Otford Village Information

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25 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Allotments Association has a very important 50th year ahead in 2004 and hopes to celebrate it by replacing the existing, but rather elderly, equipment shed. There have been many changes over the past year, with some very good gardeners leaving to pursue other activities, or parts of the world, which left some 20 plots to be filled. The site is now fully tenanted with 59 members of the Association, many of them women or young couples, but if you would like to be added to the waiting list please call into the Parish Office or ring Barbara Hine 01959 525468.
25 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Elidai and the Coal Yard, Station Approach, have been bought by Laing Homes South East Thames Limited who are contemplating submitting applications for residential development. This is a ‘brownfield’ site i.e. a site which is already built on and could be redeveloped. Laing’s have asked the Otford Society to join in local discussions on what form the development might take. Among things to be considered are the access from the site onto busy Station Road, opposite Russell House School, and the extra traffic that will be generated. Consultations will be in advance of any planning application so members of the Society have been asked to put their views forward through their chairman 01959 522709.
25 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otfprd Netball Club would like to hear from anyone aged between 8 and 17 who would like to play on Saturdays between 9.45 and 11.15a.m. at Walthamstow Hall Senior School for Girls, Hollybush Lane, Sevenoaks. All games and practices are played outside and are supervised by A.E.N.A. coaches and umpires. The club will be celebrating their 10th birthday next year and if you would like to join or receive more information please call 01959 523114.
25 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Demelza House Hospice benefited by a total of £619 as a result of a very enjoyable dance evening on Friday 5th December. This amount was raised through raffles and donations and has been forwarded to the hospice. The organisers would like to thank all those who helped to make the evening such a success.
19 DEC	PARISH COUNCIL - NEWSLETTER The December edition of the newsletter is now on-line, with news on many events happening in Otford at Christmas and Public Transport Travel Details over the holiday period. This month's Picture of the Month is by Michael Crook. News also from different clubs in the village, including Parent & Toddler Group, Swing Dance Club, Netball Club, Wine Club and Ducklings Nursery Pre-School.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Cricket Club are looking for additional players to augment their very successful teams. Nets for seniors start at Sevenoaks indoor cricket school in Plymouth Drive on Thursday, January 8th and for the colts on Tuesday January 6th. Anyone interested in joining the Club, and attending net practice, should contact Mark Stevens 01959 523881.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Folk Dance Clubs ‘Christmas Dance’ is tonight (Thursday) at 8.00p.m. in the Church Hall. Eddie and Morris will be calling for The Pilgrims Way Band and admission and membership is £1.50, including tea/coffee and biscuits with your first free. If you are interested please go along, visit their website: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/otfordfdc2 or ring 01959 522355 for further information.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Heritage Centre has a large number of village related videos on sale which make nice presents both for present, and past, village residents. A new one added to the list is the ‘Replacement of the Stone Bridge over the upper cut of the Darent at Otford, 2003’ by Barbara Darby, priced at £6 and running for 18 minutes. It records in graphic detail the first drill into the tarmac on 23rd June, through to the resurfacing and restoration of the road some ten, roasting hot, weeks later. The last ‘new’ bridge was apparently built in 1732 at a cost to the parish of 12 guineas but unfortunately we don’t know what this year’s bridge cost.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Guide Christmas post box closes tomorrow (Friday) so you just have time to get your stamps at the Library at 15p. each for them to deliver your cards around the village before Christmas. This year’s proceeds will go to Sight Savers International so please support both the guides and their worthy cause.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 St. Bartholomew’s Christmas events include a Nativity Play by Sunday School children at 11.10a.m. on Sunday 21st in the Village Hall and a service of nine lessons and carols at 6.30p.m. in the church, followed by seasonal refreshments in the Church Hall.
18 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Congratulations to all those residents who have taken the time and trouble to decorate the outside of their houses with Christmas lights. It is very cheering, particularly on recent wet and windy nights, to see their welcome glow.
11 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Congratulations to Daisy, Georgie, Grace and Imogen who held a very successful Christmas Craft Fair i nSt. Bartholomew's Church Hall on Sunday 30th November. They raised approximately £160 for Marie Curie and would like to thank everyone who supported this event. The Lucky Door prize was won by Mrs. Cutts.
11 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Awards were presented at the recent annual dinner of the Otford Cricket Club to Roger Selleck (league bowling), Peter Richardson (league batting), John Boyden (Sunday batting) and Alex Smith (Sunday bowling). The Ted Hewitt Clubman Trophy was presented to Steve Ballard for his contribution as chairman, umpire, photographer and general all rounder, and the Chairman's Award went to Angie Stevens for her work developing the youth section. Other presentations were made to junior Leo Harris for his 5-30 against Meopham and to Roger Selleck for his hat-trick. Mrs Jennifer Lewis was also presented with flowers for the vocal support she gave to the team in the league contests and thanks were given to the wives and girl friends of players for their support.
11 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Village Community Players would like to express their gratitude to all those who attended their performances of 'Joe Carpenter & Son' and provisional estimates indicate that over £1,000 will be divided between the Church and Hospice in the Weald. Thanks also go to the cast and all back stage who gave so much of their time. With a suitable script the Community Players might revive but for the time being they are hibernating.
6 DEC	PARISH COUNCIL - MULTIMEDIA PROJECTOR Otford's Multimedia Projector is now up and running, which means it can be hired for video and computer presentations for your club/society meetings. Hiring depends on a trained operator being available, there will be a nominal charge for village societies, slightly more for other local clubs More details.
6 DEC	OTFORD SOCIETY December Newsletter now on-line, including an update on Laing Homes development plans for Station Road, Review of Barbara Darby's new video on the Replacement of the Stone Bridge over the Darent and Book Review of John Frith, Scholar and Martyr by Brian Raynor. Memories of past village life, particularly the cold winters and more! [A couple of pictures included in the distributed newsletter are not yet showing on-line.] If you are not a member (over 1,100 in Otford), please consider joining the Otford Society, contact otfordsociety@otford.net .
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford School PTA are holding a Christmas Fair between 1.00 and 3.30p.m. this Saturday (6th) in the School Hall, admission adults 60p, under 16’s admitted free of charge. Loads of stalls to buy from plus a raffle to raise funds for the school.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Congratulations to the Village Community Players for their performances of ‘Joe Carpenter & Son,’ an English Nativity Play, last Friday and Saturday at St. Bartholomew’s Church. This was billed as a blend of humour, music and tradition and it was all three of these. The audience enjoyed a wonderful evening and all profits are being divided between St. Bartholomew’s Church and Hospice in the Weald. Many thanks to all concerned but especial thanks go to the producer/director Tibbs Finch and the choirs of the WI and Otford Primary School.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Friday (5th) The Delmelza House Children’s Hospice is holding a Christmas Dance at 8.00p.m. in the Memorial Hall. Bring your own refreshments and glasses and dance to live 50’s to 90’s music by Biriani. There will be raffles and prizes and tickets are available from Eve 01959 524887 and Sue 01959 522229.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Open auditions for the next production by Otford Players in March 2004 are being held at 8.00p.m. tomorrow (5th) in the Methodist Church Hall, High Street. If you are interested please go along or ring 01959 522786 for further details.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford and District wine club are holding their Christmas Social Saturday 13th December in the Memorial Hall. The evening starts with sherry at 7.15, followed by a three course Christmas dinner with four choices for each course, plus crackers and coffee and mints. Please take your own drinks and glasses. There will be live music for dancing, a raffle and a joke competition. Tickets £14 members £17 non-members. For tickets and menu please ring 01732 761359 but hurry to avoid disappointment.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 A man knocked at a house in the High Street on Monday morning 24th November, produced an empty bottle, and asked the housewife to fill it with tap water as he was from the Water Board and wanted to test the water. A phone enquiry the following morning established that no such sampling was authorised in Otford on that day. The man was white, about 45 years of age, mid-height and wore a yellow waistcoat.
4 DEC	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford cricketers were congratulated last month on finishing more than half way up the Kent County Village League table in their first year in the league. The club finished in eight position but, with only eight more points, would have jumped to fifth. Steve Ballard, Club chairman, said that the outcome was highly encouraging and it had been a distinctly good season for the club. Teams were successful on both Saturdays, and Sundays, and in the junior section, with several colts making their first appearance in the senior sides. More details next week.
	VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVE 2003 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2002

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