The planets aligned with my birthday being on a Saturday thus guaranteeing a great day. We decided we’d see my sister, who lives in Folkestone and is conveniently a walk away from Folkestone parkrun which I’ve never been to. We took the train from St Pancras to Folkestone Central and walked to my sister’s place before strolling over to the event. Folkestone parkrun takes place on the fabulous Leas a wonderful clifftop promenade designed by Decimus Burton, who is also responsible for buildings and gardens at London Zoo and Kew Gardens.
Starting at the Leas Cliff Hall Cafe we set off along the wide footpath which has a gentle incline. At the end of the promenade, there’s a 180-degree turn but you come back along the lower path that runs parallel to the main path. After about 1k it joins up with the main path with us going to the other end of the promenade to the Leas Cliff Water Lift, doing another 180-degree turn and coming back up for another lap.
The coast is amazing with this wonderful green cliff and below that sandy beaches and the sea. The whole course offers stunning views of the sea and the lower path part of the run is breathtaking. Folkestone hosts a triennial art festival commissioning many physical artworks and on the leas is the fantastic ‘The China Watchers’ by Will Kwan, three filigree screens drawing on the architectural chinoiserie popular in Britain in the 18th Century.
Myself and Shveta ran, my sister walked and she secured a personal best.
Filled with good vibes, we went back to my sister’s place to shower, change and to collect presents 🙂 before heading to for a long birthday lunch at Luban; https://www.landb-restaurants.co.uk/luben The food was good, the music was good the vibe was great.
That evening I returned to London to see the play ‘Trouble in Butetown’ at the Dolmar Theatre in Covent Garden. The play is set in Butetown Cardiff in 1943. It’s about a woman and her two daughters and how their lives are changed by the arrival of an African American soldier. A gripping play which made us laugh and cry, well deserving of the standing ovation at the end. As I was leaving the theatre I heard my name being called and to my surprise, it was Diana Atouna, the writer of the play and an ex-client of mine, I had no idea she would be there. As we were talking one of her friends came up to me explaining how I’d worked with him when I was a mentor for the ‘From Boyhood to Manhood’ project back in 2005. He and Diana hadn’t realised they’d both worked with me. We talked, we laughed. It was great to see them flourishing.
Travelling home I reflected on the success of these ex-clients and the impact we can have on people. Unexpected birthday abundance.
Great post. What a day!