Have your say on how you would like Otford to develop over the next 20 years
ST BARTHOLEMEW’S CHURCH FAIR is being held on Saturday 16 June on the village green outside the church. Stalls will include books, plants, cakes, crafts, white elephant, prize draw, gifts, bottles, toys, soft drinks, strawberries and cream and ices. There will be games and a bouncy castle for the children. The subject for this year’s art competition is ‘The World Cup’ with two categories 7-11 and under 7 and prizes will be awarded. All village children can enter. For more details contact Christeen Malan 01959 522654.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN: Organisers of the Otford Neighbourhood Plan will be at the Church Fair and they would like to hear what questions you would like included in their questionnaire which is planned to be distributed to all residents in the Autumn. Neighbourhood Plans provide the opportunity for residents to set out a positive vision of how they want their community to develop over the next 20 years in ways that meet identified local need and make sense to local people.
At this stage it is anticipated that the plan will cover: Sustainable housing and other development that respects local character and history, and the natural assets of the surrounding area: Maintaining and encouraging a thriving local economy including rural tourism and leisure activities to enhance local facilities and support the ongoing sustainability of our community: Transport and communications: traffic management, cycle and walking paths and infrastructure and wider broadband availability and Policies to enhance access and, at the same time, to protect the landscape and environment within and surrounding Otford.
This is an opportunity to have your say so you are invited to make yourself known to the Committee as they would welcome your initial thoughts on any of the broad areas mentioned above.
ART IN JUNE, Open Studios, runs from 8 – 24 June, with 52 Sevenoaks and Edenbridge artists opening their studios/homes to show their work to the public. Two Otford artists are participating this year and both Barbara Darby and Julian Cheswick will be displaying their work at Hope Church, The Mill Lane Centre, Mill Lane, Sevenoaks TN14 5BX between 10am and 4pm on Saturdays 16 & 23, Thursdays 14 and 21 and between 3 and 6pm on Fridays 15 & 22 and Sundays 17 and 24. Visit www.artinjune.org. for more information.
OTFORD GARDENER’S Rose and Summer Show is open to the public from 2.15pm on Saturday 23 June. This show brings together beautiful flowers and tasty fruit and vegetables from the early Summer garden. There will also be flower arrangement, cookery and photographic classes to be won. Admission is 50p and teas will be served until 4pm.
THERE is still time to donate to Stan the Barbers retirement gift by taking your contribution along to the Parish Council Offices in the High Street, opposite Stans. The offices are open between 8.30am and 12.30pm Monday to Friday. Stan will be hosting an Open House between 10am and 5pm on Saturday 30 June and you are invited to go along and wish him well.
OTFORD UNITED Junior Football Club is currently looking for under 13 football players to join their team for the 2018/2019 season. The team are an U12 side playing up an age group in the Ashford A League where they finished as runners up this season. Home games are played on Saturdays at Hale Lane Recreation Ground. The club is interested in hearing from current school Year 7 or 8 boys looking to play at a good standard in a successful team and for an inclusive friendly, club. They are looking for different positions but specially a goalkeeper and defenders. For more details contact Paul Schooley on 07747 762703 or email paul.schooley@oujfc.com.
CONGRATULATIONS to Elizabeth Ward and her helpers from both Otford and Kemsing Parish Councils, Kent Wildlife Trust and many more who ran the Family Nature Event at Oxenhill Shaw on Saturday 2 June. The event was virtually rained off last year, with only a handful of stalwarts braving the rain and cold, but this year dawned a lovely late spring day with some wonderful wild flowers having sprung up with the rise in temperature. The treasure and bug hunts were much enjoyed, as were the leaf and flower recognition, drawing and painting and nature crafts. All the children had the opportunity to have their faces painted or a tattoo imprinted so a lovely afternoon was able to be spent out in the open air.
OTFORD EVENING WI will be meeting at 7.30pm on the evening of 14 June in the Memorial Hall to hear Brian D’Arcy talk about ‘The Tower of London and its prisoners – the famous as well as the infamous’. Visitors are very welcome to join them and if you would like further information contact their President on 01959 524831.
