I thought I would pass on this email to you because I think this epitomizes the feelings by many from our mining communities. It proves to me that this was the right thing to do and that this will be a catalyst into keeping our Kent Mining Heritage alive and even give it a future, as I have said before, the story of the Kent Miner is not over yet.
Hello Gary.
I personally think that the whole point of the unveiling for the memorial plinth should be taken very seriously and seen as a very important event. I have been making as many people aware of the event taking place, with many old friends and work colleagues of my own relatives, along with many of my own friends and people who have some contact or involvement with coal mining in Kent. Every single person that I have so far spoken to has had good comments to say and all have said that they will be attending on Saturday 30th July 2011, so that they can pay their own respects. I have heard the accounts given just a few of the relatives and friends of some of the miners who have lost their lives while working in the Kent collieries. I think that every effort should be made to make the event both as memorable and as special a day as possibly for them as much as anyone.
Regardless of what is planned for the day it will be certainly be a sombre, but also an emotional and extremely thought provoking time for everyone who will be attending. Hopefully in many years to come this will be a place for people to come and pay their own respects and even take the time to reflect and also remember the work that was done in the Kent Coalfield, which under no circumstances should ever be allowed to be forgotten.
What the committee have all managed to accomplish over the past few years with the Move The Miner Statue project has been fantastic, with a huge amount of your own time and effort having been put into the organisation for this one particular day. Apart from the Kent Miners Festival events over the past 2 years I personally think that the day of the unveiling of the memorial will be possibly one of the most important events to have occurred since the closure of Betteshanger colliery 1989, which spelled the final chapter of the Kent Coalfield.
Colin Varrall.
