Otford, the village in Kent, South East England

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the village in Kent, South East England

Otford Village News [post your own Otford Village News item]
28 MAY	ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S At Family Worship, Sunday 6th June at 9.30 am, we have Roly - the clown with a message - coming to St Bartholomew's to share in our service. Everyone is welcome join us. For more details of this, or any other service, contact the Church Office 01959 523185.
22 MAY	CRICKET CLUB The May edition of "The Mitre" [], the newsletter for Otford Cricket Club is now on-line. If you would like more information about Otford Colts Cricket for boys and girls, between 7 - 15, please contact Angie Stevens on 01959 523881.
20 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Welcome to Darren Mitchell, from Boughton Monchelsea, who has taken over Otford Post Office from Jennifer. Darren has already implemented some improvements and has introduced Morris Larkins pictures of the local area for sale in the shop. He is currently planning a revamp of the Post Office counter area and would be very interested to hear his customers views on his proposal to install a glass-less ‘Combi-counter’ in place of the existing screens which would make the whole process of using Post Office services more customer friendly.
20 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Village Fete, Bank Holiday Monday, 31st, is the biggest fund raising event of the year and starts off with a procession at 12.30p.m., with the Fete being officially opened at 1.00p.m. Attractions this year include circus entertainers, jazz and concert bands, commercial stalls, a Fancy Dress Competition, giant raffle, tombolas, bouncy castles etc. Refreshments will be available and entry is £1/adult and £1/car with all proceeds going to worthy local causes.
20 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford and District Wine Club is organising the Ice Cream Stall at the Fete and members are being asked for any help they can provide to man the stall during the afternoon. Even if you can only do half an hour this would greatly assist. Last year they had record sales of ice cream which enabled the Club to support local charities and to supplement some of the Club’s activities. The Club is also holding a Music Quiz at 8.00p.m. Wednesday 26th May, Memorial Hall, organised by David Prestage. You are invited to go along for a fun night out amongst friends and, as usual, it is free to members with a small fee for visitors. There will be a prize for the winner and a raffle and cheese and biscuits will be provided if you take long your own liquid refreshments. The Club would also like to thank Sainsbury’s for their generosity in hosting a Wine Tasting in April which was much enjoyed and appreciated.
20 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Primary School is holding their Summer Fete from 12.00 noon Saturday 3rd July and would like you to make a note in your diary not to miss this major fund raising event. The afternoon is a popular, fun, family event and there will be lots of stalls and attractions including a Mega-slide, bouncy caste, BBQ, beer tent, cakes, face painting, ‘beat the goalie’ and lots more. There will be dancing displays involving lots of local children and everyone is invited to join in the fun.
20 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Footpath 49 closure/diversion was fully debated at the Otford Society AGM on 6th May and they voted overwhelmingly against the draft order to close the footpath where it crosses the railway and divert it via the A225 bridge, across the Station forecourt. The Society also endorsed a proposal for a public petition which is available at the Heritage Centre/Parish Office for those who do not wish to write to DEFRA and can be signed either ‘for’ or ‘against’ during opening hours until Bank Holiday Monday, 31st May.
18 MAY	PARISH COUNCIL - MAY NEWSLETTER The May edition of the newsletter is now on-line, including details of the public petition regading the proposed Stopping Up of FP49 at Otford Station, news about the Village Fete, St Bartholomew's Fair, a Glaucoma Support Group meeting on the 19th May and the latest from many clubs and societies in Otford. Also, read about Otford's role in Aviation History and the imminent Transit of Venus next month.
13 MAY	OTFORD SOCIETY May Newsletter now on-line, including recent AGM Annual Report and previous Minutes. Also, letters to the Editor, Vincent Tilley's Boyhood Memories of Otford, 1940 - 1956, and an update on Laing Homes development plans for Station Road. Please note the future dates for your diary. If you are not a member (over 1,100 in Otford), please consider joining the Otford Society, contact otfordsociety@otford.net .
13 MAY	ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S The May edition of the Parish Magazine is now on-line, with details of the change in time of the mid-morning service and lots of other Church and Village news. St. Barts Church Office and the Vicar, Rev. Pat Hopkins, can be contacted at st.bartholomews@otford.net or 01959 523185.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Cricket Club Colts started the 2004 season last Sunday morning with coaching on the Recreation Ground. There are still places available for boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 15 to join in. There are 10 weeks of coaching from 3 ECB qualified coaches, friendly matches for under 9s, tournaments for under 9s and 11s and league cricket in the new Mid Kent Youth League for under 11s, 13s and 15s. If you want to join in, you are invited to come down to the Recreation Ground on Sunday at 10.30 a.m. If you want further details contact Angie Stevens on 01959 523881.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Residents in Tudor Drive and Well Road, as well as any residents who feel an objection is required, are urged to write to The Secretary of State, DEFRA, Room 1-02, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EB, quoting reference ROW/7 about the proposal to close public footpath SR49 (part) where it crosses the railway line just south of Otford Station. Basically the authorities want to be rid of the crossing that goes over the railway lines on safety grounds and if enough people write and complain against the closure then there has to be a public enquiry. Letters of objection have to be received no later than 3.6.04 and it would be appreciated if copies of any letters written could be dropped into the Parish Council.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 St Michael's School, Row Dow, is holding an open morning to encourage viewing of this successful, co-educational, preparatory school of 400 pupils aged 2-13 years. The school offers a caring family community, small class sizes, excellent sports facilities, including full size sports hall and a 25m indoor swimming pool, on a wonderful 90 acre site. Scholarships are available for entry into years 7 & 8 and you are invited to go along between 9.30 and 11.30a.m. on Tuesday 18th May and let the school speak for itself.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Embroiderers Guild, Sevenoaks Branch, will be hearing a talk by William Kentish-Barnes entitled ‘Goldwork and Golden Threads’ at their next meeting on Saturday 29th May starting at 2.00p.m. in the Memorial Hall. All are welcome and further details are available from Barbara Savager 01959 523484.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Evening WI are holding a Bumper Boot Sale this Saturday (15th) in the Memorial Hall. As more than 45 tables have been sold there will be a great variety of goods on sale. Buying starts at 9.30a.m. and you are invited to go along before 12.30 and buy. Entrance just 50p. with children admitted free of charge.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Folk Dance Clubs special barn dance, in aid of Macmillan Nursing and Heart of Kent Hospice on Saturday 24th April in the Church Hall, was a great success with over £500 being raised and split between the two charities. Both the local Otford ‘Footloose’ band and caller Eddie Crook volunteered their services free of charge. Their next Thursday Night Special is at 8.00p.m. on Thursday May 29th in the Church Hall with ‘The Pilgrims Way Band’ playing and Eddie and Morris calling. Admission is £1.50 including tea, coffee or squash and your first visit is free. New members are always welcome, all dances are called and walked through first so beginners need not fear about being the only ones not in the know. Go along or ring Morris 01959 522355 for further details.
13 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Folk Dance Clubs special barn dance, in aid of Macmillan Nursing and Heart of Kent Hospice on Saturday 24th April in the Church Hall, was a great success with over £500 being raised and split between the two charities. Both the local Otford ‘Footloose’ band and caller Eddie Crook volunteered their services free of charge. Their next Thursday Night Special is at 8.00p.m. on Thursday May 29th in the Church Hall with ‘The Pilgrims Way Band’ playing and Eddie and Morris calling. Admission is £1.50 including tea, coffee or squash and your first visit is free. New members are always welcome, all dances are called and walked through first so beginners need not fear about being the only ones not in the know. Go along or ring Morris 01959 522355 for further details.
6 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Bank Holiday Mondays Village Fete, on 31st May, is progressing well and there is still talk of reviving the Tug of Wag competition. If you are interested in competing, or would like to comment on this proposal, please ring Mark Stevens 01959 525120. If you are willing to participate in the procession, whose theme this year is ‘Television’ then John Roberts 01959 522521 is the man to contact.
6 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Fantazia, a multicultural band of musicians from Algeria and the UK, is the next offering on the Applause programme in the Memorial Hall at 8.00p.m. on Saturday 15th May. Fantazia play a breathtaking blend of Gnawa, Chabbi and Dance and is built around original compositions of Algerian oud player Yazid. The band includes oud, sax, flute, violin, trumpet, keyboards, derbouka, bass and drums. They are confident that nothing of the like has been seen or heard in Otford before so you are invited to go along and enjoy a very different evening of top class music. Tickets are available from the Parish Office between 8.30a.m. and 12.30p.m. Monday to Friday, 01959 524808.
6 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Otford Society meets tonight Thursday (6th May) at 8.00p.m. in the Memorial Hall for their Annual General Meeting and you are cordially invited to attend. The Societies sponsored celebration lunch for Shakespeare’s birthday and St. George recently was very successful and reputedly the best yet. The event was held in the Club Room of the Memorial Hall, which had been beautifully decorated with the red and white of England. After a delicious lunch, prepared and served by lady members, Mr. Jim Leicester of the Royal Society of St. George proposed the toast ‘England and St. George’ and spoke of the legend of the dragon. Mr. Roger Faux talked on the subject of ‘The Men of Kent Society’ and Mrs. Marian Wills told the meeting of a recent visit to a Coptic church in Egypt which is dedicated to St. George. The Pilgrims Way WI District Choir provided appropriate songs, ending with a lovely arrangement by Mavis Gook of ‘Rose of England’ and, as always, Mr. Ray Russell of the Sevenoaks Shakespeare Society paid tribute to our national bard. His finale was a rousing rendition of Henry V’s speech at Agincourt. An evening dinner on 23rd April 2005 is already being planned, although places may be limited. For more details of the Society and its programme please contact 01959 522709.
6 MAY	VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727 Coffee Morning for Christian Aid in the Otford Methodist Church Hall between 10.00a.m. and 12.00 noon this Saturday (8th) will also offer a car wash, bring and buy, cakes, plants books etc. If you do support this event you will receive a warm welcome.
VILLAGE NEWS ARCHIVE 2004 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2003 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2002

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