Garlinge Residents Association

Cllrs Shirley Tomlinson, Simon Brown and Robert Burgess, together with PCSO Adrian Butterworth, attended the group’s recent meeting at the children’s centre in Caxton Road.

The guests answered questions from local residents and Claire Sexton, the centre manager, also talked about her work and that of her colleagues.

Several Easter events are due to take place on Thursday, April 9, including an egg hunt and a bonnet or hat contest for youngsters, as well as a raffle and a competition to find the best home-made cake.

Everyone is welcome when the group next meets on Thursday, April 16, from 7.30pm.

Island Greenfingers Club

Elections were held last month and with one exception - retiring treasurer Jackie Day - existing committee members and chairman, Sue Hatcher were all re-elected with the addition of new treasurer, Marion Williams. Sue presented Jackie with an orchid as a token of thanks and appreciation for the many years she has kept our finances in order and Marion was welcomed to the committee.

In summing up all the club’s activities and events of the past year, Sue expressed her sincere thanks to everyone who contributed in so many ways to our continuing success and popularity.

Show Table competition winners were announced and presented with prizes: 1st prize was awarded to Maureen Sadler, joint 2nd and 3rd prizes went to Jean Gosden and Doreen Cullen. This event is being very well supported.

A buffet and musical social evening followed and we welcomed the new vicar, the Rev John Richardson as our invited guest for the evening.

Bookings were taken for the first outing of the year on May 31 to St Hill Manor and Haskins Snow Hill Nursery.

Visitors and new members welcome to our meetings held at St. Peter’s Church Hall, Hopeville Avenue, St Peter’s at 7.30pm. Phone Thanet 831618 or 224133.

Inner Wheel Club of Ramsgate

The group, one of the oldest of its kind in Kent and East Sussex, celebrated its 75th anniversary recently with a special lunch at St Augustine’s in Westgate-on-Sea.

The club was established in 1934 to help local charities and provide clothing for the poor and needy, and continues to support good causes including the QEQM hospital, Kent Air Ambulance and the Rotary Club of Ramsgate.

Meetings are held monthly and a guest speaker usually delivers an entertaining talk. Members also attend national and international conferences, as well as quizzes and golf and bridge competitions.

For more information about the group, contact Maggie Whitehead on 01843 592817 or email brimogs@yahoo.co.uk.

QEQM Hospital League of Friends

A number of successful fundraising events have already been held this year, including a collection day at Tesco Extra, Broadstairs, which raised more than £225, and the police pantomime at the Theatre Royal in Margate, which generated nearly £870.

A quiz night at the Fayreness in March was attended by 120 guests and made a profit of £980. The League of Friends expressed its thanks to Crusties, Dairy Crest, Nash Farm, Rooks and Sainsbury’s, who all contributed to the cost of the meal.

The group’s AGM will be held on Thursday, May 21, in the lecture theatre at the Queens Centre for Clinical Studies at the QEQM hospital.

Tickets for a fashion show and supper on Thursday, June 11, are now on sale at £17.50. Clothes from Matalan, Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Broadway Brides will be displayed at the show at the Winter Gardens.

Organisers have also started to plan a summer fete and dog show on Saturday, August 1, which will be held in the maternity department car park.

For further information about the League of Friends and its events, telephone 01843 234507 or visit www.leagueoffriendsqeqm.nhs.uk.

Birchington Active Retirement Association

David Shipp, our new chairman, opened and welcomed the members to our monthly meeting on March 26, to which we had a good attendance.

The Bangers and Mash Lunch that was held on March 19 at our Village Centre was a success. We are holding another games afternoon on April 16, which includes board games, ie Scrabble, Runnikub, card games as well as pool and snooker tables and darts board for people to play whatever they wish. Our last one in February was a great success, so please join us for an enjoyable afternoon at the Birchington Village Centre at 2pm, price £2, which includes tea and cake.

We have had some new members joining our club so far this year as well as the majority of our members who have rejoined, so the club is still going strong. If anyone is reading this and doesn’t know what to do with themselves, pl,ease come along to Birchington Village Centre any Wednesday and Friday morning and see what we get up to.

After all the business of the club had been discussed, and a break for tea and biscuits, we had an enjoyable talk with slides from Mr J Cole who travelled from England via northern Europe through Russia ending in China by Mini van.

The meeting ended with the raffle being drawn at 4.15pm.

Thanet Lifeguard Club

The group is celebrating some unprecedented success after one of its members played a key part in winning a national competition.

Neil Morgan, competing with other members of the South East Region Lifesaving Team, was put through his paces against individuals from across the UK at a recent masters event.

Neil blew many of his competitors out of the water by finishing in a credible fourth place and the regional team also scooped the overall winners’ trophy.

Other members of the Thanet club who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the nationals included local teenagers Sophie Morgan, Lucy Pettit, Charlotte Charlesworth and Jodie Clay .

Ramsgate Albion Townswomens Guild

The group welcomed three new members and five visitors to its AGM on Monday, March 2, chaired by Pam Stead .

The entire committee and the two delegates who represent the guild all agreed to stand for another year.

Prue Anderton also gave an amusing and informative talk on her school days as a boarder at a Sussex convent.

The group will take part in a 'Kentish Day’ in Canterbury on Thursday, April 2, with an exhibit from each local guild depicting a place of interest in their area.

A number of outings are planned for the next few months, including a lunch at Quex Park, Birchington, in June.

Members next meet on Monday, April 6, in the club’s new venue at the St John Ambulance hall, Sussex Street, Ramsgate.

QEQM League of Friends

A full year of fundraising events was announced at the February meeting. Stress Management is the subject of the seminar at Pfizer Social Club at 7pm on Tuesday, April 21. Tickets cost £10 from 07790 517932

Thanet College restaurant is the venue for a gourmet dinner on Tuesday, April 28. This black tie event always sells out fast. Tickets are £30.

The League of Friends’ AGM is on Thursday, May 21 at 6pm in the Queens Centre for Clinical Studies at QEQMH when the essential business part of the meeting will be followed by refreshments and a presentation.

Thursday, June 11, is the date for the fashion show and supper at Margate Winter Gardens.

The summer fete and fun dog show is planned for Saturday 1 August in the maternity car park at QEQMH with the usual mixture of stalls and entertainment.

The popular 60s party night and disco is back on Saturday, October 17, with the band Edison Lighthouse centre stage at Pfizer Social Club.

For information about the League of Friends and its events, phone the answerphone on 01843 234507 or visit the website at www.leagueoffriendsqeqm.nhs.uk

Margate Central (Evening) Townswomen’s Guild

The chairman of the Guild started the evening by welcoming members of Grosvenor evening townswomen’s guild who have now amalgamated with us.

During the evening, tickets for pancake and coffee morning were on sale and a photo quiz took place. Nomination forms were handed to all members to be completed for nomination of officers and committee for another year.

A list of various events to take place in 2009 was given which includes a day’s outing in August. Janet Letley spoke of time spent with our twinned guild, Daventry Abbey, who celebrated their diamond anniversary last month.