What’s happening where you live...

Church open days: These ever more successful days give us chance to welcome people into Langley Church for something other than a service. It is a chance to buy a simple lunch, have a drink and chat to people. These mornings take place on the second Saturday of the month commencing at 11.00 and finishing at 2.30pm. The next one will be on May 13. not need any particular qualifications or experience to become a councillor, just some time and a willingness to get involved with what’s going on in your local area. Meetings tend to be held on Monday evenings. If you are interested in becoming a councillor, then contact the clerk, Jan Capon on 01622 692712, or go along to the main meeting of the parish council, usually held on the third Monday of the month (except August and December). Loose Valley Wives Group: The group have their spring meal on Wednesday, May 17. Meet at 7pm for a 7.30pm start in The Chequers. Details from Jane Pamphlett on 747466. Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 Heritage centre exhibition: As befitting the aims of the History Group, the new exhibition takes a fascinating trip down memory lane. Who remembers the days before email, Facebook, Twitter and texts ? Once communication relied on the Royal Mail and the most economical way to contact friends and relatives was post cards. At one time there were 11 boxes in and around Marden and these were emptied three times daily and on Sundays. Photographic companies such as Sweetmans of Tunbridge Wells would send photographers out to Kent villages to take attractive scene photos then create post cards to be sold in village stores. More progressive shops, such as Tippen’s and also Dovey’s, would instruct the photographic company to take additional local area photos and these would then bear the Marden shop’s name, a useful means of advertising. The history group’s new exhibition celebrates this former economical means of written contact, with an extensive collection of post cards, many of which have fascinating messages on their reverse and landscape views of how Marden used to be when post cards were king. It is only fitting that the exhibition will be opened officially at 1pm on Saturday, May 13 by Graham Tippen, descendant of the proprietors of the original Tippen’s stores. NSPCC plant sale: On Saturday, May 20, there will be a plant sale on Penenden Heath (between The Bull pub and Boxley Road), from 8am-noon. There will be plants and hanging baskets for sale, all in aid of the NSPCC. St Paul’s Church: On Thursday, May 18 at the meeting of St Paul’s Fellowship at 2pm, Robert Hitch will be telling the group about the goat sanctuary at Boughton Monchelsea. On Saturday, May 20, the Mothers’ Union will hold its annual coffee morning from 10am-noon in the church hall. Cakes, nearly new items and books, raffle and plants. Entrance £1 to include tea/ coffee. All welcome. Trailblazers meet every Wednesday at St Paul’s Church from 6-7pm, except school holidays. Every Saturday there is a short service of Prayer and Intercession in church at 9.30am. For all hall bookings contact 01622 762370 Postcard fair: Maidstone Postcard Club presents its Monday evening postcard fair including postal history, books and ephemera on Monday May 15 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Boxley Road from 7pm-10pm. There will be the Bernard Mundel Competition for club members. Dealers from Southern England. Free admission with refreshments available.