March 2025 Newsletter

Welcome to the latest edition of the What’s On In Kent newsletter!

People are making plans for what to do, school half term and Easter over the next few weeks, and our Partners are busy organising more events and reasons for them to visit – so don’t forget to add your half term and Easter events to your profile listings!

Non-partners – let people find you when they’re looking for ideas for things to do and places to visit. You can list your business to our continually growing audience on What’s On In Kent from as little as £30 per month.

Coming up in this What’s On In Kent Newsletter:

Networking with a Difference at Betteshanger Country Park

Next stop Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

New Partners – Cranbrook Goes Nuts in May, Kent Food fest, Rafferty & Pickard, The Print House

Kenward Trust Ball - Raised over £20,000!

Easter

Networking with a Difference – Betteshanger Country Park

Our first Networking with a Difference event on 11th March was a huge success and raised the bar again. More than 50 business owners and decision makers came along to Betteshanger Country Park. Partners were invited to bring along their cherished cars and so we enjoyed an array of Bentleys, Lamborghinis, McLarens, BMW M series, Audi R8s and Mustangs together with an exclusive display of the very latest Porsche models courtesy of our friends at Porsche Tonbridge.

Jason from Combat Laser showed off their adult only Hyper Shock weapons, and everyone enjoyed seeing John Rafferty receive multiple electric shocks each time he was shot! Thank you, John!

Huge thanks must go to Tyler Christy and the team at Betteshanger Country Park for agreeing to host the event and for laying on a delicious spread of home cooked goodies, washed down with tea, coffee or a glass or two of sparkling wine from our sponsors at Chapel Down Winery.

People have been so complimentary about the event, we’ve had some lovely feedback from attendees, including this message from Melissa Dizon via LinkedIn -

When it’s What’s On in Kent… you know it’s going to be GREAT! There’s always something fresh, new, and exciting when Nick McGowan is involved! Partnering with Betteshanger Country Park was the perfect choice—The Glass Room, free parking, and wide-open outdoor spaces on a sunny day? Yes, please!

Melissa Dizon, Managing Director, KPO Architecture

You can watch our YouTube video from the event below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgDtxwtnCmo

Future events

Next event - Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats

If you like animals, you’ll love our next event being hosted by our Charity of the Year partner, Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, on 22^nd April at Boughton Monchelsea, ME17 4JW.

Come along to network with other business owners and decision makers in Kent, and enjoy the hospitality and company of more than 120 goats and kids! Partners can attend free of charge as usual, and it’s just £10 for non-members, you can book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/networking-with-a-difference-at-buttercups-sanctuary-for-goats-tickets-1245006210089?aff=erelexpmlt

22nd April, @ Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, Boughton Monchelsea (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/369-buttercups-sanctuary-for-goats)

12th May, @ Gusbourne Estate Vineyard, Appledore (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/241-gusbourne-estate)

4th June, @ Frasers, Egerton (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/321-frasers)

16^th July, @ Bredgar & Wormshill Railway, Sittingbourne NEW DATE ADDED

19th August, @ West Kent Shooting School, Paddock Wood (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/338-west-kent-shooting-school)

2nd September, @ The Kentish Lady, Maidstone (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/308-kentish-lady-river-cruises)

14th October, @ Chapel Down Winery, Tenterden (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/289-chapel-down-winery)

2nd December, @ Chilston Park Hotel, Lenham (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/208-chilston-park-hotel)

Special Dover - Dunkirk 25 Year anniversary route celebration

Discover Dunkirk for £25 – Celebrate 25 Years with DFDS!

Embark on a memorable day trip to Dunkirk with DFDS and celebrate 25 years of our Dover–Dunkirk route! For just £25, discover the charm of northern France, immerse yourself in new experiences, and enjoy incredible Duty Free savings.

Sail from Dover to Dunkirk with crossings taking approximately 2 hours. With multiple daily sailings, a day trip to Dunkirk is your gateway to adventure – convenient, flexible, and full of possibilities. Visit DFDS profile here (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/335-dfds-ferries)

New Partners

We’re delighted to welcome aboard these new partners to What’s on In Kent:

Rafferty and Pickard

Rafferty & Pickard stands apart from conventional estate agencies, focusing on the sale of exceptional homes across the South East and committed to presenting your property using cutting-edge technology. Their cinematic videos and captivating photographs ensure that homes receive unparalleled attention.

Cranbrook Goes Nuts in May

Cranbrook Goes Nuts in May is part of Cranbrook in Bloom.

SUNDAY 26 MAY 2025, 10AM - 4PM

View Profile (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3239-cranbrook-goes-nuts-in-may)

The Print House

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

A neighbourhood refuge in Tenterden. This is a place for meeting, drinking and merry-making from breakfast to bedtime, coffee to cocktails.

View Profile (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/333-the-print-house)

Buttercups Goat Sanctuary, our 2025 charity of the year!

Have you been to Buttercups Goat Sanctuary yet in Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone? It’s the perfect place to take the kids this Easter Holidays.

View Buttercups Goat Sanctuary Here (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/369-buttercups-sanctuary-for-goats)

Easter 2025 https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/372-rowhill-grange-hotel--utopia-spa

https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3083-mumma-mia-mothers-day-sing-along-party-adults-only

https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3009-mothers-day-afternoon-tea

Easter Weekend 18 – 20 April

Hot on the heels of Mothers’ Day comes Easter Weekend, and we’ll soon be launching an Easter category to help users find ideas and inspiration, as well as helping our Partners to promote their special Easter events. Below you can see some of the Easter events added so far!

Easter Afternoon Tea - Chilston Park Hotel (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3010-easter-afternoon-tea)

Easter Afternoon Tea - Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3032-easter-afternoon-tea)

Easter Afternoon Tea with Egg Hunt - Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3033-easter-afternoon-tea-with-egg-hunt)

Easter Bonnet Bonanza! - Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3190-easter-bonnet-bonanza)

Easter Family Fun Day - Lympne Castle (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3227-easter-family-fun-day) Easter Hunt! - Musket Brewery - The Armoury Tap Room (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3237-easter-hunt) Live Music - Easter Sunday - The Hook & Hatchet (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3178-easter-sunday) Easter Sunday Carvery - Holiday Inn Maidstone - Sevenoaks (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3075-easter-sunday-carvery) Easter Sunday Carvery - Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3041-easter-sunday-carvery)

Easter Sunday Carvery - Orida Hotel Maidstone (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3060-easter-sunday-carvery) Easter Sunday Lunch - Chilston Park Hotel (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3011-easter-sunday-lunch) Easter Trail - Betteshanger Country Park (https://whatsoninkent.com/events/3183-easter-trail)

Below you can find just a small handful of wonderful places to take the kids during the school holidays. Click here to view all of our partners. (https://whatsoninkent.com/our_partners)

https://www.whatsoninkent.com https://www.whatsoninkent.com

Combat Laser Games

Combat Laser Games offers the ultimate outdoor experience for all!

With 3 purpose built woodland maps, a multitude of instructor led missions, cutting-edge laser tag technology, unlimited ammo, camo overalls, army style face paints and the option for adults to experience our electrifying Hyper Shock system – there’s no way, you won’t have the best time of your life!

View more on Combat Laser Games (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/347-harden-holidays)

https://www.whatsoninkent.com https://www.whatsoninkent.com

Buttercups Goat Sanctuary

Buttercups began in 1989 when Bob and Valerie Hitch decided to care for two unwanted goats. A few months later, the RSPCA approached them to take in another goat in urgent need, and this marked the beginning of a steady stream of goats arriving from around the county, many suffering from cruelty and neglect. By 2003, the number of goats in their care had grown so much that the sanctuary became a registered charity. View more on Buttercups Goat Sanctuary (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/369-buttercups-sanctuary-for-goats)

https://www.whatsoninkent.com https://www.whatsoninkent.com

Bredgar Railway

A beautiful garden railway, showcasing full size steam locomotives as well as many other steam and vintage vehicles. The railway has a delightful tea room amongst gorgeous parkland and woodland, ideal for a true getaway from Wednesday to Sunday. View more on Bredgar Railway (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/210-bredgar-and-wormshill-light-railway)

https://www.whatsoninkent.com

Harden Holidays

Harden Holidays, situated in the heart of Dartford, Kent, is an award winning, independent travel agency providing an extensive range of holidays to premier destinations worldwide. View more on Harden Holidays (https://whatsoninkent.com/partner_profiles/347-harden-holidays)

New Service Offering

We will now be offering a new service where partners can promote themselves using a banner site on the What’s On In Kent Homepage that will point directly to their profile. We will be offering this service for £150 per week.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain increased exposure for your business, events, or promotions. With this prominent banner placement, your brand or event will be front and centre on one of Kent's most visited websites. Whether you're showcasing an upcoming event, promoting a special offer, or looking to raise awareness of your services, this banner is the perfect way to capture the attention of a wide audience.

Take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to drive more traffic to your website, engage with potential customers, and elevate your profile in Kent. Reach out today to secure your spot and start promoting your business or event in a highly visible and effective way.

Looking to boost your brand's visibility with high-quality video content?

We offer professional video production services to help promote your company, showcase upcoming events, or even create engaging training videos. From as little as £350, we can work with you to bring your ideas to life and create videos that capture your audience's attention. Whether you need a short promotional clip, an event highlight, or an informative training video, we’ve got you covered.

Take a look at this 30-second promotional extract we created for the Kenward Trust, and see the impact that a well-crafted video can have on your message. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/evTmev0_zkM

Latest audience figures

It’s always good to know that we’re helping people get the most out of all the great things to find in Kent. We are always promoting What’s on in Kent across the county and we have a large social media following. We have over 4250 Facebook followers, over 3500 Instagram followers and over 3000 newsletter subscribers, so it’s great news for all of our partners to get promoted!

Planning at trip to Ibiza this year? Download the What’s on in Ibiza app to find local places to visit, bars and restaurants! Or even if you are planning a trip for next year, it’s never too early to start having a look at what you’d like to get up to whilst you are on the beautiful island! Download What’s on in Ibiza App (https://onelink.to/prg3km)

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