What’s happening where you live...

ing blankets, dolls clothes, baby knits, dressed dolls, etc plus soft toys and bric-a-brac. Cafe Gallery exhibition: Until Wednesday, September 28, discover the selection of works from Paul Jerome’s exhibition Whittling Away in the Cafe Gallery at the Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s Street from 10am-5pm. To whittle: to take away, gradually revealing an image or form. Taking inspiration from nature, folklore and found objects, this exhibition uses traditional printmaking to bring evocative scenes to life. The compelling exhibition of lino cut, collagraph and screen prints comes from artist Paul Jerome, a local graphic designer and printmaker. Two hares box in a spring field, a bird flies from the clutches of a sparrow hawk, and a swan frightens away a wary fox. Lino cut is a meticulous and rewarding medium with examples of process and form to inspire and encourage others to take up this technique. Explore Egypt: On Saturday September 10 from noon-1pm at the museum, St Faith’s Street as part of the Heritage Open Days. The ancient Egyptian relics at the museum are always among the most popular collections to discover for visitors. Objects date back over centures and there is a magnificent 2,700-year-old mummy – subject of much interest on BBC South East Today recently. As part of the nationwide Heritage Open Days celebration, there is a limited chance for 15 people to enjoy a special peek at the Egyptian collections. The tour is free but booking is essential. T there is no disabled access to the Egyptian gallery. To book visit museum.maidstone.gov.uk or call 01622 602838. Carriage Foundation event: Enjoy a rewarding day of talks and tours at the Tyrwhitt-Drake Carriage Museum on Saturday, September 24 from 9.45am-4.30pm. With experts, enthusiasts, and scholars sharing their knowledge and passion for horse-drawn carriages, this enjoyable day will prove enlightening for all. Included during the day will be: An introduction to the Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum by Samantha Harris, collections manager. A tour of the museum with chairman and project curator of The Carriage Foundation. Four Weddings and a Funeral – Carriage Studies Past and Future is a talk by Julian Munby. For details and to book your place, contact Amy Bracey on 01793 976569 or email thecarriagefoundation@yahoo.co.uk. Museum story time: Every Friday from 10.30am-11.30am in the Bentlif Gallery at the museum. A fun morning of storytelling and craft activities. Perfect for children aged under five, you can reserve your place, or turn up on the day and pay at reception. Price is £2.50 per child. Goaty fun run: The Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats 5km sponsored run, walk or crawl is a great day out and an opportunity to raise funds for the goats. The run is to be held at Mote Park on Saturday, September 17 from 2pm. It is hoped that friends and supporters of Buttercups will join in this fun afternoon and ask friends and family to sponsor them for this great cause. If you are interested in taking part, contact enquiries@ buttercups.org.uk to confirm your place and receive your official sponsorship form. Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@ aol.com Farmers’ market: The market will be on Sunday September 11 in the memorial hall from 9.30pm1pm. Fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, preserves and much more. Refreshments will be available. Ride and Stride: Ride, stride, walk to as many Kent churches as possible on Saturday, September 10. This is an annual event sponsored by Friends of Kent Churches, with sponsorship money divided equally by Friends of Kent Churches and the village church. For information contact Margaret Bradford on 01580 713180. Community lunch: The next lunch is on Monday September 19 at 12.30pm in the Vestry Hall. For information contact Janet on 01622 831256. Horticultural society: On Tuesday September 13 at 7.30pm in the Vestry Hall, Graham Spencer will give a talk on New Plants – the Future of your Garden. There will also be a competition entitled a plate of produce from your garden, with a £10 voucher for the winner Thursday Club: Meet at the Village Club on Thursday September 15 for a demonstration by Wiltshire Foods. There will be a quiz on September 29. All meetings are from 2pm-4pm. Friends of Marden Heritage: On Sunday, September 18, the Friends of Marden Heritage Hog Roast will be held at the home of Eveline and David McFarland, Selby Oast, Howland Road, from 12.30pm-4.30pm. Music by the West Kent Big Band. Pulled pork rolls, salad, strawberries and cream. Plates and cutlery will be provided but take your own chairs, tables, drinks and glasses. Tickets cost £12 for adults, £8 for children from five-15 years, and are available from the Heritage Centre in the library, Village Stores, West End Stores or committee members. This event is in aid of the restoration and repair of the stained glass windows in the church. WI: At a well-attended meeting on September 5, members welcomed local novelist Ian Porter, who spoke about life below stairs. In a talk entitled The Real Downton Abbey – Domestic Service in the early 20th Century, they heard of the long hours worked and the strict hierarchy below stairs. This all changed at the onset of the First World War as people moved away from domestic service to factory and office work. Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com Church tower open: There will be a tower open morning hosted by the bell ringers at St Nicholas Church on Saturday, September 10 from 10am-noon. Visit the ringing room, have a go at ringing under supervision and enjoy the refreshments on offer. Children wishing to ring a bell must be nine years old or over and be accompanied by an adult. Contact Mal Williams, tower captain on 01622 861143. Quarter peal: There will be a quarter peal rung at St Nicholas on Saturday, September 10 from 2pm-4pm. For details phone 01622 861143. Stoneacre open: Stoneacre will be open in aid of Heart of Kent Hospice on Sunday, September 11 from 2pm-5pm. Meet the new tenants of this National Trust garden and 15th century timberframed Yeoman’s House and see what is in store for the future of Stoneacre as they share the progress of their first year of tenancy and their future plans. The garden includes sculpted lawns, herbaceous borders and a secret garden. Enjoy a cream tea with strawberry jam and let the children try out some traditional garden games. Entry by suggested donation of £5 . For details visit www.hokh.org Messy fun: The next Messy Church at St Nicholas Church is on Monday, September 12 from 3.30pm. Craftwork, a story and songs followed by a tea. Children with their parents/carers welcome. For details phone 01622 861382. Party for everyone: A tea party will take place at St Nicholas Church on Thursday, September 15 at 3pm. Everyone welcome. For details or if a lift will be needed phone Joan Palmer on 01622 202239. Church meeting: The parochial

church council will meet at St Nicholas Church on Tuesday, September 13. Any answers: A quiz will take place at St Nicholas Church on Wednesday, September 14 at 7.30pm. Take your own nibbles and drinks. For details phone 01622 737684 or 739129. Correspondent: Linda Weeks Tel: 01622 762422 parkwoodkm@ gmail.com Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com St Paul’s Church: The Friends of Boxley Church invite you to listen to a top traditional jazz band, Dr Jazz featuring singer Lyn Falvey at St Mary and All Saints Church, The Street, Boxley on Saturday, September 17 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 (first drink included with ticket) are available from Gill 01622 630231 or Jackie on 677121. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com Wildlife Study Days: The next study day will be on Monday, September 12, and will be Shieldbugs, an introduction to a diverse, fascinating and pretty group of insects. Learn about their lifecycle and ecology, where and how to find them and how to identify the common species as well as the more recent colonists. Discover how you can contribute to an ‘Atlas of Shieldbugs and allies of Kent’, led by Jonathan Barnard, entomologist. On Friday, September 16, the topic will be Wake up Your Garden for Wildlife. A friendly workshop suitable for gardeners of all abilities, whatever the size of your garden, from a balcony to a country estate. Bring plans and photos of your garden and they will give you ideas to make it really come alive! Includes a tour of the demonstration areas. Course fee is £16 for a half-day session, run by Maureen Rainey who runs Kent Wildlife Gardening Awards. Normal fee per person per day is £27, £5 off for Kent Wildlife Trust registered volunteers, senior citizens, unemployed and students. Booking Wildlife Study Days, to save time please send the full fee when booking. You will be sent details of the day, together with information on where to meet, what to bring etc. If your chosen day is fully booked we will return your cheque. There is an administration charge of £5 if you cancel a booking at the time. Please note that there will be no refund or transfer to another day, if you give less than 10 working days notice of cancellation. For details contact Tyland Barn on 01622 662012. Vacancy: If you would like to be correspondent for South Park/Shepway, contact Debbie Edwards, mail: dedwards@ thekmgroup.co.uk St Martins: The church in Northumberland Road is holding a mini-market/coffee morning on Saturday, September 10 from 10am-noon, in aid of flowers for the coming year. There will be a tombola, toiletries stall, cards and books, bric-a-brac and refreshments on sale. All welcome. Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet.com Teen-only yoga class: The class is starting on Tuesday, September 13 from 5-6pm at Benenden Village Hall. This is an adult-style class, but with a fun element, teaching breathing techniques and relaxations that will give you the tools to deal with stress and anxiety. Mats provided. Free first class. Booking essential, email info@namasteteens.co.uk Autumn Flower Show: The final Sunflower Challenge is Saturday, September 10, and any child who has managed to grow anything this year deserves a prize. The horticultural society’s Autumn Show opens to public with free parking and entry from 2pm at the village centre. The prize giving follows at 4pm. The teas, cakes and competitions are simply too good to miss. The fate of the final Sunflower Challenge will be known at 2pm. Flower arranging workshop: Starting on Tuesday, September 20, Jackie Brookes is running a workshop for flower arranging, in Chart Sutton Village Hall (in Chart Hill Road, ME17 3RQ). While the workshop is designed as six weekly two-hour sessions from 11am-1pm, the sessions will continue through the autumn. For information, contact Jackie on 01622 753053. Surgeries: There will be a parish council surgery in the library on Saturday, September 10 from 10am-11am to discuss matters of a local nature with a councillor. The police surgery will be held from 10-11am. Diary date: Meet at the youth club in the high street on Saturday, September 17 at 10am and help keep Staplehurst tidy. Equipment and refreshments will be provided. Correspondent: Claire Adams, Woodmancote, Rumstead Lane, Stockbury, ME9 7QL Tel: 01795 841140 foxgloveadams@ aol.com Musical playtime: Musical playtime classes create a lively and exciting atmosphere for you and your child based on repetition and routine. Activities promote children’s natural creativity, curiosity and their need to explore through movement. Join Carley. Classes begin on Tuesday September 13 in the village hall at 10am. The cost is £4.50 per session or six sessions for £20. Contact Carley on 07854 620611 or www. musicalplaytime.co.uk Litter: As many of you will know, we have a group of volunteers who pick up litter around the parish. However, the need for clearing both Church and Honeycrook Hills regularly is such that we could do with a few more. These roads are the main entrance to the village and with more help they could be kept clean and tidy; it really doesn’t take much time. Litter pickers and black bags supplied and if you are interested, call Chris Porter on 01795 843715. Correspondent: Eileen Riden Tel: 01622 844953 riden887@ btinternet.com WI: The institute will meet on Tuesday, September 13 at 7.30pm in the village hall. Nick Mengham will be speaking about Bees and Beekeeping. Visitors and new members welcome. For information phone 01622 842034. Correspondent: Ron Stubbs Tel: 01622 532097 Jumbo jumble: A chance to have a great clear out from which you can benefit from the extra space and the church is also delighted because it receives the proceeds. The date is Saturday, September 17 in the village hall. Doors open at 2.30pm with items outside available from 1pm. Admission is 50p (children free). Take items for sale to the hall on the day or, for larger goods, call Dawn on 01622 812691 who will endeavour to collect the previous evening. Church news: Children’s church is back and meets on Sundays at 9.45pm. Dogs were to the fore at last Sunday’s Pet Service. Saturday, October 1 is the date of the Harvest supper, which will be held in the village hall starting at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £6 for adults and £3 for children. Those attending are asked to supply their own drinks. There will also be a raffle. Scream: Rehearsals are well in hand for the Testonites’ latest show, A Midsummer Night’s Scream. This will be released (if it hasn’t escaped by then) at the village hall on Friday, October 7 at 7.30pm. Tickets, which cost £8 and include a theatre supper, are available from Dawn, phone 01622 812691. Walk for Heart of Kent: On Sunday, October 9, take on the challenge of a 25k sponsored walk through the countryside to celebrate 25 years of compassionate care from the Heart of Kent Hospice. There is also a 15k option. The walk starts from Teston Bridge Country Park with registration from 8.30-10am. The £25 entry fee includes refreshment stops, hot lunch, finisher’s medal, tea and cake at the finish. Free parking is available. No minimum sponsorship is required but the challenge is to raise at least £100 in sponsorship. Raise more than £250 and you will be entered into a prize draw to win an Osprey 30 litre unisex rucksack. To register, or for information, visit www.hokh.org Correspondent: Mike Brine Tel: 01732 845825 mbriney.yoda@ hotmail.com St Mary’s Church: If you would like information about using St Mary’s Church for an event, meetings or rehearsals, phone 01622 631747. We remember: There will be a short service in memory of Thomas Richard Wimpson at noon on Thursday, Septemer 15 in St Mary’s, who was killed in the First World War. PARISH COUNCIL: At the September meeting, councillors agreed to renew membership of the Kent Association of Local Councils following the presentation made to the council by officers of the organisation and other interested parties in August. Repairs to the burial ground wall at the rear perimeter: No progress had been made since the last meeting but the grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund had been acknowledged and would be discussed later this month. A response from the Heritage Lottery Fund was expected midSeptember. Repairs to the edging of the car park flower bed: The Scouts will be discussing the project later this month with a view to providing some assistance with labour. The weekend of November 12-13 was agreed for a team of volunteers to undertake the repairs. The car park in Church Street would need to be closed over that weekend. It was agreed to allocate the remaining £750, originally allocated to organising the fete, to a quiz and entertainment night to take place in the autumn. A committee of the chairman, vice-chairman and Cllr Rob Foley agreed to organise the event. Correspondent: Leila Ware Tel: 01622 842330 leilaware@ outlook.com Village barn dance: Tickets are on sale for the annual Barn Dance to be held on Saturday, October 1 at the village hall. Enjoy the music of accomplished Ceilidh band Rattle the Boards, who will keep your toes tapping even when you are not dancing! Tickets cost £12.50, including supper. Available from Mimi on 843592 or Frances on 843862. The Harrow Inn: Support is growing for the Community Pub. Helen Whateley, the MP for Faversham and Mid-Kent, has shown a keen interest and visited The Harrow on September 1. A