VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
SDC offer a Christmas tree disposal service via their fortnightly garden waste collection service up to, and including, Monday January 31. The service will collect Christmas trees with trunks less than 89mm (three and a half inches) wide from the boundary of residents' property on their scheduled fortnightly garden waste collection day. Trees must be put out by 7am minus any pots, stands or decorations. Trees with a trunk more than 89mm wide can be taken to the Council's Household Recycling site for composting.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Citizens Advice Bureau Surgery will take place at the School House between 10am and 2pm on Tuesday January 4 or contact them on 01732 454443.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Sevenoaks Neighbourhood Policing Team will be holding their next surgery at Otford Post Office, The Parade, between 3 and 4pm on Monday January 10 and at Homebase between 2 and 3pm on Monday January 17 if you have any local policing issues.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
A reminder that as Sevenoaks Embroiderers' Guild do not meet in December their next meeting will take place on January 29.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Jo Thomas will be talking to Sevenoaks Branch of Wildlife Trust at 7.30 tomorrow about why she is Wild About India after a memorising journey through that country. The meeting is at the Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre at Sevenoaks Reserve, Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks and tickets cost £3 per adult with children under 16 charged £1. Ticket price includes mince pies and light refreshments.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Guide Christmas Post Boxess are open in the Library and Parish Council Office until tomorrow Friday 17 and deliveries will take place over the weekend. Stamps cost 20p per card with all of the money raised going to Spring House Family Support Service Sevenoaks and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Methodist Church would like to welcome you to their special Christmas services on Sunday. The Christmas Nativity Family Service is at 10.30am, a great family event, and at 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight, an opportunity to enjoy a traditional Christmas evening. Their special Christmas Christingle Service is on Christmas Eve Friday December 24 at 5.00pm. This is a special service for children and the young at heart, For further details contact Kath Pawlett 01959 522196.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Folk Dance Club meets tonight in St Bartholomew's church centre, off the green, at 8pm to dance to the Whirling Dervish Band with Eddie calling. All welcome to a friendly evening of folk dancing.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hatha Yoga classes for beginners and all abilities starts on Tuesday 4 January 2011 in the Church Hall at Otford. Lessons are weekly between 7.30 and 9.00pm and cost £8. For further details and to reserve a place contact Brenda Hambrook 01959 525969.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hospices of Hope in the High Street would like to hear from you if you can offer them a little time to work in their Tea Room and Gift Shop or their Antique Shop. The Gift Shop is open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday 10am until 5pm and as well as gifts they have an extensive second hand bookshop selling good quality paperbacks, hardbacks and a children's corner. There is also an unwanted goods donation drop off point. 01959 524322.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
St Bartholomew's Christmas presentation and nativity play is on Sunday at 10am. The Young People's Fellowship will be contributing to a Christmas presentation and the Sunday Club will be performing a traditional Nativity Play. Their Nine Lessons and Carols Service is also on Sunday at 6.30pm followed by refreshments in the church centre.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Sevenoaks Neighbourhood Policing Team asks that you are vigilant at this busy Christmas time. When out shopping use a purse chain to secure your purse in your handbag, keep the purse at the bottom of the bag and make sure the bag is done up. Wear your handbag across your body if possible and keep you bag where you can see it when doing supermarket shopping. Don't leave your bag on the back of a chair or on the floor when you are in a café or restaurant and don't leave your purse, wallet, bag or any other valuable on show in an unattended car. If you need to use a cash machine try to use one inside a bank or shop and don't let anyone disturb you while you are doing so. Finally don't carry too much cash with you and don't have your bank card numbers written down with the cards. If you would like more advice about security or want to get a purse chain you can contact your neighbourhood officer by ringing 01622 690690.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford is holding a retirement party for our Parish Clerk, Barbara Darby, on Friday December 10 at 6pm in the Memorial Hall to which all residents are invited. Barbara has given 25 years unstinting service to the village and if you would like to contribute to a collection for her please send or deliver it to the Assistant Clerk Sue Stephenson at the Parish Office.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
The Tree of Lights service takes place tomorrow at 7pm on the Village Green followed by seasonal refreshments in the new St Bartholomew's Church Centre. If you would like to participate labels are available from the Parish Council Office for your messages or phone them and they will write your card for you. Cheques for your donation should be made out to Otford Parish Council and delivered to them. The Tree of Light will remain lit up until after the New Year and donations will again be going to Hospice in the Weald.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Library is holding a Christmas Event between 10.30am and 12.30pm, on Saturday. Buy your own stocking fillers, cards, wrapping paper and much more, while enjoying the sound of Christmas carols sung by a local choir. Coffee and mince pies will be available. Contact the Library, in the High Street, for further information 01959 522488.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Post your local Christmas cards early in the Guide Christmas Post Box in the Library or the Parish Council Office for delivery over the weekend of December 18 and 19. Otford's Brownies and Guides are again running a Christmas post service to deliver all your cards for Otford village and cards must be post before Friday December 17. Stamps will remain at 20p per card with all of the money raised going to Spring House Family Support Service Sevenoaks and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hospices of Hope is holding a fund raising Cheese, Wine and Rock n Roll evening at Sunrise Senior Living, Chipstead on Wednesday December 15 with tickets at £7.50 available from Wendy 01959 525110 wendy@hospicesofhope.co.uk

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Methodist Church welcomes everyone to join them at their special Christmas services on Sunday December 19. At 10.30am there is a Christmas Nativity Family Service, a great family event for toddlers to Grandparents and at 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight, a great opportunity to enjoy a traditional Christmas evening. For further details contact Kath Pawlett on 01959 522196.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Guide Christmas Post Box
Otford's Brownies and Guides will again be running a Christmas post service to deliver all your cards for Otford village. A post box will be available in Otford Library between Friday November 26 and Friday December 17 inclusive, during opening hours, with a second box in the Parish Office Monday to Friday. The cards will be delivered by Brownies, Guides and Leaders over the weekend December 18/19 with all proceeds divided between Spring House Family Support Service Sevenoaks and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Stamps will remain at 20p per card with all of the money raised going to these charities. Give generously and support Guiding in its Centenary year by posting early to ensure this year's post service is its most successful one.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Gardeners Society is holding a Quiz and Fun Night social evening on December 7 in the Memorial Hall. The evening will start at 7.30pm with a 'warm-up' quiz to break the ice followed by a table quiz with prizes for the winners. Maximum team size is 6 people. Admission is £3 per person, take your own drinks. Booking is not essential but would be preferred. More details from the Society Secretary, Janet Finney on 01959 523760, e-mail gardeners@otford.net or visit our website www.otford.info/gardeners.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hospices of Hope is holding a fund raising Festive Ladies Luncheon on Tuesday December 7 at Brandshatch Place Hotel & Spa £28 a ticket, with Guest Speaker Paul Harris a professional Dame & Radio Kent DJ. For further information please contact wendy@hospicesofhope.co.uk 01959 525110

PARISH COUNCIL - DECEMBER NEWSLETTER
The December edition of the newsletter is now on-line. Read all about: Parish Clerk – Retirement, Parish Chairman's News, Race to Infinity, Tree of Light, Guide Christmas Post, Progress on the Parish Plan, St Bartholomew's Church Christmas Services, Otford Methodist Church Services, St Bartholomew's Church Choir Concert, Community Warden Surgery, Police Contact Numbers, Crime reduction advice from your Sevenoaks Neighbourhood Policing Team, Otford & District Historical Society, Yoga Class, Christmas Cards, Kemsing Singers Carol Concert, Christmas/New Year Travel Details, Revised Christmas and New Year refuse collection times, Friends of Otford Library (FOOLS), Otford Methodist Wednesday Afternoons Women's Fellowship, Cantate Choir - Christmas Concert by Candelight, Otford Primary Top Draw, Otford & District Wine Club, Otford Oast WI, Otford Afternoon WI, Otford Evening WI, Picture of the Month, Hospices of Hope, Citizens Advice Bureau Surgery, Landfill Smell and Planning matters.

You can contact the Parish Council at The School House, 21 High Street Tel: 01959 524808, e-mail parishcouncil@otford.net with office hours 08:30 - 12:30 Mon to Fri.