by Samantha Williams

A woman composer from Ashford hopes to make the history books with Kent’s first ever county anthem.

Kent is the gateway to the world according to Lizzie Freeborn, 56, who has written ‘Fly White Horse’ in the hope that it will forge a sense of community between those living in Kent.

Mother of three Lizzie, from Brabourne, said: “I think it will be a great song to sing at events such as school assemblies and fates.

“It is a song that people in Kent can identify with because it touches on the history of our county. Kent has a lot of traditions to hold on to, like Grammar schools, plus we can focus on modern developments like wind farms.”

The song is so called ‘Fly White Horse’ because the symbol for Kent is the image of a prancing white horse, or Invicta.

Lizzie said: “The white horse in my anthem won’t just trot along, it will fly!”

Lizzie, who ran Little Hickmotts day nursery in Marden for 15 years, has already received praise for her anthem when she performed it at the Brabourne and Smeeth Village fete in June this year.

She said: “Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, opened the fete and was delighted by the song and has passed it onto the Lord Lieutenant of Kent.”

Lizzie started playing the piano when she was seven years old and admits that she never really liked playing other people’s music.

However after Lizzie lost her voice in 2005, she had to spend two years re-building it so she could sing again.

In 2009 she started playing and writing music again, and in 2010 and 2011 entered her songs into the UK Songwriting Contest, and reached the semi finals both years.

Lizzie, who has composed music for the Maidstone Wind Symphony Orchestra before, is currently looking for actors and singers to star in ‘Wildlife’, a home grown musical she has written.

To hear ‘Fly White Horse’ in full go to www.myspace.com and put ‘Lizzie Freeborn’ into the search bar.

You can also email liz55freeborn@live.co.uk if you are interested in taking part in Wildlife, or would like a copy of the anthem.