December 22 2014.

Jim Skinner writes:

The Friends of Tide Mills held its final meeting of 2014 in bracingly cold and damp weather yesterday. 14 of us collected 9 sacks of rubbish, which is not really that bad given the recent spate of gales.

Afterwards we enjoyed our annual Christmas Picnic and reflected on another very successful year in our endeavour to help keep Tide Mills cared for and protected.

The Waymarker at the beach end of the Old Village Road has now been replaced by ESCC, for which many thanks.

Regular visitors to Tide Mills Beach will note that, due to the recent Environment Agency shingle shifting works, the beach remains extremely steep and unstable please take extra care!

We have also been informed of Network Rail's intention to replace the existing kissing gates over the railway line with some sort of bridge - at this stage no more is known.

Our first meeting of 2015 is Sunday the 18th of January (always the third Sunday of each month), meeting at 10.00am at the Waymarker adjacent to the beach at the road leading from the level crossing. Our meetings last nominally for two hours but all are welcome no matter how much time can be spared. Please do join us, we really are seeing major progress now in the care of this wonderful place.

More information from me at brian.skinner2@btinternet.com or our website at www.friendsoftidemills.webs.com

Jim Skinner