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Spreading Christmas cheer in the community

We’ve been working with a variety of local schools, businesses and good causes to spread some Christmas cheer.

It’s a tradition here at Coombs, in the first week of December, to raise a Christmas tree on the front of the building to herald the Yule tide. Many local people have commented over the years that as soon as they see the tree up they know Christmas is coming.

Every year we purchase our tree from Nash’s Farm near Nonigton who raise all the trees totally for charity. Last year they raised an amazing £11,000 showing great commitment and dedication. All donations are shared between 50 local parishes and nearly 25 charities .

This year we were approached by Whitstable Junior School who asked if we could help with a tree for the school. We were delighted to oblige and it proved a great success and it was lovely to see the smiling faces.

We have a Corporate Social Responsibility pledge, going that extra mile as with Whitstable Juniors who are just one of the many schools and businesses we work very closely with. We take our responsibility to the community and to our clients very seriously, we have been part of the Wincheap landscape for well over 30 years.

As part of our commitment to supporting our local community, when we were invited by the Wincheap Society to take part in their Christmas Window Competition we teamed up with Wincheap Primary School and Little Hands Nursery to create festive scenes for our main entrance.The school children all worked really hard making snowflakes for the competition and were very enthusiastic in this task. Every child who took part received a congratulatory Certificate.

The Children’s Centre created a very festive picture featuring some of the children who participated (we were told some children left wearing more glitter than the picture itself) Even the teachers, mums and dads were involved in creating a Christmas tree display!

Coombs are very proud of our relationship with local businesses and schools and are happy that we have collaborated on these projects and look forward to many more in the New Year.

Dover District Council award Grade II Listed Kearsney Abbey

Coombs will help to protect Kearsney Abbey heritage

Work is due to start in the autumn on building works in Kearsney Abbey as part of the £3.1m Heritage Lottery funded Kearsney Parks project.  Following a competitive tender Dover District Council has awarded a £1m contract to Coombs (Canterbury) Ltd.

The contract includes the restoration of the Grade II listed former billiards room, the only remaining structure from the mansion which originally stood on the site, along with the construction of a 180 sq. m. new build extension.

The extension will provide an enlarged café with modern kitchen facilities, along with new customer toilets.  The extension and toilets will be fully accessible.  A new outside space will provide additional seating.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Cabinet Member for Property Management, said:  “Kearsney Abbey is one of the most popular public parks in East Kent.  By restoring the billiards room and extending the café even more people will be able to enjoy the fabulous parkland setting.”

John Healey, Coombs Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Dover District Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, and Big Lottery Fund on this exciting project.  Our work together on the Billiards Room and Café extension will contribute to recreating Kearsney Abbey’s historic role as a cultural venue for the people of Kent.”

Kearsney Abbey is part of the Parks for People project. Parks for People is a joint Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund programme which aims to protect and enhance historic parks, helping to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy these important public open spaces (www.hlf.org.uk).

Kearsney Abbey is one of Dover district’s most significant heritage parks and is the most popular park in the district. Parks for People’s aim is to protect the park’s heritage, to create more opportunities to visit, to be involved and learn of the park’s history.

Support Coombs in the Construction Enquirer Awards 2018

Vote for Coombs in two categories of the Construction Enquirer Awards.

We are delighted to be shortlisted in two categories at the Construction Enquirer Awards 2018. Construction Enquirer Awards are dedicated to recognising and rewarding the industry’s best companies to work for and the best firms to do business with.

We are the only Kent based contractor shortlisted for “Best Main Contractor to Work For (Under £50m). Whereas our Dreamland Project is the only project in Kent on the shortlisted for the “Best Construction Project to Work On (Building)”.

The public vote is now open – anybody can vote! Voting closes on the 8th August and will determine the Top Ten Winners in each category. This will be announced on the 13th August.

Voting is easy and only takes 30 seconds. Click the links below to cast your vote:

  • Support Dreamland – Vote
  • Support Coombs – Vote

Local school pupils take part in Olympic-themed sports day

Coombs were one of the principal supporters of this year’s Canterbury Minilympics.

Over 140 school children from nine local schools took part in the Canterbury Minilympics sports day, to encourage active and healthy lifestyles. Pupils, aged eight and nine, and their teachers got involved in a day of team athletics and sports science tests at the Birley’s Field on Monday, 11 June, which was organised by Canterbury Christ Church University in partnership with The King’s School.

Triple Olympian Hockey Player Jen Wilson, gave the pupils motivational talks about the benefits of excelling in sport and activities included cricket skills run by Kent Women’s Cricket Hannah Jelfs and International cricketer Susie Rowe.

Pupils participated in field testing and athletics which included throwing, jumping and running relays, which was organised by King’s School staff, Spires Academy students and Christ Church Sport.

Women’s Kent Cricketer Hannah Jelfs commented on the day: “It’s fantastic to see so many young people getting involved with cricket,” she said. “There was an element of both enjoyment and competition which is really good. It’s so lovely to see everyone smiling and laughing.”

The teams enjoyed a barbecue lunch and were also given a nutritional talk by Sports Nutritionist Christian Smith. At the end of the day, pupils were awarded medals, goody bags and trophies.

Dave Newhouse, PE Teacher at Hoath Primary School and Chislet Church of England Primary School spoke about the event. He said: “It’s organised, relaxed but a really fun event for the children. It’s a fast-paced day and really interesting for the kids.”

Ryley Collins, who is in Year 4 at Chislet Church of England Primary School, said: “I loved the field testing, especially the sprint speed and agility – it was ten out of ten. “I loved the talks from the Hockey Olympian and about not having so much sugar because I love football.”

Hoath Primary School pupil, nine-year-old Lexie Williams, also said she enjoyed the day. “I like that not everything has been the same. The field testing was good and I’ve had such a good day.”

A collaboration of local organisations

Cristina Astin, Head of Partnerships at The King’s School said: “King’s is delighted to be collaborating for the fourth year running with Canterbury Christ Church University. It’s great to see our students developing their sports leadership skills, together with students from Spires Academy, as they lead some of the sessions with the King’s School. It’s always good to see the sun shining and the facilities being used for the good of the community.”

Coombs are currently on site delivering Canterbury Christ Church University’s new Arts Building. Other sponsors of the event include Bidfood, NCS Technology, Woodley Coles, Betteridge & Milsom and Sturts.

Margate Town Pride Awards recognise The Sunshine Cafe

Our refurbishment of the Former Dreamland Cinema Frontage, part of our Sunshine Café project, was recognised at this year’s Margate Town Pride Awards.

The project at Dreamland was WINNER of a ‘Highly Commended’ Town Pride Award Certificate. This is the second Coombs project to be recognised by the Margate Civic Society, the first being the development known as Roller Coaster House at All Saints Avenue.

The awards are organised by the Margate Civic Society, whose purpose and aims are to encourage high standards of architecture and town planning and to encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general amenity and historical interest in Margate and its environs. Each year, Margate Civic Society holds the Town Pride Awards to promote this high standard.

This recognition of Dreamland comes amongst a host of other awards for the heritage theme park having won three awards in two days.

The results of this year’s Town Pride Awards were announced at the meeting of the Margate Civic Society held at the prestigious Walpole Bay Hotel, Fifth Avenue, Cliftonville, Margate on Thursday, 10 May.

A grand total of fifteen properties were judged for the 2018 Town Pride Awards as having enhanced the built environment. The calibre of nominations received indicates a growing awareness amongst the Society’s members of the major contribution that both renovation of often run-down properties and the erection of well-designed new properties make to the overall attractiveness of the town.

Dreamland Cinema

The results of the Town Pride Awards were announced by the Society’s Chairman, Pamela Pople and the presentations made by the President, Mr Ralph Handscomb, in the presence of Sir Roger Gale (MP for North Thanet) and the Mayor of Margate’s Consort, Mr Geoffrey Dixon.

Pamela Pople, who organised the event, said “I should like to thank former KCC Cllrs Mo Elenor and Will Scobie for their support in providing 5 years’ funding towards this project (this being the final year), which enabled us to commission Croft Cast Signs to create the bespoke new durable blue plaques depicting the Margate Clock Tower, which has become a symbol of our Society. 2018 is very significant for our Society, as we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary at the end of this year.

I am delighted once again that we received nominations of such a high calibre, resulting in 2 Town Pride winners this year and 5 ‘Highly Commended’, each of which was diverse, reflecting the exceptional high standard of new projects that have been undertaken in the local area, which will contribute greatly in raising its ethos and a sense of pride in our community.”