VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Rainbows, Brownies and Guides are collecting Sainsbury’s Active Kids and Tesco for Clubs and Schools Vouchers again this year and would welcome your support.   Vouchers can be dropped into their collecting boxes located in the Parish Office, High Street, during normal opening hours.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Oast WI’s New To You Spring Sale is in the Memorial Hall this morning between 10.15am and 12 noon.  Entry is £1 to include tea or coffee and homemade cake.  Everyone welcome and there will be a free crèche for the under 5’s. 

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
The February Otford & District Wine Club meeting will be a film show in the Memorial Hall on Wednesday February 23 at 8pm.  The evening will consist of several interesting short films from various sources and will include a free ice cream in the interval. Free for members, £3 for guests.  Please contact the Secretary Olive Cherry 01732 458240 for further information.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
A Bad Weather volunteer list is being compiled by the Parish Council of people who could be called upon to help to clear essential places/roads/paths etc. during extremely bad snow and ice or do essential shopping runs for vulnerable residents.  If you could help please contact
01959 524808 or otfordpc@btinternet.com.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Congratulations to Sue Stephenson our Assistant Clerk for receiving the Reg Stapley Memorial Award Certificate awarded by the North Kent Crime Prevention Panel.  Sue plays an invaluable role in dealing with enquiries from parishioners and by liaising with Paul, our Community Warden and Jane our PCSO.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Book your tickets for Otford Players next production of ‘Nobody’s Fool’ a comedy by Simon Williams on 10, 11 and 12 March.  Tickets cost £8 from the box office 01959 525404.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Dog Foiling is a perpetual problem on village pavements, the green and the recreation ground.  Many sports clubs use the recreation ground, many of them involving children and young people, and it is an offence if your dog fouls and you do not pick up after it as well as being anti social and health threatening.  There are plenty of bins available and you are requested to use them. 

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hospice in the Weald is offering various fund raising challenges including a Trekathon, Sky Dive, the Parish Bike Ride and a sailing challenge.  Phillipa 01892 820527 has more details.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Folk Dance Club meet at 8pm in the Church Hall, High Street, next Thursday February 24 dancing to recorded music with Keith Wright calling.

NEWS ITEM SUBMITTED
Otford Parish Plan News - Almost There ...
February 2011 and after two years of diligent work by the steering group as well as many members of the wider community, the Otford Parish Plan is almost ready to go to print.
Our Parish Council have reviewed all the content of the plan and support the results.
Members of the steering group have also concluded extended discussions with the head of strategic planning, head of community services and of housing policy at Sevenoaks District Council. They too are preparing their own plan for the whole Sevenoaks district so wished to ensure that Otford’s proposals were not at variance with the Local Design Framework Core Strategy.  They are not and the officers have been full of advice on how we might achieve some of our targets.
Now we are at the stage of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s of the final document.  We are at present editing hundreds of local and community photos  and designing the final  lay-out for Part One of this 40-odd page, full-colour plan. We hope be in print by the end of March.  A copy will then get delivered to every household in the parish.
Part Two is a different kind of document entirely and will only be available from the Parish Office.  It is what we call the Action Document and contains the specific actions that are being proposed to carry out the wishes of the community. It details who will be leading each section of work forward, who will be helping, how it will get funded and so on.  No pictures this time, just a lengthy schedule of proposed works for the community to undertake in the future.
Otford’s Parish Plan is not just a bunch of wishful thinking, as some would believe it. The Action plans are entirely practical, do’able  projects which the steering group have given a lot of time and thought to. A number of them are already in the early planning stage and you would be surprised at what is already being achieved. They won’t all happen tomorrow. Some will take time. They are all though achievable if you believe that they are worthwhile. So at the end of the day it will be up to you, the community, to give your support and help see them carried through.  
Rod Shelton, Chaiman Otford Parish plan Steering Group.
[Forum Discussion]

PARISH COUNCIL - FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER
The February edition of the newsletter is now on-line. Read all about: Bad Weather Volunteer list, Parish Chairman's News, Twinning, Seeking the Community's Advice Hale Lane Recreation Ground, Otford & District Wine Club, Community Warden Surgery, The Reg Stapley Memorial Award Certificate, Police Matters, Otford & District Historical Society, Otford Players, Diabetes UK – Open Evening, Sevenoaks Embroiderers Guild, The Quilling Guild – Otford Branch, Knole Decorative and Fine Arts Society, A Grand Day Out The Brandywine Music Big Charity Event, February's Eco Tips from the Otford Green Team, Otford Oast WI, Otford Afternoon WI, Otford Evening WI, WEA Day School, Reflexology, Massage and Reiki Healing, Aikido in Otford, No Cycling, Illumination and Enlightenment, British Society of Dowsers – Kent Branch, Dog Fouling, Picture of the Month, Hospices of Hope, Citizens Advice Bureau Surgery, Hospice in The Weald Challenge yourself in 2011 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.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Oast WI is holding a New To You Spring Sale in the Memorial Hall on Thursday February 17 between 10.15am and 12 noon.  On sale will be evening dresses, jackets, coats, skirts, trousers, handbags, scarves, jewellery and children’s fashions.  Entry is £1 to include tea or coffee and homemade cake.  Everyone welcome and there will be a free crèche for the under 5’s.  For more details contact Sue Isted 01959 523419.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Last year’s community production of ‘1940’s Remembered’ has been released on video and to date £150 of sale proceeds has been donated to Kent Air Ambulance.  The video, priced at £10, is available from Barbara Darby 01959 523339 for those who would like a memento of the commemoration of that historic year.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Time2Give is Kent Libraries and Archives volunteering programme which offers opportunities at over 100 Kent libraries.  People of all ages are welcome to volunteer and out of pocket expenses, such as travel to the Library, can be agreed.   Libraries offer a wide range of activities from help with IT, Library gardeners to create attractive reading gardens, Knit and Natter to couriers delivering books to the housebound and their carers.  Otford Library has vacancies for Computer Buddies, Ancestry Buddies, Craft Activities, Home Library Service Couriers, Local Sporting Heroes and Talk Time.  A leaflet is available from the library giving full details.     

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Sports Association is seeking nominations for the OSA-Kirsch Cup, awarded each year to a promising young local sportsperson, or a person who has made a valuable contribution to any recreational activity in Otford. This will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting.  If you would like to make a nomination please contact Kay Drake, 01959 522727  drake_kay@hotmail.com with the subject heading ‘Kirsch Cup’.   

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Cloud Forests of South America is the title of the next Sevenoaks Wildlife talk at the
Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre, Sevenoaks at 7.30 on Friday February 11, adults £3 students £1.
Cloud Forests are stunning habitats with a wealth of flora and fauna, some found nowhere else on Earth!  But Cloud Forests are also a rare and threatened habitat.  Go along to find out more about the world's 'Foggy Forests' and their fabulous inhabitants.  The centre’s entrance is on north side off A25, Bradbourne Vale Rd, between Riverhead and Bat & Ball, TN13 3DH.  Contact David Nimmo, 01689 828831 davidwnimmo@tiscali.co.uk for more information.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Library hold a Talk Time session between 11.30 and 12.30pm every Monday morning with coffee and a chat and on Saturday February 12 between 2.30 and 3.30pm, they are offering Stories and Yoga Fun.   More information is available from the Library 01959 522488.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Players next production is ‘Nobody’s Fool’, a comedy by Simon Williams. Performances are on March 10, 11 and 12 at 8.00 pm. The last three productions always sell out very quickly so early booking is vital.  Reserve your seats now for this very funny play, which is full of brilliant one liners. Tickets are £8 and are on sale now from the box office 01959 525404.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford and District Wine Club’s February meeting will be a film show in the Memorial Hall at 8pm on Wednesday February 23.   The evening will consist of several interesting short films from various sources and will include a free ice cream in the interval. Free for members, £3 for guests.  Please contact the Secretary Olive Cherry 01732 458240 for further information.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Otford Afternoon WI meetings are held at 2pm on the second Tuesday of each month in the Memorial Hall.   Visitors are very welcome and further details can be found on the Otford village web site at www.otford.info with the link to the WI, or telephone Joyce Shaw 01959 522736.

VILLAGE REPORT - KAY DRAKE 522727
Hospices of Hope urge you not to miss their next fund raising event a musical treat at  Christchurch, High Street, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday February 19 at 7.30pm.  This stunning and contemporary venue will host a superb performance by Carol Anne Wells, pianist and vocalist, and Elianne Pretorain, Romanian Opera Singer.  Standards ticket £10 each, VIP ticket £13 each to include interval refreshments.  Tickets available from wendy@hospicesofhope.co.uk, 01959 525110, or from the office at Christchurch, High Street, Tunbridge Wells, 01892 522323.