Deal Rail Station Clean-Up Crew meet local rail bosses

The Deal Rail Station Garden's Clean-Up Crew as well as giving the station area a good clean on Thursday also meet with local representatives from both National Rail, South Eastern and Salisbury's.

The Clean-Up Crew is a spin off from the Deal Station Garden which manages the edible garden on the Platforms since 2012 has come together now 4 times over the last three months to blitz rubbish and the 'unloved' feel of the station.

The Station is increasingly the town's gateway and the first impression of the town is not always good

The key areas of concern raised at a positive meeting:

• Rubbish on the tracks. National Rail only clean the tracks twice a year. Next one is due on 9/11. We have pointed out they have closed the lines several times in the last month and could have used the opportunity to clear the tracks.
• Bins at the Station. SouthEastern have promised to look at putting more sea-gull proof into the station and increasing the number/location of them. They will also look for more cigarette bins by the entrances 
• Lighting on the Ramsgate side to London Rd. Both are going to look at options for this, as several passengers have reported to us how unsafe they feel now its getting darker in the evenings
• The Tri-angle of scrub (The Old Station Masters House location) to bridge/London Rd. This is becoming a rubbish magnet as well as the overgrown brambles effecting the platforms/walk way
• Water points on the Ramsgate side so we could expand the gardening options there.
• Anti-Social Behaviour at the Station
• Supporting the bid to Upgrade the track bridge to a full disabled access one
• Upgrading the Station Status as this has a impact on staffing levels & coverage times

We have started to tidy up the meadow area - this should be completed in the next two weeks and we will be painting the planters  in October.

Next Deal Station Clean up is on the 11th October.

We are also meeting for a drink & chat in The Bar on 8th October at 7:30pm - All Welcome

Dover Bee keeping course feb 2019

What to get started in bee keeping well Dover Beekeepers have a introduction course starting in Feb 2019.

Beginners’ Beekeeping Course 2019

1 Pond End Cottages, London Road, Temple Ewell, Dover CT16 3DQ

This is a course of six two hour theory sessions starting February 11th 2019 at 7.00pm.

It is for people who have just started beekeeping or who want to find out more before getting their own bees. Topics covered will include equipment, siting your apiary, the life of a colony, the beekeeper’s year and pest and disease control and prevention.

Students will be encouraged to join their own beekeeping branch/association.

Tutor: Rob Philpott robphilpott@sky.com
01304 820371 / 07545127604

Fee £50

Timetable
Subject Topics

Feb 11th Equipment Parts of a hive
Bee space
Tools and clothing
Natural history Queens, workers and drones
Individual life cycles

Basic anatomy
Function of queen, drones and workers
Age related duties of workers


Feb 18th Beekeeping year March, April, May
Golden rules of colony inspection
Swarms Reasons for swarms
Swarm prevention
Swarm control
Swarm collection
Bee dances


Feb 25th Extraction of honey Types of extractor
Clearing supers
Making frames


Mar 4th Diseases Hygiene
Brood diseases and their control
Varroosis
Adult diseases
Statutory requirements
Pests
Good apiary practice

Mar 11th Beekeeping year June to February
Summer extraction
Feeding for winter
Dealing with varroa and pests


Mar 18th Obtaining bees Use of smoker
Opening a hive
Use of hive tool
Setting up the apiary Handling frames
Monitoring the conditions
Identifying eggs, larvae, sealed brood
Recognising healthy brood
Uniting colonies Closing a hive
Making a nucleus

#GreatBritishBeachClean Deal Sunday 16th Sept

Thank you to our 100 volunteers who turned out for the #GreatBritishBeachClean at Deal Pier this morning.

 In just over an hour we collected over 40kgs of mainly small plastic although we did find a passport and finger-bob (don't think the two are connected :) )

Big thanks to the Deal With It volunteers for the organisation and Wendy who has to work out what we collected !

Our next Beach Clean will be on Sunday 14th October on the Beach in front of Walmer Castle

Deal Hop Farm's Second Hop Harvest has started

Deal’s own community hop growing project – the Deal Hop Farm – starts its second harvest this week. 

The project which started in 2017 has now over 200 sites growing hops in and around Deal. These are grown in people's gardens, allotments and community spaces (like Walmer Castle, Captains Garden, Landmark Garden) and the project has involved some 300 local people this year

It is one of the largest community growing projects in the country and has been recognised by winning the prestigious Horticulture Week's Custodian Award for ‘Best Community Initiative 2018’.

***LATEST NEWS
- First Harvest done on 3rd September 18 sites + 52 kilos of hops. 25 kilos in first brew of Hopping MAD brewed on 4th rest all commercially dried

Members have four days of harvests organised on the 3rd, 11th, 12th and 20th of September with a central collection point of the Landmark Garden in Deal High St from about 5pm on each harvest day.

Working with local brewing partner, the Ripple Steam Brewery, who will be brewing a Green Hopped Beer called Hopping M.A.D: Made Around Deal. This will be available in many local pubs early in October.

"We are trying to be more ambitious this year with the multiple harvests and brews; We are hoping to make the final one a real celebration of our efforts.


It's not just about producing great local beer, although that is of course very close to our members hearts but it’s also about reconnecting to that Kentish tradition & landscape that has been so much shaped by the hop industry.

We will have opportunities for people to try their hand at hop picking and joining in the fun. If people want to experience some hop picking we will picking the hops at the Captain’s Garden at Deal Castle on Tuesday 12th September about 2:30pm or at the Landmark Garden on 20th from about 5pm."

The Great British Beach Clean - 16th September

Our September Deal Beach Clean will be part of the 'Great British Beach Clean' happening all around the British Coastline on the weekend of 14/17th.

This is national survey of rubbish on our coastline conducted by the Marine Conservation Society.

The Deal Beach Clean starts at the Deal Pier at 9:30 and will last for about 1.5-2hrs

All equipment supplied.

Our colleagues at Kingsdown are also having one on the same day