| Can you volunteer to join Coastal Watch? Have you got a few hours spare every month? Then National Coast Watch needs you. More details from the website, or a local contact is Mr Doug Taylor on 01255 433199 |
| The Martello Tower is being restored, it is being funded from a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It also forms part of Essex County Councils COAST Project. Partners include the EEDA, The Essex Enviroment Trust, GB Holiday Parks, and the National Coast Watch Institution. Once done the building will include an art gallery, there will be public access during the summer for envirimental groups, schools, tourists and walkers. There is obisvation facilities on the roof including a purpose built look out station, to be used by the NCI. vistors will also have access. |
 The Jaywick Martello Tower, due to open in late Summer 2005, will become a major arts space in the East of England. It will be equipped to showcase artworks by national and international artists using 'cutting-edge' 3-dimensional digital technology, as well as doubling as a valuable education resource for the local community. Schools and groups coming to the Tower will be able to attend a range of multi-media production workshops and internet radio broadcasting classes. With the Tower restored to its former glory, the first floor will be installed with digital equipment and software designed to exploit the drum-like interior space. The first artwork to be showcased in this way will be 'Mersea Circles' byt the Japanese artist Musaki Fujihata. This artwork, developed as part of the COAST art project, is now recognised internationally as an outstanding example of how technology can be used as a powerful and effective art form. Photographic Installation at the Tower The Coast artist, John Kippin, is compiling work for a photographic installation on the ground floor of the Tower. The work is formed from his interpretation of the Essex coastal landscape as a natural boundary, placed within the historical context of the Napoleonic Martello defence structure. |
It's now August the outside looks complete, the scaffolding has gone. Though the nightwatchmans caravan is still there. |
The refurbished tower will include arts exhibitions, a look-out station for public use and workshops. |
September the 17th arrived, it was sunny but cool, The public were invited to the opening at 3pm. Before that however VIP's were invited for 12.30 where after a preview of the tower and speaches by council members enjoyed a hog roast. |
One of the flags got in a bit of a tangle, so were rescued and put up again.  |
There follows some pictures from the top of the Tower  |
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The ice cream van that had been going around Jaywick for the summer selling ice creams for songs. Today a booklet with a CD was given away the, CD containing all the songs of the summer.Ice creams were also on the menu they were being given away to all vistors of the day.  |
 The Tower was official opened by Mark Storor and a 4 year old from Jaywick who let go of a bunch of balloons attached to a CD and booklet, which signaled the letting go of the ribbons by childdren from Bishops Park School. |
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 A Marshmellow Martello Tower. Two workshops were held aimed at the children one was making a mobile with cut outs of an ice cream, lolly the ice cream van and the tower. The other to build a tower of marshmellows. |
Adults as well as children joined in with this one, it was two for the tower and one for the mouth.  |
After starting at just gone three by six pm it was done as far as time and icing sugar allowed. It just needed the finishing touches.  |
 Long flumps were used to make the arched windows. and all that could be done was done. |
