What’s happening where you live...

Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@ aol.com Marden at Christmas: A successful celebration arranged by the parish council took place last Saturday. Carols, music by the Silver Brass Band, morris dancing, Wild Women Sword Dancing, and refreshments available everywhere and then Santa’s Grotto and a Christmas Fair in the memorial hall. The rain held off as well. Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com Carol Service: A traditional service of Lessons and Carols will be held in St Nicholas Church on Sunday December 18 at 6pm. Christingle Service: A Christingle Service will be held in St Nicholas Church on Sunday December 18 at 10.30am. Proceeds will be given to The Children’s Society. Services On Thursdays: Holy Communion Services will be held in St Nicholas Church at 9.30am on Thursdays during January. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com St Paul’s Church: Saturday December 17 at 7pm, Christmas in the Blitz written by Ian Humphreys. Adults £5 with children free. It is an event for the whole family that includes lots of fun and music. Proceeds from this event are helping St Paul’s support homeless people in Maidstone. Every Saturday there is a Short Service of Prayer and Intercession in Church at 9.30am. For all hall bookings contact 01622 762370 Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 Kent Scouts Christmas: Celebrate Christmas at The Kent Scout Barn, Lower Grange Farm on Saturday December 17 from 11am3.30pm. Enjoy mince pies and mulled wine under the Scouting Christmas tree. The climbing barn will be open and you can have a go. For details look at www.kentscouts.org.uk Tyland Barn: On Saturday December 17 there will be a Woodland Christmas Grotto at Tyland Barn from 11am-3pm, with four sessions available every day. Join Kent Wildlife for the festive season and book a session to meet Father Christmas and his elves in our woodland grotto. £8 per child (includes a quality gift), booking essential. For information or to book go to kentwildlifetrust.org. uk or call 01622 662012 (Mon-Fri) Vacancy: If you would like to be correspondent for South Park/Shepway, email Debbie Edwards, dedwards@ thekmgroup.co.uk St Martins church: There will be Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet.com Southern Water meeting: On December 7, at a meeting in the parish office, David Tomlinson and Nick Davies outlined how Southern Water plans Kent’s drainage. The discussion started with the recently-completed KCC surface water survey (to view google JBA Consulting – Kent County Council), which had concluded that the few properties at risk in the village did not justify the cost of any preventative measures. Recent improvements included the installation of bigger pumps and macerators (in-line devices which break solids into pieces small enough to be pumped) at the pumping station in the Marden Road. This improvement coincided with the clearance of the neighbouring ditches which, after just two years, are already returning to their former state – illustrating the need for a rolling ditch-clearing programme if the ingress of surface water into the foul sewers is to be prevented during periods of heavy rain. Most of our village already has separate drains for foul and surface water, and this policy will be continued for the estates to be built here in the future. To prevent the rate of run-off (the speed at which rain reaches the river) increasing into the Beult, the developers have to provide plans for schemes which will slow the flow off the estates when they are built. These plans have to be approved by KCC’s Max Tant and Flood Risk Management Committee. In the event that the sewage-treatment plant has insufficient capacity to cope with the additional sewage from the new housing planned, then Southern Water (quote) “Cannot refuse, but might need time”. Railway Tavern future: Since expressing my concerns about the intended ‘change of use’ for both the building and the car park, similar comments have been made on the Facebook ‘A better community for Staplehurst’, which has attracted some 50 comments, almost all in favour of keeping the pub. However, at the time of writing (Tuesday morning), it appears that the point has been missed. The number of objections regCorrespondent: Eileen Riden Tel: 01622 844953 riden887@ btinternet.com Concert success: The carol concert with the Kent Police Band in the village hall last Sunday was successful. Deputy Mayor Cllr Critteden and Mrs Crittenden attended. It was pleasing that the residents and carers from Cheshire Home in Staplehurst were able to join us this year. Seasonal singing: Carols around the Christmas tree will take place on Friday, December 16 at 6.30pm. Mince pies and mulled wine will be on offer so lots of families with their best singing voices and torches are expected. Christmas at St Mary’s: The Service of Lessons and Carols is on Sunday, December 18 at 6pm. The Bishop of Dover, will dedicate and bless the new kitchen and toilet. Join in to celebrate this amazing achievement. There will be refreshments afterwards. Crib Service, Christmas Eve at 4pm. Christmas morning, 10am Holy communion and carols. On Sunday, January 1, there will be a Covenant Service in Headcorn at 11am, and all four Churches will be joining this special service. Correspondent: Ron Stubbs Tel: 01622 726962 In church: Nine Lessons and Carols at 6.30pm on Sunday, December 18, by candlelight to add to the special atmosphere (but take a torch if you prefer). Christmas Eve, 3.30pm Crib Service. Tuesday and Wednesday December 20-21, carol singing around the village from 6pm. Starting from the village hall on both days, (don’t worry if you miss the start, just listen and you should hear the singers). Collection for Christian Aid. All villagers: Are invited to a reception organised jointly by the parochial church council and parish council on Sunday, January 1 in the village hall from 11.30am-1pm). Correspondent: Leila Ware Tel: 01622 842330 leilaware@ outlook.com New Year quiz: The next quiz night will be on Saturday January 28. This is always a popular event