Refurbishment of Bat & Ball Station caught on camera – ‘before and after’ exhibition organised as part of Sevenoaks Summer Festival

VOLUNTEERS from Sevenoaks Camera Club have documented on film Sevenoaks Town Council’s Heritage Lottery Fund supported project to transform the previously boarded-up Bat & Ball Station building into a historical community hub in northern Sevenoaks.

The Bat & Ball Station Victorian building remained boarded up for many years but has now been given a new lease of life.

Derek Medhurst and Roger Lee took photos on more than 40 occasions and the pictures form a fascinating ‘before, during and after’ archive of this local heritage landmark. Their exhibition is being held in the Booking Hall of the refurbished Station on Saturday 29 June and Sunday 30 June, (10am – 5pm) as part of the Sevenoaks Summer Festival.

The exhibition features a selection of photographs showing the character of the building, the conservation and renovation processes, and portraits of the construction team. The photographers also include more creative pictures prompted by their interest during the project to move beyond simply recording the renovation processes.

‘Route reflection’ by Sevenoaks Camera Club member Derek Medhurst.

Plus, on the evening of Tuesday 2 July, Derek and Roger will talk about their involvement with the Bat & Ball project over the past year. They will show some of their pictures and talk about the issues they faced as volunteers photographing a live building site, their enjoyment in chronicling the accomplishments of the refurbishment project, and the opportunities offered to their photography by focussing intensively on an apparently restricted site.

A photo book will be published as a celebration of the station’s refurbishment.

Sevenoaks Camera Club meetings usually take place on three Mondays a month between September and May and include talks about photography by members and visiting speakers, friendly competitions, and also some workshops on different topics. These evenings allow the more than 60 members to improve their skills in various ways. The Club is open to photographers of all ages and abilities and membership details can be found at www.sevenoakscameraclub.org.uk