Wye April 2018

The

Village Directory April Edition • Issue 58 • Royal Mail

Wye Area

Your Local Electrician For All Your Electrical Needs ØØ

Local, friendly & fully qualified electricians.

ØØ

Part P Registered through NICEIC.

ØØ

FREE, no obligation quotations.

ØØ

All electrical work undertaken, no job too big or small.

ØØ

Covering Wye & surrounding areas.

M: 07878 457018

T: 01233 620644

e: info@hughes-electrical.co.uk

www.hughes-electrical.co.uk

CINNAMON

01233 668 731 Unit 4 Eureka Place, Trinity Road,Ashford, Kent TN25 4BY

ORDER A MAIN DISH, RECEIVE ANOTHER, PLUS SIDE DISH

FREE!

WHEN DINING IN ON PRESENTATION OF THIS ADVERT

PROMOTIONAL KIT

WWW.CINNAMONSPICEKENT.CO.UK

Auctioneers

C&T

Valuers

TERMS & CONDITIONS: EXCLUDES FRIDAY & SATURDAY. EXCLUDES SEAFOOD & LAMB DISHES. NOT IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. OFFER ENDS 30th April 2018.

Specialist Auctioneers & Valuers - Toys -Teddy Bears & Dolls -Military Items -Antique Collectibles -Coins -Memorabilia -Fountain Pens -Clocks & Watches

Free Valuations Every Thursday 11:00 - 3:00 Unit 4, High House Business Park, Kenardington, Ashford, Kent TN26 2LF

Tel: 01233 510050 Email: enquiries@candtauctions.co.uk 2

www.candtauctions.co.uk

Welcome Hi everyone, welcome to the April edition, I hope you enjoyed the Easter break. Apparently it’s Spring, but each time I begin to consider any outdoor jobs the cold weather comes back to bite me. On the other hand I’ve been so grateful for the fact that I live in this corner of the country, when the snow came I think we were let off lightly compared to the rest of the UK, although it was still very cold. Anyway onwards and upwards, I’m sure warmer weather is just around the corner, I can feel it in my bones!

Once again, we have plenty of local events for you this month, and we’re not even close to the village fete season yet! Please keep them coming, even if you think you’ve missed the print deadline we can still add them to our website for you.

I so hope you enjoy and value this magazine, for those of you in the villages it tends to be the only item of its type posted through your letterbox. Over the years I have worked hard to balance the advertising with informative content and free promotion for worthy causes, but the fact remains that without our advertisers this magazine would not be possible. It is so important that advertisers know how you found them, they may not always ask, but they do need to know. So whenever you use them please tell them “The Village Directory sent me!”. Some are registered with other organisations so it can be difficult to tell who introduced them, unfortunately they often forget to ask. In addition, if any of our advertisers go above and beyond the call of duty please do let me know, they will be rewarded. Thank you.

Until next time, have a great month

Debbie T: 01233 720488 e: info@thevillagedirectory.co.uk e: events@thevillagedirectory.co.uk w: www.thevillagedirectory.co.uk

N & E Window Cleaning Services Water-fed Pole / Traditional Window Cleaning Fascia / Gutter / Patio Cleaning / Solar Panels Please contact Nathan Turner for a free quote

07764 193492 n_eturnercleaning@yahoo.com

Piano Lessons

From 9.30am to 8.30pm, Charing Heath

Mrs Jane Cooper GGSM, ARCM & AGSM

Tel 01233 714787

Lots of Experience, from Beginners to Grade 8

Oshens HairBoutique

For An Appointment Please Call

01233 811981 Closed Wednesday

100 Bridge Street, Wye TN25 5EA

NEEDLES & PINS

REPAIR AND ALTERATION SERVICE Zips & Trouser / Skirt Shortening from £5.50 HAND SEWN CURTAINS FREE COLLECTION / DELIVERY SERVICE

Call Christina 01303 864280

All Cars, Vans Paul Smith Plumbing Services Annett Autos & Motorbikes Bought CarFOR Buying Service ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS For a hassle free sale FREE ESTIMATES(or similar) T: 01303 647 on 54601303 Classic Cars Bought Call Paul 812965 info@annettautos.com (running or not) 07794005909

Paul Smith Plumbing Services FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS FREE ESTIMATES

Call Paul on 01303 812965 07794005909 PAUL MASTERSON PLUMBING & HEATING Paul Smith Plumbing Services 07909 995794 / 01233 878491 FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING NEEDS mastersonpaulplumber@gmail.com All BoilerFREE MakesESTIMATES and Models Covered

Call Paul on 01303 812965 www.boilermaterepairs.com

07794005909 37 Forest Avenue, Ashford, Kent, TN25 4GB

May Issue Deadline 10th April 2018 3

Overhaul Your Lawn

by Pippa Greenwood

It has rained so much in recent months and the ground has become so wet that there have been times when I’ve thought that my garden might be about to turn into a paddyfield! The flower and vegetable beds are starting to pick up remarkably well, but it is the lawn that seems to have taken the most obvious battering.

Over-wet conditions can cause roots to die off and will reduce the oxygen in the soil.

Worse still, any areas of the lawn that you’ve had to walk on, albeit infrequently, or over which you’ve had to move a wheelbarrow or other fairly weighty bit of equipment, will have become compacted or squashed. It may not be obvious but the air spaces that should be plentiful in the soil will have been dramatically reduced, and the heavier your soil is, the worse the problem is likely to be. So if you want your grass to be as green as it should be and ready for the summer use it’s likely to get, it’s time to get to work now.

Check over your lawn mower and see to anything that

4

needs sorting. If it’s too much to take on yourself, take it to a reputable outlet for a service as soon as possible – you’ll need it even more in a few weeks’ time! Once it is working well again, you’ll be surprised at how much quicker and easier each mowing session becomes.

In most areas of the country grass will have started to grow quite a bit faster recently and so may need cutting. Make sure that you don’t set the blades too low for the first few cuts, as this will weaken the growth and make it more likely that weeds will start to invade.

You can relieve some of the soil compaction to allow air down to the roots, making for better growth and healthier grass.

Do this after you’ve mown the lawn. If only small areas are compacted, use a garden fork and drive it into the lawn every 4-6 inches or so, trying to get the tines of the fork to a depth of 4-6 inches as well.

Once the tines are in the soil, gently ease the handle of the

fork back and forth to enlarge each hole. You now have some drainage holes.

If you mix up some sieved garden soil or loam with horticultural sand (about one part soil/loam to nine parts sand) you can brush this mixture across the lawn and into the holes you’ve made.

The result is a drainage system over those compacted areas.

If the soil in the garden is quite heavy or contains a lot of clay, the chances are that these last few months will have done a lot of damage and the whole lawn will benefit from aerating. For an enduring and even more useful effect, buy, borrow or hire a ‘hollowtine aerator’, either as a hand operated one, a machine or a mower attachment. This will actually cut cylinders of soil out of your lawn, and when filled with the ‘top-dressing’ mix above will result in much longer-lasting drainage channels.

Moss might look good and green right now, but it tends to look miserable later in the

The Garden year as it dries out and becomes brown. So apply some moss killer and then rake it all out after the time specified on the pack. It will make your lawn look worse initially, but allows more air to the roots of the grass plants and gives them more space to grow and spread too.

Lawns that have suffered from serious waterlogging will really benefit from a suitable feeding regime. Poor growth and over-wet conditions will have put these plants under a lot of stress. Whether you choose a granular or liquid feed, make sure that it is a spring lawn food, as this will be formulated specially to give the balance of nutrients lawns need now. If you do use a granular feed, ensure that you water it in unless it rains shortly after you’ve applied it.

Walking on a very wet lawn soon wears it out and kills off grasses. Get these bare or bald areas sorted now and by the time the summer comes it won’t look like a patchwork. Roughen up the bare or thin areas using a rake and then sprinkle a suitable seed mix on to match in with the existing grasses. If you’ve not got many patches to sow, you can buy small patch repair packs to keep the cost down.

Once all the work is done, and it may well take several hours in total (depending on the size of the lawn and exactly how damaged and waterlogged it was), try your best to keep off it for a few weeks to allow it to bask in all that pampering and take advantage of all the TLC and grow away really well.

Visit Pippa’s website www. pippagreenwood.com and you’ll find some great gardening things: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ (where you receive your chosen garden-ready vegetable plants in May accompanied by weekly advice and tips from Pippa) plus Nemaslug, bio-controls, gardening tools, raised bed kits, Grower Frames, signed books and more!

T: 07776 453886

Lawn Care Turfing Garden Maintenance Hedges/ Borders

allengardensolutions@btinternet.com

All Seasons Garden Services

Over 20 years experience All aspects of garden care undertaken Fully insured

T: 01233 665322 M: 07941 205 374 Email: rob@ashford-gardening.co.uk

BENSKO Pest Control Services T: 01303 487401 M: 07857 344770 www.benskoservices.co.uk

Handy in Your Home

99 Plumbing 99 Decorating 99 Gardening 99 Carpentry 99 Tiling

Maintenance Services Any niggle job, none too small

Call Gary 07798 734 471

BENSKO

Chimney Sweeping Services T: 01303 487401 M: 07857 344770 www.benskoservices.co.uk

BLOCKED DRAINS

• Toilets • Gullies etc • High Pressure Water Jetting • C.C.T.V Surveys • No Call Out Charge Call 07741 290 094

Advertise Here

£18 per month plus vat

10% discount on 6 month bookings Easy monthly payment option available

5

6

The Garden

www.greenstepps.co.uk Top quality materials. Top quality service.

Supply + Install. FREE QUOTATIONS.

Garden Design ~ Gardening ~ Landscaping T: 07734 846 736

T : 01233 877 521 | M : 07710 179 600 enquiries@woodchurchfencing.co.uk www.woodchurchfencing.co.uk

The Complete Landscape Service

r

840 267 ls 01233 l i 07812 197 655 H ny

Tre e

M

e: info@greenstepps.co.uk

mpa Co mr.hills.trees@gmail.com www.mr-hills-trees.co.uk

TREE SURGERY, HEDGES & FREELANCE CLIMBER

Professional Garden & Grounds Maintenance The quality choice Country Estate Maintenance Local. Reliable. Affordable. Efficient. Est.2004 Paddock Maintenance: Mowing, Hedge Cutting, Spraying Wildflower Meadows Planting Plans & Garden Design Hard & Soft Landscaping Pond Renovation, Clearance & Maintenance

Robert Smith Fencing Solutions Limited

Professionally trained & qualified 20+ Years of industry experience Call for a free quote today

Vernon Harris Bsc Hort M: 07563 580 775 O: 01233 770668 E: vern@bghorticulture.co.uk www.bghorticulture.co.uk

Domestic, Commercial and Acoustic

Robert Smith: 07737 004 104

email: info@rsfencingsolutions.co.uk www.rsfencingsolutions.co.uk

Tel: 01233 367038 07500 193703

• • • • •

Block Paving Resin Driveways Gravelling Crazy Paving Hot Laid Tarmacadam

• • • •

Brickwork Landscaping Fencing Turfing

Wotton Road, Ashford, TN23 6LL office@jddrivestyleltd.co.uk www.jddrivestyleltd.co.uk

Professionally Installed, Beautifully Finished No Deposits Required All work fully guaranteed for 5 years 7

Show Clearance Cowboys The Door

by Kate McLelland

Clearing a property after the death of a loved one can be a complex and difficult task.

As well as coping with the emotional impact, you’ll need to find a new home for a whole range of household items, from large pieces of furniture to decorative knick-knacks, old photographs and items of clothing.

It can feel overwhelming, and that’s why many people employ a house clearance service to remove the lot in one go - but if you are able to tackle the job yourself, you’ll find all it takes is a systematic approach and a little time.

WHAT TO SELL Before you begin to sell, it may be helpful to research current fashions in antique and vintage items. Be aware that today’s bidders are more likely to fight over a chipped enamel bread bin or a paintsplashed wooden ladder than a skillfully crafted piece of brown furniture.

8

You can take valuable pieces to an auction house, or sell them online, but remember that you

will pay a sellers’ fee with either of these options (10% of the final transaction cost on Ebay or between 8% - 20% plus 20% VAT for an auction house).

You may prefer to take antique or vintage items to a local dealer, but always seek independent advice on their value before accepting an offer.

WHAT TO GIVE AWAY Once you’ve worked your way through the more valuable items, you can turn your attention to things that you don’t want to keep, but are too good to throw away.

Charity shops are always happy to receive quality clothing, ceramics, pots and pans and small items of furniture. Some charities, like the British Heart Foundation and DEBRA, will even collect large pieces such as sofas or wardrobes free of charge, but if you are disposing of upholstered furniture you should make sure that it is in good condition and the manufacturer’s fire label is still attached.

If your loved one enjoyed

sewing or woodworking and has left a quantity of tools and materials related to that hobby, you could distribute them to other local hobbyists or donate them to a voluntary group.

Keen gardeners might even be able to reuse garden pots or dig up nice plants for their own gardens, but make sure that you are not removing anything that belongs to the landlord if the property is rented, or that might already be included in the fittings list if the property is being sold.

WHAT TO RECYCLE OR THROW AWAY When everything that is valuable or useful has been eliminated, you will be left with stuff to be recycled or thrown away. Visit recyclenow.com to see how much of this can be recycled, and once you have whittled everything down you can simply take the rest to your local tip.

WHEN THE ONLY WAY IS CLEARANCE If the property is rented, or if a sale is going through, you may have no choice but to

use a house clearance service.

These companies will remove everything from the property, charging fees to dispose of unwanted items and paying an agreed sum for anything of value.

Although most clearance companies offer a genuine service, there are cowboy operators out there who will offer little for valuable pieces and may charge for waste disposal when they actually intend to dump your unwanted items in a field. If fly-tipped waste is traced back to you, you will be liable for a hefty fine, so your first step should be to check that the company is registered for the transport and disposal of waste. You can investigate your chosen operator online by visiting the Environment Agency’s website

- environment.data.gov. uk - and simply entering the company name or registration number.

The second step is to test whether the company representative is offering you a fair price for saleable items. If you want a pin-point accurate valuation you will need to consult an expert, such as a local auctioneer, but the online auction site Ebay (ebay.co.uk) can give a rough idea of each item’s current market value.

Ignore the sometimes cheeky and inflated “Buy it Now” prices and tick the “sold listings” box that appears on the left of each search results page: this will show what people have paid for similar pieces.

items you’ve valued to judge whether the representative is offering a fair price (but remember that if any of the items are damaged it may significantly reduce their value).

Job done! Stripping out a property loaded with a lifetime’s possessions is never easy, but once it has been cleared you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that everything valuable or useful has found a home, while the remainder has been disposed of in a responsible (and environmentally friendly) way.

When the clearance company comes to quote, use the sample

‘Excellence in workmanship’

01233 225684 Homewood Landscapes - creating your perfect outdoor space Garden and Landscaping works carried out for inspirational designs and finishes.

Contemporary or traditional gardens.

Block paved driveway Resin bound driveway Natural stone patio Fencing & decking Contemporary gardens Bespoke timber buildings

www.homewoodpropertycare.com 9

Mowgli

by Montgomery Vets

H

ello everyone, Mowgli here! Who can believe it is nearly Easter already! Ebony and I quite enjoy Easter. Do any of you remember last year when I tried on the rabbit ears and got completely carried away? We had to hide them from Josh as they were never the same after that!

W

e are looking forward to the delicate twigs that the humans bring in (and if they have catkins dangling from them so much the better…) and Josh decorating them with tiny wooden and glass decorations. Those tiny light decorations are just so much fun to bat around! The rabbits are my favourite but they do not seem to be very well made- their ears seem to come off rather easily when chewed….. They don’t come off as easily a second time though if Clive has glued them back on…..

I

expect most of you have heard that there has been filming at the clinic! It goes on for a few more weeks and then it will all be back to normal.

The filming is of course optional but lots of clients have done a great job showing off their gorgeous pets. I am of course not going to be in it (usual story- far too naughty blah blah blah……) but the crew have moved my and Ebony’s pictures in Clive’s consult room so they are in most shots.

I am sure that with my beautiful blue eyes and snow spotted coat I will be quite the star. I wonder if I can get my royalties in deli-dreamies?!

~Mowgli

I

also love an Easter egg hunt. Our humans know this, and they use the tiny foil wrapped eggs.

These are easy to carry in my mouth and amazing to chase around a wooden floor. Josh wanders around the house with a basket slowly putting them into a basket. Meanwhile I have usually managed to appropriate over half of them for myself. I carry or bat them to the kitchen and have a wonderful time posting them under the boot room door. For some reason (known only to the door itself ) it has a bit of brushing on the bottom. I can poke my paws through it and post things in a very satisfying way. Whenever one of the humans opens the boot room door there on the top step is a lovely hoard of my things. I am hoping for a good hoard of eggs there this year.

On another note I was recently very grateful for the brushing on the bottom of the door as one of the silly humans shut me in the boot room recently and I was able to poke my paws through the brushing into the kitchen. Josh saw my paws and stripy legs appear and ran to get someone to open the door!

10

AT THE EVEGATE CENTRE SMEETH, ASHFORD ‘We treat your pet as if it was our own’ Specialising in all pet animals including exotics & avian. Calm and friendly family run clinic.

Open 7 days a week Full emergency service Ample Free Parking

CALL 01303 813756

www.montgomeryvets.co.uk

PETS

Protect Your Cats and Dogs in the Garden This Spring If you’re enjoying the warmer weather this springtime, and spending more time in the garden with your pet, here are a few tips to keep both cats and dogs safe and well, and avoid any urgent visits to the vet.

Seasonal plants Some spring bulbs and plants can be poisonous to dogs and cats. Daffodils, in particular, cause problems if ingested, but other plants such as tulips, hyacinths, crocuses and clematis are also toxic.

Shear Pawfection Mobile Pet Grooming Spa

£5 Off for new customers QuoteVill01

No mess - No stress - Save time Just 2 parking spaces & power hookup required 07592 779 502 www.shearpawfection.co.uk

Pride & Groom All Breeds of Dogs Groomed Includes: 66 Bath

Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, and lethargy, potentially leading to dehydration and convulsions.

In cases where the most poisonous plants have been consumed, the after-effects may be seen within 15 minutes.

Chocolate Easter eggs Chocolate contains theobromine, which is highly toxic to your dog or cat. Although dark chocolate contains the most theobromine, the levels in milk chocolate are also sufficient to cause serious health problems.

It’s advisable to consult your vet as a matter of urgency if you know that your pet has consumed chocolate – symptoms include rapid breathing, hyperactivity, seizures, vomiting and diarrhoea.

66 Cut 66 Hand Strip 66 Glands & Nails

Call Carol: 07985 933647 01233 714188 24 yrs Experience Located in Charing

Slug and snail pellets As spring is ‘slug season’, you may be tempted to use slug pellets to control this problem in your garden.

Dogs and cats tend to find slug pellets tasty, however, vet as a matter of urgency. and as many brands contain a poisonous substance www.nawt.org.uk/advice/keeping-pets-safe-spring called metaldehyde, your pet’s health is at serious and www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/spring-safety-tips-for-dog-owners.html Carpets, V immediate risk after ingestion. www.vets-now.com/2017/01/spring-hazards-cats/ & Lamin Look out for symptoms such as muscle spasms,

By Ann Haldon no obligation estim seizures and lack of coordination, and contact your Free measuring and We will match any genuine like for lik

Carpets, Vinyls & Laminates

-Turk’s- 10% OFF Flooring

Any Carpet on Presentation Find us on Facebook of this Advert.

01233 2395544

Flooring Specialist We move furniture free of charge!

Free mobile showroom home visits

Turk’s Flooring

Come and meet Flooring the team!

specialist

info@turksflooring.com 239554 wil Gary, Jason & Lee are ready01233 to offer theirWeexpe www.turksflooring.com

�looring Units 2 & 3, Stafford Close, Ashford, Kent in TN23 4TT Ashford, Kent TN23 4TT (Off Leacon Road) Family Run Business (Off Leacon Road, 500 yards from Matalan Units 2 & 3, Stafford Close,

info@turks�looring.com About us

www.turks�looring.com 11 Opening hours - Mon - Fri:run 8.00am - 5:30pm & Sat: 9.00 We are an independent, family business, who pri

Home & Interiors Wooden Flooring

By Katherine Sorrell

quality wood, that replacing would actually be better.

If you are planning to sand, the first job is to mend or replace any boards that are damaged, hopefully with matching second hand boards (if you use new boards you will have to stain them later to match). Make sure you hammer down protruding nail heads before you start sanding.

They are beautiful, natural, healthy, and get better with age – wooden floors are ideal almost everywhere in the house.

SAND BACK YOUR OLD BOARDS If you are renovating, the simplest and cheapest option is often simply to sand back the boards that are already there.

Not every floor is worth sanding, however. The effort of removing copious amounts of nails may be too much, or the floor may be riddled with woodworm, be too uneven, or made of such poor

USING RECLAIMED BOARDS The aged patina of reclaimed boards is absolutely beautiful, but such authenticity does not come cheap – do not expect to pay substantially less than for new boards, while common problems include woodworm, ingrained dirt and stains, dents and splits, variations in thickness or colour, broken tongue and groove, and the need to remove or countersink thousands of old rusty nails.

If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Ask where the wood came from and how it has been stored since it was reclaimed – timber that has

stood outside for any length of time may be useless, and would certainly need to dry out considerably before it could be used again. The rule of thumb is that pine is cheaper than oak, and narrower boards are cheaper than wider ones.

FITTING A NEW TIMBER FLOOR New timber floors can be fitted anywhere in the house, on solid or suspended floors, though they’re often not advised for bathrooms or other wet areas.

This is because wood expands and contracts according to the humidity of the room. Can you fit a timber floor if you want underfloor heating? The answer is yes, though timber does not give quite as high a heat output as a concrete floor. When retro-fitting, it may be possible to lay new boards over old ones – but only if they are very even, and usually covered with 18-20mm of ply to give a substantial base. Bear in mind that you will raise your floor level and that, when fixing the floor down, you’ll need to avoid any pipes and wires that may run

FINISHES FOR FLOORBOARDS • PAINT: a great cover-up, available in a range of colours.

• STAINS: may be oil or water-based. Will change the colour but may still need a finish for protection.

• WAX: a polished wooden floor is a sight to behold, with a lovely gentle sheen and natural smell, but they do require regular re-waxing.

• OIL: gives a natural finish, sinking deep into the grain to protect the wood. Again, they need reapplying regularly, so don’t even consider it unless you’re prepared to put in the hard work.

• UV-CURED OIL AND WAX: almost like lacquer, but with the look of oil or wax.

• LACQUER AND VARNISH: available in matt, satin and gloss finishes, these are very hard wearing but don’t give such a natural finish.

12

beneath the existing floor.

TYPES OF TIMBER The main choice you’ll be faced with is between solid wood, engineered wood and laminate.

Solid wood is just that – whatever type of wood it is goes all the way through, so it looks entirely natural and can be sanded again and again. It’s available in the form of boards, strips (less than 10cm wide), blocks (extremely strong, laid in patterns such as herringbone and basket weave) and parquet (like blocks, but thinner).

Engineered wood (sometimes called multi-layer or, confusingly, laminated) is made from layers of solid timber or a veneer of solid timber on top of MDF, plywood, chipboard or softwood, with a balancing veneer beneath. Most are made up of either three or five layers, cross-bonded for

The Home

greater stability. A top layer of at least 5mm allows for limited sanding if necessary.

Laminates generally comprise a resin-impregnated decorative paper surface layer (with photographs of real wood) bonded to a thin MDF or chipboard core. With cheap versions it’s easy to spot the pattern repeat and they’re not awfully durable, but more expensive versions are incredibly tough and come with long guarantees.

Timber floors are given ‘grades’ describing their appearance (nothing to do with quality or durability). They vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but are often called ‘select’, ‘natural’ and ‘rustic’ or ‘country’.

As you might imagine, they therefore range from very even in colour and grain to rather gnarled

and knotty. ‘Rustic’ grades are the cheapest and ‘select’ the most expensive.

Image Left: Lulworth Blue floor paint, £67 per 2.5l, Farrow & Ball: 01202 876 141; farrow-ball.com.

Image Above: Sussex oak parquet industrial oval dining table, £1,850, Modish Living: 01273 499 057; modishliving.co.uk.

Quality, Made to Measure Blinds at Affordable Prices FREE HOME DESIGN SERVICE

■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Roller Blinds Roman Blinds Vertical Blinds Venetian Blinds Wooden Blinds Pleated Blinds Shutters Conservatory Blinds Commercial Blinds

■■ 1 Year Product Guarantee ■■ 3 Year Installation Guarantee

We Also Sell Curtains & Awnings For more information or to book an appointment

Call: 01233 226570

E: info@jlsblinds.co.uk W: www.jlsblinds.co.uk 13

Ashford Residents, we need you!

Volunteering can be wonderful and fulfilling, it can provide help and support to those who need it the most.

At Macmillan Crossroads Care Kent & Medway Volunteer Service, we support people affected by cancer and their carers. Our team provide quality information and guidance, along with a helpful assessment process to understand what support is needed. Currently our volunteers provide: •

companionship

•

emotional support

•

light housework or gardening

•

social outings

•

shopping

•

escorting to medical appointments

One of our valued volunteers Isabel has expressed the following; “I became aware of the Macmillan Crossroads volunteer opportunity whilst volunteering for Pilgrims Hospice and they asked me to come in for an interview. The rest is history (well over 3 years of it) I visit people in their homes do bits of light gardening, light housework, shopping trips, health appointment visits and cups of tea and chats. I even get to work once again with students as I am lucky enough to be part of training and supporting 6th form students in this type of care work. The rewards are immense I have learnt so much from these people about lives led challenges faced and to still be faced, all is put into perspective. Life is for living and sharing even when time maybe in short supply. Give it a go Every visit is different and being part of a team is very enjoyable.”

Can you spare some time each week?

14

Do you have a good listening ear, the first and most important part of helping?

Do you have a special interest or skill that someone could benefit from?

Volunteering is a very positive addition to your CV as it can demonstrate your commitment to a work ethic and your caring nature. There is also in-house training available for all volunteers and volunteering expenses can be reimbursed in line with our volunteering policy.

Local volunteers are required to help local people. At the moment, volunteers travel from all over Kent to help residents.

If you feel you’d like to make a difference when someone needs a helping hand, contact us on 01227 743 703, or enqueries.macmillan@ crossroadskent.org Find us on Facebook - Macmillan Crossroads Volunteer Service

The Home

QUALITY KITCHEN FACELIFTS

Transform your kitchen this Spring...

EST.

Before

1999

• From a simple door swap to a complete kitchen refit • Huge choice of doors, worktops, appliances, sinks & taps • Installed by local skilled tradesman • Free planning & design service

CALL FOR YOUR FREE QUOTE:

01233 228701

www.dreamdoors.co.uk

®

Visit our showroom: 48 Cinque Ports Street, Rye, TN31 7AN

Why replace when you can reface?

15

Be Happy With a Book Whether you love curling up with a psychological thriller or prefer biographies, enjoy flicking through a cookbook or need business advice, we’ve got just the book to keep you and your e-reader happy.

How Not To Be a Boy – Robert Webb Actor and comedian Robert Webb has turned his hand to writing, with great success. How Not To Be a Boy is part biography, part reflection on the expectations that are put on boys and men to act a certain way. Webb reveals his grief at losing his mother and his difficult relationship with his father, and ruminates on how trying to ‘act like a man’ has had a negative effect on his life.

Through it all, Webb writes with his trademark humour, taking the reader from laughing out loud to blinking back tears in moments.

The History of Bees – Maja Lunde The History of Bees tells the stories of three people, all connected by bees. In 1851, William is attempting to build a revolutionary beehive to bring honour and fame to his family.

In 2007, George is struggling to keep the family bee farm going.

Almost 100 years later, Tao is enjoying a rare day off from her job hand-pollinating fruit trees, when her son is taken seriously ill.

The History of Bees was a surprise international bestseller last year and is ideal for fans of dystopian fiction.

Anything You Do Say – Gillian

16

McAllister A split second decision has lasting implications for the protagonist in this tense psychological thriller.

Late at night, believing that she’s being followed, Joanna lashes out, pushing her pursuer down a set of concrete steps. Does she call an ambulance, or walk away?

Both scenarios are then explored.

Ingenious, original and fast-paced, this is perfect for fans of Gone Girl and Girl on a Train.

The Paying Guests – Sarah Waters It’s 1922, but the roaring twenties have yet to reach the quiet corner of London where Frances and her mother live. Frances has resigned herself to a life spent looking after the family home, but the arrival of lodgers Lilian and Leonard Barber reawakens her life, energy and passions. Paying Guests was published in 2014 and was named ‘Fiction Book of the Year’ by The Sunday Times, for good reason.

A modern classic, it’s beautifully written, with believably flawed characters, plot twists and a building tension that’ll keep you reading ‘just one more chapter’ until late into the night.

Ultimate Fit Food – Gordon Ramsay Planning to get a bit fitter before the summer? Gordon Ramsey’s

latest book might help. It’s split into three sections, each of which offers a range of dishes to promote general wellbeing, achieve weight loss or provide fuel for work-outs. There are recipes for everything from healthy snacks and breakfasts to impressive main courses, and plenty of treats are included too. The emphasis is on dishes so delicious you’ll almost forget they’re good for you.

Start Me Up – Various If you’re thinking of setting up your own business, take advice and inspiration from people who’ve done just that.

Enterprise Nation is a website for small businesses and has recently released a free ebook.

Start Me Up features stories from 100 entrepreneurs, including the owner of Cool Cold Brew, which will soon be available in Sainsbury’s, and the founder of the fastest growing baby food brand in the UK. You can download Start Me Up from the blog at www.enterprisenation. com.

The Home

Olson Timber Buildings, bespoke quality & style Our garage and carriage house ranges offer stylish, top quality timber car storage solutions at competitive prices. Whether you are looking for a large space to keep your car protected and safe, or an additional area for storage, our bespoke service can provide you with the best solution to suit your requirements.

Carriage Houses ● Garages ● Workshops ● Home Offices ● Stables

Call: 01227 696111 Email: sales@ot-buildings.com Visit: www.olsontimberbuildings.com

STANFORD Conservatory & Building COMPANY www.stanfordconservatories.co.uk All Work Fully Insured Start & Completion Times Guaranteed

• • • • •

Conservatories - Advice, design & CAD Paths, patios, driveways, block or paving Decking and Car Ports General building & renovations General Maintenance & Repairs

e: stanfordconservatories@gmail.com

01303 812889 • 07710 077711 17

L i v e Ja z z 2018

T h e Fo l k e s t o n e J a z z C l u b At T h e To we r To B o o k C a l l : 0 1 3 0 3 2 7 7 1 7 5 All gigs start at 8pm ~ All gigs £12 admission Seat Bookings: 01303 277175 Email: twinklewood@btinternet.com Website: www.towertheatrefolkestone.co.uk April 5th

Mornington Lockett Quartet

April 12th Gordon Campbell / Chris Dean

Quintet

April 19th From The Award Winning Back to

Basie Orchestra, Paul Lacey’s Basie Express April 24th Direct from Ronnie Scotts

Alex & Willie Garnett Quintet The Christchurch University Big Band (Directed by Steve Waterman) May 1st

Georgina Jackson / Pete Long All Star Quintet May 10th

May 17th Roger Beaujolais Quartet

with Special Guest Tomasso Starace May 24

The music of Henry Mancini by Alan Barnes All Star Sextet Jim Mullen Organ Trio plus Special Guest American tenor sax man Dave Lewis May 29th

T h e Fo l k e s t o n e J a z z C l u b i s a n o n p r o f i t m a k i n g j a z z c l u b. R u n b y & fo r p e o p l e w i t h a l i k e m i n d e d i n t e re s t i n OUR KIND OF MUSIC D e r i c k Wo o d l a n d 0 1 3 0 3 2 6 0 3 3 0

18

Ap r i l 7th

Vintage Fair at the Kings Head, Wye. 9am 12 pm

7th The Friends of St. Margarets Church Bethersden will be hosting a Concert of Choral and Organ Music by The Kings Men Cambridge. Wine will be on sale before the concert and during the interval.

Admission by tickets only, £15.00. Cheques payable to the Friends of St. Margarets Church with an SAE to the Secretary, 47 Orchard Field, bethersden TN26 3AW. Telephone 01233 820989 / 820616. Email marian. draper44@gmail.com 7th High Halden Horticultural Society holds it’s Spring Show in the Memorial Hall. Staging is from 9.30am to 11.30 am and the show opens to the public at 2.30pm with prizes presented at 3.15pm. This is a fun village event. Please support us.

7th Little Chart Spring Flower show will be held in the Parish Hall at 3pm. Entries welcome. Schedules available from Julie Lllwall at julielilwall@hotmail. uk. For setting up times see schedule. Come along and enjoy the show even if you do not wish to make entries.

7th Spiritualist Meetings held every Saturday evening at Highbury Hall, Highbury Lane, Tenterden, TN30 6LE. Doors open at 6pm, ready for 6.30pm start.Refreshments afterwards. 7th April - Daphne Webb, who works with flowers, entry is £4. 14th Mary Ward. 21st - Sue Wrotchford. £4. 28th - Simone Horsley. All are welcomed. We also have a page on Facebook, Tenterden Spiritualist Centre.

9th Smeeth W.I. will meet at Brabourne and Smeeth Village Hall at 7.30pm when Mary Smith will present ‘A Schoolgirls War’ the Story of School Life in Kent. We warmly welcome any lady visitors and should you need further information do contact Joy Taylor 01303812165 or Margaret Garrett on 01303 813932 12th Ashford Loving Hands. Join us at The Cosy Kettle, Hamstreet to knit for charity on April 12th and 26th between 9.30-11.45. Needles, wool and patterns can be provided to get you started. We are a friendly group and you would be made very welcome. For more information contact Helen on 01233 733408 14th Variety Show “Whatever The Weather” 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm. Tickets will be on sale at Iden Village Stores from end of March £8 Adults £4 Children or box office 01797 280143. Charity Raffle will be shared between Iden Church and St Michael’s Hospice.

14th The next musical event at St Mary’s Smeeth will be our Spring event. All are warmly invited to come and join in well known, and lesser known, forgotten and new hymns. We look forward to seeing you if you can join us.

17th Ashford Flower Club is hosting a floral art demonstration by Kathy Stangaard, entitled ‘The Sound of Bow Bells’ It will take place at Furley Hall, Maidstone Road,Ashford TN24 8TX, starting at 7.30pm. All demonstrated arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening. You could be one of the winners, so come along and meet us - visitors £4.00 at the door.

19th Bingo Thursdays doors open 2pm. Eyes down 2.30pm April 19th, 26th, May 10th, 24th. 01797 280467.

21st The Friend’s of St. Margaret’s church at Hothfield have great pleasure in announcing that we have the Snowdown Colliery Welfare Male Voice Choir performing at our lovely church at 7.30 pm.

Doors open at 7.pm. Tickets £12.50 which includes a glass of wine and nibbles. Tickets available from Hothfield Post Office or reserve by telephone on 01233 612265 25th Woodchurch Art Society will be holding their Annual Art Exhibtion at the Woodchurch Memorial Hall. 25th May - 7-9pm, 26th & 27th May - 10am 4pm. Over 200 paintings on display, raffle, tombola, Watercolour challenge, cards and paintings for sale.

Delicious home made cakes and refreshments.

Everyone welcome - FREE ENTRY.

What’s On

01303 813 451 or email brabournewendy@gmail. com. Visitors will always be made welcome.

28th Wye Quiz Night, in aid of the Wye Centre Project. The quiz night will be held at Wye Village Hall, doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm start. 1st prize is 8 bottles of champagne. Teams of 8 maximum.

Interval with supper included, soft drinks provided, otherwise bring own drink and glasses. There will also be a raffle. To reserve a table please book at Tickety Boo, 145 Bridge Street, Wye. £80 per table of eight; or £10 per head.

Ma y 7th Woodchurch Local History Society meets on the first Monday of the month at the Memorial Hall at 7:30pm. On Monday May 7th we are to hear a talk by Sue Duckworth entitled ‘Mapp and Lucia’s Rye’. This talks follows the popular TV series last year.

New members are always verywelcome and pay £10 annually whilst visitors pay £2 at the door. All welcome.

15th Ashford Flower Club’s May meeting will be a floral art demonstration by Fiona Chapman. It will take place at Furley Hall, Maidstone Road,Ashford TN24 8TX, starting at 7.30pm. All demonstrated

25th The Biddenden Horticultural Society meets in the New Village Hall. Mr Hilary Newman will be visiting us again with a ‘Talk and Demonstration on Plant Propagation’. If you would like our events calendar for 2018 contact Irene Orsborne on 01580 291777 or Lesley Lidgett on 01580 291931 or visit the website www.biddendenhorticulturalsociety.co.uk Our usual fees for Village Hall meetings are Members £2, Non Members £3. Annual membership £5. New members always welcome 26th Westerhall Rum Tasting Menu Event. The Kings Head, Church St. Wye. 27th Pluckley Church celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Robin Jennings organ, with renowned organist Tom Bell & Folk fiddler Sarah Hatch, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 (under 16s free), to include a glass of wine & nibbles, from Christine 01233 840453, Pandora 01233 713753, or on the door.

27th Brabourne & Smeeth Gardeners’ Society will meet 7.00 for 7.30 pm in the village hall when the Tulip Show will take place. Entries on the day with staging from 6.45 to 7.15 pm. Please look at the Schedule for the classes. Our Speaker will be Roy Wall on the subject “What a Show Judge Looks For”. For further enquiries or if you would like a copy of our 2018 Programme please contact Wendy Sanders on

19

arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening. You could be one of the winners, so come along and meet us - visitors £4.00 at the door.

26th Biddenden Flower Festival “Camera, Lights, Action” will be at the All Saints Church Biddenden TN27 8AH from Sat 26th May till Mon 28th May 10am - 4pm daily. Free admission, refreshments, music, plant stall. Church Tower open daily & beautiful floral displays. Contact 01580291463.

TRAVELLING TRENDS FASHION SHOW 7.30pm

Friday 11th May

High Street names Prices slashed Bargains galore

An evening of fun & fashion. Find a few new separates to liven up your wardrobe.

See, try on & buy this season’s fashions at greatly reduced prices

Church of the Good Shepherd The Street, Hamstreet Tickets £5.00

Contact 01233 732684

Friends of Canterbury Oast Trust Supporting adults with a learning disability Charity no. 291662

be inspired Workshops for Positive Change

Overcome Stress & Anxiety Charing Surgery | Tues 10 April | 10am - 1pm | £35 Breathe Better Stalisfield | Fri 27 April | 11am - 2pm | £35 Yvonne Fernando NLP Master Practitioner & Life Coach

HOMEFRESH CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Special Offer 50% DISCOUNT

Also available SPECIALIST FABRIC TREATMENT STAINSHIELD - Protects against dirt and spills DEODORISING TREATMENT - leaves fabric smelling fresh ANTI ALLERGY TREATMENT - for asthma & allergy sufferers CONDITIONER - re-texturises your fabric

FREEPHONE 0800 6942024

Office Hours: 9am - 7pm (Saturday 10am - 1pm) 20

T: 01233 878474 M: 07968 785714 www.yvonnefernandonlp.co.uk

CARPETS (Average) Normal Rate SPECIAL RATE Single Room (12’ x 12’) £52 £26 Through Room (12’ x 18’) £66 £33 Hall, Stairs & Landing £66 £33 UPHOLSTERY 3 Piece Suite Leather 3 Piece Suite

£94 £156

£47 £78

CURTAINS Full Length £84 £42 Half Length £52 £26 NO HIDDEN EXTRAS - All prices inclusive of VAT

Leisure

Designer kitchens without the designer price tags!

Email: info@aloninteriors.co.uk Website: www.aloninteriors.co.uk

Now offering interest free credit* Terms and conditions apply*

Head Office & Showroom: Alon Interiors 785 London Road Larkfield ME20 6DE Tel:01732 843900

By Appointment Only: Alon Interiors Cobbs Wood Ind Estate Ashford TN23 1EJ

21

Sweet Recipe Lemon Mascarpone Creams These quick and easy desserts make a delicious sweet treat for any occasion. Add the zest of 1 lemon to the cream mixture for an extra citrus kick.

Ingredients: • Juice of 2 large lemons • 50g caster sugar • 250g tub mascarpone cheese • 200ml double cream

1.

Mix the lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

2.

Place the mascarpone in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until soft and smooth. Gradually beat in half the lemon sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.

3.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until softly peaking. Gently fold the cream into the lemon mascarpone mixture. If it is a little too firm, fold in 2-3 tbsp of milk or single cream.

4.

Dip four of the sponge fingers in some of the remaining lemon and sugar mixture then arrange in the base of four glass serving dishes, breaking to fit if necessary. Spoon half the mascarpone cream mixture on top.

5.

Repeat the layers once more using the rest of the sponge fingers, lemon sugar mixture and lemon mascarpone cream. Scatter the white chocolate curls over the top. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.

• 10 sponge fingers • 2 tbsp white chocolate curls, to decorate (see tip)

Serves 4 Ready in 15 minutes

TIP To make white chocolate curls, run a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler along the side of a bar of good quality white chocolate.

22

Food & Domestic Services beautiful flowers & hops for all occasions

Open: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm Chalkpit Farm Rural Shopping, Bekesbourne, Nr Canterbury CT4 5EU Email: shop@essentiallyhops.co.uk Tel 01227 830666

www.hopsandflowers.co.uk

Derek Hales

MASTER TILER

Specialist in all Forms of Wall and Floor Tiling

• • • • • •

Clean, friendly and reliable For your free quotation call Derek

Getting The Job Done No Matter How Big or Small www.kingspmkent.co.uk

07905 700 142 Mersham Based

Handyman Services Kitchens Bathrooms Tiling Painting Plastering

• • • • •

Patios Decking/Pergolas Fencing Turfing Jet Washing

FREE QUOTES

Tel: 01233 500676 e: kingspm54@gmail.com 07563 666322 / 07949 955919

Free Surveys

www.cosystovesandfireplaces.co.uk

yy Wood Burner Installations yy Chimney Sweeps T: 01303 311048 yy Servicing M: 07387 576483 Showroom: Main Road, Sellindge, Ashford TN25 6EQ

• • • • •

Industrial • Commercial • Domestic New Installations • General Electrical Repairs Showers / Extractor Fans • Energy Saving Advice Emergency Lighting • Solar Panels Garden Electrics • Inspection & PAT Testing Full and Part Rewires • Central Vacuum System • Under Floor Heating

Call: 01233 665107

E: laureng@tbelectrical.org.uk

FREE Quotations!

JMP Electrical are a friendly and reliable family run business offering All Domestic & Commercial Electrical Works Whether you need a light replacing or a complete rewire, we are here to help.

All work undertaken.

Please call James for a FREE quotation

T: 01233 626081 M: 07976 616756 E: james@jmpelectrical.com W: www.jmpelectrical.com 23

Spice Crusted

Baked Salmon Fillets Serves 6

Ready in 1 hour

This salmon dish is ideal for easy weekend entertaining. Bake the day before and when cold cover and chill in the fridge overnight. Allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

• 6 x 150g salmon fillets • 2tsp mild chilli powder • 2tsp ground coriander • 2tsp ground cumin • 1/2tsp freshly ground black pepper • Squeeze of lemon or lime juice • 2tbsp olive oil TO SERVE • 6tbsp mayonnaise or soured cream • 2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped • Zest and juice from 1 lime • Lime wedges and spring onion curls (see tip) to garnish 24

Preheat the oven to 200C, 180C Fan, Gas 6. Run your fingers along the top of the salmon fillets and remove any fine bones with tweezers. Mix together the spices and rub over the surface of the salmon fillets. Season with a little salt.

Place the salmon pieces in a foil-lined roasting tin. Whisk together the lime or lemon juice and oil and drizzle over the salmon.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the salmon is just cooked to the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Arrange the cold salmon fillets on a platter.

Mix together the mayonnaise or soured cream, spring onions and lime zest and juice. Serve the salmon and mayonnaise garnished with lime wedges and spring onion curls.

To make spring onion curls use a sharp knife to thinly shred a few spring onions. Place in a bowl of iced water and leave in the fridge for TIP about 1 hour until curled. Drain on kitchen paper before using.

Food & Domestic Services

Repairs to...

Washing Machines Cookers (Electric) Tumble Driers Dyson Vacuum Specialist Call Garry on 07958 640152 01233 632329

ASHFORD SOUTH

T: 01233 372200

Bring this ashfordsouth@howdens.com advert to receive a FREE GIFT with your FREE KITCHEN SURVEY

Local Markets Ashford Farmer’s Market First Sunday of every month from 10am to 2pm in the lower High Street.

Charing Farmer’s Market Charing Church Barn 9 -11.30 every Thursday morning. Contact 01233 740176 Egerton Every Friday 2 - 4.30pm Millennium Hall Rolvenden - 01580 240763 Every Thursday 10am -12 noon St Mary’s Church and the Village Hall Rye Farmers Market Every Wednesday at Strand Quay 10am - 1 pm (From Midday Oct - April) Rye Market Every Thursday at the Cattle Market Car Park. Early till around 3pm (depending on the weather)

New Depot - Come join us for a tea or coffee. Best prices in town!

Kitchens and Joinery

Designed and Made by Howdens Supplied and fitted by your local builder

Unit 5, Axiom Orbital Park, Orbital Park, Sevington, Ashford, Kent, TN24 0AA

Advertise Here 25% OFF (£26.25 per month plus vat)

Min 4 month booking, limited availability

Rye Country Market Formerly WI Market Rye Community Centre, Conduit Hill.

Every Friday 10am -11.30am Tenterden Country Market Every Friday 9.30am -11.00am St Mildred’s Church Hall, Church road.

Tenterden High Street Market Friday’s – 0830 – 1400 Wittersham Market Every Tuesday Village Hall 9am. - 11am Tel: 01580 753062 Wye First and third Saturday of every month on the Village Green in Wye. Tel: 07804 652156 www.wyefarmersmarket.co.uk

Tel: 01233 720488

e: info@thevillagedirectory.co.uk 25

Kid’s Corner

26

Kid’s Corner

On Your Bike

by Kate Duggan kateduggan.co.uk

Learning to ride a bike opens up a whole new world of fun and independence for children.

Even babies and toddlers can join in the fun of a family bike ride, with a little help…

Babies can start joining you on bike rides from around nine months old, as long as they can hold their head up unsupported.

You’ll need to choose between a trailer and a front or rear bike seat.

Child bike seats start from around £30. The more expensive ones usually have extra features, such as a five-point safety harness, rather than a three-point one. Some have backs that can be tilted for on-the-go naps.

Front-mounted seats sit in front of you and attach to the frame. They sometimes have a shorter back than rear mounted seats, and usually have a lower maximum weight allowance, so they won’t last you quite as long.

On the plus side, you’ll be able to see your child, which makes sharing a ride more fun.

Some rear seats fit to a pannier rack, while others fit to the frame.

You might find balancing is a

little bit easier with a rear seat compared to a front one, and it should last you until your child is around four years old.

Whichever type of seat you go for, you’ll need to check that it’s suitable for your bike and the weight of your child. Look for a seat with plenty of padding, a good safety harness and adjustable foot supports.

Bike trailers are more expensive than seats, but you can pull older children, and often two at a time (plus picnics or shopping).

Trailers usually have a cover, so your child will stay dry if you get caught in the rain, even if you get soaked. You might struggle with a trailer on steep hills though, and you’ll need a garage or shed to store it when it’s not in use.

It’s a good idea to visit your local bike shop to speak to a specialist adviser before you make any decisions. They’ll be able to recommend a trailer or bike seat that’s right for you, your bike and your child.

CYCLING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN Once your child is old enough to ride a 16” bike, you might want

to progress from a seat or trailer to a Trail Gator or other tow bar.

These attach your bike to your child’s, so you can pull your child behind you. They’re handy for when you fancy a longer ride than your child could otherwise manage. Some tow bars can be unclipped and folded down, if your child wants to ride on their own for a while. Your child’s bike might feel a bit wobbly when it’s being pulled, so tow bars aren’t suitable for children under around four.

WHERE TO GO Lots of roads have designated cycle lanes now, and there are plenty of traffic-free routes to explore too. The National Cycle Network offers 14,000 miles of bike-friendly roads and paths.

Visit www.sustrans.org.uk for free printable cycle route maps.

Fancy joining other families for a bike ride? www.cyclinguk. org lists hundreds of UK cycling events, including ones that are suitable for families. It’s also worth asking what your local bike club has to offer, as lots of cycling clubs organise volunteerled rides for beginners and families.

27

Clubs & Societies

The Royal Air Forces Association meet on the 2nd Thursday each month at 7.30pm in Wye Village Hall.

After a short business meeting we usually have a speaker followed by refreshments. Connection to the RAF is not necessary. We would be pleased to meet new members. Parking is not a problem. Contact: rita. elgar05@gmail.co.uk

Wye Historical Society – meets monthly from October to April in the Lady Joanna Thornhill School at 7.30pm.

Subscriptions £10 per year; visitors welcome at £2 per meeting - no need to book. For more information see www.wyehistoricalsociety.org.uk.

Aldington Corner Quilters is a long established group

of friendly ladies meeting on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at Aldington Village Hall, 7.00pm 9.00pm. We have a mix of beginners and experienced ladies who share their latest projects and ideas. We always welcome new members so if you are interested come along one evening and meet us. For more information contact Julie Coney - quirkyjules@gmail. com or call 01303 813944 (eve).

Aldington WI on 3rd Mon every month. All ladies welcome, 7 for 7.30 at The Walnut Tree, Aldington.

Ashford Model Railway Club - We meet on

The Brabourne and Smeeth Branch of the Royal British Legion meet every Second Tuesday in the

month at the Brabourne Baptist Church at 7.30 pm.

New Members area always welcome, please contact George Taylor 01303 812165 or Ron Cooper 01303 813330

East Kent Morris Men Do you like dancing, beer,

socialising, music, having fun? Why not try Morris Dancing? We are recruiting for new members.

Weekly Wednesday dance practices at Mersham Village Hall, 8pm to 10pm; afterwards we practise drinking in the pub opposite! No experience required.

Why not give it a try? Details from www.ekmm.org.uk or 01795 536 262

Enjoy Learning offers enjoyable adult classes in NEW

ROMNEY, DYMCHURCH and HYTHE. We teach ART APPRECIATION & SPANISH CLASSES. The Spanish Classes are not for complete beginners, but if you have done a bit of Spanish in the past and would like to brush up your skills, the classes might be suitable. Cost £5 per week. For further details contact ANDREW and DEBBY on 01303 875542

Wednesday evenings at the barn café at Willesborough Windmill. between 7.00pm and 9.00pm, and the club would welcome new members. Club members are currently building a model of Rye in 00 gauge in the SR period. Contact John White on 01233 733416 for more information

Quilting Group held in the Oak Room, Smeeth TN25

Ashford Radio Aeromodellers, we have a field at

Sellindge Gardening Association meet on the 3rd

Ashford Soroptimists First Tues of the month, 7.15pm,

Sellindge Table Top Sale the 1st Saturday of each

Sellindge for flying seven days a week, and fly indoors in Ashford Market on various Thursday evenings during the Autumn, Winter, & Spring, please visit www.araclub.co.uk for more details, or phone Iain on 07956501510, or myself (Roger) 01233 627694.

except August, in the Dog House Evegate. We are part of a global organisation whose aims are to improve the lives and status of women and girls through education.

In addition we also have fun, with a programme of social activities. If you think you may be interested in joining us do please give us a call. Contact Sue Wood 01233 623902

Bilsington Ladies meet in Bilsington Village Hall 2nd

Thursday of the month at 2.15pm. Interesting speakers and a warm welcome awaits. Call Jan on 01233 641820.

Brabourne & Smeeth Gardeners’ Society We meet on the last Friday of the month at Brabourne & Smeeth Village Hall, 7.15 for 7.30pm. New members and visitors will be made very welcome. For further info call Wendy

28

Sanders 01303 813451 or email brabournewendy@ gmail.com.

6SA. If you are interested in quilting or patchwork why not come along and learn new skills and share your expertise with like minded people. Beginners and advanced levels are welcome. Bi-monthly meetings, for further information contact Marion on 01233 750319 Wednesday of the month in the Durling Hall Sellindge (next to the main hall) at 7.15pm for 7.30pm start. Our programme includes speakers, a summer show, social events, day trips and an annual holiday. For further details contact Linda on 01303 813288.

month in the village hall Sellindge. Tables booked in advance are £5. 00 Each and on the day (If available) £8. 00. Telephone for more information 01303 813475.

Refreshments are available and home made cakes.

Smeeth W.I. We meet on the second Monday of the Month at 7.30 pm in the Brabourne & Smeeth village hall for further information do contact Joy Taylor 01303 812165”

Stanford & Postling WI meet in the comittee room at the rear of Lympne Village Hall on the 3rd monday of every month. we are a small but friendly group who would love to wlecome new members. for any futher information please contact Elaine on 01303 863096 or Iona on 01303 238390.

The Home

for good honest advice,þ informationþ and a solution to mostþ mobility problemsþ www.forrmobility.co.uk� New ,Used & Hire Equipmentþ from Aids for Daily Livingþ to Wheelchairs.þ

come and try the largestþ selection of mobilityþ equipment in ashfordþ

• Parking by the door.þ • Indoor & outdoorþ test areas.þ • Repairs / Servicing.þ • Modifications.þ • Adaptationsþ .þ •þEasy terms available.þ • Free homeþ assessmentsþ

29

Beauty Spring Clean Your Beauty Routine

by Kate Duggan www.kateduggan.co.uk

It’s not just homes that benefit from a good ol’ spring clean…

DITCH OLD MAKEUP AND SKINCARE PRODUCTS Most of us are guilty of holding onto favourite cosmetics way longer than we should do.

While makeup doesn’t have a fixed use-by date as such, it does start to degrade once it’s been exposed to air and sunlight. If you check the packaging of any skincare or cosmetic product, you’ll find the PAO symbol.

This shows the ‘period after opening’ that the product needs to be used within. In most cases, it’s six or 12 months.

Products that come into direct contact with your skin, such as a lipstick, or a moisturiser that you scoop out of the jar with a finger, are particularly virulent breeding grounds for bacteria. So have a good sort through and ditch anything that’s been open longer than its PAO. It’s also worth having a bit of a declutter at the same time. Are you ever going to wear that lurid purple eyeshadow?

If you want products that will last longer, check the PAO before you buy. In general, pump action lotions will last longer than those in jars, as the lotion comes into less contact with oxygen and light.

30

CLEAN MAKEUP BRUSHES Makeup brushes and cases can get decidedly grubby, so it’s a good idea to give them a gentle clean on a regular basis. Most cosmetic bags can be washed by hand, using a mild detergent. Brushes can be cleaned with face wash, baby shampoo or a mild soap. Soap is probably the easiest. Just swirl the brush gently on wet soap to create lather, use your fingers to massage the bristles, then rinse thoroughly with warm water and leave it to dry.

If your old brushes are past the point of revival, the Nellie Make Up Brush Set from Oliver Bonas is worth considering. For £38, you get five different types of brushes and a handy mirror, all housed in a stylish pink case.

TRY SOMETHING NEW It’s easy to get stuck in a perfume rut, wearing the same fragrance year after year. Or worse, wearing a fragrance you’ve been given as a

Health & Beauty gift but aren’t in love with.

Fragrance doesn’t have to be expensive.

Marks and Spencer’s Island Escape Eau De Toilette is £16 for a 95ml bottle. For £18 you can have the giftset, which includes a full size fragrance and body lotion.

Island Escape is a light, citrusy fragrance, with notes of bergamot, pear and rose, mixed with a hint of sea salt, so it’s perfect for spring and summer.

Open

Tuesday to Friday 9-30 to 5-30pm Saturday 9-00 to 5-00pm

SLAP ON THE SPF Ideally, we should protect our skin from the sun every day, rain or shine. The easiest way to take care of your face is by choosing a moisturiser with a high SPF rating. Nspa Expert Daily Rejuvenate Cream has an SPF of 30 and contains active ingredients such as Crocus Chrysanthus Bulb extract, which has been proven to improve the appearance of ageing skin. What’s more, the cream costs just £10 in ASDA. It’s ideal for spring, but come summer you’ll need a sun lotion that you can reapply throughout the day.

VISION HAIR & BEAUTY

Late Night Appointments Available

01233 714030

10% OFF

Your First Visit Unit 2, Brenchley Mews, School Road, Charing TN27 0JW

www.visionhairkent.co.uk 31

Health

By Alison Runham www.alison.runham.co.uk

Managing Your Stress

Most of us experience stress at some point, but persistent stress can affect our health and even cause serious illness. So, we need to know how to reduce stress and its effects on our minds and bodies.

As the charity MIND points out, confusingly, we use the word stress to refer to two different but related things: • Situations or events that put pressure on us.

• Your reaction to being under pressure.

Stress can: • Affect your mental health.

Stress can cause problems such as anxiety and depression, and exacerbate existing mental health issues, causing increased stress and a vicious circle that can be hard to break.

• Affect your physical health.

When you feel stressed, you may not sleep or eat properly, and your body releases excess cortisol and adrenaline. This can make you feel unwell and may eventually lead to serious conditions such as heart disease, asthma, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

32

What Causes Stress?

• Major changes or events e.g. bereavement, moving home, relocation, a financial crisis, exams, redundancy, retirement, job change, moving away from home, marriage, relationship break-up, illness or injury, pregnancy or parenthood.

Supposedly ‘happy’ events, such as the birth of a baby, can put extra pressure on us not to appear stressed.

• Continual pressure, e.g. health worries about yourself or others, a stressful job or large workload, relationship difficulties, overwhelming responsibilities.

• Feeling out of control and unable to change a situation.

• Uncertainty about the future, e.g. the risk of redundancy or awaiting results of medical tests.

• Living too quiet a life. This seems counterintuitive, but if your life lacks change, purpose or activity, this can be stressful too.

• Clutter and disorganisation.

Research shows that the sight of clutter can cause stress, as can disorganisation and always running late.

Your stress threshold and the amount of stress you feel may depend on: • Your perception of the situation, which can be affected by your positivity (or lack of it) and your past experiences.

• Your experience of dealing with this specific type of pressure.

• Your mental health and emotional resilience.

• The support we receive.

The Symptoms of Stress Emotional and behavioural symptoms: • Avoiding the source of your stress.

• Irritability/impatience.

• Aggression.

• Agitation/restlessness.

• Racing thoughts.

• Depression or anxiety.

• An inability to enjoy yourself, laugh, or take an interest in life.

• A sense of dread.

• Worries about your health.

• Feeling neglected, lonely or tearful.

• Difficulty making decisions and concentrating.

• Poor lifestyle choices: biting your nails, smoking or drinking, eating too much or too little.

Physical symptoms: • Shallow breathing or hyperventilating.

• Panic attacks.

• Insomnia, disturbed sleep or nightmares.

• Muscle tension.

• Blurred eyesight or sore eyes.

• Loss of libido and enjoyment in sex.

• Grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.

• Headaches.

• Chest pains.

• High blood pressure.

• Indigestion or heartburn.

• Constipation or diarrhoea.

Health & Lifestyle

you react to them, showing you how to act and react • Nausea or dizziness. more positively.

• Persistent tiredness.

• Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) Reducing and Coping with Your Stress combines mindfulness, meditation and yoga to Changing your routine, reducing your responsibilities reduce stress. and using time-management techniques or > Medication organisational techniques can all help to reduce Medication to help you manage or reduce symptoms, the stress in your lives. Time management tips e.g. antidepressants, sleeping pills, irritable bowel can be found at www.nhs.uk/conditions/stresssyndrome treatments and high blood pressure anxiety-depression/time-management-tips/ and medication. www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-forSo, don’t ignore stress until it’s damaged your health. everyday-living/stress/dealing-with-pressure/, Tackle it now. which also has useful strategies for dealing with specific pressures, such as being a student or carer.

Trying to reduce or remove the causes of your stress is important. But sometimes we can’t change the situations causing us stress. However, we can learn to react to them in a healthier way, and there are treatments and lifestyle changes that can help you cope with stress.

Self-help strategies include: > Complementary and alternative therapies Professional fully insured foot care in Therapies such as yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, the comfort of your own home massage and acupuncture may help you relax.

Ecotherapy, which involves spending time in nature, may also help. This can include physical exercise or Tel: 07738 473375 work in green spaces.

E: sonia@ssfootcare.co.uk > Lifestyle Changes A healthy diet, regular exercise and ensuring you get Do you wish you had more energy? enough sleep will help. Spend time with family and Tired of everyday aches and pains? friends and talk through your problems with them.

Want to shift negative emotions, reduce Make time for hobbies and relaxation too. Downtime stress and that sense of feeling stuck? is essential to keep your mind and body healthy; it’s not a luxury.Do you wish you had more energy, tired of everyday aches Tapping in Harmony Cannegative Help! emotions, and pains, want to shift > Changing Your Mind reduce stress and that sense ofFreedom feeling stuck?

Emotional Techniques can help you live You can try to develop a more positive outlook. Try the life you want to create for yourself. to note down three things every day that make you Find out more at www.tappinginharmony.com happy, grateful or relaxed. There is a useful Tapping NHS in Harmony can help. or contact Shirley on 07871 757 499 video on replacing negative thinking with positive e: shirley@tappinginharmony.com (the basis for CBT, mentioned below). See www.nhs. uk/Video/Pages/unhelpful-thinking-podcast.aspx?

Emotional Freedom Techniques can help you live the life use youyour wantenergy to create for yourself.

‘Don’t to worry, searchtype=Tag&searchterm=Mental+health. use it to believe in yourself.’ > Breathing exercises To findEducate out more go to Body - Exercise Your Mind Your You can find instructions at www.nhs.uk/conditions/ Get a Head Start into Motherhood stress-anxiety-depression/ways-relieve-stress/. or contact shirley@tappinginharmony.com > Stress-busting apps and www.tappinginharmony.com courses Try Chill Panda apps.beta.nhs.uk/chill-panda/, Silver Cloud apps.beta.nhs.uk/silvercloud/ and the Stress ‘Don’t use your energy to worry, use it to believe in yourself.’ & Anxiety Companion apps.beta.nhs.uk/stressanxiety-companion/, all from the NHS. Ante and Post Natal If these aren’t working for you, visit your GP, who can Programme Expertly Run talk through your problems and recommend further with Mums in Mind treatments, including: Karen Beer HCPC MCSP > Talking treatments • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) helps you e:karensfitumsformums@aol.com understand what your stress triggers are and how

Karen’s Fit Tums for Mums

33

Puzzle Time

Word Ladder

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9, with no repetition! That’s all there is to it, you solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic there’s no maths involved and no adding up.

It’s fun. It’s challenging. It’s addictive!

Change one letter at a time (but not the position of any letter) to make a new word - and move from the word at the top of the ladder to the word at the bottom, using the exact number of rungs provided.

C I T Y

©Puzzlepress.co.uk

T O W N

Crossword Across 7. Buff up (6) 8. Equality (6) 9. Throw (4) 10. Used by trains (8) 11. Tangled (7) 13. Dizzy (5) 15. Frighten (5) 17. Laughed (7) 20. Fuel (8) 21. Applaud (4) 22. Light wind (6) 23. Hug (6) Down 1. Pillar (6) 2. Cash register (4) 3. Agitated (7) 4. Ruin (5) 5. Fighting (8) 6. Remained (6) 12. Revenue (8) 14. Without sound (7)

16. Seats (6) 18. Authorise (6)

19. Repaired (5) 21. Surrender (4)

The Home Jakeman & Jakeman Homecare Steve Jakeman

At last, a company with a team of electricians you can rely on to provide a great service.

All electrical work undertaken from changing a light bulb to a commercial project.

Handyman Painter & Decorator Interior & Exterior Decoration and Maintenance

01233 625442 07910591393

Contact us on: 01303 812400 / 1 E-mail: larkinelec@btinternet.com

219 Canterbury Road, Kennington, Ashford, Kent TN24 9QH

Jakeman-homecare@ntlworld.com

Derek Hales

MASTER TILER

All Aspects of Plastering

Specialist in all Forms of Wall and Floor Tiling

Clean, Reliable Service

Clean, friendly and reliable

Call Brett on

For your free quotation call Derek

01233 714 772 or 07707 029 609 Charing Based

07905 700 142 Mersham Based

PLUMBING & HEATING SERVICES BATHROOM SUITES BLOCKAGES & BURST PIPES TAPS BALL VALVES HOT & COLD TANKS INSTALLATIONS

REPAIRS PUMPS & RADIATORS SPECIALIST POWER FLUSHING & DE-SCALING SERVICE NO CALL OUT CHARGE FREE ESTIMATES OAP DISCOUNT ALL WORK GUARANTEED

NO JOB TOO SMALL

Call Noel @ Dial-a-Plumber

07711 666 656 / 01233 642233

35

A Host of Golden Daffodils 2018 is Smeeth Women's Institute Centenary Year and as part of the celebrations we have been hard at work planting daffodil bulbs around our villages. The largest area is the road island at the junction of The Ridgeway and Church Road but numerous other sites around Smeeth and Brabourne have been planted.

We are indebted to some local residents, local nurseries and retailers for donating the bulbs, for the support from Smeeth and Brabourne Parish Councils and to Michael Hinchcliffe, Secretary, Community Led Plan, Laurence Archer and our Village Caretaker Paul, for their valuable help and advice in identifying sites and for lending us high viz jackets and other necessary equipment.

Our own Lucie Edmed co-ordinated all the work and with the efforts of members, some husbands and friends, we hope you will all enjoy seeing the daffodils in the spring.

We are a friendly and busy WI, our 2018 programme is interesting and varied, we have a Luncheon Club and numerous events and outings throughout the year, either organised by ourselves or our East Kent Federation.

Any lady over the age of 16 is very welcome to come along to one of our meetings and we look forward to seeing you. For further information, see our entry in "What's On".

Plumbing & Heating Services

All plumbing work undertaken no job too small!

Burst pipes, Blockages, Taps, Pumps, Radiators & Drainage work. Bathroom & Shower Installation

Call: Michael on 01233 733779 or 07515 651 717 No Call Out Charge. 24hr Service

Plumbing Masters No Callout Charge • Free Estimates 24 hour Emergency Service

All Work Guaranteed • No Job Too Small

Plumbing

Bathroom Suites • Taps • Ball Valves Hot & Cold Tanks • Blockages & Burst Pipes

Heating Installations • Repairs • Pumps & Radiators Specialist Powerflushing and De-Scaling Service

Call812148 Tony Telephone: 01303 T: 01303 812148Mobile: M: 07738 907 717 07738907717 www.plumbing-masters.co.uk www.plumbingmasters.co.uk

Advertise Here 25% OFF

(£26.25 per month plus vat) Minimum 4 month booking -Limited offer

Tel: 01233 720488

e: info@thevillagedirectory.co.uk 36

The Home

Oil Heating & Oil Cookers R-OAK Services M. Oakley & O.Stanley - Oil-fired Specialists Breakdowns & Servicing • Boiler Installation • Power Flushing AGA, Rayburn, Alpha, Stanley, Worcester, Tel: 01233 770138 www.ohoc.co.uk Grant, Boulter, Potterton, Trianco and more...

Easy Access Bathrooms Safe, sound and stylish

Walk-in showers • Walk-in baths • Wetrooms Beautiful bathroom & shower conversions

Family run business with over 15 years of Knowledge & experience Zero VAT on Mobility bathrooms

To find out how we can help you call:

01233 210808

w w w . b a t h e i n s a f e t y . c o . u k

STANFORD ROOFING

99 99 99 99 99

New Roofs & Repairs Slates, Tiles, Kent Pegs Period Buildings Leadwork Guttering, Fascias

e: info@stanfordroofing.co.uk

99 Repointing 99 Flat Roofs 99 Public Liability Insurance

FREE ESTIMATES Over 25 yrs Experience

Tel: 01303 814860 m: 07725 124891

www.stanfordroofing.co.uk Pound Lane, Smeeth TN25 6RJ 37

Important Information Emergency 999 Police Neighbhd Team Ashford & Tenterden 101 Crimestoppers

0800 555 111 Out of Hours Doctor William Harvey Hospital

0845 4349655 01233 633331

Samaritans 116123 www.samaritans.org Electricity: Southern Electric EDF Energy Gas: Natural

0845 770 8090 0800 783 8866 0800 111 999 LPG Details on tank

Doctors Surgery Willesborough 01233 621626 Wye 01233 884585 Veterinary Surgeons Barrow Hill Vets 01233 624687 Montgomery Vets 01303 813756 Cinque Ports Vets 01233 885145 Milbourne Equine Vets 01233 885145 Parish Councils: Brabourne & Smeeth 01233 623902 Boughton Aluph & Eastwell 01233 720392 Brook 01233 750415 Challock 01233 740351 Hastingleigh 01233 750415 Wye & Hinxhill 01233 812459 Westwell 01233 623902 Ashford Borough Council 01233 331111 www.ashford.gov.uk Ashford Gateway 0845 8 247 247 info:ashfordgateway.co.uk www.ashfordgateway.co.uk Citizens Advice Bureau 01233 626185 CPRE Kent 01233 714540 Volunteer Centre 01233 665 535 Age UK Ashford 01233 668 765 www.ageuk.org/ashford ageukashford.org@gmail.com Ashford Counselling Service 01233 610083 info@ashfordcounselling.org.uk www.kentcounselling.co.uk

CARM E: Carmromneymarsh@supanet.com www.carmromneymarsh.org.uk Macmillan Cancer Support www.forget-me-nots.co.uk Parkinson’s UK, Ashford Branch Contact Mike Wharrad 01233 623520 Royal British Legion 01233 620 167 St. John Ambulance Brigade 01233 611 414 East Kent Strokes 01233 840448 www.eastkentstrokes.org SE Kent Multiple Sclerosis Soc. 07767326138 email: mssoutheast@gmail.com NSPCC: Tenterden & District Mrs J Coombs 01580 763733 Pregnancy Sickness Support Kent and Sussex www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk/ Contact: Denise Clifford deniseclifford@btinternet.com Royal Mail Residential Customer Services

08457 740740 Transport www.arrivabus.co.uk www.stagecoachbus.com www.nationalrail.co.uk Wealden Wheels: 01233 840000 Village Halls: Boughton Lees Brook Challock Westwell Wye

01233 623639 01233 812803 01233 740504 01233 712107 07504 839 858

High Pressure Jetting Service & Repair to Sewage treatment plants Soakaway Testing Cesspool Emptying Service

01233 840624

Disclaimer: Every care is taken to ensure this directory is as accurate as possible but the publishers do not Disclaimer: Every care is taken to ensure this directory is as accurate as possible but the publishers do not accept responsibility for any lossloss or damage resulting from errors or omissions. accept responsibility for any or damage resulting from errors or omissions.

The Village Directory Coverage

Delivered by Royal Mail to 58,000 Homes & Businesses Delivered by

Call: 01233 720488 e: info@thevillagedirectory.co.uk PUZZLE ANSWERS Kid’s Corner: Kites B & D are the same There are 25 flying leaves on the page

Word Ladder:

Sudoku:

Crossword:

CITY pity pits pots tots tows TOWN

39

GTP

HOME IMPROVEMENTS LTD • PVCu, Aluminium & Hardwood • Top Quality • Part L Compliant • 'A' Rated Kommerling PVCu Windows • Local Family Run Business • 27 Years Experience

Conservatories

FREE DESIGN, SURVEY & QUOTATION NO SALESMAN - NO COMMISSION 10 YR INSURANCE BACKED GUARANTEE BASE WORK, ELECTRICS, PLUMBING & HEATING

01233 642305 www.gtpwindows.co.uk