Charing February 2017

village directory

The 92

February 2017 Delivered FREE to 4,000 homes in TN27 by Royal Mail

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Welcome Hi everyone welcome to the February Issue, our first edition of the new year.

I hope you had a great Christmas, it seemed to come around so quickly but was then over in a flash, it’s scary how time flies as you get older.

I hope January wasn’t too much of a shock to your system following the festive season. I had just one week to get my Christmas brain back into gear in order to prepare this magazine for print. It wasn’t easy, I hope it doesn’t show!

By the way apologies for the errors in the December Issue, there were a few, but with my son in hospital it was tough going.

I don’t know about you but on New Years Eve I was relieved to be able to put 2016 behind me, it was a challenging year for my family.

Therefore we are starting the new year with a positive vibe, and what can be better than a bit of skiing. This time last year we promised ourselves a skiing holiday in Canada, our first holiday in seven years. In just four days time we will be boarding a flight to Vancouver and I cannot wait, at times it looked like it might not happen. I’ve committed to being the first to jump into that deep snow and make a snow angel, I’m assured that the rest of the family will follow, we are all quite mad, all seven of us!

Don’t forget Valentine’s Day this month! It’s time to focus romantically on that very special someone in your life, or maybe even someone you hope will become a special part of your life! Why not treat them to a romantic meal, although the way to my heart is usually chocolate! ,

Debbie

T: 01233 720488 e: info@thevillagedirectory.co.uk e: events@thevillagedirectory.co.uk w: www.thevillagedirectory.co.uk March Issue Deadline 10th February 2017

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Velvet Underground

by Pippa Greenwood

They may be known as ‘velvet coated gentlemen’, but believe me if you have a problem with moles in your garden, it is highly unlikely that you will be inclined to call them anything quite so polite! For years I thought people were overreacting when moles appeared, but having now come across them in great numbers in my own garden, I too have started to have some rather unfriendly thoughts. So what can you do if all of a sudden your lawn becomes decorated with mounds of finely turned soil, or if plants in your beds and borders suddenly start to disappear beneath soil level as subsidence occurs within the flowerbed, or an entire row of vegetables is excavated from below?

Moles can do a lot of damage to a lawn, largely because that fine soil acts as an excellent seedbed for weeds and is also inclined to make the surface of the lawn rather slippery. If their runs go beneath your lawn or, worse still, beneath flowers in a flowerbed or vegetable

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plants in your vegetable plot or allotment, then because they tunnel quite close to or in amongst the plant roots, they can occasionally cause the plants to suffer from drought because the soil is no longer in contact with the roots. Often, when the tunnels collapse subsidence occurs, everything starts to topple inwards, and plants can literally fall over.

Moles can sometimes be deterred by high-pitched sounds or vibrations. To this end you could try inserting children’s windmills over the mole infested areas, as the vibration that passes down these into the soil is often said to send moles scampering away. It is an inexpensive and relatively decorative solution AND I’ve seen gardens where it really does seem to work.

Similarly, you can try plunging glass bottles into the soil so that just the neck is protruding.

As the wind whistles over the mouth of the bottle the noise and vibrations created may also discourage moles.

Very smelly substances can work against moles. It is possible to buy mole smokes which seem to work, in the short term at least. These are rather like fireworks and are inserted into the run where the smoke they produce is unpleasant to the moles.

Unfortunately, however, with these and indeed most other smelly deterrents, it is likely that once the smell has subsided the mole will return.

Traps are available from some garden centres or online stores. In order for these to be effective you must set them carefully, and because the moles are very aware of human scent it is essential that you wear gloves when setting them up, so you never actually touch the trap with your hands. The trap needs to be correctly set or else there is a risk that the mole could suffer a lot before it dies. Some gardeners find traps work well but I must admit I know many who have found that they don’t seem to do the job, as it is very difficult for a non-expert trap setter to get

The Garden it right!

Perhaps the most effective means of control is to hire in help by employing a mole catcher. Many of these specialists have worked with moles for many years and are adept at trapping them. Since they often charge only on the basis of moles caught, it need not be too expensive a process either.

Moles do eventually decide to go elsewhere, and although this does not imply that your garden will then remain free of moles, if the problem has been very bad one year it may not be quite so severe the next.

It is sometimes said that the plant caper spurge (Euphorbia lathyrus) will deter moles. I have never found that this has

any effect whatsoever, but it does seem to work for some gardeners and as the plants are fairly attractive it is worth giving it a try!

Some gardeners report success with ultrasonic devices that can be inserted into the ground.

Once again, I am afraid that it seems the majority of you find these ineffective and indeed I will never forget once seeing a molehill which appeared directly around the base of one of these gadgets in a friend’s garden - so they are not a method I recommend.

‘grandfather of gardening’ Geoffrey Smith, used the soil as a medium in which to grow an excellent crop of seedlings!

Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood. com to buy gorgeous UK grown vegetable plants accompanied by weekly advice emails from Pippa, or to peruse the really useful selection of Pippa’s favourite gardening items including pop-up crop covers, SpeedHoes, SpeedWeeders, raised bed kits, fleece jackets for plants, pull-out EasyTunnels, signed books and lots more besides.

If all else fails, and attempting to look at this problem in a positive light, it is worth bearing in mind that incredibly finely turned soil can be useful and many gardeners I know, including the wonderful

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Home & Interiors Declutter for the New Year

What could be a better New Year’s resolution for your home than to eliminate mess, create space and generally have a good sort out?

When the festive fun comes to an end, the presents are all opened and the Christmas pudding finally finished, it’s time to take a breath and assess just how much mess and clobber has built up in your home over the past year. If the answer is too much, then it’s time to declutter your stuff and sort your storage, so that your home will be messfree and super-stylish in time for 2017.

First, grab some rubbish bags and a few boxes or baskets.

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Work methodically through each room (it’s boring, but necessary – try doing just half an hour a day for a couple of weeks) and sort out obvious rubbish, things that can go to a local charity shop, items that could be sold second-hand, anything that needs mending, little-used things that can be put away in the garage or loft, and genuinely great stuff that you want to keep. Try to get rid of as much as possible (let’s face it: we all have too much stuff ), only holding onto things that you really need and/or love.

With what’s left, it’s now time to work out where it will go. Often, our most persistent clutter arises from the fact that we haven’t

By Katherine Sorrell designated spaces where things can easily be put, so stuff just ends up lying around. Label your storage if necessary, and make sure the whole family knows what’s meant to go where.

You’ll already have created extra storage space by having such a good clear-out; if you still need more, look for all the areas where you could fit additional storage, whether built-in or free-standing: from backs of doors to under the stairs, tops of wardrobes to under the bed. Think racks, hooks and shelves as well as conventional cabinets and chests of drawers and, where possible, ensure they co-ordinate with existing furniture, enhancing your home’s style and even adding a soupcon of on-trend glamour.

You may also wish to have a rethink about the location of some conventional storage spaces. If, for example, toys are always in the living room rather than in the children’s bedrooms, how about adding a toy storage unit somewhere handy, rather than having to tidy them away upstairs every day?

There are a few rules of storage that might be helpful. Obvious, perhaps, but worth bearing in mind all the same. First, store like with like (it may take a while to go through the house and organise this, but it really is worth the effort for the ease of finding things later on). Never say: ‘I’ve got this box, what shall I put in it?’ Instead, match the

The Home size and shape of the container to what’s being kept inside (in other words, find small, lidded boxes for things like Lego and big squishy baskets for teddy bears). Store as much as possible near to where it’s most needed, but don’t store frequently used items below knee level or above shoulder height, especially if they’re heavy. Avoid storing things on surfaces such as tables or desks – they’re where you want to put things while you’re organising them, not keep them there afterwards. And allow yourself room to expand – but only within reason. If you have allowed extra space, and then filled it… it’s time to start all over again.

Easy ways to banish clutter

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• Write a list of where you want to declutter. Start with the

hardest or the easiest – the important thing is that you now know what you need to do.

• Have an intensive declutter workout and spend just five minutes clearing as much as you can in one area. You’ll be amazed at the difference you can make. Repeat as often as you can.

• Not sure which clothes to get rid of? Hang them all with the hooks facing one way. Every time you wear something, re-hang it with the hook facing the opposite way.

After, say, six months, you can easily assess which items you never wear. You could try the same idea in the kitchen (turn the handles of your mugs in one direction, put glasses upside down, and so on), the

playroom, the living room…

• Make it a family competition.

Who will be the fastest to find three things to throw away, three things to give away and three things to tidy away?

Offer prizes as necessary.

• If what you need is some emergency decluttering, there’s no shame in popping everything into a big box and hiding it somewhere until you have time to go through it properly.

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Reduce Inheritance Tax by Making Gifts Malcolm Horton of County Probate Services Benjamin Franklin once famously opined “That in this world nothing can be certain except death and taxes”. This is doubly true when it comes to Death Duties or Inheritance Tax as it is now called.

Inheritance Tax dates back to 1694 when it only applied to personal property (cash and possessions excluding land). The all-embracing modern version of Inheritance Tax dates back to 1894 when the government introduced Estate Duty on the capital value of land in a bid to pay back £4m of government debt. Estate Duty was renamed Inheritance Tax in 1986.

When the tax was first introduced it only applied to the very wealthy but the rise in property values particularly in the South East of England has brought more families into the net in recent times.

1919 was the beginning of the end for many of the wealthy families –“ the landed gentry” – who had large and valuable land holdings but not the liquid assets to match. They were asset rich but cash poor. Death Duties increased from 10% in 1894 to 26% in 1919 on Estates worth more than £500,000. For those estates valued at more than £3m rates were hiked to 50%. It was one of the greatest wealth redistribution measures since Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries although the 1919 version was more egalitarian.

The great asset rich/cash poor families had to break up and sell their vast estates to pay these incipient Estate Duties. Locally we saw the Dering Estates around Pluckley and the Tufton Estates around Hotfield go under the Auctioneers hammer in the late 1920’s.

So where are we today in 2017? Surprisingly only about 6% of all deaths in the UK are subject to Inheritance Tax. However, you don’t have to be wealthy, particularly in the South East to pay Inheritance Tax. Any estate worth 14

more than £325000 will pay 40% Inheritance Tax on the excess over £325000, except that portion which is being left to the deceased spouse. Although this threshold has not been increased since 2009, there have been two important changes that can effectively increase this threshold.

The first change in 2007 was to allow the surviving spouse to carry forward any part of his deceased partner’s £325,000 nil rate band not used when they died. If the first spouse to die left the whole of their estate to their surviving spouse, the full £325,000 would be transferred to the surviving spouse, giving any effective nil rate band of £650,000 on the death of the second spouse. If the first spouse had, say, left legacies of £100,000 to the children and the balance of their estate to the surviving spouse, then the nil rate band would be £550,000 on the second death. The second significant change is in relation to the family home. For deaths occurring after April 2017, a deduction of £100,000 from the value of the family home will be allowed. This will rise annually until 2020 when a deduction of £175,000 will be allowed. So, from April 2017, the nil rate band for homeowners will be £425,000 and on the second death £850,000.

There are all sorts of ways of avoiding Inheritance Tax which I will discuss in future articles but the easiest is to simply give away your assets to reduce Inheritance Tax. Individuals have a total £3,000 annual gift exemptions allowance and £250 for as many individual gifts as you care to make as long as the same people are not included in the £3,000 allowance. Also, you can make a tax-exempt wedding gift of up to £5,000 to each of your children and £2,500 to grandchildren.

What better recipients of your £3,000 annual gift allowance than your grand children who

Legal & Financial Services are facing massive university debts for tuition fees etc. Each grandparent has a £3,000 allowance each year, so using all or some of this allowance to support grandchildren at university would alleviate the unfair burden facing the present generation of university entrants. After all, the present generation of grandparents’ have benefited from unprecedented increases in-house prices and good occupational pension schemes unlikely to be repeated in the future. I must emphasise that I am not advocating that cash strapped grandparents should live in puniary. For wealthier grandparents, it is possible to give away more and escape IHT on gifts but these have to be proved to come out of current income, with no diminishing in living standards. In any case, providing the donor survives for 7 years after making the gift, any amount will escape Inheritance Tax. Finally, everybody should ensure they make a Will otherwise unintended consequences may arise. But more about that another time.

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15

Better

Balance Yvonne Fernando, NLP Master Practitioner & Life Coach lets us know...

We may begin the year with good intentions, but many of us quickly succumb to the pressure of juggling it all. Creating balance in your life can boost your wellbeing as well as your career.

A demanding work culture combined with a focus on achievement can force us to work longer and longer hours. At the same time, the changing roles of women and men, the shift to digital and the move to working from home can all blur the lines between home and work. We can begin to feel like we are never off duty and struggle to maintain a balance. Often, people can feel conflicted or have a sense of failure at home, work or sometimes both. The cumulative effect of this pattern can be damaging to physical and mental wellbeing leading to stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, illness, problems with relationships and more.

NLP can help you to understand more about how you engage with life, what you make time for and what’s really important to you.

Key areas for exploration include how you manage time, create boundaries, make distinctions between quality and quantity, set meaningful goals, simplify life and find time for relaxation and fun.

Practical steps might include – prioritising social media & emails, saying no more often, leaving work at work, working smarter, not always striving for perfection, creating your own rules and focusing more on what you enjoy.

Is it time to find your balance?

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Clubs & Societies Considered Yoga for 2017 but thought you are not flexible enough? Good news! You are exactly who our classes are aimed at! Every Tuesday 6.308pm at Charter Hall, Smarden, Yoga & Relaxation Classes.

Seated options are given for all poses, we use blocks & straps to ensure all poses are adapted to your own ability! Physically, we work on strength & flexibility.

Mentally, we will work on stress & anxiety reduction using breathing techniques & meditation. £10 drop in or 6 weeks blocks at £8 per class. Feel free to come along or contact 07933 030071 THE GARDENING GROUP AT CHARING SURGERY. Get fresh air, exercise, meet other

people, have fun and enjoy being part of the community. Open to all patients, age 16+. Green Fingers not essential. Tuesdays 9am-12pm. Call Jo’anne Munro on 01233 713582.

Biddenden Junior Football Club - Always looking for new players 7 -18, for fun and enjoyable football. Contact Steve on 07958 447948.

Biddenden Squash Club 01580 291130 Gordon Jones Playing Field, Biddenden. Friendly club with 2 courts and a bar. email: info@biddendensquash. co.uk www.biddendensquash.co.uk Biddenden Horticultural Society Annual membership £5. New members welcome. Contact Irene Orsborne on 01580 291777 or Lesley Lidgett on 01580 291931.

Egerton Over 60’s meet on the 2nd Monday of each month, we enjoy stimulating speakers, delicious teas in a relaxing atmosphere and meet new friends. Come and try us--just turn up at the Egerton Millennium Hall by 2pm, we’d love to see you.Bring your Zimmer frame, scooter or crutches you’ll receive help. Want to know more? Call 01233 712 282 or 756 294.

Headcorn Modern Sequence Dance Club,

meet every Monday 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm in the Andred Hall in Headcorn Village Hall. If you enjoy Ballroom dancing, bring your partner or friend along and learn more. We are a friendly little club, nice music- social evening- tea and biscuits - all for £3.00 per person. Call Rita on 01580 852289.

Kennington Badminton Club, play at the Norton Knatchbull School on a Wed evening from 7.30 p.m.-10.00 p.m. Contact Mark Feeney on 01233 663030 or Shirley Mountford on 01233 610134.

Little Chart Bridge Club Friendly duplicate bridge every Tuesday afternoon at Little Chart Village Hall. For more information please contact Carmen Gunther on 01233 840 395.

Smarden Heritage Centre Smarden Charter Hall,

Smarden. Open every Friday morning from 9.30 – 11.30. visit: www.smardenheritagecentre.synthasite. com Smarden Short Mat Bowls Club We welcome new novice or experienced bowlers of all ages. We meet every Thurs. morning at 9.45am and occasionally on a weekday evening, in the Charter Hall Smarden.

Contact Malcolm 01233 770572.

The Roots Project Conservation Volunteers

What we do: Regular practical conservation tasks and woodland craft workshops based in Longbeech Wood, Charing. Contact: Carrie Eeles (Activities Officer)

Tel: 07920404546 Email: info@therootsproject.co.uk www.therootsprojectconservationvolunteers.org.uk

Weald of Kent Computer Club meets in the New Biddenden Village Hall. Annual membership costs £10 and covers free admission to all 10 meetings. Non members are £2 per visit. New members welcome.

Enquiries to:- secretarywkcc@yahoo.co.uk or visit:www.wealdofkentcomputerclub.co.uk East Kent Morris Men and Women: Do you like dancing, drinking, socialising, music, having fun?

Then why not try Morris Dancing? We are recruiting now for new members. This is a mixed side of women and men dancing together. Weekly Wednesday dance practices start again on September 21st 2016 at Mountbatten Hall, Mersham from 8pm to 10pm; afterwards we practise drinking in the pub opposite, the Farrier’s Arms! We dance Cotswold style Morris; this is the handkerchief waving and stick clashing variety. No experience required. Why not give it a try?

Find us on Facebook or call John on 01233 625 362 Weald U3A is a society for the dynamic over 50s with a thirst for knowledge, social activities and new experiences. We have a large number of interest groups including Bridge, Films, Italian, jazz, Stargazers, Lunches and Theatre Visits. Please see our website www.u3asites.org.uk/weald or contact Richard Sargent, tel: 01580764239, email: r.sargent@btinternet.

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Tenterden Camera Club - A chance for members and guests to meet socially and discuss photography, exchange ideas, tips and problems.

We have an informal “Snap Chat” meeting at 7.30pm in the William Caxton on Tenterden High St on the first Monday of each month to discuss photographic issues. There is no charge and all are welcome - just buy yourself a drink... We also meet fortnightly (2nd Thursday & 4th Wednesday each month) in the upstairs meeting room at the Zion Baptist Church, Bridewell Lane in Tenterden. Every month we have a fun project or theme for members to capture, complimented by the occasional local outings. Most months we have a speaker and at the end of the month (Fourth Wednesday) we have a social club evening. New members and guests very welcome. Full details on our web site: www.

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Cake and Bake Raspberry & Vanilla Panna Cotta

These delightful creamy desserts make the perfect Valentine treat!

Ingredients: • 75g fresh raspberries, pureed

• 1 sheet leaf gelatine PANNA COTTA • 600ml double cream

• 2 tsp vanilla extract • 2 pared strips lemon rind • 50g caster sugar • 2 sheets leaf gelatine • Few drops pink food colouring

TO SERVE • 2 ready-made chocolate brownies, halved horizontally

• Fresh raspberries

Serves 4 Ready in 1 hour, plus overnight chilling 18

1.

To make the raspberry jelly hearts, line a small 6cm square dish with cling film. Soak the gelatine in a shallow dish of cold water for 2-3 minutes. Heat the raspberry puree in a small pan with 1 tbsp water. Remove the gelatine leaf from the water and stir into the hot puree until dissolved. Pour into the lined dish and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until set.

2. When the jelly is set, use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out 4 heart shapes and place each one in the base of a small heart shaped ramekin dish (each about 150ml capacity).

3. To make the panna cotta, place the cream, vanilla extract,

lemon rind and caster sugar in a pan and bring slowly to the boil. Remove from the heat.

4. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine leaves as in step 1. Remove

from the water and stir into the hot cream until completely dissolved. Leave to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the strips of lemon rind and divide the mixture between two bowls. Stir a few drops of pink food colouring into one bowl. Spoon the two mixtures into the ramekins, to give two with colouring and two without. Chill for 6 hours or overnight until set.

5. To serve, cut and trim the halved brownies to make four heart

shapes the same size as the ramekins. Dip each ramekin into a bowl of hot water for a few seconds to release the panna cotta then turn each one out onto a heart-shaped brownie. Decorate with fresh raspberries.

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Squash & Spinach Lasagne Serves 4

Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes

If you fancy a meat-free supper this week then try this delicious filling vegetarian lasagne. Serve with a crisp green salad and crusty bread.

Preheat the oven to 200C, Fan 180C, Gas Mark 6.

Place the diced butternut squash, onion, garlic and oregano in a large roasting tin and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to mix. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the squash is very tender. Cool for 10 minutes.

Ingredients: • 1 butternut squash, peeled and flesh diced • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

Transfer everything from the roasting tin (including any pan juices) to a food processor and process until smooth, adding a little hot water if needed to give the mixture a spreadable consistency.

• 1 tsp dried oregano • 3 tbsp olive oil

Steam the spinach for 1-2 minutes until just wilted.

Place the lasagne sheets in a large shallow heatproof dish and cover with boiling water. Leave for 3-4 minutes to soften then lift out of the water and drain on kitchen paper. Mix together the ricotta and cottage cheeses in a bowl along with half the mozzarella cheese.

• 200g baby spinach leaves • 250g pack fresh egg lasagne sheets • 250g ricotta cheese • 300g cottage cheese

Spread a third of the squash mixture in the base of a square medium-sized ovenproof dish. Top with a layer of wilted spinach followed by a layer of the cheese mixture and a layer of lasagne sheets, cutting them to fit if necessary.

• 150g ready-grated mozzarella cheese • 25g pine nuts • Green salad, to serve

TIP

Instead of the spinach you could use lightly fried slices of courgette or sliced beefsteak tomatoes.

20

5

Repeat the layers two more times, finishing with lasagne sheets and a thin layer of the remaining cheese mixture. Scatter over the rest of the mozzarella cheese and the pine nuts, and drizzle over the rest of the olive oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese topping is golden and bubbling. Serve with green salad.

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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 Hamstreet Victory Hall every third Saturday 10-12pm Contact 01797 344437

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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)

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.

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Tenterden High Street Market Friday’s – 0830 – 1400 Wittersham Market Every Tuesday Village Hall 9am. - 11am Tel: 01797 270757 Wye First and third Saturday of every month on the Village Green in Wye. Tel: 07804 652156 www.wyefarmersmarket.co.uk

21

L i v e Ja z z 2016/17

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 2017 March & April All gigs start at 8pm ~ All gigs £12 admission Seat Bookings 01303 277175 Email twinklewood@btinternet.com Info on website www.towertheatrefolkestone. co.uk THE BEST OF BRITISH JAZZ

W h a t’s O n Smeeth W.I. will meet on Monday 13th February at the Brabourne and Smeeth Village Hall at 7.30 pm when we shall hear Pat Marshall’s remarkable story “Life with my Guide Dog, Chloe”. Chloe will accompany Pat to our meeting and it will be told how they were brought together to enable Pat to pursue a fulfilling lifestyle. A warm welcome awaits any lady visitor and for further information please do contact Joy Taylor on 01303 812165 or Margaret Garrett on 01303 813932 Spiritualist Meetings will be held every Saturday evening, at Highbury Hall, Highbury Lane, Tenterden, TN30 6LE. Starting at 6.30pm, the next meeting is on Saturday 4th February with David Rolland, entry is £4. Evening of Clairvoyance, all are welcomed.

The Biddenden Horticultural Society meets on Wednesday 22nd February in the New Village Hall (7:15pm for 7:30pm start) when Mr. Chris MORNINGTON LOCKETT & DICK PEARCE “ Back Stewart will be giving a talk on ‘The Hop Vine together “ Plus -- The Dave Barry Trio and the Hop Pickers in Kent’. Members can also March 9th / £12 British Jazz Awards All Star Special enter the first of our ‘Bulb competitions’. Fees for 2017 are Members £2, Non Members £3. Annual THE STEVE WATERMAN ALL STAR SEPTET membership £5. New members always welcome.

March 16th / £12 Direct from downtown New Contact Irene on 01580 291777 or Lesley on 01580 York City 291931.

March 2nd / £12 This is Ronnie Scott’s music! 8pm

MARLENE VERPLANCK & Her Trio March 23rd / £12 The Original “ Humph “ Band (-plus trumpet !!! ) THE HUMPHREY LYTTELTON BAND March 30th / £12 Tenor Madness with 3 top tenor saxes & 3 rhythm...

Derek Nash’s TENOR MADNESS April 4th / £12 The Music of Oscar Peterson By this award winning Quartet THE CRAIG MILVERTON QUARTET April 13th / £12 From The Ronnie Scott Orchestra GEORGINA JACKSON & PETE LONG With THE CHRIS INGHAM TRIO 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

22

The Big Knit Thank you to all those that have already offered help, but we still need more!

During Lent 2017 Smeeth Church plans to conduct The Big Knit. We will knit 28 patchwork single blankets for a Homeless Hostel in Canterbury and 12 cot blankets for a Church Housing scheme for mothers and babies. That’s 40 patchwork blankets to be knitted (sewn together and edged) in 40 days. We hope that we will be sponsored for the event.

It is a big challenge but our aim is fourfold: ~ to give a Lenten discipline to those who choose to take it up as we have to reach the target even if it becomes difficult ~ to use Lent to help those who will benefit from the blankets ~ to involve as many people as possible from our community – as knitters, sewers, sponsors or interested onlookers ~ to raise some money for Smeeth Church.

We need large quantities of wool – any shade and any type. Any amount, no matter how small, will be useful. We would like this to be left at Cirrus, Canterbury Road, 61, Mountbatten Way or Smeeth Church – although we hope there may be a couple of other dropping off points soon.

During Lent we will need as many people as possible to knit 10cm (4 inch) squares and drop them off at one of the above addresses or bring them to the Oak Room. We will need willing people to sew the squares together and blanket stitch (or something similar) the finished blankets. The total number of squares will be 12,276 so everyone is invited to help.

In 2015 we cycled on a static exercise bike to Jerusalem from Smeeth and that fulfilled three of the four aims above but did not help anyone outside the church. Hence this year we are trying to help others at the same time.

In 2015 we had over 260 people taking part – which was wonderful – and we raised in excess of £3000. The money is our lowest priority, but is nonetheless important.

For more information please ring Di: 01303 813388 Sian: 01303 812500

Anne: 01233 632716 Mary: 01303 813762 Thank you

                  

Please help us if you can.

Jo and Dave welcome you to their traditional village pub in Bethersden, where you can enjoy well kept real ales, local ciders, fine wine and a warm atmosphere.

Monday Evening

FREE HOUSE

Bethersden Tel: 01233 820235 Open from 12pm - 11pm Every Day Food served Monday Night to Sunday Lunch 12noon - 2pm & 6pm - 9pm

Buy one Meal and Get One Free (selected menu)

Tues & Wed Lunch Senior Citizens Meals Two courses for £7.50 per person.

Tuesday & Thursday Steak Nights Two steaks with chips, peas & salad with a bottle of wine. £22.00 per couple.

Wednesday Night Carvery

Two roast meats plus all the trimmings £7.95 pp

Friday Fish & Chips Special Eat In or Takeaway £6.95

Sunday Lunch Carvery

A selection of two roast meats with trimmings £7.95 pp 23

Hobbies A Resoundingly Successful Hobby

By Kate McLelland Sunday mornings just wouldn’t be the same without them.

Weddings would feel less joyous, funerals less solemn.

If the church bells across the country were to fall silent, it would be the end of a tradition that has lasted for at least two thousand years. Bell-ringing is deeply embedded in our culture, so it hardly seems possible that one day local community groups might stop coming together to ring out those powerful messages of joy, sadness and celebration.

Unfortunately that day could be closer than you might imagine.

A survey recently carried out

by BBC local radio shows that bell-ringers across the country are finding it harder and harder to recruit new volunteers.

Almost 75% of the bell-ringers questioned said that over the past ten years they have found it harder to find new recruits, particularly young people under the age of 21. There have even been calls to reclassify bellringing as a sport in order to gain access to funding, raise its profile and make it appear ‘cooler’ to a younger generation.

Ironically this comes at a time when bell-ringing is more in

24

demand than ever. Over sixty per cent of the BBC survey respondents said that requests for their services had increased over the past decade.

The history of church bells Early Christian missionaries used handbells to call people to prayer, and an Italian bishop was the first to introduce larger, hanging bells into his churches in Campania around the year 400 AD. This practice gradually spread throughout Europe until it reached Great Britain around 200 years later. By the year 750 AD, church bells were sufficiently common for the Archbishop of York to order his priests to toll bells at certain times of the day.

For hundreds of years the practice of bell-ringing remained relatively simple, but in late medieval times ringers began to experiment with new techniques, attaching bells to quarter and half-wheel timber shapes that offered ringers greater control over the bell’s swing.

Many bells and bell towers were lost during the Reformation, when Henry VIII’s officers destroyed the nation’s rich abbey churches. After that time,

churches began to rehang bells mounted on a whole wheel, refining the technology to a point where the bell could perform a 360º rotation and be stopped and started at will, making more complex ‘peals’ possible.

How do I start?

You don’t need to be super-fit, or have a lot of upper body strength, to be a bell-ringer.

Ringing is the perfect way to enjoy gentle physical exercise and is suitable for people of all ages. The action of pulling on the rope not only gives your muscles a mild workout, it also improves agility, reaction time and coordination.

There are 40,000 bell-ringers in the UK, many of them qualified to teach. You can find a group near you by going to www. bellringing.org and searching their database, or alternatively ask your local church if they run taster sessions.

How does bell-ringing work?

At the beginning of the session the bells are rung ‘up’: the angle of swing is gradually increased until the bell is swinging full circle. When it reaches a 360º rotation it can then be stopped,

mouth upwards, using a ‘stay’ and a ‘slider’ to control it. When the bell is in the upward position, it is said to be ‘set’.

Each time the bell-ringer pulls the rope, the bell swings through another full circle rotation and sounds. In ‘change ringing’ the bell-ringers adjust the intervals at which they pull their ropes to control the speed of striking. This produces a musical pattern.

How do I learn?

Novice bell-ringers are usually taught in several stages: during the first session they will learn to handle the bell (this is usually done on a one-to-one basis); in the second they will learn to ring with others. After this students learn about ‘change ringing’, where ringers are required to sound their bells in a particular order, building up from simple to more complex

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patterns of ringing. The tutorial period usually ends with a 45-minute session during which students demonstrate that they have mastered the required techniques.

to ring in churches as far away as Australia. If you enjoy competition, you may relish taking part in contests such as the National Twelve-bell Striking Contest.

The benefits of bellringing Dickon Love, who is Tower Captain at the quaintly named church of St James Garlickhythe in London, describes bellringing as “the best of form of heavy metal … a big loud noise. It keeps you fit, there’s a competitive element as well, and it’s a very social thing to do - after each practice without fail you can find us down the local pub.”

So, if you’re up for some gentle exercise and brain-training, you enjoy socialising with other likeminded people and you want to protect an important part of Britain’s heritage, bell-ringing could be the hobby you’ve been looking for. Join up, and keep those bells sounding well into the future.

Many teams also organise monthly gatherings or plan outings to ring bells in different parts of the country, while some are even invited overseas

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25

Kid’s Corner

26

Parenting Time and Sanity Savers

by Kate Duggan

Tips and tricks to make your life easier, from washable nail polish to a booster seat that can fit in a school bag.

Monday morning panics 8-8.30am is often a rather stressful period in my house.

Arguments over brushing teeth (my son) compete with tears over forgotten homework (my daughter). One thing I do have sorted is making it easy for them to find their uniform so they can get dressed. I use a rubber band to attach two clothes hangers together, one of which is the type with clips. Pants get hung from one clip, tights or socks from the other, and the rest of the uniform goes on the other hanger. Simple.

My next mission is to teach them to put their PJs under their pillow, rather than dumping them on the floor. We’ve been working on that one for a while now, with no luck.

Hair brushing is a source of tantrums the world over. The Wet Brush may save a fair few tears (theirs and yours). It’s the best detangling brush I’ve found yet and can be used on wet or dry hair. £11.99 from www. lookfantastic.com.

Kids love nail polish. Schools don’t love it quite so much. If (like me) you’re hopeless at remembering to remove your child’s nail varnish on a Sunday evening, you might

want to try Nailmatic Kids Nail Polish. Not only is it toxin-free and available in several childfriendly shades, but it can be washed off with warm soapy water. Powder-pink glitter is a favourite in my house, although my son prefers Rio Green. £6.95, www.cuckooland.com.

and so on. They’re designed to stay on through washing, tumble drying and general dayto-day use. Tinyme also make personalised bags, books, drinks bottles and a ton of other items, handy if your child is particularly prone to misplacing their possessions.

Days out From emergency wees in the park to dropped dummies, children just attract germs. Hand sanitising gels are handy but not always that child-friendly. Aquaint, on the other hand, is 100% natural and formulated without strong chemicals, preservatives or alcohol. It kills 99.9% of bacteria, but is completely safe, so can be used on everything from hands to drinks bottles. £2.49 - £4.99 from Boots, Mothercare and other retailers.

Play dates After-school playdates are great at keeping the kids out of your hair, but it’s all too easy to forget to swap car seats with the other parents. The new Mifold (main picture) can help to make sure you’re never again caught out with three kids and only two booster seats. Unlike traditional booster seats, Mifold adjusts the seatbelt to fit the child, rather than raising the child up to fit the belt. That means it’s far smaller than a car seat; small enough to keep in a glove box or even your child’s school bag. It can be adjusted to fit children aged from around four to 12, and it meets the highest legal standards for child restraint systems. £49.95 from John Lewis.

Children seem to have an innate ability to lose things. If you can’t be bothered to spend hours sewing on name tags, try Tinyme labels. They’re printed with your child’s name and a design of your choice. The Essentials Pack (from £24) comes with more than 200 labels, including iron-on labels for clothes, and different sized stickers for shoes, pencil cases

27

Health

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

Eating Disorders Awareness Week - 27th February to 5th March

Eating disorders affect over 725,000 men and women in the UK and claim more lives than any other mental illness. A shocking one in five of those most seriously affected die prematurely, either from the physical consequences of their disorder or suicide.

That’s why Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which runs from 27th February to 5th March, is so vital. It’s essential we are all aware of the dangers of eating disorders and realise that we are all susceptible to them. That means we need to know the facts – not just the stereotypes.

Challenging the Stereotype: Who Suffers from Eating Disorders?

The stereotype is a teenage girl obsessed with becoming thinner, either starving herself or alternately binge eating and vomiting. However, in reality there are several different eating disorders and while young women are more prone to them, they can affect people of any age, gender or ethnicity.

What Causes Eating Disorders?

Often a combination of genetic, psychological, environmental, social and biological factors seems responsible, although the latest research indicates biology has a bigger influence than previously believed. Identified

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‘risk factors’ are: • Suffering sexual or emotional abuse.

• Experiencing criticism for weight, looks, body shape or eating habits.

• Suffering bereavement.

• Periods of intense stress (at home, school or work etc.).

• Family history of addiction, depression or eating disorders.

• Preoccupation with body shape.

• External pressure to be thin from society or for a career/ hobby, e.g. dancing, sports, modelling.

• Underlying traits/mental health issues such as anxiety, low selfesteem, perfectionism or an obsessive personality.

• Relationship issues.

Types of Eating Disorder Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia sufferers are preoccupied with keeping their weight as low as possible by excessive exercise and/or starving themselves.

Around 1 in 250 women and 1 in 2,000 men will experience anorexia nervosa at some point.

Although people usually develop the condition at around 16 or 17, it can occur as early as 7 years old. In younger children, it’s more prevalent in boys.

Bulimia Bulimia sufferers alternate between binge eating and then purging (emptying their stomach by inducing vomiting or emptying their bowels by using laxatives). Bulimia is around two to three times more common than anorexia nervosa, and 90% of sufferers are female. It usually develops at around 18 or 19.

Binge eating disorder (BED)

BED sufferers feel compelled to eat large amounts of food very rapidly. It affects both sexes equally and usually develops between the ages of 30 and 40.

Because it’s difficult to define binge eating, it’s hard to assess sufferer numbers, but it’s estimated to affect around 5% of adults.

Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) Some people, particularly younger sufferers, may have some, but not all, of the symptoms of a specific eating disorder and will be given an EDNOS diagnosis.

Diagnosing Eating Disorders Doctors and healthcare professionals use internationally agreed criteria to diagnose eating disorders, normally using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or International Classification of Diseases (ICD). They will ask patients about their weight, selfimage and relationship with food.

But how do you know when someone needs to be referred for diagnosis?

Warning Signs Often, people with an eating disorder will be in denial or try to hide their symptoms, but watch for them: • Skipping meals or claiming they’ve already eaten, or plan to eat when they’re out.

• Only eating tiny or very lowcalorie meals.

• Believing they’re fat when they’re a healthy weight or underweight.

• Repeatedly weighing themselves or studying

Health & Beauty themselves in the mirror.

• Cooking large meals for others yet eating little themselves.

• Refusing to eat in public or becoming stressed when they do.

• Using ‘pro-anorexia’ websites.

If you suspect you or someone else you know may be developing eating disorder, it’s important to get professional help immediately.

Treatment of Eating Disorders Rapid treatment increases the chance of a full recovery and minimises the impact on the patient’s body, life, relationships, job or education. However, finding the right treatment can take some time. They may be suffering from more than one eating disorder, and symptoms may change while they’re recovering. A desire to overcome the condition and the support of those around them are vital.

Their physical health will be monitored while the underlying causes of their disorder are treated. This may involve: • Using self-help manuals and books, possibly under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), aiming to change their thinking and in turn, their behaviour.

• Interpersonal psychotherapy: a talking therapy that focuses on relationship issues.

• Dietary counselling.

• Psychodynamic therapy or cognitive analytic therapy (CAT), focusing on how their personality and life experiences influence their thoughts, relationships and behaviour.

• Family therapy, focusing on how the eating disorder has affected them and their family.

• Medication: often, antidepressants known as

selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to treat bulimia or binge eating.

For more information and support: Beat (Beat Eating Disorders) www.b-eat.co.uk/ For over-18s or those concerned about someone under 18: 0345 634 1414 help@b-eat.co.uk For under-18s: Youth Helpline 0345 634 7650 fyp@b-eat.co.uk

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Do You Let Your Age Do The Talking?

by Kate McLelland

The invitation arrived via social media: “A group of us are going to Glastonbury Festival for the day. Do you fancy coming along, too?”

I had been to the festival twice in the early 1980s, watching sets by artists like Elvis Costello and the Style Council. I’d loved it all - the mud, the dodgy burgers from a van, the opportunity to bond with thousands of other young music fans, but now, at the age of 56, I just couldn’t see myself fitting in (even though I still have the same pair of wellies).

Almost without thinking, I replied, saying that I would be busy on the day my friend had suggested. It was an instinctive reaction, but as I pressed ‘send’ and watched my reply appear online, I immediately regretted my decision.

My husband and I have watched Glasto on TV many times in recent years and we’ve often remarked on the number of older people we see in the crowd.

This reaction made me think

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about other times when I have refused to do something, or hesitated to take part in an event, because of my age. I realised that since turning 40 I have begun to censor everything I do, looking at life through an ‘age appropriate’ lens rather than thinking about what I really wanted. It was a sobering thought, but within ten minutes I had come up with a list of things I could do differently in future: Mum and Dad Dancing The jokes about “Dad dancing” have no doubt been responsible for millions of older men making an excuse to visit the loo as soon as the music starts playing at a family wedding.

We’re all probably a little self-conscious when it comes to dancing, particularly if our kids are watching, but provided you’re not planning to moonwalk or point at the ceiling, Saturday Night Fever style, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t strut your stuff on the dance floor.

From now on, although I may not be the first on the dance floor, I certainly won’t be the last.

Don’t be an ageconscious shopper Worries about not dressing appropriately for our age can hold us back when choosing what to wear. We opt for ‘safe’ styles that often have the effect of making us feel even older than we are.

It may have been different in the Seventies and Eighties, but these days you’ll find a real cross-section of ages browsing through the clothing rails: what’s more shop assistants don’t seem to care that the person entering the fitting rooms isn’t a size 10, aged twenty-something.

Short skirts, revealing tops, body-hugging clothing and huge heels will still be out for me, but I’m giving myself permission to drop into some of the more youthful stores I used to shun, just in case there’s something that catches my eye.

You’re never too old for adventure We may be less physically able than we once were, but this doesn’t rule us out from ever enjoying another adventure, whether that’s climbing Machu Picchu or pony trekking in Bridlington.

Nowadays we may be more inclined to stay in a hotel than camp out at a music festival, but at least we are still taking part. It’s important that we keep our minds and bodies active, staying open to experiences and interests that enrich us.

Next time I receive an invitation from friends to go somewhere unusual, I won’t come up with the knee-jerk response of saying (or thinking) “I’m too old for that.”

Don’t disappear into the crowd A lot of my older friends complain about feeling invisible, and that’s because they’ve lost confidence. Their body language says “don’t look at me, I’m not worth your attention”, so it’s hardly surprising that people no longer notice them.

A long, hard look in the mirror at home showed me that I was beginning to slouch - shoulders rounded, tummy sagging, head down – but when I lifted up my head and straightened my shoulders, I seemed more alert, more engaged with the world and – dare I say it – more youthful.

body flexible.

As older people we have surely earned our place in society?

That means we have every right to enjoy life and express ourselves without fear of an adverse reaction. The truth is that we are often the harshest judges of our own behaviour, setting limits and curtailing our ambitions to avoid the slightest risk of criticism.

Teenagers are blissfully unconcerned about the views of their elders, and recently I’ve come to the conclusion that older people should take a leaf out of their book. I’ve decided that even if I live to be 100, nothing can stop me from living my life to the full.

I’ve decided to join a local yoga class that will not only help me with my posture, but keep my

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Useful Information Emergency Police Neighbhd Team Ashford & Tenterden

Crimestoppers

999 101 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 LPG

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

Doctors Surgery The Charing Surgery 01233 714 490 Headcorn Surgery 01622 890294 Parish Councils: Biddenden: 01580 890750 Charing: 01233 713599 Egerton: 01622 853558 Headcorn: 01622 892496 Pluckley: 01622 890596 Smarden: 07752 395412 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 Veterinary Surgeons Barrow Hill Vets 01233 624687 Pierson Stewart & Partners 01580 713381 Charing Business Association www.charingkent.co.uk Volunteer Centre 01233 665 535 Age UK Ashford 01233 668 765 www.ageuk.org/ashford ageukashford.org@gmail.com 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 Bus Enquiries Arriva Bus Enquiries 0871 200 22 33 (Timetable) 08456 00 22 99 (Customer Services) National Train Enquiries: www.nationalrail. co.uk Wealden Wheels: 01233 840000 Village Halls:

Biddenden Charing Charing Heath Egerton - Millenium Hall Headcorn Little Chart or Pluckley Smarden Charter Hall

01580 291320 01233 713599 01233 713317 01233 840479 01622 890708 07753 802814 01233 840395 01622 890596 01233 771947

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

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

The Village Directory Coverage

Delivered by Royal Mail to 56,400 Homes & Businesses Challock Boughton Aluph

Charing

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Ashford 20,000

Charing Area 4,000

Wye Area 4,000

Kennington, Brabourne Hothfield Willesborough, Biddenden Repton Park, Great Chart, Brabourne Lees Little Chart Kingsnorth, Park Farm, Sevington & Orbital Park Aldington Area - 4,000 Bethersden Bridgefield Est. Sellindge High Halden Mersham Aldington Woodchurch Stowting TN26 Area - 5,000 Stanford Bilsington Warehorne Bonnington Hamstreet Ruckinge

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Coverage 56,400 via Royal Mail

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Crossword:

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