What’s happening where you live...

follow with business including an update on the 2016 fete, the appointment of a Health and Safety officer, agreement to renew membership of the Kent Association of Local Councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England. The planning committee meeting will include discussions on the following applications: 16/503125/ FULL at The Lodge, Hayle Place, Cripple Street, removal of roof and the construction of a Mansard style roof to accommodate a loft conversion. 16/503147/FULL 57-59 Church Street, demolition of office building and the construction of 14 dwellings (flats and houses), car parking, cycle storage and amenity space. 16/503151/FULL land to the rear of 1-3 Tovil Green, erection of three houses and associated car parking on former gardens adjacent to Bridgeside Mews and the creation of front parking with dropped kerb to 1-3 Tovil Green. Correspondent: Leila Ware Tel: 01622 842330 leilaware@ outlook.com Quiz with supper: There are just a few tickets left for the quiz night on Saturday, May 14 at the village hall at 7.30pm. Teams of six to eight but if you are on your own the organisers can match you up with other quizzers. Tickets cost £10, which includes a hot supper, but take your own drink and glasses. Call Frances on 01622 843862 or Mimi on 843592. Retiring vicar: The Rev Dick Venn, Priest in Charge of the Len Valley Benefice, has decided to retire at the end of September, having been in post for eight years. He and his wife Helen will be moving to Malmesbury in Wiltshire where they hope to be able to enter into community life and make new friends. The Lords Supper: Holy Communion will be celebrated at All Saints’ Church on Sunday, May 8 at 10.45am. Join together afterwards for tea and coffee. Correspondent: Jackie Nixon Mob: 07527 449540 jackie.kmlocal@ hotmail. com Vinters Valley AGM: The Trustees of Vinters Valley Park Trust are holding the Vinters Valley Nature Reserve Trust AGM Sunday May 8 at the community centre, Aldon Close. Doors open at 2pm, meeting at 2.15pm with AGM. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend. For information visit http:// vintersvalley.co.uk/ Correspondent: Christine Byron Tel: 01622 812023 Welcome return: The Rev Denys Gower will be the visiting priest for the Communion Service in Wateringbury Church at 10am on Sunday May 8. Tug-of-war contest: Get together with your neighbours, friends or work colleagues and enter a team of six in the tug of war competition at the village fete on Sunday, June 5. There are separate categories for men and women; £6 per team. Fill in the form at wateringbury-scouts. org.uk/fete Annual parish meeting: Residents are invited to the informal annual meeting of the parish council in the village hall at 7.30pm on Thursday May 12. There will be a report from the village school and the chairman’s annual report on the past year. It is also an opportunity to talk informally with councillors. Baby and Toddler Group: This term the group look forward to lots of crafts and their popular teddy bear hunt and teddy bear picnic. If you have a baby or pre-school child, why not go along and have a cup of tea or coffee and see what they do. It meets every Wednesday and Friday during school term-time from 10am-noon at the village hall. The cost is £2 for the first child and £1 for the second. For information contact 01732 522437. WATCH Club: The next meeting of the youth club is on Sunday May 8 in the village hall from 5-7pm. All young people aged 10 and over are welcome to enjoy a variety of activities. The group are planning a toy stall at Village Fete on Sunday, June 5. Donations of items for the stall will be much appreciated. Monies raised will help to finance the programme of activities. Phone 07950 852899 to arrange collection. Crafters coffee morning: On alternate Wednesday mornings, a happy band of natterers meet in the church (some knit and natter) while enjoying a coffee or tea and cake. Those who have revived their knitting and crochet skills are making twiddle muffs which help those with memory loss to occupy their hands, squares for blankets of varying sizes and teddies. The next meetings are on Wednesdays May 11 and 25 from 10.30-12.30. Look out for the stall at the village fete on Sunday June 5. Play area resurfacing: The top play area at the Playing Fields will be having a new wet pour surface laid and work is due to start on Monday, May 9. The area will be closed for approximately 12 days depending on the weather. Everyone is asked to respect the closure The parish council will take no responsibility for anyone ignoring the closure. Correspondent: Maureen Jopson, 68 Stockett Lane, Coxheath, ME17 4PY Tel: 01622 746086 joplot8@ hotmail.co.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. WI: The next meeting of The Farleighs WI is on Wednesday May 11 at 7pm for a 7.30pm start at the WI hall, Forge Lane. This will be the AGM which will be a social evening when the new committee and president are elected. One of the members will be speaking about the balloon company she runs. New members are , also, welcome so why not go along for a couple of meetings before deciding? Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at the time and place listed above. If you would like information, phone Diane Scott on 01622 814476. Charity event: As part of the Heart of Kent Hospice Open Gardens 2016 scheme, Gallants Manor, Gallants Lane will be exclusively open from 2-5pm on Sunday May 15. This is your chance to see the Kent Life Garden of the Month in May 2015, which is a 10 acre country garden with formal rose garden, pond with a stream leading into a small lake, azaleas, rhododendrons, Japanese maples and superb views of the North Downs. Entry is by a suggested donation of £5 and children are welcome. Full details of this and other planned openings at other venues are on www.hokh. org/events. Try line dancing: A fun and friendly line dancing class takes place in the village hall on Mondays from 2.30-4pm. No dance experience is necessary and neither do you need a partner. All ages and abilities are welcomed by Maureen. Contact her on 01892 836363 for details. Gardens open again: The newly created local wedding and function venue, Yalding Gardens, will be open to the public on Sunday, May 8 from 10am-3pm, when visitors will be able to explore the delightfully restored gardens and see the various newly created venues. For details, email enquiries@thegardensyalding.co.uk Men’s breakfast: Men with opinions and the will to share and discuss them will be breakfasting in the church on Saturday May 7 at 7.30am, when they visit another current controversial topic. To find out more, contact Jeremy TenisonSmith on 01892 730910. Churchyard working party: The working party known as the Vandals will be working in the churchyard and cemetery on Saturday May 7 from 9.15am-12.30pm. New volunteers are welcome to join them. Call Paul Mahoney on 01622 814420 or email mahoneys. yalding@cfsbroadband.co.uk for information. May Fair: Twyford Pre-school May Fair takes place on Saturday May 7 from 1-4pm at the church. Everyone is welcome to join in an exciting afternoon of fun for the whole family with competitions, games, crafts, plants, bric-a-brac, books, toys, a raffle and refreshments. Admission is only 20p and all profits will provide essential funds for the Twyford Pre-school. Baptist service: The Baptist Holy Communion service on Sunday May 8 at 10.30am will feature speaker Reg Hughes. There will be Sunday School for the youngsters, and refreshments will be served after the service. Little Fishes: The group of pre-school children with a parent or carer will get together on Monday, May 9 in church from 2-3pm. Games, singing, musical instruments and story along with play, a healthy snack and a craft activity will keep the children happy and allow them to mix with other youngsters, while the adults enjoy a cuppa. Call Rachel on 01622 817337 or Daphne on 817388 for details. Village Pensioners’ Club: All retired folk are welcome to join the club on Tuesday, May 10 from 2-4pm at the Social Club off the High Street. Members will enjoy bingo, chat and refreshments. WI annual meeting: The WI meeting on Tuesday May 10 at 7.30pm in the village hall, will be the annual business meeting and resolutions session, along with wine and cheese. 100 club winners: The Friends of Yalding Church 100 club held their monthly draw last weekend. First CJ is a lively young dog looking for his forever home. He needs some more training and does have high energy levels, but could make the right family a perfect pet. CJ would best suit a house without cats and with children who are at least secondary First game thriller: The cricket club had a victorious start to the new season, coming out on top in a thriller against Holborough Anchorians. Yalding got off to a good start and scored consistently to reach 169-9 in their 40 overs. The innings was led by captain James Fenn who made 93, falling just short of a century to start the year. In reply, Holborough got off to a fast start, racing to 70 runs off 11 overs. Just as Yalding took their third wicket, with Keiron Gregory