Otford girl guides put their stamp on Otford village post for the 37th year running
OTFORD’S CHRISTMAS POST: Stamps for the Girlguiding Otford’s Christmas Post Service go on sale on 28 November for the 37th year running and will be available until Friday 20 December. The special charity post service, which is one of the longest running in the country, delivers Christmas cards with the scheme’s special stamps to addresses in Otford village.
Stamps cost 30p and are available to purchase in Otford library during normal opening hours or in the Parish Council office every weekday morning. Christmas cards can be posted in the special post boxes located in the same places. Otford’s Brownies and Guides will collect, sort, frank and then deliver the cards over the two weekends before Christmas. This year the money raised from the sale of the stamps will be donated to SERV Kent Bloodrunners, a charity that provides emergency courier services transporting blood products, samples and other essential items for major hospitals and hospices in Kent out of normal working hours.
Please support this service by purchasing the special stamps and posting your cards early. Library opening hours are Monday 9am – 1pm, Tuesday 9am – 1pm, 2pm- 5pm, Wednesday Closed, Thursday 9am – 1pm, Friday 1pm – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 2pm. Parish Council opening hours Monday to Friday 8am – 12:30pm.
OTFORD LIBRARY is hosting an exhibition entitled ‘Doodlebugs and Barrage Balloons in Otford. The Battle of the V1s in summer 1944’. This exhibition, the first in the run-up to the VE Day 75 commemorations to be held in 2020 to mark the end of the Second World War, looks at the role played by Otford on the ‘home front’ 75 years ago in the summer of 1944 during the V1 attacks. The exhibition is derived from the recent talk given to ODHS by Alan Williams and is sponsored by the 1940s Society who are grateful to Kent Library Services for hosting the exhibition. If you have any family memories of the war please let us them know by email.
CHRISTMAS QUIZ -MEDICS V PATIENTS: The second Patient Group Christmas Quiz in Otford is on Friday, 6 December from 7.30pm. This is just a fun evening with a Christmas twist. Up to eight per team or just come as an individual – £7 per person. Bring your own refreshments and join in the fun. Contact: margaret.robarts@talktalk.net or phone Margaret on 01959 522853.
OTFORD METHODIST CHURCH welcomes back the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir for a very special Christmas performance at 7.30pm on Saturday 14 December. Refreshments will be provided in the interval. Tickets (£10) are available from the church’s website or from the Sunday morning box office. You are advised not to delay in buying tickets as this is a really popular event and was in high demand last time the choir visited. For further information call the box office on 07948 309484.
NORTH WEST KENT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY meets at 7.30pm on Thursday 14 November in Otford Memorial Hall for a talk by Alan Williams entitled ‘From Cradle to Grave: creating the Welfare State in 1940s Britain’. The speaker will consider the, sometimes surprising, origins of the British Welfare State. Refreshments will be available.
LIGHTING UP TIME: The Sevenoaks Town Mayor will officially switch on the Christmas lights at Bat & Ball Station on 3 December. Between 4pm and 5.30pm there will be carol singing by a local school choir and everyone can make a decoration to put on the Christmas tree. Hot chocolate, mulled wine, Christmas biscuits and mince pies will be on offer to help you get into the Christmas spirit. There’s no need to book – just turn up with friends and family and enjoy this festive event.
ST BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH: On 16 November there is a Christmas Pudding workshop in the church centre at 2.30pm. Get ahead for Christmas and pause for a delicious afternoon tea in good company. Go along with a family member or friend. To book your place, or find out more, please phone Joan Beacom on 01959 524304.
OTFORD OAST WI: The next meeting will be held at 9.30am on Thursday 21 November at 9.30am in the Memorial Hall. A talk will be given by John Halligan on ‘How Charing got its Cross’. New members are welcome and the first visit is free. For further information email: otfordoastwi@mail.com
OTFORD METHODIST CHURCH is pleased to invite you to its special Christmas events: Nativity play, 10.30am Sunday 8 December; Croydon SDA Gospel Choir, 7.30pm Saturday 14 December: Carol Service 6.30pm Sunday 22 December: Christingle 5pm Tuesday 24 December; and their Christmas Morning Service at 10am. They look forward to welcoming you all to these events and exploring the real reason for celebrating the Christmas story in 2019.
OTFORD HERITAGE CENTRE is open between 2.30 and 4.30pm on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday afternoons until mid-December offering visitors to the village the opportunity to see Otford’s continuous habitation over 4,000 years with changing displays of recent history, village life, natural history and models of Otford Palace, and the interior of an Oast House as well as many others. It is free to enter, although donations are gratefully received. If you are interested in becoming a steward, extra help is always welcome.
PARKING PETITION: ‘Stop unsafe parking on Station Road’ is the name of the petition residents are being asked to sign by clicking on http://chng.it/LqwMGZCB. Vehicles regularly park on Station Road on both the road and on the pavement causing an obstruction to pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. This petition is asking for your support to implement controls to present this. You are being asked to support this petition to reduce delays and improve safety for the whole community.
OTFORD TENNIS CLUB located in a beautiful setting on the High Street Recreation Ground, is looking for new members and welcomes players of all standards. There is a clubhouse and three tennis courts, two of which are floodlit. Tennis is played all year round. The club also has adult and junior coaching sessions provided by LTA accredited coaches. If you would like more information please contact their membership secretary, Alison Sykes on 01959 522050 or email: enquiries@otfordtennis.org.uk
OTFORD LUNCH CLUB for older residents, which takes place from 11.45am every Thursday in the village Memorial Hall, is looking for volunteers to join their five friendly teams. If you can join them either as an individual or with a friend you will be warmly welcomed. Your commitment will be for about a four-hour period once every five weeks helping to serve local residents an initial cup of tea or coffee followed by a hot nutritious two course meal. To find out more please contact: 01959 524147.
DIAL 2 DRIVE is seeking volunteer drivers to take elderly/disabled people to a medical appointment or shopping just one a week. If you own a car and would like to help please contact them on 0300 777 1200 or email: driving@imago.community
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
