Here is a round-up of the March 2026 Alkham Village Newsletter edited by Brian Wimsett brianwimsett@hotmail.com
NEWS – Anaerobic Digestion Plant Plans – Near Capel-Le-Ferne
GREAT CAULDHAM FARM has reportedly applied to build an anaerobic digestion plant near Capel-le-Ferne. The facility would convert food and agricultural waste into renewable energy and fertilizer.
Key Project Details
- Location: South of Alkham, adjacent to Capel Street.
- Traffic Impact: Estimated 37 daily two-way lorry trips, rising to 157 during harvest.
- Access: Via a private road off the Alkham Valley Road (near the A20 overbridge).
- Traffic Flow: Non-local traffic is expected from Folkestone, while local traffic will split 50/50 east and west.
Local Response
- Capel Parish Council: No objection.
- Alkham Parish Council & Alkham Valley Society: Objecting. Concerns include industrialization of a rural landscape and the impact of HGV traffic on safety, noise, and air quality.
How to Comment
Submit feedback via the Dover District Council planning portal 19/12/25 reference 25/01246.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
You Are Not Alone
If you find that you cannot control your drinking, or if life feels unmanageable without it, help is available.
AA Helplines: 01227 455557 | 0800 9177650
Local Meeting: Alkham Village Hall Every Tuesday, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM (Doors open 7:00 PM)
COFFEE MORNING at Halton Court (Irene and Den’s) on Saturday the 25th of April from 10 – 12.30 for the Village Hall refurbishment fund. There will be a generous raffle with tickets at £5 per strip and a Bring and Buy table, so any suitable donation for this is welcome, and a Cake stall – please can you lovely bakers donate a cake or two for me? Coffee or tea with cake will be £4.50 with a second cuppa free! We hope to see you then. Irene Barnard 07789 412432
SUMMER BALL – The inaugural Alkham 21st century Mid-Summer Ball will take place on Saturday the 20th of June 2026 in the village hall, arrival by 19:00 for dinner at 19:30. This will be a glitzy, black tie and sparkly frock evening. You will be welcomed with a glass of fizz, which will be followed by a sumptuous four-course meal. After dinner you will be dancing to the fabulous ‘Pzazz’. There will be a licensed bar serving beer and wine. Tickets priced at £35 per head, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Graham on 07789 690756 or graham.bissett@talk21.com to reserve your place. All tickets to be paid for at the time of booking.
TEA n’ CHAT which was on the last Thursday of the month will now have a combined Coffee Session with Keep Fit on the last Tuesday of the month from 11 am and the next meeting will be on the 24th of February. Janet Adamson
KEARSNEY BOWLING CLUB – Your local Lawn Bowls club is inviting all local residents, ladies, men and juniors, to come and have a try. Former bowlers are also welcome to join us.
We compete in many friendly matches through the season, as well as club competitions, Dover League games and County and National competitions. Anyone wishing to try the game is welcome to join us on our Open Day on May 4th from 2pm. Members and coaches will be available for demonstration and advice. Club membership for new members is just £20 for the first year, entitling members to make use of the facilities through the bowling season and through the winter months when we have regular social evenings and several Sunday lunches. For more information, please contact the Secretary, Roger Cook on 07986 576750 or email: kbcsecretary@uwclub.net or visit our website: kearsney.bowlsclub.net. Roger Cook Hon Sec
NEW YEAR NEW HOBBY? Join Dover flower club to learn about flowers and floral art! We meet on the fourth Monday of the month at 7.15pm at Whitfield Village Hall, Manley Close CT16 3LY.
We arrange a programme of flower arranging demonstrations, workshops to develop flower arranging skills, talks and visits, all centered around our love of flowers and floral art. We kick start the year with a club competition and this gives our members an opportunity to enter flower arranging designs based on a pre-determined theme. On February 23rd we have a flower arranging demonstration by Trudie Easton. On the 23rd of March the Chair of our club will arrange a workshop to help us to learn new flower arranging techniques.
If you are interested, please come along to one of our monthly events. We love welcoming new members, and visitors are always welcome to attend any of our meetings. Free refreshments are available. For more information call Mig Kimpton 07831 838851 or mig@migkimpton.com
BRENDA TRUNDELL lived in South Alkham and died on the 15th of January this year aged 95. Her maiden name was Prescott who were an Alkham Yeoman family whose name goes back to the early 19th century. Brenda Prescott was born on the 5th of March 1930 at Chart House in South Alkham and was the daughter of Edward Prescott who owned South Alkham Farm until 1984. She was twice married and lived in Dover until her first husband died, when she moved back to a new bungalow in Meggett Lane in the 1960’s. She was an indomitable lady and a keen gardener and countrywoman and will be missed by all who knew her and the service will be at Barham Crematorium on Friday 20th February at 3.00p.m.
ALKHAM – In the recent past the parish of Alkham was a farming community with over 20 farms of various sizes and the now charming residence called The Hermitage on Slip Lane had 1 1⁄2 acres. Further down Slip Lane on the west side there were Norton and Halton Farms. In WWII Norton farm was requisitioned by the army as an observation post in case of invasion and suffered damage from occupation and machine gun fire and was subsequently demolished (see photo). In 1958 the owner of Norton Farm got planning permission to build 5 properties and the land portions were then sold resulting in a mixture of houses and an old cowshed was converted into two bungalows plus two more houses were built on farmland adjacent to Halton Farm which is now a Grade II listed building called Halton court. The land which belonged to Malmains Farm is still there but cultivated by an adjacent farmer and Hogbrook Farm was bought in the 1990’s which resulted in Newlyns Meadow and the Equestrian Centre being built and currently further houses on Short Lane. A lot of people worked on the farms but others elsewhere and up to the 1960’s buses queued by Hogbrook Lane to take people to work. It was a different era then with the Marquis of Granby, Carpenter’s Arms and the Newcastle at the Minnis packed on a Friday night with darts teams and clouds of smoke and ‘time gentlemen please’ by 11pm. Brian Wimsett
VILLAGE – In the details regarding Great Cauldham Farm it said that the HGVs would not be going through villages, but they will have to go through Alkham, so it appears that we are now not regarded as a village probably because of the traffic. Unrelated, the police recently blocked Slip Lane for some hours as an enormous HGV was extricated by recovery vehicles further up the lane.
STREETZ2STREETZ whose mobile fish and chip unit came to Alkham on a regular basis have made an extremely difficult decision and are selling their business. They also supported the local community, helped the homeless and gave general support for 11 years and thank everyone for the loyalty, kindness, and encouragement given to them and the memories and beautiful friendships will always remain. Jackie and Jane
W.I. -The Alkham W.I. still exists but it has amalgamated with Capel W.I. which is now called Capel-le-Ferne with Alkham W.I. with the meetings being held at Capel-le-Ferne. It is a great organisation and they will be helping again at the fete so if you would like to join or have further details, please contact Debbie Griggs on 07796360473 or griggs.debbie@googlemail.com.
Alkham Village Newsletter edited by Brian Wimsett brianwimsett@hotmail.com