Canterbury
| Canterbury,Kent
|
Contents |
Locations
The Canterbury area includes military facilities at the following locations:
How Barracks, is situated on the A257 Sandwich Road, approximately 1/2 mile south from the City Centre [1]. Howe Barracks was built in the 1950's and has recently been upgraded to provide modern facilities for the Regular Infantry Battalion based there. Regimental Headquarters of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is co-located at Howe Barracks.
There is also a TA Centre on the A28 Sturry Road [2] which is the home of 3rd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
The main Married Quarter Patch is just outside the wire at Howe Barracks [3] , with overflow accommodated in Dover [[4]] or Shorncliffe [[5]]. There is a Families Centre on the Married Quarter patch, with Resident Welfare Officer and staff and support for families. Allocations are controlled from [6] Housing Information Centre 1 at Aldershot.
Area Overview
Canterbury is a cosmopolitan city in East Kent. It is a University City (Christ Church University a Church of England Foundation [7] and the University of Kent [8]). It has an ancient Cathedral [9]/ and is the Cradle of the Christianity in the United Kingdom through Saint Augustine [10]. Canterbury is close to the East Kent coast with nearby resorts of Whitstable, Herne Bay and Broadstairs providing ample opportunities for access to the coast and all that it offers.
Canterbury is surrounded by Rural Kent countryside with farming, narrow roads and lanes and small villages scattered across the landscape. It is beautiful and has a quality of life, which makes living and working in the area a real pleasure.
Canterbury is a wonderful place to live, with an infrastructure to be envied within the county. Private Housing is relatively expensive in and close to the City, but further out, prices reduce. Social housing is of high quality and remains in the control of the City Council [11]. Canterbury City Council is responsible for social services and provides robust access to them with community based services. [12].
Children and Education
Education for under 18's is provided with good quality Grammar, High and Secondary Schools managed by Kent County Council [13] Admissions policy is strict. Kent retains the 11+ Examination for entrance to the Grammar Schools across the county.
The closest Primary Schools to Howe Barracks are Diocesan & Payne Smith C Of E School, St Peters Methodist Primary School and Kingsmead Primary School [14].
Families with Special Educational Needs children are strongly advised to seek advice from the Services Children Education Authority [15] when notified of an assignment to Canterbury.
Religion and Worship
Canterbury has a long Christian tradition with many historic local churches of all denominations. In addition, there are worshiping communities of other faiths. Contacts via the University Chaplaincies [16] [17] will connect people of all faiths with their local facility.
Transport and Travel
There are excellent transport links to Canterbury via Road (M2/A2/M20) Excellent Rail Links to London (two stations) and the Ferry Port at Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal at Cheriton. Traffic in the City can be quite congested, with a single ring road and narrow streets and confusing traffic schemes. There are Park and Ride Links [18] from outside the Ring Road and the local bus services are some of the best in the country. [19]
Pets
There are excellent local vetinarians in Canterbury with access to a Pet Hospital. [20]
Most Families Accommodation is suitable for pets but it is advisable to check with the Unit Welfare Officer prior to arrival regarding any local restrictions that may be in force. In common with most MOD establishments there are restrictions on bringing pets into the workplace.
Medical and Dental
Access to NHS [21] GP's & Dental services is good with a Modern Health Centre, Specialist Services for Student health and a District General Hospital [22]. Some specialised services are held at The William Harvey Hospital at Ashford or require travel to London.
Sports and Leisure
Opportunities for Entertainment vary from the Marlow Theatre which present live drama, dance, music and pantomime as part of a varied cultural programme. [23]. With Cinemas, restaurants, pubs and clubs and excellent sporting facilities, Canterbury is the place to enjoy yourself with your family and friends, day or night.
The services in Canterbury enjoy a good relationship with the Local Community, with the local unit Holding the Freedom of the City. Entrance to some clubs or pubs may be restricted on occasion, but liaison with the City Council soon results in such restrictions being relaxed.
Shopping and Tourism
Canterbury offers its visitors so much to see and do during their stay, the area boasts a huge variety of attractions and indoor and outdoor activities to suit all tastes and interests... With a cathedral city at its heart, Canterbury and surrounding countryside dips and sweeps through river valleys, woods and hills to the seaside towns of Herne Bay and Whitstable in this beautiful region of Kent.
For those who have a yearning for retail, Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable have it all. Canterbury's array of shop windows beckon with a kaleidoscope of colours, inviting you to sample what's on offer. Many of the high street names are here as well as a delightful range of independent retailers. The King's Mile has an atmosphere all of its own while the city's St Dunstan's, West Gate Towers and Northgate areas have a range of specialist and individual outlets.
Jobs and Recruitment Agencies
Employment in Canterbury is mainly in the Service Industries supporting the universities and tourism, in addition there is thriving local light industries and office, IT, and administrative services which offer local employment. Outside the city, Rural Employment in farming and other local enterprises provides ample scope for a range of professions and vocational employments.
