Crockham Hill Newsletter
November 2019
On the Church Website in News in Pictures are photos of Noah in Messy Church at the beginning of October, and of the church decorated for Harvest Festival. News and Events contains posters and publicity for all Village events in November. Do email with suggestions, and anything you want to publicise to mike@theoasthouse.com
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What’s on at Holy Trinity
Every Sunday 8.00am Prayer Book Holy Communion
Sunday 3rd November
10.00am All-age Service
Sunday 10th November
10.50am Remembrance Sunday Service
with Sunday Club and Coffee after the service
in the School Hall
Tuesday 12th
2.00pm Toddler ‘Stay and Play’ in the Harris Room
Sunday 17th November
10.00am Eucharist and Sunday Club
Sunday 24th November
10.00am Eucharist with Sunday Club
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News from the Vicarage …
This year Remembrance Sunday will mark 80 years since the start of WW2. We will as usual in our act of worship hear the names of those men listed on our memorial board, those who gave their lives during the first and second world war, but there will also be an opportunity for us to remember our own loved ones who were involved in any way during the 1939/45 conflict. For some it will be a parent, my own father served in the Royal Engineers, for others a grandparent or perhaps an uncle or great uncle, or aunt. Some will have paid the ultimate price, while others will have lived a long and fulfilling life after the conflict finally ceased in 1945.
We all know that there have been many others conflicts in more recent years and sadly there are likely to be more in the years to come, but on 10th November we have along with the rest of our nation the opportunity to pause for two minutes and bring our thoughts and for some our memories before God as we stand in silence and simply remember.
The following day, Armistice Day, Crockham Hill School will be coming to the church for their act of Remembrance at 10.50am, followed by laying poppies on the war graves in our churchyard. You would be most welcome to join them as they remember and stand in silence at the 11th hour of the 11th month along with many others in our land going about their daily routine. I do hope you will be able to join us this year for either of both these Acts of Remembrance.
Reverend Sue
God Bless
Rev Sue
email: sue.diggory@outlook.com
Tel: 01732 446466
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THE PRAYER GROUP
Trish Proctor 866219
THE PRAYER GROUP to which ANYONE IS VERY WELCOME We will meet on Wednesday NOVEMBER 20th at 2pm at Woodmote. Do come and join us in a short time of prayer. We have some readings to begin with, on a theme with periods of prayer and then pray for the needs of our world, the Church, our local community and our families. There is no expectation to do anything but just come relax and listen, pray quietly or openly as you feel comfortable. Prayer requests and prayer ideas are always used during this time so if you have anyone or anything you would like us to pray about please let Sue Diggory or me know. COME AND SEE YOU WILL BE MOST WELCOME.
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NEWSLETTTER APPEAL 2019
So far we have received approximately 50% of the funds needed to cover the costs of the monthly newsletter. If you haven’t responded yet can we give you a little ‘nudge’ to do so this month.
Many thanks
Revd Sue
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Women's Christian Fellowship
Siobhan Enskat is kindly hosting our next meeting on Wednesday 13th November at 10.30a.m. We will talk about the state of the world and the need for co-operation and reconciliation and what we as a community can do to further this. Do come and join us - you will be most welcome.
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Sale of Christmas Cards
Until they sell out, we shall be selling Christmas cards of a watercolour of Crockham Hill Church in the snow. They will be available each Sunday at 11.00am following the Morning Service between 3rd November and 15th December. They will be at the extraordinarily economic price of 50p each.
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Poppy Day & Remembrance Sunday 10 November 2019
The 75th anniversary commemorations of Operation Overlord were inspiring to watch on television, and even more to those who escorted the Normandy veterans to the Bayeux cemetery and the landing beaches. The cruise ship Boudicca of the Norwegian Fred Olsen line hosted the group and had added poppies and 'Royal British Legion' to her bow and stern.
The Legion is a 'very present help in trouble' to the bereaved, the wounded and the dependents of all those who fight our wars. Poppy Day is the annual appeal when non-combatants, whatever the political rights and wrongs of the conflicts, can contribute to keeping this vital support system going.
Poppies will be available from the school, the Royal Oak and the church BUT only at Sunday services after last year's theft of the collecting tin from the porch during the actual Remembrance day service. (Grateful thanks to the organisers of the replacement collection that received far more than the original donations).
Church collection + replacement donations 1,203
Beacon lighting 101
School 131
AMG collecting tin 313 £1,748
With thanks, Anna Goldstein
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OUR FRIENDS IN NEW CROSS AT CHRISTMAS
David Hodges 866233 and June Davies 866350
Please place in the box in the Church your toys and gifts (unwrapped) for children and adults at New Cross by Sunday 8 December. Particularly appreciated for adults would be warm scarves, hats, gloves, socks and towels (new or nearly new). Rolls of Christmas wrapping paper would also be welcome. If you would prefer to give a cheque, please make it out to ‘Holy Trinity Church, Crockham Hill’ and pass it to David or June.
Other items for December
Warm clothing for children and adults and warm bedding would also be especially welcome at this time of year and can be left at Redlands Barn. Thank you very much.
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Donkey Christmas Post 2019
For the past 12 years Crockham Hill residents have kindly supported. The Donkey Post around the village each Christmas, firstly by Harry The Donkey, and for the past 4 years following on in his hoofprints is Bonnie. Each year, due to everyone’s generosity, donations have been sent to The Air Ambulance and Hospice In The Weald. Bonnie has been in training ready for her 5th Christmas Card Delivery and for a small donation she will deliver your cards by doing Crockham Hill’s 13th Christmas Donkey Post.
On Saturday 14th December Bonnie will ‘Bray’
her way to; Dairy Lane from playing fields to Hurst Farm/Brook Cottage, Deanery Road Main Road....Carter’s Cottage to Church Cottages, Oakdale Lane and Smiths Lane, Spout Lane.
And on Sunday 15th December she’ll ‘Clip Clop’ along to;
Froghole Lane and The New Road....
From Sunday 1st December please either leave your Christmas Cards and donation (in a sealed envelope ) at Sheila and Peter Greenaway’s ~ 1 Deanery Cottage, Main Road ...(Next to the Pub - car park entrance side) or post in The Donkey Post Box at the Royal Oak. (if possible, Please include Christian and Surname of recipient and part/full address) Please make cheques payable to Kent Sussex Surrey Air Ambulance or Hospice In The Weald.....all cash donations will be shared between the two charities. Last collection Thursday 12th December for sorting Friday 13th and the deliveries will be made on 14th and 15th December.
Thank you for your continued support.
Bonnie The Donkey and The Greenaway Family.
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Parish Safeguarding contacts.
Jo Naismith, Parish Safeguarding Officer 01732 866248/07966264290
Susan Cash, Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Adults 01732 866218
Rev’d Sue Diggory, Vicar 01732 446466/07799892583
Further details are available on the church website www.crockhamhillchurch.org and are displayed on the notice board in the church porch.
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Thought of the month
Life isn’t about falling it’s about getting back up every time you fall.
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Copy Deadline For The Next -Month issue
Friday 15th November All items for inclusion to Dharmi Damodaran / 07769681961
Our editor
Dharmi Damodaran
COPY DEADLINE FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY ISSUE:
Friday 15th November
All items for inclusion to the editor, Dharmi Damodaran at
(0776 968 1961)
Or leave in box either on shelf at the back of the church
or in the Royal Oak pub
.
Save the date – Saturday 8th February 2020!
Dig Deep for Diggers and Running over the Hill Quiz Night
The Marathon along with many other races has been run, my shoulder is mending nicely, but the fund raising is ongoing to reach Anna’s target of £4,000 in support of Breast Cancer Now, Cystic Fibrosis and Prostate Cancer, and we now have a new date for the Quiz Night.
All tickets from last time are valid and we will be looking to fill the Village Hall once again for these three good causes, so please SAVE THE DATE NOW! More details will be coming out soon.
Rev Sue
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
June Davies 866350
The directors of Crockham Hill Amenities C.I.C (CHACIC) would like to express their grateful thanks to all those generous villagers and their friends who supported our fundraising Quiz Night on the 12 October. We appreciated not only their engaging presence but also the donation of super raffle prizes and delicious desserts. A great time was had by all (we’ve had many requests for a repeat next year). We very much appreciate the amount of funding raised which will help us to cover our running expenses for the coming year and keep Deanery Orchard safe for the village.
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PHOTOBOOK WORKSHOP
June Davies 866350
Have you always wanted to put together that special photobook but never got around to it? Well here’s your chance to do it for Christmas! Crockham Hill WI has organised (for women and men of all ages) a Photobook Workshop, tutored by Richard Winston an expert in the field. It will be held from 7pm for 7.30pm on Tuesday 26th November in the Village Hall. Do come and join us! The cost will be £15 per person, to include tuition and drinks and nibbles. You will only need to bring with you a laptop (ipads/ iphones are not suitable) on which you will have pre- downloaded free software (details to follow) and also your digital photos, or bring your photos on a memory stick. Numbers of places will be necessarily limited and will be allocated on a first booked basis. Please contact June on 866350 or at redlandsbarn@gmail.com to book.
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CROCKHAM HILL WI
June Davies 866350
What a truly fantastic celebration for our 98th birthday in October! A cream tea at Chartwell after a bracing walk in the lovely grounds and some retail therapy in the National Trust shop – what more could you ask? A hard act to follow but we are very much looking forward to a talk about the ‘Roaring Twenties’ by Delia Taylor at our next meeting on Wednesday 6 November in the Village Hall, followed by our usual scrumptious (calorie- free?) tea. Why not come along as our guest?
Forward look
21 Nov: Pub lunch - The White Hart, Brasted, 12.30pm
26 Nov: Photobook Workshop –For women and men 7pm (see separate item)
04 December – A Christmas Celebration, 2.30pm Village Hall
Other opportunities – Drivers’ conference and walking netball
Please do join us anytime as a guest – we’re a lively, friendly group and we’d love to welcome you. Visit www.crockhamhillwi.com/ or ring June for more information.
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Gardens - stepping stones for wildlife – Tuesday 12 November at 7.00pm
Maureen Rainey of Kent Wildlife Trust, County Organizer of the Kent Wildlife Gardening Awards is giving an illustrated talk in the Village Hall. This will introduce Crockham Hill’s Wildlife Restoration project in which we hope to encourage the formation of many new adjoining wildlife-friendly habitats in and around our village, and encourage the return some of the species in serious decline, such as turtle doves, nightingales and hedgehogs. A group of local gardeners and farmers have produced a booklet to emphasise the value of corridors for wildlife, and to show how paddocks and gardens, common land, woodland, hedgerows, and field margins can support rich and diverse wildlife habitats. The talk is free; the booklets are free, and there will be a bar. At a time of global warming and of crisis for all wildlife, we encourage everyone in the area who has garden, paddock or a large plot of land, to support this talk and hear about our local Wildlife Restoration project.
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CHIPS
CHIPS/WADS - Autumn Production of 'A Dickens of a Christmas Carol' - Performances will be on Wednesday 4th December - Saturday 7th December (Sat Matinee 2.30pm and 8pm performance), at Westerham Village Hall. Tickets £9.00 available via the CHIPS website, crockhamhillchips.co.uk or the WADS website wads-web.net If you are unable to access the websites then please do contact Emma Jonas on 01732 864 835 or emergetic@hotmail.com
Rehearsals are well under way, with rehearsals at Crockham Hill hall on Wednesday evenings and Westerham hall on Sunday afternoons. The performances will be at Westerham Hall from the Weds 4th December to the Sat 7th December. Patrons are urged to use the town car park (Darent car park, just along the A25, on the left, as you leave Westerham towards Sevenoaks), with a short walk (3min) to the hall. There is ample space and good lighting. However, for anyone who would have difficulties with this, then we are happy to provide a free taxi service from the Darent car park to Westerham Hall (and back!); please let me know in advance if you would like to do this. Also - there will be food available from our friends at The Courtyard here in Westerham. Food will be available in the auditorium serving from 6:30 pm each evening so why not arrive early and eat before the show! Food charged separately.
(Please call Claire Tobin 01732 866 503/claire@theveryedge.co.uk to book a lift!)
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PAULINE JONES
(1921-2019)
Those who remember her from the years she lived at Buttles Steps, will recall Pauline Jones as a woman with boundless positive energy, an effervescent smile and an eagerness to make the most of every moment. Born in Harrogate on 8 June 1921, she had the famed ‘Yorkshire grit’ which gave her the strength and stamina she would need in later years, but was leavened with genuine love for those with whom she filled her long life.
When she was eight, her parents took her and her younger brother Brian to live in Wellington, New Zealand. Tragically, two years later she and Brian were swept out to sea by an undertow; Pauline managed to swim out of trouble, but her brother drowned - a loss she was to feel for the rest of her days. At school she developed a passion for modern dance, and after a spell of youth work, decided to train as a teacher of Physical Education. Joining the Victoria University Tramping Club she met Barrie Jones, the young man who would become her husband and life-long companion. Together they explored the mountains and back-country of the Southern Alps, and married on 23 December 1946.
Barrie was to become a world-renowned Ophthalmologist, and his first step towards this eminent career was taken when in 1951 he uprooted his wife and two young children and sailed for London to study at Moorfields. (Much of Professor Barrie Jones’s career is described in ‘Great Lives’ at www.crockhamhillchurch.org) In the decades that followed, Pauline would accompany and assist Barrie during the many field trips he made to Persia (now Iran) in 1965-1977, and to Southern Sudan in 1979. These were challenging but rewarding times which gave ‘many opportunities to see behind the various cultures and realise that people everywhere are basically the same with the same needs and fears as our own.’
It was in 1988 that Pauline and Barrie bought the little thatched cottage on Buttles Steps she had discovered one day when out walking with a friend. Though both beyond retirement age, Barrie continued to work, for he had ‘a fire in his belly,’ turning the timber chalet in the garden into his study. Pauline made friends in an instant and with her love of the countryside set about exploring all the local footpaths. The twelve years she and Barrie were at Buttles were ‘as near as we shall ever get to Paradise. Indeed,’ she wrote many years later, ‘it still remains our spiritual home.’ But in 2001 they packed their bags and flew back to New Zealand where Barrie passed away eight years later. Pauline lived on in a charming retirement village in Tauranga where she welcomed old friends from Crockham Hill with her customary smile and determination to make their stay ‘full-on’! For that was Pauline Jones, a lady who loved life and fully lived it for 98 wonderful years, and wanted to help others do the same. God bless her.
Kev Reynolds
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CROCKHAM HILL VILLAGE LITTERPICK 2019
June Davies 866350 Susan Cash 866218
Very grateful thanks to all those who so kindly gave up their Saturday morning to help WI members with their annual village litterpick. Whilst there were few people available to help us this year (unfortunate clashes with half-term holidays etc), huge amounts of litter were collected, and this will have a significant impact on preserving our beautiful environment. Also, we would like to thank those residents who regularly clear the roadways outside their property and land – it’s a huge help. We are very confident that next year, if we choose our date carefully, we will be able to be even more successful in cleaning up the village roadsides. So please consider joining us for our 2020 litter pick.
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Free to a good home
I've been having a clear out at home and at work and some bits and bobs that are taking up room. Wok...about 13" in diameter with a glass lid. Used a few times but not getting any use now. 6 Ramakin dishes. About 3" diameter. 4 smoked glass and 2 plain glass. Various glass nik naks I used as candle holders. I also have a load of old part used candles. I had planned to melt the wax down to make my own candles but never got around to it. Galvanised metal frame for holding seedling trays. 30" high x 16" wide x 35" high. Fits easily into those cheapy plastic greenhouses you can buy and will take 6 seedling trays, those ones that are about A4 paper size. I've no seedling trays for it but they are easy to get from garden centres. My workplace has decided to not be festive anymore so I also have a large box full of Christmas decorations including an artificial tree, tinsel and baubels. I've no idea of what else is in the box and think everything is complete. 6. 5 x Oblong cake/loaf tins. Cake tins are 2 x apporx 12" long, 2 x approx 8" long and 1 loaf tin approx 8" long. Contact Dave Richardson on jetmorgan@daverichardson.plus.com or on 01732 860144 evenings
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MAIN ROAD SPEED LIMIT
June Davies 866350
As promised, Geoff Bineham (Schemes Project Manager/Highways) at Kent County Council has undertaken a traffic speed survey and his conclusion, contained in an email sent to me, is as below.
‘’In conclusion, your main concerns are that 60mph speed limit is inappropriate and that many drivers are very likely to exceed it and will be driving past residential properties nearer to 70/80 mph. The national speed limit is appropriate for this section of road, the B2026 Main Road has a very good safety record on this section as there has been no injury collisions along this section in the last three years and the data provides evidence that the majority of drivers are actually travelling significantly below the 60mph speed limit.
Taking this information into consideration, KCC have no plans to change the speed limit here.’’
Whilst this is obviously a disappointing outcome, I would like to thank Mr Bineham for carrying out this survey and all fellow villagers who have supported us in trying to make the village a safer place for residents.
SPEED LIMIT MAIN RD - CROCKHAM HILL
Dear Mrs Davis
As you are aware, KCC commissioned 3 x traffic count surveys on the B2026 Main Road between Crockham Hill and Edenbridge. The surveys were undertaken for 24-hours over 7-days. Below is a summary of the results:
Site 1 – B2026 Main Road, Crockham Hill 40mph speed limit
Direction
Number of vehicles
Number of HGV’s
Average speed
Over 7 days
85 percentile speed
Percentage of vehicles complying with 40mph speed limit
Percentage of vehicles under enforcement threshold of 46mph
North bound
25,432
2,241
39mph
45.3mph
59% (14,944)
84% (21,331)
South bound
25,931
1,876
37.3mph
41.9mph
75% (19,447)
93% (24,284)
Site 2 - B2026 Main Road outside property named “Oakrise” 60mph speed limit
Direction
Number of vehicles
Number of HGV’s
Average speed
Over 7 days
85 percentile speed
Percentage of vehicles complying with 60mph speed limit
Percentage of vehicles under enforcement threshold of 68mph
North bound
25,621
2,348
42.4mph
48.5mph
99% (25,436)
99% (25,436)
South bound
25,945
2,129
41.4mph
47.6mph
99% (25,729)
99% (25,729)
Site 3 - B2026 Main Road south of Hole Lane 60mph speed limit
Direction
Number of vehicles
Number of HGV’s
Average speed
Over 7 days
85 percentile speed
Percentage of vehicles complying with 60mph speed limit
Percentage of vehicles under enforcement threshold of 68mph
North bound
26,667
2,178
39.9mph
45.7mph
99% (26,551)
99% (26,551)
South bound
26,511
2,036
40.8mph
46.5mph
99% (26,337)
99% (26,337)
Site 1 – This is within the 40mph speed limit between Crockham Hill village and a point just south of Dennettsland Road, Crockham Hill. As you can see, the average speeds are below the 40mph speed limit but the speeds are too high for this to be reduced to 30mph.
Site 2 – This is within the 60mph speed limit also in Crockham Hill Parish, there are good compliance levels here as less than 1% of vehicles were travelling over 60mph.
Site 3 - This is within the 60mph speed limit in Edenbridge Parish, again there are good compliance levels here as less than 1% of vehicles were travelling over 60mph.
In conclusion, your main concerns are that 60mph speed limit is inappropriate and that many drivers are very likely to exceed it and will be driving past residential properties nearer to 70/80 mph. The national speed limit is appropriate for this section of road, the B2026 Main Road has a very good safety record on this section as there has been no injury collisions along this section in the last three years and the data provides evidence that the majority of drivers are actually travelling significantly below the 60mph speed limit.
Taking this information into consideration, KCC have no plans to change the speed limit here.
If you are not happy with the response you have received, you may wish to make a formal complaint. This can be done by writing to: Mr Simon Jones the Director of Highways, Transport and Waste, Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ or using the online complaints, comments and compliments form by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/contact-us/complaints-and-feedback
Thank you again for contacting us and I hope that my comments have clarified our position.
Kind regards
Geoff Bineham | Schemes Project Manager | Highways, Transportation and Waste
Kent County Council | Ashford Highway Depot | Javelin Way | Ashford | TN24 8AD