Dover News - February 2007

Dover Girls' Grammar School has been given specialist status in Humanities. Headteacher Judith Carlisle said they were delighted with the news, which was announced today (1 February).

A man is in a London hospital with serious head injuries following an attack in Dover town centre on Friday night.

Two fun-filled Family Days are being held at Dover Museum this half term - with themed maritime activities on Monday 12 February and a chance to make your own Valentine's Day cards on Wednesday 14 February.

Business owners of Dover have met to discuss the issue of business rates, which many feel are too high compared with other towns in Kent. Especially hard hit are traders in the town centre.

Dover District residents were given the chance to learn how to access grants and interest free loans to improve their property at a Transforming Dover's Homes public exhibition at Dover Town Hall on Wednesday (7 February).

Free workshops giving important advice and information to help local voluntary and community groups access vital funding sources are being organised by Dover District Council's Community Development Team.

Dover Museum's important collection of pictures of Dover's past has received a unique boost following the generous bequest of a collection of 122 watercolours, sketches and drawings of the town from Miss Elizabeth Knott, who died in 2005 aged 92.

Dover District Council is welcoming major news that its popular kerbside collection scheme is expanding - with an additional 7,000 households across the area receiving black boxes as the service grows to cover more than 80% of the district.

Dover District Council is welcoming major news that it has been given the go ahead to invest a further £1.6m in private sector housing in the district to help those in most need.

A Smoke Free Roadshow is coming to Dover Market Square on National No Smoking Day, Wednesday 14 March, to launch a new campaign to keep people in the district informed about the national smoke free legislation that takes effect from 1 July.

Dover's cruise business brought nearly £20 million into the local economy and supported over 200 jobs in 2006, a study has concluded. Dover Harbour Board and its Kent Tourism partners commissioned an East Kent Cruise Economic Impact Study to determine the benefits of the port's twin cruise terminals in 2006.