What’s happening where you live...

‘Help Point’ at the Hollingbourne Station, so that it could be brought back to life. The fence constructed of tyres and concrete etc, along Greenway Court Road needed to be tidied up. Even if the fence is disguised with tree branches it would look more aesthetically pleasing. The crime figures for March 10 to April 9: March 10 and 29 (x2), Junction 8 Services, theft from motor vehicle; March 10, Junction 8 Services, shop-lifting; March 16, Eyhorne Street, criminal damage; March 21, 27and 31, Junction 8 Services, making off without payment. There was one call made to the police regarding nuisance vehicles. Borough Cllr Patrik Garten reported that information about Junction 8, Woodcut Farm, was still circulating and awaiting the October appeals. Robert Mellor advised to leave the development of office buildings on the aforementioned land to a later date within the plan. This give would buy more time in the making of a decision and enable the pushing of the Leeds relief road. Planning: 17/501481/FULL Morning Dawn Cottage, Ringlestone Road, demolition of garages and conservatory, erection of two storey extension, internal/external alterations and dormer windows. No objection. 17/501301/FULL Old Grove Mill Dairy, Eyhorne Street, retrospective, amendment to approved application MA/13/1173 for changes to elevations and floor plans and addition of porch area. No objetion. 17/501329/FULL 3 The Pavings, rear first floor extension, conversion of integral garage, 2 x new bay windows and replacement windows.No objection. 17/500485/FULL Road Chef Services, Junction 8, cnstruction of a drive through kiosk and associated roadways. No objection. 17/501235/ TPO 4 Godfrey Meadow, Prune oak. No objection. The paper copy of the Draft Local Plan had been received by the Parish Council and Cllr A Bennett would examine the document and report back at the next parish ceeting. Cllr Cobbett brought up the fact that the traffic congestion within the locality had not been mentioned within the document even though it would worsen considerably with the proposed extra housing. Cllr Cobbett advised that a lake had appeared alongside the footpath near to Hospital Road and the railway line and queried why it did not any have life-saving equipment next to it. The station manager was finding out about the excavation and drainage around the tracks near Hospital Road. Cllr Ward presented the plans for the new equipment in the playground area which would be financed by a s.61 payment from the developer of Godfrey Meadow. The equipment proposed would consist of a pendulum swing, which can be used by less mobile children as well as a 25 metre aerial runway ‘zip wire’. Works would also include the removal of the old seesaw which has seen better days and the replacement of a modern ‘rocker’ seesaw which would also be ideal for younger children and toddlers. A multi-activity facility for toddlers and older children would also be installed. This item was all in progress and future updates would be made available soon. The Millennium Green pond has been cleared and re-filled with water. Cllr S Bauer was concerned about fish which may have died in the progress, but Cllr Ward assured the councillors that all efforts had been made to save the fish and they had been re-homed in local ponds. The pond on the Millennium Green had been badly silted up and the water within it comes from the Bourne. The pond had not been maintained from its instigation in 2000 and had desperately needed attention. Date of next meeting: Monday May 8 at 7.30pm in the Cardwell Pavilion. Correspondent: Helen Ward Tel: 01622 820810 Brain teasing evening: Hunton and Linton Pre-school is holding a quiz night on Friday, May 5 at the village club. Doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Entry £5 per head. Go with a team of six or join with others on the night. There will be a licensed bar to provide liquid refreshment but take your own nibbles. For booking and payment, email huntonpreschool@hotmail. com Speedwatch help needed: The Speedwatch team is in need of additional volunteers to help with speed monitoring. The aim of the scheme is to educate drivers to reduce their speed to within the speed limit thereby making our roads safer and improving the quality of life for local residents. Sessions are usually an hour long and carried out at various times of day by a team of four or five people. There is no obligation to take part in any particular session with volunteers being free to pick and choose those that are convenient to them. A short online training session needs to be completed by all new volunteers, followed by a familiarisation session at the roadside, but neither of these is particularly onerous. If you can spare an hour here and there and would like to join the team, or require information, contact Helen on 01622 820810 or email helen@ helenward.org Church clean up: In order to try to maintain St Mary’s Church and churchyard, two working parties have been held so far this year. However, grass and weeds are growing fast at the moment, and there are always jobs needing to be done inside the church, so try to spare the odd hour to help on Saturday, May 13. If you think you may be able to help, let Lesley know so she can take enough supplies for the coffee break. Email lesley.a.lee@btinternet.com phone 01622 820210. PARISH COUNCIL: The annual parish council meeting will be held at the village hall on Monday, May 8 at 7.30pm. The meeting is open to the press and the public. An open session is held at the beginning of the meeting for parishioners who wish to raise any issues. Open talk at WI: Non-members, both male and female, are invited to join the WI at the Village Club on Tuesday, May 16, for the latest talk in its program of open evenings. Michael Smith, a freelance journalist who worked for the Guardian, Observer and Evening Standard for more than 20 years, will give a talk on Antarctic explorer Tom Crean. Tom ran away to sea aged 15 and played a memorable role in Antarctic exploration. He spent more time in the unexplored Antarctic than Scott or Shackleton, and outlived both. He was amongst the last to see Scott, being in the search party that found the frozen body. An unforgettable story of triumph over unparalleled hardship and deprivation, supported by archive photos, it promises to be a fascinating evening. The club and the bar will be open from 7pm and non-members are welcome for a small donation of £5 each to include light refreshments. Let Ann Sawtell on 01622 820731 or Fay Joyce on 820644 know if you are attending so that they can ensure there is enough seating and, more importantly, tea, coffee and cakes. Sunday service: The Rev Peter Callway will lead a Family Service starting at 11am at St Mary’s Church on Sunday, May 7. Footpaths group: The next walk is on Saturday, May 13 meeting at 10am. The May meander is a 4.50 mile walk from Mereworth, heading east via Hurst Wood. Meet outside St Lawrence parish church (a grand church with porticoed entrance and some unusual stained glass windows) TQ660 538. There are several shady woodland walk- ing stretches, and some lovely views of the countryside. Leader: 07733 046915. PARISH COUNCIL: The annual parish meeting was held on April 26. There were a diverse range of speakers and a wide selection of topics were covered, from neighbourhood plans to voluntary groups, double yellow lines and inconsiderate parking, to quiet lanes. One of the areas of most concern, was the matter of trespass on land owned by the Loose Swiss Scout group. The large piece of land in the valley, had seen a spate of vandalism, trespass, illegal fishing and dogs worrying sheep. The police and the PCSO were investigating these illegal activities. County Rural Officers are also involved with the illegal matter of sheep rustling, which is on the increase around the country, particularly in Kent. The Scouts want to continue to enjoy the use of the land and will be securing the site from trespassers. At the meeting, they asked for assistance from the public to keep their dogs on a lead and not to let them wander onto Scout land and into fields where there are sheep. Local farmers have been told by the police to deal with any dogs found to be worrying sheep, in an appropriate manner. Planning committee: There will be a meeting of the parish council’s planning committee at 6.45pm on Monday, May 8 at the parish pavilion, King George V playing field, Walnut Tree Lane. The public are welcome to attend. Agendas for meetings can be found on the parish council website (www.loosepc.kentparishes.gov. uk) or alternatively on one of the three noticeboards along the Loose/Linton Road (outside Loose Primary School; top of Old Loose Hill (Post Office end) and corner of Holmesdale Close). There will also be a meeting of the events committee at 7.30pm on Monday, May 8. Under discussion will be the Village Fete and Fun Dog Show which is due to be held on Saturday, September 2, and has a Heroes and Heroines theme. Stallholders are invited to apply for a stall (no food and drink stalls available). Vvisit the dedicated Loose Fete website (http://loosevillagefete.wixsite.com/loosevillage-fete) for information and an application form. Museum exhibition: The exhibition Japan: A Floating World in Print is running all day at the museum on St Faith’s Street until Saturday, June 10. A captivating display of more than 60 ukiyo-e prints from the 18th to the 20th century. With dramatic landscapes from the Edo and Meiji print masters, including Hokusai and Hiroshige, to Bijinga prints of beautiful courtesans and the colourful prints of the 20th century from Ogata Gekko, this exhibition is sure to surprise and delight. Tickets: Adults £4 (£3.50 when booked online), children enter free. Below 65 Gallery: Until Monday May 29, the Below 65 Gallery is presenting Adam Harrison: The Day I Woke Up Singing. This is the first exhibition of collages by Kent based artist Adam Harrison – surreal slices and that feeling of a smile forming. To see a huge selection of these slices, find Adam on Instagram: a_fuzzy_one Favourite music concert: The concert of Favourite Music 3 in aid of Heart of Kent Hospice is being held on Saturday, May 6 from 7.30pm at Invicta Grammar School, Huntsman Lane. Get behind the Heart of Kent Hospice by attending this annual charity concert with Simon Proctor (piano), Seb Foxwell (trumpet) Kevin Kay-Bradley (trumpet), Jess Foxwell (piccolo) and the Heart of Kent Hospice Orchestra. Thomas Shelbourn – conductor, Robin Wilson – leader. The programme includes many popular classics as well as Simon Proctor’s Star Wars Trumpet Concerto and the first performance of his Andrew Lloyd Webber Piano Concerto. Tickets cost £15 for adults Fair Carnival procession: Entries for the Bearsted and Thurnham Carnival procession are requested from organisations in Bearsted, Thurnham and Maidstone. They may be either walking groups or on a float. For details contact Liz Munro on 07568 06477. Camera club: Meets weekly September to June and welcomes new members. Meetings are held at Madginford Hall, Egremont Road, Bearstone on Tuesdays from 7.3010pm. On May 9, the club will hold its annual pictorial print competition judged by Richard Walton. May 16, will be The Mind’s Eyes by Paul Sanders. For information visit http://maidstonecameraclub. org.uk/ Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 Walking group: On Wednesday, May 10, meeting at 9.45am outside the library, there will be a Local Blossom Walk. On May 17, walk to Marden Meadow. The Saturday Stroll on May 6 meets at 2pm outside the library, Linton to Boughton Churches (share cars). On May 13, it will be a local walk. Sunday walks met at 10am outside the library. May 7, Marden Meadow with Steve McArragher. Community lunch: On Monday, May 15, the community lunch is in the Vestry Hall at 12.30pm. To arrange transport or for information contact Janet on 01622 831256. Men’s breakfast: On Saturday, May 13, there will be a men’s breakfast in the Vestry Hall at 8.15am for 8.30am. The cost is £6.50 a head. The Rev Stephen Hardy will speak about his time in Alderney, entitled An Island Parish. Let Roger know if you are attending on 01622 832822/07774 276286 or email reltringham@binternet.com Horticultural society: The annual plant sale is on Saturday, May 20 in the Vestry Hall from 9am-11am. Bedding plants, container and basket plants, herbaceous plants, vegetables on offer. There will be a cake stall by the WI and a display by the history group. Any home grown plants donated will be much appreciated. The next meeting of the horticultural society is on Tuesday, May 9 in the Vestry Hall at 7.30pm. The speaker will be Yiva MacKenzie from Madrona Nurseries talking about Unusual Plants. Cream tea: There will be cream teas in the church grounds on Sunday, May 7 from 2.30pm-5pm. Minimum donation is £3, with proceeds to Christian Aid. Tea will be inside if the weather is bad. Christian Aid Week: May 14-20, with house-to-house collections, station collections and the above mentioned cream teas. Christian Aid helps refugees affected by the wars and unrest around the world. Contact Julie on 01622 831620 or Carol on 831132. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 British Sugarcraft Guild: The next meeting will be on Saturday, May 7 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Boxley Road. The meeting with consist of an AGM lunch at 12.30pm followed by mini demonstrations at 2.30pm. Admission charges for the meeting are Maidstone branch members £3, visitors £5. For details contact Mrs Carol carol.bunch@virgin.net. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 Bee identification workshop: The next Wildlife Study Day will be a Bee Identification Workshop at Tyland Barn. This is a two-day course on Saturday and Sunday, May 6-7 is from at 9.30am- 4pm. The course covers the identification and ecology of wild bees led by Steven Falk, author of the new ‘Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland’. On day one, Steven will show you how to identify bees under the microscope, plus how to collect, record and photograph them. On day two (weather permitting), you will look at bees and their habitat at local wildlife sites and Steven will show how to use an insect net and pooter. Bee ecology and conservation will be covered with lots of information on how you can help conserve and encourage them. Copies of the Field Guide and essential for this course and can be purchased on the day for £33. Booking essential. The cost of the weekend is £60 and suitable for 18+. For details contact Tyland Barn on 01622 662012. Coffee morning: The next St Hilary’s Coffee Morning will be at St Hilary’s House, off Senacre Square, from 10-11.30am on Saturday, May 6. Refreshments, books, bric-a-brac and tombola. All welcome. Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 Plant sale: The horticultural society’s plant sale is on Saturday May 6 in the village centre north hall. Doors open at 8.30am, so don’t be late or you might miss the plants you really wanted. Doors close when everything is sold. Book sale: Books will be on sale in the library on Saturday, May 6 from 10am-noon. All Saints’ AGM: The Friends of All Saints’ Church are holding their AGM on Wednesday, May 10 at 8pm. Doors open and refreshments at 7.30pm in the church. The Friends always welcome new members, and becoming one is easy with a simple membership form and a £5 minimum subscription. Call 01580 891840 or email friends@allsaintsstaplehurst.co.uk for information. Neighbourhood Watch talk: The Interest Group meeting features a talk by award-winning David Ralph. As always, everyone is welcome to join the group at their weekly meetings (of which there have been more than a 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, so contact Joan or Malcolm Buller on 01580 892746 or email mbuller147@btinternet.com