Evelyn Winzar

Evelyn moved from Sidcup to Lenham in 1969. She met Graham in 1970 and they got married in 1971. They moved to Teynham in 1975 due to Graham working in Sittingbourne. They settled here in the village.

Evelyn helped at the Playgroup at the Lion Hall (behind Crispin's Fish & Chip Shop). She then got a job around 1977 at Frognal Farmhouse where she helped unmarried mothers by looking after their children.

After her son John was born, she went to register John into the Playgroup at the Labour Hall (now the Community Hall) and ended up helping with the playgroup.

In the years to come, Evelyn has been involved in the Women's Institute, Keep Fit. Ladies Social Club, which she ran with her neighbour Barbara Skilton. Evelyn could also be seen fruit picking apples and pears in the local orchards for several years.

Between 1985 and 2009, Barbara and Evelyn weekly delivered the free newspaper Sittingbourne Extra around the village and got to know a lot of the residents and what was happening around the village.

Graham joined the Parish Council between 1984 and 1991 and was involved with the production of the Teynham News. They needed someone to deliver the magazine - therefore, Evelyn and Barbara took on the delivery along with the newspapers. They also delivered to Conyer and Deerton Street. In 1989, Graham became the Parish Council Representative on the Teynham Village Hall Fund Raising Committee. Evelyn then joined the Committee rather than spending the evenings at home while Graham was out.

The Village Hall was finally built in 1996, and Evelyn, along with Graham, did the cleaning at the hall. Evelyn took on the role of Booking Secretary a few years later. Sadly, Graham passed away in 2009. Evelyn has been doing the cleaning and open and lockups of the hall since, along with the help of her children, Louise and John, and the Committee Members from the Village Hall. Evelyn’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the hall and Teynham have meant that a lot of people have benefited from her willingness to help, and she remains the most vital part of the village hall. Even during the darkest moments of her life when Graham passed away, she remained committed to the hall and remains so today. A testament to her personality and willingness to help.

It is with all of this in mind that Evelyn was bestowed with the Freedom of the Parish by the Parish Council. Thank you, Evelyn, from Teynham Parish Council.