Lovely Charing - Kent

Kent on track for a high-speed boom - Times Online

An important part of improvements being made to London’s transport infra-structure ahead of the 2012 Olympics, the new service – known as the Javelin – will make much of Kent feasible commuter territory. Estate agents and home-owners alike are salivating at the prospects for the property market.

Journey times from London to Ashford will be more than halved to 37 minutes; Folkestone will be 63, as opposed to 98, minutes away, while Ramsgate, at present two hours from the capital, will be 84 minutes by train.

It is the nearby villages, however, especially those perched on the slopes of the North Downs bisecting the county, that are more likely to become a honeypot for City commuters.

via property.timesonline.co.uk

That's what TimesOnline reported way back in 2007. The future is already here: The Javelin (High Speed Rail Link from SouthEastern) is already speeding down the line every morning from Ashford International Station to St. Pancras in London.

Charing is perfectly located on the A20 just 6 miles from Ashford International Station, has its very own station that'll bring you to AIS in no time at all if you don't want to drive down to Ashford.

If you know someone is looking to combine both the good life in a thriving village and the practicality of High Speed Rail travel to London and the Continent (Eurostar) direct them to our own Estate Agents:

Patrick Russel Estate Agents and Saddlers Estate Agents (both members of Charing Business Association - committed to the community)

Any of them will be very happy to source the perfect home for them. You can also tell them our village has "everything you need on their doorstep"

When innocent little games stop being innocent

Ever had a contest to see who could shoot furthest with a blowpipe or catapult? Good little innocent games we all played one day or the other. Trying to hit the furthest tree or a let a empty tin tumble from a wall, great fun.

It stops being innocent when the 'ammunition' hits properties of others. Accidental, yes that happens sometimes, so no harm done? Specially when the property doesn't seem to have received any damage, the little pebble just bounced of the window. Or the car doesn't seem to have a dent in it at all.

We've all done it and thought nothing of it: no harm done - even if we tried to scare away cats or birds - they only seem to hurry along, away from what 'hit' them so they must be alright.

Perhaps we never realised how a sudden bang to the window made the owners jump right out of their skin - what on earth happened? Is someone shooting at us? Are we being targeted by yobs, vandals?
What if the next 'lucky shot' will smash the window in a thousand pieces and someone gets hurt?

That's when innocent little games stop being innocent: when it effects innocent and unsuspecting others. Over the last few weeks "little" incidents like these have been reported, from a cat being found death after it was hit by an air gun (not in Charing) to properties (in Charing) being hit by who knows what just after dark. On at least one occasion the police had been called by the owners fearing their home was under prolonged attack.

No matter what is used as 'ammunition': coins, little stones or pebbles, plastic bullets or marbles - it only takes one 'lucky' shot to cause damage, even if it was not intentional aimed and just an accident. Harm can be easily done.

So please, warn/tell children - no matter what age, be it primary school age or secondary school age - that innocent little games can have dire consequences for others (and themselves).

Let them make sure that they use obstacles for target practising that are far away from properties. Far enough away for 'ammunition' not to hit any property, even accidental. And, of course, to leave wild live alone.

FANCY YOURSELF AS THE NEXT JOHNNY DEPP?

The Charing Guild Of Players are planning a production of Robert Louis Stephenson's 'Treasure Island' to be staged in February 2010. The show will require a large cast, particularly younger men and women to play the various pirate roles and anybody interested in taking part is invited to a read-through at

The Church Barn, Charing on Monday September 14th at 7.30pm.

Offers of help backstage will also be most welcome. Further information is available on The Guild's website

 

CHARING BUSINESSES HOPE FOR A GOOD HARVEST

Over the centuries, the villages that have survived and prospered are the ones with an active business community. Villages need income and businesses need the support of local residents and tourists. Charing is no exception, and with this in mind, Charing Business Association has been formed.

The aims of the Association are not only to encourage trade in the village and surrounding area, but to make Charing an even more interesting place to spend some time and, hopefully, some money! Members are busy making plans for events and promotions, as well as preparing a "menu" of shops and services on offer - anything from beautiful handmade chocolates to an urgent replacement car tyre or accountancy to expert marketing advice; Charing has all these and much much more, so look out for complete listings soon. 

If you have a shop or business in the Charing area and would like to take advantage of the marketing opportunities and other benefits of joining the CBA, please contact Kerry Oliver (Oliver's of Charing) by e-mail: kerryolive at live dot com

Remember, empty shops and offices are a dismal sight - let's all work together to keep Charing thriving.

By Elizabeth Tweed ("44") on Behalf of Charing Business Association.