the whitstable imp issue 1

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*What’s on in Whitstable?

Beating the Christmas Blues

WHAT YOUR STAR SIGN SAYS ABOUT YOU

SCHOOL FOCUS JOY LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL

An Independent Media Publication

whitstableimpTHE

ISSUE 1 DECEMBER 2008

WIN ONE OF 10

PHILIPS MP3 PLAYERS!

Gas Fires Gas Cookers Servicing

THE TEAM Hello, and welcome to the launch issue of... The Whitstable IMP!

EDITORChristina Birkett Christina started working in Media twelve years ago, and enjoyed a happy and varied career, leaving work to look after her children about 18 months ago. With three daughters

under the age of five, work needs to be flexible these days, and Christina is delighted to have found the right balance between work and family - and to be covering a subject she loves – Whitstable!

CONTRIBUTORSLiz CrudgingtonLiz has spent the last eight years writing about Whitstable for one of the town’s newspapers and is excited to be involved with The Whitstable IMP. She’ll be working

on news and features, in between looking after her daughter Natasha, and is looking forward to making sure the whole town knows what’s going on.

Andy CaponAndy has lived in Whitstable for several years, and is drummer and founder member of popular local band The Trouser Trumpets. He has written two as yet unpublished

books, Gone But Not Forgotten and Does Humour Belong In Music?, as well as writing features for Viz and Empire magazine. He is also the author of The Trouser Press, a ‘puerile and meaningless magazine about our band.’ Currently unemployed ‘through illness rather than choice,’ he names his interests as music, writing, and Arsenal - and is obsessed with Marmalade.

Stephanie ShantiStephanie Shanti has been practising yoga for 12 years and teaching since 2000. She trained at the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Montreal, Canada, and

has taught classes to a wide variety of clients including children, families, patients in rehabilitation, the elderly, and those with special needs. She has studied many forms of yoga, including Sivananda, Integral, Iyengar and Astanga, and is qualified in Thai Yoga and Swedish and Indian Head massage. She now lives in Italy with her partner and two sons on their yoga retreat - www.shanticentre.com.

SALESMel Birkett FREEPHONE 0800 44 88 309

DESIGN Adam Boreham www.reactionvm.co.uk

PRINTINGHeadley Brothers www.headley.co.uk

PUBLISHERS IMP (Independent Media Publications)

PO Box 290, Whitstable, CT5 9AH

The IMP is a magazine about the Whitstable community, for the Whitstable community, and will be delivered free of charge into each and every home in

Whitstable - that’s approximately 16,000 letterboxes!The aim of The Whitstable IMP is to provide a service to

you, the Whitstable local, by keeping you up-to-date and informed about ‘What’s on’ in Whitstable, local interest stories, local personalities and businesses - bringing you interesting articles and interviews on relevant local topics, places and personalities.

We welcome your feedback – and any contributions you’d like to make to the magazine, whether they be articles, photographs or interesting anecdotes about Whitstable.

From next month we will have a ‘Letters’ section which will be all yours! Let us know your opinions, raise any questions or queries you might have, for us or for other readers, or use it as a way of speaking to the wider community.

This is your magazine, so have your say! If you have articles or photos you’d like us to consider for inclusion, please send them to [email protected]. If you’d like to comment or give feedback on anything in this month’s issue; if you have ideas you’d like us to cover in future issues; or if you’d like to be included in the Letters section, please mail [email protected]. If you don’t have access to email or you’d prefer to write, please post to PO Box 290, Whitstable, CT5 9AH.

This month we have 10 MP3 players to give away to 10 lucky readers who send us their thoughts or comments on The Whitstable IMP – remember to include your name, address email or phone number. (If you think we’ve got it spot-on, just send your name, address and email or phone number to be included in the draw!) Winners will be announced next month…

We hope you enjoy your first issue!Christina and Mel Birkett, and the IMP Team

If you are interested in advertising in The IMP please call Mel on 0800 44 88 309

All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is prohibited without prior written consent from the Publisher. Opinions expressed in the editorial are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher. IMP does not accept responsibility for the advertising contents, or endorse or recommend any of the companies or products featured; nor shall IMP be liable for any damage caused to or losses suffered by any person who relies on the information published in this magazine. (copyright ©) Independent Media Publications.

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December is the time to cosy-up in front

of the fire, ignoring the growing credit

card bills for the frenetic throes of

Christmas shopping, and enjoying the real festival

in whatever way is meaningful for you. To most of

us, Christmas is about lazy comforts, indulgence

in extremely tasty food, and socialising (hard) with

our nearest and dearest. That said, and putting

all thoughts of detox out of our heads until at

least mid-January, there are still ways to ease

ourselves through this indulgent period feeling

calm, centred and full of life - instead of lethargic,

indifferent and incredibly hung-over.

Here are a few December tips on feeling good throughout the season of cheer.

Get SpicyTo keep hydrated through the day, try making

lovely big pots of winter warming herbal teas,

such as lemon and ginger, with added clove,

cardamon, cinnamon or whatever spice takes

your fancy. Just crush up whatever you have and

add hot water. If you need to, add some honey

to sweeten. These warming herbs help the detox

process and help ward off lowered immunity, so

I would recommend making one nice big pot

after breakfast and one after lunch, keeping you

warm and hydrated all day long. That way if you

do happen to go overboard at one of the get-

togethers, your body at least has a head start!

Become a warriorWarrior yoga poses increase your stamina and strength and leave you feeling energetic, warm, and ready to take on the day. Stand with your legs about a metre apart if you can, feet parallel, looking forward, then turn your right foot out to the right. Bring your arms up, away from the body, in line with the shoulders, and stretch the hands away from each other. Turn your head to the right and then bend your right knee, keeping the upper body straight, not leaning over to the right. You are aiming for a right angle at the knee, (don’t let the knee point out further than the toes). Hold the pose, breathing deeply for about 10 deep breaths through the nose with the mouth closed. Feel like you are becoming strong and steady. Gently come out of the pose and repeat of the left side. Become a tigerDecember is also the time for coughs, colds and general sniffles. Keep one step ahead by clearing out your respiratory system as often as possible by using some eucalyptus, peppermint, or ginger essential oils, or use the fantastic olbas oil mix. You only need a couple of drops in a lovely hot bath, stay in for at least 20 minutes and you will feel warm, clear-headed and be breathing easily (if you have sensitive skin, are pregnant, breast-feeding or have any other medical condition, please check before use. Oils can also make the bath very slippery so take care getting in and out). Then for extra zing, rub some tiger balm on your chest. Not too much, mind, it is powerful stuff, but it will allow your lungs to open and gives your immune system a refreshing boost.

Article by Stephanie Shanti

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO BEAT THE... Christmas Blues

www.hernebaymobility.co.uk

Christmas Blues

Traditional Folk music has always been something of a niche market amongst music lovers, and such bands enjoying UK chart

success in the last 35 years can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Two somewhat quirky hits spring to mind - Steeleye Span’s ‘All around my hat’ reached number 3 in 1975, and Fiddler’s Dram reached the same position four years later with ‘Day Trip To Bangor’. The latter hailed from Canterbury and Whitstable, and the chances are that some of the fans who enjoyed that single are regulars at a Whitstable club that is growing in popularity, thanks to the efforts of local musician Nigel Hobbins.

Whitstable Labour Club in Belmont Road plays host to a monthly Folk Music Evening, founded by Nigel and friend John Fewings, and it is here that traditional Folk Music lovers can enjoy a variety of artists in the cosy back function room. Nigel has a long association with the music scene in Whitstable, having formed the Whitstable Musicians’ Co-operative 25 years ago.

“It was a platform for local musicians to get their music heard on a regular basis and at a suitable venue,” Nigel told us. The Co-operative saw the emergence of many local bands, some of which are still playing today. Nigel was a founder member of The Happy Accidents, but left the band to return to his folk roots and for the last ten years has been entertaining as a solo performer.

“Folk Music is about writing about tradition and roots, and it’s good to see musicians singing about real things. Whitstable has links with folk culture, and we like to keep that tradition alive with our music nights.”

The Folk nights take place on the first Thursday of each month, and if tonight’s meeting is anything to go by, Nigel seems to have struck the right note. Over forty guests turned out to enjoy the evening’s entertainment, which began with an open floor spot session. Local singer Malcolm

Watson sang a version of Eric Bogle’s ‘Green fields of France’, and was followed by Jean Samuels with her ethereal take on Johnny Nash’s ‘I can see clearly now’. Both performances were crowd-pleasers and the friendly and informal atmosphere saw audience members happily joining in.

A raffle went towards funding the main act for the night which heard Peta Webb and Ken Hall deliver their own brand of Irish, Scottish and traditional American folk music. The first set saw this popular duo singing a cappella, followed by an acoustic set after the break. Veterans of the traditional folk scene, Webb and Hall kept the audience enthralled during their performance, and were well worth the £6 price of admission. Copies of their latest CD were on sale, and a review by folk music writer Keith Summers on the back cover concludes, “Individually they’re magnificent, together they’re superb.” Having listened to their set this evening, it’s hard to disagree.

“There is a definite need for folk music in Whitstable, and the labour club room has the right acoustics and feel for it. It’s worth remembering that one of the country’s biggest folk groups, The Oyster band, hailed from Whitstable 25 years ago and is still as popular as ever,” Nigel told us.

Whether or not traditional folk music is your thing, there’s no denying a certain warmth and charm that an evening like tonight can bring, and you can’t help but get caught up in the relaxed vibe that this gentle music inspires. The next folk night, on December 4, offers something completely different, with a performance by the St. Nicholas at Wade Hoodeners, performing this year’s traditional musical play, and a return to the norm on Jan 1 sees an Open-Mic session to see

in the New Year. Article by Andy CaponFurther information and a full programme

for next year’s performances can be obtained by Nigel Hobbins on 01227 277670.

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But Sundae Sundae is not just about

retro toys – its main selling point is its

Ice Cream, as owner Steve Graham

explains, “I took the shop over three years ago

when I realised there was an obvious gap in the

market. There weren’t any Ice Cream shops in

Whitstable which seemed crazy given that it’s a

seaside town.”

Since then Steve, and his wife Jan, who

also runs the store, have enjoyed a steady

growth in sales of Ice Cream, and the recent

credit crunch has neither dampened sales

nor Steve’s enthusiasm. “The lack of money

doesn’t affect sales - it’s the weather. Sales do

tend to fluctuate if we have a bad summer like

we had this year, but we are always willing to

try something new to beat the slump,” he told

us. “We’re about to launch our winter flavour

range of Ice Creams and our customers can

enjoy Plum and Almanac, Mince Pie and even

Christmas pudding flavours!”

During December, which sees the shop

close only for Christmas Day and Boxing

Day, customers can also enjoy a cup of local

alcohol-free mulled wine, as the shop is re-

invented into a Christmas store. Traditional

gifts can be bought, such as Hampers and

Chocolates, as well as assorted stocking

fillers which are sure to please the younger

customers. Always thinking ahead, Steve

has already begun to change the shop,

and a traditional children’s sledge has been

upturned and used as a shelving unit to

display more gifts.

Stepping into Sundae Sundae is a little like stepping back in time. This quaint oak-beamed

shop offers a traditional charm that reminds you of childhoods

past. Tin robot toys nestle alongside children’s annuals

like ‘Boys and Girls’ and ‘Victor’. On the opposite shelf,

a pile of ‘Beano’ and ‘Dandy’ comics lay next to retro space

hopper toys. Every inch of this store holds something

interesting to buy, and walking through to the back yard is like stepping into an Aladdin’s cave

of seaside memorabilia.

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Traditional Delightsin a Seaside Store

It’s this family-orientated approach that

ensures that Sundae Sundae has a steady

brace of regular, Whitstable-based customers.

“I love Whitstable, and have never regretted

moving here ten years ago. It’s a quirky

town, both friendly and weird, and if you get

Whitstable, it gets you,” Steve told us.

But it’s not just locals that pop into the shop,

a few famous celebrities have also walked

through Sundae Sundae’s doors. “We’ve had

Harry Hill and James Nesbitt in before, and

even Kelly Brook came in one day with Billy

Zane. It’s not often you see that in a sleepy

town like ours, but it’s the local regulars that

keep us afloat and that’s why we continuously

re-invent the shop. There’s always something

different for them to enjoy.”

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And come Easter time, Steve and Jan will

be launching yet another ‘gourmet’ range

of radically flavoured Ice Creams to keep

his regulars happy, and if your tastes are

adventurous, you might like to try the Whiskey

and Ginger or Red Chilli and Cracked Black

Pepper flavours! Different, perhaps, from

traditional Vanilla, but if they’re anywhere near

as delicious as some of the Ice Creams on offer

at the moment, you could do far worse than

drop into Sundae Sundae next time you’re in

Harbour Street.

Article by Andy Capon

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Debra came to teaching later than most,

qualifying with double-honours from

Christchurch Canterbury in 1996, and

her first teaching post was at Reculver Primary

School. Five years later, she became acting

Head Teacher at Chislet Primary school and

only a year later was made the substantive

Head. At that time the school role was 34

and the school was in danger of being closed

down. In the 4 years that she held the post, the

school role went up to 82 and was awarded an

‘outstanding’ Ofsted grade across the board.

Appointed to amalgamate Joy Lane Infants,

Juniors and the Autism Unit into an all-through

Primary School in November 2006 (whilst still

active as Head Teacher of Chislet Primary

School) Debra planned and oversaw the

amalgamation of the school into what we now

know as Joy Lane Primary School, which came

into being in September 2007.

Over the coming months, we will focus on the schools in the

area – it will be an interesting way for the Head Teachers

to communicate their ideas, philosophies and policies to

the Whitstable community, and in later issues, will allow

you to have your questions answered. For our launch issue,

we’re focussing on JOY LANE PRIMARY SCHOOL, and we spoke to the Head Teacher

there, Debra Hines.

SCHOOL FOCUS Joy Lane Primary School

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Situated on the road which gave the school

its name, Joy Lane Primary School caters

currently for almost 300 children from the ages

of 4 to 11 years.

Head Teacher at Joy Lane Primary School for

the last 16 months, Debra answers our questions

and tells us about the school, the changes she

has made, some of the challenges she has faced,

and her overall vision for the school.

Did you come to Joy Lane with specific ideas in mind?Yes, I had a strategic plan which I thought we

could implement over the next 4 years and

beyond. I actually gave my vision for the School

at my interview. Head Teacher Interviews last for

two days and involve presentations, an official

interview, lesson observations and meetings

with the school council – effectively an interview

by the children. Their favourite idea was having

a brand new uniform, which the children and

staff would help design. This was paid for by the

school amalgamation fund - every child had a

brand new sweatshirt, in the new school colours

and design, to start the new 2007 school year.

After my appointment in November an action

plan was drawn up, and I worked through

this with all staff and governors. I also worked

very closely with the local authority and interim

governing body to make myself known and

ensure as smooth an amalgamation as possible.

My vision was to make the school an

inclusive community, where all children were

able to achieve and enjoy their learning,

regardless of abilities. I also wanted to make the

school inspire the local community – working in

partnership with the local community parents,

carers, and all people that had an interest in

our school. One of my main goals was also to

have a nursery on the school grounds, because

I believe in continuity in education without too

many transitions and changes, which can really

impact on children’s learning.

Now that the children’s centre has opened

on the school grounds, and with the nursery

due to open in January 2009, we provide

continuity from ages 0-11.

What would you say has been your biggest challenge?I did have a very challenging start with the

amalgamation, which involved restructuring or

re-ordering almost every aspect of the school -

all staff and the three separate buildings which

had previously been the Infant, Junior and

Autism buildings.

The most work was probably refurbishing

and moving all the children and staff from the

Infant School, and making what was the Junior

School, into the Primary Main Building - which

meant that every class had to be moved,

the whole school had to be reordered and

redecorated – and we had only two days in

which to do this… the school was only closed

for those two days, and everything had to be

completed in that time.

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It didn’t help that we had major flooding over

the summer break, after the majority of building

work was already done – and had to redo

75% of the work – but the improvements have

more than outweighed the problems we’ve

encountered on the way.

What other changes did you have to make?Changes to the school premises were major:

security on site has been improved dramatically,

to protect the safety of the children. The front

gates were installed, and all visitors are CRB-

checked before they enter the school and

interact with the children.

The safety of the actual building structures

has also been improved and, following the

flooding over the summer break, the drainage

systems have been improved as well.

What would you say were the greatest achievements at Joy Lane so far?I am exceedingly proud of the school – the

staff, and especially the children – they are so

polite and well-behaved, and this is especially

noticeable when we have visitors – the children

are almost unaware of the visitors because

they’re interacting in their learning. We have

a visitors’ book and the comments they leave

reflect how wonderful, calm and bright our

school environment is.

My biggest wish is that we address the

whole school community and their wellbeing – I

looked into the needs of the staff – someone

suggested it would be nice to relax at the

end of the day and go home calm – so staff

helped to introduce yoga, open to the whole

community, at the end of the school day – if

staff suggest something we try to introduce it –

happy staff mean happy children.

Presumably you can’t do everything on your own – where has your support come from?When I had to do the staff restructuring, my

very able Deputy and Assistant Heads were

at the forefront of helping me. In terms of

implementing my vision for the school, the

support came from the whole staff and the

governing body - as a Head Teacher, you have

know exactly what needs to happen, and when

– to support the children’s learning – everything

is about the children’s learning and standards

of achievement. And the whole staff and

governing body helped, and continue to help

me implement this.

Do you find parents supportive? Yes, I do. Initially there was some resistance

to the fairly major changes which had to

take place. I understood this - it can be a bit

scary when you’re used to something and

you’re asked to change your comfort zone so

much. I did feel that at the very beginning, I

wasn’t given the chance to show how I could

improve things by implementing change. I

was appointed in November, and some of the

parents didn’t like the idea of amalgamation

and moved their children from the school.

But I do understand that – none of us wants

to take risks with our children’s education. I

think now, though, the parents can see that the

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change has been for the good, and the school

is going from strength to strength.

The most dramatic evidence of this is

the fact that our role is rising rapidly – since

September we’ve had another 20 children, in

addition those who started the year. We are a

new school but our reputation is already such

that people will move their children here mid-

year, and I think this can only improve.

Do you encourage parental involvement in school?Yes we do – I see our roles in the children’s

learning as a partnership. Although we are

the educationalists, we need the additional

encouragement the children get from their

parents at home, with reading, writing and

homework tasks, so we can share the

experience of learning together.

We have now reorganised what was known

as the PTFA (Parents, Teachers, Friends

Association) to the Friends of Joy Lane Primary,

which is more inclusive – it means parents,

carers, or any member of the school community

can be involved in events – coming in to hear

children read and help in class, fund-raising,

etc. Last year the fund-raising paid for all the

children to go on a day’s outing, an additional

valuable opportunity to get out and about and

learn in a different environment. This year we’re

planning to use the fund-raising money to

improve the grounds and outdoor equipment.

Also working with parents, we initiated the

‘sharing assembly’ each Friday – a class each

week has the opportunity to present what

they’re currently learning from the curriculum to

their parents and carers, who are invited in to

come in and participate.

Parents volunteer to come in and help out with

the children’s learning – and we offer adult learning

in the school as well. There are adult learning

courses at the children’s centre as well - we really

do offer ‘education for all’ in our community. I really

believe that you’re never too old to learn.

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We also try to help working parents (as well

as the children) by providing a number of after-

school clubs and extra-curricular activities, such

as Dance, a variety of sports clubs, gardening,

Spanish and Art, to name a few.

What are your favourite things about the school?There are too many to mention, but the thing

I know is that I can go into any class, on any

day, and see children smiling. If they are happy

to come into school they are happy in their

learning, and they will achieve. (Also, the home-

made cakes in the staff room are lovely!)

How does the school fit into the wider Whitstable community?As a School we are central to the whole

community; we host training and meetings for

our local Children’s Partnerships, which can

involve all local Schools, and host training for

County courses. We have connections with

the local Churches who conduct assemblies

for our children and also our children take part

in the local Cluster Parliament and will soon

visit the Houses of Parliament in London. We

are fortunate to have a Children’s Centre on

site, which is community-based, and we take

part in the Whitstable Oyster Festival and local

Horsebridge competitions.

The Joy Lane website is at:

www.joylane.kent.sch.uk

If you are looking into schools or

preschools for your children at the moment

and would like to meet Debra Hines, tour

the school, or attend one of the school’s

open days for prospective parents,

please contact the school office

on 01227 261430.

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Joy Lane Nursery

Faye Narracott will be the Manager of Joy Lane Nursery when it opens in January. I snatched a few minutes of her time from fund-raising at the MacMillan Coffee Morning being held in the Foundation Building Hall, next door to where the nursery will be, and she filled me in on some of the details…

When is the nursery going to be open?The nursery will be situated in the Foundation

Building, just across the Hall from the Reception

classes. Building work is now underway, which

is very exciting, and we’re due to complete in

December so that we can open for the January

term. Sessions will run during term time.

What ages will you cater for?Children will be welcomed into the nursery at

the beginning of the term in which they turn

three (e.g. if you have a June baby, they would

start after the Easter break) - usually at about

2 yrs 9 months and up to school age. We

will be working very closely with Reception

teachers here at Joy Lane and at other schools

of choice, to ensure a smooth transition for the

children when they start school.

What facilities will there be?There’s going to be a large room inside, with a

kitchen area for cooking and snack time.

We are following the furnishing of the new

Reception classes and the majority of furniture

will be wood rather than plastic.

We will also have a lovely outdoor area

with both a grassed and a paved area for the

children, and we’ll be following a free-flow

system, where the inside curriculum will be

reflected outside.

There’s a lovely field at the back or the

Foundation Building which we’ll use for nature

walks, and this will include a sensory garden,

where children can really get in touch with

nature and investigate using the senses of

touch and smell.

We’re also very fortunate in that we can

use the school hall and playground for large

activities and circle games.

Will children need to be toilet-trained before they join?We do ask that children are toilet trained before

they begin, we are very happy to support parents

with this, following their wishes for their child.

How many children can you cater for?We’re registered for up to 26 per session, and

we will have appropriate staffing levels to meet

the needs of the different ages and needs of

the children.

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How will the nursery be staffed?I am a fully-qualified teacher with over 10 years

experience, and we have a team of qualified

Teachers and Nursery Nurses in place for when

we open in January.

What sessions will you offer?We’ll be providing morning sessions, 8.30

to 11.30; afternoon sessions, 12.30 to 3.30;

with an optional lunch club in between, 11.30

to 12.30, where children can bring a packed

lunch or purchase a hot meal from the school

kitchen. We aim to meet the needs of parents

so sessions will be ‘mix and match’ - we’re

able to have children for full days, mornings

only, afternoons only, or morning plus lunch,

or lunch plus afternoon. Our main aim is to be

flexible and meet the needs of the parents in

the community at an affordable price.

What is your pricing?From the term after they turn three children

have funding for up to 12.5 hours, but parents

can top-up if they wish to increase the number

of hours. We’re aiming to be affordable and

competitive. We’re not a private nursery so are

able to offer sessions at £15 each. Lunch is an

extra £2, which pays for the staffing, with the

option of bringing a packed lunch or buying a

school dinner. I see this as a social time, where

the children can interact with each other, and

the staff will sit down to eat with the children.

What is your ethos?We want to be a home-from-home, where

children feel secure and valued in a safe, fun

and simulating environment.

Will you follow Ofsted?Yes we will – we’ll follow the Early Years

Foundation Stage curriculum – which sounds

very official, but basically provides a structure for

exploring the world and learning through play.

We will aim to offer a creative curriculum, with

hands-on experiences for the children to enjoy.

How about settling the children in – is there a set programme?We like to start with a home visit to meet the

child and parents in their home environment,

and we will be working in strong partnership with

the parents, as we recognise that at this age the

parent is the most important child educator.

We will plan and implement a settling-in plan

around the needs of each individual child - the

most important thing is that each child is seen

as an individual and feels happy and secure.

It’s all planning and building work now, but what are you most looking forward to about the nursery when it’s up and running?Being with the children! We have already met

some of the children who will be starting in

January on our home visits, and we are very

excited about welcoming them into their new

environment.

If you’d like to know more about the

nursery, put your child on the waiting list,

or meet with Faye, please call the Joy Lane

Primary School Office on 01227 261430.

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Joy Lane Children’s Centre

Joy Lane Children’s Centre sits in the grounds of Joy

Lane Primary School, and provides services for children under 5 and their families. Set in a recently

refurbished, family-friendly building, the Children’s

Centre provides a warm welcome, as well as

activities and services for children and their parents

or carers.

Children’s Centres play a central role in

improving outcomes for children, as set

out in the ECM (Every Child Matters)

initiative, underpinning all services for children

and young people, so they can be healthy &

safe, can enjoy & achieve; children/families can

make a positive contribution, and can achieve

economic wellbeing.

All activities currently provided by Joy Lane

Children’s Centre are listed in our ‘What’s on in

Whitstable’ guide under the ‘Babies’ or ‘Parent

and Toddler’ headings.

To find out more, why not pop along any

time – there is a full-time receptionist from

8.30am to 6.30pm weekdays and some

weekends. Reception: 01227 263 998 –

Kim Burgess.

For our launch issue we’re looking at the 12 signs of the Zodiac, and giving a general overview of the characteristics of each star sign. Remember that you are much more than just your sun sign, in fact this is only a very small part of what makes you yourself. It is more how others see you, and it refers to the great big constellation of stars that the sun happened to be in at the time that you were born. Your ascendant (ie the constellation that was rising on the horizon at the time of your birth) and your moon sign (ie the constellation where the moon was at the time of your birth) can give you a much greater insight...

SIGNS OF SPRING

ARIES

March 21 to April 20

Not called the Ram for nothing,

Arians like to barge right in to life.

They are the babies of the zodiac and like to get

as much out of life as they possibly can, starting

umpteen projects in very quick succession

without necessarily finishing them, and without

a care in the world. They are generally confident

and robust, with an appetite for life, (and indeed

for food!). They are the first of the three fire

signs, (the others being Leo and Sagittarius,) so

they are really ‘baby fires’, or the ‘fire starters’,

as I like to call them. That is to say, they are

able to start ‘fires’ all over the place without

necessarily knowing what to do with them next!!

By fire we mean energy and drive in the context

of astrology, as well as power, flare and passion.

Arians are like the spark that gives light to many

great projects and activities - true pioneers of

the zodiac.

TAURUS

April 20 to May 21

Taureans are heavy, solid bulls.

That is by no means an insult;

bulls are very calm, loyal, grounded and

headstrong when they are not on heat (or being

chased by strange men in red tights trying to

stick stakes in their sides). Taureans are happy

to help and stay true to themselves and others,

but they will do it only when they are good and

ready! They are the first of the Earth signs, (the

others being Virgo and Capricorn), so they

have a strangely new and exciting relationship

to the earth and all that is in it. They seek to

look after the earth and can often be found in

the countryside or doing a spot of gardening

or woodwork. They also seek harmony with

everything in the world and are excellent,

dependable buddies, although because they

have their feet so well planted in the earth they

can be a little resistant to change.

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INTRODUCTION TO HOROSCOPES

GEMINI May 21 to June 22

Although Gemini are known as

the twins, I see them more as

butterflies. Generally naturally beautiful, they flit

from place to place looking pretty. People would

often love to catch them and look at them, but

they are just trying to find things that they find

pretty and then need to flit away again. They are

the first of the Air signs, (the others being Libra

and Aquarius) - that is to say the beginning of air,

the gentle breeze blowing before it has become a

real wind. They are always alert, trying to live not

just two, but as many lives as possible. Because

of their airy nature they like to be constantly

moving and at the hub of new and exciting

developments. They are hard to really get to

know deeply, they allow few to hold them down

and examine them in any deep and meaningful

way, but for those few it is really a pleasure to

know them.

SIGNS OF SUMMER

CANCERJune 22 to July 23

The Crab. Cancers are the first of

the Water signs, (the others being

Scorpio and Pisces). Water signifies emotions

in astrological terms, and as they are the

‘baby waters’, cancers find themselves feeling

multitudes of emotions of the whole world as

if for the first time, and often without a way of

understanding or interpreting them. They are

often misunderstood for this very reason, and

can appear complicated, as well as moody and

oversensitive. Being crabs they like to crawl

around situations sideways, avoiding conflict

at all costs, and because of the sheer weight

that emotions place upon them, they are quick

to retreat into their shells. But being so open

to these watery emotions, Cancers have an

innate capacity for caring, loving, giving and

feeling; they seek to do what is right and true,

and as long as they feel secure in their personal

space, they make fantastic and loyal friendships

wherever they go.

LEOJuly 23 to August 22

The second Fire sign; fixed fire, ie fire

that, rather than just being started

like the Arian, is being contained. That is what

makes our Lions roar! Fire is so powerful when

contained in a space, it generally gets more and

more forceful, ready to blow! This amazing energy is

how the Leo can achieve so much in his life, he is a

dynamo which can be little-matched. Leos survive

on less sleep than others, and charge forward with

a roar into life. They are proud, dramatic and strong,

with incredible will power. But be careful not to get

in the way, they wear their hearts on their sleeves

and don’t mind who gets in the way. They are

generally great to be around, especially at a party!

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VIRGOAugust 22 to Septmeber 22

The Virgin. Virgos live a life of service,

whether it be to worthy causes or just

to the people they have around them, ie family and

friends. They love to write lists and, even more, love

ticking off things that they have achieved on their

lists. They seek purity and perfection in everything,

which often leads them to be very critical of

themselves and others. They are an Earth sign, so

are responsible, grounded, steadfast and true, but

with tendencies to be rather rigid and analytical.

They are all about connection too, they see things

very clearly, and see each part of a whole in a

way that many others can’t. They love constant

refinement and will do whatever needs to be done

to achieve perfection.

SIGNS OF AUTUMN

LIBRASept 22 to Oct 23

Librans are the weighing-scales of

the horoscope, trying desperately

(and often failing desperately) to balance

everything out in life. They appear wishy-washy,

while they are in fact seeking to give light to

each and every point of view in each and every

situation. They are airy and constantly-moving,

charming and positive social creatures, ready to

share their experience with others. But they can

appear insincere and too eager to compromise,

and are sometimes so busy trying to find

compromise that they never come to a decision

about anything. Generally, though, they are lovely

sociable creatures with a lot of diplomacy to offer.

SCORPIOOct23 to Nov 22

The Scorpion is the sign of fixed

water. And what happens when we

try to keep water in a box? It gets mad. Water,

by nature, flows. Scorpios have all the qualities of

watery emotional creatures plus an excellent dose

of added chaos to boot. They seem to be wise to

the emotions of the heart, sailing through chaotic

storms like professional problem-solvers. Trouble

follows them around, though, and they are no

strangers to intensity. Secretive and dark, sexual

and creative, they are traditionally the magicians of

the horoscope; they have the power to transform

dark into light, helping others learn lessons, often

by themselves being the subjects. But as watery

creatures, they are loving, caring and inspiring.

SAGITTARIUSNov22 to Dec22

In my experience, these creatures

carry an amazing drive and force

into the world. Mutable or moving fire, they are

wise to their fiery power, and know how to best

aim their charge. They seek to do right in all

situations, looking for a better future for all. They

have energy and drive and burn with the need

to understand life’s basic truths. They love a

party and are generally a whole lot of fun - their

enthusiasm lends itself to others and before you

know it they’ll have you on the dance-floor (or

doing any other jobs that they want you to do!).

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SIGNS OF WINTER

CAPRICORN

Dec 22 to Jan 21

Called the goat, the Capricorn

will indeed climb every mountain.

They keep on going to achieve mastery. They

are determined and often butt headlong

into situations without really thinking of the

consequences - but this can be a very attractive

and impressive sight! Fixed Earth, they are

grounded to the point of being headstrong...

and possibly even moving towards arrogant. But

of course that is only an outsider’s perception!

Generally they learn to live well in solitude; it

is lonely at the top, but they are ambitious,

organised, successful and responsible. Incredibly

down to earth and practical, these goats are

great to have around. But don’t try to pen a goat

in, he’ll only chew through the bars.

AQUARIUS

Jan 21 to Feb 19

You would think they would be

a water sign wouldn’t you? Well

not so, they are air, fixed, I would say in the

wisest form of airiness. They are known as

the water-bearers, and they certainly do have

emotional traits about them. I see them as a

fantastic mix between internal watery emotion

and external airy vision of a better world. They

have to be themselves without exception, and

strive through life to find out exactly what that

means. They are often at the cutting edge

of technology and communication, and are

independent and eccentric trend setters. They

will do anything to avoid boredom, and care

little what others think of them.

PISCES

Feb 19 to March21

Just as Aries is the baby of the

horoscope - seeking new and

exciting things to take from life - Pisces, the fish,

is the wise old crone of the zodiac, and has learnt

much from life - so much that he needn’t even

strive to do more! Pisces are generally creative,

artistic, patient and wise; quietly assured of what

they believe, and often even silently stubborn!

They create peaceful situations wherever they

go, often without the faintest realisation that they

are doing so. Mutable, or moving water, Pisces

is emotion exactly as it should be...flowing like

a river. They are not scared of emotion and

can easily internalise and externalise their own

emotioal issues, as well as those of others.

They are intuitive and love to live in a world of

transcendence and dreams, and are here to

give what they can to whoever may need them.

They just need to check that they know their

boundaries as it can be easy for them to merge

into anything else around them.

Article by Stephanie Shanti

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Will I be asleep? No. Hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation similar to daydreaming. You will not be asleep but in a relaxed state with your eyes closed. Hypnosis is achieved using words and imagery and the tone of the therapist’s voice. You are aware of what is going on around you and in an emergency you would react as you normally would. Hypnosis feels great and afterwards you will feel refreshed, relaxed and revitalised.

Will I lose control?No. You will remain in control at all times. Hypnosis cannot make you do anything that is against your moral code, or do anything you do not want to do. Hypnotherapy helps you to achieve what you want to achieve.

Will I be able to be hypnotised?Yes. Anyone can be hypnotised as it is just a state of deep relaxation that enables you to focus with your subconscious mind on what I say. If you allow yourself to be hypnotised it will happen.

Will I divulge inner secrets?No. It is perfectly possible to lie under hypnosis and you will not reveal anything that you are not willing to divulge.

Will I remember what happens in a session?Yes. You will be fully aware during the session and will remember the majority, if not all, of what is said to you. Sometimes, as you are in a state of deep relaxation, your conscious mind wanders and may not remember what is said, but this is not a problem as your subconscious mind is still listening.

Are there any side effects?No. “Will I still be able to drive?” is a question commonly asked. Provided you were able to do so before the session your abilities will remain unchanged!

Can I get stuck in hypnosis?No. This is not possible and you would return from trance naturally if left, feeling revitalised as if waking from a restful sleep. Some people enjoy the sensation so much, however, that they may be reluctant to leave it!

Hypnotherapy has often been seen as something mystical or mysterious, but is in fact a complementary therapy that has been recognised by the British Medical Association since 1955. It is a very effective tool, using the power of the mind to resolve a wide range of problems. Many misconceptions surround hypnotherapy and it is often confused with stage hypnosis. Here are the most common questions asked.

Introduction to hypnotherapyLI

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HYPNOSIS IS A STATE OF DEEP RELAXATION SIMILAR TO DAYDREAMING. YOU WILL NOT BE ASLEEP BUT IN A RELAXED STATE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED

What can be helped with Hypnotherapy?Hypnotherapy can help a wide range of problems. Most people are aware of the use of Hypnotherapy to stop smoking and for weight control but, in addition, Hypnotherapy is very effective in helping anxiety, panic attacks and depression. It is also used to treat IBS and some other physical conditions such as Psoriasis.

Hypnotherapy is effective for pain control in general and, in particular, can be used to assist mothers to be through labour and childbirth. It can also provide rapid treatment for phobias.

For further information contact Lisa Barnett at Q Hypnotherapy, based in Whitstable, on 0800 612 8153 or via the website at www.Qhypnotherapy.co.uk

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ART AND ENTERTAINMENT

Saturday, December 6

Tickets are on sale for

Lindley Players Pantomime,

Playhouse Theatre, High

Street, 7am. Come and join

the queue to get the best

seats for this year’s panto,

Dick Whittington. Breakfasts

will be served for those who

brave the cold and the box

office will open as normal at

10am on Monday, December

8 to sell all seats that are

left. Performances are from

Tuesday, January 20.

Call 01227 272042.

Saturday & Sunday

December 6/7; Saturday &

Sunday, December 13/14,

Mini art trail featuring five

Whitstable artists. 10am –

4pm, with original paintings,

ceramics, contemporary

jewellery, textiles, photographs

and prints available to buy.

Participating artists are Sarah

Stokes with Vicky Tenoski-

Fenn, Sally Ann Duggan and

Josephine Harvatt (26 Island

Wall); Jon Bird (22 Oxford

Street); Liz Shedden (The

Deckhouse 120 Island Wall);

John Butterworth (rear of 5

Harbour Street) and Helen Wild

(17 Saxon Shore).

December 3-16, Fish Slab

Gallery, Oxford Street, Bob

and Joyce Male, arts and

crafts, free admission.

December 17-24, Fish Slab

Gallery, Oxford Street, Estelle

Jourd, paintings, free admission.

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES

Many of these activities may

be term-time only, and some

have waiting lists or need to

be booked. Contact details are

included for each listing, so

please check before you arrive!

Enjoy Your Baby – Joy Lane

Children’s Centre – Tuesdays

– New mums should receive

an invite through their Health

Visitor. Call Carol Fellowes on

01227 594417 for more info.

Baby bounce and rhyme

– Whitstable Library, Oxford

Street, first Tuesday of each

month, 11-11.20am. Call

01227 273309.

Breastfeeding Clinic –

Joy Lane Children’s Centre

– Tuesdays, monthly, by

appointment only, through

midwife Ursula.

Call 01227 263998.

Drop-in baby clinic – Joy

Lane Children’s Centre -

Thursday mornings, 9.30-11,

no appointment necessary, just

call in to see the health visitor

for a chat and have your child

weighed. Call 01227 263998.

Baby Massage – Whitstable

Health Centre – 5-week

courses, Friday mornings.

50p per session, massage oil

provided. Call Carol Fellowes on

01227 594417 for more info.

Baby Massage – Joy Lane

Children’s Centre. Friday

mornings, drop-in from

10-11.30. Call Jo on

01227 594419.

Button Tots – Lucerne

Neighbourhood Centre,

Faversham Road, Seasalter.

Monday mornings 10-12, call

Jane 01227 282732.

3 Years Plus Family Group

– Westmeads Infant School,

Cromwell Road, Monday

afternoons 1.45-2.45. Children

can play while parents chat and

the sessions provide a gentle link

to school. Call 01227 272995.

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what’s on? what’s on? what’s on? WHAT’S ON? what’s on? what’s on? what’s on? WHAT’S ON?

Little Alfies – Seasalter

Christian Centre, Faversham

Road, fortnightly on

Monday afternoons at 1.45,

call 01227 276795.

Story time – Swalecliffe

Library, Herne Bay Road,

Swalecliffe, Monday afternoon

2-2.30, call 01227 792645.

Messy Play Sessions –

Monday afternoon 12.45- 2.45.

Old clothes a requirement!

Term time only. Free of charge.

Joy Lane Children’s Centre –

01227 263998.

Playmates – Christian

Fellowship Hall, Harbour St

– Tuesday mornings 9.15-

10.30 or 10.30-11.45. 50p per

family. Currently full but spaces

expected in New Year – call

Diane Wilkin 01227 263393.

Tots @ TEC – Tankerton

Evangelical Church Hall,

Northwood Road, Tankerton,

Tuesday mornings 10-11.30,

£1 per family, open to children

from 0-5, call 01227 794328.

Seasalter Christian Centre

parent and toddler group –

Faversham Road, Seasalter,

Tuesday afternoons, 1.30-3,

£1 per family, call Jane Myhill

01227 770257.

All Saints Parent and

Toddler Group – Shirley Hall,

Church Street – Wednesday

afternoons, 1.15-2.45. 50p per

family. Term-time only – Call

Sue Smith 01227 471325.

Little Lights – St Alphege

Church, High Street, second

Wednesday of each month,

1.45pm, call 01227 272798.

Little Oysters story time

– Whitstable Museum and

Gallery, last Wednesday of

each month, 1.30-2.30pm, £2

per child, adults free, stories

and crafts for under fives,

materials and refreshments

provided. Call 01227 276998.

Parent and Toddler Group

– Joy Lane Children’s Centre

– Thursday mornings, 9-11.30

in the large crèche room. All

welcome. Free of charge –

01227 263998.

Chatterbox Baby and

Toddler Group – St John’s

Church Centre, St John’s

Road, Swalecliffe. Friday

mornings, 10-12, 50p per

person including drink and

biscuits, open to all with babies

or pre-schoolers, call Sharon

Braddy 01227 792835.

Story time – Whitstable

Library, Oxford Street. Friday

afternoon, 2-2.30, call 01227

273309.

Friday Fun Group – Middle

Wall United Reformed Church

– 9.30-11.30am. £1 per family.

Waiting list, spaces from

Spring/Summer ’09 – Contact

Pat 01227 771766 or Rita

01227 263959.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Dec 5, 12 & 19 - Late Night

Shopping in Whitstable.

Festive Fridays - a Selection

of over 25 local independent

retailers in Whitstable will be

open late with a unique and

inspiring range of Christmas gift

ideas. Participating shops will

be open till 8pm on the 5, 12 &

19 December, with drinks, food

and entertainments provided on

the launch night, December 5th.

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Tickets on sale for Lindley

Players Pantomime,

Saturday December 6.

Playhouse Theatre, High Street,

7am. Come and join the queue

to get the best seats for this

year’s panto, Dick Whittington.

Breakfasts will be served for

those who brave the cold and

the box office will open as

normal at 10am on Monday,

December 8 to sell all seats

that are left. Performances are

from Tuesday, January 20. Call

01227 272042.

Tankerton Christmas

Market, Sunday December

7. Tankerton Road, 12 - 5pm.

A range of stalls, refreshments

and entertainment for the

whole family. Contact Penny

Thomas 01227 263595.

Whitstable Toy Run, Sunday

December 7. Leaves Gorrell

Tank car park at 2pm, all bikers

are welcome to join the run to

the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

at Margate and should bring a

new toy to give to sick children.

Spectators can also donate

toys at the car park from 1pm.

The route includes Marine

Parade towards Herne Bay.

’Home-made Christmas’,

Saturday December 13.

Whitstable Museum and

Gallery, Oxford Street, 10am -

12.30pm, family craft activities

for age three to adult using

recycled materials. Admission

free and all materials provided.

01227 276998.

Whitstable Choral Society

Concert of Carols,

Saturday December 13

St Alphege Church, High Street,

Whitstable. A wonderful mixture

of Choral and seasonal music,

appealing to the whole family

- a tradition in the Whitstable

calendar. Conductor: David

Flood. Ticket Prices TBA. Parking

available in Middle Wall car park,

5 minutes walk from St Alphege

Church. The audience will be

invited to sing a number of the

most well-known and traditional

carols with the choir, and children

in the audience will be invited

to perform ‘Away in a manger’

under David Flood’s personal

direction. Afterwards, every child

will receive a small reward for

their glorious contribution to the

evening. Tickets available at the

door, from Harbour Books (21

Harbour Street Whitstable)

or from Tony Johnson -

01227 750950,

[email protected]

Christmas Family Fun

Morning, Monday December

22. Seasalter Christian Centre,

Faversham Road, Seasalter.

10-12, a morning of Christmas

activities for children from birth

to 10 with crafts, toys and

refreshments. £2 for three years

plus, 50p for under 3s, parents

free. Finishing with a short

Christingle service. Contact

Jane Myhill 01227 276923.

Dead Horse Morris Mince

Pie Tour, Friday December

26. Around the harbour and

Horsebridge Centre from 1pm,

come and see Whitstable’s Morris

Dancers in action. Contact Barry

Watts 01227 263542.

6th Whitstable Scout Group

- Scout Post - stamps on

sale around the town, last

collection is Friday, December

12 and stamps cost just 15p

each. Cards are delivered over

the weekend of December

13/14 to Whitstable, Chestfield,

Swalecliffe, Seasalter and

Tankerton and proceeds

are split between the Scout

group and a local charity.

Stamps are available from

Smiffies, Chestfield Health

Centre, Godfrey House, The

Oysters, Lang Court, Londis in

Faversham Road, Age Concern,

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Keith’s Angling, Card City,

Copperfields, Electrical Safety,

Clark’s Flower Shop, Whitstable

and Tankerton Hospital,

Chocolate Box, Dunn’s Bakery,

Galleon Promotions, Stocks of

Whitstable, Harbour News, Tyrell

and Jones, Oxford Street Books

and the Visitor Information

Centre in Oxford Street.

Whitstable Rotary Club

Christmas Collections:

Tesco, Millstrood Road,

December 18-21; Sainsbury’s,

Chestfield, December 20-24.

The club meets on Tuesday

evenings at 6.30pm at

Chestfield Golf Club. Call

01227 794411.

HEALTH

Out of hours dispensing

pharmacies: call 0845 46 47

Blood donation sessions,

Plough Inn, Swalecliffe,

Thursday, December 4, 11am -

1.45pm and 3.30-5.45pm, call

08457 711711.

Blood donation sessions,

United Reformed Church,

Middle Wall, Tuesday,

December 18, 2-8pm, call

08457 711711.

MARKETS/MEETINGS

Transition Town Whitstable

Social Gathering, Monday,

December 8. Duke of

Cumberland, come and

celebrate Transition Town

Whitstable’s first birthday.

Optional fancy dress, wear

something green, party games

with a difference. (Transition

Town Whitstable is a group

aiming to reduce Whitstable’s

carbon footprint and

dependency on fossil fuels.)

email [email protected]

Whitstable Farmers’

Market , Second and fourth

Saturdays of each month.

St Mary’s Hall, Oxford Street,

9.30 - 2, selling meat, fruit,

vegetables, drink, cakes,

crafts and with a Fair Trade

cafe on site. Becky Richards

01227 770836.

RELAXATION/THERAPIES

Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Swedish Massage, Ear Candles, Hot Stone Massage, Indian Head Massage. In the comfort of your own home or in Debra’s therapy room. Call Debra Maybourne, Holistic Therapist, 01227 276 881 or 07872 622 023.

Hypnotherapy at Q Hypnotherapy, based in Whitstable. Details at www.Qhypnotherapy.co.uk. Call Lisa Barnett on 0800 612 8153.

Article by Liz Crudgington

Non-profit listings are free of charge. Business listings work out at £5 per month or less. If you were not included this month, please mail us your listings – [email protected]

For display advertising please contact [email protected] or call freephone 0800 44 88 309. In all cases, if you would rather write, our address is: The Whitstable IMP, PO Box 290, Whitstable, CT5 9AH.

ALL LISTINGS AND ADVERTISERS in the magazine will also appear on our website directory at: www.the-imp.co.uk free of charge.

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