Lovely Charing - Kent

Contact or suggestions needed for family visit

From the comment box:

Hello, First, let me apologize for sending this e-mail to you, but I do not know who to contact.

I am bringing a group of 13 members of my family to Kent from 20 June thru 26 June to visit our family's heritage sites in the Charing - Boughton Aluph area.

We have traced our family to William "Atte Welle" who was chaplain of the "church at Pette" as early as 1334. I understand that the small church is in ruins just next to the Pett Place House.

I have written to "occupant" at Pett Place, but have had no response. We would very much like to visit the ruined church during our visit since it is the earliest known building associated with our family.

Can you help me make contact or offer me suggestions on how I can accomplish this? Thank you so much.

Regards, John B. Wells Newnan, Georgia

(contact details known but kept off line, if you can help out, let me know through the comment box below. Karin H - Wood You Like Ltd)

Kentish Village Life in Victorian Times - Lecture

From Charing and District Local History Society

The next lecture is by Helen Allinson on Kentish Village Life in Victorian Times - a look at the domestic and social structure of village life in the 19th century.

This is on 9^th February at 8pm in Charing Parish Hall. Guests are welcome at £3.00 or why not become a member.
(Fees are: Adult £9, Senior Citizens £8, Family (3) £15, payable annually in September. Full-time students are free.)

The society welcomes members from Charing and surrounding parishes. Currently it has about 100 members. From September to April, talks are organised on historical topics of local, regional or national interest, usually given by experts in the field. In addition there is a Christmas Social evening, and in May an AGM plus a short talk. Meetings take place in Charing parish hall at 8pm on the second Thursday of the month. In the early summer an outing is organised to a place or places of interest (Cadman Event*).

On occasion specialist study groups are set up; at present there is one cataloguing historic photographs of the area; another resulted in the publication in 2011 of A History of Charing, £12, available from books@charinghistory.co.uk or Charing Post Office. For further information contact the secretary, Jennie Burgess, 01233 714639, secretary@charinghistory.co.uk

*This year's Cadman Event, will be on 26 May, when we will visit Hall Place and Danson House, Bexley. More details will be posted shortly

Harold and Maisie Trill Present - Village Film Show

Dates for your diary!

Hat Productions Village Film Show

(presented by Harold and Maisie Trill)

All at Charing Church Barn

• Friday 16 March: 7pm for 7.30 start
• Saturday 17 March: by request an afternoon show: 2pm for 2.30 start
• Saturday 17 March: 7pm for 7.30 start

Entrance: £ 5.00 adults, £3.00 child
Light refreshments and raffles

In recognition of the Queens Diamond Jubilee, the film of Charing Village 1977 Silver Jubilee celebration will be included.
Were you there?

Tickets will be on sale end of February and all proceeds go to the Village Lights and The Hospice

Any queries, please contact Harold 712687, Anita Gudge 714068

Charing Christmas Lights 2011

It's here again!

Friday 2nd December 2011 - A Magical Evening

The Market Place & Church Barn
From 5pm - 8pm

• Come and meet Father Christmas
• Children's Roundabout
• Grand Draw Tickets
• Tombola
• Triple Basket
• Rosemary's Cake
• Jewelery
• Christmas Decorations
• Homemade Cakes & Jams
• Mulled wine
• Christmas Gifts
• and many more stalls
• Charing Church Choir singing Carols
• Refreshments available

Charing High Street in Festive Mood too with various shops open, adding to the Spirit of the Magical Evening:
Wady & Brett
Thyme for Tea - free treat with first cup of coffee/tea
Purple Patch
Martin John Butchers - burgers and hot dogs
"44"

and in the entrance of the Library on the Market Place you can treat yourself to hot chocolate, tea and coffee

Saturday 3rd December 2011 - Coffee Morning

Church Barn 10 am - 12.30pm where the Grand Draw will take place

Come and get into the Spirit of Christmas, enjoy the Charing Christmas Lights in our lively lovely village

As always, many many thanks to the ongoing non-stop efforts of the Ladies of the Light, changing our High Street every year in Christmas Magic

PS: Wanted - unwanted costume jewelery for one of the Magic Evening stands. If you can help out, leave with Lata at Wady & Brett

First ever Charing's Food Festival

Charing Business Association is proud to sponsor Charing's first Food Festival.
This fun and tasty event starts on Sunday 30th October and runs until Saturday 5th November, and you can get a flavour of what's on offer from the details below:

Sunday 30th October:

• Sunday Roast at The Oak for just £5 !! Booking Essential 01233 712612
• Kentish Cream Tea with Family "Foodie" Quiz at The Barn from 2.30 pm

Monday 31st October:

• Cookery Demonstrations at House2Home from midday.
• Cupcake decorating demonstration and competition for Children at Thyme for Tea all afternoon

Tuesday 1st November:

• Steam oven cookery demonstration at House2Home from midday, followed by talk on "Why Diets Don't Work" by Yvonne Fernando.
• Evening sampling of curry dishes specially prepared by Kerala Spices and served for one night only at "Thyme for Tea" - Don't miss this opportunity to taste a variety of dishes for only £2 each!!

Wednesday 2nd November:

• Cookery Demonstration at House2Home from midday.
• Butchery Demonstration "Three into One Does Go!" by Martin at G&M Johns Butchers at 1.30pm.
• Biddenden Wine Tasting at Wady & Brett in the afternoon.
• TAPAS Night at Thyme for Tea. Please call 01233 714171 to reserve your table

Thursday 3rd November:

• Country Market with Beer Tasting from Historic Dockyard Brewery Chatham; "Bit Spicy" Food Tasting; Honey Maker tastings and display and all the usual tasty treats you all enjoy.
• Cookery Demonstration at House2Home from midday.
• Free Pakora side dish when you order your main meal at Spices of Bengal restaurant!

Friday 4th November:

• Cookery Demonstration at House2Home from midday.
• Fish & Chips from "Fishers" at The Oak with FREE Draught Beer (minimum spend £5).
• "Goupie" tasting at Wady & Brett all day

Saturday 5th November:

• "You are What you Eat" Talk by Grace da Silva Hill at Charing Library 11.30. Grace will be explaining how osteoporosis and arthritis can be improved by what you eat.
• Cookery Demonstration at House2Home midday
• "Harvest" Still Life Painting demonstration by Richard Barton at "44" in the afternoon.
• "Jamaica Night" at Thyme for Tea - authentic Jamaican Dishes. Early booking advisable on 01233 714171

And, late entry: Watch chocolate making everyday at Purple Patch

Enquiries? Please phone Elizabeth @ "44" 01233-714689

Steel Magnolias - Charing Guild of Players

The play will be performed from Wednesday to Saturday, November 16th to 19th at 7.30pm in the Church Barn

Steel Magnolias is a comedy-drama about the bond between a group of southern women in north-west Louisiana. It was written by Robert Harling, based on his experience of the death of his sister. The title suggests that the female characters are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. The magnolia specifically references a magnolia tree they are arguing about as the drama opens.

There was a play reading for Steel Magnolias in The Church Barn during August and this has now been cast:

• Truvey: KAREN WRIGHT
• Annelle: NATASHA GUDGE
• Clairee: MARIAN WHITE
• Shelby: ALISON HOWE
• M'Lyn: CAROLINE BANHAM
• and Ouiser: GILL MAGSON.

It will be directed by Michael Headley.

Tickets £7 (Students £6) go on sale from November 7th at Wood You Like, School Road - during opening hours.

Do note: tickets must be paid for on collection - this also applies for reserved tickets (before the 7th through friends and families of the Guild).
No tickets can be left at the door and/or paid for on the evening.

Village Barn Dance

From the desk of Charing Primary School PTFA:

Polish your cowboy boots…dust off your hat and come to the
VILLAGE BARN DANCE in the School Hall
on Saturday 1^st October at 7.30pm

Tickets £10, includes a hot supper. Please bring your own drinks
Prizes for the best dressed cowboy and girl (dressing up not compulsory!)
Tickets £10 from Mrs Long in the School Office Tel: 01233 712 277

Proceeds to Charing Primary School PTFA

Eat your way around the world - CBA network meeting

Calling all CBA members - and none members (in business)

PLEASE can all of you who have anything to do with food (selling it, making it, or just loving it) attend the Tree House at the Oak THIS WEDNESDAY AT 7pm (today).

We have some ideas for a Food Festival at the end of October, early November and the lead in time is getting shorter as we speak if we are to get the best publicity for the event.

The idea is based on "Eat Your Way Around the World." We can include all members who run themed restaurants, but also shops retailing food items and anyone connected with food from its nutritional and healthy values to the naughty but nice indulgence, and would welcome those of you who would do a demonstration event. A week of events to attract customers into the village is possible, we also have details of a Food Forager, who presents TV programmes on the topic, and might lead a walk on the North Downs.

If you are not yet a member, come anyway and pay £25 subscription on the night, as this event will benefit your business - the publicity is paid for out of our regular subscriptions.

Your ideas are welcome, so please make attending on Wednesday an absolute priority - the object is to get more trade into the village while offering something enjoyable for residents and visitors alike. BUT, we do need to decide who is doing what and when with some urgency.

Those of you who have businesses not obviously linked to this proposal - COME ANYWAY - it's a great opportunity to network and we would like to hear from you some ideas for discussion at future events - theft and better security for lone workers might be one for example!

Regards
Elizabeth
"44" High St

Charing 10k - 2011

*** Saturday 3rd September. The 2011 Charing 10K ***

After a successful debut last year, it is just one week until the Charing 10K returns to our village!

The Children’s race is at 10.30, swiftly followed by the start of the 10K race on the School Field.
250 runners are expected to pound along School Road, up the High Street, into Pett Lane and off towards Westwell, before climbing the ‘little hill’ and returning through the woods and back into the village to the Finish Line at School!

Please come and support the runners on their way! Last year the speediest completed the course in an impressive 35 minutes, those of us who preferred a more leisurely pace returning somewhat after this!

We had some very positive feedback from the runners last year, complimenting our pretty village and our very enthusiastic and helpful marshals! If you want to take part and haven’t applied yet, you can enter online at www.runnersworld.co.uk/events or www.nice-work.org.uk .

If running is not for you, but you would like to help marshal on the day, or if you have any questions, please get in touch with Pip Tanton at ict@charing.kent.sch.uk.

This is a fun village event which we hope everyone will enjoy, with race profits going to Charing Primary School PTFA.

PS: Competitors car parking is on the School Field

A Fete thank you...

Received from the Charing Fete committee:

Hi Karin

Thanks to your e-mails we had our freezer at the fete on Saturday. Just sad the weather wasn't better.

Sylbie very kindly leant us one and another lady Helen also offered. So if you would like to thank both of them, that's great.

Kirsten Moon

That's where this site if for: by and for our lovely lively Charing village community.