For the record

Since January 2009 this CharingKent website has been at the disposal of Charing village (and Charing Hill) local organisations, local businesses to have their activities published to attract attention, more visitors, etc.

For and by the village

After receiving a few questions - and even one accusation after refusing to publish a political viewpoint - I would like to take this opportunity to make a few things clear - for the record:

I am NOT being paid by the Parish Council to host, design or manage this website.

I - officially we = Wood You Like Ltd - decided in January 2009 to launch this website because, in our opinion, the village of Charing was missing an essential modern simple communication tool to list all local activities and the many businesses Charing is so fortunate to have.
Plus it was also one way of "giving something back" to the lovely village and all its residents for making us feel very welcome when we arrived here in May 2000 as total strangers. We truly love being part of this lively and lovely community (albeit it since Summer 2010 only with our business; unfortunately, due to various circumstances - one being the demolition of "our" home of 8 years - we had to move house and are now living in nearby Eastwell Park).

Every local (none-commercial) organisation knows their activities in Charing village/Charing Hill will be published when details are submitted to me (just shoot me an email or drop by with your info in our showroom). This website has an ever growing number of "subscribers" who receive an email the day a new article is published and at the moment the counter stands at 110 people, some living as far away as Canada.
When the Charing Business Association (CBA) was launched in Spring 2009, all members had the CBA logo inserted in front of their listing on the business directories and any CBA activities, plans are published also.
Any local organisation (for the village) can submit their details which are and will be published on the local organisation pages.

All for free and we wouldn't want it/have it any other way.

However, it is beyond the idea and scope of this website to publish:

• political viewpoints ('cos there's always a viewpoint A and a viewpoint B or even C, D etc)
• publications of political parties
• activities outside Charing village/Charing Hill

Independent, impartial

There are plans afoot to purchase an official Charing Parish Council website, which - and I must stress this - has absolutely nothing to do with this well known, well found on all search engines and in our opinion well loved Charing website, by and for the village community.

Therefore, no changes to the structure, welcomed input or listings will take place here if and when the official Parish Council website comes to being.
www.charingkent.co.uk (hosted, designed, managed and sponsored by Wood You Like Ltd) has the full intention to continue to be an independent and impartial modern village publication board.
(And it always gives me the greatest pleasure to hear from local organisations that the articles are contributing in their own little way to the success of any of the activities organised.)

So, please don't ask - or demand, as happened this week - for articles to be published which are definitely beyond the idea and scope of this site.

All other articles are as welcome as they ever were!

Kindest regards
Karin Hermans

Comments

[Sheila Neil]

I am a newcomer to Charing, which I agree is a most charming village with fantastic residents. I've made so many friends which is marvelous for an ex-Londoner. It pains me to hear of the 'in-fighting' that seems to have developed in the Parish Council. They should be there for, and with the community and the squabbles are not in any way favourable to the community. I am very happy with your site and cannot see that a new site which competes with this will achieve anything but split loyalties. I would ask that whatever is causing this rif is spoken about in a reasonable manner. I am sure that nothing is more important than a happy, friendly, welcoming and sensitive village, which is just what I've found - so please sort it out, whoever/whatever is causing these undercurrents and let Charming Charing reign.

[Sigrid van Dijk]

Well done, Karen! Keep up the good work, don't let them get you down! We all appreciate what you do! ( i do in any case,I know it is not easy!) Veel liefs,Sigrid aka Ziggy