News Volume 3 No. 11 November 2012

The Monthly Newsletter by the Community, for the Community

Parish Council NOTICE OF CASUAL VACANCY There have been a few changes to the Parish Council recently, and it currently has just six members. HOTHFIELD

These are : Larry Krause (Chairman) John Collins Penny Sutcliffe PARISH Peter Howard Liz Turner Diane Hogben. COUNCIL

This is a chance for YOU to make a contribution to the life and development of has one vacancy our village. Why not drop a line to the Parish Clerk? for a Parish The address is in the notice on the right. Councillor

If you are interested in serving as a Village Hall Parish Councillor please write to the Clerk at the address shown below, giving details of interests, experience Regular Activities and reasons for wishing to serve:

Mondays Dance Class 8-10pm Mrs Judith Batt, Parish Clerk to Hothfield Parish Council, Tuesdays Bowls 7-9.30pm. Come and join us! Keg Barn, Hornash Lane, Wednesdays Dog Training 6.30-9.30pm , Ashford, TN26 1HX Thursdays Bingo 7.30 to 9./00pm. or Email: [email protected] Fridays Youth Club 6-8.30pm. Saturdays Rugby Tots 9-10.45am. Applicants will be considered by the current Membership and the To book the Village Hall for your Parties, decision made by ballot vote. Date Get-togethers, etc., of meeting at which co-option is to please ring Carol on 01233 610455. be included on the agenda to be advised, following receipt of application(s). The successful candidate will thereafter be co-opted onto the Parish Council.

To qualify, a person must be a British subject or citizen of the Irish Republic, over 18 years of age and an elector. Additionally they must reside within the parish of Hothfield, or within 3 miles of it, or occupy as owner or tenant any land or premises therein, or have their principal or only place of work there, and must not be disqualified from holding office as a Councillor.

Judith Batt, Clerk to Hothfield Parish Council 19 October 2012

On Sunday 25th November 2012 The Hothfield World Cinema Film Club proudly presents:

Jumble Juniors are holding a children's nearly new sale at Hothfield Village Hall, on Saturday 24th November from 10.30am until 1pm. Why not clear out all those toys cluttering up your loft? To book a table, simply visit www.jumblejuniors.co.uk to choose, book and pay for your table online. Or simply come along on the day and pick up some bargains! Many thanks in advance

The Guild of Players present Blithe Spirit A comedy by Noel Coward 7.30pm, Charing Church Barn Thursday 15 November – Saturday 17 November Tickets (£8) available on the door or in advance from either THE CHARING STORES (01233 712325) or on-line (www.charingguild.com) All about Recycling Kent recycling? Nul points! b) transfer part of the waste (all of it Autumn’s always a good time to do a wouldn’t fit) from my partner’s van bit of shed clearing before the winter – into my small car, or it’s amazing what tends to accu- c) pay for another tankful of petrol mulate in there! Broken suit- to lug it all the way to Canter- Editor’s reply cases, outdated computer bury again. Besides, there Actually, it’s not as bad as all that, parts, dead umbrellas, old were other things we and KCC tells us it’s going to get better. phones, broken garden wanted to do with the rest For a start, very little of Kent’s rub- tools, cardboard boxes, of our Sunday! So next bish goes to landfill; only the very spent batteries...all poten- time we’ll be taking any bulky stuff. The rest is burnt at the tially recyclable materials. new waste to Canterbury if Allington Quarry site near Maidstone, Having learned from this the centre at Ashford is still where it produces enough electricity Newsletter about the 6 month closed, but this week it’s all going (43 megawatts) to power the whole of closure of Ashford’s recycling centre, out with our regular household rub- Ashford Borough. The plant is one of last Sunday my partner dutifully bish for the bin-men. What would you the most modern in Europe, and emis- headed off to the Canterbury one in have done? sions of all kinds are kept to an abso- his van, and queued up for admission How shameful that Kent council not lute minimum. … only to be told that vans were no only makes it very difficult to recycle Secondly, Ashford residents will longer admitted, only cars. Appar- much (you can’t even put cardboard, soon be able to recycle more at home ently this was not just Canterbury’s jiffy bags or windowed envelopes in with a new and improved waste and policy, but applied to the whole of with your paper for your blue box col- recycling collection service. Kent. Domestic van owners had to lection every 2 weeks, which only The new service means that you will apply for a license and demonstrate takes glass and tins apart from paper), be able to add even more materials to that their van was the only registered but discourages those who take the your regular blue box recycling, such vehicle at their address. Why? Pre- time and effort to do so by penalising as plastics, cardboard and Tetra packs, sumably to stop commercial vans from them according to the car they use to and there will be a new weekly food dumping their waste free of charge take their rubbish (at their own ex- waste collection, under the guise of domestic vehicles, pense, mind!) to the dump. No dis- The new service will be rolled out clearly bringing the emphasis away counts off the council tax bill available from April 2013, and will save around from what a community recycling cen- for those who regularly recycle, either. £500,000 a year of taxpayers‘ money. tre should be about – namely the recy- And how shocking, when most of the On the other hand, Isobel still won’t cling of waste, whether of commercial rest of Europe routinely collects differ- be able to go to the tip in a van with- or domestic origin - and right onto entiated domestic waste directly from out a special voucher. Nor can you creating a profit from commercial ve- households (in Italy for instance dif- take a trailer more than 2.05 metres hicles, who, if cash-strapped, rather ferent types of rubbish are collected (7 ft.) long, or more than 33 bricks or than pay will now probably revert to on different weekdays, and similar 90kg of rubble, and if you want to the ghastly eyesore of fly-tipping in schemes operate in other European dump asbestos or car tyres, there’s a our beautiful countryside. Hardly an countries) that the UK in general, and £5 charge. You can’t win them all. environmentally-aware piece of policy, Kent in particular, should still be stuck HGB is it? in the dark days of undifferentiated And what did we do? Well, having rubbish collecting and the horrors of spent half of Sunday clearing out the landfills. Kent council, environmen- shed and carting it all the way to Can- tally aware? The evidence suggests terbury at our own expense, we were otherwise. not going to: a) put it all back again, Isobel Deeley The temporary recycling centre for Ashford opened on 26 October. It is at the Viridor site, still on the Cobbs Wood Estate, at the end of Brunswick Road, 200 yards past the old site.

Allington Quarry Waste Management Facility Hothfield Post

Now in its Third Year! Office

for all your day-to-day needs October 25th Draw Winners 1st Prize No.19 £24 Watch out for 2nd No.130 £14.40 3rd No.141 £9.60 Special Offers on Beer, Wine and Groceries!

The very heart and centre of our village

There's always a welcome

and a friendly face at

Hothfield Post Office

Aunt Jemima’s List of Unfortunate Predictions "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1½ tons." -- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943 "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876. "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible." -- Lord Kelvin, President of the Royal Society, 1895. "Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy." -- Well-borers whom Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859. "Everything that can be invented has been invented." -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899. "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction". - - Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872 "The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon". -- Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria 1873. "The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" -- David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s. "We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962. Hothfield News is edited, printed and published by Hedley Grenfell-Banks and distributed by a dedicated band of volunteers. Email: [email protected] Available on line in colour at www.hothfield.org.uk.

The deadline for the Christmas 2012 issue is 15 November. Letters and articles for publication are always welcome.

Advertising is free to businesses working in, or for, the Parish of Hothfield. Email the Editor for information on advertising prices for outside companies. Saint Margaret's Church More pictures from the Harvest Supper ...

Services … And the Harvest Festival Flowers for November

SUNDAY 4th – All Saints 11am The Eucharist 4pm Commemoration Service at St. Mary, Westwell. At this service, the names of all those who have died and whose Funeral services were held in in Hothfield and Westwell in the past year will be read out and remembered in our prayers.

SUNDAY 11th – REMEMBRANCE 10.45am Service of Remembrance

SUNDAY 18th – 2 before Advent 11am The Eucharist

SUNDAY 25th – Christ the King 11am Family Service 3.30pm Messy Church In the Bluebells Centre

EVERY TUESDAY Friends of St. Margaret’s Charing – The Eucharist 9.00am Charing Heath – Bible Study and Prayers 7pm This month’s

EVERY WEDNESDAY Charing – Prayers 6.15pm COFFEE MORNING

1st WEDNESDAY (7th ) will be on Tuesday 6 November at Hothfield Village Hall Charing Heath – The Eucharist 10.30am followed by Coffee in The Red Lion 10.30 to 11.30am. 1st FRIDAY (2nd) Westwell – Iona Eucharist ALL WELCOME followed by Coffee in The Wheel Inn Computer POORLY ? Is it slow, lethargic, moody? When you ask it to do House & something, does it just whine and say ‘Maybe tomorrow’? Perhaps it has a nasty virus. But it’s far more likely to Gardens be just indigestion. HGB Services can clean it out and set it back on its little feet. The first half-hour will It hardly seems possible that it’s time cost you only £10 – and no callout charge inside for the house to close to the public. Hothfield. For any sort of computer problem, just Staff and guides have all enjoyed the ring 01233 629568. pleasure of your company, so now the work begins to clean, restore and preserve for 2013.

Pumpkin Day TREECYCLING 28th October 11am – 4pm Help Pilgrims Hospices by recycling Christmas Trees

Family fun with ghost stories, pump- Pilgrims Hospices are launching their first TREECYCLING Christmas Tree Collec- kin carving, treasure hunt, face paint- tion. This will take place in the Christmas season ing, children's crafts and games. The In return for a suggested minimum donation of £4, a team of volunteers will col- Kent Guild of Spinners, Dyers and lect your old Christmas tree and take it to be processed into woodchips. Weavers will be demonstrating their Pauline Donkin of Pilgrims Hospice Ashford explains, “It’s a simple idea that skills during the day. works on the principle of “save all that mess in your car or the hassle of cutting game will be barbequing their re- nowned venison burgers and sau- up your tree for disposal by having your old Christmas tree collected by the TREE- sages, visit our tearoom for home- CYCLING team. You just register your tree with us, make your donation and we made cake and afternoon tea. will collect and recycle it for you.”

Adults £5.00, Children £2.00 “This is the first year of running TREECYCLING and it is critical we build a team of volunteers to ensure its success. We are looking for people who have time to Macmillan Coffee Morning help with the collection and it would be especially great if we could find people 1st November – 10am – 12noon with vans to volunteer. Please call Pilgrims Hospice Ashford on 01233 504111 to Let’s make time for coffee, cakes, and volunteer.” the people in our lives raising money Nigel Donkin, Regional for Macmillan Cancer Support. Fundraising Manager, Minimum donation for coffee and added, “TREECYCLING is cake £3.00. All donations will go di- an exciting new initia- rect to Macmillan Cancer Support. Greenhouse plant clearance sale in tive and if it is well sup- the Walled Garden. ported this year, we hope to extend it to Winter Containers Workshop other areas of East Kent in the fu- 10th November 9.30am – 12.30pm ture. We are always looking for new Fun morning, creating your own pot fundraising ideas to enable us to continue to provide care free of charge to all who to look great all Winter. need it.” Sewing Class The TREECYCLING collection will take place in: TN23, TN24, Aldington, with Clare Langdon /, Brook, Hothfield, , Shadoxhurst, , 23rd November 10am – 3pm Westwell, Wye Come along and make a Christmas The collection weekend is Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th January 2013. stocking or table runner for your home. Step by step guide, cutting Over 80p in every £1 is spent on patient care, so please be generous if you can. fabric, sewing, then take home the To book your collection, register online at www.pilgrimshospices.org finished item. Contact Godinton for or call 01233 504111. Registration opens at the beginning of December. booking form. For information on course content and equipment, email Clare at [email protected]

Christmas Arts Fair 30th November – 2nd December 11am – 4pm daily, entry free of charge: Art and Crafts by local ar- tistswww.godinton-house- gardens.co.uk

For more information or to book, contact Rachael on 01233 643854

Help us to look after Hothfield Heathlands

Now that the plants have stopped at the beginning of October. If you gates, path repair, pond building and flowering, the birds have stopped nest- have ever wanted to get involved with many more tasks essential in improv- ing and most of the other wildlife has nature conservation work, ing wildlife across the reserve. gone to ground, we are starting to pro- the Kent Wildlife Trust runs The task days are a great way gress with our winter works across the regular Sunday and Tuesday to keep fit, get plenty of fresh reserve. tasks. The majority of winter air and meet some like Our volunteer group works hard to tasks involve removal of minded people. knock back the scrub that has been birch, with bonfires to get To get involved, you just need slowly encroaching over the last few rid of the excess material. to bring lunch, drink, water- decades. Every square meter that we All the bigger bits of wood proofs, sturdy footwear and enthusiasm! To find out more, restore will provide habitats for drag- are taken as firewood by the contact me on 07889 737839 or onflies, orchids, ground nesting birds volunteers. As well as scrub contact Kent Wildlife Trust on and hundreds of other species. removal, other tasks range 01622 662012. Our winter task programme started from fence repair, installing Ian Rickards, Kent Wildlife Trust Sunday Conservation Tasks Sunday tasks start at 10:00am and go on until 4.00pm. Date Site Task Meeting point 11th November Hothfield Heathlands Scrub control and Hothfield Heathlands reserve car park fencing 9th December Hothfield Heathlands Heathland manage- Hothfield Heathlands reserve car park ment 13th January Hothfield Heathlands Heathland manage- Hothfield Heathlands reserve car park ment

Weekday Conservation Tasks Weekday tasks start at 9:00am and go on until 4.00pm. Date Site Task Meeting point Tuesdays Ashford reserves. (Hothfield, Ashford Practical conservation Contact reserves warden on 07889 Warren and Orelstone forest) management 737839

Heather, August