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There is more time for summer school

Kent Music School has extended its musical theatre summer school this year. The course will now last five days, starting on Thursday, July 21. It will be held at Benenden School, which has its own theatre. Sessions are open to children aged 12 to 19, from beginners to advanced singers. The course will cover a wide range of styles from rock opera to musicals. The cost is £300, which includes accommodation.

For details, contact Valerie Cordina on 01622 358402 Correspondent: Liz Willy , 108 Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne, ME17 1UA Mob: 07928668924 elizabethwilly@ btinternet.com Water mills of Hollingbourne: A Saturday morning walk around the sites of the former water mills of Hollingbourne led by Alan Williams will take place on Saturday, May 21 from 10.30am-12.30pm starting from All Saints’ Church. Reading Group: Meeting on Thurs

day, May 19 from 7.45-9.30pm. Ding dong: The dedication service for the two new church bells is on Sunday, May 8 from 11am-12.15 at All Saints Church. This special service will be conducted by the Ven Stephen Taylor, Archdeacon of maidstone. Parish council: The next meeting is on Monday May 9 at 7.30pm in the Cardwell Pavilion. This will also be the annual meeting. Plant swap: The Leeds Castle and Hollingbourne Garden Society plant swap is on Tuesday, May 10 from 7pm in the village hall. Go along to swap or buy plants, seedlings or cuttings and discuss gardening ideas and problems. Light refreshments available. Members £2, non-members £3. Summer fete: The next meeting of the fete planning committee is on Monday, may 16 at 8pm at the Dirty Habit pub. All are welcome. Correspondent: Helen Ward Tel: 01622 820810 herald@hunton.org.uk Who Let the Dads Out: A great event aimed at dads, or any male carers, to have fun together with their children. See the Coxheath column for more. Early birds: Join a dawn chorus walk at the Community Orchard on Sunday, May 8 at 4.15am, and discover which birds are singing their hearts out before we wake in the morning. This free, family friendly event will be led by naturalist Simon Ginnaw. Meet at the playing fields in West Street. Service: A service of Holy Communion, taken by the Rev Peter Callway, will be held at St Mary’s Church on Sunday, May 8 at 9.30am. Wine tasting and supper: There are a few tickets remaining for the wine tasting and supper evening at the Village Club on Saturday, May 14, 7pm for 7.30pm. There will be eight wines for blind tasting with prizes given to whoever can identify the most grape varieties, country of origin etc. Tickets £10 including a buffet supper, available from Lesley 01622 820210 or Tricia 820804. HGV ban: KCC has put in place orders prohibiting goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes from using East Street, George Street and the section of Redwall Lane between George Street and East Street. There are a number of exemptions including access to land and property and vehicles engaged in agricultural activities. Fete help needed: Volunteers to organise parking are needed for the village fete on Saturday, June 18, 2-5pm. If you can help contact Annette on 01622 820448. Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com Open Day: St Mary’s Church will be open on Saturday May 14 from 10.30am-4pm, and there will be a farm shop and refreshments. Everyone welcome. Family Service: A Family Worship Service for the whole church parish will be held at St Mary’s Church on Sunday May 8 at 10.30am. Christian Aid: More people are needed to deliver and subsequently collect Christian Aid envelopes during Christian Aid Week, which will run from May 15-21. It is not an arduous or time-consuming task and the coordinator on 01622 746462 will provide information. Computer club/coffee: The computer club for beginners and a coffee morning will take place at the village hall on Wednesday May 18 from 10am-noon. WI: Leeds WI, which serves Langley, will meet at Leeds Village Hall on Thursday May 12 at 7.30pm. New members and visitors welcome. Correspondent: Mike Brine Tel: 01732 845825 mbriney.yoda@ hotmail.com Council date: The parish council meets in the village hall on Tuesday, May 10 at 7.30pm. Residents are welcome to attend. Mobile library: The mobile library visits on Thursday, May 12, calling at Brogden Crescent from 2.50-3.05pm, Ten Bells pub from 2.10-2.25pm, Farmer Close from 2.30-2.45pm and opposite the school from 3.15-3.45pm. WI: The next meet ing at the village hall is on Thursday May 12 at 7.30pm. New members welcome. Correspondent: Janetta Sams, Uplands Hogbarn Lane, Harrietsham, ME17 1NZ Tel: 01622 859412 sams_uplands@yahoo.co.uk Cycling for charity: The village will host the yearly cycle ride through Lenham and the surrounding scenic villages on Sunday, June 26. Contact Dave om 01622 850659 to book your space. Festivities and refreshments will follow at the social club. Correspondent: Robert Hanvik Mob: 07900 930824 robert.kentmessenger@ gmail.com Who Let the Dads Out: A great event aimed at dads, or any male carers, to have fun together with their children. See the Coxheath column for more. Pentecost Messy Church: On Saturday, May 14 from 2.30-5pm, St Nicholas Church will host a Messy Church to celebrate the Pentecost. This follows the success and fun of Messy Easter, and will feature crafts and games based on the stories in the Acts of the Apostles and Pentecost, which is when the

The Loose Valley Wives Group is hosting a coffee morning in aid of the Macmillan Nurses at the home of Ann Emery on Saturday, May 7 beginning at 10.30am. There will be stalls for bring-and-buy and books. Admission is £3 and includes coffee and cake. Visitors and supporters of this cancer charity are welcome. For details, phone 01622 741559. Parish council: On Monday, May 9, the planning committee will meet at 6.45pm, followed at 7.30pm by a meeting of the events committee, which will be discussing the Loose Fete and Fun Dog Show. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, September 3; those interested in getting involved with the fete should attend the meeting, or contact Anne Rigby on 07419 986538, or via email: office@loose-pc.gov.uk Agendas for meetings can be found on the council website, www. loosepc.kentparishes.gov.uk, or on one of the three notice-boards along the Loose/Linton Road (outside Loose Primary School; top of Old Loose Hill, post office end; and at the corner of Holmesdale Close). No waste paper: After more than 40 years of collecting waste paper around the village, the Loose Swiss Scouts’ monthly fundraiser is coming to an end. The last collection will be on Saturday, May 14. This is due to falling demand for waste paper, and an ever-decreasing quantity being collected. The Scouts wish to thank villagers for their support over the years, and remind people to recycle their newspapers and magazines in their regular bins after May. LAA work party: The recent amenities association work party placed significant focus on installing a gate in Kirkdale to give access to one of the village meadows for future events. The group also cleared debris and mowed a grass path that follows the woodland edge. Dead wood was used to delineate the path to make it easier for people to follow, and provide a linear habitat for small mammals and insects. The hope is that, by making this upper path more accessible, it will reduce footfall on the meadow itself, while offering a good view of the wildflowers and woodland edge flora. Finally, the work party cleared unwanted scrub and nettles on a fenced planting areas. This will reduce competition and shading to the trees planted last year, and prepare the area for this year’s planting of beech and holly. The amenities association wishes to thank June Irons and Julie Holmes for providing refreshments. Mobile police: A mobile police station will be set up on Friday, May 13 from 1.45-2.45pm at the parade of shops at Boughton Lane and Loose Road. A PCSO will be on hand to answer questions, share crime prevention tips or discuss any policing issues. It will be set up for a second time on Friday, May 27 at the same location and time. Freighter service discontinued: The borough council service that collects household waste from pick-up points around the borough is being discontinued; the last collections in Loose will be on Saturday, May 7, from 10-11am at Broadoak Avenue, and from noon-12.30pm at Old Loose Hill. For information, visit www.maidstone.gov.uk Correspondent: Hannah Qureshi Mob: 07527 449540 hannah.kmlocal@ hotmail. com Below 65 Gallery: Until Saturday Hearing aid aftercare: Maidstone Gateway, King Street every Tuesday from 10am-noon. Hi Kent, 18 Brewer Street every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am-noon. Golding Homes Resource Centre, 1 Northumberland Court, Northumberland Road, Shepway, on Tuesday 17 May from 1pm-2.30pm. Free batteries and have your aid cleaned and re-tubed. Advice is also available about Hi Kent’s extensive range of specialist equipment. Big charity quiz: At the United Reformed Church, Week Street on Friday May 13 at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Teams of six, £8 per person to include a ploughman’s supper. To book a table contact Liz Clayton on 01622 691151 or email l.clayton@ hikent.org.uk Mencap sale: Maidstone Mencap Plant, Book and Cake Sale on Saturday May 21 aqt 2.30pm at Cobtree Hall, School Lane (off Willington St). Contact Rita 07790 643218. The support of local people is vital to the success of fundraising to support the services men cap offers adults and children with severe learning difficulties and disabilities. Saying goodbye: The congregation of St Michael and All Angels marked the retirement of organist and choir master Jonathan Garland with a special presentation on May 1. At a ceremony in the Vestry Hall, the much-respected musician was thanked for 28 years of devoted service. During that time Jonathan and members of his family have ensured the maintenance of the church’s choral traditions with immense skill and dedication. St Michael’s is in interregnum following the Rev Dr Peter Rowe’s move to his new parish in Westgate-on-Sea and so is seeking both a new incumbent and an organist. In the meantime, guest priests and organists will maintain services. Free museum exhibition: Kathy Keefe Originals at the Maidstone Museum until Sunday May 22. Discover a range of artworks from Kathy Keefe, People’s Choice winner in the 2015 Bentlif Open Art Prize. Her love of vintage style and textiles inspired her to become a milliner, designing and creating new and innovative hats and headdresses, as well as making wearable art by up-cycling shoes and hand painting them in exciting colours. For inforamtion on the exhibition visit www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk The free exhibition is open from 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday (noon-4pm Sunday April to October). Support group: The Tinnitus Support Group meet on Friday May 13 from 2pm- 4pm at the Bremner Room, United Reformed Church, Week Street, hosted by Hi Kent. All welcome. Inquiries to Hi Kent on 01622 691151 or enquiries@hikent. org.uk If you are living with tinnitus, this free group offers support and guidance in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Deaf Awareness Week: To tie in with Deaf Awareness Week, Hi Kent will be highlighting the work it does by offering advice and guidance to benefit people living with a hearing loss. If you would like to know more about: Learning British sign language, tinnitus support groups, lipreading classes, deaf awareness training, assistive equipment to help in daily life, call in to the charity’s new shop at 67B Week Street on Tuesday May 10 from 10am-4pm, where professionals will be available to provide free help and advice on a drop in basis. The Big Conversation: Heart of Kent

Hospice is hosting The Big Conver-