Parish Cake Autumn 2017

local legend
LINDA PAGE
Cranbrook In Bloom champion and much more
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND BRED?
Bexleyheath, then we moved a couple
of times before living in Iden Green. We
then went to Apple Pie Farm in Benenden
where my husband-to-be Fred worked. We
met when I was 15 and waiting for a bus to
Cranbrook. When I got to the town he was
waiting for me and asked me out. Three
years later we were married!
WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL?
Benenden Primary and then to the
Tonbridge Tech which is now the Weald of
Kent Grammar School.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?
I went into the police as a cadet for a year
but Fred did not want me to carry on with
that so I worked in an insurance company
in Maidstone. We married when I was 18
and we had three children, Chris, Simon
and Teresa.
WHICH THREE WORDS DESCRIBE YOU?
Enthusiastic, positive, cheerful. I am a half
glass full person!
WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF PAGES?
We took over 21 High Street, Cranbrook,
which was a sweet shop and newsagents
but it soon became too small so we moved
into what was Dykes’ newsagents when
the owner retired. Our son Chris is now
working in the shop.
WHAT MAKES YOU TICK?
I like seeing results. I get
a lot of pleasure out of
organising things
in the town. One
of my four sisters
says I am the one
who lights the
touch paper and
goes away!
YOU ARE VERY
INVOLVED IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WHAT ARE YOUR
HIGHLIGHTS?
I am very proud
of being chairman of Cranbrook in Bloom
which was set up in 1994 but really got
going in 2000. I am so lucky to have so many
people in the group who work so hard. We
have won gold twice in the South and South
East in Bloom competition. On the strength
of that we were one of only five small towns
to be invited to take part in Britain in Bloom
and won silver gilt in 2014 and 2015.
WHAT MAKES CRANBROOK SUCH A
SPECIAL PLACE TO WORK?
I am a people person. I just like to be able to
see people every day and see what is going
on. It is such a friendly town. I step outside
the door and look up and down the High
Street and say to myself “aren’t we lucky?”
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT `MUST WATCH’ TV
PROGRAMME?
I don’t do soaps, I don’t do the news! I read
a paper instead. I did like Broadchurch and
Silent Witness.
YOUR PET PREFERENCES – CATS OR DOGS?
Neither! I don’t like cats and Fred is allergic
to animals.
FAVOURITE CAKE?
Cream is more important than the cake! I
do like a Pavlova and I have cream on my
porridge!
WHAT DO YOU DO TO UNWIND?
I do like to read novels. I like Pillars of the
Earth by Ken Follet set in medieval times. I
also like a gin and tonic!
WHAT DAILY PAPER DO YOU READ?
I read the I Daily newspaper. I used to be a
Mail reader but there is too much drivel in it
now. The I is very concise and only 50p!
42 Parish Cake • Autumn 2017