What’s happening where you live...

On Thursday, July 13, there will be a Lads Book Group, where you can discuss the month’s book over a cuppa. There is no need to book for any of these groups, just turn up. also, be a demonstration of how to make a lovely flower bouquet. New members are welcome. Go along for a couple of meetings to see if this is for you and then decide if you want to join. For information phone Pam Lindon on 01622 814476. Evergreens: Members of the club for retired people in East Farleigh, West Farleigh and close by, will be going on a trip on Tuesday July 11 to Tenterden for a ride on the Kent and East Sussex Railway and a cream tea. If you want a lift, phone Terry on 01622 814561 or for information about the club, Helen on 01622 814445. Coffee time: The next coffee morning is on Saturday July 15 from 11am-12.30pm in the Old School Hall, Lower Road. Raffle, home made cards, aprons, bags, jams, marmalade, home made cakes, etc. All proceeds to Church funds. Grateful thanks are given to everybody who helped with the previous coffee morning at which the Church funds benefited by more than £120. Grapevine: If you have anything you would like included in the next issue of Grapevine, email Wendy. lynes@hotmail.co.uk by Tuesday July 18 at the very latest. Road closure: Beginning on or near Monday July 17, Forge Lane will be closed for up to four days or until the work is completed for BT poling works. The public notice I read about this doesn’t make sense so, I suggest, keeping an look out for notices. Parish council: As there is a vacancy, are you interested in becoming a parish councillor for East Farleigh? Public elections cannot be held until 2020 but, for the interim period, election to the council will be voted for by the present sitting number of eight councillors. If you are interested, contact the parish clerk, Sarah O’Callaghan on 01622 726842 or email eastfarleighpc@ googlemail.com who will be happy to give you information without obligation. Ride and Stride: Judy Salway has received the sponsor forms for the Friends of Kent Churches Ride and Stride. She has also got copies of the list of all the churches and chapels in Kent which will be open on the day. If anyone is interested in taking part, on behalf of East Farleigh Church contact her on 01622 727142. your own drinks and nibbles. To book tickets and meals contact John Ashbolt 01622 725435 or Alan Cocks 01622 761004. Correspondent: Joan Drury, Weirton Villa, Headcorn Road, Grafty Green, ME17 2AP Tel: 01622 853766. Parish council: The council will meet in Grafty Green Village Hall on Monday, July 10 at 7.30pm. The public are welcome to attend and will have an opportunity to speak. Yoga lasses: There will be yoga sessions in Grafty Green Village Hall on Wednesdays July 19 and 26 at 7pm and on Thursdays July 20 and 27 at 9.30am. Each class lasts for an hour-an-half. Contact Susan Burch on 01622 850381 for details. Cream teas: The popular cream teas will be available at St Nicholas church, Boughton Malherbe on Sunday, July 9 from 2pm-5pm. The church will remain open for a service of Choral Evensong at 6.30pm. Prayer meeting: The regular Tuesday prayer meeting will be held in Ulcombe church on July 11 at 9.30am. Medieval Fete: Planning is continuing for the Grafty Green Fete in The Field, Church Road on Saturday, September 2 from 2pm-5.30pm. Attractions include Punch and Judy and fire juggling. There will be several competitions including Medieval fancy dress and fun jousting. The programme will be published in the August issue of the Malherbe Monthly. Food bank: Homelessness, as is widely reported, is increasing. The Maidstone Centre for homeless people needs more food to meet their needs. Thanks to Rob Eastwood, there is a box for gifts of nonperishable food in the Grafty Green village shop. Volunteers take the food to Maidstone. Bearsted Choral Society: The summer concert will take place on Saturday, July 8 at 7.30pm at St John’s CEP School, Provender Way, under the baton of music director Andrew Lowen. It will include: Stanford – Songs of the Fleet; Vaugh Williams –Five Mystical Songs and music featured in the Last Night of the Proms. Tickets cost £10, full time students free, available on 01634 666730 or email tickets@bearstedchoral.org.uk Also available on the door. Rectory Gardens: Join fellow parishioners at the Church Fete in the gardens of Rectory House Church Road on Saturday, July 8 from 2pm4pm, for a hog roast, music, Pimm’s stall, books and toys stall, games refreshments and much more. Funds raised will be used for the upkeep, maintenance and improvements to St John the Baptist and is organised by the Friends group. Correspondent: Daniel Lavender, 1B Forge Lane, Headcorn, TN27 9QG Mob: 07421983115 East Sutton Festival: From Friday to Sunday, July 7-9, there will be a Flower Festival at St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church in East Sutton open from 10:30am-4.30pm, with the flower arrangers from Headcorn also involved. There will be cream teas, refreshments, home made cakes and ploughman’s lunches available throughout the day. The admission is free. Music for a summer evening: On Friday, July 7, Lunaire Quartet will be giving a concert at St Peter and St Paul’s Church in East Sutton, a chance to enjoy wonderful music surrounded by beautiful flower displays. Tickets cost from £10. For information call on 01622 844973 . Roadworks: Lenham Road will be closed from Monday, July 10 for five days between Baker Lane and Southernden Road, to enable works on an overhead structure by BT Openreach. The alternative route will be via Headcorn Road, Liverton Hill, Lenham Road, Ulcombe Hill, The Street, Crumps Lane, Ulcombe Road, Lenham road and vice versa. Correspondent: Liz Willy , 108 Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne, ME17 1UA Mob: 07928668924 WI: Meets on Tuesday, July 18 at 7.30pm at the village hall for a cook book buffet supper and beetle drive. This will be a home made social evening. The members will be bringing their favourite dishes from the 90 Cook Book. LCHGS: Leeds Castle and Hollingbourne Gardening Society’s Summer Show will be held at the village hall on Saturday, July 15 from 2-30pm-5pm. PARISH COUNCIL: Cllr M Bedwell thanked everyone for their help at the village fete which was a great success. So many people helped including those involved in the ground-works, car park supervision and, of course, all of the visitors who attended including friends from Templeuve. At one point in the day the car park attendants had run out of parking spaces for visitors and it is thought that there were approximately 1,000 people at the fete! On a more sombre note, it was evident that Elaine Lawrence, who had previously faithfully served the parish council as the clerk, had a great many people attending her funeral and wake at the Dirty Habit pub, which was really a celebration of her life. Elaine was a very kind and thoughtful lady who tirelessly put others first. Her works with children truly touched many hearts and Elaine will be deeply missed. Cllr M Bedwell mentioned that Hospital Road had been closed. Ironically, the contractor could not access the road due to excessive fly-tipping and neither could they close the road to carry out the works. A former resident of Hollingbourne had announced on his website plans for a multi-media academy and heliport on Woodcut Farm and emailed information to various villagers. The parish council had been advised by the owners of Woodcut Farm that the person has not spoken to them about this matter and “there was no credibility about this story whatsoever”. The A20 roundabout was dangerous for all road-users because vehicles were just not giving way to one another. It was essential that broken white lines be reinstated or ‘give way’ signs placed in the area of the roundabout. Cllr Ardley said that this was a police matter more than anything as road-users were not adhering to the Highway Code. The clerk would contact the police and Highways. Cllr Bedwell had received information regarding flying the Red Ensign flag for Merchant Navy Day, September 3. The UK depends heavily on the Merchant Navy for the supply of food, fuel and other imports. The parish council decided that it would not pursue the event this year due to time constraints but would like to revisit this matter at a later date. The clerk would write to Seafarers UK with regards to this decision and ask to remain on its mailing lists. The crime figures for May 8 to June 5: Junction 8 Services, criminal damage; May 16 and 19, made off without paying, May 17 theft. June 3, Pilgrims Way, burglary and June 4 attempted burglary. The two incidents on the Pilgrims Way, the police believe, were related. A vehicle had been seized and investigations continue. PCSO Dave Rowley said he had been accepted for a new role within the police. At this time he was awaiting a start date and this could be as early as July. Dave would like to thank the members for all of their support over the last few years and hoped that he had been of help and support to the residents of Hollingbourne. PCSO Rowley most certainly had helped the parish council and the villagers in a huge way. The Clerk briefly updated councillors on the funding agreed for the playground refurbishment, but wished to leave this item for Cllr Ward to discuss at the next parish meeting as he has worked so hard in progressing the matter. Cllr P Garten was in contact with the villager at the end of Windmill Lane who was changing the use of his barn. It would be prudent to first look up the historical planning of the property as council needed to see the application first, before Maidstone Planning Committee could make a decision. Planning: 11.17/502595/LAWPRO Hollingbourne Property Services, Eyhorne Green, Musket Lane, erection of single storey kitchen extension, no objection. 17/502331/ OUT land at Woodcut Farm, Ashford Road, outline application for a mixed commercial development comprising B1(a), B1(b), B1(c) and