Thanet Earth

06/08/2026

Our Community Champion for August is the very worthy Thanet Disabled Riding Centre in Broadstairs.

‘Thanet Disabled Riding Centre is an independent, nonprofit organisation located in Broadstairs. With the fantastic support from our team of volunteers, we can cater to 70 riders a week.

The Centre has now been running for 47 years and is currently home to four ponies. Three of whom are in full time work and our other one is a 38 year old, retired, tea drinking Shetland! We are a full time charity which takes around £270 per day to run, so we appreciate any support we receive.’

The centre is run by 2 full time staff and they need three volounteers per rider. These riders are delivered transformative therapeutic riding experiences, allowing individuals with disabilities to gain confidence, enhance their physical and mental health, and experience the joy of horse riding.

We met them on Tuesday and presented the cheque to Allie and Smartie, the tea drinking almost-blind pony! We gave a financial donation towards new equipment for the riders.

03/08/2026

Corn Bunting

Scientific name: Emberiza calandra
UK conservation status: Red
Protected by: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Length: 18cm
Wingspan: 26-32cm
Weight: 35-56g
Eats: Seeds and insects

The corn bunting is a farmland bird and the largest of the bunting family. It is a stout, dumpy bird which flies off with a fluttering flight and with its legs characteristically 'dangling' see picture below. Its dramatic population decline in the UK makes it a Red List species.

To help identify the corn bunting, it is a sparrow-sized, streaky brown bird of hedgerows and farmland. In the winter, it will join mixed flocks of buntings, finches and sparrows to feed on seeds on farmland.

Male corn buntings are often seen perched on top of bushes singing loudly - a song that sounds just like a jangling set of keys.

Male corn buntings may mate with up to 18 different females in a season. The female builds her grass nest in rough grassy margins or arable crops and incubates the eggs by herself. The male may help to feed the chicks once they have hatched.

They can be seen at this time of year close the public footpath between greenhouses.

28/07/2026

Kick-start your career in Finance with Thanet Earth!

We're looking for a Purchase Ledger Apprentice to join our Finance team at Thanet Earth, Birchington.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is looking to gain valuable workplace experience, develop practical finance skills and complete a recognised apprenticeship qualification while earning and learning.

As part of our Purchase Ledger team, you'll gain hands-on experience supporting supplier invoice processing, maintaining supplier records, resolving queries and assisting with payment activities, all while receiving structured training and ongoing support from experienced colleagues.

We're looking for someone who:

✅ Has a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
✅ Has strong attention to detail and good numerical skills.
✅ Is organised and able to communicate confidently with colleagues and suppliers.
✅ Has basic Microsoft Office skills, including Outlook, Word and Excel.
✅ Enjoys working as part of a team while taking ownership of their own development.

In return, we offer a competitive salary, excellent benefits and genuine opportunities for learning and development.

📍 Birchington, Kent
📅 Closing Date: 7th August 2026
📧 To apply, send your CV to: [email protected]

20/07/2026

10/07/2026

On Thursday 10 July, we were delighted to welcome guests from across Kent’s farming community to Thanet Earth for the CLA Emsden Trophy Presentation and Drinks Reception.

Hosted by Mike Sims, CLA South East Regional Director, the evening included a guided tour of our biodiversity areas and pepper glasshouse, followed by the presentation of the CLA Emsden Trophy.

Congratulations to this year's winners, Peter Lingham & Partners. As they were unable to attend, the trophy was accepted on their behalf by Maz Montgomerie of Court Farm.

Thank you to the CLA and everyone who joined us for an enjoyable evening celebrating environmental stewardship and sustainable farming across Kent.

Read more on our website: https://www.thanetearth.com/cla-emsden-award-2026-passing-on-the-trophy/

03/07/2026

Our Community Champion for July is the wonderful Windmill Community Gardens Margate who we went to visit today 🥳

"Windmill Community Gardens Margate is a vibrant and flourishing community space in the heart of Dane Valley, where people, nature, and food come together. Established in 2004 after local families asked for “somewhere safe to grow food with their children,” we transformed a once-derelict wasteland into the thriving community garden it is today, with our chemical-free market garden behind Drapers Mill Primary School added in 2008.

Via accessible pathways visitors can explore our beautiful growing spaces, forest garden, polytunnel, play area, and rich wildlife habitats, making it a truly magical place for all ages. Our no-dig market garden produces fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruit throughout the year, supported by thriving beehives, and supplies our weekly vegetable bag scheme, market stalls, and local restaurants.

At the heart of everything we do is our mission to nurture physical and mental wellbeing, strengthen community connections, and provide access to fresh, locally grown, chemical-free food through inspiring educational and environmental activities."

We gave the gardens a financial donation towards new picnic benches for families and visitors, and towards providing food for families on their summer fayre day in July.

14/06/2026

Happy National Cucumber Day! 🥒🌎🌱

10/06/2026

Continuing our British Tomato Fortnight recipes, here's one to try when the weather gets hotter next week!

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Approximately 30 British cherry tomatoes
3tbsp toasted sesame oil
2tbsp light soy sauce
2tbsp rice or white w**e vinegar
15g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4tsp dried chilli flakes
4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
Pinch of salt, pepper and sugar
Toasted sesame seeds, spring onions and lime wedges, to garnish

Tomato Chilli Sauce:

300g British classic tomatoes, finely chopped
1 shallot, very finely chopped
1tsp finely chopped fresh red chilli
1tbsp rice or white w**e vinegar
2tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method
These amazing chicken and British cherry tomato kebabs are given a fabulous flavour of Korea – perfect served with a spicy tomato chilli sauce

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating
Cook time: 15 minutes

1. Thread the chunks of chicken onto soaked wooden kebab sticks, alternating the pieces with the cherry tomatoes.
2. In a shallow dish, mix the sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, chilli flakes and spring onions. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar. Add the kebabs, turning to coat. Cover and marinate for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar.
4. Grill the kebabs for 8-10 minutes, turning often. Serve with the tomato chilli sauce, garnished with toasted sesame seeds, spring onions and lime wedges.

08/06/2026

This month we have donated to Monkton Nature Reserve and the Thanet Countryside Trust, the charity that owns and manages the reserve.

In recent years, they have faced major issues maintaining their policy of ‘pocket money’ pricing for all trips and activities at the reserve. Schools are finding it increasingly hard to cover rising costs of transport to take children outside for hands-on learning.

The trust have relied on local businesses to donate towards these transport costs, enabling many more children to enjoy and outdoor classroom and enhance their education.

If you are a local business and able to support this worth cause, please do get in contact with the reserve, they are still looking for donations.