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Benenden MagazineNovember 2016
• Family• Residential Conveyancing• Wills• Probate• Trusts• Commercial Property• Court of Protection• Powers of Attorney• Business Services
• Charities• Civil Liberties• Complete Legal Care• Debt Recovery• Employment• Personal Injury• Professional Negligence• Licensing• Mediation
Call: 01580 762248 Email: [email protected]: 39/41 High Street, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6BJ
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1
There’s something about a chilly November evening, a mustardy burger, a pint of Old Dairy bitterand a towering inferno on the Glebe Field that simply cries out: “Yes, I know it’s nearly winteragain, but I just don’t care!”
Bonfire night in Benenden is one of those magical occasions that embraces the changing of theseasons rather than shrinking away from it. The crowd always seems to number far more than theofficial population and the fireworks would do justice to the Lord Mayor’s Show - all of whichmeans that 5 November promises to be another annual occasion that brings the village together in harmony - albeit with lots of gunpowder and a whiff of treason.
We’ve just had an autumnal Apple Day and there are no doubt Christmas fairs around the corner,but it can’t all be fun and games. We have the ongoing furore over the bottle banks in the villagehall car park - aired in this issue - and then there’s the Parish Council’s six-monthly village clean-up.
Anybody who has travelled these parts on foot will know that our roads and verges leavesomething to be desired. At their worst, they are strewn with litter, from a trail of yoghurt pots and water bottles left by TWBC’s refuse collection technicians, to the detritus of late nights at distant fast-food restaurants, lobbed out of car windows by unthinking oiks. It all has to be cleared up somehow, by somebody, and it might as well be us, given that nobody else is going to do it.
So the PC - although it has no official responsibility for the problem - sorts out fluorescent vestsand litter-picking sticks and sends a gang of volunteers out to do their stuff. It may not sound like a picnic, but it has its compensations: last time, we collected enough wing mirrors, hubcaps andassorted automotive spares to build an entire car of our own, with the added bonus of a clean and tidy village at the end of it. Not to mention free coffee and cakes for all pickers afterwards atBenenden’s, our wonderful Community Shop! How could anybody resist? Full details are printedinside, along with a personal invitation from PC chairman Peter Davies.
Peter Thomas, Co-Editor
Editorial
The Benenden Magazine is published monthly as a joint venture by Benenden Parish Council and St George’s Parochial Church Council. It is distributed free to all residents of the parish.Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers. Responsibility for accuracy ofinformation rests with contributors and advertisers.
Editors: Kent Barker, Peter Thomas, Minnie GarnierEditorial Board: PCC Rep: Tracy Claridge, PC Rep: Kent Barker, Treasurer: Charles Trollope, Acting Advertising Manager: Paul Leek, Advertising Assistant: Iain Fraser, Distribution: Marilyn and Dick Hill, Layout Editor: Camilla Macdonald
Contributions to: [email protected] by the 15th of the preceding month.Advertising orders or queries to: [email protected] address: c/o Community Office, Benenden Village Hall, Benenden, TN17 4DY 01580 240371
2
OctoberSaturday 29 Stephen Message, Two Day Art Exhibition, Memorial Hall, 10-5pmSaturday 29 Halloween Party, St George’s Club, 8pmSunday 30 Stephen Message, Two Day Art Exhibition, Memorial Hall, 10-4pm
NovemberThursday 3 Planning Committee Meeting, Benenden Village Hall, 8.30amFriday 4 Woodland Wide Games, Iden Green Congregational Church, 7pmSaturday 5 Benenden Bonfire and Fireworks, Glebe Field, Benenden, 5.30pm p.11Sunday 6 Edward Whiting and Freddie Flintoff, Recital, St George’s Church, 6pm p.9Thursday 10 Benenden Women’s Club, Wine Tasting, Iden Green Pavilion, 7.30pm p.13Friday 11 Quiz Night, Friends of St George’s, Benenden Village Hall, 7.15 for 7.30pm p.9Saturday 12 Skittles, St George’s Club, 8pmTuesday 15 Village Lunch, Benenden Village Hall, 12.30pm p.17Tuesday 15 Iden Green and Benenden WI, Winter Party, Memorial Hall, 2pm p.25Saturday 19 Village Autumn Clean, Benenden’s Shop and Iden Green Pavilion, 9am p.3Saturday 19 Iden Green and Benenden WI, Coffee Morning, Memorial Hall, 10am p.25Sunday 20 Messy Church, St George’s Church, 4-6pm p.17Monday 21 Parish Council Meeting, Memorial Hall, 7.30pmTuesday 22 Merry and Bright, Memorial Hall, 3pmTuesday 22 The Royal British Legion Benenden Branch AGM, Memorial Hall, 7.30pm p.9Saturday 26 Cranbrook Symphony Orchestra, Concert, St George’s Church, 7.30pm p.13Saturday 26 Quiz Night, St George’s Club, 8pm
Benenden Youth Club/Streetcruizer, age 11+Mondays at Benenden Village Hall, 7-9pm
Coffee ShopWednesdays in the Memorial Hall, 10-12noon
Cakes & Chaos: Cafe and Toddler GroupFridays during term time in St George’s Church, 9-11.30am
Refuse Lorry CollectionsSaturday 5 November, Garden Waste/Compostable Waste, Iden Green, crossroads, 8-11amSaturday 19 November, Domestic Waste, Benenden, Cherryfields, 8-11am
Village Calendar
3
Parish Council Letter
Despite the pressures of modern life, Benenden remains a typical English village with its church, village green, school, shops and pubs. We have an amazing 155 listed buildings and other structures across the Parish. A lovely village surrounded by wonderful countryside. Butwhat makes it even more special is the people who live here. We are lucky to have so manycommunity minded people who work hard for the benefit of all in the village. The success of our Community Shop is a case in point and also this, our Parish Magazine.
We love where we live and the Parish Council is active in maintaining, preserving and improvingour village. The Parish Lengthsman is a key member of the team maintaining and, wherenecessary, repairing many of the things that we take for granted. Also to this end the ParishCouncil is organising another village clean up day. This will be on 19 November when theSaturday dustcart will be parked at Cherryfields. We will provide litter-picking and safetyequipment and also a hot drink and cake at the Community Shop. This will be from 9am to 11amto tie in with the dustcart and we will meet outside the shop. In Iden Green volunteers willmeet in the Pavilion car park.
The Parish Council comprises nine members plus our clerk and meets monthly either in theMemorial Hall or in the Iden Green Pavilion. Details of meetings are posted on the noticeboards and on our website. Meetings are open to all local residents, so do come along wheneveryou can.
The Parish Council currently has a vacancy, details of which have been publicised. People havebusy lives, but I do urge local people to consider standing for the council. If you contact me, Iwould be happy to explain what this entails. It is our own bit of democracy and should be ofinterest and benefit to all of us.
Peter Davies, BPC Chairman01580 240723 [email protected]
Caroline Levett, Benenden Parish Council Clerk01580 240371 [email protected] more information see our website www.benendenparishcouncil.org or find us on facebook
Parish Council MeetingMonday 21 November 2016, Memorial Hall,7.30pm
Planning Committee MeetingThursday 3 November 2016, Benenden VillageHall, 8.30am
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Bang!I was relaxing in the sun when suddenly there was a bang and some smoke beyond the trees at the bottom of our garden. Then, as I was walking along the road to investigate, there wasanother very loud explosion and huge clouds of thick, black smoke, followed by a couple morecrashes, coming apparently from Turks Yard. I felt decidedly exposed and the experience set me thinking …
The end of another frightening day and it was time to go underground. Their mother hurried thetwo young children through the broken walls and over the mounting rubble leaving their fatheron watch with others. The helicopters could be heard in the distance and the darkening sky litup with a series of flashes followed by the inevitable detonations. They rounded a large lump ofconcrete then climbed down some steps and into a narrow dark corridor, which led furtherdownwards. They finally arrived in a small room already crowded with two other families, whoseanxious, fearful faces were lit only with the light of two home-made candles. Someone had beenable to find a little food so they settled down to share it. The little boy huddled close to hismother. Suddenly there was a huge explosion above them. The adults winced, the childrenmoaned and shut their eyes tightly, as if by doing so they could make it all go away, and then theywaited. The walls stayed firm and the roof did not fall. They waited and waited some more, andeventually two of the fathers appeared at the end of the corridor supporting the third.
The two small children were so excited. As they walked up the dark path with their mother theycould see distant explosions lighting up the sky. Their dad was already on the village field helpingwith preparations. Along the hedge, through the gate and they had arrived just in time to jointhe crowds for the lighting of the bonfire. The faces of the people shone in the lights of torches,sparklers and the flames, which grew and danced as the fire took hold. Guy Fawkes wasconsumed and it was time for the fireworks. There were fizzles, crackles and whooshes ofcolourful display accompanied by ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ then an enormous bang! The little boy wasstartled and looked in panic to his mother for reassurance - it was so loud and unexpected.There followed another and then another. He held tightly to her hand but she and the crowdwere laughing. Then he caught sight of his dad smiling - all was well.
“Who was Guy Fawkes?” his elder sister had asked. “Oh, a man who tried to blow up theGovernment,” was the reply. “Why?” she had asked again. “Well I’m not sure but it wassomething to do with religion I think, and who should run the country. It was a long time ago.”
Sue Fisher
5
Just a Thought!
6
Church Calendar
St George’s ChurchRector: Revd David Commander 240658 [email protected] (day off: Thursday)Churchwarden: Tracy Claridge 240454 [email protected]: Julia Collard 241944 [email protected] 850849 [email protected] inform the Rector or Churchwardens if you, or anyone else, is ill or would like a visit or home communion.
Wednesday 2 November 8pm All Souls Day Service
Sunday 6 November 8am Communion 10am All-age Eucharist 5pm Choral Evensongand Sunday School 6pm Organ Recital
Sunday 13 November 8am 1662 Communion 10.45am Remembrance Service
Sunday 20 November 8am Communion 10am Sung Eucharist 4pm Messy Churchat St George’s Church
Sunday 27 November 8am Communion 10am Morning Worship 5pm Advent Serviceof Light
Mission Church, SandhurstRector: Revd David Commander 240658 [email protected] (day off: Thursday)Every Tuesday 10am Communion
Iden Green Congregational ChurchPastor: Rev Peter Michell 240642 www.idengreen.org.ukSunday Services 10am Morning Worship 5.30pm Evening Worship
The Roman Catholic ChapelFr Barry Grant 713364 www.sttheodore-cranbrook.orgMasses 9am Sundays 7.30pm Holy Days
From the Parish RegistersBaptisms 16 October Eleanor Butterworth
Funerals 17 October Malcolm English Interment26 October Bridie Lee Funeral and burial
7
RememberingNovember certainly seems to be a time for remembering. The Church remembers All Saints’ Dayon 1 November - though services usually take place on the nearest Sunday, so 30 October thisyear. The Church recognises its foundation stones, its saints (as opposed to the “Saints”) - thosewhose Christian lives have excited others to holiness and to faith. It has been celebrated on the 1 November since the 8th Century when a pope dedicated a chapel to All Saints in St Peter’s,Rome, on that day. Perhaps we would all do well to remember those who have helped us in ourlife; remember them, and say a quiet, “thank you”.
On the 2 November the Church remembers All Souls’ Day - the Commemoration of the FaithfulDeparted. This is a day when we remember, at a gentle service, loved ones whom we see nomore. But it goes deeper than that: it is a time of remembering and of unity. “The believer’spilgrimage of faith is lived out with the mutual support of all the people of God. In Christ all thefaithful, both living and departed, are bound together in a communion of prayer.” The universalchurch, the assembled people of God, works best when it recognises its unity in God’s redeeminglove … with all who have said, who say now, and who will say in the fullness of time, “Jesus isLord”. (From “Exciting Holiness”) It’s not about denominations; it’s about a common belief inthose three simple words - Jesus is Lord. In a couple of recent sermons, I’ve urged people to holdon to something very simple, “Remember Jesus Christ”; it is a very simple message to rememberand live each day by.
And each year at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, (the day markingthe end of the First World War) the country observes a Two Minute Silence. A time to rememberthose who have paid the price for our freedom in the two World Wars; but also to remember themore than 12,000 British servicemen and women killed or injured since 1945. (From the RBL)Remembering those who have paid the greatest price, their life, so that we might have thefreedom we enjoy is something that each generation must continue to do. The village Act ofRemembrance takes place at St George’s Church on Sunday 13 November; please remember tojoin in this Act of Remembrance at 10.45am.
And whilst I write of “remembering”: I also remember that it is now three years since I wrote myfirst letter for the village magazine! (36 letters; this is number 37 I guess.) Three years since Ihave been licenced to the benefice of Benenden and Sandhurst. But I can’t remember where thetime has gone though!
Revd David Commander, Rector
Rector’s Letter
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News and EventsWeald District Scouts/Benenden Scout GroupBenenden Scout Group has been a part of thevillage for a long time but it needs volunteersto keep it going. We have two busy scoutleaders working hard with the scouts but weneed a new team of administrators/committeemembers to volunteer to help run the Group.
These are not onerous jobs and there needonly be about three meetings a year and anAGM. In the longer term it would be good to start a Beaver Colony and Cub Pack ifvolunteers were willing. Please get in touch if you can help us in any way.
The Group funds are in good shape thanksto our main fundraising event over the last few years, the Benenden Fireworks.
Thanks to the goodwill and willingness ofthe scout leaders, committee members and the village, it has become extremely successful.So much so that we have asked the village toset up a specific group to run it.
Most of the profits raised will still be fedback to the Scout Group, while other youthorganisations in the village may also benefit.This new group has decided to call itself theBenenden Bonfire Society.
The Scout Group is keen that the eventcontinues to be a success, and as districtcommissioners for the local scout groups,Cathy Mummery and I wish the newadministration well and look forward tomeeting new volunteers.Jan Ashley, Weald Scout District Commissioner
The Royal British LegionBenenden Branch AGMTuesday 22 November, Memorial Hall, 7.30pmAll branch members will be welcome at the Annual General Meeting.
9
Benefice serviceOn Wednesday 2 November there is a service,for the benefice, to commemorate All SoulsDay; this is at 8pm at St George’s Church, withrefreshments available from 7.30pm. There willbe an opportunity during the service to light acandle in memory of someone. If you wouldlike the name of a loved one read out at thisservice, then please contact:Cathy Baker [email protected]
Edward WhitingDirector of Music, Benenden School
Organ
FREDDIE FLINTOFFMusic Scholar, Benenden School
VIOLIN
Sunday 6 November 2016at 6pm in St George’s ChurchChoral Evensong will be at 5pm
followed by refreshments.The Recital follows at 6pm.
With music byHandel, Corelli, Howells and Bednall.
To book a table please contact Crissie Symons01580 240479 [email protected]
Please state Supper requirements for your table
The Friends of St George’s Church
Quiz NightQuiz NightFriday 11 November 20167.15 for 7.30pmBenenden Village Hall
Tables of 8Tables of 8£12 a headBring your owndrinks & glasses
Gourmet Pie SupperGourmet Pie Supperz Steak & Ale Piez Chicken & Ham Piez Mediterranean Vegetable PieAll served with gravy & mash
[email protected] 01580 712179 www.dcpskent.org C O U R S E H O R N | C R A N B RO O K | K E N T | TN17 3NP
Space to breathe, time to grow.
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YOGA Classes forPre-schoolers, Kids & Teens
Benenden Village Hall& Kilndown Village Hall
For more info please contactHayley on 01580 [email protected]
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School Governors wantedIt’s an exciting time for Benenden Church ofEngland Primary School as it plans its future,and new school governors are being sought to help make that future as bright as possible.
Governors hold the main responsibility for finance in schools and work with the headteacher to make the tough decisions aboutbalancing resources.
We have six meetings a year and also attendcommittee meetings focussing on specificareas. Training is available, and as an essentialpart of the Safeguarding Children Policy, allgovernors must complete some checks.
We currently have two vacancies and wouldwelcome candidates who are parents of a pupilat the school - but this is not a necessaryrequirement. We are looking to expand thegoverning body to ensure that we have accessto the skills needed to support the continueddevelopment of the school.
If you are interested and would like to knowmore, please contact either: Gill Knox, headteacher, 01580 240565, or Martin Goodwin, chair of the governing body,07967 642407 or [email protected]
Arnold Cole TrustThe Arnold Cole Trust would like to inviteapplications for its annual disbursements fromthose clubs and societies within the Parish ofBenenden in need of Funds. Dr. Arnold Colewas GP in Benenden from 1930 until his deathin 1960 after which his daughter, Joan Weston,set up the Trust in 1968. The aim of the Trust isto apply its income for the general benefit forthe Parish of Benenden, with specialconsideration being given to both the elderlyand young. All applications in writing please to:The Secretary, Arnold Cole Trust, Scribbins,Benenden, Kent TN17 4DT. Please noteapplications must be received no later than 30 November 2016.
Benenden Women’s ClubOur meeting on 13 October was a celebrationof Janet Beattie’s special birthday with cake andbubbles. We were also joined by Mrs ShirleyGooseman of Benenden, who delighted us withan account of her life, and described how shebecame an author. Shirley writes under the penname of Emma Berry, and has had published anumber of novels for children of all ages. Heraccount was at times hilarious, but also tingedwith sadness when she spoke of the untimelydeath of her husband and daughter whichprompted her to become an author.Ruth Barwick
13
Cakes & ChaosDrop-in Cafe
& Toddler Group
St George’s Church, BenendenEvery Friday during term time, 9-11.30am
Please come and enjoy lovely cakes,real coffee and a selection of teas.
If you’ve got little ones, let them playin the church.
Only £1 per family.
For more information please callRevd David or Helen Commander 01580 240658
or email [email protected] [email protected]
CRANBROOK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAWITH TONGSWOOD CHAMBER CHOIR
CHARITY CONCERTIN AID OF HOSPICE IN THE WEALD
FEATURING A MISCELLANY OFSHORT, POPULAR CLASSICAL PIECES
Saturday 26 NovemberSt George’s Church
at 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 adults/£5 studentsAvailable online (with booking fee); Benenden’s;
Hospice in the Weald, Hawkhurst; and on the door
www.thecso.org.uk
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... it’s the word on The Street!Christmas at Benenden’s - Greetings Cards, Wrapping Paper, Gifts... and our local Produce, Wines & Beers.
Hampers Coming Soon!
[email protected] Tel: 01580 279808
Death ofLady E.Gathorne-HardyDecember 1912The death of Lady Emily Gathorne-Hardy which took place on Fridayafternoon at her residence the Grange,Benenden, has cast a deep gloom overthis little Wealden village where thedeceased lady had resided for so manyyears and had endeared herself by herkindness of heart and the deep interestwhich she had always taken in thewelfare of those around her.
Hers was one of those kind andgentle dispositions combined with thatthoughtful care and devoted effort forthe advancement and welfare of otherswhich cannot fail to leave in its trainthe tenderest memories and affection ofall classes.
She was a staunch and devotedchurchwoman and her benevolence andmany acts of charity to the poor andneedy were carried out in a generousyet unostentatious manner.
Among the many things in whichshe took a very keen and active interestwas the Young Men’s Friendly Societyand many a young man from the villageand district owes a deep debt ofgratitude to her for her kind and well-directed influence.
Lady Emily Gathorne-Hardy wasthe eldest daughter of the 1st Earlof Cranbrook and sister-in-law toViscount Goschen. She had been in illhealth for a long time and this hadbeen more pronounced since the deathof her sister, Lady Katherine Gathorne-Hardy, who passed away in Maylast year.
She has until quite recently beenable to occasionally drive out in hercarriage but on Monday was takenworse and the end came on Friday attwo o’clock. Her age was 64 years.
The funeral took place at StGeorge’s, Benenden on Mondayafternoon when the remains were laidto rest in the family burial ground.
Everything was carried out asquietly and simply as possible butthe closely drawn blinds of every homein the village and the mournful facesof the residents testified to the depthof feeling and sorrow which pervadedthe district.
The only sound to break themournful stillness was the tolling of thechurch bell.
above: 1st Earl of Cranbrookleft: 2nd ViscountGoschen
Lady Emily Gathorne-Hardy was one of five daughters ofGathorne-Hardy 1st Earl of Cranbrook, a prominent politicianwho held cabinet office in every Conservative governmentbetween 1858 and 1892 and served as Home Secretary from1867 to 1868 and as Secretary of State for War from 1874 to1878.Emily’s sister Lady Margaret Evelyn Gathorne-Hardy was
married to George Joachim Goschen, (2nd Viscount Goschen).The story goes that Goschen fell in love with Lady Margaret,who was eight years older than him, but his father, the 1stViscount, opposed their marriage and sent his son to Australiaas Private Secretary to the Governor of New South Wales.Goschen obeyed his father’s orders but after two years he
returned to England and they married on 26 January 1893. Heserved as MP for East Grinstead 1895 to 1906 and then asGovernor of Madras.
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17
St George’s Choir forChristmas 2016Would you like to sing in the choir for the Christmas Services? If so we would bedelighted to see you. Choir practice is from6.50-8pm every Thursday and if you are keento perform at Christmas all we ask is that youattend from 17 November, as we have a lot tolearn. For more information please telephone:Kathy Evans 240292
8th Richard Beattie DavisMemorial RecitalWhat a perfect ‘fin de la saison’ for theRichard Beattie Davis recitals in Sandhurst.Adrian Bradbury (cello) and Oliver Davies(piano) played a fantastic programme of rareduo music and their encore was the ‘Reverie’that I wrote in memory of Richard, which wasvery moving.
Afterwards the weather was nice enough to have fruit juice outside, assisted by RickieBishop who was in charge of ‘front of house’.People were very generous and, after expenseswe raised an incredible £465 for Hospice inthe Weald, bringing the total raised this year to£1,483 (plus gift aid to come) and our total forthe past eight years to well over £7,000.Richard would be amazed!Gillian Davis
Village LunchTuesday 15 November, Benenden VillageHall, 12.30pmAll welcome - £4 a head. If you need a liftplease let us know and we can arrange it.Please contact Genevieve Greenwood on01580 240526 if you haven’t put your namedown but would like to come. We lookforward to seeing you.
Dixieland swings back into BenendenFor the nth time, the mighty Ron Russell Bandinvaded the peace of Benenden Village Hall inSeptember and blew the roof down for theirusual capacity crowd.
The ageless Russell led the band with hisusual mix of musical bonhomie and bass skillsin a rhythm section completed by guitarist Jim Douglas (sporting his vintage Gibson andbrand new autobiography) and drummerMalcolm Mortimer, who never let the beatleave the room.
The front-line was led by cornettist Digby Fairweather, who reminded the audiencehe had first joined the band 42 years ago.Trombonist Chris Gower played with his usualconsidered elegance and newest arrival Pete Long raised the band’s game even furtherwith outpourings of sensational clarinet thatreceived a standing ovation.
The band, as ever, had fun and so did theaudience, including many good friends from the decades of Russell’s musical historyArt Napoleon
In Benenden and Sandhurst
A different way of being churchof doing church
Come along on Sunday 20 NovemberThis month at St George’s Church, Benenden, 4-6pm
Aimed at all the family ... whatever your age.Have fun being church together, doing crafts together, worshipping together, and eating together.The first hour is the craft stuff.Then we have a short time of informal worship.Finally we’ll sit down and eat a meal together.
Please come and join us. You do not have to get messy, just have fun!
Revd David Commander, Rector01580 240658 [email protected]
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Paris or bust for the localHospice heroesBenenden’s own Peter Ellis, parish councillorand intrepid cyclist, joined a group offundraisers riding to Paris in support of the Hospice in the Weald. Fellow villager, Giles Clark, and Andy Irving, from the LondonBeach Gym, trained and rode with him. HerePeter describes their experience.
“Many people in the area have their ownpersonal reasons for wanting to support theHospice in the Weald, and on 21 September, 25 of us set off from Pembury to ride to theFrench capital to raise money for this mostdeserving of charities.
Some came as pairs, others as threes andthe more adventurous knew no-one else at all. What we had in common was the will tostay the course and give something back to the Hospice.
Day One Heading first to Brenchley,Horsmonden, through to Frittenden and thenBethersden for the first water stop. Afterskirting Ashford, we stopped a couple of hourslater in Stowting at the Tiger Inn for lunch andstitch-inducing chocolate cheesecake. Fromthere we rode through the Alkham Valley toDover. Arriving early, we anticipated catchingan early ferry, but alas the passport scannerwas broken.
We arrived in Calais at dusk and then rodeto our first hotel, having cycled about 65 miles.
Day Two We set off at 7.30am for Arras,anticipating the hardest day of the ride - about84 miles with 4000 feet of climbing. Like dayone, the weather was kind, with sun all day.
Day Three The morning stop was atThiepval, where we took in the memorial to the missing of World War One. We spent another hour cycling through the
Somme, a little more subdued than at the startof the day. The third evening we spent inCompiegne, having come into the town alongthe riverside cycle path.
Day Four The final morning like all the others was chilly, but soon gave way toanother beautiful sunny day as we made ourway across the north of Paris and then downinto the traffic to meet up again at the Parc Monceau.
It was here we had the first and onlyincident of the ride when one of the riderswas knocked from her bike as a motoristopened their car door without looking.
From Parc Monceau we grouped upand rode up to the Arc De Triompheand with our guides down the ChampsElysees, across the Seine, in front ofthe Eiffel Tower to the finish line onthe Champs de Mars.
One of the pleasures of the ride wasmeeting people, all of whom supportedeach other, taking time to ride withpeople of different abilities just to getto know each other.
Would we do it again? Of coursewe would!”
I’m fundraising for @hospiceweald.Check out my page:http://www.justgiving.com/Peters-Pembury-to-Paris-Peloton?
Peter Ellis
MEET YOUR MPHelen GrantHelen Grant, MP for Maidstone and the Weald, holds regular surgeries around the constituency. If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss an issue of concern to you, please e-mail Helen at [email protected] or telephone 020 7219 7107.
www.helengrant.orgProduced by Helen Grant MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
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21
News from Benenden SchoolEarlier this month we welcomed 150 girls andteachers from state and independent schoolsacross Kent and London for the inauguralWomen in Science and Engineering Conference.Held in conjunction with the Wise YoungWomen’s Board, The Royal Society ofChemistry and many experts, the event was held to give girls an insight into theopportunities available from studying Science,Technology, Engineering and Maths at university.
The programme featured speakers fromKing’s College London, QinetiQ, DeutscheBank, Imperial College London, the AnaerobicDigestion and Biosciences Association, and theInstitute of Physics.
A few days later we held a life-size version of Monopoly to launch the Benenden Schooledition of the family favourite board game. Itwas chaotic but extremely enjoyable!
We are delighted that our students are nowvolunteering in Benenden’s every Sunday andthoroughly enjoying their shifts. And finally, weare pleased that our new staff homes have beenshortlisted in the Kent Design & DevelopmentAwards 2016 - an unexpected recognition thatmakes the upheaval worthwhile!Samantha Price, Headmistress
Benenden Pre-School NewsOur jumble sale took place on 8 October -many thanks to all who manned a stall, donated,made cakes and spent their cash!
The Autumn Walk was at Benenden School(thank you, Benenden), while the Family Autumn Walk on Sunday 30 October lookedthe perfect way to end the month. Along withall this exercise, a Pre-School mum, Melody, has been popping in to teach the children some Mandarin.
Forthcoming events include a coffee morningfor Pre-School parents and carers on Tuesday15 November in the village hall.www.benendenpreschool.co.uk
Benenden Family Fun Day -going the whole hogIt was around 4am that insomniacs may havebeen aware of strange noises at the top of TheGreen. That was when the hog roast for theFamily Fun Day started to be cooked over a real wood fire - and the fun began. Later in themorning the reversible bike arrived; cream teaswere prepared, thanks to Hinxden Dairy andBenenden Girls School; an old ‘bodger’ turned up and set up his pole lathe; Barry Nash ofCheesemans garage rolled in with the Rover P5bthat he drove in the Sahara Challenge 2015. Theday was taking shape. Through the afternoon, awellington boot, was ‘wanged’ and a garage loadof inner tubes were connected to make a ‘howfar can you stretch it?’ challenge. There was splatthe rat, treasure hunts, a raffle and music withthe village ukelele band, the Tragic Mushroomsand the Howling Blue Moons. The bar was wellvisited, for which thanks go to Mark and Lucy atThe Bull, who donated not only a barrel but alsoa pair of free visits to their Sunday Carvery as aprize for the raffle. There was more: facepainting, a coconut shy and Beat the Goalie,together with trips to the bells at the church,where visitors were encouraged to have a go.
Around 400 people had fun - which was whatwe wanted - and the feedback has been great. A few tweaks here and there and we can do itagain next year: 2 September 2017 is a date foryour diary!
The Parish Council generously awarded a grant of £1,000 for the first event.Expenses were as follows:Public Liability Insurance £189.251x Firkin Old Dairy £101.00Raffle prizes £150.00Geocache prize £40.00Hog roast £500.00Printing £100.00First-Aid donation £75.00Total: £1,155.25Less BPC Grant £1000.00
-£155.25Takings on the day were as follows:Hog roast £244.00Raffle £366.55Bar £405.00Donations for Teas £35.95Total Takings £1,051.50Less £155.25Total carried forward for next year: £896.25
The Committee
22
Who loves the sound ofbreaking glass?Peter Thomas takes a look at the village bottlebanks and finds not everybody likes what theysee - and hearDEMOCRACY is a wonderful thing, but it’s only really wonderful if you’re in the majority. Ifyou find yourself outnumbered, with somethingfoisted on you that you didn’t vote for, it cansuddenly seem like a very bad idea.
When the Benenden Parish Plan waslaunched, villagers were asked if they would like a bottle bank in the village. Seventy per cent said they would, so three large receptacleswere duly placed in the village hall car park.
It seemed like a job well done, except thatnot everybody was delighted by the newarrivals. Near neighbours were upset by thenoise, the ungodly hours that some of the users of the facility seemed to keep, and themess that often accumulated around the bins.
They complained. Signs were put up askingrecyclers to be considerate, to avoid earlymornings and late nights and not to dump their empties if the bins were full, but to noavail. The neighbours asked for the bins to beshifted to the outskirts of the village.
Others, meanwhile, thought this wasdefeating the object. They rather liked thebottle bank, which was more convenient thangoing to Cranbrook and, in the absence of adoorstep glass collection, very handy forvillagers - even if a lot of the users seemed tocome from beyond the village.
Opinion was split and remains so. Recyclingmay be good for the planet, but is it good for Benenden?
In supportA parish councillor’s viewTwo years ago the Parish Plan Survey found thatseven out of ten people wanted glass recyclingfacilities in the village. The parish council gotTunbridge Wells Borough Council to provide abottle bank in the village hall car park. The
location was chosen as being central, with easy vehicle access and as few nearby residentsas possible.
To an extent the scheme has been a victimof its own success, with bins occasionallyoverflowing. And while most people clearly useand want the facility, there is no doubt that, fora few people living nearby, it is a source ofnoise and irritation.
While I regret that anyone is disturbed, Ibelieve a parish council has a responsibility tobenefit the majority of its citizens - especially if they have expressed so clearly their wishes.
Your councillors have looked at otherpossible sites, or at ways of ameliorating thedisturbance, but none appears suitable. Thebottle bank will have to be moved in the nextyear or so when the village hall car park isenlarged for use by the new primary school,and we are lobbying TWBC to collect bottlesalong with other household recycling.
We are also conscious that closing thefacility would be inconvenient for our ownresidents and would result in us effectivelyexporting ‘our’ problem to another village.Kent Barker, Benenden Parish Council
In oppositionA neighbour’s viewWhen the survey for the Parish Plan asked the question “are you in favour of glassrecycling in Benenden?”, it’s true that 70 percent said yes. However, the important question“would you be in favour of having bottle banks
23
within earshot/eyesight of your property?” wasnot asked.
When we contacted our local MP HelenGrant on the matter, she advised us from theoutset to get opinions from those livingnearby, which we did. Out of 17 households,11 were dead against them.
Those who live near the bottle banksendure the terrible noise of smashing glass atall hours, despite notices asking people not torecycle outside the hours of 9am and 9pm.They are an eyesore in our beautiful village,especially when bottles are left piled around.
Having the bins sited next to the village playarea is dangerous to children and dogs. This isone reason why TWBC concluded in the pastthat there was no site suitable in Benenden.
Some parish councillors, however, weredetermined we should have bottle banks,although ours are routinely used by peoplefrom other boroughs (whose bottle bankshave been replaced by household boxes)clearing up after weddings, parties, etc.
This is why TWBC can’t keep up with theemptying, not because of demand from ourown parishioners.
Any suggestions for an alternative sitewould be greatly appreciated.Alan and Sue Brooks, Orchard Court Residents Association
View from the BoroughI believe we all want to recycle waste but weneed the tools to do so. At present TunbridgeWells offers us the following options:l A doorstep collection. For domestic andgarden waste (alternate weeks) as well asrecycling bins for cardboard and paper, cansand plastic. In my opinion, the BoroughCouncil’s contractors provide an excellentservice.l A bottle bank. This was placed in the villagehall car park in response to the recycling needidentified by the Parish Plan. The noise,however, has become a nightmare to thoseliving nearby. We have also had problems with
overflowing containers (now solved since theseare emptied on a weekly basis).l A recycling centre. At North Farm, TunbridgeWells. For Benenden residents this is of little use as the round trip is 35-40 miles.l A civic amenity vehicle. Since the Goudhursttip was closed, we have had a lorry visitingBenenden on alternate Saturday mornings. TheCAV was provided at some cost - principally the indirect cost of all waste collected being sent to landfill - which is why the service hasbeen under threat ever since its introduction.
My agreement with the leader of the Borough Council was that this service wouldcontinue if it was supported by the parishcouncils. Unfortunately, not all parish councilswere as vociferously supportive as the outlyingones of Benenden and Cranbrook & Sissinghurst,so a revised timetable was introduced for thelorry to visit only monthly and alternate between collecting domestic and green waste,with the direct costs shared between the Parish and Borough Councils.
This has significantly reduced the amount ofcollected waste going to landfill but at the costof great frustration.
Crucially, the timetable for the CAV is to bereviewed after six months (in January 2017) and I am keen to know how people view thisreduced service and hear suggestions on how to improve it without incurring additional costs.
With regard to the bottle bank, my view isthat the longer-term solution is to include glasscollection in the doorstep collections. Thecontract for this is due for renewal in 2018 (soit will be actively addressed in 2017).
On the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Ihave been asked to chair a group overseeing the renewal of this contract. My colleague Sean Holden is also looking into the feasibility of a recycling area in the locality - not on thescale of North Farm but with skips for recyclingand disposal, which might not only enhancerecycling but also make the CAV unnecessary.
Your views, please.Tom DawlingsBorough Councillor for Benenden & Cranbrook
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25
Hospice in the WealdIn the last few months we have organised several events to raise funds for the Hospice. The choristers from Canterbury Cathedralenchanted us all in May, when we shared theproceeds with St George’s Church.
We organised ‘Tea at Three’ at HarmsworthCourt in June, followed by the Open Gardens inMockbeggar Lane. Unfortunately this was on oneof the coldest, dreariest days of the summer, butthose who braved the elements enjoyed beautifulgardens, wonderful teas and a variety of stalls. InAugust, on another horribly wet day, 50 peoplelistened to swing jazz performed by Blue Jasmine.
In addition, we served tea and cakes at one of Charlotte Molesworth’s Open Studioweekends. Charlotte generously donated half the proceeds to the hospice.
We are grateful to everyone who came tosupport us at the Christmas coffee morning on 8 October, but were disappointed that numberswere down due to the clash of other localevents. Due to the generosity of those whoattended, we did make £430; we are so grateful.
In total we have raised over £6,000 from the above functions and thanks go to all whosupported us over the summer and to thecommittee who work tirelessly to enable theseto take place.Jenny Stevens
Iden Green and Benenden WIOur September meeting was very active withJean Chapman showing us keep-fit exercises; bythe end our energy levels were high!
As it is now autumn, all our meetings will beheld in the afternoons until next March, from 2-4pm in the Memorial Hall, Benenden.
Dates for your Diary:Tuesday 15 November, 2-4pm
Members and Guest Winter PartySaturday 19 November, 10-12noon
Pre-Christmas Coffee MorningShirley Fidler 752232
Jane’s KitchenGARLIC MUSHROOMS WITH GARLICAND SWISS CHARD OR SPINACHServes 6
50g butterDsp oil6 Portobello mushrooms, stalks removed300g Swiss chard or spinach2 garlic cloves, crushed125g chorizo, diced2 large beef tomatoes, sliced into 3 slices each150g mozzarella, sliced into 6
METHODl If preparing this hot course ahead it is best
to cook it in the oven rather than under thegrill. If serving immediately, preheat the grill to medium.
l In a large frying pan melt butter and oil, frychorizo releasing the oil, put in a bowl.
l Halve mushroom stalks.l Fry mushrooms and stalks on each side for
about 5min. Put on a baking tray.l Remove stalks from the chard leaves, cut
stalks into 1” pieces, add the crushed garlicand fry in the same pan on medium heat.
l Stir occasionally till almost cooked, add rest of roughly chopped chard, season and keepturning over until wilted. Divide equally ontop of the mushrooms.
l Divide the chorizo equally over the chard.l Add a little more oil if needed to fry tomato
slices until almost cooked. Place on top ofchorizo, followed by mozzarella.
l These can be covered in cling film and kept in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Not suitablefor freezing.
l If serving immediately, slide the mushroomsunder the grill for about 5min until themushrooms are hot and the mozzarella ismelted and golden. If serving later, pre-heatthe oven to 425f/220c/200c fan/gas 6. Cookmushrooms for about 7-10min until thecheese has melted.Jane Drysdale [email protected]
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Claridge’s WineHarvest time at Dingleden Vineyard,Benenden 2016, BacchusUnbeknown to many, we have our very ownvineyard in Benenden, at Dingleden, five acres,planted with 5,700 Bacchus grape vines. Itbelongs to ex Lloyds reinsurance brokerGraham Latter, 61, who appears to have lived a charmed life, with a full head of hair and little grey! He retired from the City at 47 andtravels to the Hunter Valley, New South Walesand Stellenbosch in Cape Town persuaded himto start his “hobby” of growing grapes. Underthe auspices of Chapel Down, the five acreswere planted in 2011 - after a soil surveyrevealed Wadhurst clay and sandstone - and2013 saw the first small crop of two tonnes!Bacchus is probably the UK’s largest still whitewine grape variety (Chardonnay is larger butmostly used for sparkling wine), and is mostcommonly made as a single varietal wine,rather than part of a blend. The yields aregood and the resultant wine fruity andaromatic. Graham sells all his grapes to ChapelDown. The harvest this year took place on the29-30 September - light rain did not hamperthe 20 pickers, and the grapes were picked inperfect condition, as you can see in thephotographs. Quality was high. Graham
harvested ten tonnes in 2016, less than the17.5 tonnes in 2015 - too much vigour, toomany grapes equals less quality and lowersugar levels which is not what is required. Inthe early days, Graham employed a full-timevineyard manager. Nowadays he does it himselfwith the help of a vineyard consultant.
Chapel Down own their own estates andalso buy in grapes from vineyards across theSouth East, to meet demand. Their 2015Bacchus has just been released, available at thecellar door at £11.99 (www.chapeldown.com).
“Expect to find vibrant aromas of melon,pineapple, elderflower and grapefruit. Thepalate is fresh and zesty with flavours ofgooseberry and nettle leading to a crisp, dryfinish,” says Josh Donaghay-Spire, headwinemaker.
I feel the wine will be even better withsome bottle age, maybe just six months for itto achieve better balance. English wines are ona roll. Price is often the issue, but as time goesby, one hopes that prices will come down.Who knows, with Brexit we might even see areduction of excise duty for English wines.
Oh look, a flying pig over Dingledenvineyard - where’s my shotgun? Santé.Tracy Claridge [email protected]
Bird Notes
Migration has fascinated many ornithologists for years. In the days of the famous naturalistGilbert White it was even theorised that Swallows wintered at the bottom of ponds because thefirst sightings of them in the spring were so often of birds flying over water. The “When, How,Where and Why?” have been the questions to answer. The Why and When are relatively straightforward. The Why is, in the main, to take advantage of the long daylight hours of the northernhemisphere summer. The many records of individuals and observatories answer the When. TheWhere and How are much more complicated. To answer the Where, birds were ringed with alittle metal band on a leg. Each ring has its own number and thus when and where it was put oncan be identified. The recovery rate of rings (ie finding or re-trapping birds) is extremely low andit has taken the best part of a hundred years to build a partial picture. In the early 1900s therewas enormous excitement when the first Swallow with a British ring was found in S. Africa,proving once and for all that the Swallows in S. Africa were the same European ones.
Recent technology has accelerated our learning of Where and this has been wonderfullydemonstrated by the recent satellite tagging of Cuckoos. Up until about five years ago there hadonly been one ring recovery of a Cuckoo in Africa and that was in the Cameroons. Some thirtyCuckoos have been tagged and we now have a good picture of the routes they take and wherethey winter. There are two routes, one via Italy and the other via Spain, before crossing theSahara to West Africa from where they then move on to winter in The Congo. It is this last legwhich has only come to light since the tagging experiment started. It has been fascinating to viewthe progress on the internet. Cuckoos in Eastern Europe and Belarus have also been tagged andalthough, as one would suspect, they take a more Easterly route down through Africa, they joinedtheir cousins in The Congo. The project has moved further East to China where Cuckoos havebeen tagged this year near Beijing. The latest news from this project is that two Cuckoos havecrossed seven international borders and are now in mid India. Is this where they will stay for thewinter or will they move on? perhaps to Africa?
For smaller birds geolocators are used which record time and light and can give approximatewintering locations but have the disadvantage of the need to re-trap the bird the following yearto retrieve the geolocator and download the data.
The How question is broken down into two parts. How do birds fly these enormous distancesand How do they navigate? The first one is relatively well understood. The energy costs ofmigration are very high and typically a bird’s heart rate can increase from 100bpm to nearly800bpm when flying. To sustain this level of energy expenditure for many hours to cross theSahara desert for example requires a lot of fuel. Therefore the birds put on body fat by eatingwell. This has to be carefully regulated as too much fat will cause overheating. Migrations are thehighest cause of mortality rates, particularly amongst juvenile birds. Larger birds such as Storksand Cranes have a different strategy. They use thermals to gain enormous heights and then glidelong distances before picking up another thermal. Thermals do not occur above the seas so anysea crossing is made at the shortest crossings points such as The Straits of Gibraltar or at theother end of The Mediterranean, The Bosporus.
Early experiments in migratory navigation showed that three main cues were used; the sun, thestars and the earth’s magnetic field and together with their genetically encoded destination thebirds are able to reach their goal. Quite some years ago a Manx Shearwater was captured from
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its nest on Skomer Island off the Welsh coast and flown across the Atlantic before release. Withinfour days it was back on its nest which astounded scientists at that time. For some birds, likegeese and swans, the young migrate with their parents and learn the route. Other birds, such as Ospreys and Cuckoos, leave their young to their own devices, relying on genetically coded
instinct to guide them to their wintering grounds. Sometimesthis can go fatally wrong as demonstrated by one poor maleOsprey tracked from Loch Garten; travelling south beforeentering the English Channel about half way along the Southcoast the bird failed to turn slightly east and just kept going for four days before dying of exhaustion in mid-Atlantic. Iremember watching this journey on the internet as he camequite close to various islands but sadly didn’t seem to see them.Once a bird has completed a first migration then the chances ofsurvival are enormously improved. The parents of Loch GartenOsprey have returned year after year, I think the record inScotland is over 25 years for one female. A number of broods ofLoch Garten Ospreys have been satellite tagged but so far notone chick has survived the three years or so to breeding ageand made it back to Scotland. Twenty years ago Scottish Ospreychicks were taken to the new Rutland Water Reserve hoping tostart an English population. Interestingly the chicks did return tothe reserve though the males were more site faithful than thefemales and more females had to be translocated from Scotlandfor the project to succeed, which it has done. It was one ofthese translocated birds that started the colonisation in Wales!
Scientists in Russia captured a number of Reed Warblers ontheir spring migration and having fitted them with the newgeolocators, flew them 1000km to the East. The warblers wereable to compensate and arrived at their normal breedinggrounds. Having flown this route the previous autumn they areable to take a fix on their birth place. If recently fledged chicks
are moved just before they take their first migration they will not find their way back to theirnatal site next spring. The scientists were able to demonstrate by exposing the warblers todifferent magnetic fields that they were using internal geomagnetic maps to find their way.
Over many years experiments have been done with homing pigeons and this research is pointingto the fact that pigeons navigate by smell. Not only that but it is the right nostril that is used fornavigation and when this nostril is blocked the pigeon’s ability to navigate is severely reduced.Scientists in America were able to demonstrate that Catbirds (thrush like birds) also lost theirnavigational ability when their olfactory senses were artificially neutralised. What is not so clear is exactly what they smell that tells them where to go but clearly olfactory maps do play a largepart as well as geomagnetic ones.
Charles Trollope 240821 [email protected]
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Flying over the Apple Tree
It was always going to be difficult to top the main excitement of the previous year’sApple Day in Iden Green when the last airworthy Vulcan bomber roared lowoverhead on her final flight.
This year we had to return to earth with the undoubted attractions of apple-pickingand juice-pressing, cider-tasting from Wise Old Owl at High Halden, and hot lamb orbeef sandwiches from the Bugdens of Cukoo’s Pit Farm. Oh, and of course there wasthe BIG (Benenden and Iden Green) Ukelele band playing in the marquee.
Fresh from their (slightly curtailed) gig at St George’s Harvest lunch, the BIG bandplayed specially arranged versions of Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, Tutti Frutti,Harvest Moon, and In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree. They being pretty much theentire repertoire of apple-related songs that anyone could come up with.
Fortunately the overnight downpour had subsided and the afternoon was dry if a bitcloudy. But at least we’d put up the marquee ‘just in case’ (there are few things worsethan a soggy ukulele). The preparations had been enlivened by a sweepstake on howlong it would take the Chairman to drive back to Sandhurst on his garden mower.The trailer on which it arrived had a flat tyre and he wanted to a have a last go at hislawn after taming the orchard plot. In the end it took him almost exactly 25 minutes,but he was perhaps fortunate not to have been delayed by the boys in blue. We don’tthink the mower was road legal in any sense of the term.
The question now is what to do for Next Year’s Apple Day at the Standen FruitFarm? Suggestions please on an A4 piece of paper formed into a Vulcan-shaped paperdart and posted on the wind.
Kent Barker
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Foot Notes
This month, Jim Hyde strays beyond the parish boundaries to tackle the footpaths of MadeiraMadeira is ideal territory for walkers of all abilities, and we managed to cover 110 miles overthree weeks on this Portuguese territory off the north-west coast of Africa.
The island is only 35 miles by 14 miles and it is possible to get to most places within an hour. Wechose to walk in the afternoons as most of the big groups go out in the mornings and you have abetter chance of meeting fewer people at the beauty spots.
A hire car is essential if you want to get about independently, as public transport to the start orend of a walk is often limited. Alternatively, there are a number of companies offering organisedwalks. We used the two Discovery Walking Guides, which also offer GPS downloads, to plan ourwalks, but there are also similar Sunflower Guides, which contain many of the same itineraries. I
would also recommend the Madeira Tour & Trail map, which showsthe locations of all the walks and also doubles as a road map.
Many of the walks include a stretch of levada walks, tracking aseries of irrigation channels that are designed to move water fromthe temperate uplands and north of the island to the more aridsouth. The levada paths are relatively level, following the contoursof the land, and make for easy walking.
There are tunnels of various lengths going through the hillsides,which make moving from valley to valley easy. A torch is handy forthe longer ones, which can be up to a kilometre in length, althoughmost are much shorter. A waterproof coat is recommended assome tunnels drip and there are may be waterfalls to negotiate.
The centre of the island has the highest mountains and morechallenging treks, while the Paul De Serra plateau offers both easy and hard walks and is a very scenic drive. The Sao Laurencopeninsula has a great coastal walk but is best walked either earlymorning or late afternoon after the crowds have gone.
The south of the island suffered severe forest fires in July this yearand much of the flora burned - up to 60 per cent of the famousbotanical gardens near Funchal was lost. However, in our time onthe island we saw evidence of the woodlands starting to regrow.The footpaths are still open and it is worth doing some of thewalks to see the extent of the devastation. The cafés along theseroutes are still open and the owners are very pleased to see you,as their businesses have been hit by a drop in visitors.
There are always flowers in bloom and we encountered thebiggest hydrangeas we had ever seen and also lots of passionflowers, fuchsias and ginger lilies growing wild along the paths. The best time to visit is spring and early summer.
Jim Hyde, Parish Footpath Co-ordinator
above: Easy walking besideLevada da Riberia da Janela;below: Coastal walking onthe Sao Laurenco peninsula
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The role consists of supervising pupils duringtheir lunchtime break from 11.50am until 1.15pmeach day from Monday to Friday during term time.It involves supervising packed lunches or hot mealsin the canteen and organising games for the children during their play sessions.This paid position, starting January 2017, could be a job share or full time.For further information, a visit to the schoolor an application form, please contact the School Office on 01580 240565.Closing date: Friday 9 December.
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Above:The Ron Russell Band bring the sound of Dixieland to the village hall; the official opening of Benenden School’s new staff houses shortlisted in the Kent Design & Development Awards 2016; the BIG Band provide the soundtrack toApple Day activities; a giant game of Monopoly launches Benenden School girls’ version of the gameFront cover: Anticipating the Benenden Bonfire and Fireworks, photograph by courtesy of Stuart Kirk Photography
