What’s happening where you live...

the sale of presents for Christmas, paperbacks, DVD’s, stationery, quality packaging for presents, cakes, sweets and chocolates. Tombola. Raffle. For details phone Joan Palmer on 01622 202239. Rejoice and Be Merry: The Early Music Group Cancionero is returning to St Nicholas Church on Sunday, December 7 at 3pm with a concert entitled Rejoice and be merry, a joyous blend of medieval and folk carols accompanied by hurdy gurdy, bagpipes, lute, fiddle and recorder. Christmas used to sound like this! It’s the perfect way to get into the Christmas mood and prepare for the shopping frenzy of the modern festivities. Tickets, including refreshments, cost £10 for an adult and are free for children still at school. For tickets or information phone 01622 861245 or the tickets can be purchased at the door. History society: The society will meet at Madginford Hall on Thursday December 4 at 7.45pm. For details phone 01622 745848. Any answers: A quiz will take place at St Nicholas Church on Wednesday, December 10 at 7.30pm. Take your own nibbles and drinks. For details phone 01622 737684 or 739129. Pre-school group: St. Nick’s Nippers, a group of children of preschool age with those who look after them, meet at St Nicholas Church on Fridays at 1.45pm. Songs. Stories. Toys. Drinks. Biscuits. Service of Light: The Service of Light for Advent on Sunday November 30 at 6pm will be held in St Mary’s Church, Langley and NOT at St Nicholas Church as printed in the parish magazine. Messy Church: Join in craftwork, a story and songs followed by a sit down tea at St Nicholas Church on Monday, December 8 at 3.30pm. Activities will start at 4pm. Messy Church will be held on the second Monday of each month at St Nicholas Church. All ages welcome with parents or carers. Correspondent: Linda Weeks Tel: 01622 762422 parkwoodkm@ gmail.com Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ tiscali.co.uk School fair: Sandling Primary School, Ashburnham Road, is holding its Christmas Fair on Saturday November 29 from 1-3pm. All welcome to meet Father Christmas, try your luck on the tombola, raffle or games of luck or skill. Eat, drink and be merry. A great afternoon will be had by all, so join in if you can. British Sugarcraft Guild: The next meeting is on Monday, December 1 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Boxley Road, at 7.30pm. The demonstration will be Royal Icing by Lesley Butler. This is the Christmas meeting so take a plate of food. Admission charges for the meeting are Maidstone branch members £3, visitors £5. For details contact Mrs Carol carol.bunch@ virgin.net Correspondent: Janetta Sams, Uplands Hogbarn Lane, Harrietsham, ME17 1NZ Tel: 01622 859412 sams_uplands@yahoo.co.uk School fair: Platts Heath School will be holding its Christmas bazaar on Saturday, November 29 from 11am-2pm at the school. Lots of festive stalls, Father Christmas, refreshments and raffle. Give the school your support. Vacancy: If you would like to be correspondent for Ringlestone, please contact Debbie Edwards, email: dedwards@ thekmgroup.co.uk Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ tiscali.co.uk KCC survey: KCC Highways, Transportation and Waste has commissioned BMG, an independent market research company to undertake a door-to-door survey from Saturday 15 November until the end of December. BMG Research canvasses will present to residents: Photo identification card; letter of authority from KCC; KCC Highways, Transportation and Waste business card; FAQ briefing sheet. The survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. The purpose of the survey is to find out your views on roads and pavements in Kent, local transport provision and infrastructure and waste management services. Contact BMG Research on 08003580337 to ask questions about the survey or to verify a BMG research interviewer. Remember no one working for KCC Highways, Transportation and Waste would ever offer to do private work for residents. Contact Citizens Advice consumer services on 03454040506 for advice or to report a problem. Residents association: The next meeting is on Tuesday, December 2 at 8.15pm in the village hall, next to The Running Horse Restaurant. The association is for all residents and everyone is welcome; find out what is happening in the village in the near future. Correspondent: Phillipa Gill, Curves 2 Senacre Square, Senacre, Maidstone, ME15 8QF Tel: 01622 662411 phillipagill@ hotmail.com If you have an item concerning Senacre, please contact the correspondent above. Correspondent: Patricia Sage Tel: 01622 434629 shepwaylocalnews@ gmail. com Christmas Fair: St Martins Church will hold a Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 29, 2-4pm in the church hall, when there will be decorations, cards gifts, craft produce, refreshments, tombola, £100 raffle and Christmas goodies and a visit from Father Christmas is always possible. Everyone welcome Your own allotment: Would you like your own allotment? There are 12 sites scattered around Maidstone and some have vacant plots including Hampshire Drive and Loose. Grow, pick and eat your own fruit and vegetables while getting fresh air and exercise. Details: www.maidstoneallotments. co.uk email admin@maidstoneallotments.co.uk Call 01622 664528. WI: Jean Schofield gave a talk and demonstration on decorating for Christmas to South Park members and visitors. The flowers and bling were sourced locally and members were shown how to make their Christmas table beautiful. The next meeting is on Thursday, December 11 at 7.45pm at the Maidstone hockey club, Armstrong Road, when there will be a Christmas party. Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet. com PARISH COUNCIL: School garden. Two points regarding the healthand-safety issue in the school’s garden reported last week were not correct. The garden in question is the ‘Early Years Play Garden’, while the report in which the problem was identified was produced by a visiting school safety inspector and not by Ofsted. Fisher’s Farm planning: The parish council had received from MBC, the hard copies of a full planning application submitted for 167 homes at Fisher’s Farm, on the north side of the Headcorn Road, application 14/505432. MBC’s consultation period is already open and will run until December 11. It is anticipated that the parish council will be able to consider its recommendation to MBC at the next full council meeting next Monday, December 1, so check for information about this and all parish council meetings in the published agendas. To view the documents relating to the application click on the link http:// pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&s earchType=Application and key 14/505432 into the search field. Water meters coming: While there is no sign of a water shortage at present, in drought conditions the Home Counties is among the first areas in the UK to run short of water, so South East Water (our provider) is constantly searching for ways in which to encourage us all to use less. The introduction of water metering has been in the news for several years already. The rollout is scheduled to arrive in Staplehurst in May 2015. Before-and-after studies indicate that the average household uses 17% less water immediately after the meter is installed – when we start paying for the water we use, we tend to use it more wisely. Using less water, the bills for many household will reduce, even though foul-sewage service charges will then be based on the volume of water recorded on their water meters. However, if a household thinks they might have difficulty paying for any increase, those with big families for example, or those who use of lots of water because of medical conditions, they should phone South East Water’s Metering Helpline on 0333 000 0003. It has a Phase In Option in which the new charges can be phased in over the first four metered bills. There is also a support tariff, which has been developed to assist those on Hearing aid clinic: At the McCabe Centre in McCabe Close, from 2pm-3pm on Thursday December 4, Hi Kent, the local charity that supports people with a hearing loss, will be holding another of its free aftercare clinics for NHS hearing aid users. No appointment is needed, and this service is free of charge. Free batteries and have your aid cleaned and re-tubed. Advice is also available about Hi Kent’s extensive range of specialist equipment For information phone 01622 691151, or email enquiries@hikent.org.uk Village calender: The 2015 Staplehurst calendar will make an ideal Christmas gift particularly for family and friends who no longer live in Staplehurst. It is illustrated by local artist Ken Collins, providing historic features and views in Staplehurst. The price remains at £4 each and will be available at All Saints Church on Saturday, December 6. Copies are also available at Chasing Rainbows, Coachmans Cottage Studio, Henhurst Farm Shop, McColl newsagents, Radfords Estate Agents, the post office, The Kings Head, and Wards Estate Agents. Networking: See the Lenham column about the next business networking meeting on Tuesday, December 2. Correspondent: Claire Adams, Woodmancote, Rumstead Lane, Stockbury, ME9 7QL Tel: 01795 841140 foxgloveadams@ aol.com If you have an item concerning Stockbury, please contact the correspondent above. Correspondent: Eileen Riden Tel: 01622 844953 riden887@ btinternet.com Church bazaar: St Mary’s Christmas bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 29 from noon-2.30pm in the village Hall. Lots of Christmas presents to buy, have lunch and meet your friends and Father Christmas will be visiting with a bag full of presents for the children. Party tickets: The parish council children’s Christmas party is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, in the village hall at 2pm. Put your children’s name on the list at the post office with tickets 50p. Remembrance service: The Heart of Kent Hospice will hold a special Christmas Remembrance Light a Life Service at Sutton Valence School chapel on Sunday, November 30 at 4.30pm. It will be an uplifting occasion with local choirs and musicians. To book a place phone 01622 790195. Hall’s year: The village hall’s annual meeting is on Wednesday, December 3 at 8pm. Everyone welcome. Please note the time, there was an error last week. Petition names: The parish council is presenting a petitiion to the full Maidstone Borough Council chamber on Wednesday, December 10. The petition is signed by more than 700 residents who are against Sutton Valence’s designation as a ‘larger village’. We want Maidstone Borough Council members to take this designation out of the Local Plan. For the diary: Carols on the Green will be held on Friday, December 12 at 6.30pm, with the Barming Brass Band. Kent Police Band Christmas concert on Sunday, December 21 at 2pm in the village hall. Tickets cost £6 from the post office. Information on 01622 844953. PARISH COUNCIL: The council met on November 13. Councillors expressed concern regarding the dance class held in the main hall