Parish Newsletter FAREWELL TOM ! November 2020 http://fordcombechurch.org Issue 556 Delivered to every home in the Parish—free of charge New Village Hall News What a visual difference we've seen this month - the roof tiles are going on and it's looking amazing. We'll have one large hall with an integral kitchen and a large storage facility and for smaller events or meetings, one room with an integral kitchen/bar and stor- age, and ample toilets plus a disabled toilet/shower on the ground floor. Upstairs we have 2 changing rooms and facilities for cricket and/or any other sports' teams, with a balcony overlooking the field. For anyone making enquiries about future bookings please contact the Bookings Secretary, Janice Byrne, [email protected] and visit Facebook for up- dates on progress: www.facebook.com/fordcombevillagehallproject/ Elaine Barnett More photo’s inside back page 2 FROM THE RECTOR I think this may be my last article for our parish magazines in Penshurst and Fordcombe. So I must very warmly thank the editors and readers for their kindness of 25 years. My occasionally peculiar pieces have been flawlessly presented. Only on one occasion many years ago was a whole page missed out, rather like a Victorian duet I once performed with another singer. We came to the final crescendo, turned to the last page and found it not to be there. Neither event seemed to make much difference to the broader picture. I don’t think folk noticed. But speaking of things missing, I’m a little troubled about my intention to say goodbye properly to one and all. It reminds me of the scene in the film Love Actually where the Prime Minister - Hugh Grant - is driven to Wandsworth and knocks on doors in the hope of finding a young member of the Downing Street staff to whom he has taken a fancy - Natalie. One elderly lady opens her door and in amazement puts the question: Aren’t you the Prime Minister? Yes, he answers, I’m trying to get round everyone this Christmas! Perhaps a previous Archbishop - Michael Ramsey - can come to my rescue. A friend had mentioned that not being able to see him - distance, health etc - was a cause of sadness. The Archbishop kindly pointed out that in order to be com- pletely present to him it was not necessary for the friend to be in a physical way actually present. Quite right! And God bless all my friends from these wonderful 25 years! Tom Holme CHURCH REGISTERS Baptisms Noah Isaac Luke Bowers Thea Lily Imison Jesse Benjamin Luke Walsh Henrietta Charlotte Emmeline Ross Mollie Olivia Reeves Emily Katherine Watts Noelle Jane Edmonton Christopher Jonathan Bailey Weddings William Thomas Walsh & Sandra Posse Simon Paul Watkinson Beaupre & Tracy Carmel Benson William Mark Bacon & Emily May Moore Funeral services and interments Anita Wells Barbara Dorie Benson May they Rest in Peace 3 FORDCOMBE LUNCHEON CLUB Fordcombe Luncheon club usually meets on the second Thursday of each month at 12-30pm. We have space for new members to come and join us for food and pleasant conversation with old and new friends. LUNCHEON CLUB WILL OF COURSE NOT TAKE PLACE AT PRESENT For more information please contact Mrs Kate Hargrave Tel 861047 CHURCHYARD TIDYING HELP!! On Saturday 31st October between 10am and 12midday, we are going to start the autumn leaf clearing in the churchyard. I wondered if anyone could spare a couple of hours to help sweep the paths. It’s quite easy to be self distanced in the churchyard and any help would be gratefully accepted!! Please give me a ring if you can help - or just turn up - that would be fine as well!! Helen Morrison 740211 CHURCH COFFEE MORNING NO COFFEE MORNINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT PRESENT Christabel Sworder 740345 WI Hello everyone, CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO WI MEETINGS PLANNED Best wishes Angie See also page 35 4 FROM THE CHURCHWARDENS PEW Farewell to Tom As you will know Tom is due to retire towards the end of November after 25 years as our Rector. He has been part of our village and supported and been involved in many of our lives. He is much loved and respected and we thank Tom for all he has done for us in his time with us. We wish Annabel and Tom a comfortable, fulfilling and happy retirement. A farewell Evensong is to take place on Friday 6th November at 5pm . Due to the virus seats are unfortunately limited and now have all been booked. Thanks to everyone who have contributed to a farewell gift, I will let you know what it was next month. Church Services Unfortunately our Church is still shut for the present until the old lime render is stripped off the bell arch and it is replastered and decorated. I am pleased to be able to report that work is due to start on Monday 2nd November with the erec- tion of the scaffolding. Due to the 3 coats of plaster and the slow drying time the job overall will take about 8 weeks to complete so we should be finished by the new year. Services are taking place at 10am each week at Penshurst and details are on page 20. Remembrance Sunday 8th November We will gather round the War Memorial in the church yard, duly masked and dis- tanced of course, at 10-45 for the reading of the names of the fallen followed by the silence , last post and reveille and placing of the wreath. Parish Organisation Work is continuing slowly on the setting up of an enlarged benefice with the Chiddingstone Parishes. The final official provisions will be published when they have been completed. St Peter’s Fellowship - Peter Waghorn Fellowship meetings remain suspended, no further meetings are scheduled for 2020 Support for the Parish —Volunteers Volunteer support is still in place to help anyone in need of help —see page 21 New style Newsletter. This is the first edition of the Newsletter produced by our new printer. I hope you think it is an improvement. As I have explained before it is a fair bit more costly and we hope to defray the additional cost by mixture of an increase in advertis- ing costs, parish council donation and small contributions from parishioners. Thank you very much to all those who have already made a donation. If anyone still wish to do so then a bank transfer can be made to the P.C.C St. Peter’s Fordcombe account, sort 30-98-77 account 01192666 marked with the reference “Newsletter”. Alternatively a cheque, again made out to “P.C.C. St Peter’s Ford- combe”, can be sent to the treasurer Paul Reeves the address of whom is on page 18 of this newsletter Best Wishes Mike Gilbert 740371 [email protected] 5 District Councillor’s article for November Parish Magazines Having tried to say less about Covid in my last couple of articles I’m afraid, as you will all know, it has reared its ugly head again. At the risk of being out of date by the time of publication the facts are that, although infection rates are ris- ing locally, we remain at 50% of national average levels with 73 per 100,000 population and firmly in the lowest risk tier, notwithstanding the Sevenoaks Chronicle headlines. Our cases are primarily in education and care settings and a number have been traced to returning holiday makers, so we should not be panicking in Penshurst, Fordcombe or Chiddingstone just yet! Government has given SDC £48k to enhance local Covid compliance/enforcement and the Coun- cil is using this to ensure local businesses are all Covid secure, working along- side the Health & Safety Executive. We have also applied for £900k under the Government’s Covid Lost Income Scheme for Local Authorities which will help protect next year’s Council Tax. It isn’t just the Council who has lost income of course, so a ‘shout-out’ for the 16- 29 year olds where unemployment rates in the district have jumped from 1.2% to 8.1% in the last 12 months – they are having a tough time. SDC has found local businesses reluctant to engage with the Kick Start apprenticeship scheme but we continue to look for ways to tackle youth unemployment, especially in Swan- ley and Edenbridge. SDC has had a good run with Government support schemes, securing a further £688k under the Green Homes Grants scheme which will enable the next phase of insulation work on the Hedge Barton mobile homes in Fordcombe to begin. In a related area, SDC has decided to bring in-house the Environmental Health Services previously shared with Dartford BC to improve customer service levels. Finally, a looming planning matter. The Environment Agency wants to raise the Leigh Barrier flood defence system by 0.6m to raise capacity by 28% to protect Tonbridge better from extreme weather events, laudable of course but it would increase the flood area upstream by nearly 100 acres with consequent impacts for Penshurst, Fordcombe and Chiddingstone access as well as potentially in- creasing flood risk for some properties . As the proposal is contentious and would require amending a 1976 Act of Parliament, there is going to be a public enquiry which will delay SDC’s consideration of the planning application. When I have more information I will let residents know how they can feed their views into the enquiry but as a member of the Development Control Committee I have to remain neutral on the proposal until it comes before us, so please don’t lobby me! Sue Coleman, 870435 6 7 Temporary Road Closure - Broad Lane, 16th November 2020 for 5 days Broad Lane, Fordcombe and Ashurst will be closed for the entire length.