Latest news with #Dymchurch
The Sun
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
I've saved thousands by bagging FREE days out with my two kids & on summer holidays – here's my best tips
A SAVVY mum-of-two has revealed how she saves thousands of pounds without ditching days out or summer holidays. Natalie Smith, from Dymchurch, Kent, insists that there are plenty of ways to plan fun activities for your family without breaking the bank. 3 3 3 She says plenty of organisations offer free entry for kids at their locations and events, but simply don't advertise it - meaning you just have to know where to look. And when it comes to finding holidays on a budget, the savvy mum has a few tricks up her sleeve. When it comes to holidays, Natalie, a full-time blogger, claims that planning is key - particularly for things like checking whether hotels or resorts offer any activities or other perks included in the price. She also says you have to be flexible - potentially planning trips around the cheapest flight dates - or consider alternative options, such as driving to various countries in Europe. And, Natalie is certain her tips work - as she and her husband Jason have been using them for years to take their kids Finn, 14, and Lola, 12, on countless memorable trips. Natalie, 35, said: "We started living like this because we had such a small income when the kids were younger that we knew if we wanted to take them on holidays and trips, we'd have to change things. "Things are easier now, but it becomes a way of life so we're still budgeters. It's what suits our values. "We'd rather do lots of things than have lots of things - so we scrimp in some places to make sure we can travel and have amazing experiences." Weekend Fun Natalie says one of the ways she keeps costs down - while keeping the kids entertained - is to have 'no spend' weekends. This involves tracking down free events. She said: "My biggest tip is to get a Blue Peter badge. These get kids into over 200 attractions across the UK - including theme parks, zoos, museums, gardens etc. - all for free. "Those badges are worth their weight in gold. "Another tip would be to use your Tesco Clubcard points. You don't have to just use them in the shop - you can also put them towards events and days out. Just check the app. "I'd also suggest making use of your surroundings. If you're in a city - or if you want to take a day trip to a city - a lot of stuff is free, like museums, parks, or lidos for the summer. "Take a picnic and that's still a no-spend day out. Where can kids eat for free this summer? THE summer holidays are here, but entertaining the kids need not cost a fortune. Here, we reveal where you can get free and cheap meals for your little ones during the 'endless' summer holidays. ASDA CAFE: Nip into an Asda cafe to feed the kids after the weekly shop. Under-16s get a hot or cold meal for £1 at any time of day. Little ones are covered, too. Kids under 18 months get a free Ella's baby food pouch with any purchase. BEEFEATER: This family-friendly pub chain makes mornings a breeze. Two kids under 16 eat for free with the purchase of an adult breakfast for £10.99. It's available from 6.30am to 10.30am midweek and 7am to 11am at weekends. BELLA ITALIA: Book a table and order an adult meal at the Italian eatery for kids aged two to 11 to get three courses and a drink for £1. Offer valid between 4pm and 6pm on Sundays to Wednesdays. On Thursdays, kids eat free all day when an adult meal is ordered from the a la carte menu. DUNELM: Make homeware shopping a fun day out. Dunelm's Pausa Cafes are offering free kids' meals for every £4 spent on their food or drink. Available all day, every day. BILL'S: Dine in at a Bill's restaurant to get up to two free kids' meals (normally £6.95 each) with an adult meal. Valid weekdays only until August 30. IKEA: Make it a food day at the Swedish home store. On every day except Fridays, enjoy a pit stop at their famous cafe from 11am to get a kids' pasta or mac and cheese dish for 95p. Other mini meals are available for £1.50. PIZZA EXPRESS: Kids up to age ten can get a free three-course Piccolo meal including dough balls, pizza or pasta and dessert with every adult meal purchased. The offer runs every day until August 11. TESCO: Pop to the supermarket cafe from Monday to Friday until August 30 for free kids' meals when an adult buys any item in the cafe. You must have a Clubcard to redeem the offer. THE RANGE: Kids under 16 get one free meal per adult main purchased at The Range cafes. Options include sandwiches, a cooked breakfast and fish and chips. All kids' meals come with a piece of fruit and a drink. "If you're in the countryside, use the beach, use the woods. Something like Geocaching - where you hunt for geocaches - can make a walk really fun without having to spend money. Jet, Set, Go "Train companies offer good deals too. National Rail does a Two For One, where you can get a London activity, like a River Thames boat cruise, included in the price of your ticket. "And on Southeastern Rail kids can travel for £1. "There are lots of these offers out there but companies don't actively advertise them so people aren't aware." Natalie also says that holidays don't have to be unattainable for people struggling with money - as there are plenty of ways to cut back on costs. She said: "One piece of simple advice I give people is to pick somewhere that offers a 'per party' price rather than a 'per person' price. Then it doesn't matter if you have lots of kids. "Also try to pick a destination that offers free things to do - included in your accommodation cost. "So, there are lots of places where you can do water sports for free - or which include passes to local theme parks etc. "We went to a resort in the Netherlands once which offered free access to attractions nearby - and had a safari park onsite. "So that gave us things to do without having to spend while we were out there. "So I'd say looking at those things and almost planning out your itinerary in advance can save you a fortune once you're out there." When it comes to travel, Natalie has some top tips for finding cheap flights - but also encourages families to consider driving if they're holidaying in Europe. She said: "When it comes to flights, Skyscanner is your best friend. If we have a specific destination in mind, then we'll be flexible with dates - and maybe plan the whole trip around which day the flight is cheapest. "If we don't mind where we go, we'll search for the cheapest flights to 'everywhere', and plan around that. "Otherwise though, we tend to drive as much as possible - because of how cheap ferries are. "We've driven to France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and more - and the driving becomes part of the fun. "Recently we did a trip driving around Germany, Austria, and Italy, and spent around four days in each spot we stopped at - camping at local camp sites. "We planned activities for each place and it meant every moment was great. "One day, we were walking up mountains in Austria and the next we were at the canals in Venice, Italy. "And I just think sometimes you can spend a whole day trying to get a flight - when you consider driving to the airport, going through security, waiting to board, getting the flight, then getting your hire car on the other side. "So it's something to consider." Saving Up Natalie says that she and her family also look for ways they can cut back on spending throughout the year - so they can put money aside for their holidays. This includes batch cooking to save on groceries, always taking flasks out to avoid buying coffee, and even having dad Jason learn to cut son Finn's hair so they don't have any barber fees. Natalie said: "We batch cook a lot and always meal prep so we know what we need and what we're using for the week. "I also take a flask everywhere so I don't buy coffee - and just switch small things like cycling instead of taking the bus for any journeys I can. "We've learnt to do what we can for ourselves. We clean our own windows and Jason used a YouTube video to learn how to cut our son's hair. "I just think it's all about making small changes. Obviously, money is extremely tight for a lot of people. We've been there so we know. "But I do think just trying to save where you can - it can make life more affordable. "If you don't buy a coffee or lunch out - then you could save £5 a day. £5 a day adds up to £1,825 a year. "That's a great budget for a family holiday."
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
D-Day training exercise dead remembered with new Dymchurch plaque
A new memorial plaque in Kent commemorates 22 soldiers who died during a D-Day training men from the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry died when boxes of anti-tank grenades exploded at Dymchurch Beach on 29 May 300 people attended a drumhead memorial ceremony on Thursday, where the memorial was unveiled on the sea included military personnel, local scout groups and representatives from the Royal British Legion and Dymchurch Parish Council. The Reverend David Parrott, who led the memorial service, said: "What greater privilege can there be than to work with so many different age groups and all remembering the same event?" An army officer said in 1941 that either an act of God, the heat of the sun or a match head igniting in a box of detonators caused the accidental incident was not widely publicised at the time for fear of affecting morale ahead of the D-Day landings. Ceremony flag bearer Richard Thompson, of the Rifles and Light Infantry Association Somerset, said: "Unfortunately and tragically they lost their lives in Dymchurch, but it doesn't make their contribution any less."Mr Parrott added: "Some of our local community discovered this and decided to do some research."The result of their work and preparation is that today this plaque has been dedicated to make sure that those men are remembered in this place."
BBC News
25-05-2025
- BBC News
Ashford to Dymchurch Stagecoach summer bus service relaunched
A special summer bus service linking a town in central Kent to the county's coast has been "beach bus" runs on new Route 500 from Ashford to Dymchurch, on the coast of Romney on Saturday, it will continue until 31 operator ran a similar service from Ashford to Camber Sands in Sussex last summer. For the upcoming half-term, buses will run every day until 1 June, then just at weekends.A daily service will resume from 23 July for the school summer holidays, with a day return costing £ will run four times a day between the two towns, with the last bus from Dymchurch High Street leaving at 18:50 BST, and the service also linking to Ashford railway station. Stagecoach operations manager, Kim Brooks said: "It's really all about making the seaside accessible this summer in a way that can enhance social connection on a trip with family or friends."Noel Ovenden, leader of Ashford Borough Council, said: "We're really excited to join this campaign for the second year running."There's no place like the beach in the summer and we hope that our residents make the most of this offer with Stagecoach."
BBC News
21-05-2025
- BBC News
New Romney tourism hit by sewage discharges, say residents
A hotel owner in a seaside market town in Kent says they have had to "adapt or close" after sewage discharges hit tourism in the Johnson said business at the Captain Howey hotel in New Romney had been forced to pivot to long-term lets after losing 20% of his hotel guests since issues with the water Johnson and his wife, Celine Goddeeris, said the change was the "only way to survive", as other residents in the area said they would not let their children swim in the sea over fears about sewage.A spokesperson for Southern Water said it was "working hard to find out what is affecting water quality". Mr Johnson added: "We have a lot of customers visiting families and local care providers, for example, but not tourists."Tourists have a knock-on effect on all the surrounding restaurants and pubs but we need to adapt or close."Ms Goddeeris added: "It's affecting our children's health and even animals. We need to find a long-term solution."In 2025, Littlestone beach was once again given a "brown flag" for being among the dirtiest in the UK, and was joined by nearby Dymchurch beach on the list. Water quality at both sites was rated poor by the Environment Agency, with bathing and swimming not advised at either Dawn Stanley added: "I wouldn't go in the sea. I have a daughter with special needs and I can't explain to her to not swallow the water and don't get it in her mouth."Rob Butson, bathing water manager at Southern Water, said: "Working with councils, NGOs and the Environment Agency to protect and improve bathing waters is a priority for us."Many sources can affect bathing water – road and agricultural runoff, private sewerage and wild life for example."Southern Water is also looking for illegal sewer connections and investigating treatment work performance, Mr Butson added.
