“Some sort of periodical is an essential life-line in village such as ours”

Welcome to West Farleigh’s own

LIFELINE
Distributed freely in June 2018 Edition no 500
Editors: Stephen Norman, Helen Swan and Jacky Taylor
Website: www.thefarleighs.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Upcoming Events:
See back page
ANY ONE FOR CRICKET ?
PRESIDENT’S XI VERSUS THE “BEST OF THE REST”
In this Lifeline
The Annual Village Cricket Match will take place on
Friday 22nd June.
Pastoral newsletter……….. 2
Play starts at 6pm. The match will take place on West Farleigh’s beautiful cricket Parish Council Report…...….3
ground. If the sun shines - and it will! - come along for a relaxed sociable Village Events ……………….4
evening. View from the Garden…… 5
Farleigh Feathers…………. 6
The president (Stephen Norman) will field a team to take on the Sports Club. View from the Scoreboard..7
Organisations ………………. 7
There will be a Barbecue and a bar.
Events………………………. 8
And there will be a Raffle. If you have anything to donate as a prize, contact
the editors, who will tell you what to do with it, in a very nice way! Don’t forget to look at our
website for much more
information about our village
www.thefarleighs.co.uk

Please contact the editors if you

CHILDE ROLANDE would like an article in Lifeline or
in concert on the Website – Email
[email protected]
All Saints Church, West Farleigh.
7.30 Saturday 30th June.
Follow us on Facebook
CHILDE ROLANDE is an electric folk band. Their music is different but
easy listening. The acoustics in the church will make them sound great.

Do come along to an evening of music and sociability. Bring your friends

for an interesting evening.

There will be a wine bar and light refreshments. Tickets £8 from

Do look at our website and
[email protected]
look at weekly activities.

We encourage you to support these events. Everyone works very hard to You will amazed what goes
make them a success and all profits will go to the repairs to the tower on.

Deadline for July issue of LIFELINE: 20th June 2018

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Pastoral Newsletter

“June is bustin' out all over; All over the meadow and the hill!; Buds're bustin'
outa bushes” Goes the song from Carousel! I love this time of year, when the
days are longer and the weather is warmer. I do hope we are seeing fine
weather as we enter the season of World Custard Pie Championships, fêtes and
fairs in our villages. Of the many things that have happened in June, the first
ever game of cricket played at Lord’s took place in1814. Our village greens will
once again be enjoying the crack of leather on willow, as the cricket season
gets into full swing. It is a funny game though. The fielding positions are
complicated enough. Although they become clearer with explanations. For
example: “Slips” are there to take advantage of slips (mistakes) by the
batsman. “Point” was coined from the phrase “near the point (direction of the
face) of the bat”, and “Gully” stems from the literal meaning of the word ‘gully’,
which is ‘a narrow channel’ - the gap between Slips and Point.

I’m sure you are all aware of the rules of the game too? You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.
Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until
he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to
get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When a man goes out to go in, the men
who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in.
There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are
out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after
all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game. Maybe old – but still
amusing!

The Christian faith can be a bit like that too. What are the rules, if any? How are we meant to behave? Why
are there funny names for the festivals and the parts of the church? Fundamentally, there is one simple rule,
and a couple of commands that Jesus said were important. “Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you” is called the Golden Rule, and “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and
strength, and love your neighbour as yourself” are the commands. Simple to understand – not so easy to do!

Many blessings.
Peter Callway
Rector

Services at All Saints

Sunday 3rd June 8.00 am Holy Communion (Traditional)

Sunday 10th June 9.30 am Morning Prayer (Modern)
Sunday 24th June 9.30 am Holy Communion (Modern)

Our Ministry Team

Rev Peter Callway, Rector: 01622 747570 Call for Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals, not Fridays
Rev David Jones, Hon. Associate Rector 01622 741474. Not Fridays
Rev Eileen Doyle, Associate Rector 01622 204241. Not Mondays and Tuesdays
Becky Parnham, Children and Families Worker 07949 646885

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Little Angels

Are you looking after a baby or and under 5? Are you about on Friday lunchtime from1pm - 2.30 pm? Come
on down to All Saints Church and meet other mums and toddlers. Mums, Dads, Grans, Grandads, carers – you
will all be warmly welcomed. For more information contact Becky on 07949 646865

PARISH COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING

At the Parish Council meeting on the 21st May, Bruce Scott was reelected as Chairman. Geoff Martin will be
vice-chairman. Mick Merritt declined to continue as vice chairman, having done the job for many years.

We were told that the Highways contractors were coming to repair the surface on Ewell Lane, which broke
up very soon after being applied. The Council were not happy with the type of surface that had been
applied as it is not up to a standard suitable for the amount of traffic on the lane.

A white line is to be painted in Teston Lane on the approach to the bridge, West Farleigh side. This will
encourage traffic to wait further back so they can be seen from the other side of the bridge. It is hoped that
this will avoid confrontations.

A request for “Slow down for horses” signs to be put up, has been received. This is to be considered when the
dangerous areas have been pointed out. However, there was concern that the village might be overrun with
signs!

Eight people are now signed up for Speed Watch. The parish is to borrow the equipment from Coxheath for a
trail period. Sites have yet to be confirmed by Highways. It is hoped that this will slow down the traffic at
strategic places in the village. More volunteers would be welcome. Email Mags [email protected] who is
masterminding the initiative.

Concern was expressed about the volume of traffic that will come through the village, when Hunton Hill is
closed, to replace a water main. Lorries meeting each other by the Thatched House will prove interesting.
Keep an eye on The Farleighs Facebook page for updates on road closures.

Parish Council Coffee Morning

Saturday 16th June 10-12 at the Good Intent. Come along and meet your
councilors and your neighbours and enjoy a coffee and a delicious piece of
cake!

Litter Pick

The monthly litter pick will take place on Sunday 3rd June.
Meet on the Green at 9 am. Equipment provided. A sociable activity with coffee and bacon
sandwiches. More information from Terry Baines 815267 0r Brian Cushing 812341.
The efforts of the Litter Pickers is greatly appreciated by the residents of the village, who realise
that most, if not all the litter, comes from those passing through the village.

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It was the first time we had run the event in the rain! Our visitors
arrived and wandered around the stalls and activities with
umbrellas and "rain, what rain?" attitude. Fantastic. A great
afternoon was had by all. Thank you to all those who volunteered
to make it such a great success, we raised £2,500

Open Church and Plant Sale

As the plant sale could not be held at Smiths Hall this year, it was felt that
something extra was needed to attract buyers to the Church! A display
was put up with items of interest about the village and the church. Some
visitors were interested to see how their property was described in a 1911
Auction catalogue of the Smiths Hall Estate. Very few
houses had bathrooms and had to share a well for water. Some houses
had been oast houses and a fruit packing shed.

Bob’s playing was great, we even had dancing in the aisle by a small girl! The choir sounded lovely,
they appreciate the acoustics in the church.

The teas and proper coffee were welcome and the cakes were a
great success. Thanks to Jill Morgan’s skill at baking. No doubt
inherited from her mother Joyce Morgan, who was the cake queen
in earlier times. A profit of £365 was made on the cake stall.

There were more donated plants than usual and a selection from
Bijou nursery to choose from. Sunflower plants were sold and
hopefully will be planted where they can be enjoyed by all the
village and will grow tall and strong for the competition. A profit of
£195 was made on the plants.

This brings the total profit to £560. A great total and an enjoyable
day but very hard work. Thanks to all those who helped, especially
Mags Zak, who went the extra mile! Well done everyone!

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View from the Garden by Jon Fenlon

Rosey
It’s that time of year when the garden is growing quicker than you can keep up with it. All of the
newly designed beds have been planted now the frosts have passed and everything needs a
good watering to get it established. The weeds are trying their best to take over so use a hoe on
a warm dry day to knock them back, or, if you have the time, a hand fork is best to remove them
all completely.
Go around your garden and fill any gaps with annuals or even sow some poppies direct.
Poppies can flower in as little as 8 weeks. When going through the borders make sure to check
tall plants and top heavy plants for staking - dahlias especially as their flowers can be so big
they get top heavy as soon as they bloom.

Roses are out and doing what they do best. Keep on top of the dead
heading to encourage repeat flowers and tie in any new long young
shoots to avoid them being broken in the wind. We had a restoration
prune on our roses over last winter and mulched the rose garden.
This has had a great effect on reducing the amount of black spot we
have without using any chemicals.

Even this time of year pruning still needs to be done. It’s time to prune spring flowering shrubs
once they have finished flowering. Lilacs can be pruned and they will regrow over the rest of the
year producing fresh shoots which will flower next year.

If you would like some wallflowers next year now is the time to sow the seed these biennials will
perform for you in the spring. Are you a fan of hanging baskets? Now is the time to put them out
on display. Keep on top of the watering and feed them once a week to help get a great display.

The kitchen garden is now very productive and earning its place
in the garden. Fresh salad from your own garden is great,
everybody should give it a go. Keep watching your onions and
garlic that you planted last year. As the leaves begin to go
yellow, you know it’s time to harvest and reap the rewards from
your crop.

At Smiths Hall, last summer, I planted a banana tree in the sunken garden and am happy to say
it survived the winter wrapped up and is now growing well. Smiths Hall NGS open day is on the
1st of July please come and visit and support this good cause. I hope everyone's sunflowers are
doing well for West Farleigh in Bloom.

See Jon’s blog in full colour on www.thefarleighs.com

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Farleigh Feathers by Ray Morris
“Look at the birds of the air;

... they do not sow or reap ... and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” Matthew 6:25.

And for the next couple of months He will also do His best to ensure the newly-fledged birds you find on
the ground are fed – apart from those a sparrowhawk may take to feed its own young! It’s that time of
year again when small birds are often found, apparently abandoned by
their parents, and people have a natural urge to rescue them. But there is
no need, as their parents will almost certainly find them when they arrive
with food. The youngsters may not stay where they were left, but they don’t
travel far and their contact calls are quickly located by their returning
parent. It is not usually hunger that kills baby birds, but cars and, especially,
cats, so only pick them up and move them to a safe place (preferably in a
bush or tree) if they are in danger of either of these. If a fledgling is
genuinely abandoned and starving – and this could be because its parents
have been killed, it is sickly, or the parents simply can’t find enough food for
such a large brood, a natural predator will take it – part of the natural order
of things.

Five of the three nestboxes in East Farleigh churchyard have blue tits in them. It hasn’t been possible to
count the eggs and chicks yet because the female has been sitting tight when I’ve inspected the boxes
to check progress, but in early June the first youngsters will emerge and park themselves around the
trees and gravestones. If they stay in the churchyard it won’t be cars they have to worry about: it could
be a local sparrowhawk (our heavenly Father feeds them too!) or it could be the local moggie. If you
have a cat, keeping it indoors early in the morning could save quite a few baby birds as they generally
leave the nest at this time.

Elsewhere, turtle doves have returned from Central Africa to breed in

the area. This beautiful dove (or pigeon – the names are
interchangeable, depending on whether or not we humans like them)
has declined by 91% since 1995. The stretch of Kent from Yalding to
Ashford has been declared a Turtle Dove Friendly Zone where farmers
are being encouraged to leave weedy patches, or even provide
additional seeds for them, in May and June. This will help them raise
the maximum six young they are capable of producing to keep their
numbers up. They only produce a clutch of two eggs, so they need
three successful broods before they return to Africa. If you see, or hear
the gentle purring of one of these gentle doves please let me know via
The Farleighs website.

See Ray’s article in full colour on www.thefarleighs.co.uk

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View from the Scoreboard by Terry Baines
FOOTBALL

Plenty of goals involved in our final 1st XI fixtures of the season. Unfortunately, most of them
were in our own net! We were defeated in three of the four remaining games, finally losing 6-1
to Rochester, 3-2 against Burgess Hodgson, and a 2-1 home defeat versus Wateringbury.
However, our victory was a remarkable 9-1scoreline over lowly New Romney. So although not
the run of results we would have hoped for to end, we secured another safe position in the league and
hopefully enough to build upon for next season.

Our second XI had already secured promotion and were largely playing for pride and unfortunately could not
overcome a Seal side that in total have beaten us four times this season. Our latest two defeats last month
were 3-2 in a semifinal and a 5-0 league defeat. We also drew with Horsmonden 1-1 and a victory over
Woodland 3-1. Let’s hope our new adventure in Division Three will be just as successful and that we will do
better against Seal!!

CRICKET

Our 1st XI started this year’s campaign at home to Fordecombe and we came away with a
victory. The game the following week against Pembury was abandoned due to rain and finally
Cudham and another victory, so a good start. Our newly formed 2nd XI started brilliantly
beating Luddesdown but unfortunately could not continue, as we lost to Pembury the following week.

Finally, Cudham when we lost by 4 wickets. Still overall an encouraging start to the season. Long may it
continue.

More new players required. A friendly bunch-do come along and have a go.

Club news

Lucky ton-up winners last month were:

No 2 Helen Swan £30 No 33 Paul Baines £20 No 153 Bill Emptage £10

Yours in sport,
Tel (815267)

The meeting held this month was our yearly AGM during which the members decide who
they want on the Committee for the following year and who they would like to be
President. Although this was not exciting, it is essential to keep the WI legal. Our secretary
Margaret Perkins stood down as she had done the job for the last 9 years. She was thanked
for her hard work and dedication. Unfortunately, no one was prepared to step and take on
the secretary job. To solve the problem our current President stood down, so as to take on
the secretarial role and the vice president agreed to take on the job as President for the
next year. To lighten the evening, many of the members had taken along baby photos,all black and white
(that shows our age).

We then went on to debate the resolution to be presented at the National AGM, MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS. It
was agreed unanimously that this should be proposed at the AGM. Although many organisations are raising
awareness of Mental Health, it was felt that the WI nationally had a lot of clout and could add to the debate.

We have a lot of events in the future. Firstly our WISH meeting on the 30th May at 7.30pm at WI Hall with
speaker Stephen Harmer from Hadlow College talking about the history of gardens. All welcome including
husbands, guests £3. At the next meeting, we have an in house auction please bring anything you wish to
donate to the WI for auctioning. The Prom evening with live band Pete and Co tickets £8 from Jacky 01622
236421 on 14th July at the WI Hall. We always welcome new members please come to the meeting held on
the second Wednesday in the month at 7.30 or if you wish further information then please contact Pam on
01622 726337.

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 Evergreens
The Evergreens enjoyed a trip on the Kentish Lady along the Medway to Teston Lock.
Fish and chips were served on the boat.
Our June meetings will be Tuesday 12th, a trip to Scotney Castle for a cream tea.
On 28th June we will be having lunch in the WI hall at 12.30. We hope that Sharona will
tell us about some basicFfirst Aid.
If you would like to join us, ring Helen 01622 814445v or Terry 01622 814561. We can give you more information
and organize transport if required.

Events

Date and time Event and venue

Sunday 3rd June East Farleigh Farmers Market in the Old School Hall
10-1

Saturday 16th June Parish Council Coffee Morning

10-12 Come and enjoy coffee and cake with your councilors and neighbours.

Friday 22nd June VILLAGE CRICKET MATCH

6pm Played on West Farleighs own picturesque Cricket Ground

Saturday 23rd June East Farleigh Fete De La Musique

1-5 The energetic and vibrant Old School Samba Band will be opening the fete at
1pm, followed by and engaging afternoon of music from local bands and
entertainment for everyone. Stalls and Games, Hot Food, Beer and Pimms Tent,
WI Tea, Tombola, Crockery Smash, Coconut Shy, Bouncy Castle, Pony rides and
much more. East Farleigh Recreation Ground, Vicarage Lane (behind the
school). Due to local regulations, dogs are not allowed.

Saturday 30th June CHILDE ROLANDE

An electric Folk Band. Something different but very enjoyable.
All Saints Church. All profits will go toward the essential church repairs.

Tickets £8 from [email protected]

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