Updated Tuesday May 6th. 2008
Bedgebury Forest Cycle Club
presents Saturday morning mountain bike races. 4 youth categories, 2 adult categories. All levels. For further information: ray.blackwell@virgin.net
www.boarsonbikes.co.uk
Indiana Jones and the KIngdom of the Crystal Skull
is showing at the Kino Cinema, Hawkhurst, from 25th. May
On Sunday, June 8th, The Zutons will be playing an outdoor concert at Bedgebury Pinetum. near Goudhurst. The Zutons, currently recording their new album in LA, the follow-up to the multi-platinum selling albums Who Killed The Zutons? and Tired Of Hanging Around, have announced their first UK tour in two years at seven forest locations across the UK. They will also be appearing at this year's Isle of Wight Festival which runs from the 13 – 15 June.
Tickets £26 plus booking fee from 01842 814612, www.forestry.gov.uk/music or Ticketmaster. Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra open the weekend on the 7th. June.
Goudhurst & Kilndown CE Primary School Council
At the Goudhurst Annual Parish Meeting on 21 April, the Goudhurst & Kilndown CE Primary School Council (4 children) gave a presentation on their School Travel Plan.
"We are four school councillors and we would like to explain about our travel plan which we hope will be accepted by the end of the term. All schools have to have a travel plan to try to reduce the number of car journeys to and from school each day and to encourage pupils to take more exercise. The first thing the school had to do was to send a questionnaire home to parents. As the children had to fill them in with their parents 151 out of 201 were returned.
Families were asked how they usually travelled to and from school. For instance they were asked if they shared lifts, if they walked and if so did they walk alone or with others. Then they were asked how they would like to travel to school. There were questions about how routes to school could be made safer and why more people didn’t walk. They were asked what parts of their route to school were particularly dangerous and how they could be made safer"... read more
Wind Direct and Marden farmer, Peter Hall, are hoping to erect a 127m high wind turbine just outside Marden, in Sheephurst Lane. Permission was granted last year for a test mast to guage wind speeds, but the developers Wind Direct instead have applied for full planning permission, 
having avoided the need for a full Environmental Impact Study thanks to a decision by regional government. There have been objections from all Parish Councils in the area, The Council for The Protection of Rural England, and from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Many have expresed concern for the potential harm to the environment on this quiet corner of rural Kent, on the banks of the River Teise. Local residents have pointed out that the nearest houses are much closer to the proposed turbine than the plans suggest.
See February's Parish Magazine for a comment on this proposal.
Details of the application can be seen on the Maidstone BC website www.digitalmaidstone.co.uk. The reference number is MA/07/2470.
See also this letter from John Webley. www.kwag.co.uk
See also the current issue of Private Eye magazine
Finchcocks Musical Museum
is now open on Sundays and Bank Holiday afternoons
until the end of September with additional Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout
the month of August.
Midsummer Music: A series of concerts on Sunday evenings in June & July
September Festival: Classical concerts at weekends including a Celebration of the Centenary of Arnold Dometsch
Christmas Concert Series: Sundays in September to include a concert by young people for the Save the Children Fund.
John Kerr Award for English Song: Finals of the competition on Sun 5th October
Fairs: Spring Garden Fair & Music Festival Sun 25th & BH Mon 26th May
Christmas Craft Fair Sunday 23rd November
Further details and all enquiries to Tyna Carter, Marketing Manager on 01580 211702 or email: tynacarter@finchcocks.co.uk
Kent Police
in association with Town & Country Housing Group, announce the launch of public surgeries on 16th May; 6 and 27 June; 18 July; 8 and 29 August.
These Surgeries will be a time and place for members of the community to come along and discuss any issues which may be causing them concern and would otherwise not be brought to our attention.
A representative from Town & Country Housing Group will be present as well as Neighbourhood Officers for Goudhurst: Mr. James Briggs from Town & Country Housing Group, P.C. Tim Moody (07800 675343), P.C.S.O. Graham Newman (07772 226152), K.C.C. Warden and Mrs. Joanna Vos (07813 713740). Surgeries will be held on Friday mornings at three-weekly intervals in the Jessel Room, Goudhurst Village Hall from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Kilndown Pre-School Learning Group
has been relaunched as 'Little Squirrels'. Meets at the Village Hall, Kilndown. The preschool is held in Kilndown Village Hall in the centre of the village.
The hall has plenty of space to park outside when dropping off or picking up children. For further information call Henrietta Mayhew on 01580 212766 or visit
www.kilndown-preschool.co.uk
CCTV security cameras come to Goudhurst
At the January meeting of the Police & Neighbourhood Watch Committee, it was decided to install security cameras in Goudhurst. The purpose is to deter crime, anti-social behaviour and to provide a number-plate recognition system for the Police. One camera will be outside the Vine pub in the centre of Goudhurst, and will have infra-red night-vision capabilities. The total cost of the system will be £9,060, of which Goudhurst Parish Council will pay £4,350. The remainder will be met by grants from Kent Police and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. There will be a second camera at the Village Hall
Oil painting classes
Oil painting classes take place in Goudhurst Village Hall. To book please phone 01424 871156.
Conservation in Goudhurst and Kilndown
An important planning document, Conservation Areas Appraisal, has been issued by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
Download the document in PDF format (1.2mb)
Bedgebury Health Walks
Every Friday at 10AM. Spend between 1 & 2 hours walking through Bedgebury enjoying the sights, sounds & scents whilst getting fit. Wheelchair users welcome.Walks are free. (standard parking charges apply)
For more information please call 01580 879820
If you are trying to trace long-lost relatives
from this area please read the following, an extract from a letter to the parish magazine from the Local History Society's Bob Brown..
"As chairman of the Goudhurst & Kilndown Local History Society I hear many favourable comments about the Goudhurst website and we have had photographs etc sent from around the world for our archives which we would never have received without it. A downside can be when we are contacted by those who are obsessive about their research and bombard us with emails or phone calls. Only last night I had a phone call at half past midnight from someone who got very abusive when asked to ring at a more sociable hour!"
Policing the Parish
Cranbrook Police Station opening hours: 0930-1400 Mon-Fri. 0900-1700 Sat.
Cranbrook Police Station General Enquiries: 01580 711000
Emergency: 999 (if there is a threat to life or a crime is in progress)
West Kent Police: 01732 771055
Main Switchboard: 01622 690055 (to report a non-urgent crime)
Crime Reduction Unit: 01892 502104
Crime Stoppers: 0800 555111
Neighbourhood Police Officer P.C. Tim Moody: 07800 675343
Police Community Support Officer Graham Newman: 07772 226152.
KCC Community Warden Joanna Vos: 07813 713740
Kent police website:
http://www.kent.police.uk/ 
See if your home is in an area at risk from flooding
Visit the Environment Agency's search service. Just enter your postcode and it will show you a map similar to the one on the left. Go to: http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/mapController
Handy Van Service
The Help the Aged HandyVan service is a unique home security service, where trained HandyVan fitters visit your home and install equipment such as door chains and viewers, window locks and smoke detectors.
A fleet of 35 HandyVans are based around Britain and deliver a free service to those who meet the following criteria:
1. Applicants must be over 60 years of age.
2. Applicants do not pay income tax (excluding tax on personal pensions).
3. Applicant's disposable savings/assets do not exceed £16,000 (Not including the value of their home).
Everyone is vulnerable to burglary, and the HandyVan service enables people to feel safer in their homes. Prevention is always the key to a safe, secure home and HandyVan fitters will work to help you ensure that your home is free from the risk of burglary.
If you would benefit from the HandyVan service, or you know someone who would, then please call the team on 01255 473 999 or email: seniorsafety@helptheaged.org.uk
For a fuller listing of events in Goudhurst and Kilndown
See the Parish Magazine online. Available for download and in colour, it is a special edition by one of the two editors, David Denton.
Follow Parish Council activities in detail
and check progress of planning applications.
Parish Council news page
Whilst every effort has been made to maintain accuracy, no responsibility is accepted for any errors in content.