🗑️ Wombling free with Folkestone's litter-picking heroes
This week we hit the streets with the Folkestone Wombles, who are on a mission to tidy up the town. We also look ahead to the KCC elections, plus there's news in brief and what's on this week...
Folkestone Wombles: 'There's an innate feeling of pride in doing something for someone else'
Check out any list of the happiest countries in the world, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to find the likes of Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden jostling for the places at the very top of the table. So it is perhaps unsurprising that we often look out across the North Sea for ideas on how to bring a little bit of their happiness know-how into our own lives.
The concept of hygge, a word in both Norwegian and Danish that evokes a cozy and contented mood, has been a big hit worldwide in recent years. In fact, in 2016 the Collins Dictionary even named it among its top 10 words of the year. But now there could be a new challenger in the contentment stakes: the Norwegian term dugnadsånd, which in English translates roughly as ‘community spirit’ or ‘volunteer spirit’.
Writing in Stylist, ‘CEO of happiness’ Meik Wiking—founder of the Happiness Research Institute—describes it as “the collective willingness of people to come together in the context of community projects—emphasising cooperation and selflessness”.
And while we may be some way off the point at which dugnadsånd is popularised to the extent it becomes a word of the year, here in Folkestone there are plenty of people who are embracing its spirit—even if they may never have heard of the term, let alone have any idea how to pronounce it.
Among them is Thomas Aspinall, the 30-year-old coordinator of the Folkestone Wombles, a grassroots initiative getting people together to tidy up the town with monthly litter-picking sessions.
Embracing the spirit of the much-loved children’s TV characters—who famously collect the “things that the everyday folks leave behind”—the Folkestone Wombles are on a mission to scour our streets for discarded rubbish.
Last Saturday the Folkestone Dispatch hit the streets with Thomas and his volunteer litter-pickers to find out why they are more than happy to give a couple of hours of their weekend to help make the town a little cleaner.
“The idea really is to get people out into their community to feel like they can be part of improving it, helping out their neighbours, and getting the well-being benefits,” Thomas explained as we waited for his gang of Wombles to arrive at their meeting point outside the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue.
“For me personally it has helped improve my mental health, just feeling a bit more a part of the place where I live, which I think is really important. I think that the Womble attitude is spreading to others and it's quite infectious. So it's quite nice to see that it's grown.”
Thomas launched the Folkestone Wombles late last year after being inspired by The Wombles Community, a charity that helps people organise litter picking in their communities. Now he leads a monthly get-together which sees volunteers of all ages give their time to clean up the town centre and The Leas.
At 10am the volunteers start to arrive, some regulars and some first-timers, but all keen to lend a hand. After a quick safety briefing they are equipped with hi-viz vests and litter-pickers before dispersing out across the town centre.
Thomas says that he is particularly proud of the way a younger generation has got involved. “We get a lot of young kids who come along and they don't really have that touchstone of the Wombles that maybe people of our age may remember, but I think that message about the small folk looking out for each other, looking out for the environment and caring about the place that you live is retained today. I think that's why the Folkestone Wombles has taken off as it has.”
Among the 20 or so Wombles who have joined Thomas for the April clean-up are Terry Sharp and Vicky Coltart, who regularly come along with their five-year-old son Rab.
Decked out in a bucket hat and a hi-viz vest that says ‘litter hero’, young Rab explained what the morning’s Wombling is all about.
“I am litter picking because it stops pollution,” he said. “We find cigarettes, paper, cans and bottles. People shouldn’t drop litter, they should put it in the bin. Other people should come and help too.”
Mum Vicky said: “It's nice to keep the town tidy and it's good to do something for the community. It gets you out in the fresh air and is something to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning at the end of the month.
“It's really nice that we're teaching the younger generation to look after the town and the planet. We find that when we're out and about walking, we'll be like, ‘right, when we're Wombling we'll have to come here’. We scout out places that might be good, and we've actually got our own litter picker so sometimes in the afternoons if we've got nothing else to do we'll go out for a walk with a bin bag and our litter picker and just try and help the area near our house as well as in town.
“It gets you out in the fresh air, it gives you a little bit of exercise, and you're helping the town look better.”
Thomas, who works for the district council in the communications department, has seen a hugely positive reaction to the Wombles, with people who see them out and about often thanking them for their efforts in tidying up as they go up and down the streets of the town centre. And he says that those who take part find the experience really rewarding.
“I think with any sort of volunteering there's an innate feeling of pride, doing something for someone else, and that is quite infectious,” he said.
“For people to come out on a Saturday or Sunday morning, first thing in the morning, to go out and pick litter for two hours sets you up for the weekend quite nicely. We get a lot of young kids coming along, so you’re sort of building in that behaviour early on about looking after the environment, pointing out things, knowing that we shouldn't drop litter.
“I think parents have found that their kids have learnt a lot, and some of the kids who come along tell their teachers and other students at school and they come along with their friends, which has been really nice.
“It's just quite a positive setting and I think people are looking for that at the moment, somewhere just to spend time with people and feel like they're doing something good. We're a group among so many other volunteering efforts and groups within Folkestone that do so many good things in their own time, I think people just want to be part of that.”
For more information about future litter-picks, follow Folkestone Wombles on Instagram.
Kent goes to the polls for county council elections
Voters will go to the polls tomorrow, May 1, for the last ever elections to Kent County Council, ahead of a planned shake-up of the county’s local authorities as part of the Labour government’s programme for local government reform. There are six seats up for grabs in the Folkestone & Hythe District Council area. If you are heading out to cast your ballot, remember that you will need a form of photo ID. You can find out more about requirements for voter ID on the Electoral Commission website here.
In the run up to polling day KentOnline local democracy reporter Simon Finlay has picked out 12 seats across the county to watch as the results come in, including Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East. Here’s what he had to say about that race:
“Conservative Rory Love scraped in by 21 votes in 2021 and despite having a high profile role in cabinet for education, the presence of Reform UK could see the Liberal Democrat Tim Prater take his seat at County Hall.”
The full list of candidates standing in Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East is:
Gary Burton (Reform UK)
Alex Davies (Labour Party)
Momtaz Khanom (The Green Party)
Rory Love (The Conservative Party)
Tim Prater (Liberal Democrats)
Former Kent Messenger Group political editor Paul Francis, who is now covering politics in the county on Substack, has shared his thoughts on tomorrow’s poll. Here’s his take on the race:
“The poll on May the 1st is shaping up to be one of the tightest contests in the history of the county, with a record number of candidates standing in the hope of representing the 81 divisions in the county. There’s a lot at stake in the Garden of England, but for the first time in several decades it seems that the Conservatives are in real danger of losing control in an area long-regarded as true-blue Tory heartland.”
Ed Jennings at Kent Current has also taken a look at the state of the campaign.
News in brief
👮 A woman in her 80s was happily reunited with sentimental family photographs and other personal belongings less than 24 hours after her handbag was stolen in the town centre. It is believed the bag had been taken from the back of the victim’s chair while she had a conversation with a relative. The bag contained cash, credit cards, personal items, and irreplaceable family photographs. Police recovered the bag from a bin, where it had been discarded after £90 in cash was stolen, and the remaining contents were returned to the woman. A man in his 40s was arrested and charged on suspicion of theft. He has since appeared at Folkestone Magistrates' Court and has been released on bail ahead of a further court appearance due on May 23.
📚 Cheriton Primary School has been found to be ‘good’ across all areas following an inspection by Ofsted in March. In a report published this week, the schools watchdog described the Church Road school—which has around 400 pupils—as a “friendly” setting which is “ambitious for pupils”. You can read the latest report in full here.
🍸 A new “queer and inclusive” cafe and bar is set to officially open in Folkestone this weekend. The Coterie, which occupies the former home of Anna’s in Cheriton Place, will offer light lunches, evening small plates and a range of drinks. The team behind the new venue said: “The Coterie is more than just a cafe and bar, it’s a home for queer joy, community and celebrations. We are a relaxing space where everyone is honoured, connections are made and authenticity thrives. Our four pillars are authentic hospitality, honesty, kindness and radical inclusivity.” A launch party is happening on Friday, May 2, from 7-9pm with a meet-and-greet with Folkestone drag performer Dita Garbo.
💊 Taylors Pharmacy in Cheriton Road is closing, with services being merged with Paydens Pharmacy in Cheriton High Street from May 19. Those who collect regular repeat prescriptions from Taylors should find their medicines are automatically redirected to Paydens. Any enquires should be directed to the pharmacy in the first instance, rather than to your GP surgery.
🏅 A ceremonial gold badge worn by the Mayor of Folkestone will have to be repaired at the cost of more than £1,600 after it “fell onto the ground” and broke, KentOnline reports. Insurance for the item means the town council will only be left with a £100 bill for the repairs.
🏃♂️ A number of Folkestone runners took part in the London Marathon on Sunday, April 27, including Ray Johnson, who completed the 26.2-mile course for the 25th time. Thanks to his efforts over the years, Ray has now raised more than £150,000 for the Kent Association for the Blind, of which he is an ambassador.
The 61-year-old said: “The conditions were perfect but hot and as always, with over 50,000 other runners joining, there was a truly great atmosphere.” You can donate to Ray’s fundraiser for KAB here.
⚽ Folkestone Invicta brought the curtain down on their 2024/25 season with a win away at Cray Valley PM on Saturday, April 26. The Stripes got off to a dream start when Dan Smith bagged the opener after just four minutes. Invicta doubled their lead with a second-half strike from Matthias Fanimo, but there were a few nerves at the death when the hosts pulled one back in injury time. However Folkestone held on for a 2-1 win in front of a crowd of 331 at the Artic Stadium.
🎟️ Invicta have announced admission prices for 2025/26, with season tickets for all the action at the Alcaline Stadium now on sale. ‘Early bird’ prices will be available until May 30, after which supporters will need to pay full price for the Isthmian League Premier Division season. You can find out more about season tickets and next season’s gate prices here.
🎨 Creative Folkestone is seeking views about its programme for families. A spokesman said: “Our family programme aims to give families the chance to get creative in lots of different ways, and we want to make it the best it can be. Whether you’ve joined us recently or some time ago, your thoughts are important.” You can complete the survey here.
What’s on this week
🎵 Folkestone Music Town’s Music in May festival—which we wrote about in last week’s Dispatch—kicks off this week. It’s a packed calendar of musical performances and workshops, far too many to list in full here, so you can check out everything that’s happening across the town here. The celebrations are kicked off formally with an opening party at the Quarterhouse on Sunday, May 4. It’s a ticketed event, and you can get yours here.
🎭 The folks at Folkestone Improv Theatre are promising two hours of hilarious improv comedy tonight, April 30, downstairs at Market Square. The monthly ‘improv jam’ sees pros and students create spontaneous scenes right before your eyes. It all kicks off at 7.30pm and you can get your tickets here.
🎤 Shaun Williamson—aka Barry from EastEnders—is bringing the ultimate karaoke party to the Quarterhouse on Saturday, May 3. With Shaun at the helm, the Barrioke experience promises “electrifying singalongs, live performances and unforgettable audience moments”. Tickets for the show—£23 in advance and £28 on the door—can be booked on the Creative Folkestone website here.
🎞️ Classic 80s movie Dirty Dancing will be showing at the Harbour Arm on Friday, May 2, as part of this year’s free summer cinema programme. The 7pm screening is completely free to attend, you don’t need a ticket, and spaces are available on a first come, first served basis. You can find out more about this and other upcoming events at the Harbour Arm here.
🦴 Children can make their own moving skeleton puppet at a family Make It! craft session at Folkestone Museum on Saturday, May 3. The workshop is suitable for youngsters aged 5 to 12 years old, but younger children can take part with parental help. Sessions run from 10.30am-12.45pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm.
🪦 Tours of Shorncliffe Military Cemetery are taking place as part of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s annual War Graves Week. The tours—on Sunday, May 4, and Sunday, May 11—will give people the chance to discover the stories of the men and women who died in the First and Second World Wars who are buried here in Folkestone. You can find out more about the tours here.
📖 The Folkestone Bookshop will be hosting its regular Storytime session tomorrow, May 1, at 11.30am. Bookseller Erin will be reading several stories perfect for little ones. The tales will be best suited for children up to five years old, but everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be available for both kids and adults and there is no need to book in advance, just turn up and enjoy the stories.
Thank you to our founding members
A very special thank you to the following founding members, who have made contributions above and beyond the standard monthly or annual subscription, for giving their backing to the Folkestone Dispatch:
Tina Keller
Jeanette Hoggatt
Maxim PR
Chris Williams
Dan Cork
Ray Johnson
Jon O'Connor
If you are in a position to contribute as a paid subscriber, thank you! By doing so you will help support a new voice in Folkestone and make it possible to expand the Folkestone Dispatch in future. Ultimately this newsletter’s long term success or failure is entirely in the hands of its readers.
That’s all from me this week. I hope that you have a chance to get outside and enjoy this mini-heatwave we’re having this week, personally I think Folkestone is even more wonderful when the sun is shining. As ever, please do get in touch with any feedback, and if you have a story or an event you think I should know about then do let me know.
Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.
All the best, Rhys
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In case you missed it…
🎙️ 'Live music venues are struggling and we want to help keep them open'
Folkestone Music Town: 'Live music venues are struggling and we want to help keep them open'
We’ll done Wombles. You all look very smart in your hi viz
Love this Rhys. The whole newsletter is well written and informative. I look forward to the next one. Well in the Wombles!