News
Updated
Monday, 30 January, 2012
Finchcocks Garden Fair
Saturday 26 and Sunday May 27
10.30am - 5pm
A quality selection of garden and outdoor living orientated stands, for gardening enthusiasts and those that use the open air in a more leisurely way. Stands include specialist nurseries, garden gifts, picnic ware, garden furniture, locally produced preserves and condiments.
All stands are set within the delightful Gardens at Finchcocks Music Museum.
Informal recitals and demonstrations on the fascinating keyboard collection.
Music on the Terrace.
Light Lunches and Afternoon Teas, Bar.
Entrance: Adults £5.00, children £2
01580 211702
www.finchcocks.co.uk Registered Charity
Len Pierce Obituary
A tribute can be found here:- Obituaries
OIL CLUB FOR GOUDHURST
An oil club has been formed in the village: The Goudhurst Heating Oil Club
FIRST FRIDAY BUSINESS FORUM
A free business forum, First Friday, has been created for Goudhurst, Kilndown & Curtisden Green. This should be of benefit to existing home workers, people who plan to start a business from home, local premises, recent graduates and local businesses based here. Meetings provide the opportunity for local business people to share or provide services to each other.
The forum meets in the back dining room of Weeks the Bakers on the first Friday of the month. It is informal, starting at 10.30 a.m. and lasting no later than 12 mid-day. Refreshments are available.
BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND
Goudhurst Parish Council has received notification of a consultation from the Boundary Commission for England. The proposal reallocates Goudhurst from the Tunbridge Wells constituency to a new Weald constituency which includes Crowborough, Battle and Rye. The consultation is open until 5th. December 2011. Details can be seen on www.independent.gov.uk/boundarycommissionforengland. If you respond directly to the Boundary Commission, it would be very helpful if you would consider sending a copy to the Parish Council so that any representation we send will reflect the views of local residents.
Anthony Farnfield, Clerk to Goudhurst Parish Council clerk@goudhurst.co.uk
For information on how the "Golden thread' Initiative is progressing in Goudhurst, see the Goudhurst.net website: Goudhurst.net
There is a now a committe to co-ordinate the drive to bring superfast broadband internet to the parish, and a survey to complete.
KILNDOWN COURSES BACK THIS YEAR
Two Kent Adult Education courses are enrolling now for 2012 at Kilndown Village Hall.
Photography – Digital SLR is suitable for beginners and those with some experience, starting on Wednesday 18 January 2012 for 10 weeks, 7.00 -9.00 pm.
Course Code: 4024 TWL-11-H, course fee: £110.00. Drawing and Painting is for any student who wishes to develop their drawing and painting skills. Students will be introduced to a range of drawing and painting techniques aimed at building their knowledge and skills in a progressive, structured fashion. Observational skills will be developed and students will learn fundamental principles of painting and drawing in a range of media including pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel, water colour and acrylic. The course starts on Wednesday 18 January 2012 for 10 weeks, 2.30-4.30 pm.
Course Code: 4273 TWL-11-D, course fee: £100.00.
For more information, call Kent Adult Education on: 0845 606 5606 or see: www.kent.gov.uk/adulted. There may be concessions available.
298 Sunday bus service at risk
As part of regrettable budget cuts, Kent County Council proposes to withdraw their subsidy for the 298 Sunday bus service which links Goudhurst with Cranbrook, Paddock Wood station, Pembury Hospital and Tunbridge Wells from January 2012. As a result the service is likely to be withdrawn. Do you use this service? If so, please get in touch with your Parish Council and make your views known to Anthony Farnfield, Clerk at: clerk@goudhurst.co.uk
Goudhurst at the BBC
Sir Roy Strong, historian and former Director of the National Portrait Gallery and the V&A, accompanied BBC Radio Four's Justin Webb to record a radio interview in Goudhurst this week. Sir Roy has a new book published on national identity, titled 'Visions Of England, and chose Goudhurst to represent the heart of the English countryside. The BBC has produced an audio slideshow of the interview, which can be found athttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14039199
Goudhurst Walkers’ Map
The new all colour Goudhurst Walkers’ Map, first published in 2010, has proved so popular that it is being reprinted to include some minor corrections. Goudhurst Parish Council wishes to thank those who notified amendments. The map comes in a handy go-in-your-pocket DL size clear poly envelope and is available exclusively at Burgess Stores in Goudhurst High Street at £2.85. It could be useful if you are taking part in any of the July outdoor activities featured in the June Goudhurst Parish Magazine.
John Maxwell-Jones 01580 211206
Citizens' Advice Bureau mobile visits Goudhurst
The Citizens Advice Bureau Bus will be visiting central Goudhurst every Tuesday afternoon from 1.00pm to 2.30 pm.
Goudhurst British Legion
The British Legion in Goudhurst now has its own dedicated page
The Goudhurst Branch is active in sending ‘goody boxes’ to our front line troops in Afghanistan. For that we need shoe boxes – lots of them! If you have any spare, please contact Mrs Rosemary Southon 01580 211791. She parcels up packets of sweets, pot noodles, socks and other home comforts. From the letters we receive in return, we know these parcels are very welcome.
A TASTE OF KILNDOWN
The Kilndown cookery book, published in aid of the Village Hall Project, is available.
96 pages, over 90 recipes, and black-and-white illustrations. Price £5.99
(plus £1 post and packing). Cheques should be made payable to Kilndown
Village Hall.
Copies can be obtained from the Quarry Centre on Saturday mornings, or
from Hilary Bird at
Rogers Rough
Chicks Lane
Kilndown
Kent TN17 2RP
tel 01892 890554
Parish Footpaths
Did you know that we have just over 40 miles of public rights of way in Goudhurst parish? Walking should be easy and enjoyable in and around the area. To achieve this the local footpaths need to be kept clear of overgrown hedges and brambles, and wobbly stiles and marker posts need to be repaired.
Roger Coles has, for many years, organised volunteers to walk the paths to report on their condition so that the Parish Council can arrange the necessary maintenance work, sometimes in conjunction with Kent County Council. The volunteers are known as Hon Footpaths Officers and they have made an enormous contribution to raising and maintaining the standards of our paths. However, some of the volunteers have now retired and replacements are needed. If you would like to become involved, even on a very occasional basis, please contact Cllr David Boniface on 01580 211430 or the Clerk to the Parish Council, Anthony Farnfield 01580 212552 or clerk@goudhurst.co.uk
Kent Police
“Police and Community Together” (PACT)
Kent Police, in association with Town & Country Housing Group, hold public surgeries for members of the community to discuss, in confidence, any issues which may be causing concerns and would otherwise not be brought to their attention. The surgeries are part of a multiple agency event and a representative from Town & Country Housing Group will be present, with Neighbourhood Officers for Goudhurst.
Ms Eleanor Dench from Town & Country Housing Group
PC Tim Moody (07800 675343)
PCSO Laura Carey (07969 584282)
KCC Community Warden Krissy Howlett (07813 713740)
Surgeries are held on the 1st Friday of every month from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at John Stacey Heights, Goudhurst TN17 1BB.
All members of the community are invited to the meetings.
The Goudhurst and Kilndown Millennium Book
This splendid book by local resident Mr WJC (Bill) Musgrave MBE records the millennium celebrations in the villages of Goudhurst and Kilndown, together with matters of general interest, directories and historical notes and reminiscences. It runs to 1,157 pages, together with a very comprehensive index. The book was written by Bill Musgrave as a companion volume to the 1935 Goudhurst Jubilee Book and the 1937 Goudhurst Coronation Book by the local historian Mr AW Tiffin. These two books have proved immensely popular over the years and, now long out of print, fetch considerable prices on the second-hand market.
The book is in blue hard-back and is priced at £40. A leather-bound edition is available at £80. Copies may be obtained from the Local History Society (telephone to the treasurer, John Benfield, on 01580 211517).
The Goudhurst and Kilndown Local History Society was founded in 1964. It aims to promote interest in local history by holding meetings, recording the life of the two villages, preserving old documents and artefacts, encouraging historical research and producing publications. Meetings, with speakers, are held monthly during the winter months. The annual membership subscription is only £5. Membership enquiries should be addressed to the secretary, Mrs Rosemary Southon, telephone 01580 211791.
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
Contact Kent Police:
For all non-urgent incidents or enquiries, call 01622 690690
If a crime is in progress or life is in danger, call 999
If you are deaf or speech impaired, text 'Police' and your message to 60066
For news, advice or details of your neighbourhood officer, visit 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 showing flood risk in your area.
Go to: Environment Agency Website
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
Follow Parish Council activities in detail
and check progress of planning applications.
Parish Council news page
© 2012 Whilst every effort has been made to maintain accuracy, no responsibility is accepted for any errors in content.