Village pub and Riverhead parish councillors launch special monthly coffee morning for 60+

COFFEE MORNING: The first new 60+ Riverhead Coffee Morning at the Bullfinch Pub on Thursday September 26 attracted 12 Riverhead residents who met up to enjoy a cuppa, delicious cake and conversation. Staff at The Bullfinch were very helpful and welcoming and those attending all agreed they would be keen to come again.  The 60+ Riverhead Coffee Morning will now be held on the last Thursday of every month from 10am – 11.30am. The next date will be Thursday 31 October and 28 November and more people are encouraged to meet up for some friendly chat. Parish Councillors Irene Collins and Shirley Stewart and the staff at The Bullfinch deserve praise for launching this new venture.

RIVERHEAD PINK EVENT: On Sunday 20 October, Priti Patel the manager of Riverhead’s Londis store on White Hart Parade and her staff and friends will be wearing pink and raising money to fight Breast Cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This event will be going on all day but from 2pm Priti and her friends will be selling chicken wings, samosas, onion bhajis, fruit, drinks and much more. Plus of course Pink Cupcakes! Do support them.

WORK IN THE PARKLAND: A substantial grant recently obtained from Ibstock Enovert Trust (thank you Parish Councillor Clive Himsworth) has enabled Riverhead Parish Council to commission work this autumn to clear brambles and scrubland by the St Mary’s Drive entrance to the Riverhead Parkland and also near the pond on the other side of the footpath. Contractors Viking Services will start work on Monday 7 October. They will use a digger to remove the brambles and bury them three feet deep so they will not then be able to regrow. These areas will then be rotavated, levelled and reseeded with grass seed. A similar re-grassing of a brambled area was successfully achieved last year next to the famous Riverhead Lions sculpture, where children and their parents often stop off on their walk home from our schools through the Parkland. Viking will also lay more wood chippings on the pathways through the dell area near the Brittains Lane entrance (also much enjoyed by children walking home from school).  The work will take about eight days. Parents are asked to supervise their children in all areas where machinery is operating. Dogs will also need to be kept on a lead.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The next Riverhead Parkland Working Party will be held on Wednesday   9 October from 9.30am -11.30am when the small volunteer group of Riverhead Parish Councillors and local residents would welcome you to join them. The village is very fortunate to have this beautiful open area but more helpers are always needed to keep it looking good. Tools and refreshments are provided but do come appropriately clad, including sturdy footwear and gardening gloves. Not arduous but fresh air and good company. The group meets at the entrance to the Parkland off St Mary’s Drive at 9.30am. Just turn up or why not take a stroll through the Parkland that morning to chat and see what goes on? More information on the Parish Council web-site (details below).

FAMILY CONCERT: Several Riverhead residents play in the Sevenoaks Symphony Orchestra which will once again be giving a short 75 minute Family Concert, aimed especially at primary-aged children and their siblings, parents (and grandparents), on Sunday 13 October at 4pm in the Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks. This year the theme is ‘Toy Stories’ and works will include excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Nutcracker’, Leopold Mozart’s ‘Toy Symphony’ and other well-known classical pieces. There will also be a musical story ‘The Magic Box’ narrated by David Leonard (sometime Miss Trunchbull in West End’s ‘Matilda’). For more information or to book go to: www.sevenoakssymphonyorchestra.org.uk

Or go to the Stag Theatre website at www.stagsevenoaks.co.uk or phone the Box Office on 01732 450175. Reductions for groups of four or more.

CHIPSTEAD WI: The next meeting of Chipstead WI, which always welcomes Riverhead residents, will be on Tuesday 8 October which will also be their Birthday Meeting. Dale Thomas will give a talk about ‘Favourite Things in the V & A’. The competition will be for the most unusual eggcup and the sales table theme will be Dress Jewellery. The meeting starts at 8pm and the venue is Chevening Parish Hall, Homedean Rd, Chipstead (TN13 2RU). Chipstead WI holds monthly meetings featuring interesting speakers and other events. For more information call Janet Sharp on 01732 452715 or email: barjansharp@tiscali.co.uk  Everyone is welcome to go along to a meeting to find out more.

TEMENOS CONCERT  Local followers of the Temenos Chamber Choir, which rehearses and often performs in St Mary’s Church Riverhead, is performing its next concert at St Martin’s Church Brasted on Saturday 19 October at 7.30pm. The theme is ‘Stargazer’ to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the 1969 Moon Landing. More information at www.temenos-chamberchoir.org.uk

Tickets from 01959 523765 and also from the Sevenoaks Book Shop. Or just go along on the night.

SEVENOAKS WILDLIFE RESERVE: Until the end of October the Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve (off Bradbourne Vale Rd TN13 3DH) and its walks round the lakes will still be open daily 10am until 5pm. The reserve itself is open daily dawn to dusk all year round. For more information about all upcoming events at the Sevenoaks Reserve and the Visitor Centre go to:www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events

RIVERHEAD PARISH COUNCIL: The next meeting of Riverhead Parish Council will be on Monday 21 October at 7.30pm in the Committee Room at Riverhead Village Hall. Everyone welcome. The Parish Clerk has an office in the Village Hall which is open to visitors Mondays and Thursdays 9.30am – 12.30pm. Messages are picked up frequently at other times. You can phone Riverhead Parish Council on  01732 461278 or email clerk@riverheadparishcouncil.org.uk. The Riverhead Parish Council website is at www.riverheadpc.kentparishes.gov.uk and you can also keep up to date with local events by following ‘Riverhead Parish Council’ on Facebook and Twitter @RiverheadParish.

The Riverhead village news is compiled by Maggie Miles. If you have any news or events you would like her to consider for the My Sevenoaks Community village column you can email it to her at: maggiejmiles@gmail.com