Ditton Gazette - Summer 2009

FOLLOWING the success of the Kilnbarn Club FA Cup Final barbecue, it is planned to hold another on the afternoon of the FA Community Shield, when Premiership champions Manchester United take on FA Cup winners Chelsea on Sunday, August 9.
Food will be available from one hour before kick off and during the match. Come along and join in the fun.

SPONSORSHIP
Scottish and Newcastle UK have kindly agreed to sponsor this year’s Best Kept Garden Competition and Hanging Basket Display. We thank them sincerely on behalf of the parish for their support.

photograph of Cllr Mike Porter, Chairman of Ditton Parish Council

By Mike Porter, Parish Council chairman

I FEEL very honoured to have been elected Chairman of the Council for 2009/2010 and I thank my fellow councillors for their support and confidence in me.
It will be another busy year with the undertaking of a review of the entire operation of the council. It is hoped that the review will show where savings can be made and where efficiency can be improved.
I am pleased to report that by careful budgeting during the last financial year the council managed to make moderate savings on its budgets and the hope is that this trend will continue during the current financial year.
In the present economic climate it has been agreed that no major projects will be undertaken this year and expenditure will be kept to a minimum.
The Best Kept Garden Competition and provision of hanging baskets in New Road were left out of the budgets this year as a cost cutting measure, however, I am pleased to report that Scottish and Newcastle UK, the council’s beverage suppliers, have agreed to sponsor these two items, which means they will now go ahead as usual. We thank them sincerely for their support.
Unfortunately it looks likely that the outcome of the Borough Council’s Community Governance Review will be to adopt the proposal to move the Ditton/Larkfield boundary to exclude the houses on the old Frantschach site from Ditton and place them within the parish of East Malling and Larkfield.
This will not only be an erosion of Ditton’s historic boundary but a great loss of income to this parish in council tax.
This council has opposed the proposal but it is unlikely to alter the outcome of the review. We sincerely hope that if there is further residential development on the old Reed’s site there will be no further erosion of the parish boundary.
Ditton’s new Nature Reserve was the subject of the presentation at the Annual Parish Meeting held in the Don Carman Hall on Monday, April 27 where Dr. Michelle Fountain gave a very interesting and informative presentation on the Nature Reserve and highlighted the flora and fauna that can be found on the land each season.
We thank all the volunteers for their hard work in obtaining LNR status for the quarry. Ditton is very lucky to have such a valuable parish asset which has been protected for future generations to enjoy.

photograph of Mrs Sue Kavanagh, Clerk of Ditton Parish Council
By Sue Kavanagh, Parish Council clerk

WELCOME to the summer edition of the Gazette and let’s all hope that we have a better summer than last year.
During the coming months councillors and staff will be working with Kent County Council to produce an emergency plan for the parish in the event of a major disaster. It is proposed the plan will include details of volunteers who will be called upon to activate the plan in an emergency until the emergency services arrive and take over.
It will also list locations of useful equipment, accommodation etc., which can be called upon in an emergency situation. We are looking for volunteers from Ditton to assist in the development of the plan and there is an item detailing the project in this edition of the gazette. Please get it touch with me if you would like to be involved in the project.
This council and St Peter’s Church will again be holding a joint Ditton Community Day. The date is Sunday, June 28, so make a note in your diaries. There will be an open air Church Service on the village green followed by activities and cream teas in the Junior School grounds. We hope to see you all there.
I am pleased to report that the new play equipment has been very well received by the children and youths and is in constant use. It is hoped that when further grant aid is available, new play equipment can be provided at New Road Recreation ground.
Ditton’s new Nature Reserve has now been officially opened and a new information board installed. Details of the flora and fauna to be found in the reserve each season will continue to be posted on the Nature Reserve notice board and on the parish council website.
Finally, please remember you are always welcome at meetings of the council and details of meeting dates can be obtained from the parish office or the website www.dittonparishcouncil.gov.uk.

News from St Peter’s Church
A fun-packed Community Day DITTON Community Day is on Sunday, June 28 and kicks off with our annual Open Air Service at 3pm. Book this day in your diary if you don’t want to miss out on all we have in store for you. We are excited to have Steve Legg with us as our speaker at the Open Air Service. Steve is a member of the prestigious Magic Circle and he blends his Christian Faith with lots of humour and fun that leave people inspired by his message. He has appeared at many top venues throughout Britain and made numerous appearances on national TV. Children who attend Ditton Junior School will also be taking part in the afternoon events. St Peter’s Church and Ditton Parish Council work jointly in bringing the community together, meeting with friends and to enjoy all that’s on offer. We provide free children’s rides, cream teas, flower festival in the church and lots more for all ages. We would love you to be there and share this day with us.		An afternoon to savour St Peter’s Tuesday Afternoon group meets fortnightly in the lounge at St Peter’s Court Flats. We have guest speakers on all types of issues, the London City Mission, Demelza Hospice, work in Romania with children, and films on famous lives. Every term we have lunch together. Many of the residents of the flats and those who come along live alone and it is a great source of encouragement that we meet and enjoy a cup of tea and cakes together to end the afternoon. Many friendships are made here and much support of each other is given. If you would like to come along you will receive a warm welcome. Please ring Priscilla for more information 01732 841257.
Learning valuable lessons from the Bible
		REFERENCES abound in literature, art, and many other subjects to the Bible. These references are now often meaningless to our children today. When studying for GCSEs and A-Levels links are not made to what used to be well known Bible stories, and valuable meanings are lost. At St Peter’s we seek to increase children’s knowledge of the Bible through activities that engage the children. Our primary aim is not to get them through their exams! We are rather seeking to increase the children’s knowledge of the Bible so that they themselves can come to understand God’s love for each of them as individuals. For more information on children’s groups contact Carole Yearsley 01732 870156.
Sin, greed and MPs’ expenses The Rev Ross Terranova, Rector of Ditton 'I think it is a dreadful example of the House of Commons as a whole - which as a whole is responsible for the mess we are in trying to scapegoat one man who was trying to represent what he thought were their views on what should be done'. MP Frank Dobson was not alone in detecting a little hypocrisy which resulted last month in the historic events at Westminster which saw Speaker Michael Martin tendering his resignation - the first Speaker in 300 years to be effectively forced out of office. Everyone seemed during the expenses fiasco to blame 'someone ' else as well - the system. Everyone now agrees that the system needs to change. So there is cross party agreement that MPs should no longer be able to claim for mortgages that do not exist, homes they do not live in, moats, manure or indeed houses that their ducks do live in! It is a tragic situation. Tragic because we instinctively know that this should not have to be spelt out. The system designed to ensure that MPs should not be out of pocket for legitimate expenses is fine. The problem is the selfishness and greed of those who abuse the system to line their own pockets. MPs may not have broken the letter of the law but many have certainly offended against its spirit. The real problem is what the Bible calls sin. Jesus said it is from within, from the heart that evil and wrongdoing springs - including fraudulent expenses claims. The system, like the Daily Telegraph, can expose human sin and frailty but it cannot do anything about it. Ultimately there is no solution to the problem of MPs expenses or any other human sin except the cleansing and renewing power available at the cross of Jesus Christ. Not that we should sit in judgement. We must all contend with the truth that our actions reveal our allegiance. Maybe if we are honest with ourselves we might find we have more in common with the Commons than we thought.		From little Acorns... WHAT makes for a good toddler group? Some people think that a toddler group is primarily for the children, teaching them to share and play nicely together. I agree that this is important, but for me a toddler group is also about providing an opportunity for the carers to talk to people in the same situation as themselves, whether they are mums, dads, grandparents or childminders. I’ve been coming to Ditton Church Centre, to what is now Little Acorns, since my daughter was crawling and we loved it instantly. It’s a small group, so there is no risk of losing a child, and it doesn’t take long before you begin to make friends. There are craft activities and stories and once a term we all head over to the church for a short service to celebrate Harvest Festival, Easter or to wish the older children well as they go on to school. We have members from all over the area, people from different nationalities and children ranging from newborns to 4 ½ year olds. Everyone is welcome – in fact, feel free to drop in, even if your baby is still a bump. We will be there every week to chat to, laugh with and commiserate with. That’s the joy of spending time with children, every day is different and every week gives you a new question, answer or funny story to relate to everyone else. Little Acorns @ St. Peter’s, Ditton, is held every Friday during term-time at Ditton Church Centre. The group runs from 1.30 to 2.45pm for babies and pre-school children. There is a suggested donation of £1 per carer. Everyone is welcome. For further information contact me, Vicky Newington, on 01732 521670 or pop in one Friday afternoon. At Easter, St Peter’s Church gave out Hot Cross Buns and cards to many people outside One Stop in New Road, to whom we are very grateful for their willingness and help in doing this outreach. This is an annual event now as we ask people to remember what Easter is all about. Good conversations were had and Hot Cross Buns and chocolates were handed out to people of all ages.

Planning for the worst

DITTON Parish Council is considering the development of a parish self help plan for Ditton which can be put into action in the unlikely event of an emergency situation which threatens serious damage to human welfare, the environment or the security of the UK.
The plan would be developed in conjunction with Kent County Council, to produce a strategy to enable the parish to activate an initial response to an emergency until the professional emergency services arrived.
The aim of the plan would be to identify a Community Response Team Leader and volunteer Team Members, who would activate the plan, manage resources, deliver vital information and give reassurance to residents.
If you have any knowledge or interest in assisting with developing an emergency plan, have any skills that would be useful in an emergency situation i.e. Doctor, Nurse, First Aider, Vet, Fire Fighter, Plumber, Mechanic, Farmer, volunteer etc., or have any equipment that would be useful i.e. tractor, trailer, portable generator, water pumps, medical supplies, chain saw, 4x4, ropes, etc., and would like to be involved in this project, please contact the Clerk to Ditton Parish Council, Sue Kavanagh, on 01732 844749.

ABC of BBQ safety

ONCE again it has been a very quiet few months for us in the Ditton area, a couple of bonfires and fire alarms is all we have been called out to. It’s a pity it hasn’t been as quiet in the rest of our fireground!
The weather is getting better and people have started to light up the old BBQ’s. With this in mind I would ask that you please follow the following safety tips.
Having a barbecue should be a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. But cooking over hot coals can be hazardous. It's easy to be distracted when you have family and friends around you while cooking. To avoid injuries or damage to property, follow these simple tips:
Make sure that your barbecue is in good working order.
Keep a bucket of water, a bucket of sand or a garden hose nearby in case of emergencies. Make sure your barbecue site is well away from sheds, fences, trees and shrubs.
Use only enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue to a depth of about 50mm (two inches).
Keep children, garden games and pets well away from the cooking area and never leave the barbecue unattended.
When you've finished cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before trying to move it. Empty ashes onto bare garden soil. Never put ashes straight into a dustbin or wheelie bin. If they're hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire.
Of course, the offer of a Home Safety visit is open to everyone, if you would like to take advantage of this free offer please phone 0800 923 7000 to arrange an appointment.
Dean Firmin, Station Commander, Larkfield Fire Station.

May Day Fete 2010 invitation

WE WOULD like to invite all organisations within Ditton to join us on Thursday, July 16 at 8pm in the Don Carmen room to discuss the 2010 May Day Fete. This will be a great opportunity for all groups to have stalls and events going on to help raise funds for your own organisation and to engage the residents of Ditton for extra members. Everyone welcome and ideas will be listened to.

News from your borough councillor

Could you be a street monitor? photograph of Cllr Barry Stone

BOROUGH councillors are looking for volunteers to become street monitors for Ditton.
A number of public consultations have identified that the appearance of our streets can be a real concern to residents. One of the council’s key priorities is to achieve a cleaner, smarter and better maintained street scene and open space environment.
Street Scene is concerned with improving the co-ordination and quality of our services to provide clean, well-maintained and accessible streets. Borough Council services include the removal of litter, dog fouling and graffiti and the clearance of abandoned cars and fly tipping.
As part of the council's approach to Street Scene, a street monitor pilot project was launched in West Malling at the beginning of April 2003. The aim was to work closely with local communities to ensure street scene problems were identified and corrected as soon as possible. The scheme has now been extended across the borough.
Street Monitors are community-minded volunteers and can be individuals or part of a group. They can report problems regarding the Street Scene services direct to our Streetline number on 01732 876060 or online reporting page.
The monitors are not asked to go out of their way to find problems, but simply report any that they see during their day to day activities. For further information on becoming a Street Monitor, please contact the Environmental Projects Co-ordinator or call 01732 876 295.
Green waste
I noticed at the weekend that many residents were using the excellent bulky refuse collection service for their normal garden waste. I just wanted to make everyone aware that any waste on this service is taken to the Allington Incinerator for burning.
Any resident that has excess green waste is allowed up to an additional six bags above the normal green-lidded bin, on their normal collection day. Garden waste left with the green-lidded bin is composted locally. Additional garden waste should be left in open sacks.
Where possible, strong reusable sacks are returned to the resident under the lid of the green-lidded bin.
Any queries or for more information about the garden waste service, please contact the Borough Council's Waste Services Team on 01732 876147.
KCC elections
In the recent County Council elections, the successful candidate for Ditton was Peter Homewood (Con), who polled 3,254 votes in a 40 per cent turnout of voters. The votes for other candidates were: David Lettington (Liberal Democrat) 1254
Terry Bilsland (English Democrats) 434
Thomas Shelley (Lab) 396
Andrea Ralph (Green) 357

The make-up of Kent County Council is now Conservatives 74, Liberal Democrats 7, Labour 2, Ratepayers Alliance 1.
Road closure
Woodlands Road, Ditton, will be closed for four working days from July 7 between 9am-4.30pm between Primrose Drive and Birch Crescent.
My contact details for residents: 0791 279 7067 or 01622 718807 Barry Stone, Borough Councillor, Ditton Ward.

The future’s bright, the future’s Red & Black Stripes
Soccer tournament success
FOLLOWING many months of planning and organisation Ditton Minors FC held their third annual football tournament on May 2 and 3 at Ditton Community Centre and was attended by almost 100 teams from across Kent and Sussex. Although no Ditton Minors teams made the finals everyone thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. Following the success of the Easter training day with Maidstone United FC the newly-formed under 8 team, pictured right, man-aged by Ben Clarkson and coach Danny Stubbs, played together for the first time in the non-competitive under 8s section. Ditton Minors FC would like to thank Ditton Parish Council for allowing us to put on this event, and also thanks to the chairman, Mike Porter, for presenting the trophies during the weekend.
Larkfield take the honours THE May Day Fete took place at Ditton Community Centre following the Ditton Minors football tournament, and kicked off early on Monday, May 4, with the Community Shield. In its second year, teams from Ditton Minors FC, Larkfield FC and Maidstone Utd FC competed in three separate age groups and also jointly. This year Larkfield FC had the honour of winning the shield from Maidstone Utd after winning both the under 9s and under 12s competition. Maidstone Utd FC were successful at under 14s. The day continued with events in the arena organised by the parish council. Stalls around the field were supported by local clubs and organisations. There were bouncy castles, cream teas and the boys from Ditton Minors under 14s also enjoyed learning how to play Petanque (pictured right). A great time was had by all those attending.

image of Halls for Hire notice at Ditton Community Centre

Vital work of the Samaritans

THE Samaritans were founded just over 50 years ago by the Rev Chad Varah. Starting in the attic of a South London church, Samaritans has grown to the organisation it is today, receiving around five million contacts each year from distressed and despairing people across the UK.
Our society has changed a lot in those fifty years, but the Samaritans organisation remains as relevant as ever, and operates according to the same basic principle - that confidential, non-judgemental emotional support can help alleviate feelings of distress and despair, including those of suicide.
Whilst the core of the Samaritans’ work remains our 24-hour telephone service, we offer people the opportunity to call into our branch for a chat face to face, as well as the chance to contact us by email, text and letter.
In Maidstone and the Weald, we also visit local prisons and the homeless centre and try to develop and maintain a number of links with the community.
Could you volunteer? We are always looking for people with the ability to listen, without judgement.
You don't need any formal qualifications or previous experience, but a natural ability to listen and remain open minded is essential.

For more information, please find us at www.samaritans.org or contact us on 01622 674444.
Do you have things on your mind? If you find that you need to contact someone:
Call us on 08457 909090 or 01622 674444
Email us at jo@samaritans.org
You can also visit us at 48 Grecian Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 2TS.

If you are a resident of Ditton Parish and did not receive a copy of Ditton Gazette, please contact Parish Council Office, Ditton Community Centre, Kilnbarn Road, Ditton, Aylesford, Kent ME20 6AH, telephone 01732 844749 or email clerk@dittonparishcouncil.gov.uk


Summer 2009 Extracts >>Back to Gazette Archive<<