Shortcuts to Group Info

Alkham School 1928 (past)
Alkham Home Guard (past)
Whist Club (Fri.)
Valley Voices Choir (Weds.)
Archaeology (past)
Alkham Cycle Club 1930 vs 2010
Alkham Valley Society
Alkham Fund

About Alkham Groups & Clubs

We are happy to host basic information for Village Groups and Clubs.

• This is for those groups or clubs who would like to grow membership or share news on the web as well as in the Alkham newsletter.

• The great benefit of using the Alkham website is the opportunity and flexibility of posting your news and photographs almost immediately, without need to wait.

• People can also reply and comment, making for more interactive and vibrant communication with your members.

• We are also open to listing your group or club on our local contacts i.e. “useful links” page if that would be beneficial to you.

• We look forward to posting information from the Garden Club, Book Club, Film Club, WVS  & the Alkham Bellringers & Church community.

• All are welcome, but as a community, we may need to use discretion to avoid anything disrespectful or not "community-friendly."

The Parish Council

For Parish Council information, see their section on the Contacts Page

Alkham School 1928

The photo above was taken in the playground of Alkham school around 1928 and we are keen to know who the children are:

The boy at the back on the left is Harold Richards and next to him is Gordon Preston.  Second from right on the front row is Louis Fagg, one of the Alkham Heroes. His sister, Hilda is fifth from left in the third row back.   Third from left front row is Edward Henry Hall, 1918 to 2003.   Centre in the front row is Henry Keeler, another Alkham Hero. His sister Ruth is fourth from right in the second row back.    Far left on the third row is Ernie Couchman. He was a cousin of Louis Fagg and a brother of Ronald Couchman, another Alkham Hero.   If you know any others, please mail brian@alkham.org

Alkham Home Guard

This photograph was sent to us by the great nephew of James Grainger

Back row from left:  not known, Bert Bartlett, Ron Prescott, Charlie Marsh - on right Maurice Tutt, Maurice Harvey   Middle row 2nd from left, Alfred Gordon  Brigham   Middle row from right:  Bert Ducatel (coal merchant), James Grainger   Front row from left:  Percy Read, Eddie Roxburgh (cattle conveyor), not known, George Saunders, Eric Prescott, Buddy Holmes.

With thanks, we received an email from Alan Brigham who told us about Alfred Gordon Brigham (see above) and he said the date of the picture is between Jan 1941 and March 1942 (when he transferred back to Dover) Also !! - One day Gordon decided that his wife Frieda should know how to use his rifle. But he forgot there was a bullet in the rifle. Fortunately when it went off, it just made a hole in the skirting board!!

--- there were of course no Xmas crackers during the Second World War, but Gordon and his cronies managed to make their own using cardboard toilet rolls with practice bangers inserted and covered in coloured paper !!!. I believe they also made fireworks by using gunpowder from bullets!!

Whist (Fridays)

Every Friday night, starting at 7.30pm, whist is played in the village hall. If you would like to join them contact

Alkham Valley Voices Choir (Wednesdays 7:30)

Part choir, part sing-along, part Tea & Chat, all fun & enjoyed by all

Started in 2022 by Graham Bissett, Kevin Rolfe, and Ken Spencer, £2 per session, anybody is welcome.. regardless of ability.  Held at the Village Hall each Wednesday from 7:30 to 9pm including Tea Break.  So far, quite popular, and a smashing success. success....  

Archaeology

The Alkham Valley Historical Research Group was made-up of volunteers and students led by an archaeo-geophysicist researching the history and archaeology of the Alkham Valley. 

Details of their work used to be seen on a now since defunct web site, but in 2021, I saw a "roped off" section at the Roman Painted House, so check out this KARU web site

Alkham Cycle Club (1930's vs. 2010's)

In the 1930’s there was a cycle club in Alkham and 5 men can be seen outside the
lytch-gate to St. Anthony’s church getting ready for their Sunday ride.

In 2010, the Alkham Cycling Club pose outside Halton Court for their regular Thursday ride. From the left the riders are::
 Geoff, Alan, Ken, Den and Brian and apart from Ken, all are still cycling, some on a more regular basis.

Alkham Valley Society

www.AlkhamVS.org  Founded in 1977, the Alkham Valley Society took as its original aim the preservation of the natural environment and unique character of the Alkham Valley. The Society was formed to act as a pressure group for matters affecting the Alkham Valley, under the chairmanship of Mr Maurice Sayers of Alkham, in response to people's anger at the destruction of an ancient woodland, including Sladden Wood, and hedgerows in 1977.

The unique character of the Valley has been recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It contains Ancient Woodland, Special Landscape areas, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and a Conservation Area. There are seventeen Grade II listed buildings of Historic or Architectural significance. The Church of St Anthony of Pamiers is a Grade I listed building and its church yard contains fifteen Grade II listed headstones.

Among the Society's achievements were to have Tree Preservation Orders (TPO) served on a local farmer by the Dover District Council (1977) and to reconstruct (1991) the Pimlico Right of Way which had been bulldozed, and has recommended other ancient woods in the Valley for protection via TPOs issued by the Dover District Council. In 1982 trees were planted along the Alkham Valley at sites identified by the Society, which also paid for the trees. The Society has on numerous occasions supported Alkham Parish Council on a variety of matters, including planning.

An Annual General Meeting is held in November in the Alkham Village Hall. Other activities include an annual visit to a place of interest and the popular Christmas Walk on 27 December. The number of members fluctuates, at present (2004) there are 47 paid up members. There are no special requirements to joining the Alkham Valley Society besides an interest in the sustaining the best the Valley has to offer. The Society participates in the White Cliffs Countryside Project and has membership of the Kent Federation of Amenity Societies, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and the Kent Wildlife Trust.

To join, or get info, use their contact form at www.AlkhamVS.org

Alkham Fund

In 2004 Alkham Recycling was formed to collect recyclable material from houses in the village. The local council did not recycle but Kent Community Recycling, a charity, at Hawkinge did and paid a small amount for the items collected.

On the first Thursday of each month a van, lent by Hollis Motors, went round the village and picked up sacks of cans, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard and took them to Hawkinge. All the money which was raised from this was put in the Alkham Fund.

Over the four years that it operated about £2000 was raised and to date £1400 has been spent on items relating to the village such as Christmas tree lights and a new map board.

In November 2008 Dover District Council started a full recycling scheme, so Alkham Recycling has ceased but the fund has continued. Every year the fund buys the Christmas Tree, which is put on the green by the Valley Road, for everyone in the parish and those who drive to see.