What’s happening where you live...
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. Live music night: The liveliest Live HipHop event in town is back again at Drakes, 9 Fairmeadow on Friday, March 10, featuring: Daniel Son x Roundhouse (live band), Tenbag banditz, Erny Baits, Open Mic, Live DJ +More TBA. This time fundraising in aid of MADM a homelessness charity doing wonderful things for our town. Lots of games and competitions on the night with some great prizes to be won and 100% of funds raised going to the charity. Free entry all night! Drink deals including four beers for £8. Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@ aol.com Memorial hall: The AGM will be held on Monday March 13 commencing at 7pm in the John Banks Hall, Goudhurst Road. For information email mardenmemorialhall@yahoo.co.uk or telephone 07562 625626. PTA jumble sale: The primary school PTA is holding a jumble sale in the memorial hall on Saturday, February 25 from 11am1pm. All proceeds to the PTA. 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. Services on Thursdays: Holy Communion Services will be held in St Nicholas Church at 9.30am on Thursdays during March. Worship band: If there are any
talented (or nearly talented!) Christian musicians who would like, in the first instance, to help form a worship band to play at two family services per month (second Sunday at Langley and third Sunday at Otham – both services at 10.30)am then give the Rev Steve Hughes a ring on 07896098272 or 01622862793. Meeting: There will be an residents’ meeting with Cllr Gary Cook at St Nicholas Church on Friday, February 24 at 6.30pm. For details phone the Rev Steve Hughes on 01622 862793. Any answers: A quiz will take place at St Nicholas Church on Wednesday, March 8 at 7.30pm. Take your own nibbles and drinks. Details on 01622 739129 or 746462. Parish council: The council will meet at the village hall on Monday, March 6 at 7.45pm. The public are invited to attend. Church bellringing: There will be a bell-ringing practice at St Nicholas Church on Monday March 6 at 7.30pm and another on Wednesday March 8 at 3pm. For information phone 01622 861143. Correspondent: Linda Weeks Tel: 01622 762422 parkwoodkm@ gmail.com Residents’ Association: The next meeting is on Tuesday, March 7 at Fusion Maidstone, 2 Cobb Way starting at 2pm. All residents are welcome to attend. Aimee Bartlett, community development worker, Fusion Maidstone HLC, phone 01622 691177 or email aimeebartlett@fusionhlc.org.uk Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 Operation Osprey: On Monday, Feb- ruary 27, at Tyland Barn Visitors Centre, there will be an well-illustrated talk by Ralph Todd on Operation Osprey, a fascinating and important project. The talk starts at 7.30pm and finishes at 9,30pm, with light refreshments in the interval. Donations welcome. Minimum age for children - 12 years. For details contact Richard on 01622 675002. Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet.com Hearing aid clinic: There will be a free Hi Kent clinic at the McCabe Centre on Thursday, March 2 from 2pm-3pm. No appointment is needed. As well as care of NHS hearing aids (including free replacement batteries and tubes), advice is available about their range of specialist equipment, free assessment service for the over 65s and lipreading, sign language and deaf awareness classes, and their tinnitus support groups. Inquiries to 01622 691151 orenquiries@hikent.org.uk PARISH COUNCIL: Hen & Duckhurst. By the standards of our village, this is a big one. Maidstone BC has approved outline planning application 14/502010 ‘for the erection of residential development for up to 250 dwellings with access and garaging’ on the Hen & Duckhurst Farm estate. While this approval came with 25 conditions, it was clear that the roundabout on the Marden Road remains in the plans for the scheme. So, unless some lightning bolt hits the planners in MBC, all the good work achieved some 15 years ago when Lime Trees was built, which managed to retain the Marden Road’s rural quality,