Otford, Kemsing and Seal Girl Guides need your help

GIRL GUILDING: Kemsing and Otford District are seeking volunteers to join the team to #InspireGirls.  They cannot meet demand and have several hundred girls waiting to join their units in the Kemsing, Otford, and Seal area.  New volunteers are needed to support existing units, prevent some closing and open new ones.

There are currently vacancies for a variety of different roles, working directly with girls and young women in units as uniformed Leaders or unit helpers or behind the scenes managing the admin or accounts.  What’s in it for you? You will make new friends, learn new skills, enhance your CV, ‘give something back’ get involved in your local community and have lots of fun.

Girl guiding also gives access to a great range of benefits like free training and resources and a members scheme.  Please register your interest on the Girl guiding UK website and they will be in touch to chat through the options. https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved/become-a-volunteer/

OTFORD GARDENERS’ SOCIETY meets at 8pm on Tuesday, 5 March in the village Memorial Hall to hear  Steve Edney talk about ‘The Restoration of the Salutation Gardens’.  Steve is Head Gardener at the gardens in Sandwich and has been involved in the restoration project from the beginning. He is also an accomplished broadcaster, grower and Chelsea exhibitor. Everybody is welcome. For more details, contact the secretary Janet Finney on 01959 523760 or email gardeners@otford.net

HOSPICES OF HOPE teashop in Otford High Street is now open seven days a week so you have the opportunity of calling in for a coffee, light lunch, or afternoon tea. The Teashop specialises in homemade cakes and what are reputed to be the best scones customers have ever tasted!  In the front shop there clothes, toys, bric-a-brac, books, jewellery, china, glass and furniture on sale so you have the opportunity to go along and have a browse before treating yourself to some refreshments which will also help support supporting the charity which is largely staffed by volunteers.

ST BARTHOLEMEWS CHURCH is holding a churchyard working party on Saturday March 2 and are looking for helpers. If you could go along for an hour or so it would make a difference and please take along some useful tools too.

The working party is followed in their diary by a Soup Lunch between 12 noon and 2pm on Monday March 11 at the church centre.  There is a suggested donation of £5 for homemade soup, with bread and a light dessert.

VILLAGE FETE: The village Fete Committee needs you! Volunteers are also desperately needed to fill the posts of Secretary and Music Director. They currently have a small committee of very dedicated individuals but these two roles must be filled if they are to function effectively. For more information about these two roles please email patty.chatterjee@me.com.

SEVENOAKS RSPB Local group will be taken to the mountains of Northern India on 7 March by Andrew Cleave with a talk titled ‘Tigers and Teasias’. This will give insights into the birds and other wildlife of this region.  You will know what a tiger is, but how about a Teasia?  Go along and find out.  Meetings start at 7.45pm in the Otford Memorial Hall, admission £3.50 for non local group members or £2.50 for members.

There is no better way to learn about birds and their identification than to get alongside experienced birders and the group usually enjoy two field trips a month with no charge and are open to all. The Sunday trips are led by John Waterman 07935 206618.  On Sunday 24 March to Shellness and Sunday 7 April to Oare Marshes. Please contact John beforehand for full details.

OTFORD AND SEAL TREFOIL GUILD, the organisation for senior guiders, would like to welcome some new members and the good news is that you don’t need to have been involved in the movement to join them. They meet at 7.30pm on the third Thursday of the month at Kemsing Library for a variety of social activities and also have regular outings to Afternoon Teas, Pub Lunches and Stately Homes. If this sounds interesting please call Kay Drake 01959 522727 for more information.

TONBRIDGE & MALLING RAMBLERS offer two local walks at the beginning of March. On Sunday 3 March they will meet at 10am in Otford High Street car park, opposite The Bull, to walk the 5.5 miles from Otford to Shoreham and back.  This circular walk starts with a steep climb but the views over Otford are well worth it.   Dogs on short leads accepted, there will be a nibble break and a pub at the end.  Estimated finish time 1pm.  Contact Graham 07716 170900 or 01732 446101.

On Wednesday 6 March 6 they again meet at 10am for a 5.5 mile, moderate, circular walk around Kemsing.  The walk sets off at 10.15 from Kemsing village car park for a walk over the downs, through woods and lanes via Tinkerpot Lane with lovely views. One steep climb at the start and a long climb halfway.  Dogs on short leads accepted, there will be a nibble break and a pub at the end.  Estimated finish time 12.45pm.  Contact: Andy, 07850 562527.