Plain Jane

I write a fortnightly column for my local paper – the Isle of Thanet Gazette. It’s part rant, part diary, part observation of local goings-on – whatever I fancy really.

When I first started it, the then editor, Mike Pearce, said it was up to me if I wanted to be loved or hated and I could say what I liked as long as I didn’t libel anyone!

On the whole I get more supportive letters than not, though I get the odd one telling me I talk rubbish.

In one issue, I reported how a reader had written in to say I clearly drank too much. My most favourite missive ever, came in response. “In my opinion,” an elderly gentleman wrote, “Jane Wenham-Jones does not drink enough. If she did, she might find something sensible to say..”

The columns include:

• March 10, 2006: Mothers and Ann Widdecombe
• (date tba), 2006: Friday the 13th
• March 31, 2006: What women want
• May 05, 2006: John Prescott
• June 30, 2006: Modern art
• July 14, 2006: Having a baby at 62
• August 04, 2006: Second homes and Jeremy Vine
• (date tba): Green loo rolls
• October 20, 2006: Dogs
• September 07, 2007: Pics on fag packets
• October 21, 2007: Wheelie bins
• February 01, 2008: Jeremy Clarkson vs Simon Cowell at my great age
• January 21, 2009: Plain Jane doesn’t want to go to Iceland…
• February 10, 2009: Don’t forget gentleman, the garage…
• February 24, 2009: Just calling to check if your son…
• February 26, 2009: Road to recovery seems so obvious
• March 06, 2009: I’d like to be paid for screwing up
• March 18, 2009: No apologies for waxing lyrical
• March 19,2009: Roadworks are driving me mad
• April 01, 2009: Jeremy Clarkson couldn’t help me
• April 02, 2009: How to get tourists to spend a penny
• April 09, 2009: Colourful way to help Owls’ funds
• April 14, 2009: Top tips for Easter
• April 16, 2009: Raising a glass to isle’s festival
• April 23, 2009: Song star Susan is beautiful to me
• April 30, 2009: 12 easy steps to revive the shrivellin…
• May 14, 2009: Swine flu plagues our conversations
• May 15, 2009: Hire me to tart up the town, Sir Alan
• May 26, 2009: Expense account?
• May 29,2009: Spend pennies to cater for tourism
• June 08, 2009: Getting to the nub of election-speak
• June 15, 2009: Gordon is just part of a wider problem
• June 29, 2009: Inspired to create with soggy paper
• June 29, 2009: Why not buy a bin and bill the…
• July 06, 2009: In need of a hero with responsibility
• July 20, 2009: Jane’s postbag
• July 23, 2009: Let’s take sombreros off to salute…
• August 03, 2009: Stunned by this party’s hypocrisy
• August 07, 2009: Unsurprised at town’s award
• August 12, 2009: Go to Margate
• September 03, 2009: So proud of our GCSE students
• November 10, 2009: Treat yourselves to a lovely makeover
• December 18, 2009: Jeeves in the theatre
• January 04, 2010: Going part-time in in 2010, dear…
• January 15, 2010: I think our nurses are just wonderful
• January 29, 2010: Bring on the pie ‘n’ mash
• February 16, 2010: I’m no expert – but this stinks
• February 26, 2010: PM isn’t a bully, just loud
• March 12, 2010: Cheers to science report
• March 26, 2010: GOGs put in their place
• April 14, 2010: Who do you really know?
• July 13, 2010: Students’ ideas win top awards
• July 28, 2010: Would you like your artwork to be auctioned for…
• July 30, 2010: Return of postcard art auction
• September 01, 2010: Town’s Squall of arts events
• September 10, 2010: Celebrities donate artworks for auction in aid of lifeboat station
• November 05, 2010: Take a tip from top writers
• January 28, 2011: Plaque to crime author unveiled
• March 11, 2011: Reading is a way to magical new worlds
• March 18, 2011: Young chef finds winning recipe
• March 21, 2011: Be wise and look for a role with OWLS charity
• April 13, 2011: Time to pocket a guide to isle
• August 19,2011: Other events during the Bank Holiday
• September 16, 2011: Big bids for artists’ mini masterpieces
• January 13, 2012: Author in the Prime Time of her career
• January 13, 2012: Dastardly fun at the ‘hotel’
• February 03, 2012: 1950s social drama date
• November 02, 2012: Police & Crime Commissioners
• November 16, 2012: Public speaking & event with Lesley Cookman
• December 1, 2012: Playing the Party Season
• December 14, 2012: Coping with (his) retirement
• December 21, 2012: Plain Jane. Isle of Thanet Gazette. Friday December 21st 2012
• January 18, 2013: Eat the crisps to beat the flab
• February 01, 2013: Today’s Plain Jane
• February 18,2013: Lasagne? What’s the beef?
• March 1, 2013: The sartorial choices of the stay-at-home writer
• March 15, 2013: A heavy Pryce for us all to pay
• March 29, 2013: This is Why We Love Thanet
• April 12, 2013: Plain Jane 12.04.13: Iain Duncan Smith could live on £53 a week – but that is not the point
• April 26, 2013: Isle of Thanet Gazette: Plain Jane 260413
• 10th May, 2013: With beaches like ours, why are we still languishing in deprivation?
• 24th May, 2013: The Big Thanet Breakfast
• 7th June, 2013: Council double-speak hides another waste of money
• more in a week or two…

Plain Jane
Isle of Thanet Gazette
Suite 1
3rd Floor
Mill Lane House
Mill Lane
Margate CT9 1JU
Editor: Rebecca Smith