What’s happening where you live...

on Monday, November 6 at 8pm in the Sea Cadets Hall, College Road, behind the car park next to All Saints Church. New members required; contact John Ashbolt on 01622 725435. Fremlin Walk Christmas lights : The lights switch on takes place on Thursday, November 23 at 6pm. See lots of local acts and performances and meet Peter Pan. Visit Father Christmas, enjoy free face painting, The Christkindmarkt and lots of treats from the stores. Organ recital: There will be an afternoon of organ music. David Flood, director of music at Canterbury Cathedral, will be playing the recently refurbished organ at St Peters Church, Aylesford on Sunday, November 19 at 3pm. Tickets cost £10 to include light refreshments. Stamp fair: On Saturday, November 11, Maidstone and Mid Kent Philatelic Society will be holding its Autumn Stamp Fair at Grove Green Community Centre, Penshurst Close, (next to Tesco) from 10am3pm. There is ample free parking and entrance is free. Refreshments including sandwiches made to order, home made cakes and tea, coffee, etc will be available. Valuations will be given. Contact 01622 675784 for details. Safety and wellbeing: Bower Mount Medical Practice PPG has arranged a talk on Safety and Wellbeing, which will cover fire and road safety, on Thursday, November 16 at 7pm. The talk will be geared to older people, letting them know how to remain safe while driving. All patients registered with the practice are welcome to attend. 2pm outside the library for a Southons Field walk. Group B meet at library for the Turkey Farm Walk. On Sunday, November 5, meet at 10am outside the library for a six mile Jubilee Walk, led by Diane Fisher and Colin Addison. Christmas market tombola: Any donations for the tombola at the Christmas market will be welcomed. Deliver to Robin Judd by Wednesday, November 22. Pinot, pickles, brandy, beetroot, jam Men’s breakfast: Meet for breakfast at the West End Tavern on Saturday, November 11 at 8.30am. Robin Judd will talk on memories of Marden. Let Geoff Burr know on 01622 831106 if will be attending. Thursday Club: On November 9, Graham Tippen will be showing slides, in the Village Club from 2pm-4pm. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 British Sugarcraft Guild: The next meeting is on Saturday November 4 at St Paul’s Church Hall, Boxley Road at 2.30pm. The demonstration will be Santa in a Chair by Carol Bunch. Members £5, visitors £5, students 50p. For details contact Carol Bunch carolbunch2@gmail. com or carmichael747 St Paul’s Church: Wednesday, November 8, Holy Communion at 9.30am. Sunday, November 12, Service of Light at 3pm. Trailblazers for children seven to 11 meet on Wednesdays from 6-7pm in term time. Chat, crafts, trips, games, faith, fun and cooking. For information 01622762370 www. stpaulsmaidstone.org/groups/ trailblazers. Office opening times: Mon/Wed/ Thurs/Fri 10am-noon or admin@ stpaulsmaidstone.org Correspondent: Tim Mumford Mob: 07736592918 Coffee time: St Hilary’s/St Martins next coffee morning at St Hilary House, off Senacre Square, is on Saturday, November 4 from 10amnoon. Bric-a-brac, jewellery, books etc on sale, plus raffle, cake and refreshments. All welcome. Whizz bang: St Martins Sparkles, with family friendly fireworks and sparklers, will take place on Saturday, November 4 behind the Church, gate open at 4.30pm(weather permitting). There will be hot dogs and burgers on the BBQ and hot soup on sale from 4.30pm. Fireworks will start at 5pm. Entry £2.50, or group ticket £8. Remembrance Service: St Martins, Northumberland Road, Remembrance Sunday family service will be on November 12 at 10am, and the church will also be holding a Memorial Service ‘A Time to Remember’ that day at 3pm, in support of all bereaved families and friends in the parish. There will be refreshments after the service. Correspondent: Tim Mumford Mob: 07736592918 Family fireworks: On Saturday November 4 at the Jubilee Sports Field. Gates open at 530pm with the main event at 7.30pm. Advance tickets cost £4.50 for adults and £2.50 for children or £5 and £3 respecitve on the gate. Tickets available from, Jumeira, Hair Boutique, The Kings Head, The Scout Hut, and Through the Facebook Page, Staplehurst Family Fireworks. Help needed: Hi Kent, the charity that supports deaf and hard-ofhearing people, is looking for volunteers to help with hearing aid maintenance at its aftercare clinic in Staplehurst. No previous experience is necessary as full training will be given and travel expenses paid. For details phone 01622 691151 or email m.cardoso@hikent.org.uk cles/times, etc would be officially recognised by other authorities it may be worth considering. Village and road signs in the village had been cleaned by the Friends of Wateringbury. A quote had been received for repairs to the leaking roof at Drayhorse Meadow. Another was required before a decision could be made. The community Speedwatch Group submitted a report detailing their observations during seven hourly sessions during July (123 speeding vehicles) and 13 sessions in August (381 speeding vehicles). Another appeal was made for more volunteers to join the group. Councillors discussed how to recruit more people and it was suggested that the front cover of Rostrum, the village magazine be used to raise awareness. Maintenance of the planted beds near the crossroads was due to be undertaken by KCC in November and confirmation of this was awaited. A local businessman had offered to take on the work in return for free advertising on the plot. A number of issues need to be resolved by the council before taking up this option. The owners of properties previously affected by flooding would be contacted to see if they had any photos of historic flooding events. During the public discussion session the following matters were raised: The many large and brightly coloured signs displayed by the Shell garage which lies within a conservation area; vegetation overgrowing the bus stop in Bow Road; the recent protest at the crossroads against traffic pollution. It was suggested that ‘no idling engine’ signs be installed. Councillors were supportive of local initiatives and requested that organisers keep them informed of such events. The continuing use of the village hall car park by local businesses for commercial purposes. As the car park is owned by TMBC and is classed as a public car park it is difficult to control usage. It was suggested that a registration identifying system as used by some supermarkets could be utilised. Congratulations were extended to Cllr David and Yvonne Marks who had won the Kent Life Magazine Amateur Garden of the Year Award. At the planning meeting there was no objection to rear lounge extension, utility room and shower/wc at 21 Allington Gardens. Next meeting: Tuesday. November 7 at 7.30pm in the village hall (upstairs room). WI: On Wednesday, November 9, Andrew Stickells will be at the village hall to tell members of the WI about the Royal British Legion. During his talk he will be giving the history of the Legion and the changes and events that have affected both the Legion and members of the Armed Forces, both recently and in the past, and how it continues to help personnel injured in present day combat. The meeting starts at 2pm. Visitors welcome. Abba Chique: Enjoy a top Abba Tribute Band on Saturday November 25 at 7.30pm in the village hall. Tickets cost £15 from the post office and Handy Stores. ABBA will be singing all Abba classic hits. Funds raised for the village hall. Licensed bar. Take your own nibbles. Correspondent: Jenny Scott Mob: 07785 974951 No breakfast: There will be no men’s breakfast on November 4. The meetings will resume next year. Story and rhyme: The library will be hosting its next monthly Story and Rhyme session for pre-school aged children with a carer on Monday November 6 from 2.15-2.45pm. Surgery matters: The Patients’ Participation Group at the surgery is meeting on Tuesday November 7 at 1pm at the surgery. If you have any comments or suggestions on how you would like to improve the surgery, go along. On Wednesday November 8 from 1-5pm, the surgery will be closed for staff training. On Thursday November 9 at 7.30pm, in the sugery conference rooms, the Friends of Yalding Surgery will hold a short 15 minute AGM, followed by a talk from Nicholas Clarke. Refreshments and social time will end the evening. Churchyard working party: The volunteers will be working on Saturday November 4 from about 9.30am. Do go along and give them a hand. Call Paul on 01622 814420. Pub special times: The popular singer and DJ Gordon will be back in The George on Saturday November 4 from 8.30-11.30pm. The Woolpack will hold its monthly acoustic jam night in the bar on Sunday November 5 from 8pm. Charity pamper night: A charity pamper and gift night will take place on Friday November 10 from 6-10pm at the village hall. All profits will go to The Heart of Kent Hospice. There will be more than 20 beauty treatments available, a gift stall, a bar, a raffle and much more. Admission is £2 at the door. Church services: The Baptist service on Sunday November 5 at 10.30am at the Baptist church, will be led by visiting speaker John Starkey. The annual Memorial service takes place on Sunday November 5 at 4pm at St Peter and St Paul’s church. Russet Players: The Russet Players of East Peckham present their autumn play at East Peckham Village Hall on Friday and Saturday November 10 11, with a Saturday matinee at 3pm. The two one act plays, Party at the End of the Earth, were written by members Marylin Apps and Dave Francis. Tickets at £10 (£8 for concessions) are available at East Peckham Village Stores, or on the door. Fireworks and more: A Firework Spectacular, a Star Wars themed event, takes place at Kenward Trust in Kenward Road on Thursday November 9 from 4.308.30pm. There will be refreshments and children’s fair ground rides, too. Tickets cost £10 each adult and £5 for under 12s on the gate. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ kenward-firework-spectaculartickets-37065506929. On Saturday November 4 at 6.30pm, enjoy an evening of curry and comedy in the beautiful Georgian manor house at Kenward. Call 01622 814187 for details. Save our village: There was good turn out of about 60 residents for Sensible Development at last Tuesday’s parish council planning meeting. The main agenda item was the planning application to build 65 houses south of Vicarage Road on glebe land, to which the Sensible Development group strongly object. The outcome of the meeting that the parish council is strongly objecting to the application and welcoming campaigning efforts being made. We await the date when the borough council planning committee consider the application. At that meeting, everyone with a desire to protect our village should turn up. Information on Facebook.