Former and current Otford girl guides and scouts invited to join together for World Thinking Day on Saturday 22 February

GIRL GIIDES AND GIRL SCOUTS around the world have celebrated World Thinking Day on 22 February annually since 1926. It is a day to connect with their worldwide sisters and enjoy being part of an organisation with 10 million global members. Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Trefoil and Leaders from Kemsing and Otford District will be marking the day on Saturday 22 February with a local walk, finishing at Otford village green where the WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scout) flag will be flying. If you were once a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide, Ranger or Leader you are invited to go along and join them at 11am on The Green when they will be renewing their Girlguiding promise. They would love to see you or follow them on social media using the hashtags #WTD2020 #Our Hands.

OTFORD FOLK DANCE CLUB meets at 8pm on Thursday 27 February at Walthamstow Hall Junior School with Peter Nixon calling. All kinds of mixed folk dances are on offer and all are welcome. Whether you have little or no knowledge, the caller will give help and your fellow dancers will also assist you. The emphasis is on friendly enjoyment rather than perfection If you would like more information ring Mary Butson, 01732 458356.

WORLD SAY OF PRAYERS: Parishioners will be participating in a World Day of Prayer service being held at 2pm on Friday 6 March at Otford Methodist Church. This year ‘Zimbabwe: Rise, take your mat and walk’ is the subject. There will be refreshments afterwards and everyone is welcome.

CHURCHYARD WORKING PARTY: St Bartholomew’s is looking for volunteers for a churchyard working party on Saturday 7 March. They are very short of helpers so if you could go along for an hour or so it would make a difference. Take some useful tools and just join in the fun. The church has also organised a soup lunch between noon and 2pm in the Church Centre on Monday 16 March. Suggested donation is £5 for home-made soup and bread and a light dessert.

MEMBERS WANTED: Otford and Seal Trefoil Guild (guiding for adults) meet on the third Thursday of each month at Kemsing Library, for talks as well as for other various social events, and would like to hear from you if you might like to join them. This is a small friendly group of ladies who have once been Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers or Leaders in one form or another, but their numbers are sadly diminishing. Do join them and help to keep this Guild alive. For more information please contact Kay Drake (see contact details at foot of this column).

FAIR FEAST 2020 is on Shrove Tuesday 25 February between 7.30 – 9.30pm. Fair Feast is held at Otford Methodist Church and consists of pancakes and other refreshments and a quiz, with prizes for those on the winning table. Admission is by ticket (£7, students £3.50) and they may be bought now, although payment need not be made until the night. Tables seat eight people but everyone is welcome and reservations may be made for any number from one upwards. To reserve places contact Glen Cable by calling 01732 457842 or email: glen-chris.cable@sky.com

All ticket receipts and any donations are donated to All We Can, the Methodist relief fund, to support work in an area of great need. This year, All We Can suggest that the money raised by Fair Feast 2020 will be used to support communities in Ethiopia which have been affected by their rapidly changing climate making it increasingly difficult to grow crops and earn a living.

All We Can are supporting vulnerable families in those communities with crops that are better adapted to the climate, as well as arranging, as necessary, training in farming and business management.

TONBRIDGE & MALLING RAMBLERS offer a short walk around Knole Park on Wednesday 15 March starting at 11am. Meet and park in the main Knole NT car park, £5 for non-members, car share if possible (TN15 0RP, TQ538543). Good paths and tracks. Followed by lunch or coffee in the National Trust cafe. Toilets near the start. Dogs on short leads. This is a circular walk with an estimated finish time of 12:30pm. For more info call: 01732 220477 or 07850 562527.

The Otford village news is compiled by Kay Drake. If you have any news or events you would like her to consider for the My Sevenoaks Community village column you can email her at: drake_kay@hotmail.com