OH WHAT A LOVELY AUTUMN

What a lovely crisp Autumnal photograph over Ditton taken on Tuesday 15th November 2011 looking from Bradbourne Lane over the houses of St. Peters Road, and as far as Ditton Common and Barming Woods.

If you have any spectacular photographs of Ditton please let the editor have a copy and they may appear in a future edition of the Ditton Gazette.

A fabulous Christmas Fayre was held by the Ditton Twinning committee on Sunday 27th November at the Community Centre. The stage was set up with Santa in his sleigh accompanied by two elves surrounded by a mass of Christmas trees decorated with tinsel and lights, the setting for a grand grotto. Children visited Santa and had their photograph taken as a memento. There were many stalls selling a wide range of Christmas gifts.
Profits from the event go towards entertaining our French guests when they attend functions at Ditton.

Details of the children plus photo to come from Eileen Jones and the photographer.

CHAIRMAN'S COLUMN

Clerk’s Column

By Nicola Greenaway

This is my first column since taking over the role of Clerk on 1st July this year and I would like to thank everyone for welcoming me into my new role. I would also like to thank Sue Kavanagh for all her help and guidance which has greatly assisted in the transition of roles in the Parish Office. My final thank you goes to all the parish staff for assisting me and for all your hard work throughout the year.
 
The Christmas season is now upon us and here in the parish office we are busy putting together the budget for 2012/2013 and also preparing for the ever popular Christmas and New Year’s Eve Dances. If you have never attended one of the parish council dances before, why not give it a try. Todd Miller and the Joe Loss Orchestra will be here on 16th and 17th of December and the Peter Eligate Showband on New Year’s Eve. You can be assured of a great time with a wide variety of music provided by a professional orchestra and band. You can even walk home afterwards, so no worries about drinking and driving.

We hold a mailing list for the dances organised by the parish council and if you would like to be included on the list to receive prior notice of the dances, please call into the parish office and collect a form. People on the mailing list who live in Ditton have priority in reserving tickets.

2011 has been a busy year and 2012 will be just as busy with more changes taking place, but we look forward to the challenge. Please remember we are here to serve you and if you have any concerns or questions, we are never too busy to listen to them and if we can’t help, we can always put you in touch with someone who can.

On behalf of all the parish council staff, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and we look forward to serving you during 2012.

¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬
 

* MORE ALLOTMENTS FOR DITTON *

Ditton Parish Council has won an award from Awards for All (England).  The grant of £3,970.00 will be used to erect a fence at Ditton Allotments and create 12 new plots for Ditton parishioners.
Currently 32 residents are waiting for allotments.  The extended site will reduce the waiting list although the need for plots is at an all time high.
The award was won by a bid team lead by Parish Councillors Alan Piper, Jane Thwaites and Nicola Greenaway( Parish Clerk)." 
Commenting Alan Piper said " This is great news for our residents and we will expect the first produce to  be grown in the 2012 season".

CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT ST PETERS

We would love to welcome you and your family to any of our Christmas Services

Sunday December 18th 10.00 am Youth Service
Sunday December 18th Carols by Candlelight : 5pm or 7 pm
Christmas Eve : Carols on the Green : 4.30 pm
Christmas Holy Communion : 11.00 pm
Christmas day : Christmas Praise : 10.00 am

You are welcome to join us Carol Singing outside One-Stop on
Saturday December 17th at 10.00am

If you want to join us Carol Singing in the village on Monday December 19th
please be on the Village Green at 7.30 pm

ARE YOU ON YOUR OWN THIS CHRISTMAS?

If this is the situation you find yourself in this year can we help by providing a
Christmas lunch for you? We will bring the dinner to your door - or call you and offer you a seat round a table with a family. Or if you know someone who would benefit from this please pass the offer on to them.

If this is something you would like - or to explore it further please ring Priscilla on 01732 841257.

IS DEPENDENCY A BAD THING ?

Well is it? We have heard much over recent years about the ‘dependency culture’ which is a phrase which means to many people - people who are too weak to stand on their own feet, the work shy - those who want something for nothing’ Maybe you think I am overstating the case but it does seem to me that the phrase is universally used to mean something which we should at all costs seek to avoid. There is, I think, a very subtle danger here. Of course there is some truth in the notion that purely being dependent on others can mean that we never take responsibility for our own lives or the lives of others - that we simply never grow up. But is there not a danger that as a society we can take this too far? Have we become so paranoid about being dependent on others that we have become more selfish, more introspective. We prize as heroes those who make it on their own and who seem to have no need of others as they climb to the top - but at what cost to themselves or to those closest to them? Is this why so many fear the process of dying and want a speedy end at a clinic somewhere rather than having to depend on others to care for them?

All the way through our life we are dependent on others - we need one another and this process when harnessed correctly is one of the truly wonderful things about being human. It means being vulnerable to others, being open and honest about our deepest longings and our deepest fears.

Is the fear or misunderstanding about being dependent one of the reasons why our society is so resistant to the Christian faith? At the heart of the Christian faith is the truly astonishing idea that God became one of us born into a human family allowing himself to be subject to all that meant.

We are dependent on God for every breath we take and every move we make. Often we rage against this wanting our independence - our own autonomy - we can make it on our own - but can we? Do we? Recognising our dependence on the God revealed in Jesus Christ does not lead us to a prison cell but leads to knowing fully what it means to be truly human and truly alive.

NEWSPAPER RECYCLING

Please could we encourage you to recycle your newspapers by placing them in the collection unit at the Church centre. We have been informed that we could lose this facility if it is not used more on a regular basis. Thank you if you already place your newspapers here.

OPERATION SHOEBOX IN DITTON

This was a great community effort from St Peter’s church, the two schools and staff and customers from One-Stop. This year for the second time we held a short service in church and encouraged people to bring their boxes along and to watch a DVD showing where and how the shoeboxes are received by children whose needs are so great.

Together we made resolutions about being happy with smaller gifts for ourselves this year and to pray for the children who receive a box, that it will bring a sense of joy and love into their lives. 70 filled boxes were brought to the service, and these will be added to the Junior school children’s efforts and collected by the Samaritans Purse charity to be sent to the many countries where war has displaced people and many children are orphans.

Remember that your gift to someone you don’t know says so much about your care for them and it is by showing the love of Jesus that the greatest great power to change a life. Thank you to all of you who took part in filling a box this year.

2011 has been a memorable year for the Ditton Bowls Club, not only has it been the clubs 25th anniversary but after entering the Drakes Pride Bowls England ‘Club of the Year’ competition for some seven years, the Ditton Bowls Club has at last won this prestigious award. In 2004 the club obtained the runner-up position but a determined small band of members kept up the good work and continued to enter this competition.
The final game of the 2011 season was a match that had been arranged some two years ago, this being an away match against the Royal Household at the Windsor Park bowls club. The players and guests travelled by coach and spent a few hours in Windsor before making their way to the bowls club.

The club is set in part of the Windsor Park and you have to go through some security checking before being allowed into the area.
We had a very nice afternoon match, apart from great big planes passing overhead at a low altitude every couple of minutes, although this did not affect our game, as we won the match by 20 shots. After the game we partook of a very nice tea and also managed to consume some alcoholic beverages before departing for home. All in all a very nice way to end our 25th anniversary as a bowls club.
The club is now into its winter season when short mat bowls is played at the clubhouse and the club now has several teams in the Maidstone & District Short Mat league.
There is also a lively programme of events for club members during this winter time which includes a series of evening dinners, that are provided by a group of enthusiastic members who enjoy cooking.
Friday evening is games evening when some members gather to play scrabble, canasta and Uno, sometimes we even have a go at Tri-ominoes.
Bingo is played every Wednesday evening all the year round and there is room for a few more parishioners if they wish to join us at 7.15 on a Wednesday evening, please contact Ron on 01622 717140 for more details. Just before Christmas we hold our Christmas party when we are usually entertained by members who put on a show of sketches and singing interspaced with quizzes and again a chance to down a few jars of nectar.

We wish all our members and the readers a very happy Christmas and a
Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

Ditton Bowls Club were awarded the “Drakes Pride, Bowls England “CLUB OF THE YEAR” award for 2011/12. This is National competition that is entered by many clubs throughout the country each year and it is a prestigious award to win. Several members who had worked hard for the club on the entry to this competition went to Leicester to receive the trophy and the club will now be playing a match against a “Bowls England” team in September.
 

     COMMUNITY WARDEN’S REPORT

Plenty has happened since my last report. The main theme of problems that have been given to me are about young people being loud, throwing eggs, alcohol and generally misbehaving. I would firstly point out that this is probably due to them being bored and the lack of things to do in the area, well that is what they tell me and I always give them the same answer, that it is not an excuse. I need your help again. Those of you with children (generally aged 11 to 17) can I ask that you talk to your children to remind them that what they think is funny or just good fun to do, may have a negative impact on someone else’s life and that you ask them to simply think before they act. I recently looked into a spate of egg throwing and I found a house in Pear Tree Avenue had eggs thrown at its window, this is an elderly gentleman with health issues, who does not wind the young people up, but he had to go out and wash the residue of eggs off his windows, is this fair?
 
Alcohol and under aged drinkers…..yes that old chestnut. I do believe that it is a problem that could be, at least partially sorted, with education. I recently poured away two 3 litre bottles of cider that I found in a rubbish bin. I know that the young people who were near the cider were the owners of the cider (because I saw it on CCTV the next day), however they denied owning the drink that evening possibly because they were aged 13 to 15 which is why I disposed of it in a responsible way. Please inform your children that the body organs (liver, kidneys etc.) are still growing up to and sometimes after their late teens and alcohol can do SEVERE damage sometimes become life threatening. As the advert on the TV says ‘normally you don’t know you have a liver problem until it’s too late’. We all love our children and none of us want to see them suffer.
 
Zig-Zag lines outside of the schools….... Thank you to all the parents who have followed my request to park legally and responsibly when picking their children up from school and dropping off, but for those who do feel it is ok to park irresponsibly or simply stop to drop their children off on the Zig-Zag line. I have requested via Kent Police and the Civil Enforcement Officers at TMBC that Ditton is patrolled at school start and finish times with a zero tolerance level and they will issues penalty notices to the offenders. Which could be 3 points on your licence PLUS a fine. The message is very simply….. you cannot park or stop to drop off/pick up passengers on a ZIG-ZAG line. They are there for the safety of ALL children.
 
Door step sellers…. These are generally the people who knock your door selling items from a bag, and giving you a story that ‘they are trying to go straight with this job’ or something like that. Firstly ask them to show you their PENDLERS LICENCE if they have not got one or don’t know what one is, they are working illegally and don’t accept the excuse that they have got one but they left it in the car. Legal traders will have a Pendlers Licence and will be proud to produce it for you. Don’t accept any, supposed, identification, it should carry the person’s name and photo, the company they work for including an address and a contact (land line) phone number and hopefully the nature of business or logo. If you are presented with a form of identification and you think you could have made that, I would probably say the person in front of you DID make it. The illegal peddlers are generally selling stolen, counterfeit or over priced items and the profits would probably go towards illegal drug trafficking. Please be careful, and call the Police if one of these people KNOCK your door.

 
Youth Centre….. The committee and I are doing everything possible to open before Christmas and I am very pleased to tell you we have some wonderful people (but not enough) who are happy to give up some of their time as Volunteer Youth Workers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved in bringing a dream to a reality, Floyd, Nigel, John, Barry, Jeanette and Carol, Ditton Parish Council etc.

NOTE .. The NEW number for calling the POLICE (non-emergency ) is 101 but still 999 for emergencies.

==============
I have no apologies for the following story. After the Parish Council Ground staff told me that some youths were removing the dog mess (bagged), from the dog litter bins, then splitting the bag and throwing it at the signs just inside the Nature Reserve in Ditton. Please ensure you and your children read the story, and please check they understand it.

A toddler who wiped dog dirt in her eye in a park playground is on the mend and, thankfully, will not have to have her eye removed.
 
Amiee Langdon, two, caught a rare infection after she fell in a gated children’s area in Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield. Doctors said her left eye would have to be taken out if antibiotics failed to clear the problem. But after an anxious wait, Amiee and mum Suzanne, 29, were given the news that tests showed no trace of the infection remained.

That means the Amiee will not have to have surgery to remove the eye, although she will be 75% blind in that eye. Amiee was playing in the park when she put her hand into the dog mess and wiped her eye. Hospital tests confirmed toxocariasis, an infection which is spread by dog dirt. It resulted in optical; Lobe cellulosis, a potentially deadly infection that could spread to the brain and lead to blindness and even death if not treated within 72 hours. Amiee responded well to treatment at Manchester Royal Infirmary.

But Suzanne, a nurse, said her daughter will be left with permanent scarring. Brave tot Amiee is to front a nationwide Keep Britain Tidy Campaign. Aimee’s case has attracted interest from councils as far afield as Cambridgeshire and Gloucestershire eager to use her story to promote anti-dog fouling campaigns. (Source:- Manchester Evening News, 11/09/2011)

What is Toxocariasis?
Toxocariasis is an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. The eggs of the parasite can be found in soil or sand contaminated with faeces and if swallowed, result in infection that lasts between 6 and 24 months. Symptoms include eye disorders, vague ache, nausea, asthma and epileptic fits. Often the eggs are ingested when passed to the mouth by the hands, but this can also occur through contact with dogs or other inanimate objects including the wheels of toys and the soles of shoes. Infected soil samples are often found in play areas and as a result, Toxocariasis most commonly affects children between 18 months and 5 years. (Source:- Manchester Evening News, 11/09/2011)

The message to all dog walkers is very simple….....and thank you, to those of you who comply…...BAG IT AND BIN IT is a simple action plan everyone can follow….

BAG IT - Carefully turn the plastic bag inside out and your dog mess will be ‘bagged’.
BIN IT - Dispose of your bag in a ‘Poop’ bin. Contrary to popular belief, dog waste can also be put into a public litter bin if a specific dog waste bin is not provided.

Why is dog fouling a problem?
Dog fouling is not only unpleasant it is dangerous. The biggest threat to public health from dog excrement is TOXOCARIASIS
 

DITTON MINORS U9S
  
Pictured are Ditton Minors U9s together with Paula Lewis and manager Scott de Garis.

This is Scott’s first season with the team, his father James de Garis was the captain of Arsenal’s youth team who won the FA youth Cup by beating Cardiff City 5 - 0.

Manager Kevin Wilkinson arranged for his U12s team to watch Millwall play Ipswich Town at the New Den on Saturday 29 October. The team travelled in style in an executive coach and formed the guard of honour as the players came onto the pitch at the start of the game.
The under 12s (YT) are looking for players to join their squad, for more information please contact Stuart McLellan on 07736 3740 49 or come to a training session at Ditton Community Centre - Saturday 10.00 am.

                                  Ditton Youth Group
 
By the time this edition of the Ditton Gazette arrives at your door, I hope that Ditton Youth Club will be open and allowing the ‘young people’ of our village to come in to a safe, warm, secure and friendly environment on a Thursday evening.

This project has come a long way from October 2009 when a committee of various members of the community formed together with the aim of raising the money to open the Cedar rooms situated in the Kilnbarn recreation ground as a youth centre. All the applications of funding and the endless amount of meetings have resulted so far in over £8,000 raised for the internal developments and a donation by Ditton Parish Council for the external work to be completed. The result, as I hope many of you will see, is a stylish modern building complete with a fully working kitchen and toilet facilities.

The centre has also been able to raise money through events such as our popular Fun Run in 2010 and by assisting with the Maidstone Half Marathon in October. The plan of the centre is to open for one day a week as a youth club with trained volunteers assisting with the club. The training is done through Kent Youth Services and will include a CRB check and currently 8 are going through this training to be our first volunteers. But the club has the capacity of opening for as many evenings a week as required - and if you are interested in being involved please pop along any Thursday evening to see what goes on .However, as much as it is a great facility for the teenagers we are working towards making it a facility for fundraising events in order to open up a computer suite for everyone to use during the day time. In particular organisations to offer courses in computers so everyone can feel comfortable using the internet or how to do something in a friendly environment.

As the pictures show, there has been a great deal of work completed and we as a committee have many people to thank, including Floyd Risby - the chairman who not only ran four marathons this year in aid of the centre but spent all of the Summer in the room doing the updates, John Newton - the KCC warden who has been able to focus on the administration of the building, Ditton Parish Council for their administrative support, all the volunteers that painted and all the volunteer’s employers who generously donated - knowingly or not!

Cllr Nigel Newman

A HISTORY OF THE DITTON NATIONAL SCHOOL
1859-1897 continued
 

Fees were charged for schooling, there is no mention of amounts paid for fees until 1883 when they were “raised to 2d each child instead of 2d and 1d as formerly”. In Christmas week 1887 each child was allowed to come for 1d instead of 2d and in July 1887 scholars who passed Standard IV successfully had to pay 3d a week instead of the 2d - as a result “two children left, not being able to pay the extra penny for the school fees”. Children often absent because there was no money to pay the fees, some families being more affected than others. In January 1899 “all the Pullen children were absent, not being able to pay the fees on account of their father being sent to prison for a month for poaching”. The Pullen family were very regular attendees - and when they did it was “ without the necessary fees and cop book money; much to the Master’s annoyance. As Ditton was a National School, its life was closely associated with the Church. The rector, who was the Correspondent of the Managers, was a constant visitor to the school, appointed to the rector-ship in 1856 he remained at Ditton till his death in 1905. During those fifty years he visited the school at least three times a week checking the registers, examining the children in all subjects, offering advice and reprimanding culprits, naturally the Church Catechism was taught, and the scriptures examined, thus we find entries such as “Examination of the whole school in Catechism by the rector”, “The whole of the life of Saul re-capitulated and entered into Dictation books”, Children taken to church to practice the hymns for Sunday” every Ash Wednesday the registers were marked, some secular instruction was given, and then the children were taken to Church for a service. In October 1880 the Archbishop of Canterbury visited Ditton, and the children welcomed him. “Bubs, apples and walnuts were afterwards given to the children by Mrs Stratton”. After the 1879 Education Act, children were allowed to be withdrawn from religious teaching if their parents wished, regardless of whether the school was ‘voluntary’ or a board school - but there is no record of anybody at Ditton taking advantage of this. Up until 1875 religious instruction was examined by the Inspector when he came to examine the three R’s, but after this time there was a annual examination in religious knowledge by a Diocesan Inspector, his report was always included in the Log Book. In 1890 he wrote “The knowledge of the Old and New Testament History was very good...and the meaning of some parts of the Catechism was very fairly understood.” New registers were started every quarter and if any mistake occurred and alterations were necessary, the facts were entered in the Log Book, the registers were always ‘closed’, usually fifteen minutes after school had commenced, any late-comers were marked as absent. The marking of the registers was most important for part of the government grant depended upon the average number of attendance’s made, and on whether the school had been open 400 times. In May 1871 the Inspector reported “...no grant payable for the average attendance as the school has not been open 400 times”.

to be continued…...

KFRS Risk Reduction Manager Martin Skeet said: “We can offer people practical help to reduce the risk of fire. Maybe they need a smoke alarm fitted, advice on escape routes and what to do if a fire starts in their home. Or perhaps they need some more extra guidance to keep safe. Our dedicated team can provide a range of specialist equipment, such as fireproof bedding and smoke alarms for the heard of hearing, to help protect more vulnerable residents.”
 

He added: “Just three breaths of toxic smoke from a fire can be life-threatening, but we offer free safety advice and services to help minimise the risk of being harmed, by encouraging those you care about to get in touch, you will be playing a huge part in preventing a fire and may even save a life.”
 
Tips on staying safe this winter:

• Make sure you fit, and regularly test, a smoke alarm. It is the single most important piece of safety equipment in any home.If you plan on using an open fire, make sure your chimney has been recently swept as build-ups of soot and ash can cause chimney fires. When going to bed, make absolutely certain that any open fire is either out, or pushed back into the grate and a guard used to prevent sparks setting light to carpets or furniture. Interior doors should always be closed when going to bed as they can dramatically reduce the spread of fire. Portable heaters should be dust-free and kept well away from anything that could catch fire. Candles should always be placed on a non-flammable surface, be away from soft furnishing like curtains and never be left unattended. It is far safer to consider using torches instead of candles.
• Before using an electric blanket, make sure it is under 10 years old, check it is in working order and always follow the manufacturers instructions.

For further information or to learn more about the free advice and services on offer to residents contact KFRS on 0800 923 7000 or visit www.3breaths.info. Children can also learn more about fire safety by visiting KFRS page for kids at www.firefighterfred.info.

B & D Dance Club: Sec: Tel: 01233-628298
Ditton Active Retirement Club: Sec: Tony Mulcuck: Tel: 01732 844195
Email: anthony.mulcuck@sky.com
Ditton Bowls Club: Sec: Robin Deere: 01732 321085
Email: robdeer@blueyonder.co.uk
Ditton (Bowls Club) Short Mat: Sec: Win Cooper: Tel: 01732 843608
Email: robwin1939@talktalk.net
Ditton Brownies: Sec: 331 Lunsford Lane, Larkfield, ME20 6HZ Tel: 01732-845401
Ditton Church: The Rectory, 2 The Stream, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6AG
Ditton Church Hall Pre-School: Sec: Church Hall, New Road, Ditton, Aylesford
Ditton Gardening Club: Mr Gary Smith, 5 Cherry Orchard, Ditton ME20 6QS Tel:01732 844892
Ditton Guides: Sec: 79 Woodlands Road, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6EF Tel: 01732-845692
Ditton Heritage Centre Ltd: Sec: Mrs Maralyn Mulcuck: Tel: 01732 844195
1st Ditton Scouts (Beaver Section): 1 Gorse Crescent, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6ER
Ditton Infants School: Sec: Pear Tree Avenue, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6EB
Ditton Junior School: Sec: New Road, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6AE
Ditton Minors Football Club: Sec: 9 Acorn Grove, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6EJ Tel: 01622 716280
Ditton Scouts: Sec: 34 Albert Reed Gardens, Maidstone, Kent ME15 8JY
Ditton Short Mat Bowls Club: Sec: Mrs Jean Banks: Tel: 01622 200910
Email: mjbanks@virginmedia.com
The Kilnbarn: Ditton Community Centre, Kilnbarn Road, Ditton Aylesford ME20 5EF Tel:01732-844749
Ditton Petanque Club: Sec: 37 Fernleigh Rise, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6BS Tel: 01732-840699
Ditton 2374 Air Training Corps: Sec: 552 Tonbridge Road, Barming, Maidstone ME16 9DH Tel: 07889-437721
Ditton Toddlers: Sec: 19 Primrose Drive, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6EG Tel: 01622-715866

Ditton Twinning Association: Mrs. Eileen Jones, 21 Fernleigh Rise, Ditton. Tel: 01732 842458
St. Peter & St. Paul’s Pre-School: Sec: 44 Ragstone Court, Ditton, Aylesford ME20 6AJ
Tel: 01622-710985
Ditton Youth Group: Sec: Mr John Newton . Tel: 07813-712081
 

LOCAL AMENITIES

Larkfield Library: Martin Square, Larkfield ME20 6QW Tel: 01732 842339
Open Mon—Friday 9.00am—6.00pm Sat 10.00am—4.00pm Closed Wednesdays.

15TH JANUARY
12TH FEBRUARY
4TH MARCH
25TH MARCH
15TH APRIL
13TH MAY
3RD JUNE—JUBILEE QUIZ
 
£2.00 Per Person Teams of up to 8 persons
Pre-booking of Table is Advisable
Meat Raffle

8.00PM Sunday 18th December
FREE MINCE PIES AND GLASS OF WINE

£2.00 PER PERSON - TEAMS OF UP TO 8 PERSONS
Pre-booking of table advisable

Parish Office Holiday Opening Dates
 
Monday 26th December 2011 Office Closed
Tuesday 27th December 2011 Office Closed
Wednesday 28th December 2011 Office Open 8.30am-12 Noon
Thursday 29th December 2011 Office Closed
Friday 30th December 2011 Office Open 8.30am-12 Noon
Monday 2nd January 2012 Office Closed
Tuesday 3rd January 2012 Normal Day

Copyright © 2011 Ditton Parish Council

Web site updated by
Clive Stanley Associates