The East Kent Association is a voluntary association of National Trust members and volunteers founded in 1973 to promote and support the work of the National Trust in the area of East Kent around Canterbury.

The Association arranges a variety of talks, visits and social events that will add interest to membership of the National Trust. The Association is independent of the National Trust and is governed by its members under a constitution which is common to all the charity's associations.

Over recent years we have supported projects at a number of local properties including The Gateway to the White Cliffs, Scotney Castle, Emmett's Garden and Smallhythe Place among others.

During the winter, the Association meets at approximately monthly intervals for a programme of talks of wide and varied interest. In recent years, these have included talks such as Queen Elizabeth 1 in Contemporary Portraits, Watermen of the Thames and Kent Inn Signs and Their Stories. Meetings take place at St. Andrew's United Reformed Church in the centre of Canterbury at 2.30 p.m. on the first Wednesday in the month.

The summer programme of visits may include country and village walks as well as excursions to houses and gardens and usually a short holiday. Other social events usually include a coffee morning/bring and buy sale and a Christmas lunch.

Membership is open to all members of the National Trust and holders of volunteer cards. For further details, please contact the Membership Secretary, Mr. Derek Tee, Canterbury (01227)463903.

The Summer Programme concludes with:

Thursday August 10th: Bodiam Castle and Cream Tea on the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway. Booking has now closed.

Wednesday September 22nd: A visit to Osterley Park which is one of London's best kept secrets. Bookings start on August 23rd and close on September 3rd.

September 6th to 10th 2010
There will be a Holiday to Devon. Booking has now closed by if you are interested please contact Mrs Pam Gelman on 01227 793419.

The winter programme includes:

Wednesday October 6th: ADVENTURES OF A 21st CENTURY DOWSER. John Baker, a member of the Council of the British Society of Dowsers, has a particular interest in archaeological dowsing and water divining. He will give a brief history of dowsing and explain the four main areas it operates in, its uses today with special reference to Kent and the NT properties in the County.

Wednesday Novermber 3rd: FRANK BRANGWYN AND THE DECORATIVE ARTS: Dr Libby Horner will give an illustrated talk on one of Britain's major artists of the late 19th and 20th centuries.

Saturday December 4th: CHRISTMAS AT BATEMAN'S. This beautiful manor house will be decorated for Christmas as in Kipling's day. Only the ground floor will be open. Booking has now closed.

Saturday December 11th: CHRISTMAS LUNCH at THE KING'S SCHOOL CANTERBURY. This year the celebration will begin with pre-lunch drinks in the Lower Chapel, with lunch following in the Undercroft. Both venues are again on the St Augustine's site but have the advantage of being accessible to everyone, including wheelchair users. Booking opens on September 13th and closes on September 27th.

Wednesday January 5th: STAINED GLASS CONSERVATION. Leonie Seliger, Head of the Stained Glass Studio at Canterbury Cathedral will talk about the manufacture of stained glass windows in the Middle Ages and today.

Wednesday February 2nd: THE WESTERN FRONT 100 YEARS ON. Dr Andrew Thomson will talk to us and show us what there is to see of the Western Front today as we approach the centenary of 1914. Andrew's illustrations will include not just the Somme and Ypres, but also the French and American parts of the Front: the Chemin des Dames, Verdun, the Marne, the Argonne and Lorraine. This is a chance to hear and understand how all these places fit into the overall story.

Wednesday March 2nd: THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES. Imogen Corrigan will return to tell us how to read the signs and symbols within Medieval art. She will consider arts of the period c1100 to c1500 and guide us through where such signs might be found and the forms they might take, as well as what they might have meant.

Wednesday April 6th: NORTH DOWNS EAST. Mark Richards, the Head Warden, will give us a general description of the three North Downs East properties, Limpsfield, Reigate and Harewoods, focusing on some of the key features which makes them so special. Marc Russell, the Warden for Reigate, will also speak about Reigate Fort in more depth.

Wednesday May 4th: 38th AGM followed by a talk on WHAT THE RAILWAYS DID FOR KENT. Rob Smalley (former Chairman of the Association) will tell us why the railways were built where they were and what they were seeking to achieve, the successes and failures and change over 180 years and the prospects for the next 20 years.

Please note that the above programme may be subject to change. For further details and information on any of the events, please contact the Chairman of the Programme Committee, Mrs. Pam Gelman, Canterbury (01227) 793419.

For further information on the National Trust or on Associations in other areas, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk