Community News - August/September 22
Community News From Around Our Area
What’s Happening at Kenilworth Town Council?
It’s been a fabulously successful early summer for Kenilworth Town Council with a full calendar of events, starting on 24th May with the unveiling of the Covid Memorial – a living wisteria sculpture - by Town Mayor Cllr Samantha Louden-Cooke and Warwick District Council (WDC) Leader Sydney Syson; a beautiful design by Jon Holmes of WDC Green Spaces. Cllrs James Kennedy, Pippa Austin and Tracey Drew also worked with Jon to create a new wildflower garden outside Jubilee House.
Naturewatch in the May half term week provided free events for local children including the popular Stream Dipping in the Castle Meadow where 30 children joined expert Dr Kate Carpenter with Cllrs Alix and John Dearing and other volunteers to discover mini beasties of the shallows in Finham Brook.
The Platinum Jubilee Street Party took place in a bunting and table-filled Warwick Road on a beautiful sunny June day (the storm held off until 4pm on the dot as the event finished). Over 1000 attendees enjoyed the music and community spirit while supporting local food, drink and retail businesses and was much praised by all, with many requests for an annual repeat! Deputy Mayor Cllr Pippa Austin and MP Jeremy Wright opened the event at the Talisman Square Market. The Town Council stall was ably staffed by ten Councillors throughout the day who engaged with the public to promote our activities, including Bee Friendly Kenilworth (Chair Fern Arnold) who have just been awarded national Bee Friendly status, one of only six places in the country. In addition, Cllrs Andrew Milton and Rob Barry collected views on the planned Cycle route over the railway near St John’s Church. On 11th June the Climate Roadmap Group set up at the Lions Show in Abbey Fields, and this was equally successful despite the wind!
Events for July included the Kenilworth Carnival (partly supported by the Town Council), and the flags for the Commonwealth Games continue to fly in the High Street and Warwick Road for the Queen’s Baton Relay which took place on 22nd July. Cllr John Dearing and members of our community represented Kenilworth by walking or running through the route.
The Town Council continues to support Compassionate Kenilworth in its bid to make life easier for the refugees living at the Riverside Hotel. Suggestions for street naming in the new housing estates have been provided by Cllrs Alix Dearing, Kate Dickson, Alison Firth and Alan Chalmers, supported by the historical knowledge of Robin Leach.
Finally, the Working Groups continue to push forward our new Town Signage and the Wayfinding project, and the new Visit Kenilworth website is up and running with a range of places to go and itineraries to get the most out of our lovely venues and green spaces.
All Councillors are ready to hear comments and concerns. Please contact us via our new website www.kenilworthweb.co.uk, and the new online Castle Passes can also be applied for here.
