Lenham Focus Work In Progress by willbeeching

JULY 2013 VOLUME 15 ISSUE 7 Visit lenhamfocus.co.uk Follow us @lenhamfocus

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Welcome... ...to the new Lenham Focus We hope you enjoyed our last issue and we are now migrating to a new and exciting design for the Focus. Thanks to our friends at Flowbox, we are excited to bring to you our latest design. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a long time in the making and a lot of hard work and dedication. The new look is designed to bring all the information to our readers in a clear and concise layout. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also had some photographs of our lovely village professionally taken by Elliott Round.

With this design comes our new website and social media outlets bringing you updates from the village on a much regular basis. You can check out our website at www.lenhamfocus.co.uk. In the meantime, enjoy the magazine and help us by following us on Twitter @LenhamFocus and by liking us on Facebook fb.com/lenhamfocus

Welcome

James Collett Focus Editor 01622 850608 james@lenhamfocus.co.uk

Lenham Focus Volume 15 Issue 7 | July 2013 Circulation 2000

JULY 13 Editor: James Collett 01622 850608 | lenham-focus@tiscali. co.uk Advertising: Annie Drylie 07956 629772 | focusadverts@gmail.com Treasurer: Sue Marchant 01622 858511 | lenhamfocusinvoices@ gmail.com Distribution: Gez Clark 07784 447200 Proof Reader: Jane Hewish

Copy Deadline: 7th of the preceding month. Please leave copy at 24 Maidstone road or contact us.

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Your Focus Team We are the team behind the Lenham Focus, we build the magazine from start to finish every month. For you.

Contributors

Our people From left to right: James Collett, Annie Drylie, Sue Marchant, Gez Clark, Jane Hewish and David Worsley.

ELLIOTT ROUND

Photography: Elliott Round Elliott is a student who has just graduated from Maidstone Grammar School. He has been providing his photography to Flowbox for around a year now. His style is normally contemporary studio weddings. For this magazine, Elliott was commissioned to produce a high-quality, focused and creative set of photographs that embraces the new Lenham Focus brand, and the village ethos. elliottroundphotography.co.uk

Flowbox. 07

Writing: XXX

Design: Will Beeching and Ed Craddock

Fugiaesequi ditate dolore remquo et molores sinihilibus dolesec usaniatem re nihitint, cume prae sitiate voluptat. Fernatur, odio est as essusandunt volorent dolum hillatios as et liqui illatur reprem qui alibusdae qui vellam, sanissimi, ipis et hicae nusdam quianis earum veliquam et aut omnis voluptae.

Flowbox are an innovative young creative agency based in Maidstone. Established in 2012 they have been providing the Focus with their time and design services for free. Flowbox works with all sorts of clients from one-man bands to huge corporations. If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re after, get in touch! thinkflowbox.co.uk Visit lenhamfocus.co.uk Follow us @lenhamfocus

Borough Council Corner Report from Councillor Tom Sams It was good to see so many clubs and organisations at Lenham Parish Councils Annual meeting.

It makes you aware as to how much work is involved in the community voluntary groups. There is a high expectation that these groups will continue but this is only possible through the effort of volunteers. I have spent some of my time taking photos of the many highway problems we have around the Parish. Residents have contacted me and I have passed this on with precise locations to John Bone from Lenham Parish Council who has been brilliant in chasing up KCC. I have been also fortunate to have recruited a young volunteer to take a keen interest, and as soon as Robert can, once exams are over, he will help. With the Cherry Close residents association we met with Mr Ward from Swadelands about all the issues concerning the school and the students. The school will be making great efforts to work with the community and are at present working on an event in July to entertain older residents at a coffee and cake afternoon.

Borough Council Corner

Cllr Tom Sams Harrietsham & Lenham Ward t: 01622 859412 m: 07718173329 tomsamscllr@gmail.com

Notice Lenham Family Festival & Lenham Promotes Talent – 7th, 8th & 9th June 2013 I am sorry to have to inform you that due to unforeseen events we have had to cancel this year’s Festival and Talent contest. We would like to apologise for the cancellation, especially to those of you who have already made plans. Unfortunately, there were circumstances which were beyond our control but we intend to make next year’s Festival and Talent contest even more spectacular so I hope you can join us then. Yours sincerely, Lenham Festival Committee

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Lenham Parish Council

The elections of Chairman, Vice Chairman and all other positions within the LPC were duly voted on, and all positions were filled, the Chairman & Vice Chairman remain the same.

he was awaiting further information on the issue.

Public Participation: Members of the public wished to speak; Mr. B. Long the Chairman of Speed-Watch;

1. Borough Councillor Tom Sams reported that he had spoken with Chris Garland MBC Leader and Ray Lambing of the Switch CafĂŠ over the Lenham Youth Centre and how it should be encouraged to open more days of the week. T/S also reported that he hoped to attend a meeting over the future of the Lenbus, and the best way forward to secure the service.

1. Advised that he had attended a Speed-watch conference in Maidstone and enquired about 30mph sign that some parishes have painted on their road surfaces and a red restrictive square as you enter their parish, it might be something that the LPC would like to consider for Lenham. 2. B/L also reported that he had spent three quarters of an hour with the students at Swadelands School on advising them on gardening techniques, and advised that there may be a small plot of land that might become available to turn in to a School allotment, he would also be willing to help the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; progress this, should it come to fruition. 3. B/L reported that the Memorial Cross had been sprayed with weed killer, and he was awaiting the delivery of the chalk to re-surface the Memorial Cross. 4. B/L advised that there was a rumour going around about the possible sell off of the allotments, he advised that

Lenham Parish Council

5. B/L reported that he had re-planted a dead tree in Groom Way; all the work to the trees had now been completed.

1. Ian George reported that he had read an article in which it stated that the old red BT phone box sited in the Square was to be decommissioned soon; the chairman advised I/G that the LPC had made the decision not to adopt the phone boxseveral years ago because of the potential running costs that could be involved. Kent Community warden Martin Sherwood read out the reported crimes that Support Officer Dave Rowley had supplied, there were a total of 4 reported crimes in the past month. M/S advised that the Home safety event held in Harrietsham on the 23rd March this year at Harrietsham had been well attended and he requested the use of Lenham Community Centre to hold a similar event in late July this year, once the date had been set, M/S and he would advertise the event

around the Parish; the LPC agreed to the request. M/S reported that there was a scam going on concerning Panic Alarms, he had reported the scam to the Standard Trading Board for further investigation. Police Constable Support Officer Dave Rowley had given his apologies for nonattendance at the meeting, due to shift pattern change. KCC Ward member Jenny Whittle reported; 1. That she had held a meeting with Lenham Primary School over possibilities to extend the School to take in the new MBC allocation of housing for Lenham in its Core Strategy, 2. J/W reported that Pot Hole repairs, the fund and fix regime, is starting in earnest and two gangs are now undertaking the pot hole repairs. 3. J/W advised that she would help fund the Lenham Youth Centre to open for a possible third night if re-elected as a KCC and Ward member for Lenham, and to look in to the Lenbus running groups of Lenham Youths in to Maidstone Leisure centre, to take up the different sports and events taking place there 4. J/W reported that the Lenham Bowling Club were investigating the buying of its green from the KCC, the KCC will be asking the Lenham Primary School if they required the

land before any sell off would take place, but the LPC thought that there would be no problem, as the Primary School had ample playing field area for their students. 5. J/W advised that she would be pursuing the double yellow lining of Ham lane with Ben Hilden of the Kent Highways Services, to make sure they were enforceable.The Chairman opened the main meeting: The Chairman requested that item 11c on the agenda be taken as a confidential item and moved to the bottom of the agenda; this was agreed by the full Parish Councillors attending the meeting. Matters Arising:

Fencing at Cricket ground/footpath: No action as yet but Cllr. Barr contacted the contractors and asked that they concrete the posts in ASAP. Mail Box removal from the Lock-up: Cllr. Greenwood placed tape over the slit in the mail box, as he could not open the box to remove the screws securing the box to the door; the parish Clerk advised that she would get hold of a key so that the letter box can then be removed altogether. BMX site meeting: Cllrs Godfrey, Greenwood and Willis attended a meeting at the William Pit recreational field with Peter Goodwin, and came to agreement on a running repair programme for the next three years.

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Cont... Village signs quote: It was agreed to go with one local quote that was reasonable, to access the quality of work carried out, and then go out for two further quotes to refurbish the other 2 signs. Reports & Committees/ Spokespersons:

Finance & General Purpose: The chairman went through the minutes of the last F&GP meeting held on 17th April 2013, all the recommendations made at that meeting were put forward and agreed by the full LPC at the meeting. Some form of fencing around the Memorial Cross will be investigated to see if it is feasible or not to protect the Cross from being ridden over. Planning: The Clerk advised that Cllr. Huggens had given his apologies for not attending the meeting but he had distributed his report and did any Councillors have any questions on his written reports on the Planning meetings held on 17th. April 2013; there were no questions raised. Groom-Way Development: It had been agreed by the full LPC to take this item to the end of the agenda as a confidential item. Neighbourhood Plan: Cllr. A. Newman gave an update on the progress of the NHP; the general feeling of those Councillors involved in producing the NHP was to slow the

Cont...

process down for a short while until the LPC knew what decisions the MBC had come to its Core Strategy and Local Plan, but it was hoped that a draft of the proposed sites would be ready for public exhibition sometime in the Autumn, so that parishioners could make comment on those suggested sites. Highways and Transportation: The Chairman Cllr. J. Bone had written out his Highways report for May 2013, listing all the repairs that needed to be carried out in the Parish of Lenham, and also requesting that parishioners who knew of any Highway problems, contact either the Parish Clerk or himself with the location of identified potholes that were in need of repair. J/B has stepped down as Highways Chairman, and it has been agreed by full Council that all Parish Councillors would actively report any highways/ lighting problems directly to Kent Highways Services and only involve J/B if they had a problem, then J/B had agreed to act as the conduit between the LPC and KHS officers to resolve any problems that might crop up All the Councillors thanked J/B for all the hard work he had put in to his highways role during the past few years. Law & Order: The Chairman reported that he attended the last Maidstone Rural Neighbourhood Police and Parish Council Forum, on Wednesday 25th. April at Headcorn Village Hall; N/G had forwarded the

minutes of the meeting to all Lenham Parish Councillors, and asked if there were any questions on those minutes, no questions were asked. Environment: Cllr. Greenwood reported that he had inspected the Beech Trees in Groom Way with the MBC Tree Officer, and he suggested that further investigatory work should be carried out to see exactly the health of the tree before any decisions were made, but initially he could see no reason on why they should be felled at this moment in time, further investigation would take place. The Parish Clerk reported that the water connection in the Cemetery was now scheduled for May 2013. Cllr. Osborn advised that a meeting had been held with Mr. Marsden and the proposed route for a public footpath connecting any future development of the Paddock to Groom Way had been agreed. Cllr. Bradshaw reported that the refurbishment of St. Mary’s clock face was well underway and hoped the clock face would be re-installed very soon. Cllr. Bradshaw also advised that the War memorial Graves as you enter the Cemetery are not being looked after as they should be, Cllr. Bradshaw will advise the services that carry out the work on War Graves. Cllr. Barr reported that the blossom on the cherry trees in the Rayners Hill picnicpark are now in bloom, and at his last visit saw several parishioners taking advantage of the amenity

Correspondence: The Citizen Advice Bureau: The CAB in Maidstone advised that if further new funding can be sought then the bureau might be able to keep the monthly out-reach sessions in Lenham going, if the LPC would agree to just pay for the hire of the room which is£12:00p per month. It was agreed if further funding was found to run the outreach sessions then the LPC would continue to pay for the room hire for the sessions. Kent Community Warden Martin Sherwood asked if the LPC would hire him a room for his winter warm event this coming October; the full Council agreed to his request to the £18 for the hire of a room for his 17 event.

If you would like to get in touch with the parish council please don’t hesitate to contact: Mrs Margo McFarlane Parish Clerk 13 Mercer Drive Harrietsham ME17 1AY Tel: 01622 859682 Website: http://goo.gl/CNHbh

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Dates for Your Diary JUNE

Maidstone Guild of Church Flower Arrangers St Marys Church 6:30pm

JUNE

3 -7

Christian Aid Week St Marys Church, Lenham Although most of England & Wales will be holding Christian Aid Week in the month of May, we are having ours in June. We look forward to your support again this year. Please consider what you can donate for sale and also whether you can assist by committing yourself to half a day helping on a stall. This year the event will be held in and around St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church and with the additional bonus of refreshments!

JUNE

Sixpenny Piece Performance Lenham Square

Dates for Your Diary

On Sunday June 9th at the market in the square there will be live music performed by the fundraising group with a rocky, folky heart....Sixpenny Piece. The group will be playing music throughout the market and will be asking those listening to donate money for Motor Neurone Disease. Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurones, or nerves, in the brain and spinal cord. This means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. MND can affect how you walk, talk, eat, drink and breathe. However, not all symptoms necessarily happen to everyone and it is unlikely they will all develop at the same time, or in any specific order. There is currently no cure for MND, The group are hoping to raise a large amount for this worthy cause and with this in mind they invite guitarists who can play the chords A, E and D to join in a collective 12 bar blues jam at 11am at a minimum donation of ÂŁ2 per person. Contact Janetta for any further details on 01622 859412

RBL Branch Meeting Lenham Social Club

JUNE

Messy Church Lenham Primary School 5pm

JUNE

Lenham Buffaloes Lodge Meeting Red Lion Function Room 8pm

JUNE

Lenham Gardening Society Meeting

JUNE

Lenham Cricket Club Presidents Day

Air Ambulance Bike Ride

JUNE

RBL Women’s Section Strawberry Tea Lenham Community Centre 3pm

Platts Heath Summer Fair 1pm - 4pm This year our fair has a Western theme, why not come along and have a go at the Tin Can Alley, enjoy the stocks, share a burger at our Grill bar, take a chance in the Casino Rooms or visit our Beauty Saloon. There is a chance to win some amazing prizes in our Raffle or visit the Golden Nugget cafe for some delicious homemade cakes. There will be entertainment in the form of “Platts Heaths Got Talent” where our pupils will show off their showbiz skills. Mandy Ellen Performing Arts School are putting on a spectacular display. There is something for everyone.

We cant wait and look forward to seeing you there Yee hah.

JUNE

Cancer Reseach UK North Downs Walk Harrietsham Village Hall 11am Informal Service St. John’s Church Harrietsham 6:30pm Visit lenhamfocus.co.uk Follow us @lenhamfocus

Even More JULY

RBL Brand Meeting Lenham Social Club 8pm Lenham Garden Show Plans are well advanced for the Show to be held on August 31st.

Posters have started to appear around the village. We hope that by June there will be programmes available detailing the classes and competitions which we are planning to hold. These will be available at the Library and the General store plus, we hope, a few other shops. They will include entry forms which must be completed prior to the show. The cost per entry will be 25 pence. The Hall will be open at 10.00am for competitors, judging will take place at approx 12 noon and open to the public at 2.00pm. Tea & cakes will be available. Certificates and cups will be awarded at approx 5.00pm, remember it’s the taking part that counts. Keith Varney

Even More

Cancer Research UK North Downs Walk DATE – Sunday, June 30th 2013. VENUE – Harrietsham Village Hall, Church Road – ME17 1AP. START FROM – 7.30am. LAST REGISTRATION – 11am. WEBSITE – www. wealdofkentrotary.org.uk FOR FURTHER DETAILS – Phone the North Downs Walkline on 01622 890650 For 28 years the Rotary Club of the Weald of Kent has organised this event, which offers the option of a 3, 6 or 9 mile walk across the beautiful North Downs. On completion all walkers are given a free Ploughman’s Lunch, strawberries and are entertained by a local Jazz Band. See the website for Maps/ Poster/Route Details/ Registration Forms etc. all of which may be downloaded. Walkers may retain 50% of their sponsorship money for their own charity/church/school etc. with the remainder going to CRUK. Alternatively, walkers may register at the Hall on the day for a minimum donation of £10 per person. To-date this Walk has raised over £420,000 for local & national charities, with over £200,000 for CRUK alone.

The Changeling Theatre Will be bringing their unique version of Shakespeare’s epic play R I C H A R D III to The Tithe Barn, Lenham on Wednesday 7th August 2013 at 7.30pm Set in a gothic world of murder, plot and intrigue, Changeling’s Richard III will feature a brilliant ensemble cast, original music and a directional twist. We guarantee you a show you will never forget. Tickets from £8.50 available from Hazlitt Box Office 01622 758611 Information: Valerie Woollven 01622 850624 23

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Harry & Pauline Appelton

Harry and Pauline moved from Walderslade to Lenham in 1985. Harry originally hailed from York and Pauline from Kendal. Pauline trained in art in Manchester before taking a job at British Gas in Chatham. She retired in 1987. Harry started his career as an engineer working initially for the London North East Railway. Then came National Service and a new career at the Port of London Authority in Gravesend until his retirement in 1991 Pauline and Harry’s involvement in Lenham community affairs started, first of all with the Lenham Carnival. Then joining Lenham Players, Harry as chairman and now President, and Pauline as Treasurer for eight years. Harry has done various backstage work and both of them are still very much active as ‘front of house’ operatives.

Harry has served on the Lenham Parish Council for some 16 years and was also centrally involved as the fundraising chairman on the Lenham Village Hall Committee for many years. His efforts were central to raising over £90,000 for what is now known as the Lenham Community Centre. Meanwhile, Pauline had served for some years as a trustee of the Honywood and Douglas Almshouses and as a founder member of the Lenham Enhancement Association, being for many years its secretary. Many people in Lenham will know Pauline as a prominent local artist and indeed she has been exhibiting at the annual Pilgrims Way Art Show at the Tithe Barn since it started back in 1996, only missing one! Harry is also an associate member of the group.I bet the North of England is kicking itself for having let them go all those years back. The South has been the winner, for Harry and Pauline are an integral part of the Lenham landscape.

Harry and Pauline moved from Walderslade to Lenham in 1985.

Harry & Pauline Appelton

Text and photo by Jim Myers

I would like to say a huge thank you to Sharon and Claire who ran the Brighton Marathon for the charity on Sunday 14th April. They both achieved times close to 4 hours, which for their first marathons is amazing. Sharon said “What a journey I have just been on and it was worth every mile of it!! Although I do feel like I have been run over. Yes, it was harder than I ever imagined.... it takes everything from your body - at 19 miles I had sore kidneys, but somehow carried on.... It truly is the strangest of things that get you through it and yes, I honestly did have thoughts from Emilia and strangely my grandparents too when it got really tough... they all drove me on”. So far they have raised £915.00, which is fantastic. This will provide art and craft activities for nine of the wards we sponsor. We would also like to say thank you to Kazia who ran the Folkestone 10 miler on Good Friday 29th March 2013 which involved running along the shore line from Hythe Seafront to Folkestone Harbour. Kazia has nearly reached her target of £300 and we hope to use this money to buy certificates and stickers for Pembury Hospital and Medway Hospital. We have received a donation from West Malling C of E School for £175, which was raised from the pupils doing a sponsored circuit event. This money has been allocated to the Evelina Children’s Hospital, London. The play specialists have put forward

their requests for particular items, and we hope to purchase these very soon. We also received donations from Lenham Primary School, Lenham Slimming World, Malling Lioness Club and Nearly New Sale, Kent. We must also thank those people who collect their small change and donate it to the charity. We are always extremely grateful for donations, how ever big or small they really do make a difference. We hope in the future when people raise money for us to be able to give them the chance through our website to choose how the money is spent. Therefore knowing directly how you are making a difference. Every hospital ward we support has received 100 certificates of the new design. Take a look at the website to see these new designs and the winners of the competition who designed them. We would like to thank all of the Brownies from the Allington, Maidstone group who took part in the competition.

April hosted our first AGM where the annual impact report and the annual accounts were reported for 2012. Both of these can be viewed on the website www.emiliaslittleheart.org.uk We hope you can see that 2012 was hugely successful and we hope this year can be just as successful.

Emilia’s Little Heart Foundation Make a Child Smile www.emiliaslittleheart.org.uk

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European Gold Haul for Kent Karate Four members of the highly successful Kimura Shukokai Karate Kent club based at Activate in Lenham, returned triumphant on Sunday from Helsinki, Finland after competing in the KSI European Open karate championships.

The four members travelled as part of the Shukokai Karate Federation’s England team and brought back with them six Gold and one Bronze medals. The England team topped the overall medals table and the Kent members made up for half of the total Gold medals won by the England team. Katie Simpson from Kingswood an instructor with the club, followed up her silver medal at the World championships in Atlantic City USA last year by taking three European Golds. Katie from Kingswood and who runs the clubs Downswood dojo, won her first Gold in the individual

European Gold Haul for Kent Karate

kata (forms) event with a very strong performance of one of the style’s most difficult kata. She then joined up with two other England ladies to take on the England men’s team in the final of the team kata event. This event requires the same moves that are performed in the individual event but there has to be perfect synchronisation between the three martial artists. The ladies took the gold by a score of 3-2 against the men. Katie then joined up with the ladies fighting team to take on a team from the USA in what is one of the blue riband events of the Championships. The ladies were far too strong to the Americans and triumphed by a score of 3-0 thus winning Katie her third Gold medal.

Jack Cutler (15) from Leeds was competing in his second European competition and was determined to defend the kumite (fighting) title he won in England in 2011. Jack had his work cut out as he had moved up an age group and was competing with some other boys aged 17. Jack was not deterred and fought well throughout the qualification rounds to reach the final where he beat his Swedish opponent by a score of 6-0 thus retaining his title. In the same category Adam Axford from Maidstone fought in the other side of the draw and narrowly missed a place in the final against Jack. He then entered into the repercharge for third place and fought well to take the bronze medal. Christine Bordean (14) from Lenham fought in the girls event and again showed all her flair in reaching the final where she beat her Finnish opponent in a tight match. Jack, Christine and Adam then joined together in the junior team kata event for which they had spent many hours in training. They met a very strong team from Germany in the final but again their dedication to their training shone through when they won the event by a score of 5-0.

and it is heart warming to see all that hard work pay off. Not only do they train at their clubs in and around Maidstone but also with the national squad in Birmingham once a month and every weekend for the 5 weeks prior to the event. There is no central funding for karate, (which is hoping to become an Olympic event for the 2020 Olympics), so all the funding for the trip has to be raised by the students themselvesâ&#x20AC;?. The next international event is the KSI World Championships which are to be held in Sun City, South Africa in 2014. The club hopes that Katie, Jack, Christine and Adam will all be able to compete there as well as a few other members of the club but this will require some serious fundraising. If anyone is prepared to assist with some sponsorship please contact Chris or Katie on 07801 639052 or kentkarate@gmail.com

The club runs classes at Kingswood, Charing, Marden, Maidstone, Lenham and Downswood and if anyone is interested in joining the club please visit their website at www.kentkarate. co.uk or contact Chris or Katie.

Club Instructor Chris Simpson, who travelled with the squad said â&#x20AC;&#x153;The squad members have spent endless hours training for this event

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Lenham Cricket Club Whilst the sun shone on what should have been the first games of the 2013 season, the fixtures against Little Chart and Pluckley scheduled for 27th & 28th April were cancelled owing to saturated outfields at Lenham and Pluckley. With no cricket to play further time was spent preparing the ground and pavilion which is looking more impressive every week. Thanks to all of those who picked up a hammer rather than a cricket bat to lend a hand! The season finally got underway on Saturday 4th May. The Saturday side was due to play a friendly fixture against Frindsbury, but they were unable to fulfil the fixture owing to a shortage of players. A friendly fixture was hastily arranged, Stowting providing the opposition for what would be the Saturday sides only warm up game before the league cricket starts next week. Lenham won the toss and chose to bat first. Lenham reached 220 off their 40 overs. Adrian Longley fell 1 short of his 50, scoring 49 on his debut for the club. Alan Barr was the other batsman of note soring 85. Tom Curtis and Dave Gardner the only other batsman making it into double figures. Stowting reached their target with 2 overs to spare, for the loss of 4 wickets. But for dropped catches it could have been a different outcome.

Tom Curtis picked up two wickets, Jack Ambrose and Dave Gardner the other two. The Sunday side made the short journey to East Sutton to get their season off and running. Lenham scored 219 in their innings for the loss of 6 wickets. Martyn Smith top scored with 56 not out and Matt Revitt making his debut scored 39. The game ended in a draw as East Sutton reached 162 for the loss of 6 wickets. Tom Curtis picked up 3 wickets and Steve Livesey 2. Our next few fixtures of the season are as follows; Saturday 01st June Otham home, Sunday 02nd June Murston 31 away, Saturday 08th June Betsham home, Sunday 09th June Kennington away, Saturday 15th June Milstead home, Sunday 16th June Priory home, Saturday 22nd June Presidents Day, Sunday 23rd June Willesborough home, Saturday 29th June fixture TBA, Sunday 30th June Newington home, Saturday 06th July Betsham away, Sunday 07th July Egerton away, Date for your diary – LCC President’s Day Saturday June 22nd. It’s always a fun day so bring the family and a picnic – we look forward to seeing you there! If you’re interested in joining the club, please contact us at lenhamcc@ gmail.com and remember, visitors are always welcome on match days!

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Contact Numbers

Archaeological Society Badgers (St John Ambulance) Badminton Bowling Club Brownies (2nd Lenham) Drama Gardening Society Guides (1st Lenham) Lenham Badminton Club Lenham Nursery School Lenham Players Lenham Wanderers Lenham Social Club Harrietsham & Lenham Scouts Harrietsham & Lenham Cubs Mothersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union Pilates Classes Royal British Legion St John Ambulance Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Institute Youth Centre St Edmunds Platts Heath Country Ways Quilters and Stitchers Lenham Valley Business Ass. Borough Councillors Kent Highway Services Cat Protection Dog Warden Drugs Helpline Heaths Countryside Corridor Lenham Enhancement Assn Lenham Country Market Manager Lenham Community Centre Lenham Community Centre Lenham Heath Parish Hall LenValley Practice ON CALL CARE NHS Direct Member of Parliament Parish Council Clerk Parish Police PCSO Police Constable Rural Community Warden St Edmonds Platts Heath Reporting Potholes

Lenham Cricket Club

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Stonebridge Associates 851542 RB Air 07751 466536 Cybereye Security 858612 Hazaars Antiques Emporium 851531 Beauty Therapist (mobile) 07738 505575 Zumba Fitness 07912 177385 Activate Body and Soul 853750 J W Engineering 851713 Carpentry & General Build 850364 P Humpries Carpenter /Builde 07857 530343 Carpets & Vinyls 858719 Carpets Direct 843019 Diamond Flooring 01233 714999 Little Dene Boarding Cattery 01233 733288 Inkstand Cattery 858510 Inkstand Animal Services 859469 Cutts for Mutts 859469 James Collett Surveyor 07738 088169 Debbie Brett 850608 Invicta Chimney Sweep 01233 714247 Christine Griffiths 0800 3289877 Heathers Chiropody Surgery 01233 664702 Harrietsham Computers 853640 A.C. Computers 850376 MS Computer Services 859442 The Len Valley Cosmetic Clinic 850462 Damask Design 859969 Leigh Mills dance & Fitness 852905 Lenham Ballet School 851549 Pam Hills alterations 01795 890149 AD Pink Electrics 850329 Barrie Weston Contractor 858827 Medway Electrical Services 884774 MGI Electrical 01233 712663 INVICTA Power Services & GAS fitters 858728 Electrical Solutions 850055 Phillip Jarvis (The Square) 850930 The Chequers The Square 858794 A W Court 858241 Call Cris (Kent Tutor) 859878 Registered Guitar Tutors 850840 Gowers Garage (stn approch) 858210 BSL Body Repairs 851638 Glass-n-Glaze 01233 840768 Phase Hairdressing 850001 Smartyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at Honeywood Rd 851150 Immyblingy 298129

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Builders / Home repairs Services

Call Paul or Andy Health & FITNESS Clubs/Clinics Home CLEANING Services House Clearance Insurance Brokers (Commercial) Ironmongers Landscape,Paving & Tarmacing: Lingerie Locksmiths Meat Newsagents Nurseries & Pre-schools

Osteopathy Pest Controls & Electrics Pharmacy Photos Studio PLUMBERS, Central Heating,Gas

Printers, Leaflets, booklets, cards Restaurants, Hotels & Clubs

ROOFING Solicitors TAXI , Village Private Hire Cars Telephone Problems & Extensions TV Aerial Services Tree Surgeons Veterinary (Surgery) Websites Will Services Window Cleaners- Gutter Cleaning Windows Replacement UPVC Lenham Cricket Club

ALL FIX plumbing 851186 Stuttle Dyer (Paint/Decorators) 859675 SR Interiors (Paint/Decorators) 737225 Elwood (Paint/Decorators) 01634 308933 Orchid Interior Decorators 01622 858001 All- Plumbing -Woodwork, Decking etc 850437 Osteopathy/ Acupuncture clinic 858030 Harrietsham After School Club 07902 219126 Activate (Swadelands) 853750 Home Cleaning Services 07825 778759 Home needs a Facelift? 07541 000969 House Clearance All Clear 851531 Insure PMR (Pladdy/Mans/Rowe) 842300 Lenham Ironmongers 858286 Maidstone Landscapes & Paving 851222 Ireland Landscapes 844605 Femme Fatale 851444 A ShortLocksmih 07738 658 751 Open Lock 01233 640020 Snoad Farm 01795 890700 Len Valley News 858262 Lenham Nursery School 07967 128056 Lenham Toddlers 850608 Simon Kemp Osteopathy 858030/07765119857 AD Pink Pest Control 884774 Saxon Warrior (the Square) 858287 Photogenixs 858728 CentralHeating,Gas Pure Plumbing 769722 Dial a Plumber 07711 666656 Epic Plumbing Boiler Service 210298 Invicta Power Serv. see also Electrics 850930 All-Fix Plumbing 01622 851186 Custom Market Resources 820841 Chilston Park Hotel 859803 Marriott Hotel & Country Club 734334 Lenham Social Club 858890 A Grade Roofing 851239 R& D Roofing 858291 Thorneloe & Co 859416 Arshed Mahmood 07784 447200 Gez Clark Private hire Dave 850075 R&P TV Aerial Services 631717 Brian Jones- Ambilly Tree Surgeons 859113 Harrietsham Vets 858666 Custom Market Resources 820841 The Will Foundation 01580 211211 Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Panes 858047 Weatherman Windows 01233 643242

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REMIX FRIDAY FILM CLUB, HARRIETSHAM VILLAGE HALL FRIDAY 14TH JUNE 2013 NOW SHOWING ON OUR NEW STATE OF THE ART SCREEN Afternoon Matinee organised by Harrietsham Fish scheme. Doors open at 2pm for refreshments, prompt 2.15 start. Life of Pi Cert PG. A young man who survives a disaster at sea is hurtled into an epic journey of adventure and discovery. While cast away, he forms an unexpected connection with another survivor: a fearsome Bengal tiger. Admission £3 for members U18 need to be accompanied by an adult Contact Marjorie on 850657 if you require transport 38

5.30pm Over the Hedge cert U. A scheming raccoon fools a mismatched family of forest creatures into helping him repay a debt of food, by invading the new suburban sprawl that popped up while they were hibernating........... And learns a lesson about family himself. Admission £2 for members. Parental consent forms must be completed 7.50pm for refreshments, prompt 8pm start. Quartet cert 12A. At a home for retired musicians, the annual concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean, an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents. Starring Maggie Smith and Billy Connolly Admission £3 for members U18 need to be accompanied by an adult

Contact Janetta Sams on 859412 or email sams_uplands@yahoo.co.uk See www.harrietshamvillage.org.uk

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Clubs, Societies, Organisations and Gatherings Lenham Archaeological Society The April meeting had to be changed at the last minute because Dr Jean Stirk’s husband was seriously ill. Hopefully Jean will be able to give her interesting talk on researching house histories at a later date. Martin Heard came to the rescue with an excellent talk on the Bayeaux Tapestry.

Next month (May) is a workshop on local small find sorting and June is a walk, meeting in the square at 7pm. On the subject of the Junior School Field I was going to add a little more history. As you may well know the discovery of the three buried Saxons in 1946 was beneath the pavement (in front of the doorway) of the Pharmacy. The position was a little odd because Saxons did not bury their dead within a village but traditionally on rising ground to the East of the village. But by a cross roads was not uncommon. These facts suggest that the early 6th Century village was west of that cross roads. As there were at least 12 ponds and two streams feeding the River Len in the region of Lenham Storage and the station, it really does suggest that the Saxons originally lived in that area. So on our earth resist survey of the Junior School playing field, the hard

Clubs, Societies, Organisations and Gatherings

area west of a ditch line could have been the remnants of the rising land towards the square, now considerably flattened. In which case should the land behind Parapet house be developed, watch out for Saxon burials! How exciting. All for now. Lesley Feakes 01622 850275 606@feakes.com Royal British Legion Women’s Section Hurrah at last summer has arrived and to celebrate we are holding our Annual strawberry tea. This will be in the Community Centre on Thursday 27th June 3pm for 3.30pm start. Tickets £6, are available from Eve on 858478. Do come and join us for a jolly afternoon. There will be the usual raffle Enid LaPlain Royal British Legion At the April meeting of the Lenham Branch of the Royal British Legion, it was agreed that Brian Hall, secretary, would represent the Branch at the National Conference in Llandudno and that Mike Gurr standard bearer, would be our representative on the 14th July at the ‘War and Peace’ meeting taking

place at Folkestone racecourse. 2014 would see the centenary outbreak of the First World War. A meeting with the Hatch Trust will be held to decide an appropriate commemoration of this event. Dates for the diary: 11th June Branch Meeting at Lenham Social Club at 8pm. 9th July Branch meeting at Lenham Social Club at 8pm. 14th Oct Lunch at the Dog and Bear – contact Mike Gurr for details. 25th Oct Area Festival of Remembrance at the Winter Gardens Theatre, Margate. Contact Bill Peter for further information Lenham Gardening Society Unfortunately our April speaker was unable to come so at very short notice Martin Heard stepped in and gave us a very interesting talk on the history of the Tulip covering its glory days when it was valued as much as gold, how fortunes were made and lost during the seventeenth century. Martin illustrated his talk with slides showing works of art featuring the Tulip. All together a good evening. Our June meeting will be on Thursday 20th at which Mrs Wade will give an illustrated talk on gardens in the Tuscany/Venice region of Italy. The competition will be Five small decorated homemade cakes and/ or A Herbaceous Bloom Arrangement. Tickets will be available for the outing to Hever castle on 9th July leaving the square at 12 noon promptly, tickets £18 for members and £22 for non members price includes a cream tea. Tickets will also be available for our Pimms & Strawberry evening on 18th July at a cost of £6. If you have any prizes for the Tombola please could you let me have them ASAP. Any prizes or cakes for the evening please bring them along

on the night. Reminder that our outing to Scotney Castle will be on 6th August, details to follow. Keith Varney Lenham W.I. It seems very odd to be writing the monthly report for June already, where has the first part of the year gone? Did I miss Spring, or did it just fail to happen this year. Our speaker in April was absolutely brilliant, she kept us enthralled and amused with anecdotes about her Carriage Driving experiences, and we hope to be able to invite her again to give us a talk on another subject. Our May meeting is our A.G.M. when we appoint our President and Committee for the following year, and discuss this year’s Resolution (a topic which the W.I. nationally tries to bring to the forefront of public awareness).which is to try and halt the decline of our high streets due to, among other things, people preferring to shop on the Internet. In June we will be hearing about the work of the Air Ambulance. If any ladies would like to come along and see what we do please come along to a meeting, we are always glad to welcome visitors or new members.

Buffaloes Lodge Following our recent meeting, I am pleased to inform readers that the Buffaloes Lodge in Lenham has been revived and will meet once a month on the third Tuesday. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 18th June at 8pm in the function room at the Red Lion. All members, lapsed or current are welcome. If support continues we may meet twice a month, but this will not be decided for a while yet. Thank you to all who attended the meeting on 14th May. Gez Clark Visit lenhamfocus.co.uk Follow us @lenhamfocus

Lenham Swimming Club

Chris Hills Chairman

It is with great regret that the swimming pool at Swadelands School will be unable to open to the public again this summer and this will be the third year in a row. The pool has served residents of Lenham and the surrounding villages for many years.

the last appeal did not attract the minimum number of individuals needed to keep the club operating; hence our second attempt. At least ten lifeguards will be needed in addition to a similar number of helpers for the front desk.

Health and Safety in Swimming Pools requirements now specify that open swimming sessions must be supervised by a fully qualified pool lifeguard.

Lenham Swimming Club opened every summer between 1977 and 2010 and will be a huge loss to the community if we are unable to continue operating. We have a very loyal but small team of volunteers who have given many hours of their time over the past 36 years. However, changes in health and safety legislation mean that formal qualifications are now also required.

In order to continue operating next year (2014), we would need a number of individuals to come forward and be willing and able to undertake the Royal Life Saving Society Emergency Response (Pool) qualification and commit to a voluntary session at the Lenham pool one evening or a Saturday/Sunday per week during June, July and August. The qualification is a two-day course. There may be the opportunity to undertake the full pool lifeguard qualification (5 day course). We also need helpers to be on the front desk to help take payments for swims and run the tuckshop. We would like to thank those who previously expressed an interest in becoming involved. We still have your details and will making contact shortly (if you are able to update us with an e-mail address, we would be grateful). Unfortunately,

Lenham Swimming Club

Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age to undertake the qualification but there is no upper age limit. This could potentially create an ideal career opportunity and would be fully funded. This is a final attempt to engage some volunteers. Aiming to re-open in 2014 will allow us time to put any volunteers through the lifeguard training course and mean that there would be a range of training dates for individuals to choose from in an attempt to accommodate volunteersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; availability. If you would be interested in finding out more about the Royal Life Saving Society qualifications and how you may be able to help save the club, please contact me on 01622 859174 / 07981125593 or email me on chris@ cjhtraining.freeserve.co.uk for more information. Thank you.

Organic tea brings health benefits Nothing gets better when you have a cup of tea in the morning or evening but it becomes more better when you have an organic tea. Why? It is tastier and healthier. Organic tea or herbal tea is the natural way of devouring the essence of the true tea flavor without the fear of chemical adulteration. The organic chai tea offers you a much richer and fuller taste. Apart from the taste, the organic tea also gives you many health benefits. Being the most popular drink in the world, high tea consumption is common in most households and the health benefitsthat comes with it adds more value. For tea lovers, there are many varieties of organic and herbal teas such as organic oolong tea, pu-erh tea, tisane tea, organic earl grey tea, rooibos herbal tea and jasmine pearls to name a few. If you are such a big fan of tea then, there is bulk tea variety available as a fair trade organic tea. The herbal tea is often consumed for their medicinal or physical effects. They offer a relaxant, stimulating or seductive effect to the body. Organic green tea is known for its anti oxidant value. It is consumed and known to have soothed many illnesses. There is strong evidence of the organic green tea to have prevented cancer and heart disease. The pu-erh tea contains less caffeine than coffee and it is known to keep the body system in balance and stimulate the metabolism in a more functional way. The organic oolong tea aids in digestion and it is often referred inweight loss program.

www.artoftea.com

The tisane tea made from the mixture of varieties of dried leaves, fruits, nuts, barks and many more gives you a calm and relaxed mind. It also promotes your body energy and has cleansing properties. The organic oolong tea has more benefits found in the organic green tea and black tea put together. The oolong tea is loaded with many rich polyphonic compounds thus adding the health benefit value in the tea. Many people prefer the organic white tea for its anti aging qualities. The white tea supports the immune system that will fight the aging effects 43 in the body. Moreover, it is also an accepted solution for losing weight apart from being a natural detoxifier. The earl grey tea has been a favorite among the British people. Often you will find this in their tea table. The earl grey tea serves as a rejuvenating aroma drink but it is also known for its health benefits. People drink this tea for curing cold and flu. You can drink the earl grey tea for soothing depression, anxiety and fever. Jasmine pearls tea is a fragrant drink giving you a refreshing feeling, detoxifying and cooling your body temperature. The taste of the jasmine pearls tea is fresh and sweet rich with the aroma of the jasmine flower. You can have this fragrant refreshing tea to have a good start of the day or end the day.

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Action with Communtities in Rural Kent and British Gas working together to save you money Action with Communities in Rural Kent, a long established charity has teamed up with British Gas to offer eligible residents in the local area free insulation. This offer is worth up to £1,000 and includes the cost of materials and labour. Over 5 million homes in the UK have inadequate cavity wall insulation and over 7 million have little or no loft insulation! If yours is among them, you could be missing out on hundreds of pounds worth of savings on your energy bills every year. So why not take advantage? Insulation really is the best solution to start saving money on your energy bills. 46

The whole process is simple, all you have to do is give British Gas a call and if you are eligible, they will book in a survey at a time convenient to you. Their survey is completely free and is just to make sure that your home can benefit from any additional insulation. They will then arrange a time to undertake the work, which will be completed in half a day with little fuss or mess. There is no catch, you don’t have to take out a contract, take up any British Gas products or services or even be a British Gas customer to take advantage! To be eligible you either have to live in a specific area or be in receipt of age related, disability or unemployment benefits. British Gas will check your eligibility when you phone them; calls are free.

Saving You Money

So what are you waiting for? We’re expecting demand to be high so give them a call right now free on 0800 980 9037. If you need any help contacting British Gas or require further information please contact Action with Communities in Rural Kent on 01303 813790 Action with Communities in Rural Kent The Old Granary, Penstock Hall Farm, Canterbury Road, East Brabourne, Kent, TN25 5LL Tel: 01303 813790 Fax: 01303 814203 www.ruralkent.org.uk Charity Number: 212796 VAT Number: 136202156

Another £630 raised by Bill’s Round

Roger Bevan

31 golfers played at Tudor Park on Friday 26 April, the first time Bill’s Round had been held there since June, 2000. Teeing off from 8.30 everyone got very wet until 11.30 after which it brightened up sufficiently for players to drip dry before enjoying braised beef casserole and treacle tart. Peter Webb, playing again after knee operations, won the tournament with 38 stableford points off a handicap of 24. He had won the Bill’s Round Trophy previously in 2005. Peter, from Ashford Golf Club, chose the Pilgrims Hospice at Ashford to receive the £630 raised. 47

Andy Burcher was second with 37 points and Dominic Scotton third with 36. There were four newcomers this time bringing to 167 the total number of men and women who have taken part since Bill’s Round started in 1998. Two nearest the pin prizes went to Tony Beedell, the official scorer, and Ash Gilbert, who lives in Brighton and works for the St. Barnabas House Hospice in Worthing. A pink ball team competition was won by Ashford’s Roy Coles, Alan Joynson, Dave Nickson and Peter Webb with 33 stableford points. The 33rd Bill’s Round charity golf event will take place at Sittingbourne Golf Club on Thursday, 24 October. If you haven’t joined in before and would like to take part, please contact me for full details. (roger.bevan@btinternet. com). Visit lenhamfocus.co.uk Follow us @lenhamfocus

Safety & Security

Take Care

We hope after the very cold winter we will feel the warm sun rays beaming down stronger, which if we do not take precautions will burn our bodies if exposed for long periods. Exposure for long periods in the sun can cause heatstroke, dehydration, burning sensations and blisters to the skin. To compensate for loss of body fluids, take frequent sips of cold water. Do not break blisters, use after sun preparations or calamine lotion. Any sore scabbed spots (melanomas) which give a burning sensation or any moles that change appearance and colour should be seen by a doctor. Wear a hat to protect your head, especially children and babies. It’s nice to look brown, but take great care. N.T. Colbran A word of warning I have recently visited a resident who has subscribed to a ‘Lifeline’-like product. While it appears to work you would be expected to sign up for TEN YEARS. You also have to pay up front. If we assume that the monthly charge is £20 that equals a lot of money. In most cases, if the cost is over £35 you must be given written notice that you have 7 days to cancel. If you are not, the seller could commit an offence. If you are approached by traders

Safety & Security

do not sign anything or agree to purchase anything without discussing it with someone first. This could be family, friends or neighbours. You are welcome to ring me too. If you do need to call the police do so at the time. Obviously you should not put yourself at risk, but a description of the people and vehicle would be a great help. If you need to contact traders please use the ‘Buy with Confidence Scheme.’ Details can be accessed online or through Citizen Advice Consumer Service. For advice call Trading Standards via Citizen Advice Consumer Service On 08454 040506. If you have been targeted by a scam, or know someone who has then call Action Fraud. 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk Learn more about scams and how to protect yourself On www.citizensadvice.org.uk and search scams. The national non-emergency for the police number is 101. If you are in Kent you will be put through to Kent Police. Thank you, Martin Sherwood Kent Community Warden Tel: 07977981993

Lenham Village Store Newsletter

Health Walks

Wow, I cannot believe that we are in June already and half way through the year. We hope that you are all enjoying your summer!

Do you often feel that you would like to take a short walk but are not keen on walking alone. Well help is at hand! Residents who use the Len Valley Practice are invited to contact me as short walks (at least to start with) are commencing and anyone who would like to take part is welcomed. The walks will last up to an hour and will have a trained leader to guide and point out any slight difficulties on the route. The walks will be easy and suitable for all ages and abilities. Did you know that walking can help you to:

Matthew and Jemma celebrate their first Wedding Anniversary at the beginning of this month, that year has really flown by – A big Congratulations to the both of them! Matthew also celebrates his first Father’s day as a daddy this year, which is on the 16th June. We will be selling father’s day cards in Store and we can wrap hampers or bottles if you are looking for a gift for a very Special Dad. We would also like to wish Carol & Frank Good Luck in their retirement from managing Atwater Court and moving away from Lenham, we wish them all the very best and thank them for their loyalty and custom during the years that we have been here. We hope that you all enjoy your holidays and as always, please do not hesitate to pop in and say hello.

Keep your heart, lungs, bones and muscles strong. Keep to a healthy weight. Feel more energetic. Reduce stress and depression. Feel better and sleep better.

If you are interested and wish to find out more please ring me. Additionally these walks will require walk leaders so if you are keen on walking and wish to help others to enjoy the benefits and are able to undergo a day’s training again please contact me to discuss. Marjorie Darby Tel: 01622 850657

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Guide to Buying Baby Toys 0-12 months

3-6 months

This guide is designed to help parents make toy choices and to assist friends in buying the most appropriate toy for your baby. It is organised by baby age as this provides the best overall guide. Remember also to use the age guide on the toy description and to ensure that the toy is from an established manufacturer who has designed to the latest EU safety regulations. For hygienic reasons toys which will be handled need to be washable.

This is an exciting time as baby becomes more interested in the environment and his/her mouth! Baby will like to pick up small toys (but not so small that they could be swallowed) and turn them over in his hand – before having a good chew!

0-1 month

The newborn has limited senses and toys which provide stimulation can be useful. Baby has very limited vision so toys with strong contrasting colours and movement are suitable. Cot mobiles provide stimulation and brighten up the room. A simple activity gym on a floor mat also provides stimulation. Rattles are always appreciated by baby. 1-3 months Baby is now developing rapidly and will be starting to lift his/her head and finding the world looks different! Playmats/activity gyms provide reaching shapes which baby can start to “punch”. Rattles attached to foot socks are also great for a good kick on the mat. These types of toys encourage the development of motor skills and hand to eye coordination. The use of texture is important and toys with multiple materials and sounds are appreciated by baby.

Guide to Buying Baby Toys

Toys with sound will intrigue baby but remember that you will need to live with the tune! Designs which incorporate a number of different parts or sections, like stacking blocks, provide stimulation. Baby can be introduced to books – maybe books with animals which will give the Grandparents an opportunity to practice their farmyard sounds …or maybe not! 6-9 months Baby may be sitting up by now and trying to crawl so toys which encourage crawling are good. These are toys which can roll such as wooden balls or soft balls with textures. This is a good time to introduce books with nursery rhymes and hand movement, maybe with a CD to help with the singing! 9-12 months Baby is on the move! Sitting and crawling is now second nature and furniture walking is fun - if a little unstable. A 4 wheel trolley with a handle will encourage mobility. Baby is starting to become

independent and exercise choice of play toys. Choosing a particular toy from the box is part of development. Manual dexterity is important so a toy which may be picked up and then opened or separated is fun. Baby will now enjoy musical toys and may have a special toy (make sure you have a backup special toy in case of loss). It should be noted that cuddly toys are more suited for older children. Author Info: Trevor Ginn is managing director at Hello Baby (www.hellobabydirect. co.uk) an online baby shop based in Bethnal Green, East London, UK. They sell a wide range of Toys and other baby products such as prams, pushchairs, nursery furniture and car seats. Trevor also writes a blog on eCommerce which can be found at www.trevorginn.com

Sweeny Todd Barbers Thank you to all our loyal customers who have supported us during our 1st year. As a big thank you to all our customers we are offering the chance to enter our fee prize draw. Between 1st May and 18th June every customer will receive a raffle ticket with a chance to win one of our great prizes.

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An update on the blanket project I would like to thank everyone who has taken part in the blanket project. From the people who have knitted the squares, donated wool, sewn or crocheted them together and those who have offered storage space for them. The ’Winterwarm’ scheme will run again later this year. I am hoping to run an event in the autumn so that those in need can be offered assistance in good time. I now need to arrange the collection and storage of completed blankets in readiness for this.

If you have loose squares it would be a great help if they could be sewn or crocheted together as there is a very large backlog. Each square should measure 6 inches by 6 inches. If you are not able to do this can you arrange to get the loose squares to me or one of my colleagues by the end of June. I also need to collect any completed blankets by the end of August. Each blanket is made up of 36 squares and should therefore measure 3 feet by 3 feet. A number of ‘Winterwarm’ events will be arranged to determine where the blankets need to go. If you know of someone who would appreciate one or who needs help or advice let us know and we will do our best to help. There are Kent Community Wardens for Bearsted, Boughton Monchelsea, Chart Sutton, Coxheath, Harrietsham,

An update on the blanket project

Headcorn, Lenham, Loose, Marden and Staplehurst. In addition, apart from a supervisor, there is a warden available to attend communities in the Maidstone area who do not currently have a warden of their own. For further information call Martin Sherwood Kent Community Warden Tel: 07977981993 E: martin.sherwood@kent.gov.uk Or for more information about the Warden Service see www.kent.gov.uk/ communitywardens

Summer Solstice June 21 2013 Local times for solstices worldwide The June solstice is known as the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice the southern hemisphere. The date varies between June 20 and June 22, depending on the year. Varying dates In the Gregorian calendar the June solstice dates vary. For example, it was on June 20 in 2012 and falls on June 21 at 5:04 AM UTC in 2013. A June 22 solstice will not occur until June 22, 2203. The last time there was a June 22 solstice, was in 1971. The varying dates of the solstice are mainly due to the calendar system – most western countries use the Gregorian calendar, which has 365 days in a year, or 366 days in a leap year. As for the tropical year, it is approximately 365.242199 days, but varies from year to year because of the influence of other planets. A tropical year is the length of time that the sun takes to return to the same position in the cycle of seasons, as seen from Earth. The exact orbital and daily rotational motion of the Earth, such as the “wobble” in the Earth’s axis (precession), also contributes to the changing solstice dates. The June solstice explained The June solstice occurs when the sun is at its furthest point from the equator – it reaches its northernmost point and the Earth’s North Pole tilts directly towards the sun, at about 23.5 degrees. It is also known as the northern solstice because it occurs when the sun is directly over the Tropic

of Cancer in the northern hemisphere. If the Earth’s rotation was at right angles to the plane of its orbit around the sun, there would be no solstice days and no seasons. The June solstice day has the longest hours of daylight for those living north of the equator. Those living or travelling to the north of the Arctic Circle are able to see the “midnight sun”, where the sun remains visible throughout the night, while those living or travelling south of the Antarctic Circle will not see sun during this time of the year. For those living near the equator, the sun does not shift up and down in the sky as much compared with other geographical locations away from the equator during this time of the year. This means that the length 53 of day temperature does not vary as much. The June solstice marks the first day of the summer season in the northern hemisphere. The word solstice is from the Latin word “solstitium”, meaning “sun-stopping”, because the point at which the sun appears to rise and set stops and reverses direction after this day. On this day, the sun does not rise precisely in the east, but rises to the north of east and sets to the north of west allowing it to be in the sky for a longer period of time. In the southern hemisphere, the June solstice is known as the shortest day of the year. It is when the sun has reached its furthest point from the equator and marks the first day of winter. http://goo.gl/AtljA

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London Marathon

On behalf of Maz, Mark, Kim and myself I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the village for the support and generosity shown to all of us. Those of you that travelled up to cheer us on, tracked us on the computer or cheered at the TV in the hope that you saw us, thank you, it meant a lot knowing we had so much support. You have helped us raise thousands of pounds for worthy causes and also shown us support when we were struggling with little demons in our heads saying we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t continue.

London Marathon

Stuart Obbard, Maz Michaelas, Mark Hatcher and Kim Carey

Overall we loved the London Marathon experience, some of us plan to try to get back there and run it again in the next few years, while the others may just go back to cheer on others that are running, either way we plan on going back and enjoying what is a wonderful experience. Thank you again for your continued support.

Riding Your Bike This Spring Can Help the Environment – And Your Weight As spring approaches rapidly, it is important to remember one of the best things about nice weather is that the outdoors is no longer a cold, windy burden. Rather, as we enter the new season, we should look at the outdoors as our destination. Particularly those who want to lose a bit of weight, the outdoors may actually be a saving grace. Particularly with an environment in crisis, who wouldn’t want to spend as much time in it as possible? Imagine, however, that you could at the same time enjoy the environment and help to save it, all while exercising and helping to stay in shape. No, you don’t need to be superman. Such a feat can be accomplished by changing your daily commuter routine from a car to a bicycle. Granted, you may have to leave a bit sooner than you would with your car, but at the end of the day (or week), you will save yourself loads of cash on gas and gain that much back in exercise. There are plenty of kinds of bikes out there, however, and prices will vary. As such, it is important to know which bike is best for us when we go shopping for one.

recognizable to the untrained eye, but many times it can mean the difference between a $150 and $500 bike. Brand recognition also plays a large part in the price of bikes, so if you are a bargain shopper it is important to not only seek out the right type, but also the right brand, of bike. Mountain bikes are best for those who aren’t traveling a very far distance or those who have to traverse harder terrain, such as hills or unpaved roads. The tires are generally more treaded on these bikes to give more traction, and depending if you want all of the optional parts of these bikes they can 55 get pretty pricey.

The types of bikes for mainstream consumers include mountain bikes, touring bikes, and cruiser bikes. The differences between them are barely

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Touring bikes are perfect for the longer distance commuter, or those with more bags. Unlike the mountain bike, it has racks mounted on it, which allow for easy carrying of cargo such as a briefcase.

bicycle may not have been the first idea to cross your mind, but once you try it out, it will likely be your last. Saving the environment as well as exercising is a deal in itself that nobody else could bargain for.

The frame geometry of these bikes is specifically designed for an easy, comfortable ride wherever you are traveling. For those commuters who will primarily be on the paved roads and taking it easy, this should be your choice. Cruiser bicycles, similar to touring bikes, have an upright seating alignment and are meant for steady riding. These bikes actually served as an inspiration for mountain bikes and, since their decline after the 1950’s, have grown more popular – and more affordable – since the 1990’s.

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The next time you are sitting in traffic while you commute, thinking to yourself that you should be exercising, imagine that you could be solving both problems in one easy step. Riding a

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Want to work out and contribute to saving the planet? Riding a bicycle or cycling instead of using fuel should be your answer this spring.

Find cycles

www.exspecto.com/uk/cycling

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Thoughts & Reports Christian Message June 2013 Rush rush rush. Sometimes it seems that I rush from one thing to the next; from services to visiting, to sermon preparation, to committee meeting, to school assembly, to choosing hymns, to emailing our children, to writing the Christian Message! I am sure that all our lives are often like this, rushing along with barely time to stop, take stock, think and reflect. And if you are a parent of school-age or younger children, it’s at least twice as frantic! In his well-loved poem, W. H. Davies reminds us that there is more to life than our rushing to and fro: 62

“What is this life, if full of care we have no time to stand and stare? No time to see, in broad daylight, streams full of stars, like skies at night.” - W. H. Davies Our lives – though so full – become diminished if we don’t make the time to stop, look, think and reflect. We become so centred on fulfilling the needs of those around us, or accumulating money, status & stuff, that we forget the importance of quiet. One of the easiest ways to pray is just to stop, look at what’s around and simply thank God for what you see. Jesus said this: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out

Thoughts & Reports

…? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” - Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message translation) It’s June. Perhaps the sun will shine. Whatever the weather, take a pause, look around you and thank God for everything. And then pray for the needs of the people and situations you’re aware of. Get away with Jesus for at least a few minutes each day, “learning the unforced rhythms of grace” and see what a difference he makes. Rev Dick Venn

Informal Service June Informal service Come along to our June informal service where we will be studying the next line of the Lord’s Prayer. This month Cheryl Price will lead us in considering: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us She will bring some friends to perform a dance and lead us in worship and there will be an informal communion. The service will be at St John’s Church, Harrietsham, on Sunday 30th June, at 6.30pm. Please bring your families and friends and join us for praise and worship. Refreshments will be served afterwards. If you would like a lift to Church, please telephone 01622 859442. If you would be interested in joining the planning group and contributing to the worship at future services, then please do let me know.

Maidstone Guild Of Church Flower Arrangers The June meeting of the Guild is to be held at St Mary’s Church, Lenham on Monday 3rd June at 7.45 Susan Phillips will be the demonstrator and her title is The Promise of Summer. You are welcome to attend and there will be a visitor’s charge of £2.50 payable on the evening. Sue Greenwood

Pamela Cuerden

Flowers and Brass Cleaning in St Marys Church June 1st - Mrs La Plein and Mrs Perks June 8th and 15th - Mrs Humphrey and Mrs Easton June 22nd and 29th - Mrs Greenwood and Mrs Gibbons

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Church Services in Lenvally Benefice Services in June 2nd June – 1st Sunday after Trinity 8am Lenham BCP Holy Communion 8am Harrietsham BCP Holy Communion 9.30am Harrietsham Family Worship 9.30am Boughton Holy Communion 11am Lenham Holy Communion 11.15am Ulcombe Family Worship 9th June – 2nd Sunday after Trinity 8am Lenham BCP Holy Communion 09.30am Harrietsham Holy Communion 11.00am Lenham Morning Worship 11.15am Ulcombe Holy Communion 6.30pm Boughton Choral Evensong

16th June – 3rd Sunday after Trinity 8am Lenham BCP Holy Communion 9.30am Harrietsham Morning Worship 9.30am Boughton Holy Communion 11am Lenham Holy Communion 11.15am Ulcombe Morning Worship 23rd June – The Birth of St. John the Baptist 8am Lenham BCP Holy Communion 9.30am Harrietsham Holy Communion 9.30am Boughton Family Worship 11am Lenham Family Worship 11.15am Ulcombe Holy Communion 30th June – 5th Sunday after Trinity 8am Lenham BCP Holy Communion 10.00am Boughton Benefice Praise Service with Holy Communion 6.30pm Harrietsham Informal Service

Church Services in Lenvally Benefice

Prize Crossword

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