insideKENT Magazine Issue 93 - December 2019 | Page 173

NEWS
BLUEWATER ANNOUNCES
FESTIVE ACTIVITIES
Bluewater has announced its host of inspiring and exciting
festive activities for all the family to enjoy this Christmas. As
well as the return of the magical Santa’s Grotto and a new,
covered, outdoor ice rink, Bluewater also welcomes back its
Selfie Factory and the popular Giving Tree. The Giving
Tree, on the upper mall outside M&S, offers visitors the
chance to donate a gift to local disadvantaged children and
spread some Christmas spirit. Guests can visit the giant tree
to grab a tag with a child’s name and age, and then head
back with a chosen gift, to make a child’s Christmas Magical.
To make shopping easier, Bluewater offers free car parking
all day, every day, and from Black Friday (29th November)
guests will have more time to get their Christmas shopping
finished with extended opening hours of 9am – 10pm Monday
– Saturday, and until 11pm from 16th to 23rd December.
NEPTUNE CANTERBURY’S INAUGURAL CHRISTMAS MARKET
RAISES £1500 FOR SANDS
Neptune Canterbury, based at The Oast, on
Wincheap, kicked off the festive season with the
perfect combination of sunshine and sparkle on
Saturday 16th November. The kitchen and interiors
company transformed their home-from-home
showroom into a beautiful Christmas market, with
11 Kent-based makers, producers and craftspeople
creating pop-up shops in different rooms and areas
of the renovated oast house.
Alex Hollywood cut the ribbon to open the one-day
event, which featured local foodie favourites
Macknade, Simply Chocolate Whitstable, Oscar &
Bentleys and Marshmallow Heaven. Visitors were
also treated to an early taste of Christmas turkey,
cooked on a Big Green Egg by Macknade’s resident
butcher and chef; and enjoyed a complimentary
wine tasting from Chartham Vineyard, whose
sparkling Rose de Noir was a huge hit, and will no
doubt feature at many dining tables across the county
this Christmas!
Guests also used the market to commence their
Christmas shopping in earnest, discovering unique
offerings from Lime Tree London, Romney Marsh
Wools, Annie Designs, Nancy & Betty Studio and
calligrapher and artist Graham Boniface. Each of
the stall holders donated one of their handmade
products to a charity prize draw which raised an
incredible £1550 for Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal
death charity.
The Christmas market was the first of many festive
events and workshops that Neptune Canterbury are
holding throughout December.
RYA AWARD AND ROYAL APPOINTMENT FOR
SEVENOAKS SAILOR
A Sevenoaks sailor has been presented with one of the
Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) most prestigious
awards by HRH the Princess Royal, President of the RYA,
in recognition of his commitment to the British Schools
Dinghy Racing Association.
Bruce Hebbert was nominated for a Lifetime
Commitment Award by the association and selected as a
winner by the RYA Honours and Awards Panel.
The RYA is boating’s national governing body and the
Volunteer Awards are considered the ‘MBEs' of the sport,
honouring people throughout the UK for their outstanding
contributions across all the disciplines the RYA represents,
including sailing, windsurfing, motor cruising, inland
waterways and personal watercraft.
Bruce was one of the founding teachers of the
British Schools Dinghy Racing Association 30
years ago, and a driving force behind UK
team racing, providing consistent support to
schools and universities in organising and
running their events. His work greatly
contributed to the modern form of team racing,
umpiring and the Call Book.
The Association comments: “The impact that
Bruce has had on the sport over the decades
is immeasurable. From coaching to umpiring
to advice and support, there are few sailors of
any level, background or skillset who have not,
in one way or another, been influenced by his
involvement.”
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