Friends AGM

Our AGM is Wednesday 31st at 7:00pm in the Royal Wells. There will be the annual report from the outgoing chairman, financial report and election of a new chairman and three members of the committee in rotation.
After this Steve Budden, the Commons Warden, will give his annual slide show and talk about work carried out on the Commons during 2009/10 which as always will be utterly fascinating.
We would love more members to come along. We would also love other people interested in the work of the Friends also to come along.

See you there!

New Panorama Plaque on Mount Ephraim

Friday 25 September marked the unveiling of a new monument in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

The steel engraved plaque mounted on local sandstone offers a panoramic map of Tunbridge Wells’s landmarks. It stands on the common opposite The Royal Wells Inn and offers beautiful views over the town.

The Panorama plaque celebrates the centenary of Tunbridge Wells being granted the Royal prefix by King Edward VII in 1909. Designed and erected by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society with help from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, it has now been presented to the town.

Mr Alastair Tod, Chairman of The Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society said:
“We are delighted to have been able to mark this 100 Year anniversary for the enduring benefit of residents and visitors. The Panorama monument will become a landmark”.

Councillor Elizabeth Thomas, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development says:
“The creation of a landmark like the Panorama monument serves to protect our heritage for the benefit of future generations. This landmark also shows what can be achieved through partnership between the council and local organisations”.

The plaque which was designed by local artist, Bryan Senior, reads:

A Panoramic View of Royal Tunbridge Wells
Commemorating the centenary of the granting by King Edward VII in 1909 of the prefix ‘Royal’ to the name of the town.
Unveiled by the VI Marquess of Abergavenny in 2009.
The site was made available by the Lord of the Manor of Rusthall and the Conservators of Tunbridge Wells & Rusthall Commons.
The construction was organised by The Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society.
Funds were provided by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Targetfollow Group Ltd, AXA PPP healthcare, the Friends of Royal Tunbridge Wells & Rusthall Commons, the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society.

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday, 25th March at 6.30pm.

The Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 25th March in Committee Rooms A and B in the Town Hall at 6.30pm. The order of business is to hear the Chairman’s annual report, the treasurer’s report, membership secretary’s report and most importantly – to elect a new committee for 2009/10 as three members are standing down.

Meet Some Friends?

Want to meet some of the Friends of the Commons, then come join us for a walk starting from the Millennium Clock in Fiveways at 12.30 on the 8th of April. The Commons Warden, Steve, will take us on a great journey across the Commons for about an hour and there will lots to learn I’m sure. There is more information on the series of walks here.
If you can’t make it then you can still meet some Friends online at our Facebook Group and organise your own walks.

Crisis on the Committee

Three members of the Friends committee are standing down. Jennifer Blackburn, Mark Dennison and Julia Woodgate so we have three vacancies.
We have a crisis on the committee – it will be very difficult to continue the Friends unless people come forward to fill these essential posts!
Please consider volunteering between now and March 25th. Meetings are held quarterly on a Sunday evening at the Spa Hotel courtesy of the management who are one of our corporate sponsors. They last about one hour or so. The finances are not complicated and are well set up on a spreadsheet. Mark Dennison would give advice to the person who takes over. The secretary’s role is to take the minutes of the meetings and send them out to committee members, undertake any correspondence between meetings and liaise with the chairman over social events. The chairman’s role is to see that it all happens! To liaise with the Commons Warden and the Commons Conservators etc. to encourage publicity and member activities in the Friends role of supporting the Commons.
I appeal to you all, particularly younger members, to come forward so that the Friends can continue. If not, we shall have to consider seriously whether we should wind the society up and decide what to do with the remaining funds. This would be a great shame!
Please contact me on 01892 546520 or by email on jennblackb@googlemail.com.