What’s happening where you live...

build-a-bear hunt (11am-2.30pm), you can even build your own teddy bear with Be My Bear ltd (11am-2.30pm), and there will be facepainting (12pm-2pm). Enjoy a packed lunch with your teddy under the Blackthorn Tree. You can also meet our very special guests Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse (12.30pm-2pm). Plus there is a sale on everything in the Friends of Blackthorn charity shop. Bat Evening: Join us as we lead you on a walk through Mote Park in search of bats on Wednesday 31st August from 7.45pm-10pm. Mote Park is one of the best places in the South East for observing bats and this is one of our most popular events. Using sonar equipment, we’ll track down bats to discover how they live and feed. Remember to bring a torch! All proceeds go to the Mote Park Fellowship and remain within the park. £2.50 per ticket for adults (tickets must be booked in advance.) Treasures From Trash: Treasures From Trash is an all-day exhibition running until September at the Maidstone Museum, St Faith’s Street. Upcycling and recycling from around the world, showing personal objects such as toys, ornaments, games etc. made from many different salvaged materials. Family summer holiday exhibition with lots of hands-on activities to take part in. Price: FREE. Open 10am-5pm Monday to Saturday (noon-4pm Sunday April to October). Admission charges may apply for some exhibitions. Adult Education Courses: Are you thinking about taking a course, but need some inspiration? Come along to St Faiths Adult Education Centre, St Faiths on Wednesday 7th September from 10am to get hands-on with a number of courses before you decide which course to enrol on. ’Strictly’ Dance Night: Deaf charity, Hi Kent, is holding a ‘Strictly’ Dance Night at 8pm on Saturday 17th September in the Maidstone Grammar school’s main hall on Barton Road to raise funds. Get in the mood for the next ‘Strictly’ series by coming along to learn popular ballroom and Latin dance moves, taught by a professional dance teacher in a fun, relaxed setting. There will be competitions with prizes and a dance display by Star Dance Club. Tickets are £10 to include a glass of Prosecco. Contact Hi Kent on 01622 691151 or email d.jones@ hikent.org.uk Correspondent: Mo Clayton Tel: 01622 831529 tillergirl2913@ aol.com Heritage Centre Exhibition: Marden Heritage Centre’s new exhibition will be officially launched at 1pm on Saturday, September 3, and is entitled Education in Marden. We are very fortunate that Marden Primary School’s former head teacher, Miss Cherie Sargent, who still lives locally, has kindly agreed to perform the opening ceremony. Miss Sargent was extremely popular throughout her years as head of the school, which stretched from 1982 – 2001 and so no doubt many former pupils and parents will welcome the opportunity to renew their acquaintance with her at the opening of the exhibition. A less well known fact is Marden has also been the home of both Private and Finishing schools over the years. Details of these, along with countless photos and historic records of our Primary school will be on display over the next four months. These will include an exercise book dated from 1899 and another by a pupil, aged 13 in 1923, describing predictions of “How the World will look in 100 years”. Only seven more years to wait to see how accurate these may be. Other artefacts include a school Punishment Book, a “Schoolbook of Useful Knowledge” and details of the Marden School Centenary. Walking Group: Saturday walks continue on 3rd September. Meet at 2pm outside the library to see local hops and apples. On 10th September it is the Ride and Stride annual event. Cars will be escorting passengers to visit Kent churches - if you wish to be included please contact Catherine by 3rd September on 01622 832455 to put your name down. Each excursion will last approximately two hours, either 10am or 2pm. Over £700 was raised by sponsors locally last year. Or contact Margaret Bradford on 01580 713180 if you want to do the cycle ride and would like a form. Wednesday Walks: For a longer walk, join the Wednesday group. On 7th September meet outside the library at 9.45am for No 1 from the first series of Walks leaflets. This is the Unicorn walk, approximately 2.5 miles. On 21st September there is a longer walk, 4.5 miles, the Collier Street Walk, No 1 from the second set of Walks leaflets. 9.45am outside the library. Farmers’ Market: Buy local produce and crafts on the 2nd Sunday of the month in the Memorial Hall, 9.30am to 1pm. Chutneys, flowers, plants, honey, and much more. Correspondent: Martin Hider Tel: 01622 736327 mhider5@ gmail.com Help Wanted: If you are able to help with the cleaning of St.Nicholas Church please phone 01622 861029 or if you are able to help with keeping the church grounds at- tractive and under control please phone 01622 739129. Church Tower Open: There will be a Tower Open Morning hosted by the Bell Ringers at St. Nicholas Church on Saturday September 10 from 10am to noon. Come along and visit the ringing room, have a go at ringing, under supervision, and enjoy the refreshments on offer. Children wishing to ring a bell must be aged nine or over and be accompanied by an adult. Contact Mal Williams, Tower Captain on 01622 861143. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com British Sugarcraft Guild: The next meeting will be on Saturday September 3 at St. Paul’s Church Hall, Boxley Road, Maidstone, ME14 2AH at 2.30. The demonstrations will be ‘Brush embroidery workshop’ by Lesley Butler. Admission charges for the meeting are Maidstone Branch members £3, Visitors £5. For more details please contact Mrs Carol carol. bunch@virgin.net. Correspondent: Alison Dickerson, 75 Chatham Road, Sandling, Maidstone, ME14 3BB Tel: 01622 762334 malcolm.dickerson@ btinternet. com Wildlife Study Day: The next Wildlife Study Day will be on Saturday September 3, ‘Flowers of Salt Marshes’. Plants that live on costal mudflats are highly specialised to cope with grim condition-they are not only a beautiful addition to the scene but have some fascinating stories to tell. They deserve knowing better, at Tyland Barn and Oare Correspondent: Andrew Watson, 9 Barn Meadow, Staplehurst, TN12 0SY Mob: 07715 572772 Tel: 01580 891986 staplehurst.report@ btinternet.com Poppy’s Helps Eliana: Poppy’s Day Nursery celebrated their 8th anniversary with a birthday party last Saturday. Their celebration was attended by parents and children who enjoyed snacks and cake. A balloon entertainer was kept busy by the children and a raffle raised £100 for “Eliana’s wish to run” charity. HiKent Coffee Morning: There will be a coffee morning in aid of Hi Kent next Saturday, 3rd Sept, from 10.00am to 12.30pm at 14