Summer 2023

THE CAKE MEETS...
Carol Gower
The Cake meets Carol in between trips she has
organised for CBA Millennium Outings
Carol grew up in
Sissinghurst and has
worked in Cranbrook
throughout her
adult life. She
was instrumental in bringing
J. Perigoe & Son, funeral
directors, to Cranbrook in 1986
and was a mainstay of their
operation until she retired
from full time work. As an
active member of the former
Cranbrook Business Association
(CBA) she has always been
involved in town life.
In January 2000, she was
taken to the newly opened
Millennium Dome in Greenwich,
and afterwards mused how
many other people from the
Cranbrook area might like to
go. She made enquiries and
organised her first coach trip,
along with the late Nita Stemp
(Stoneydale). The trip was a
great success and, as she left
the coach, one
gentleman asked
‘where are you
going to take us
next?’
This galvanised
Carol into
organising a
trip to the new
London Eye, and,
when people
asked to go back
to London again
for a night-time
experience, she
did that too! This
made a small contribution to
the charitable donations of the
CBA, but the big project in Carol
and Nita’s minds was the town’s
Millennium Project – a new
community centre – that had
received universal approval at
a public meeting back in 1999.
As a result, the trips are called
CBA Millennium Outings. These
ladies were aware that Lottery
funding needs local ‘Match
Funding’ and thought that
establishing a regular outings
programme might help provide
this in the long term.
Carol now runs about 15 day
trips a year, covering a wide
range of events and venues
including theatre, concerts,
gardens etc, along with UK short
breaks and holidays, picking
up passengers in Cranbrook,
Sissinghurst, Hawkhurst and
Staplehurst with supporters
joining from other villages
around too. Over time the
group has ocean-cruised the
Norwegian Fjords and rivercruised
much of northern
Europe too… all organised from
Carol’s front room!
This summer’s trips include
The Savill Garden & ‘Royal
Heritage’ Tour; ‘Strictly Come
Dancing – The Professionals’
in Brighton; Duxford Aircraft
Museum or a guided tour of
Cambridge; Annie the Musical
at the Churchill Theatre in
Bromley and a short-break
based in Bury St Edmunds.
Bookings are also being taken
for a 2024 Baltic River Cruise
(attracting a group discounted
price and including travel to
Dover), and Carol is currently
working on her Autumn/Winter
day-trip programme.
We estimate that Carol has
organised over 25,000 day visits
for local people, enabling them
to have a care free experience
with door to door travel.
Carol runs a slick operation,
all by mail or hand dropped
leaflets, as not all supporters
use email. Allocation of tickets
is ‘First Come, First Served’.
To hear more, or to join the
mailing list, please telephone
Carol on 01580 712521 between
7pm and 9pm on weekday
evenings.
When asked if she has ever
lost someone, she assures she
has not! This is a wonderful
story of a small idea taking
root and bringing enjoyment to
hundreds of people. Thank you,
Carol, and your band of helpers!
42 The Cake • Summer 2023