COMMUNITY NEWS Chartham

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Correspondent: Lorraine Jones, 36 The Street, Adisham, CT3 3JL Tel: 01304 840005 lorraine.j.jones@btinternet. com Church: Services at Holy Innocents this month. Village carol service Sunday December 23, 6.30pm. Holy communion Monday December 24 11.30pm. There is no service at Adisham on Christmas Day, all are welcome to other services in the benefice. Christmas carol service Sunday December 23. If you would like to be part of the ‘All-comers’ Christmas choir please contact Vanessa Young on 01304 841646/0797129074 or vanessa. young@canterbury.ac.uk Rehearsals take place December 19, 6.30-7.30pm, December 22, 4-5.30pm and before the carol service from 5-6pm at Holy Innocents School: The school are looking for reading volunteers, if you are able to help please contact the school office. Children return to school on Monday January 7. If you have a child who is starting school this year rising fours has started Tuesdays from 2-3pm. Please contact the school for more details. Village hall: Committee meeting will be held Thursday January 3, 7.30pm, 131 The Street. If anyone is interested in joining the committee please pop along to the meeting or contact Roger. Little kickers: This activity takes place at the village hall for children from 18 months to 7 years. For details please contact Thomas Biddle on 02083038711 or tbiddle@littlekickers.co.uk Keep fit: Tuesday, 7.30-8.30pm aerobics and conditioning, last Tuesday of the month is circuits £4 per class. Friday, 5.40-6.30pm is legs, bums and tums, £3.50. Both classes run by Kelly just turn up at the village hall. Parish council : Next meeting will be held Monday January 14, 7pm in the village hall. The agenda for meetings will be available on the parish council’s website www.adishampc.kentparishes.gov.uk, also will be displayed in the notice boards on the barn at the pond and the village hall. To contact the clerk please email clerk.adisham@outlook.com or call 07584160199. If you have any items for the parish news sheet please make sure they are sent in by the 20th of the month in order for them to be included in the magazine. Contact kenterrett@btinternet.com Father Christmas: We are very lucky to have presents delivered on Christmas Day. Please drop presents by December 21. To either, Adisham Court Farm, 86 The Street or 115 The Street. Donations for deliveries will be donated to Demelza House. Helpers are required on Christmas Day, please contact by text 07584 160199. Big breakfast: Next event on Saturday January 5, 10am- 2pm, last orders 11.30am. Santa will be arriving around 11am. Pop along to the village hall for a delicious breakfast or just a coffee catch up with friends and neighbours while raising money for our village hall. Lots of Christmas stalls too. Volunteers also needed for serving, setting up and clearing up please contact Sue 01304 842009 if you are able to help for an hour or two. Crime and PCSO: Gavin Dodwell contact Gavin.dodwell@ kentpnn.police.uk Please report all crimes or anything that is suspicious to 101 or contact the PCSO Waste: Collection times are now between 6am-6pm. Household and food waste will be collected Monday December 31. Garden, recycling and food waste will be collected Friday December 21. Monday January 7 no garden waste. Friday January 18 will also include the collection of real Christmas trees. Please make sure your bins are collected from the highway and pavements after they have been emptied. Any problems with waste not being collected please contact the council by phone or via the website. Calendars for collection dates will no longer be delivered to households. Information can be found at canterburycitycouncil.gov.uk. A calendar can be requested from Serco. Library van : This will be outside the school Friday December 28. January 11 and 25, 1-1.45pm

Ash

Correspondent: Jean Ryan, Old Barn Cottage, Hoaden, Ash, Canterbury, CT3 2LG Tel: 01304 812148 jeanryan42@gmail.com Library opening hours: Saturday December 22, open as normal 10am-12pm, Monday 24, closed, Friday 28 & Saturday 29, open as normal. You can renew your books during opening hours by calling 01304 812440 or online at www.kent.gov.uk/libs Rubbish collection: Dover DC rubbish collection will be on Saturday December 22 with no collection during Christmas week; please have your bins out by 7.30am. The next collection will be on Tuesday January 1. Church services: The following services will take place at St Nicholas’ Parish Church, Ash: Sunday December 23, 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am Nativity Play, 6.30pm Carol Service. Monday 24 (Christmas Eve) 4pm Christingle, 11.30pm Midnight Holy Communion. Christmas Day 10.30am Holy Communion. Stamp collecting: Please carefully cut out and save the used stamps from your Christmas cards for the League of Friends of K&C Hospital; these can all be converted into funds for the Ash branch. A collection box will be sited in the inner lobby at the village hall for your conven- ience or drop them in to the League’s stall at the next community coffee morning on Saturday January 5. Unused small change foreign currency also collected. Panto tickets: Tickets for the annual village panto Robin Hood are selling fast so don’t miss out; running from Thursday January 24-Sunday 27 at the village hall, ticket are available from Juliet’s Farmshop in Queens Road, Best-one, 31 The Street, or by phoning Tony Jones 01304 812076.

Aylesham

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Badlesmere

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Barham

Correspondent: Diana Forrest, Derringstone Hill House, Barham, Canterbury, CT4 6QD Tel: 01227 831304 diforrest@vfast.co.uk Schol Christmas Fair: Barham School’s Christmas Fair was a great success and raised the magnificent sum of £2,325, an increase on previous years. This amount, along with £300 from the disco, will go towards the pool renovation and other key projects which benefit the children. Many thanks go to all those who made it such a success and to the people who came along to support the event on the day. Money for Porchlight: Over 50 people filled Womenswold Church for a Carol service on December 12 and £140 was raised for Porchlight. Carols round tree: There will be carols round the Christmas Tree on the village green at 6pm on Friday December 21. Bring a torch and join in the singing. Elham Valley Voices: This local youth choir will be singing at St. Giles Church in Kingston on Saturday December 22, 6pm. Rod and Jackie Spencer are arranging the programme for this popular annual concert. Tickets: £5 for adults include mulled wine and mince pies. Book by ringing Maureen Taylor 831738 or email Maureen_taylor3@sky.com Horticultural Society AGM: This takes place on Wednesday January 9, 7pm, Barham Village Hall, when the programme for the year ahead will be revealed. There will also be a “Winter Posy” competition, a tradition in recent years. See how many flowers you can collect on the day of the AGM and bring them along in a vase. A small prize will be awarded for the prettiest posy and one for the largest number of flowers collected. Christmas services: Sunday December 23, Barham: 10am Benefice Holy Communion; 4pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols; Monday December 24: Christmas Eve, Barham: 5pm Crib Service; Tuesday December 25: Christmas Day, Barham: 9.30am Holy Communion; Womenswold: 11am Holy Communion; December 30, Adisham: 10am Benefice Service; January 6, Kingston: 4pm Benefice Christingle Service. If you have an item concerning Bekesbourne, please contact the correspondent above. If you have an item concerning Beltinge, please contact the correspondent above.

Bishopsbourne

Correspondent: Malcolm Mitchell, The Old Cottage, Bishopsbourne, CT4 5HT Tree decorating: On a cold and frosty Sunday morning, December 16, it was heart-warming to see a group of village children decorating a Christmas tree in St Mary’s Church. They were taking part in a specially adapted family Communion service, conducted by the Rector, the Rev Stefan Thomas, who, somewhat follically challenged sported a knitted hat bearing a cross. The service opened with the Rector inviting the youngsters to light the Advent candles before moving on to explain the background to the Christmas tree story. They then went to the sanctuary to hang baubles and decorations on the tree. Pat Austin led prayers and Margaret Smith read a lesson. After the service coffee, soft drinks and mince pies were served to the youngsters and their parents. Have you booked?: Time is running out for you to book your place at the Post Christmas Cracker quiz being held in the Conrad Hall on Saturday, January 26. The hall trustees are seeking tables of eight to take part in this popular annual postponed from pre-christmas. Jan Knott will pose the questions, all you need to do is bring brains, food and alcohol, if needed. Nibbles and water will be provided. The evening is scheduled to start at 7pm and entry is £5 per person, the proceeds going towards hall funds. Trustees chairman Simon Pentecost says the event will also provide villagers with the opportunity for a first look at the refurbishments, including new chairs, stage curtains, doors and rewiring, all enabled by a grant from Viridor. Book with Malcolm Mitchell on 01227 830645 or email mandj@twomitchells.plus.com. Midnight service: A large congregation is expected for the traditional Barham Downs group of churches’ Christmas Eve midnight Mass service, this year being held at Bishopsbourne’s St Mary’s Church, Monday December 24, starting at 11.30pm. Other events and services across the group: Sunday December 23, 10am, Benefice Communion, St John, Barham; 4pm, Communion, Barham; 6.30pm, carol service, Holy Innocents, Adisham; Christmas Eve, 5pm, Crib blessing, Barham; 11.30pm, midnight Mass, Adisham; Christmas Day: 9.30am, Communion, Barham; 10am, family Communion, St Giles, Kingston; 11am, Communion, St Margaret’s, Womenswold. If you have an item concerning Blean, please contact the correspondent above.

Bossingham / Upper Hardres

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Boughton

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Bridge/patrixbourne

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Broad Oak

Correspondent: Barb Dice, 6 Pleydell Crescent, Sturry, Canterbury, CT2 0LQ Mob: 07421 029548 Tel: 01227 710218 Twinning: Saturday May 11 will be the next reunion with the Aire-sur-la-lys Twinning Association. Names are being taken to go to France for the day. Contact 07757 291146. Website www.sturry-fordwichtwinning.co.uk or for other information info@sturry-fordwichtwinning.co.uk Chapel: Christmas Eve carols by candlelight at Broadoak Chapel midnight service starts at 11.30pm. Everyone welcome. Parking available. Meeting: Sturry Parish Council meeting, January 2, Broadoak Village Hall, 7pm. Contact 01227 710443 www. sturry-pc.gov.uk If you have an item concerning Chartham, please contact the correspondent above. If you have an item concerning Chartham Hatch, please contact the correspondent above. If you have an item concerning Chestfield/swalecliffe, please contact the correspondent above.

Chilham

Correspondent: Elisabeth Arter, April Cottage Pilgrims Lane, Chilham, Canterbury, CT4 8AB Tel: 01227 730752 garden@arter2.plus.com Christmas Services: Christmas Services at Chilham Parish Church start with the popular Crib Service, 4pm on Christmas Eve. Children are invited to bring a present to go to the Salvation Army for a less fortunate young person. Christmas Communion is 11.30pm, Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day at 11am there will be Lessons and Carols Collections both will be for the Childrens Society PARISH COUNCIL Budget for 2018/19: A paper including projected performance against budget for 2018/19 had been publicised with the agenda for the December parish council meeting. The projection was based upon actual income and expenditure from the accounts as at 1st November and indicated a break even position after allowing for a further £1476 in grant payments. Following consideration, Council accepted this report and agreed to adhere to council policy with regard to future grant payments, ie. a) current levels of support for wholly voluntary services should continue as previously; b) funding for trading entities, even where they are provided through voluntary labour should be limited to affordable levels consistent with grant income received. 4 year budget proposal: A paper proposing a 4year budget for 2019 till 2023 and a precept proposal for 2019/20 had been publicised with agenda. This forecast indicates that council’s current expenditure commitments can be met with precept increases limited to inflation increases and provision for lost grant revenue and also provide an average of £2000 each year for discretionary expenditure and an average of £2000 for parish community grants. Following consideration,

spondent above.