Hollingbourne & Hucking
January 2021
Happy New Year
Church & Village News www.hollingbournepc.kentparishes.gov.uk
Parish Directory
The Clergy Team Churchwardens Val Lurcock, 1 Tilefields 880694 Christine Jones 688830 Bellringers Nigel Baker (Tower Captain) 07778 691 343 Pam Nash 880309 Borough Councillor Patrik Garten, Kingswood House, Pitt Orad, ME17 3NR 807907 Bourne Musicians Beccy Stroud, 1 Musket Lane 880377 Cardwell Pavilion 07932 164839 Cricket Club Ian Gutteridge 730388 Cubs Jane Newsome 862558 Doctor Yeomans Lane : Repeat Prescriptions 630415 / Appointments, etc. 737326 Downs Mail Editor 734735 Football Club Mike Bedwell 880353 Garden Society John Ross 737080 Hospitals: Maidstone 729000 Eye, Ear & Mouth Unit 729000 Preston Hall 710161 9am – 5 pm Kent Messenger Correspondent Vacant Maidstone Volunteer Bureau 01622 756662 Meadows Trust Ben Williams 07968.123165 or880584 Neighbourhood Contacts June Pockett [email protected]/07767.367611 Parish Council Chairman Adam Ward [email protected] Vice Chairman Simon Hulme 07808 300 840 Parish Clerk Vickie Smith [email protected] 07856.180003/880526 Pre-School Christine Judges 07864 065753 Police PCSO Ryan Waring 101 Railway Enquiries 0845 748 4950 Reading Group Barbara Lloyd 880282 Dawn Perry 880634 Royal British Legion Derek Davison 880650 School Mrs. Helen Bradley-Wyatt, Headteacher 880270 Scout Group Alan Poulton 843019 Short Mat Bowls Peter Lee 880580 Village Hall Barbara Tremble 880216 Village Shop Julie & Martin Woods 880338 Women’s Institute Barbara Gibbs 880652 Sue Roberts 07867.691393 Hucking WI Sharon Lee 07714.756354 Kate Blacker 07760.905416
Magazine Contributions should be in by the 10 th of the month latest to the Editor : Carole Findlay, 1 Pimpernel Close, Bearsted, Kent ME14 4QQ. 01622.583636 Email: hollingbourne[email protected]
Magazine Subscriptions for the year £6.00 were due by 1 st April, 2020. (suspended) Subscriptions are usually collected by Magazine Distributors. For advertising please contact Phil Smith at [email protected] Single Copies 60p available from Woods of Hollingbourne (when available) and in All Saints Church Magazine available on line at Hollingbourne Parish Council website 2 HOPES AND DREAMS
I remember that when my three children were born, I hoped they would grow up to be healthy and happy. When they were older, I hoped they would have a good career. I suppose I secretly hoped they would want to work for the church like their dad, but no, they certainly had different ideas! My eldest, Naomi, wanted to be a vet. She read animal books and planned to start a business with her cousin. Then her hopes were dashed when we found out she was allergic to most furry animals. Not exactly a good qualification and certainly not recommended. I am pleased to say she re- focussed and trained to be a sports coach and is doing very well in her birthplace, Blackpool. Sometimes things don’t work out in the way we expected.
St Paul says in Romans 8:24-25, “…. Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
There is a lot of hope in that little passage! But what is the meaning of hope? Hope is something that you want to happen, like your hope that good things will come this year, or that life can get better for everybody in the world in 2021, with the massive job of distributing the coronavirus vaccine to everyone in the world. Hope can also be a verb that means "strive or aim for or wish."
Right through the Bible, God was there for his people. Some turned away from him, others struggled when things went against them, some complained a lot, some continued to trust him and follow his ways even though it was tough. Even when the Israelites were taken captive, they had a hope that God would rescue them; even when they were travelling through the wilderness, God gave his people leaders who would give them hope that God would lead them. And so it went on……
Even today, people worship God even when they live in countries where there’s war, no water, no food and not much hope .
So, as we start this most anticipated and hoped-for year, let us pray for that hope of a healthy, peaceful and fruitful year for all of humanity, for our communities and our churches; for our families, friends and neighbours. Oh yes, for ourselves too!
A Happy, Hope-filled New Year to you all.
Captain Graham Bibby Team Missioner, North Downs Team
3 SERVICES 2020/21 (YEAR B) JANUARY 2021
3rd January Epiphany Service Hollingbourne 11.00 am Eucharist 10th January Baptism of Christ Service Hollingbourne 11.00 am Eucharist 17 th January 2nd Sunday of Epiphany Service Hollingbourne 11.00 am Eucharist 24 th January 3rd Sunday of Epiphany/Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Service Hollingbourne 11.00 am Eucharist 31 st January 4th Sunday of Epiphany Service Hollingbourne 11.00 am Eucharist
(It is hoped that these services will take place, but further consultation is being conducted).
If you wish to attend a church service at All Saints Church you MUST register in advance with the Churchwardens – Val Lurcock - 880694 or Christine Jones - 688830.
The Church will be open for Private Prayer between 10.00 am and 3 pm on Wednesday and Sunday.
Revd. Mark Pavey will be conducting a service online at 10.00 am each Sunday.
The following links are the links for Mark Pavey's services - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4KnCwLrj4ACApkv_UEyXvg or if you are on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/northdownschurches/
Further information will be posted when arrangements become clearer.
LEEDS SERVICES
3rd January Leeds 11.00 am Eucharist 10 th January Broomfield 3.30 pm Communion 17 th January Leeds 11.00 am Eucharist 24 th January Kingswood 11.00 am Family Communion 31 st January Langley 11.00 am Joint Area Communion 4 EDITOR’S NOTES
As I try to put the magazine together for the beginning of a new (and, we hope) and more normal year, there are many things that will influence the coming months. Covid, vaccination, new Brexit rules, fluctuating jobs and the economy are but a few of the subjects that will dominate the headlines. It is to be hoped that, with a more ‘normal’ life (out of upper Tiers) the life in the village with spring up again with our organisations full of innovative ideas (like the Christmas competitions) to keep us all busy and amused.
Christmas was, no doubt, quiet and New Year may not have its usual festive appearance, but both celebrations point the way to new birth and life in the future. Let us pray that our hopes will be fulfilled.
If you have spare time on your hands, perhaps you would consider the appeal by the Scouts for Leaders and Helpers for this wonderful organisation, that contributes so much for the young members of the village. Our own daughter benefitted from being in Brownies and our son went all the way through Beavers, Cubs and into Scouts. A long time ago.
The Meadows announces its AGM on 23 rd February (Covid allowing). If you enjoy walking the Meadows or just having a marvellous green open space in the middle of the village, please consider supporting the organisation financially. Like all village societies it is run by volunteers, who struggle to keep up with legislation, red tape and (I regret to say) the occasional vandalism. Their constant efforts to improve the life of the village is more than commendable.
Please note that I have moved, but am still continuing as Editor, and have a new phone number, but the same email. I still need information for the magazine.
Carole Findlay 01622.583636
HATCHES MATCHES & DESPATCHES
It is with great sadness that Carole & Jim Findlay record the sudden and unexpected death of their beloved grand-daughter, Elara, in Texas at the age of three and a half months on 27 th December, 2020. We saw her on WhatsApp on Christmas Day but, with all the Covid restrictions, we never had the opportunity of seeing her in person.
Peter Brown, of Upper Street Cottages, beloved partner of Barbara Tremble, died of Covid 19 on 10 th December. Peter and Barbara had tended the church porch garden for several years. 5 Country Notes for January 2021
What a year all of us have just experienced – and one that I imagine we hope we will never see again. Coronavirus and Brexit have dominated our lives, and the virus, in particular, has caused us to behave and do things in a way we would have thought unimaginable only a year ago. I am sure that for many of us this has been deeply unsettling and we are longing for normality to return to our lives once again.
The wonderful thing is that, through all of this, our countryside, our gardens and nature itself has remained constant. I am sure that we were all grateful that, in the early stages of lockdown, the weather was wonderful and enabled us to get out and about for walks in the country. It also gave us the opportunity to enjoy our gardens to the full. What a blessing this was. As I wandered about our villages, I found it really consoling to see everything behaving as usual – and for the creatures in our landscape there was no knowledge of the turmoil going on in the world. Bracken, my dog, had no idea that anything was different as we walked the byways of our villages and neither did the blackbird in the hedge or the swallow returning from its winter break in Africa. The bluebells flowered in our woodland with their usual splendour and the cowslips on the downs filled our hearts with joy as they always do. Lambs gambolled with their new-found friends in the meadows, and calves followed their mothers and explored the new world that they had been born into, as their predecessors have done for generations before them.
As life slowly settles down to some sort of normality this year, we would do well to remind ourselves of how special our immediate environment is and ensure that we do all we can to protect and conserve it in the future, both for ourselves and for all the living creatures and plants which we share it with.
A very happy new year to you all! Andrew Snowdon
Flowers in your garden in January
6 INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRINTING THE MAGAZINE FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL WEBSITE
1. Open Parish Magazine in ‘News’. 2. Go to ‘Full Screen’. 3. It will come up as a PDF. 4. Download as PDF and open. 5. Print - the print symbol is at the top right. 6. Go to ‘More settings’. 7. Tick ‘Print on both sides’. 8. Select ‘Flip on short Edge’. 9. Open Dialogue System. 10. Go to ‘Preferences’. 11. In ‘Favourites’ select ‘Booklet Printing’. 12. In ‘Basic’ select ‘Landscape’. 13. Press ‘OK’. 14. Press Apply.
Then you should be able to press print.
(If your printer doesn’t print both sides, I’m afraid you’ll use more paper!)
Why parking your car is getting more difficult
Have you noticed that it is getting harder to park your car? And that, when you finally do get parked, you can barely get the door open enough to squeeze out?
It is not your fault. Modern cars have grown so big that many drivers now have as little as 21cm of room to spare in a parking space.
A recent study has found that the country’s most popular cars are as much as 55 per cent larger than they were in the Seventies, while the standard parking space has not grown at all. No surprise, then, that millions of drivers scrape their cars each year trying to park in cramped spaces.
The biggest grower is the Mini Hatch, which is now 55 per cent bigger and takes up to 22 per cent more of a parking space that the original did, back in 1959. The Honda Civic of today is 1.8m wide, an increase of 44 per cent. It now takes up nearly three quarters of a standard parking bay.
CarGurus, who carried out the research, has urged the authorities to update the guidelines for parking bays. The current size of a parking bay is 2.4m by 4.8m and has not changed in 50 years. 7 Hollingbourne Meadows Trust - News Bulletin January 2021
Happy New Year and best wishes for 2021 The Trust relies totally on regular donations from members and specific funds from other organisations. It does not receive funding from the Government or the Local Authority.
We hope that you have all managed to have an enjoyable Christmas and managed to keep safe and well in avoiding the Coronavirus. We send our best wishes to all our members and supporters and hope that you are looking after yourself in these difficult times and look forward to seeing you soon.
Now that we are getting back to work, for those who did not have to work over the holiday period, please do not forget to look in on your neighbours and loved ones. It is so easy to be wrapped up in our own lives and so please think about those who you may not have seen from one week to another.
Do not forget that the Meadows are open all year and spending a few minutes walking around in the open spaces of the Meadows and the surrounding countryside is a great tonic for us all. It is a great way to improve your physical and mental health. Being out in the peace and quiet with nature is good for us all regardless of the weather.
Please ask a friend or neighbour if they would like to accompany you on walks, but always consider the government guidelines prevalent at the time.
The Trust were planning on holding the Annual General meeting in November but, due to the restrictions in place, this was postponed. We must, however, hold an AGM by the end of February 2021 and this has bene provisionally set for 7.00am on Tuesday 23 February 2021 . If the restrictions are eased sufficiently, then it is our intention to hold a public meeting in the Village Hall. However, if we are still not permitted to hold public meetings, then the AGM will have to be held online. If the meeting is to be held online, then the number is likely to be restricted to Members and Friends only, who will be contacted directly.
In the meantime, please keep the date free and look out for further communications on the arrangements for the AGM. If possible, we would love to see as many of you as possible at the venue. This is your opportunity to hear about what we have done, what plans we have and the financial status. It is also your opportunity to tell us what you think about the way the Trust is managed and what you would like included in the forthcoming plans.
If you are not currently a Member or Friend of the Meadows, then why not a make New Year’s Resolution to change this in 2021? If you would like further details of the Meadows Trust or be a ‘Friend of the Meadows’ and would like to support this asset which is for the whole community or if anyone is interested in sponsoring a tree, which would make 8 a great present for a loved one, then please visit www.hollingbournemeadowstrust.co.uk or any member of the Trust . There is more information on the HMT website along with the details of other projects and this can be found on www.hollingbournemeadowstrust.co.uk , on Face- book at https://www.facebook.com/Project100HMTL/ and there is also a web- site where donations can be made at https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/ hollingbournemeadowstrust
Fire in Eyhorne Street
A warning has been issued following an overnight fire, which was sparked by an electrical fault with a dehumidifier.
Fire crews in two engines attended a flat in Eyhorne Street, Hollingbourne, at 11.40pm on 6 th December.
Wearing breathing apparatus and using a hose reel jet, they tackled the blaze in the kitchen.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s Volunteer Response Team also attended, with crews leaving the flat three hours later at 2.40am.
Firefighters are urging people always to check to make sure electrical items are turned off before going out or going to bed.
They are also warning people to avoid overloading plug sockets, which can increase the chance of a fire starting.
There were no reported casualties, and the cause is believed to accidental, linked to an electrical fault with a dehumidifier.
A vicar and his wife were going out for the evening, and carefully set the security lights and put the cat out. But when they opened the door to go to the taxi, the cat slipped back in and disappeared upstairs. Irritated, the vicar followed it.
The wife waited with the taxi driver. Not wanting him to know that they were leaving the parsonage empty, she said: "My husband is just upstairs for a quick word with my mother.”
A few minutes later, the husband arrived, breathless. "Sorry I took so long" he said, “but she put up a fight! Stupid old thing was hiding under the bed and I had to poke her with a coat hanger and grab her by the scruff of the neck to get her out.”
9 ‘Quarantine’ - the 2020 word of the year
The Cambridge Dictionary has named ‘quarantine’ as its ‘word of the year’ for 2020. Apparently, it was the word most looked up between January and October of last year. ‘Quarantine’ even beat ‘pandemic’ and ‘lockdown’.
The Cambridge Dictionary has now added a new meaning to the word ‘quarantine’. It runs: ‘A general period of time in which people are not allowed to leave their homes or travel freely, so that they do not catch or spread a disease.’
The editors are also considering some possible new words for the dictionary. These include ‘Quaranteam’ (a group of people who go into quarantine together), Lockstalgia (a feeling of nostalgia for the lockdown period), and Coronnial (someone born around the time of the pandemic).
Open that window
Here is an easy resolution for the New Year: open your windows at home for ‘short sharp bursts’ of 10 to 15 minutes at a time, several times a day.
The government’s public information campaign says that regular fresh air can cut the risk of Covid transmission by more than 70 per cent.
So, either leave a window open a small amount continuously, or open it fully on a regular basis throughout the day, especially if anyone has come to visit you in your home. Coronavirus is spread through the air by droplets and smaller particles known as aerosols. They can hang in the air for hours and they build up over time.
10 Music Notes January 2021
My regular readers will know that I often complain about the problems of writing information about local concerts some 2 months ahead, to take account of magazine deadlines. This time I write as all of Kent is just emerging from lockdown into a tier 3 situation, which prevents any musicians rehearsing together indoors and prevents congregations singing together in churches. It is true that vaccination is on its way – approvals have been announced – but I cannot see this having an effect on the music scene in January. I hope I am wrong; perhaps you will read this in January and laugh at the pessimism of my forecasting?
So, instead of forecasting, I will look to the past. There are some significant musical anniversaries that will take place in January 2021 including:
23 January, 1921, (100 years) death of Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych 27 January, 1901, (120 years) death, in Milan, of Giuseppe Verdi. 31 st January, 1921, (100 years) birth of Born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza (known as Mario Lanza) in Philadelphia.
On the assumption that Leontovych is the least known of these three, I will add (with acknowledgement to Wikipedia) that he was born and raised in the Podolia province of the Russian Empire (now in Ukraine). He was educated as a priest and later furthered his musical education at the Saint Petersburg Court Capella and with private lessons with Boleslav Yavorsky. With the independence of the Ukrainian state in the 1917 revolution, Leontovych moved to Kyiv where he worked at the Kyiv Conservatory and the Mykola Lysenko Institute of Music and Drama. He is recognised for composing Shchedryk in 1904 (which premiered in 1916), known to the English-speaking world as Carol of the Bells or Ring, Christmas Bells. He is known as a martyr in the Eastern Orthodox Ukrainian Church, where he is also remembered for his liturgy, the first liturgy composed in the vernacular, specifically in the modern Ukrainian language. He was assassinated by a Soviet agent in 1921.
Subject only to complaints received I will continue this theme of “anniversaries” in my music notes until such time as local concerts resume!
BJH
2021
At the passing of time I’m aghast Another New Year coming fast! Can it be that much worse Or more of a curse Than this horrible year that has passed?
By Nigel Beeton
11 HOLLINGBOURNE PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS
The Next Meetings are to be held on Monday, 11th January Monday, 8th February Monday, 8th March Via Microsoft Teams Video Link, at 7.30 pm. These are public meetings, but, due to COVID-19 Government Guidelines on the gathering of people together, it will NOT be held at the Cardwell Pavilion. Residents and representatives of the media interested in joining the video link should contact the Clerk via [email protected] . The Parish Council’s aim is to include them within the meeting.*
Cancelled Carols
Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus tier 3 restrictions the Christmas carols at the Pavilion were unable to go ahead.
It had been hoped that the tier system would allow for these to continue, but Kent’s position in tier 3 Architectural & Interior Design restricted this.
The Santa trail, however, proved Residential Commercial popular and there were many lovely Extensions Alterations entries for the house decorating New Builds Bldg Regs competition. LA Planning & Listed Buildings
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12
Leeds & Kingswood Scout Group WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A LEADER OR HELPER?
Did you know YOU could become a Beaver, cubs or scout volunteer and help us to improve the lives of local boys and girls and help them to develop and fulfil their future ambitions?
Leeds & Kingswood Scout Group is run from the Scout Hut located alongside the playing field on the Lenham Road, Kingswood. Each section meets one evening a week and carries out a variety of activities both in the hut and outside.
After many years, our two cub leaders are retiring and our two scout leaders are moving away, having successfully joined the RAF.
We urgently need volunteers, both as leaders and helpers, to ensure the continued success of the group. All training and uniforms are provided and it is an ideal opportunity to develop your own skills and ambitions while giving something back to the local community.
I would be delighted to provide any more information you may need to make your decision to join us.
I very much look forward to hearing from you.
Yours
Alan Poulton Chairman - 843019
Plants in your front garden
What’s in your front garden? If it is sparse, why not consider adding some plants this year? Apparently, the presence of greenery can lower your stress levels as much as two months of mindfulness sessions. Plants can also help you to feel happier.
A recent trial study by the Royal Horticultural Society found that people who introduced ornamental plants such as juniper, azalea, clematis, lavender, daffodil bulbs and petunias had a significant lowering of the stress hormone, cortisol, and many reported that they felt ‘happier’.
13 Captain’s Log: Christmas 2020
One of the many things I’ve missed about Christmas this year is the singing. I love a carol and enjoy singing many of the Christmas songs. Did you know that, even in some of the secular Christmas songs we sing each year there is a Christian meaning?
The “12 days of Christmas”, for example, refer to the twelve day period that starts with Christmas Day and ends on Epiphany (6th January). The song begins, ‘On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me....’. The ‘true love’ was meant to represent God, the true love of the world. The ‘me’ in the song is the person who receives these presents. The meanings given to the 12 days are:
The ‘partridge in a pear tree’ is Jesus who died on the cross. In ancient times a partridge was often used as a mythological symbol of a divine, sacred king.
The ‘two turtle doves’ are the Old and New Testaments of the Bible – another gift from God. Doves also symbolise peace.
The ‘three French hens’ are faith, hope and love. Th ey can also represent God the Father, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
The ‘four calling birds’ are the four Gospels in the New Testament of the Bible.
The ‘five golden rings’ are the first five books of the Bible, the books of Moses.
The ‘six geese a-laying’ are the six days of creation.
The ‘seven swans a-swimming’ are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The ‘eight maids a-milking’ are the eight beatitudes , Jesus’ teaching on happiness.
The ‘nine ladies dancing’ are nine fruits of the Hol y Spirit.
The ‘ten lords a-leaping’ are the Ten Commandments in the Bible.
The ‘eleven pipers piping’ are the eleven faithful disciples of Jesus.
14 To advertise in this magazine, please contact Phil Smith on 01622.880.680 philip.smithsmith@ btinternet.com when replying to an advertisement, please mention this publication
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15 Hollingbourne Train station closed due to fallen tree
A fallen tree forced the village railway station to close after power was cut off.
Southeastern said that the station at Hollingbourne had shut after the incident blocked the station approach road. It has also caused a power cut.
Trains ran through the station but did not stop at Hollingbourne.
Minor delays were expected on services running along the Ashford to Maidstone line.
Southeastern tweeted to say the station remained shut while it waited for a power supply company to repair some damaged cables.
A minibus provided shuttle runs to Maidstone East station for any passengers who could not make their own way to alternative stations.
US presidents – young and old
A look back over the last 60 years, at 20-year intervals, reveals the following snapshot of the ages of various residents in the White House:
60 years ago, on 20 th January, 1961, John F Kennedy became the 35 th President of the United States. The youngest to become president by election, Kennedy was only 43 years old at his inauguration.
40 years ago, on 20 th January, 1981, Ronald Reagan became 40 th President of the United States. At 69 years of age at the time of his first inauguration, Reagan was the oldest first-term US president, a distinction he held until 2017, when Donald Trump was inaugurated at age 70.
20 years ago, on 20 th January, 2001, George W Bush was inaugurated as the 43 rd President of the United States. He was 55 years old, almost the exact median age of US presidents on their inauguration day (which stands at 53 years and three months).
This month, on 20 th January, 2021, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46 th President of the United States. He is 78, which makes him the oldest-ever person to become president. (He turned 78 on 20 th November, 2020.)
Endurance and perseverance are qualities we would all like to possess, but we are loath to go through the process that produces them. - Jerry Bridges
You can never plan the future by the past. - Edmund Burke Many years ago, the Salvation Army’s founder General William Booth was in full spate. Suddenly he stopped and stabbed a finger at a young man busily writing, and called out, “Young man, are you saved?” To which the astonished individual replied: “ME, sir? I’m a reporter!” - Colin R Coote
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17 The first man to get stopped for speeding…
It was 125 years ago, on 28 th January, 1896, that Walter Arnold of Kent became the first person in the world to be convicted of speeding. The speed limit was 2mph at the time, and a man carrying a red flag had to walk in front of the vehicle. But one day Mr Arnold took off at 8mph, without a flag bearer. He was chased by a policeman on a bicycle for five miles, arrested, and fined one shilling.
Mr Arnold was four times over the rather modest 2mph limit in the streets of Paddock Wood, near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. To achieve this feat today, a driver in most towns or cities would have to be travelling at over 100mph, which is probably a bit excessive.
The speed limit was changed later that same year to 14mph, but there is no record of Mr Arnold getting his money back. Nor is there any evidence that he was endangering life and limb, which used to be the criterion: the 1832 Stage Carriage Act introduced the offence of endangering someone’s safety by "furious driving”.
Just over 100 years later, the road safety charity Brake reports that male motorists are more than three times as likely as women to having driven at more than 100mph, because ‘boy racers’ believe they have more talent than the average driver. Police have caught one driver doing 120mph in a 20mph zone, another doing 152mph in a 30mph zone, and one doing an astonishing 180mph on a motorway. As Edmund King, AA president, points out: “Generally men have riskier attitudes towards driving than their female counterparts.” WINNERS OF THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMPETITION
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21 David Pickup, a solicitor, considers what happens when your children do damage.
Keep it in the family!
Start children off on the way they should go…. Proverbs 22:6
Suppose you bought your child a football for Christmas. You all go outside to the garden, and in front of the family you show them how to score a goal. Then they have a go, but accidentally kick the new ball straight at your neighbour’s greenhouse, which breaks some glass. Are you legally responsible for the damage?
Or supposing you buy them a bicycle, and they then try it on the road, and cause an accident. Will you have pay for any loss?
A parent is not generally legally responsible for a child who causes an accident. There are some exceptions and some of them are these:
If the child was doing something at your request for you (acting as your agent), The parent was in charge of the child at the time, The parent is negligent in allowing the child something which is risky Where the parent is not in proper control of the child.
If you were showing your loved ones how you used to score a goal, you may be legally responsible for the greenhouse, if you are not a good coach. But if the child is just playing and accidentally breaks a window, the position may be different. If you give your child something that is dangerous, like an air rifle or a firework with which they then do damage, you may well be legally responsible.
Law and morality are different. As a good neighbour, you would want to pay for any damage, even if the law says you do not have to. Children should be brought up to admit mistakes and be responsible. Sometimes the risks increase, especially if a youngster is on the road. Any parent would want to be especially careful near a main road.
If someone else’s child does you or your property significant damage, what can you do? If you cannot sue the parent, you could claim against the child, but that is unlikely to be worth it unless the child has money of their own.
If things go wrong, check if you have legal insurance. Many home contents insurance policies have legal cover. Some policies have an optional legal cover so you have to add it on. Some legal expenses insurance have an advice line or cover the whole family if they live with you.
As always this is a light-hearted guide to a complicated subject and always get proper legal advice.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive. You never learn to pray until your kids learn to drive.
22
Gary Tickle Conservation bricklayer/ builder All building works undertaken
Specialising in :- Alterations, chimneys Brickwork, lime mortar & flint work
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Email: Gary- [email protected]
23 Church Road, Hucking, Kent ME17 1QT. Tel : 01622.880272 Here at The Hook and Hatchet Inn we have a number of desirable amenities other than just our fabulous bar and dining area - paired with a wide selection of beers, ales, spirits and wines and also fantastic homemade pub food!
We are a dog friendly pub and also have an area for horses to be tied up and watered free of charge outside too!
With regular events and on site camping we pride ourselves on being able to offer a country pub experience different from the rest.
OPENING HOURS
LORNAS BAR
Monday, Tues, Thurs 12-8 pm Wednesday 12-9 pm Friday & Saturday 12-10 pm Sunday 12-8 pm
REGULAR EVENTS
ALTERNATE MONDAYS - QUIZ BURGER SHACK NIGHT AND BINGO NIGHT 8.00 PM Monday, Tues, Thurs 12-7 pm TWO-WHEELED TUESDAY Wednesday 12-8 pm DARTS ON TUESDAY 8pm (Wheelie Wed 5-8 pm Curry & Chips or Chilli £10) THURSDAY OPEN MIKE WITH JOSH ROOTS & Friday & Saturday 10am-9 pm CO 9.00 pm (Fish Friday 5-8 pm Fish & Chips £10) CLASSIC CAR FRIDAYS (1st Friday) Sunday 10 am-7 pm CLASSIC BIKE FRIDAYS (3rd Friday)
SADDLE UP SATURDAYS (2nd Saturday) No table bookings
MUSIC QUIZ (3rd Saturday) Cash preferred BAND NIGHT (last Saturday)
24 Local professional mortgage advice and recommendations to in- clude…
Purchases/Re-mortgages/First-Time-Buyers Buy-To-Let/Let-To-Buy/Right-To-Buy Commercial Mortgages/Equity Release Building & Contents/Life Protection Critical Illness Protection/Income Protection
Please contact GREG on 07956 549488 or Email: [email protected] CeMAP & CeRER qualified
Braemar Mortgage Services Limited is an independent mortgage adviser and registered with the Finan- cial Conduct Authority – FCA No. 495806
25 All in the month of January
It was:
500 years ago , on 3 rd January, 1521, that German Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Leo X, after he refused to recant his writings . A few weeks later, on 23 rd January, the Diet of Worms was called by the Holy Roman Empire and ran until 25 th May. This imperial assembly culminated in the Edict of the Diet of Worms, which branded Martin Luther as a heretic, and banned his writings.
150 years ago , on 26 th January, 1871, that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) was founded in England.
125 years ago , on 28 th January, 1896, that Walter Arnold of Kent became the first person in the world to be convicted of speeding. The speed limit was 2 mph and a person carrying a red flag had to walk in front of the vehicle. But Arnold drove at 8 mph without a flag bearer. He was chased by a policeman on a bicycle, arrested, and fined one shilling.
100 years ago , on 28 th January, 1921, that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was installed beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It honours those who died in WWI (and later also WWII) who were never identified.
80 years ago , on 5 th January, 1941, that Amy Johnson, pioneering British aviator, drowned in the Thames Estuary, aged 37. She had bailed out after her plane ran out of fuel and crashed in adverse weather conditions.
75 years ago , on 3 rd January, 1946, that William Joyce (‘Lord Haw Haw’), British fascist politician who broadcast Nazi propaganda from Germany during WWII, was hanged for treason.
70 years ago , on 9 th January, 1951, that the United Nations moved into its present headquarters in New York City. It is a 39-floor building in the Turtle Bay area of Manhattan, overlooking the East River.
65 years ago , on 27 th January, 1956, that Elvis Presley’s hit song ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was released. It topped the US charts in April and became his first UK hit in May of that year.
60 years ago , on 20 th January, 1961, that John F Kennedy was inaugurated as the 35 th President of the United States.
50 years ago , on 25 th January, 1971, that Idi Amin became President of Uganda, after deposing Milton Obote in a coup.
40 years ago , on 2 nd January, 1981, that British serial killer Peter Sutcliffe (the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’) was arrested in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He was charged with murdering 13 women. He died of Covid-19 in November 2020.
40 years ago , on 20 th January, 1981, that Ronald Reagan was inaugurated the 40 th President of the United States.
30 years ago , 17 th January to 28 th February, that the Gulf War’s ‘Operation Desert Storm’ took place. Invading Iraqi forces were expelled from Kuwait 26 and the Kuwaiti monarchy was restored. It was a decisive coalition victory.
25 years ago , on 27 th January, 1996, that the first Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed in Germany. It became International Holocaust Day in 2005, when it was adopted by the United Nations. It marks the day (27 th January 1945) when the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration/death camp was liberated.
20 years ago , on 20 th January, 2001, that George W Bush was inaugurated as the 43 rd President of the United States.
Also 20 years ago , on 31 st January, 2001, that a Scottish court in the Netherlands convicted Abdelbaset al-Megrahi of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. He was the head of airport security for Libyan Arab Airlines and a suspected Libyan intelligence officer. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but released on medical grounds in 2009 and died in 2012.
10 years ago , on 4 th January, 2011, that Gerry Rafferty, Scottish rock singer and songwriter, died. Best known for his solo hit ‘Baker Street’.
Man to wife: “He preaches a remarkably good sermon. It is so hard to avoid offending people like us.” - New Yorker cartoon caption Wrinkles mean you laughed; grey hair mean you care; scars mean you lived; a large rear end means you love take-aways.
If money talks, my wallet is whispering.
If biblical events were being covered by today's media…
On Red Sea crossing: WETLANDS TRAMPLED IN LABOUR STRIKE Enforcement Officials Killed While Pursuing Unruly Mob
On the prophet Elijah on Mt Carmel: FIRE SENDS RELIGIOUS ACTIVIST INTO FRENZY 400 Killed In Unprovoked Attack
On the birth of Christ: HOTELS FULL, ANIMALS EJECTED FROM SHELTER Animal Rights Advocates Enraged by Insensitive Couple
On feeding the 5,000: LAY PREACHER STEALS CHILD'S LUNCH Disciples Mystified Over Behaviour
On healing the 10 lepers: QUACK PREYS ON TERMINALLY ILL Authorities Investigating Use of Non-traditional Medical Procedure
On raising Lazarus from the dead: ITINERANT PREACHER RAISES STINK Will Now Being Contested by Lawyers of Heirs 27 With the US Presidential inauguration in mind…
What do presidents say on the day that they become President of the United States? Here are some brief glimpses backwards….
1961: John F Kennedy: “We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom — symbolising an end, as well as a beginning — signifying renewal… Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans…. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
1981: Ronald Reagan: “Can we solve the problems confronting us? Well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic ‘yes.’ To paraphrase Winston Churchill, I did not take the oath I have just taken with the intention of presiding over the dissolution of the world's strongest economy…The business of our nation goes forward. These United States are confronted with an economic affliction of great proportions…It threatens to shatter the lives of millions of our people.”
2001: George W Bush : “While many of our citizens prosper, others doubt the promise, even the justice, of our own country. The ambitions of some Americans are limited by failing schools and hidden prejudice and the circumstances of their birth. And sometimes our differences run so deep, it seems we share a continent, but not a country.”
28 Sheds and Shelters Ltd
Hollingbourne Maidstone Kent
Manufacturer of all types of garden buildings All buildings made to order Prices inc VAT, Delivery & Erection We only use tanlised timber
Tel. 01622 880031 www.shedsandshelters.co.uk
Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards. If you disgrace yourself, you can always write a book. - Ronald Reagan
Politics is the science of how who gets what, when and why. - Sidney Hillman
29 Pest Purge Ltd For all your pest problems
Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Bedbugs, Fleas Wasps, Rabbits, Fox and Birds No job too small, same day support Talk to your local, friendly Pest Control Business
30 The Rectory St James the Least
My dear Nephew Darren
You may have had several years of intensive training on biblical interpretation, preaching and church history, but that doesn’t cover the really important matters in parish life: how to evade disgruntled parishioners, run a brisk Summer Fete and, in your case at present, deal with correspondence, either by letter or email.
My regular practice, which I recommend to you as a New Year Resolution, is to read all the letters/emails you receive and then discard them. If the matter is truly important, you will receive a second message, to which you respond; more likely, the sender will either have forgotten all about his first letter/email after the second month or will write to some other cleric instead. In either case, you will be saved a great deal of trouble.
You only need two folders for your filing system, either for post or emails. The first is for complaints; they are to be filed and ignored, no matter how many duplicates you are sent. Should you be confronted personally, you simply say that the matter has been passed on to the bishop. Those truly dogged complainants who pursue the matter will eventually receive an episcopal reply saying he knows nothing of the matter, for which you then blame the postal system/spammed email. After letters and emails have ricocheted round the country for many months, the person complaining will either have lost energy to pursue the matter, or the will to live.
The second file receives all other correspondence/emails chronologically. The earliest letters and emails will be at the bottom of the pile and the most recent on the top. In my experience, the postal file only needs attention when it reaches a height of about two feet and becomes unstable. The practice then is to discard the lower six inches and allow it to continue its steady growth. If the stack is kept in the church vestry, then mice usually attend to the papers on the bottom of the pile.
Sadly, your own church, with its electronic systems for filing, sorting and retrieving correspondence and with your parish secretaries, removes all of these blessings at a stroke. You have therefore no excuses for not dealing instantly with every note that comes your way. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
May I also remind you that not even St Paul, that unflagging letter-writer, ever ended one of his letters with a request for a prompt reply. Need I say more?
Your loving uncle,
Eustace
31 2021 January 1st New Year’s Day 3rd 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 6th Epiphany 10 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 11 th Parish Council Meeting On Line 31 st Tax Payments due to HMRC February 8th 7.30 pm Parish Council Meeting On Line 14 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church Valentines Day 15 th Shrove Tuesday 16 th Ash Wednesday 21 st 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 23 rd 7.00 pm Hollingbourne Meadows AGM Cardwell Pavilion (or On Line) 28 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church March 1st St. David’s Day 7th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 8th 7.30 pm Parish Council Meeting On Line 14 th 11.00 am Eucharist – Mothering Sunday All Saints Church 17 th St. Patrick’s Day 20 th First Day of Spring 21 st 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 28 th British Summer Time Begins 11.00 am Eucharist – Palm Sunday All Saints Church First Day of Passover April 1st Maundy Thursday 2nd Good Friday Bank Holiday 4th 11.00 am Eucharist – Easter Sunday All Saints Church 5th Easter Monday Bank Holiday 11 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 12 th 7.30 pm Parish Council Meeting On Line 13 th First Day of Ramadan 18 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church 23 rd St. George’s Day 25 th 11.00 am Eucharist All Saints Church
If you wish to attend a church service at All Saints you MUST register in advance with the Churchwardens – Val Lurcock - 880694 or Christine Jones - 688830.
Please send information for Village Diary and Regular Meetings to Carole Findlay 01622.583636 [email protected] 32 REGULAR MEETINGS
After school Club: Schooldays to 6 pm Cardwell Pavilion Bellringing Practice Mondays 7.30 - 9.30 pm All Saints Church Tower Bourne Musicians (3 months - 5 years): Fridays 9.30 - 11 am Village Hall Brownies: Wednesdays 6.00—7.15 pm Cardwell Pavilion Cubs: Fridays 6.30 - 7.45 pm Kingswood Scout Hut Explorers: Thursdays 7.00 - 9.00 pm Kingswood Scout Hut Hucking WI 3rd Thursday 7.00 pm Little Budds Farm Mobile Library Wednesdays (fortnightly) 11.55 am – 12.25 pm Village Hall Parish Council: 2nd Monday (except August) 7.30 pm Cardwell Pavilion Pilates Classes Thursday mornings Village Hall Pre-School: Every School Day 9.15 am – noon Cardwell Pavilion Reading Group : Monthly Contact: Barbara Lloyd 880282 Dawn Perry 880634 School Terms Term 3: 4th January - 12th February Term 4: 22nd February - 1st April Term 5: 19th April - 28th May Term 6: 7th June - 16th July Scouts: Wednesdays, 7.00 – 9.00 pm Kingswood Scout Hut Short Mat Bowls: Mondays (not 2 nd ) 7.30 – 9.30 pm Village Hall Thursdays 7.30 – 9.30 pm Village Hall WI Meetings: 3rd Tuesday (Not August) 7.30 pm Village Hall Other Tuesday (July-September) Boules 6.30 pm Cardwell Pavilion
Carole Findlay at [email protected]
33 Hollingbourne Neigbourhood Contacts are able to put you in touch with friends living in Hollingbourne who will be happy to drive you to the doctor’s surgery or hospital.
Ashford Road Sarah Leggat 630226 Athelstan Green Pete Brown 07977.134771 Bourneside Terrace Janice Butler 880382 Broad Street Lynn Bryan 880200 Claygates & Godfrey House Vacant Copse End & Culpeper Close Vacant Eyhorne Green Vacant Eyhorne Street (North side 1-53 Marilyn Walker 880851 (North side 57-103) Janice Butler 880382 (North side Godfrey Meadow) Christine Maynard 880613 (North side railway- school) Vacant (South side Cotuams - 40) Marilyn Walker 880851 (South side 42-54 & 78-88) Janice Butler 880382 (South side 56-66) Judi Mills 880378 (South side 104-126) Vacant Firs Lane Sarah Leggat 630226 Greenway Court Vacant Hadley Gardens Vacant Hasteds Judi Mills 880378 Hollingbourne Hill Katie Brice 880520 Hospital Road Jean Wellman 880598 Manor Lane June Pockett 880763 Musket Lane Pete Brown 07977.134771 Pilgrims Way Pam Nash 880309 Ringlestone Road Katie Brice 880520 Tilefields Vacant Troys Mead Christine Maynard 880613 Upper Street June Pockett 880763
For Hospital transport arranged through Maidstone Volunteer Bureau Phone 01622 756662 at least 3 days before your appointment.
Advertising space is sold in good faith. No responsibility can be taken for the quality of goods or services offered.
Any opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Editor or Parochial Church Council. We reserve the right to edit, and the right not to print: no reason will be given. Contributions will not be printed anonymously.
34 35 WOODS OF HOLLINGBOURNE 52 EYHORNE STREET, HOLLINGBOURNE, ME17 1TS Tel : 01622.880.338 WE are SERVING: •FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE AND CONVENIENCE ITEMS •FINE WINES, SPIRITS AND CRAFT BEERS
TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT:
OPEN MONDAY / TUESDAY 8 AM - 2 PM WEDNESDAY- SATURDAY 8 AM - 6 PM, sUNDAY 8 AM - 1 PM
As a result of the unfolding Covid-19 crisis, we currently prioritising the supply of fresh, local products to members of Hollingbourne and the surrounding community. We are currently receiving deliveries of • Fresh baked bread and cakes • Milk and dairy products • Fresh meat from Doughty Butchers • Local free-range eggs • A range of Fruit and Vegetables has been significantly increased
We are also offering a FREE local delivery service (3 mile radius) for those who are self-isolating or those who are unable to leave their property. Please call us on 01622.880.338 to organise a delivery.
CAR PARKING AVAILABLE BEHIND THE SUGAR LOAVES PUB
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