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Correspondent: Jean Watson Mob: 07966 361434 Tel: 01622 687053 Quiz night: Allington Millennium Green present a Wine and Wisdom evening on Saturday, March 4 at 7.30pm in St Nicholas Church Hall. Teams of up to eight welcome at £5 per head, which includes nibbles but take your own drinks. To book tickets ring 01622 756660. Garden club: The club next meets on Thursday, March 2 from 7.30pm- 9.30pm in St Nicholas Church Hall. Brian Carline will give an informative talk entitled Pelargoniums and Fuchsias. Club subscriptions cost £12 per year. Guests £3 per visit. Go along and enjoy talks on plants, gardening and gardens. Raffle, fring and buy table and refreshments available. Hi Kent Clinic: The next free clinic will be on Wednesday, March 1 from 10-11.30am in the library. Clinics are run by trained volunteers who can change batteries, clean and re-tube hearing aids while you wait. Together again: The over 50s weekly Get Together sessions will resume on Wednesday, March 1 from 2.30-4pm in the Baptist Church for tea and chat. New members always welcome. Aylesford History Society: The society will be meeting on Friday, March 3 from 2.15-4pm at Aylesford Community Centre in the small hall at the back of the centre. There will be a speaker on the subject of Underground Kent. Refreshments will be available. Visitors are welcome. End of an era: After being a KM correspondent for 34 years, Martin Hider has decided hand over the reins to someone new. Martin thanks everyone who has provided him with information over the years. Coffee for charity: A coffee morning with stalls in aid of charity will take place at the Methodist Church on Saturday, March 4 at 10.15am. Jumble: Bearsted District Girlguiding will hold a jumble sale at Madginford Hall on Saturday, March 11 from 2pm-3.30pm. Admission 40p for adults, children enter free. If you have any jumble that you would like to donate, deliver it to the hall from 9.30am on the day of the sale or phone 01622 738304 to arrange collection. No furniture, please. Healing: An Eucharist Healing Service will be held in Holy Cross Church on Sunday, February 26 at 9.45am. Fellowship: The Ladies Fellowship of Bearsted Methodist Church will be given a talk by the Rev Bonni-Belle Pickard on Tuesday, February 28 at 2.30pm. WI: Bearsted Green WI will meet at the WI Hall in The Street on Wednesday, March 1 at 7.45pm and Roseacre WI will meet at the memorial hall in Manor Rise on Thursday, March 2 at 2pm. For details regarding Bearsted Green WI phone 01622 739190 or 736391 and for Roseacre WI phone 01622 737901. Coffee and chat: A coffee morning will take place in the room at Holy Cross Church on Friday March 3 from 10am-11.45am. Cost £1. For details phone Debbie on 07444 539171. Bible thoughts: Maidstone Christadelphians will be looking at Jesus Can Be Our Saviour at Madginford Hall on Sunday February 26 at 4.30pm. Everyone welcome. Correspondent: Sue Whiteoak Tel: 01634 660097 susanwhiteoak@ talktalk. net Holiday activities: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is organising holiday activities for children aged four to 18 during the Easter holiday period which is April 3-13. The nearest exciting adventures are Trying Pottery at Aylesford Pottery, The Friary; Bushcraft at Leybourne Lakes and martial arts at Ditton Community Centre. To see the full brochure, listing times of all events in the area and booking details, check out www.tmbc.gov. uk/holidayactivities or phone Leisure Services on 01732 876166. Annual service: The annual Women’s World Day of Prayer will be celebrated at Christ the King Church, Dove Close, Princes Avenue, (near Morrison’s) on Friday, March 3 at 1.30pm. People from St Alban’s, Blue Bell Hill, St David’s, Lordswood and St William’s, will join together for this service. The theme will celebrate the lives of women in the Philippine Islands. Men and children welcome. Refreshments will be available afterwards. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 Parish council: The next meeting is on Monday, March 6 at 7.30pm at Weavering Village Hall Monthly task day: The Friends of Boxley Warren carry out regular task days on the first Sunday of the month (next March 5) from 10am-1pm. Meeting places vary so contact the secretary at friends@ boxleywarren.org.uk for details. All are welcome and simple refreshments are provided. Who dunnit: The Scout group are hosting a murder mystery event on Saturday, March 4 at the village hall. Tickets cost £7.50 for adults and £5 for under 14s. Hot supper and pudding provided but take Correspondent: Pam Merryweather, 13 Fir Tree Grove, Bredhurst, ME7 3LB Tel: 01634 610011 pamerry@ outlook.com St Peter’s Church: On Sunday, February 26, there is 8.30am Holy Communion; 11am Morning Prayer and Crew; 6.30pm Quiet Service. Correspondent: Valerie Underdown Tel: 01622 843232 valerie95@ outlook.com Concert: There is a Bel Canto Concert on Sunday, February 26 at 3pm in St Mary’s Church, Sutton Valence. Bel Canto performs a range of music from both classical and popular genres. There will be a varied programme of many well-known songs and duets with audience participation. Tea and cake will be served during the interval. Entrance is free but donations welcome to St Mary’s Church. Pop-in Get Together: The monthly tea afternoon at the church on February 15 was again well attended. Everyone enjoyed the lovely cakes, sausage rolls and cheese scones on offer. There were many raffle prizes donated and lots of happy chatter filled the church. Woodpeckers in churchyard: The Woodpeckers’ churchyard tidying group will meet on Saturday March 4 from 10am-noon, to continue their valued work. New volunteers are welcome to join in. Village litter pick: Margaret Ashworth is organising a litter pick around the village on Friday and Saturday March 3-4, to tie in with the Tidy Britain Group’s Spring Clean weekend. It is fine to do your bit on Thursday, March 2 if more convenient. Filled bags will be collected on Saturday at noon. Contact Margaret on 01892 730323 to volunteer, so that she can allocate areas. Marden walk: Marden walkers will be meeting at the library on Wednesday March 1 at 9.45am to do the Unicorn walk. They expect to return by 11.30am. Contact steve.mcarragher@btinternet. com for information. Correspondent: Maureen Jopson, 68 Stockett Lane, Coxheath, ME17 4PY Tel: 01622 746086 joplot8@ hotmail.co.uk Hearing aid clinic: Apologies for not including it in last week’s issue, but Hi Kent will be holding its normal monthly hearing aid clinic on Friday, February 24 from 10-11.30am in Family Room 1 at The Heathside Centre. No appointment necessary. For information about how HiKent can help you if you are deaf or hard of hearing, phone 01622 691151 or email to enquiries@hikent.org.uk Ladies group: The next meeting is on Thursday, March 2 at 8pm in the committee room at the village hall. There will be a talk about The Medway Queen Paddle Steamer. If you would like information about this group and/ or its forthcoming events, contact Mary Wright on 01622 746621. PARISH COUNCIL: No crime had been reported. However, it was noted that CSU Cumberland had contacted the parish council to confirm that changes were in hand to rationalise PCSO cover. The rural west ward comprising of 10 villages, including Coxheath, will be covered by two PCSOs supported by a third and a fourth when fully trained. The community warden presented his report and highlighted the following issues: He continued to work in close cooperation with the PCSOs, following the recent reorganisation. Following further complaints from residents, talks had started with Coxheath School about the possibility of organising walking buses. Speedwatch, with the help of police, was stepping up its campaign to warn motorists over their speeding through the village. He was in contact with the relevant authorities to consider the establishment of a youth club, particularly during the summer holiday period. He was concerned about the increased incidences of scams and would be introducing a ‘Friends Against Scams’ initiative. The owner of Hamilton House had been written to expressing the parish council’s concerns at the state of the car park at the rear of the building and seeking action to improve the general environment. It was hoped that the clerk could arrange a liaison meeting with KCC Highways steward to discuss a number of highways maintenance issues, including the junction of Amsbury Road/ Hunton Hill. It was noted that the clerk had exchanged emails with MBC following the recent introduction of a number of new road name plates in Coxheath. There were a number of anomalies for which inadequate explanations were given and the clerk would raise the subject again at a meeting with the MBC street scene manager. Countryside Developments had said it would be making its third and final application for temporary closure of the footpath through Willow Grange in March. If necessary, therefore, the footpath could remain closed until November but the likelihood was that it would re-open in July. The next meeting of the council, to which all residents are welcome, is on Tuesday, February 28 at 7.30pm in the village hall small hall. Correspondent: Jenny Cosgrove Tel: 01622 630462 jenny.cosgrove@ hotmail. co.uk Ash Wednesday: On March 1 there will be Sung Communion in St Martin of Tours church at 7.30pm. Correspondent: Nicola Greenaway Tel: 01732 844749 nicola@dittonparishcouncil.gov.uk Parish council: The next full parish council meeting will be held a week later than usual on Monday, March 13 at 7.30pm in the council chamber. End of an era: After being a KM correspondent for 34 years, Martin Hider has decided hand over the reins to someone new. Martin thanks everyone who has provided him with information over the years. Any answers: A quiz will take place at St Nicholas Church on Wednesday, February 8 at 7.30pm. Take your own nibbles and drinks. For details phone 01622 739129 or 746462. Correspondent: Maureen Jopson, 68 Stockett Lane, Coxheath, ME17 4PY Tel: 01622 746086 joplot8@ hotmail.co.uk Workshop: Dandelion Time is arranging a marmalade workshop with Paula George in East Farleigh on Friday, March 10 from 9am-3pm. Make your own marmalade to take home. Lunch and marmalade ingredients included. The cost is £50 per person. Contact fundraising@dandeliontime. org.uk Concert: There is a Bel Canto Concert on Sunday, February 26 at 3pm in St Mary’s Church, Sutton Valence. Bel Canto performs a range of music from both classical and popular genres. There will be a varied programme of many well-known songs and duets with audience participation. Tea and cake will be served during the interval. Entrance is free but donations welcome to St Mary’s Church. Correspondent: Fran Smith, 14 Pitt Road, Maidstone, ME16 8PA Mob: 07791 650955 Tel: 01622 720623 fransmith@ talktalk.net RNLI Barn Dance: Take your partners for a Barn Dance on Saturday, March 4 at 7.30pm in the cCommunity hall, Fant Lane. Dancing to the music of John and