BILSINGTON NEWS - MAY 2009
(Web Site - www.saxonshore-kent.gov.uk)
Bilsington Parish Council
The parish council has met six times this year with good attendance at all the meetings. As an experiment we have been meeting on a Saturday morning which we hope is more convenient should a parishioner wish to attend a meeting.
Events and subjects that have occupied the parish council during the past year include:
Contact – Jane Porter 01233 625777
Bilsington Ladies Afternoon Club
Bilsington Ladies Afternoon Club comprises members drawn from Bilsington and the nearby surrounding area. Its' aims include providing a meeting point for social interaction and discussion, and securing speakers from the locality and elsewhere to entertain, amuse and to offer interest to members. From time to time a coach trip to a place of interest is arranged.
Over the past twelve months the membership has increased by approximately 50% and the club is looking forward to raising membership numbers still further during the forthcoming twelve months.
The Club meets in Bilsington Village Hall at 2.15pm on the second Thursday of each month, except in August.
Contact – Eileen Mills 01233 720566
Monument Trust, a registered charity with four trustees, was formed first to restore the monument then care for it. Major restoration was completed in 1999, funded by the National Lottery. Over the past eight years the trust has added an orientation plinth looking south and fixed a wooden case with containing the village map devised by Mary Webb to the railings looking north. Richard Brown made the fixings for the case. Currently the trustees are Libby Lawson as Chair, Robert Boutwood as Secretary, Terry Tarrant as Treasurer and Mike Lay who looks after the site. Donations given over the past year have secured the trusts financial position for the next few years.
Contact Terry Tarrant 01233 720404
Bilsington Tuesday Afternoon Sewing Group (Hassocks)
After so many requests for more pew cushions in our Parish Church, we have started stitching them again - continuing for the time being, the theme of flowers - so we are now making it more comfortable for worshippers bottoms as well as knees. If you have any unfinished canvases, unwanted embroidery wool or silks etc., please bring them along to be finished, or even adapted for the Church as hassocks or cushions, or of course just for yourselves.. But you may want to knit blanket squares for the Children's Hospice or for premature babies or maybe do some personal sewing, even dressmaking for yourself.
Even if you do not wish to sew, crochet, embroider or knit, you may have ideas for us, so come in and have a chat and a cuppa at Cross House, Ruckinge Road, Bilsington (next door to the White Horse pub) on Tuesday afternoons at 2.30pm.
By the way, the women’s section of the British Legion (meets at Aldington) always welcomes new members.
Contact Stephné Mytton 01233 720311
The Bilsington Society
The Bilsington Society runs two social evenings in April and October held in the village hall at which guest speakers speak on subjects of local interest. These evenings are open to all and free. Last October Hugh Webb, a retired army officer and a Bilsington resident, spoke of his experiences in Army Intelligence in both Northern Ireland and in Iraq. This April Rod Le-Gear spoke on “Underground Kent”, a subject of great interest comprising a review of chalk mines from dene holes (going back to pre-history) to Chislehurst Caves, the extracted chalk being used for agriculture and brickmaking, and then moving on to more recent times when tunnels were dug, during World War 2, to be used for civilian shelters or military purposes. And then into the post war period of secret buildings for Regional Seats of Government should an atomic war break out.
Next October 9th Neil Arnold will speak on “The Mystery Animals of Kent”.
Sales of the Society’s book “Bilsington People 1900-2000” which was launched in March last year have been good, many orders being received (some from overseas) via the web site. The society’s financial position remains sound.
Bilsington People books - Contact Terry Tarrant 01233 720404
Meetings - Contact Eileen Mills 01233 720566
Neighbourhood Watch
In Bilsington we still enjoy a low crime rate (touch wood), however petty crime seems to be on the up in the villages around us. Some not so petty crime as well, for example the ram raid robbery in Hamstreet. We can help ourselves and our neighbours by some simple tips.
The parish council has provided funds for new Neighbourhood Watch signs to be erected.
Contact Hugh Webb - hughwebb1107@live.co.uk
Bilsington Flower and Vegetable Show
After last year’s very successful show we are repeating this event. The schedule of entries is being modified to make it even more attractive to enter. The show will take place on Saturday 15 August in the village hall and we hope many green fingered villagers will take part. This show welcomes all abilities and all age groups.
Contact Charlotte Kerr 01233 720878
Bilsington Village Hall Committee
The Village Hall has continued to provide a very useful amenity to the parish under the management of Shirley and Dennis Lukehurst. But changes are about to happen as both Denis and Shirley (as chairman, treasurer and maintainers) will be stepping down from the Village Hall Committee this coming July. Denis has been associated with the hall for the last 60 years, broken only by national service whilst serving with the army in Korea. So major changes will be occurring to the committee.
The new gas tank has worked well and we are no longer providing spare gas bottles to the local criminal fraternity.
The Hall has always been run on a 'make do and mend' basis. Finances are always precarious and it is a struggle to keep the hall in good condition. Fortunately donations have been received from the finalisation of the Craft Fayre accounts of £500 and £122 from the parish council. The "Treasure and Trash" sale raised £339.
The hall is getting rather shaky and needs major renovation e.g. new windows, new ceiling and re-decoration. The committee needs to start making application for grants to undertake these works so that we can make the hall more attractive to users.
Contact Shirley Lukehurst 01233 720689
Bilsington Art Group
I am told that this is the 25th anniversary of the class. I thought it was the 24th, but all our members can count better than I. The class now has a widespread reputation for the high standard of the work being produced here and I am very proud to be tutor to the group.
We have been able to enrol a few applicants from the waiting list, but few members leave, and the list gets longer. Please bear with me if you are one of our waiting list.
Sadly, after 25 years of being able to use the car-park of the White Horse this privilege has been withdrawn. I confess, I was not aware that country pubs were so busy at 10 o’clock on a Monday morning..... but then I got our anniversary date wrong!
Our annual exhibition is on the 17th and 18th October and I look forward to seeing many of you there. Come early if you wish to buy a painting.
Contact Beryle Bell 01233 732963
Bilsington Cricket Club
Every Saturday and Sunday during the season the club plays games against local sides, our home ground being on the cricket field behind the White Horse. A unique little ground where standing at fine leg at the pub end, you cannot see the bowler! But hey, what a great view across the Marsh on a glorious sunny afternoon.
It is village cricket at it's best. Anybody who has an interest in playing is very welcome. Why not visit our web site at www.bilsingtoncc.co.uk to find out more?
Contact Sylvia Leaning 01233 620260
St Peter's and St Paul's Church
The parish priest is Revd Richard Love and churchwardens are Linda King and Terry Tarrant. The affairs of the church are run by an elected group called the Parochial Church Council (PCC).
The PCC's objectives for this year in particular were to get a faculty granted for the renovation work specified by the architect in the quinquennial report on the church, to conclude the fund raising campaign to raise the money and to begin the renovation work.
Achievements and Performance: The PCC achieved its objectives by getting the faculty, concluding the fundraising campaign and beginning the renovation work. The work on the roof, windows, stonework and the new porch doors is complete. This year the internal decorating and resurfacing the path will take place.
Fund Raising: Grants and donations towards the renovation work were received from the following:
Friends of Kent Churches, Garfield Weston Foundation, Allchurches Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, The National Churches Trust, the H. R. Pratt Boorman Family Foundation and The Bilsington Society. Jefferson Engineering donated a watercolour painting of the church by Robert May, which raised funds via a sealed bid auction. Generous donations were also received from local families. Other sources of income were fund raising events: Concerts given by The Aldington Chamber Ensemble and Stan James & Maggie Denham and the Flower Festival.
Church Attendance: There are 19 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll. The average normal service attendance was 19 with an average of 17 communicants. Numbers attending joint services and festivals was higher and 40 attended the Blessing the Crib service on Christmas Eve.
PCC Meetings: The PCC met 4 times during 2008, plus attended 3 Joint PCC Meetings.
Services: Services of 1662 Holy Communion with hymns were held at 9am on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month during the year. Occasional services were also held:
There are two Sunday Schools in the Benefice, one in St Martin’s Church, Aldington and Steve's Club in Lympne.
Other Events: The PCC run a monthly coffee morning on the first Saturday in the month. Coffee, tea, biscuits and sometimes cakes are provided free of charge for any who likes to call in to the Village Hall between 10am & 12 noon. There is also a produce stall selling tins and packets of food, cakes (homemade or otherwise), jam, plants, home grown vegetables and fruit etc. During 2008 the coffee mornings ran from March through to December and started again in April 2009.
Other Activities: The PCC continues to sponsor a child through Compassion UK. We sponsor a child in a deprived part of the world throughout her childhood arranged through a Christian organisation. They provide food, clothing, education, Christian guidance and loving care.
Thanks: The PCC would like to thank all those who have given their time to assist with the running of the church, its services, keeping it clean, decorated with flowers and maintenance of the building and churchyard In particular we would like to thank all those involved in organising and running the Flower Festival last year. A lot of people worked very hard and it was an extremely enjoyable and successful event.
PCC Aims for the Coming Year
Concluding the renovation work and celebrating the achievement!
Contact Linda King 01233 720554
Dates of Parish Events
Flower and Vegetable Show – 15 August
Bilsington Society Autumn meeting – 9 October
Art Group Annual exhibition – 17 and 18 October