South East Times ISSUE 66 | Page 33

Restored Margate’s Dreamland funfair to reopen A 1920s fun fair which closed in 2003 and fell into disrepair is to reopen after an £18m restoration. Dreamland theme park in Margate home to a Grade II* listed wooden Scenic Railway roller coaster - was restored after an arson attack in 2008. The funfair, once home to Europe’s largest big wheel, was bought by Thanet council through a compulsory purchase order in 2013. Tickets have gone on sale and the park is due to reopen on 19 June. Dreamland was one of the country’s oldest amusement parks. At one time, the 16-acre site held a zoo and miniature railway, a cinema, cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and a 2,000-capacity ballroom. Vintage fairground Work on the restoration of the Grade II* Family Matters Issue 66. South East Times. Page 17 listed Scenic Railway ride began in September to replace all the wooden parts. Most of the funding was granted by the Department for Culture Media and Sport’s Sea Change programme, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Thanet District council. Vintage fairground rides from around the UK have been restored and recreated for the new fun park, which will be run by the Dreamland Trust. Classic sideshows, vintage cafes, restaurants and gardens have also been installed at the site. BIRTH VISION and Pregnancy Dance workshops Dance is one of those things that Dance workshops in the South East since 2006. many of us love to do but which we might not prioritise regularly For more information about her in our lives because other things may just inevitably come first. In Birth Vision Courses, Pregnancy Dance sessions and 1-to-1 birthpregnancy though, it is essential to set aside time for relaxation and preparation support, visit www. to prepare the mind and body for rigaforbes.co.uk or contact her on 07748 765 949 birth, and the “feel-good factor” we can experience through dance makes it a great tool to do this. Through listening and gently moving to music we have an opportunity to engage with our physical awareness and our feelings, letting go of stress, tension and worry in the process. This can support our general wellbeing throughout pregnancy and also help us to get into a good space for labour itself. If you love to dance or you find that music relaxes you then why not take this into your pregnancy as you journey towards giving birth and beyond? Riga Forbes is a doula and mother of two and she has been facilitating BIRTH VISION and Pregnancy