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at Three on Tuesday, December 9. Never fear though, it is being replaced this month by carols and cakes with the Rev Jim Brown. Doubtless there will be tea to be had too, but you’ll have to sing for it. Open church: Tea (or coffee) and cakes/sandwiches will be offered to those attending open church from 10am-noon and 2-4pm on Tuesday, December 2. There will be a selection of items for sale in aid of church funds. Well done: Last Saturday’s Christmas fair raised £1,421 for the church. Thanks is given to all who donated and/or bought items and to those who helped in any way to make it such a resounding success. WI bazaar: Bearsted and Thurnham WI is holding a Christmas Bazaar at the WI Hall in The Street on Saturday November 29 from 2pm-4.30pm. Along with the usual stalls there will be refreshments available. Entry, adults 50p, accompanied children free. Parish council: The next meeting is on Monday, December 1 at the Lower Meeting Room of Tovil Working Men’s Club, Tovil Hill, starting 7.15pm. Nicholas Morgan of the Diocese of Canterbury will be giving a brief presentation on the Governing Body of Archbishop Courtenay Primary School, Eccleston Road. Anyone who is interested in the role of a school governor and would like more information of how governing bodies assist in the functioning of our local school is welcome to attend the meeting to hear Mr Morgan’s presentation. There is no obligation to remain for the remainder of the meeting. Other items under discussion include the YMCA funding proposal, the borough council’s proposals for responsibility for the play area at Bridge Mill Way; the grounds maintenance contract for 2015/16; filming of parish council meetings; the draft budget for 2015/16; the report from the planning committee held on November 17 and any planning applications received by December 1.

Christmas Fair: Father Christmas Correspondent: Mike Brine Tel: 01732845825 mbriney.yoda@ hotmail.com Correspondent: Alison Chew Tel: 01622 675628 ace.chew@ blueyonder.co.uk Correspondent: Leila Ware Tel: 01622 842330 leilaware@ outlook.com will arrive on his sleigh at the village hall at 6pm on Friday, December 5, in time for the Christmas Fair at the school, which starts at 6.30pm. There will be games, a cake raffle, refreshments and lots of opportunities to buy Christmas goodies, not forgetting Father Christmas’ grotto, of course. Go along and support your village school and help raise money to buy resources for the children. Benefice Service: On Sunday, November 30, there will be a joint Len Valley Churches Service at Lenham Community centre, starting at 10am. Networking: See the Lenham column about the next business networking meeting on December 2. Correspondent: Jackie Nixon Mob: 07527 449540 jackie.kmlocal@ hotmail. com Find Your Destiny: Every Sunday at 10.30am, Destiny Ministries at the Community Centre. Be part of a welcoming family atmosphere. A church, but new and real. For information phone Jason on 07525 039149 or email jason.livingston71@yahoo.co.uk Correspondent: Christine Byron Tel: 01622 812023 Help wanted: Abbeyfield Greensted in The Orpines is holding a Christmas Bazaar at 3pm on Saturday December 13 to raise money for the Wish Appeal charity. Donations of prizes for the grand prize draw, be it an item, a service or whatever, gratefully received. If anyone can help contact, Heather Emberley at Greensted on 01622 813106. That Movember moustache: After weeks of cultivating, the Rev Jim Brown will be shaving off his Movember moustache during the Benefice Service which starts at 10am in church on Sunday November 30. An event not to be missed! Correspondent: Jake Harfleet Tel: 01732 847858 joharfleet@ blueyonder. co.uk Farmers’ market: East Farleigh Christmas Farmers’ Market is on Sunday December 7. A lively atmosphere will be created by the Old School Samba Band. There will be a wide variety of stalls, many selling Christmas gifts, hand made cards, chocolates and fudge, preserves and chutneys, woodcrafts, jewellery, needlework, table decorations and wreaths all created locally. Stock the freezer with sausages, stuffing, meats, cheeses, homemade bread and cakes and the cupboards with juices. Treat yourself or someone else to a plant or shrub and meet your friends for a home made cake and hot drink from Mandy’s kitchen! Correspondent: Jenny Scott Mob: 07785974951 jscott@ cfsbroadband.co.uk Children help children: Twyford Pre-school children thoroughly enjoyed raising money for Children in Need. They wore fancy dress, decorated cakes and coloured in pictures of Pudsey. Their efforts raised £62. Well done children. Fish ‘n’ chips: The Moby Dick’s mobile fish and chip van, which visits Vicarage Road every Tuesday evening until 8pm, is likely to be stopping this service in the New Year, as recent sales have been insufficient to warrant it. If you ever make use of this excellent service and would like it to continue, consider popping down there to make a purchase or express your view in the coming weeks. Kenward Christmas fair: A collection of stalls will be displaying their wares at the Kenward House Christmas fair on Saturday November 29 from 2-5pm. Christmas trees and wreaths, potted plants, candles, jewellery, creative crafts along with beautiful wooden craft made on the site, to name just a few. Everyone is welcome to come along and support this registered charity which helps people to transform their lives for the better. Call 01622 814187 for details, or visit the on site shop any day of the week for fresh produce, home made jams and pickles etc and lovely items made on site from wood. Little Venice: On November 22, PCSO Nicola Morris acquired funding for a meeting at Little Venice Country Park, which is the Yalding mobile home complex which suffered badly in the Christmas floods. As Yalding NhW coordinator, I went along to meet this community of around 120 plus homes. In addition to providing practical help and offering advice on crime prevention, we were able to sign up several families to the Yalding NhW database. The high point was meeting Karl Allen and John Gold, two true heroes who have since the flood trained with Kent Fire and Rescue Service to rescue folk from flooded homes. They worked tirelessly at Christmas to help their community using Karl’s own boat and now are even better prepared. In addition the community has raised money and purchased a boat and equipment which will be used to rescue victims in the event of another flood. (Get in touch with Jenny for NhW bulletins and These young ladies are just two years old but have both had litters of kittens already in their short lives. They came to the RSPCA’s Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells branch after both being used for breeding, with Beth arriving with her four kittens. Now they have had time to recuperate, they are showing parish news; contact details as at the head of this column.) Village Pensioners’ Club: The VPC group will be meeting again on Tuesday December 2 from 2-4pm at Yalding Social Club. There will be bingo, chat and refreshments. No doubt there will be much to discuss about the Christmas party which takes place on Thursday December 18. Call Anne Ervin for information on 01622 870160. Parish council: The next meeting is on Tuesday December 2 at 7.30pm at the village hall. All residents are welcome to attend, but those wishing to address the council should advise the clerk at least 24 hours ahead of the meeting. Call 01622 814134 or email clerk@ yaldingparishcouncil.gov.uk Village Voices: There are two more sessions coming up before Christmas. They meet on Thursdays December 4 and 18 from 7.30-9pm at the school hall. Anyone can join at any time. Call Karen on 01622 814267 for details. Garden society: The society holds its Christmas social on Wednesday December 3 at 8pm at the their sweet and loving natures. Beth is slightly fluffy, bit will not need extra grooming, and Belle is now back in good condition. They are used to children and other cats so would fit in well in any family home.

If you would like to rehome them, call 01622 891222 or call Katie on 07595 997674. village hall. Call Sue Williams for details on 01622 815403. Churchyard vandals: The churchyard working party known as the vandals will be tidying up the churchyard again on Saturday December 6 from 9.15am until around 12.30pm. All offers of help are much appreciated. Call Paul Mahoney on 01622 814420. Christmas tree exhibition: Trees have been kindly donated by local organisations to create a Christmas tree exhibition in the church for the Yuletide Market on December 6 and throughout the Christmas period. Donations will go towards church funds. The initiative is a challenge taken on by local youngster Lauren Newman, as part of her bronze Duke of Edinburgh award, as she works to achieve her volunteering section. Advent Sunday: On November 30, which is Advent Sunday, in addition to the 9.30am Holy Communion service with creche and junior church, there will be a Benefice evening service at 6.30pm at St Peter and St Paul’s Church.