As we all eagerly hope that 2016 will be “our year”, it is also a chance to look forward to the Community projects we have planned as a build-up to a celebratory outcome to the 2015/16 season.
Sat. 23.01.15 v Margate We are to play hosts to representatives from the Big Local communities from Dover, Ramsgate and Northfleet, as well, hopefully, as officials from the BIG Lottery Fund itself. Big Local is a long-term innovative programme that aims to achieve lasting change in 150 areas in England. It provides a mixture of funding, finance and support. It seeks to enable people who live in the areas to build on local talents and aspirations so they can identify and act on their own needs to make their areas even better places to live, both now and years to come. Local communities drive Big Local in their area. Northfleet, Dover and Ramsgate have all benefitted from BIG Lottery funding under the Big Local banner and this fixture represents a great opportunity to celebrate the achievements that the relevant local development workers and project leaders have achieved.
Jan/Feb/March 2016 We are in discussions with community partners, The Gr@nd to assist them with their ‘Run a mile with a smile’ initiative which will see a beginners’ running group get into shape for Sports Relief in March 2016. The Gr@nd will be running a free training programme for eight weeks starting on Monday, 25th January: whether you have never run a mile or you just need a bit of motivation. Sessions will take place from 10am–11:30am at Cygnet Leisure Centre, Old Perry Street, Northfleet DA11 8BU. The Fleet aim to offer a training session at Stonebridge Road during this period to add a little extra something to the group’s preparations.
Sat. 09.04.15 v Chelmsford City The Fleet’s Community Day will take place this year at the home game v Chelmsford City and the hope is that we will have plenty to celebrate by then. We aim to have a bigger and louder “street scene” for 2016 and break our previous Community Day attendance records for this event.
A final note from me is a personal farewell to Pete Norton. His smiling face and priceless one-liners will remain with me, not least, on presenting him with his 80th birthday gift from me of a model of Pete’s infamous “bubble car” (a BMW Isetta 250, pictured) and a BMW Isetta mug, to which he fondly remembered some great days out with young ladies of the parish, recounting “once they were
in, they were trapped”!
