16 September 2019

A lot has been happening recently in Hythe – the Venetian Fete, Hythe Life Food Festival, the Mayor’s Boot Fair, and Brockhill’s Prize-Giving to mention but a few. And I’m very glad to be able to write that all of them passed off with amazing success.

The Venetian Fete was a triumph of good organisation and good weather this year. The Committee, Volunteers and Participants really did Hythe proud.  Imagine coming to Hythe for this, having lunch in town at one of our restaurants – then taking a trip on the RHDR railway – back for tea and a stroll along the beach – then a spectacular show on the canal with fireworks and a picnic… You would go home deeply impressed at what a marvellous place Hythe is. You would tell all your friends…

Certainly, my guests from the Cinque Ports and from Poperinge in Belgium received the best possible impression of Hythe as a beautiful, friendly, vibrant and well-organised place – and ultimately this really matters because our reputation is what brings the best teachers, doctors, artists, visitors and businesses to Hythe, from which we all benefit.

After that, hard to follow as it was, Hythe Life Food Festival, rated in the Top Ten for the whole country, brought great food from all around the World to the Green for 3 days, along with music, crafts and yet more sunshine.  Large numbers of people attended from near and far, looking from the Green out to West Hythe and Lympne, and up to St Leonard’s and Saltwood… absolutely beautiful and charming, and all with a happy, relaxed atmosphere.

As regards the Mayor’s Boot Fair, also on the Green, I’d just like to say thank you to everyone who came, the stallholders and the volunteers.  It went extremely well with both sellers & buyers very satisfied – and we raised £800 for the Hythe Green Preservation Society which is improving the wooded margins of the Green and planting wildflowers in collaboration with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.

Finally, the Prize-Giving evening at Brockhill School was by far the best event of its kind I’ve ever attended. We were summoned by real trumpets played by the students; Emily Wrigley gave a performance of Handel’s Eternal Source of Light Divine that was just stunningly good – a really clear, big, pure voice, well-trained and very accurate and expressive.  This was followed by Dance, Choral Music and Drama – all excellent – and video presentations on school trips and the School Farm, showing the many sides to the school.

I have concluded from my own observations this year that Brockhill is now an excellent school with high quality teaching and a very positive learning ethos. I discovered, however, that this secret is now well and truly out – parents are very keen to get their children into Brockhill which is achieving the best academic results of any non-selective school in the region. What struck me, in particular, was how calm and confident the Head Teacher, Mrs Schwartz, seemed on such a big day. She clearly knew that everything was in place and completely trusted her staff and pupils. And she was right – the whole complex event involving lights, sound, performances, video, speeches, & hospitality ran like Swiss clockwork. Amazing but true.

Anyway, I could go on about the wonders of Hythe but this is a blog and not a saga so I’ll hold off now till the next thrilling instalment.