What’s happening where you live...

held at the community centre in Marsham Street on Friday, February 24, when Hazel Arnold will give a talk on The Black Mahler. Coffee will be available from 10am with the business of the meeting and the talk commencing at 10.30am. Visitors, guests and potential members (both male and female) will be welcome. Admission for non-members is £3 including coffee and biscuits. Tinnitus support meeting: The local deaf charity Hi Kent will be hosting a meeting of the Tinnitus Support Group, with a guest speaker from the British Tinnitus Association on Friday, February 24 from 2pm-4pm at the Bremner Room, United Reformed Church, Week Street. All welcome. Inquiries to Hi Kent on 01622 691151 or enquiries@hikent.org.uk Seaweed exhibition: The exhibition Seaweeds and Their Secrets is running from 10am-5pm at the Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s Street until Tuesday, April 4. A delightful look at the variety of seaweeds around the Kent coast and their sometimes surprising uses in everyday products. Heart of Kent Hospice: Sarah Pugh, chief executive, Tony Moffatt, chairman of trustees and members of the Hospice leadership team are hosting a Public Forum at The Monckton Education Centre, Heart of Kent Hospice on Tuesday, February 21 at 6pm. Following an update on the changes that are being introduced, there will be an opportunity for guests to ask questions about the challenges faced by the hospice, plans to secure the long-term financial stability of the hospice and how you can ‘Get Behind’ Heart of Kent Hospice. Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@ aol.com Jumble sale: The primary school parents’/teacher association is holding a jumble sale in the memorial hall on Saturday, February 25 from 11am-1pm. Entrance 50p. All proceeds to the association. Walking group: The annual village litter pick will be on Saturday, March 18, and the Walking Group will clear some of the surrounding lanes. Phone either 01622 832455 or the parish office on 832305 if you can help on one of the following dates: March 15, from 9.45am-noon at Tilden Lane; March 18 10amnoon or 2pm-4pm at Copper Lane, Thorn Road and Plain Road. Wednesday walks (meeting outside the library at 9.45am) on March 1, Unicorn walk; March 8, former Wild Duck walk. Saturday walks (meeting outside the library at 2pm) March 4, cemetery and Southons Field; March 11, the tree walk. High kicks: The Marden Society will welcome Jackie Simmonds to talk about My Life as a Tiller Girl on Wednesday, February 22 at 7.30pm in the Village Club. Drinks will be available from the bar. Memorial hall AGM: The hall’s AGM will be held on Monday, March 13 at 7pm in the John Banks Hall, Goudhurst Road. For information email mardenmemorialhall@yahoo.co.uk or phone 07562 625626. Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com Family service: A Family Worship Service for the whole church parish will be held in St Nicholas Church on Sunday, February 19 at 10.30am. 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 Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com PARISH COUNCIL: Boxley Parish Council, which covers Sandling, met on January 23. Entrance to Sandling Village, awaiting responses from Boxley Warren Local Nature Reserve Management Committee concerning safety of volunteers on the site. Crime report: Theft, miscellaneous, including theft by finding - Tyland Cottages, 28/10 Burglary other than dwelling, theft - Kent Scout Activity Centre, 30/10 Theft, miscellaneous, including theft by finding, caravan stolen - Lower Grange Farm 02/11 Burglary other than dwelling, theft - The Yew Tree Inn, 02/11 Other burglary in building other than dwelling - Cobtree Manor Park 17/11 Cllr Bob Hinder asked county Cllr Paul Carter whether some of his budget could be used on the arrows in Old Chatham Road. See the Boxley column for more Correspondent: Linda Weeks Tel: 01622 762422 parkwoodkm@ gmail.com If you have an item concerning Senacre, please contact the correspondent above. Vacancy: If you would like to be correspondent for South Park/Shepway, email Debbie Edwards: dedwards@ thekmgroup.co.uk Quiz night: St Martins is holding a quiz night on Saturday, February 18 in the church, Northumberland Road, with fish and chips or sausage and chips (order from Sue Yeo), starting at 7pm for food. Quiz starts approx 7.30pm with tables of six. Go on the night and you can join a team for the quiz (£3 a ticket). Take your own drinks, nibbles etc. Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet.com Adventures in Peru: Sue Shaw will be talking about her time in Peru at the horticultural society meeting on Tuesday, February 21 at 8pm in the village centre south hall, to which all are welcome. The horticultural society aims to engage with the local community and, in particular, with the local children, and to promote an interest in gardening and rural matters in general. It holds monthly meetings in the village centre, with illustrated talks, raffles, refreshments etc, as well as a number of annual events. Contact Sue de St-Jorre on 893922 for details. Interest Group: This week’s talk is about the early years of motoring, starting with the days when all cars had to be proceeded by a man holding a red flag, and young ladies needed new games to entertain themselves when their car broke down. If you can bring the correct answers to the following questions along to the meeting, you will receive a prize: 1) Why did the Hautboy Hotel refuse to serve Viscountess Harberton luncheon in their coffee room? 2) Where was the first horseless-carriage show held in this country? 3) Who originated the ‘star’ ratings for hotels? 4) Who were the infamous ‘hedgehogs’ (circa 1905)? 5) In 1895, Emile Levassor was first to finish the first ever car race (732 miles) six hours in front of the next car, and 11 in front of the eventual winner. Why didn’t he win? – it did cause an outcry at the time. While ‘motoring’ might sound a bit of a blokey topic, there will be something in it for everyone – from ladies fashions to literary gems, Westminster to royalty. There will be no mention of potentially sexist issues such as parallel parking. As always, everyone is welcome to join the group at their weekly meetings (of which there have been more than 1,000, so they must be doing something right) held in the Schoolroom, Chapel Lane, from 10am-noon on Thursdays. Their varied programme explores anything of interest (a donation covers coffee, biscuit and hall rental) so contact Joan or Malcolm Buller on 01580 892746 or email mbuller147@btinternet.com PARISH COUNCIL: Carnival and Fete. Cllr Manning reported that unless there was a sudden rush of residents volunteering to assist with the running of the carnival and fete within the next few weeks, then this much-loved event will have to be severely reduced in scale. So this is a final call for help. This event not only provides a great family day out for the whole village, but it also raises a lot of money which goes towards new or replacement of items essential for the continuing operation of the local groups – the Scouts and Guides in particular, whose huts are in constant need of attention. Advertising from the brochure alone raises more than £5,000, so the consequences of this event being cancelled would have farreaching effects. While new Cllr Lawrence Whittle has volunteered to work with the C&F committee, this is a job for more than just one-man so, if you have any interest in doing something for the community, now is the time for you to step up to the plate. If the situation can be saved, next year will be the 50th – the Golden year, which makes it all the more important that our carnival and fete doesn’t die in March 2017. So, either contact Cllr Whittle, or go to www.staplehurstvillage.org.uk/carnival_fete. aspx now. Council objectives: Over recent years the work undertaken by our parish councillors has been increasing. This is due in part to devolution – more and more of what was MBC’s business is becoming parish business – and also to the recent and future house building. So there are two concerns: the first being a risk that projects are not given the appropriate priorities, and the second is that residents are not given the wherewithal to judge the parish council’s achievements. So, if you feel that there are important issues in the village which are not being addressed, and which should be on the list then there is one way to make sure that it will be considered: raise it with a councillor at the parish councillor surgery on Saturday, February 25 in the library. Cllr Paddy Riordan will be there from 10am-11am. Borough Cllr John Perry will also be in the library from 10am-noon. 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 Bel Canto concert: At St Mary’s Church Sutton Valence on Sunday, February 26 at 3pm. There will be a range of music from both classical and popular genres. A varied programme of well-known songs and duets. There will be tea and cakes during the interval. En- Darcy, left, and son Dexter have such a strong bond that the RSPCA is hoping they can find a forever home together. The beautiful duo are a loving pair who should settle in well to family life, but whose owner sadly could no longer afford to keep them. Darcy is four years old and Dexter is 18 months. They will need a secure garden to enjoy.

If you think you could offer Darcy and Dexter a home, call Maidstone RSPCA on 01622 891222.