Whilst the gates to our favourite attractions across the county remain closed for now, there’s a hive of (socially-distant) activity taking place behind closed doors to ensure that Kent’s destinations are safe and ready to re-open when the time is right. So, stick with us as we take you on a super exclusive trip behind the scenes in the Garden of England, and say a special thanks to some more of our hidden heroes…
Chiddingstone Castle Virtual Literary Festival
Calling all bookworms! When our brilliant friends over at Chiddingstone Castle were forced to cancel this year’s Literary Festival, they felt compelled to find a way of bringing some of the superb events from this year’s planned line up to their loyal audience. With the help of some technically minded friends, willing publicists and big-hearted authors, they created their first ever virtual literary festival podcast series, chock-full of conversations with a whole host of fascinating guest speakers.
Grab those headphones...
Leeds Castle
Maintaining the title of ‘loveliest castle in the world’ is a pretty tall order, and one the team at Leeds Castle take a lot of pride in preserving. The Grounds Team, responsible for ensuring that the 500 acre estate remains world-class, have been sharing some insight into their experiences and memories of working in the castle’s grounds and gardens, including how their roles have adapted over recent weeks. Thanks for all you continue to do Martin, James and Mark!
Grateful to the Grounds Team...
Brogdale Collections
There have been some very busy bees going about their day-to-day business over at Faversham’s Brogdale Collections this spring. With acres of orchards, Brogdale relies heavily on pollinators. So, to help ensure the trees are getting as much help as possible, they recently welcomed two new colonies of ‘Buckfast Abbey’ bees. Brogdale’s bee specialist Michael White was responsible for installing them into their new homes, with each box containing five frames, thousands of worker bees, a queen and a brood, combining to make a viable colony.
Un-bee-lievable!
Paul Dunton and Guests, Tunbridge Wells
Tunbridge Wells has its very own answer to ‘the music man’, in the form of well-known musician and business owner Paul Dunton. Throughout lockdown Paul has been bringing a host of musicians into the homes of his followers, as part of his ‘Paul Dunton and Guests’ live stream initiative. Check out Paul’s Facebook page for a schedule of upcoming guests, grab your family, and enjoy an evening of live music entertainment in your front room.
Now, that’s quite literally music to our ears…
Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve
There’s nothing like a baby animal story to bring a big smile to our face, and our friends at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve have us positively grinning with the news of their latest addition. The Reserve were delighted to welcome the birth of a baby male drill monkey in April, born to Mum Khari and Dad Nebosja. Despite Port Lympne’s current closure, the keepers and vets are working incredibly hard to continue to deliver an excellent level of care to all their animals, with some keepers even living on site!
Monkey business...
Stonelees Golf Centre
Hands up if you’re missing seeing your favourite co-worker everyday? Now, double hands up if you wish Theo the Rhodesian Ridgeback (pictured left) was your co-worker? Unfortunately for us it looks as though Theo has already found his life calling; as one of the greenkeepers ensuring that the courses at Stonelees Golf Centre in Ramsgate are maintained to the highest quality, ready for when it's safe for golfers to return to the centre once more.
Theo, looks like you’re doing a paw-fect job!
The Historic Dockyard, Chatham
One of our favourite Kent haunts - the Historic Dockyard, Chatham - is extending a huge thank you to their wonderful Estate Team, who have been doing a fantastic job whilst the Dockyard remains closed to visitors. From lighting up the site’s historic buildings blue every Thursday as a sign of gratitude to our NHS and looking after the extensive commercial and residential estate, to ensuring that wildlife across the Dockyard is thriving, the dedicated work of these valued team members is certainly not going unnoticed.
What a terrific team!
Gusbourne
During this extraordinary time, days seem to contain more pauses for thought than before. Our friends at Gusbourne have been thinking about how they can support partners and enhance time spent at home. The result is an initiative they're calling Time Well Spent. Posting tips from master sommelier Laura Rhys, perfect takeaway pairings, inspiring recipes, and much more. Plus, they’re providing insider knowledge on how Gusbourne take time to perfect their wines, so you can enjoy them at their best, always. Join them in making Time Well Spent an enriching experience during these unexpected days!
