the event.

Dave Callaghan, Hawkinge Parish Council with District Councillors Stuart Peall, Susan Carey and David Godfrey at the Hawkinge Funday

Chris Johnson is chairman of the Funday committee and arranged for two World War II RAF veterans, Bernie Bamford and Dennis Nicholls who live in the Shepway district to open the event.

I was delighted to see the Hawkinge Allotment Society had a stand with one of the wonderful scarecrows from the allotments. The Allotment project took many years to achieve but thanks to persistence and patience there is now a site and it is remarkable the progress the allotment holders have made in such a short time.

Fun day events were also taking place in the Community Centre including short mat bowls, face painting and local history.

The Gurkha Palace were serving a mouth watering curry meal for just £6. (They won the Best Customer Service Award in the most recent Pride in Shepway awards).

The air cadets band and the Hawkinge Flyers performed and the First Foot Guards gave a display of what life was like in the British Army at the time of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The Hawkinge Flyers

There was music, church and environmental groups and dancing.

Hawkinge Fun day certainly lives up to its name.

See the full report with photos on the Shepway Chairman's blog here [4].