Today is Christmas Eve Eve and as we look forward to Christmas Day in Medway I’ve been looking back at the year that was 2011. What a year it’s been! Looking back at some of my columns from the year back in the summer we were cheering on Sinatra sound-alike Robbie Firmin in Britain’s Got Talent, Medway hosts made an appearance on Come Dine With Me, we had a weird week of weather in the last week of July with strong thunderstorms and the Castle Concerts and Medway Milewere amazing in Rochester.
It's Christmas!
More recently we’ve had Vanilla Ice in Panto in Chatham and giveaways on kmfm to send schools off to pantos in Gravesend, Dartford and Chatham.
I’ve already had the chance to read today’s festive edition of the Medway Messenger and there are some great stories inside.
You’ll see stories of courageous youngsters, the national mistletoe shortage, free parking in Medway over Christmas and news that around a quater of a million attended the Dickens Christmas Market in Rochester raising £7.5 million for the local economy.
Thanks for reading (and listening) this year and here’s to 2012!
Merry Christmas,
Mike Russell
Medway Council Fireworks 2011
This morning I heard many positive reviews of the fireworks in Medway organised by Medway Council at The Great Lines in Gillingham.
Medway Fireworks at The Great Lines
Here’s what you had to say:
- “Fantastic, the finale was awesome, it lit up the whole sky. Good job Medway Council!”
John in Gillingham (caller to the show) - “It was fun at the great lines on Saturday but we did get rained on in the end.”
Robin in Gillingham (@robinjuste on Twitter) - “The kids absolutely loved it, great atmosphere, what a fantastic ending too!”
Chloe from Rainham (via text message)
The Olympic Torch is coming to Medway
Get Friday 20th July 2012 into your diary it’s the date that the Olympic torch will come to Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham as it travels from Higham to Gravesend in the build up to the London Olympics 2012.
World’s Most Endangered Structures
“British Brutalist” buildings (those that look good on the inside but not so great on the outside) have been added to a controversial list of some of the world’s most endangered structures.
They include a library in Birmingham, a bus station in Preston and parts of the South Bank Centre in London.
The Pentagon Centre should be on endangered buildings list
Perhaps you’d add a Medway or Kent structure to the list such as the Pentagon Centre in Chatham?
Exotic Moths
The recent heatwave has seen hundreds of rare moths arriving in the UK.
Butterfly Conservation is describing it as the best migration for the insects in years. A variety of species, many that are usually only found in the Mediterranean, have turned up in the UK and Ireland as a result of the warm weather.
