Ditton Parish Council - Parish Announcements

Week nights available for hire in the Don Carman Hall
Is your club or group looking for somewhere to meet?
Need a hall or venue locally?? The Don Carman Hall is ready for you!

CASUAL BAR STAFF REQUIRED

Casual Bar Staff required for evening & weekend shifts in bars at Ditton Community Centre. For more information and to apply, please contact Ditton Parish Office on 01732 844749.

Look >> 101 is the new national non-emergency number to contact Police in your area

Residents in the Kent policing area should now call 101 to contact their local officer, make an enquiry and to report non-urgent crimes. The old non emergency number 01622 690690 is being phased out.

Ditton Heritage Centre Quiz Night, 11 February

For all the quiz addicts -- Ditton Heritage Centre are holding a Quiz Night on Saturday 11th February 2012, 7pm for 7.30pm at Ditton Junior School. Teams of 6-8 people, £5 per person. Please bring own drinks, nibbles supplied.

A fun evening for all. Book your table on 01732 844195.

Help People Help Each Other - A Public Competition

Kent Connects are running a competition for members of the public to come up with ideas on how to improve public services. Do you have an idea on how to make your local area a better place to live using technology? Do you want to win the chance for your idea to be turned into reality and win up to £3000 in prizes?

This competition is to stimulate collaboration between public services, entrepreneurs and communities to develop innovative ways of using technology to improve their neighbourhoods…and we need your ideas!

Here are the two sub-challenges:

1. Help people help each other in your neighbourhood

2. Make it easier for you to report issues to your council

To submit your idea and for a lot more information: Go to http://bit.ly/submityouridea

Indoor Markets at Ditton Community Centre
*DATE*	*ORGANISATION*	*STALL BOOKINGS*
23.10.11	Twinning Association	01732 844195
30.10.11	Ditton Heritage	01732 844195
06.11.11	2374 Squadron	07948289101
20.11.11	Ditton Heritage	01732 844195
04.12.11	2374 Squadron	07948289101
29.01.12	Ditton Heritage	01732 844195
05.02.12	2374 Squadron	07948289101
26.02.12	Ditton Heritage	01732 844195
04.03.12	2374 Squadron	07948289101

DIGITAL SWITCHOVER - Television in Kent and Medway is going digital!

The digital TV switchover is starting in Kent from May 30th 2012. Analogue TV signals will be turned off and Freeview services boosted to reach all areas. After switchover, virtually all homes will be able to receive digital TV free via an aerial, including those served by local relay transmitters. When you switch depends on which transmitter your TV gets its signal from.

To find out when you switch and what your digital options are, visit www.digitaluk.co.uk or call Digital UK on 08456 50 50 50.

What do you need to do?

• If you have Freeview, Top Up TV or BT Vision, you will need to retune your digital TV or box at switchover or you will lose channels. Switchover is a two-stage process and you need to retune at both stages.

• If you have a satellite or cable service on all your sets, you will not need to retune as these are not affected by switchover.

• If you have 5 channels or fewer (i.e. analogue TV) on any of your sets, you will need to convert them to digital.

• If you’re 75 and over, or eligible disabled, call the Switchover Help Scheme - they can provide everything you need to keep watching your TV.

The Switchover Help Scheme is run by the BBC under an agreement with the Government. If you are eligible for the Help Scheme, they will write to you to offer you practical help to convert one of your TV sets to digital. For more information ring 0800 40 85 900 for free or e-mail info@helpscheme.co.uk

You can also get more information at www.helpscheme.co.uk

Volunteers - An Opportunity!

Liz Tredget, Rural & Outreach Volunteering Officer for Voluntary Action Maidstone writes: "VAM is the Volunteer Centre for both Maidstone and West Malling and it is my remit to support groups, organisations and volunteers in outlying areas.

"I would like to bring opportunities for volunteering to the heart of rural communities and as such can advise about promoting volunteering – for example, at a community event, Club meeting or gathering so that those that may wish to volunteer can find out more about what’s available.

"Also, if your organisation or Club needs volunteers then please let me know – I am very happy to come along to an event or meeting to discuss volunteering: your needs and wishes and those of folk who may want to do something but don’t know what’s available."

Attached is the VAM leaflet for your information. [PDF file opens in a new browser window]

Please contact Liz directly to discuss how VAM can bring information to people in your area and also help your clubs/groups/organisations find new volunteers or set up volunteer programmes.

Liz Tredget

Rural & Outreach Volunteering Officer

07413 705 487

Considering a career in Kent? Looking for graduate level talent to join your business?

GradsKent is a free service for students and graduates promoting employment opportunities in the county. Employers can advertise vacancies directly to a pool of students and graduates actively seeking employment opportunities in Kent.

Graduates: Register your details on the site, upload your CV and start looking for that dream job! Let us help you find internships, gap-year opportunities and years in industry as well as graduate careers.

Employers: Register your details on the site, that way you’re ready to start uploading a vacancy when one comes along. You’ll also be in with a chance of winning a free advert worth £75 in our monthly prize draw!

The dedicated GradsKent Team is on hand to help you along your way of finding that perfect job or candidate!

Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/GradsKent) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/LikeGradsKent) for the latest news and vacancies. Join us on LinkedIn by searching for the GradsKent Group.

image of Ditton: The Story of an Kentish Village book cover

DITTON The Story of a Kentish Village

This new book published by Alan Dodge and the Ditton Heritage Centre, traces the history of Ditton from the Stone Age to today. It tells the story of a small farming community of four farms, two mills and a church, which by 1801 had a population of only 98.

The book commences with an introductory chapter that describes the different parts of the village with the origin of names of places and fields. There is a brief account of local geology.

Subsequent chapters are entitled; Prehistoric and Roman History; A Saxon and Norman Community; Medieval Times; The Reformation to the Restoration; A Georgian Village; A Victorian Village; War and Peace; The Modern World.

Whether you are a longstanding or more recent resident, you will be fascinated to see how the small village of Ditton has been overlaid with modern developments. There are many illustrations of demolished buildings, old street scenes, and maps dating back to the 1680's. There are references to historical sources, suggestions for further reading and a detail index.

The book is a paperback of 176 pages, with 130 illustrations and is priced at £10.00.

The book was launched on Sunday 11th September 2011 at Ditton Heritage Centre, New Road, Ditton, where the author, Dr. Alan Dodge, signed copies. Dr. Dodge was born in Ditton and went to the village school. His family lived in the village for four generations.

Copies of the book can also be obtained by telephoning Cllr. Mrs Liz Day on 01732 840937 or Cllr. Tony Mulcuck on 01732 844195.

A PARISH COMMUNITY SELF HELP PLAN

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 arrive.

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. It would identify a manned point of contact for information, identify the locations of rest accommodation and facilities, identify volunteers with specific skills and identify and list useful equipment and its location.

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, Nicola Greenaway, on 01732 844749, email here.

Share Your Memories

Do you have memories, photographs and stories of the Medway Gap and how it has changed over the years?

Would you like to help record other people’s memories? If so we would like to hear from you.

Information gathered from the Medway Memories project will be used by Valley of Visions in interpreting key sites within the Medway Gap. It will also be used to encourage people to learn about, celebrate and explore their local heritage.

This exciting oral history project builds on the fascinating project ‘People and Work in the Lower Medway Valley 1750-1900’ undertaken by Victoria County History.

Contact Details are:

Valley of Visions Landscape
Partnership Scheme,
The Cedars, Holborough Road
Snodland, Kent ME6 5PW
Tel: 01634 242826
Email: mail@vov.kentdowns.org.uk
Website: www.valleyofvisions.org.uk

Currently, (November 2009) we do not have a dedicated Police Constable as Matt and Andy have moved on from Ditton to another area. If you have any concerns about unlawful or unacceptable behaviour in Ditton, please make contact with one of the members of the Neighbourhood Policing & Community Team.

Each year the Environmental Health section at the Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council receives a large number of complaints alleging nuisance due to smoke from garden bonfires.

Whilst it is accepted that people will light bonfires from time to time to dispose of garden refuse, it should be noted that this may well cause nuisance and annoyance to neighbours and prevent them from enjoying the use of their garden. Because of this, it is the least acceptable method of disposal; the most preferred being to compost the garden waste. If this is not practicable it should be taken to a local Waste Disposal Site, e.g.

We suggest that the following guidelines will help to prevent a smoke nuisance from being caused:

1. Compost as much garden refuse as is possible and burn only when there is no other reasonable method of disposal.

2. Garden refuse should be dry before burning and care must be taken to add material to the fire only in small quantities. The sudden heaping of large quantities of refuse onto the fire will produce large quantities of smoke. The Golden Rule to follow is to feed the fire little and often.

3. Never add household refuse, plastic or rubber materials to the fire or sump oil to try to light it.

4. Site the bonfire as far away from neighbouring properties as is possible.

5. Do not light a bonfire when the weather conditions will cause problems. The bonfire should only be lit when the wind is light and steady, and in a direction that will cause the least annoyance to neighbours.

6. Bonfires can be dangerous and should never be unattended. Do not allow the fire to smoulder, as this too creates large quantities of smoke; dowse it properly with soil or water.

There are no byelaws currently in force within Tonbridge & Malling Borough to control the lighting of bonfires. However, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, smoke and ash from a bonfire that is causing nuisance to persons in the vicinity can be deemed to be an offence, rendering the person having the bonfire liable to prosecution. It is not the Council's wish generally to take legal action when you are undertaking activities within your home and we suggest that consideration to neighbours along the lines mentioned above, will go a long way towards preventing a nuisance from being caused.

Further information can be obtained by contacting Environmental Health at the TMBC Council Offices, Gibson Building, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4LZ, telephone number (01732) 844522.

Highway faults can be reported direct to Kent Highway Services on 08458 247 800 or via the website at www.kent.gov.uk. Anyone wishing to report faults via the post can do so on the report cards which are available from the Ditton Parish Office or local main library.

Share your journey, share your costs!

Kentjourneyshare is a free, simple, secure, internet-based service that enables you to register your car journey on-line and match drivers and passengers with those who do similar journeys, sharing driving costs and reducing congestion.

Over 1,750 are now members of Kentjourneyshare since the launch by Kent County Council in September 2005 and more and more people are discovering the benefits of carsharing. New members join by registering for free on the site www.kentcarshare.com/ and record their journeys. The system matches those travelling similar journeys and members then make the arrangements to start car sharing.

More than 1700 people countywide have already joined the scheme. As a result they have reduced the number of miles travelled on Kent's roads by over a million miles a year. Kent has one of the largest road networks in the country and the volume of traffic creates a high demand for road maintenance.

To find out more, or register visit www.kentcarshare.com/

Did you know there are Brownies in Ditton?

Being a Brownie is an adventure with lots of exciting and challenging things to make and do - come and have an adventure on Wednesday evenings.

We meet at the Guide & Brownie Headquarters, Kilnbarn Road on Wednesdays 6.00pm to 7.15pm.

We are currently recruiting and you need to be between the ages of 7 - 10 years to join.

Ditton Parish Council *...in the Garden of England...*
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