NEWS
TOURISM MINISTER CELEBRATES WINE TOURISM IN KENT DURING ENGLISH WINE WEEK
Tourism Minister , Michael Ellis MP travelled to Kent to celebrate English Wine Week and hear about The Garden of England ’ s thriving food and drink tourism industry .
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Digital , Culture , Media and Sport paid a visit to leading vineyard , Chapel Down Winery in Tenterden during English Wine Week to hear about new projects to boost wine tourism and England ’ s food and drink offer to domestic and international markets .
Mr . Ellis was welcomed by Visit Kent CEO , Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE and Chapel Down CEO , Frazer Thompson at the vineyard in the heart of the Kentish countryside and was taken on a tour of the working winery and the vines . The minister also met representatives from other leading Kent vineyards , including Charles Simpson of Simpsons Wine Estate and James Osborn of Squerryes , as well as VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes .
" English Wine Week is about championing British produce and helping to position our growing wine industry as a new tourist attraction ,” said Ellis . “ Through our Discover England Fund , we are supporting the Garden of England to increase international visitors to the region and raise awareness of Kent ' s incredible vineyards ."
Frazer Thompson , Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE and Michael Ellis MP in the Chapel Down vineyard . © Manu Palomeque
‘ OUTSTANDING ’ LEADERS AT DUKE OF YORK ’ S ROYAL MILITARY SCHOOL
UNIQUE SINGER SARGENT PAINTING ACQUIRED FOR HISTORICAL HOME IGHTHAM MOTE
Leaders and managers at the Duke of York ’ s Royal Military School have been ranked as ‘ outstanding ’ by Ofsted during a recent routine inspection of education , and boarding and welfare .
In a letter to the school ’ s principal , Alex Foreman , inspectors said : “ Supported by a talented and enthusiastic group of
Alex Foreman senior and middle leaders , you have made highquality teaching and learning your key priority , raising teachers ’ aspirations of what pupils can do and achieve .”
The school is set in 150 acres of countryside near Dover and is popular with military families , although it is open to all aged 11 to 18 . It offers 24 / 7 facilities along with weekly boarding , so boarding and welfare is of paramount importance and inspectors rated safeguarding as ‘ effective ’.
Alex Foreman , who became the school ’ s principal 18 months ago , said : “ It is very rewarding for inspectors to recognise the substantial work we have undertaken to uplift the school ’ s culture and its approach to learning . We are well on the way to achieving further positive results and I ’ d like to thank everyone at the school for embracing our vision for future success .”
A Game of Bowls , by American painter John Singer Sargent , has been acquired for the National Trust ’ s Ightham Mote following a successful campaign to raise funds to purchase it for the nation .
The large-scale painting is a rare and original piece of Ightham Mote ’ s history , capturing a unique view of the 14th-century moated manor house , still very much in evidence today .
A Game of Bowls depicts the house in 1889 , with its American tenant at the time – Mary Lincoln ‘ Queen ’
Palmer and her daughter Elsie enjoying a game of bowls on the north lawn with their friends , including Singer Sargent ’ s sister , Violet .
Formerly on loan to Ightham Mote , the painting became available for a private sale brokered by Sotheby ’ s and the necessary funds were raised thanks to funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund , who donated £ 175,000 , and Art Fund , who donated £ 100,000 . A further £ 75,000 was raised thanks to the generosity of visitors and supporters of Ightham Mote .
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