What’s happening where you live...

space is limited so if you want to attend but haven’t booked a place yet call 01622 726263 to ascertain the position. Not at night: Dean Street, East Farleigh will be closed from September 26 for up to four nights between 9pm and 6am The closure is to enable a new connection to be carried out by BT Openreach. There will be no access for through traffic between the junctions with Forge Lane and Workhouse Lane. The alternative route is via B2010 Lower Road, B2163 Ewell Lane/ Heath Road. As we were: After maintaining that my telephone number had been reallocated to another party, I have been told that I can have it again. So 01622 726962 is back (but for how long?) Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com RSPB: To join the local group you don’t have to be a bird expert or a member of the RSPB Society. Whether your interest is mainly watching the birds in your garden, a lifelong interest in birds or you just have a keen enthusiasm for nature and the outdoors there is something for everyone. Social events and coach trips take place and there is the opportunity to mix with like-minded people. Meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 7.30am at Grove Green Community Centre with speakers and opportunities to buy bird feed and Sales goods. Entrance cost for visitors - £4.50 (£3.50 for group members). Easy car parking available. For information phone 01580 892458 or visit website maidstone.localrspb.org. uk New members and visitors always welcome. Cricket: The 2nd XI will play a friendly home match against Old Colfes on Saturday, September 17 starting at 1pm. Methodists help: Methodism will have existed in Bearsted for 200 years in 2018. Please would anyone with any connection or knowledge of the Church and it’s activities either in Ware Street or elsewhere be prepared to share their memories or photographs? Perhaps you took part in an event or remember going to the Church for a special occasion or your family worshipped there in the past. A research meeting will take place at the church in Ware Street on Sunday, October 16 from 2pm-4pm or if you would prefer phone 01622 730389 or email peterlythgoe447@btinternet.com or rrs.barton@btinternet.com Bible activities: Maidstone Christadelphians will have an informal discussion or be shown a DVD with a Bible theme at Madginford Hall on Sunday, September 18 at 4.30pm. All welcome. Coffee and chat: A coffee morning will take place in the room at Holy Cross Church on Friday, September 16 at 10am. Cost £1. For details phone Debbie on 07444 539171. Communion: The Mothers’ Union will have Corporate Communion at Holy Cross Church on Wednesday, September 21 at 10am. Fellowship: The Ladies Fellowship of Bearsted Methodist Church will meet on Tuesday September 20 at 2.30pm when the topic will be Five Things to Take to a Desert Island - to fit into a Tesco bag! Bearsted and Thurnham WI: At the August meeting, Jackie Simmonds entertained members with tales of her life as a member of the prestigious and much loved Tiller Girls. Jackie’s talk gave a fascinating look into show-business life. You may have seen her many times before - she posed between the two Ls of PALLADIUM on that famous revolving stage on Sunday evenings. At the age of 16, Jackie joined the troop and three weeks later was on stage at the London Palladium, where she met such stars as Frank Sinatra, Max Bygraves and compares Bruce Forsythe and Jimmy Tarbuck. In 1970, big changes came and the Tiller Girls disbanded. Jackie joined the Black and White Minstrel Show as a dancer but in the seventh series the show was dropped as not being politically correct. Jackie then moved into acting and appeared on TV as a nurse in General Hospital with Linda Bellingham and also in Secret Army. In 1966, 16 Tiller Girls reformed for a charity gala at Drury Lane for the benefit of Terry Thomas who was living in poverty and the proceeds enabled him to live his remaining years in a nursing home. Jackie enlisted six volunteers from the audience to show how a simple dance routine was put together and the rest of the ladies were encouraged to participate from their chairs. An entertaining and lively insight into the world of entertainment made for an enjoyable evening. The competition was for memorabilia from the Fifties and Sixties and won by Jean Lifford. The next meeting will be on October 26, when Chris O‘Donoghue’s talk will be From Pottery to Pottery Shed. Competition: Old garden remedies. Correspondent: Robert Hanvik Mob: 07900 930824 robert.kentmessenger@ gmail.com Village calendar: Barn dance: Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com Dr Jazz Concert: 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, on Saturday, September 17 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 (first drink included with ticket) available from Gill 01622 630231. Correspondent: Pam Merryweather, 13 Fir Tree Grove, Bredhurst, ME7 3LB Tel: 01634 610011 pamerry@ outlook.com Garden club: The meeting on Wednesday, September 21, will be the annual meeting followed by a Question & Answer Forum. There will also be the potato competition. Visitors welcome and any inquiries to Mrs Adams on 01634 233554. Correspondent: Valerie Underdown Tel: 01622 843232 valerie95@ outlook.com PARISH COUNCIL: Planning: Lested Farm, Plough Wents Road, extension of farmyard into an adjacent agricultural field. Development of an on-farm agricultural anaerobic digestion project that will generate clean, renewable energy from animal manures and slurries and agricultural by-products from the growing and processing of fruit and vegetables, with the addition of some energy crops. This was re- fused and referred to the planning committee due to concern over extra vehicle movements, the storage and handling of the manures and loss of amenity. Borough council decision: Willmott, Plough Wents Road, single storey rear and side extension. Permitted. There was one parishioner present for the open session, inquiring about signs to restrict the passage of HGVs along Chart Hill Road. It was explained that this was in hand and would be mentioned to county Cllr Hotson at the next meeting with him. The PCSO was unable to attend the meeting but sent notice of one crime for the last month, namely a theft from a vehicle on a driveway in Plough Wents Road. The play area at the Memorial Playing Field needed resurfacing and Cllrs Forknall and Waring had visited a school to check out a specific surface. This was found to be ideal and Cllr Waring would obtain pricing for the next meeting with a view to commencing work. Now that the new shop is in place it was decided to tidy up the village green. New posts and chains would be installed and the sign cleaned. There was discussion on how to stop people accessing the green from the western corner as this can be dangerous due to traffic but no concrete solution was found. Cllr FitzGerald suggested putting a flag pole on the green, which would be discussed at the next meeting. It was noted that the internal auditor had retired and had recommended Lionel Robinson as his replacement. This was agreed by members. Many villagers were having a lot of trouble with broadband and it was agreed that this should be brought up at the next meeting with Cllr Hotson. Members were asked to consider whether to respond to various consultations and it was agreed that the paperwork regarding Local Transport Plan 4 should be completed. Cllr Fitzgerald would fill in the questionnaire on behalf of the council and bring to next meeting for approval. A local man attended the meeting and had agreed to undertake cleaning of the pavilion initially for four hours a month. It was decided to hold an autumn litter pick and this will be on Saturday, October 8. Meet at 10am at the village hall. Training in the use of the defibrillator will take place prior to a future council meeting, with all councillors attending. When the date is known, it will be publicised for any parishioner to attend. It was noted that the double yellow lines and replacement white lines at Chart Corner had been put in place. The extension of the 30mph speed limit was due to be implemented soon. Flower arranging: Classes will start in the village hall on Tuesday, September 20 from 11am-1pm. For information call Jackie on 01622 753053 Woodpeckers clean up: The churchyard tidying group known as the Woodpeckers had a tough time attending the vicarage in Yalding to clear the brambles and trim a very long overgrown hedge. The garden is now much more manageable for the new vicar and his family who will be arriving soon. At a special service in Yalding Church on Wednesday, September 21 at 7.30pm, the Bishop of Rochester and Archdeacon of Tonbridge will be here to formally put the Revd Paul Kish into his new post as vicar of the Benefice. Sorry, wrong date: I mentioned in an earlier edition a date for the WI craft fair. In actual fact it was the wrong date. The fair will take place on Saturday, October 22 at Yalding village hall from 10am-3pm. Anyone requiring a stall there should call Mary Jakes on 01892 730344. Sorry for any confusion. Seniors’ tea party: The monthly seniors’ tea party took place at the lovely home of Vicky George last week. Eleven ladies had a thoroughly wonderful time sitting out in the garden and enjoying a scrumptious tea of drop scones, cheese scones, cakes etc. PARISH COUNCIL: Joint flood group. Parish councillors David Goff and Barbara Grandi have formed a Joint Parish Flood Group to challenge the EA modelling findings and to work with all agencies; KCC, MBC and central government with the assistance of our MP, Helen Grant, who attended the inaugural meeting on August 26. One of the actions was that David Goff would meet with the EA’s Mark Douch, which he did last Friday. The outcome was that Mark would like to receive other ideas and options the group would like to consider as an alternative to flood storage areas. Mark is providing funding for 10 days support for the new Joint Parish Group from the National Flood Forum. He will also set up a technical group for our area and he will provide the group with accurate data on the numbers of properties that flooded in 2013. GamBLE name change: The Yalding based charity GamBLE, a charity which supports a unique school in The Gambia, was re-launched by its founders Karen and Tony Di Marco at the annual barbecue last week. School Gambia reflects the progress made and the direction into the future as a model of teaching and organisation that can be rolled out to other Gambian schools. It is a great achievement that this school has been recognised by the Gambian Education Department as one providing a high level of education for all of is students. Monthly pop-in: The next St Margaret’s Church monthly pop-in tea and coffee afternoon takes place on Wednesday September 21 from 2-4pm. Do go along for a chat, a cuppa and some delicious home baked fare. A warm welcome is assured. Yalding on Saturday: A farmers’ market takes place on Saturday September 17 from 10am-1pm in Yalding High Street. A wide range of high quality produce will be on offer, and there is parking available. Then at 2.30pm, Yalding Garden Society will hold its Autumn Show at the village hall. Visitors are welcome. In addition the Riverside Gallery will be open as usual from 2-5pm with the September exhibition. The gallery closes for the winter at the end of this month. Correspondent: Maureen Jopson, 68 Stockett Lane, Coxheath, ME17 4PY Tel: 01622 746086 joplot8@ hotmail.co.uk Better hearing: HiKent will be holding its monthly hearing aid clinic on Friday, September 23 from 1011.30am in Family Room 1 at The Heathside Centre. No appointment necessary. You can get your aid retubed or get new batteries. There is also other information available about lip reading, sign language, etc. For information phone on 01622 691151 or enquiries@hikent. org.uk Flu clinics: Greensands Health Centre will be holding flu clinics on September 27, 28 and 29 from 7.3011am and on three other dates in October, which you will be notified of. These are walk in clinics and vaccinations are available for everyone over 65, anyone with chronic heart disease/renal disease/liver disease, asthma, COPD, diabetes, the immuno-suppressed and pregnant women. Be aware that there may be a rush at 7.30 so consider walking if you can because the car park will be closed for health and safety reasons. Coffee time: The primary school is holding a Macmillan coffee morning on Thursday, September 22 in the junior hall from 8.45am-11am. There will be home made cakes and a raffle. All proceeds to Macmillan Cancer.