Dartford Living August 2018

FREE August 2018 - Issue 146

INSIDE THE MAGAZINE

Cover Photo by Janice Blake

Fairfield Leisure Expansion p6 DSTC Community Day p12-13 Dartford FC Management Team Interview p34-35

By the community, for the community

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ired be inspwith Slimming World MONDAYS VCD Sports Club, Old Road Crayford, DA1 4DN 9:30am, 11:30am, 5:30pm and 7:30pm Sue 07507 599691

WEDNESDAYS VCD Sports Club, Old Road Crayford, DA1 4DN 10:00am, 5:30pm and 7:30pm Liz 07900 213548

British Legion Hall Devon Road, South Darenth, DA4 9AA 9:30am, 5:30pm and 7:30pm June 07957 902767

Glentworth Ex Service Club 154 Lowfield Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1JB 9:30am Gillian 07957 135737

Fleetdown Community Centre Swaledale Road, Dartford, Kent, DA2 6JZ 3:30pm, 5:30pm and 7:30pm Paula 07891 424401

The Howard Venue (formerly South East Dance Studios) 39 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, BR8 7LG 5:30pm and 7:30pm Caroline 07776 181413

Church Centre, 112 Swanscombe Street, Swanscombe, Kent DA10 0JZ 7:30pm Lisa 07986 030199

Temple Hill Community Centre Temple Hill Square, Dartford, DA1 5HY 3.30pm, 5:30pm, 7:30pm Jo 07800 797030

Dartford Social Club, Lowfield Street, DA1 1HP Monday 7.30pm Kate 07590995948

Albany Hotel 13 Steynton Avenue Bexley, DA 3HN 5.30pm and 7.30pm Del 07975 541082

TUESDAYS Greenhithe & Swanscombe British Legion Club London Road, Greenhithe, DA9 9EJ 10:00 am Paula 07891 424401 Glentworth Ex Service Club 154 Lowfield Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1JB 5:30pm and 7:30pm Gillian 07957 135737

THURSDAYS The Howard Venue (formerly South East Dance Studios) 39 Egerton Avenue, Hextable, BR8 7LG 9:30am Caroline 07776 181413

Temple Hill Community Centre Temple Hill Square, Dartford, DA1 5HY 09:30am Jo 07800 797030 St Anselm’s Parish Centre 89 West Hill, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2HJ 5:00pm and 7:00pm Gillian 07957 135737 Greenhithe & Swanscombe British Legion Club London Road, Greenhithe, DA9 9EJ 5:30pm and 7:30pm Paula 07891 424401 Baldwyns Baptist Church Dartford Road, Bexley DA5 2AY 5.30pm and 7.30pm Del 07975 541082 FRIDAYS Lesley Close Bourne Road , Bexley DA5 1LX 9am Del 07975 541082 SATURDAYS Amar Hall East Hill, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1RX 9:00am Sarah 07739 027161

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WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF

DARTFORD LIVING

BY THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY Dear Readers, Welcome to the August magazine.

As usual it’s jam packed with lots of local information and local businesses. Please support as many as you can - use them or lose them!

In case you weren’t aware, we run Dartford Living alongside volunteer members of the local community FOR the local community. It’s the only independently run magazine serving the local area with information, fun, good news and positive local stories!

Please get in touch if you would like to write an article for the magazine. If writing is not for you then perhaps you could volunteer to deliver 100 or so magazines to your local roads - you will guarantee your copy of the magazine and get a little exercise as well!

If you don’t always receive a copy directly through your door, you can pick up a copy from various drop off points including Dartford FC, local libraries, Fairfield Leisure Centre, The Orchard Theatre, The Priory and Orchard Shopping Centres, Stephen Oliver Art Gallery, health centres and local Nationwide and Barclays branches.

Additionally, if you email editor@dartfordliving.com we will add you to our e-newsletter and you will join 7,000 others who receive a copy of the magazine by email once a month.

Until next time, Vijay - Editor, Dartford Living (and the rest of the fantastic Dartford Living volunteer team)

Check out our website for even more local news and articles

www.dartfordliving.com

YOUR NEXT DEADLINE IS 12TH AUGUST

We offer amazing value advertising with adverts starting from just £30 per month. We don’t just take your money and add you to the magazine. We want to work with you to promote your businesses as much as we can using our website and social media channels for maximum exposure. We can also provide advertising options solely online on your website and/ or social media channels. We feel we have every base covered.

To book in an advert call 01322 507817 or email sales@dartfordliving.com David Shafford

Magazine/ Website Design and Sales

CONTENTS

5........................News 6........................Dartford Residet shoots feature film 8........................Fairfield Leisure Centre Expansion 11......................Bip Bop Blog 12+13...............DSTC Community Day 15......................Life Under the Stairs 17......................Paul Page Golf Academy 18-19................Travel News 25......................Recipe - Flatbread 27......................Money Advice 29......................Rescue is Best 30......................Meet the Dartford Big Local Team 32......................Sports News 34-35................New Dartford FC Management Team 41......................Fitness 42.....................Pizza Express Kids Pizza Party Review 44......................Theatre Roundup 45......................Competition 46......................Car News 48-55................Where to go locally 56......................Local Sports groups 57......................Useful Numbers 58......................Advertising Index

Dartford Living does not certify, endorse or verify the contents of any communication within the magazine/our online presence or make warranty of any kind, express or implied, with regard to the information contained therein. Dartford Living and its owners cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or claims made by advertisers or endorse companies, products or services that appear in any Dartford Living publication or media outlet.

Dartford Living is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. www.dartfordlivinglive.co.uk - www.dartfordliving.com - www.dartfordbusinessdirectory.co.uk 3

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NEWS

We love to hear from groups, organisations and individuals about what’s happening locally.

Include a photo if you can. Email your stories to editor@dartfordliving.com

Mummy’s tomb for a long time and what is held inside the red jewel that is worth a fortune. In a few days time, the shop will close, and the jewel will go with it always kept in secret, never to be seen, unless accompanied

by Miss Wilson, who owns the store. However, Tina has other ideas, she plans on stealing the jewel before it closes. Her plan is to act innocent to the crime, whilst in secret she lets her friends in to steal the Mummy’s tomb.

All goes to plan, Tina and her friends are successful with the robbery they take the tomb in a van to a remote Manor House for hiding. While waiting for a buyer to come and take the jewel off them, the Mummy vanishes from the coffin. The group begin turning on each other, accusing one another of stealing the mummy to auction off themselves. As tensions rise, we soon discover that they have awoken the curse of the Mummy and it won’t rest until their souls are taken inside the jewel one by one.

DARTFORD RESIDENT SHOOTS A FEATURE FILM Dartford resident Louis Findlay is an award winning actor who won the - “Best Actor” award at the Actor Awards Los Angeles last year and has just finished shooting a new feature in Kent. This year, Louis has been working with Becca Hirani and Scott Jeffery of Proportion Productions who contacted Louis via Twitter to announce they were shooting a film in Kent. “Scott is an amazing talented actor, who goes to some lengths to achieve the best work. I saw him in a film called Chicken and was blown away by his performance. He played someone with Williams syndrome, so when I got to meet him it was a bit weird to see him as Scott.”

“When he approached me about the role, I jumped at the chance as I had always wanted to work with him and I couldn’t believe our paths had crossed. He spoke to me about the character I’d be playing and I’d be an idiot to turn it down. My character is unpredictable, he takes risks and although he may appear selfish he has a heart of gold and would do anything for the ones he loves. I don’t want to say too much about him but you’re for a treat. “ Over the course of two weeks Proportion Productions set to work on their latest feature film ‘The Mummy Reborn’. The film follows Tina who works in an antique store that is shutting down, she has known about the

The cast and crew were filming in Tonbridge and on average were filming constantly between 18 and 24 hours in order to meet tight deadlines. The film has acquired distribution in the States and will be available in the UK too later this year on Blu-Ray and DVD as well as V.O.D so you can watch it on the go. Louis is now working on his second feature this year, having just finished working on a short shot on a council estate in Thamesmead called - Murked based on real events revolving around knife crime.

Now Aw Winn ard ing!

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KIERAN POOLE COMEDY CHAT SHOW

by Kieran Poole

Local comic Kieran Poole is bringing his award-winning comedy chat show to pubs in Kent. The interactive show will consist of stand-up and discussions of people’s worst jobs.

Kieran said: “The idea of building an entire show around worst jobs excites me because some of the best interviews with musicians, actors and comedians on the show involved

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them telling us about some dire jobs. For example, one musician worked in a morgue late at night when he was 18 and another was the voice you hear when you press the emergency alarm in a stuck lift. She was also just 18.”

Kieran has also done some bizarre jobs himself “from accidently becoming a Premier League manager’s bodyguard at a tennis tournament to being in a major Bollywood film”.

It began as a show on Miskin Radio, a community station in Dartford, and won Entertainment Show of the Year at the Community Radio Awards 2017 and Kieran hopes this new interactive format will be even better.

The first show is taking place at the Fox and Hounds in Dartford on Friday 31st August. Get there for 7:30pm to grab your seat.

Entry is free. The second will be at the Red Lion in Gravesend on Friday 28th September.

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FAIRFIELD EXPANSION

by Karen Mills

18 new pieces of gym equipment being installed.

The centre has also recently undergone previous improvement earlier on in the year as a result of customer feedback with upgraded wet and dry changing facilities and the addition of more private changing cubicles to improve customer experience.

Fairfield Leisure officially opened their new extended gym facility on Saturday 9th June with the help of the Mayor and Mayoress of Dartford to cut the official ribbon alongside Jeremy Kite MBE, Jamie Coyle & Derren Ibrahim from Dartford football club.

If you would like find out more about what’s new at Fairfield and enjoy a tour of our new facilities, do not hesitate to get in touch on 01322 421166 and a member of their team would be happy to show you around.

The new Fairfield Leisure opened its doors in February 2016 and has gone from strength to strength seeing a significant increase in visits with a current footfall of over 40,000 visitors per month. This further ÂŁ270,000 investment has seen a vast improvement to the gym facility and indoor cycling studio at Fairfield with an increase of

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Wow, so where do I start??

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BIP BOP BLOG

by Charlotte Wise

Hi D L Readers!

Hope everyone is well!

demanding something, no messages pinging and no Love Island to watch - for the first time in 2 and a half years I could actually relax, a feeling that I had become so alien to.

I think that because I was in a foreign country, with unreliable Wi-Fi and with my friends, I found myself in a position where I just had to embrace the situation and be positive because I simply had no other option. The fact that I was forcing myself to adapt to the situation (and drink wine!) definitely helped the anxiety that I was feeling fade away. Letting my hair down actually meant that I could experience some time being ‘me’ again and not just being ‘mum’. Even a casual walk down the street to the shops with the tiniest handbag and no pushchair or changing bag was the most liberating feeling in the world!

And living with my best girl friends for 3 days was incredible because I actually got to have some really deep and meaningful adult conversations that I hadn’t had in such a long time.

So lots of exciting things have happened in the last month.

You may have seen that my business recently celebrated its second birthday. I genuinely can’t believe how quickly the time has flown. It feels like yesterday I was feeding a 7 month old baby while frantically typing on a laptop creating handmade flyers on Microsoft Word!

As part of reaching my 2 year milestone, I thought it would be a good idea to take some time off from everything and have some well-earned ‘me’ time. So as anxious as I was, I climbed out of my ‘Mum Cave’ and got on a plane with my best friends and had a long weekend in Bologna, Italy.

This was the longest time I have been away from my son since he was born! And the guilt was so intense, I almost didn’t go.

Upon leaving, I was a wreck, completely anxious that I wasn’t there to make sure both my son and my husband would survive! I was constantly texting and checking my phone, waiting for the questions or problems to start flying at me like ‘Where is his beaker?’ ‘Where is the Sudocrem?’

(Other brands are available) or ‘He’s not eating his fruit, can you speak to him?’

Then one of my friends, a fellow mum said to me that I needed this time and shouldn’t feel guilty. In fact, I got to the hotel, unpacked my things, sat on the bed and stared into space for about 5 minutes. I genuinely didn’t know what to do with myself. No noise from a toddler

After seeing some fantastic places and eating some of the best food I’ve ever tasted, I felt refreshed and ready to come home. Even better, I felt inspired and re-motivated after having recharged my batteries and came away with some new creativity and ideas.

And who was at the airport to welcome me home? My husband standing next to my son in the arrivals hall holding a beautiful bunch of flowers. It turns out they had the best weekend too and really bonded, Little Man’s confidence had actually soared. It was so lovely and I think as a family we now all appreciate each other a little bit more.

So to any mums or dads reading this - don’t feel guilty about having some ‘me’ time. It definitely makes you stronger.

Until next time Charlotte x BipBopShop Facebook/Twitter/Instagram @bipbopmum Visit the website BipBopShop.com

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DSTC Community Day - Then and Now

by Jonathan Dix From then we had requests for painting, gardening, fundraising, raising awareness, animal care, senior citizen befriending to name but a few. We also pioneered community projects ourselves whilst working with other charities. For example, the Royal Life Saving Society trained our Year 12 students in water safety, the students then went into seven of our feeder primaries to teach Year 6 students. The programme is now being rolled out nationwide.

On the 18th July 2018 there were around 660 students and staff from Dartford Science and Technology College all volunteering in and around Dartford. The were 50 placements that ranged from painting rocks in the Orchard Centre to teaching CPR to year 6 students in primary schools.

Dartford Science and Technology College is a girls’ school in Dartford, Kent. In the midst of MATs and selective schools, we are the only single-sex non-selective school in Dartford.

We are also members of the Schools Co-operative Society whose values are self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.

In 2014 the Principal asked me how we could engage with the community in a deeper way, one that would make an impact not only on the locality but also on our students, thus the Community Day, or Volunteering Day as it was initially known, was born. Now the work was to begin!

It was decided that the most appropriate time for our Community Day would be just before the end of the academic year. This meant that Year 11 and Year 13 would not be taking part; however it would still mean that approximately 500 students and a staff of over 60 would be involved. Schools often take part in community events throughout the year however what makes us unique is every single person is actively volunteering in some way.

On the very first event in 2015 there were 31 placements, 420 students involved and one sponsor which was Kent County Council. The enthusiasm of the community, parents, staff and students indicated that we were on to something! For comparison, this year, we had 600 students and 66 staff and governors at 50 placements and we had 10 sponsors.

One issue was funding as we decided that the students should wear branded T shirts for both visibility and corporate identity. We also decided that, if we were to really help the community, we needed to fund equipment used on the day.

Many of the charities and groups who wanted help were very small and lacked funding themselves.

The Community Day costs around ÂŁ4000 per year to run, dependent upon projects, which includes the T shirts, equipment (such as paint, gardening equipment etc), insurance and other costs. In the first year, all the funding came from six Kent County Councillors who hold a fund for community projects. We secured the maximum amount after an application was made. This covered the T shirts but not equipment. Again, through social networking, face to face networking and cold emailing we gained support from a number of companies who could supply paint, decorating and gardening equipment for free.

The benefits certainly outweigh the hard work. The day as whole takes around 3 months of planning with a frantic final month. However, any memory of 4am starts soon fade when

The use of social media was vital. In our area there are at least 15 specific websites all focused on discussion in and around Dartford. An advert was produced and immediately there was huge interest. A Community Day email address was set up so all enquires could be sent and responded to centrally.

I then began to speak at a variety of local networking events which also generated interest in the project and funding.

It was important to stress that we wanted to work with groups that were already helping the community in different areas, we were not looking to work in isolation. The ultimate vision was to build a network that could be drawn on throughout the year and into the future for the mutual benefit of both parties.

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driving around Dartford on the day. To see our town bustling with our clearly identified, hardworking and happy students with one collective goal makes it all worthwhile.

So what are the outcomes? For many of our students it is life changing. Many have never stroked a horse, painted a door or spoken to a senior citizen. Students are moved out of their comfort zone to experience new things. It builds resilience and character. For the placements, we offer thousands of hours of manpower. For the school, it offers a wealth of contacts that we use throughout the year and a USP. We have also gained many work experience placements via the corporate sponsors and established an ongoing relationship with them. It also shows our community that young people actually do care.

In addition, there is now good evidence showing that volunteering improves mental health, including reviews in 2007, 2008 and, perhaps most reliably, a systematic review of the evidence in 2013. Crucially, these reviews present evidence that volunteering causes improved mental health – not just that it is associated with it.

Useful Numbers

Our thanks goes out to the numerous people who made the day a success. Our sponsors: KCC councillors, Dartford Big Local, Bluewater, ER Productions, Gareth Johnson MP, Rival Colour, Downton Ali, Campanile Hotel, Umbrella Training and Phoenix Place. Louise Garner kindly gave her time freely to take some amazing pictures.

This year we were so lucky to have some amazing VIP’s with us who were kind enough to give us their time: Lord Lieutenant of Kent and Lady D’Isle, Dartford Mayor David Mote, Swanley Mayor Lesley Dyball and Swanscombe and Greenhithe Mayor, Anita Barham We are now starting to plan 2019! If you are interested in getting involved; either having a group or sponsoring the day please contact: community@dstc.kent.sch.uk

Recently, in an interview with a newly appointed teacher they were asked why they wanted to work at DSTC. They answered “I saw your Community Day and liked that you did something different”.

The Community Day, for us at DSTC, has become one of our USPs. It is something that is unique to us and is an embodiment of our Co-operative Values.

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LIFE UNDER THE STAIRS

by Local Resident, Jane Stevenson JUGS, POOS AND DOODLES

Sounds like a deviant website at first glance, doesn’t it, but this is modern day dog owning for you.

I have no quarrel with mixed breed dogs – I am ‘grandma’ to one, and mum to another. The grandpup had a DNA test done and the mix was daunting. Everything from Staffie to Dachshund with Labrador and Spaniel thrown in. My dog, with her half an ear and no tail could be anything.

At 14 years of age she thinks she is a greyhound on a good day, and a cantankerous old misery guts, the next.

For the most part mixed breeds have a lot going for them; often they have the best traits of both breeds, tend to be on the small size, think Jug or Chorkie, so are better suited to a smaller home. Indeed the idea behind modern mixed breeding was to produce a hypoallergenic guide dog. Hence the Labradoodle. The dog is smart and sociable and has a low shedding coat.

Mixed breeds have been around for years – they used to be referred to in rather derogatory terms as mongrels, ‘57’s’ and other terms.

My real concern about the popularity of modern mixed breeds is the amount they cost. When all is said and done, paying the huge amounts of money for a Pointerdor or a Cavachon is questionable. They are still mixed breed dogs, not always recognised as pedigree yet costs are often commensurate with pure bred animals.

This is so well highlighted when applying for insurance.

Quotes from a popular pet insurance company differ wildly.

When given the information that the dog in question was a mixed breed 6 year old male, the quote came in at £45.18 a month. Keeping all other factors the same and saying the dog was a German Shepherd, the premium rose to £84.01 a month.

Also there is the hugely worrying statistic of the rising numbers of dogs in animal shelters. Often mixed breed, usually unwanted, abandoned and on occasion, ill treated, these animals are desperate to find a new home, but so often overlooked.

Is it an inverted snobbery that our pet is a rescue? Is it because we cannot boast about the amount of money paid thereby showing our wealth and standing?

Goodness knows the damage done to canines through media and hype over the years. Rottweilers were often

portrayed as aggressive or vicious dogs in the early 1980s.

Staffies have had a terrible press, Jack Russells are yappy, Bichon Frises are over pampered.

Yet we perpetuate the myth that we are an animal loving nation.

Now we are promoting the French Bulldog as the must have pet.

They look cute, can be entertaining and the range of accessories you can find is immense. Just make sure you can deal with a dog who is gassy, stubborn, takes a while to house train and occasionally slobbers. Also bear in mind that French bulldogs can have quite a few potential health problems due to their deformed faces. A healthy bank account is advised.

If you really want a dog, step away from the Gumtree ads, and the less than scrupulous breeders. Go to a shelter or charity – be prepared for them to ask searching questions about your suitability as an owner; for you to be home checked. After all, they have the dog’s best interests at heart. Walk around and see the hundreds of dogs existing in limbo until a new owner comes along. You may well find your dream Puggle or Cockapoo sitting waiting for you. Equally, you might find the ugliest dog ever, and fall in love with them. It takes all sorts.

A TRUE GENT I am writing this the day after we lost to Croatia in the World Cup. I didn’t watch it, nor do I have any interest in the ‘beautiful game’. For as long as I can remember, it’s been a platform for over paid, high living individuals who were often more interested in their column inches and advertising deals than anything else.

And then along came Gareth Southgate. This man seems to have taken this young team, who weren’t expected to achieve much at all, and instilled in them the sportsmanship that has been so lacking in the national team for so long.

If anyone deserves recognition for team management, motivation, nurture and courtesy, then it is he.

And for what it’s worth, I think he rocks in a suit.

See you next month.

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PAUL PAGE GOLF ACADEMY - JUNIOR GOLFERS

by Sarah Page

PGA Professional Paul Page is a fully qualified golf coach, passionate about introducing young people to the sport, particularly as he was introduced to golf himself at the age of fourteen.There are options for children of all ages/abilities including Tri-Golf for under 5’s and Street Golf for the growing child. The Academy has a variety of youth programmes available to suit everyone.

For more information visit www.thepaulpagegolfacademy. co.uk/youth-programme.

Junior Membership (12yrs and under) £90.00 or £7.50 monthly Junior+ Membership (12-18 years) £150 or £12.50 monthly To find out more or to book lessons visit www.thepaulpagegolfacademy.co.uk

Why choose the Paul Page Golf Academy for learning to play golf?

-Unbeatable level of coaching to the area.

- Paul Page boasts experience in playing tournament golf, beating Tiger Woods in the US Amateur Championship in Houston, Texas.

- The Academy is equipped with everything needed to learn every area of the game.

- All golf equipment is FREE to hire for under 18’s.

- The Indoor Simulator Studio is the only of its kind in the area and provides a technical review of your game in all weathers.

- The Academy also offers highly competitive annual membership rates:

Par 3 Pay and Play Golf course Relaxed and friendly atmosphere Great for families

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TRAVEL NEWS HARDEN HOLIDAYS

by Tim Harden

all-inclusive costs from £1,919 at Sandals Negril and £2,149 at Beaches Negril.

Speaking at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa on July 20th, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson announced the line’s first ship, which is due to launch in 2020, would be named Scarlet Lady, in homage to sister company Virgin Atlantic. The name first appeared on one of the earliest aircraft to fly for Virgin Atlantic.

P&O Cruises has announced Oriana, it’s first new-build ship, will leave the line’s fleet next summer. The ship, which joined P&O in 1995, will exit service in August 2019, with details of a final sailing to be announced shortly.

Oriana’s departure coincides with a range of guest experience ‘enhancements’ covering P&O’s shore excursions, dining and entertainment. The investments will be made across the line’s mid-sized ships Arcadia, Aurora and Oceana, as well as its larger vessels Britannia, Azura and Ventura.

The line said Scarlet Lady would be the flagship for the Virgin Voyages fleet, and was paired with the brand’s mermaid image, which will adorn the hull of the ship reflecting “a powerful spirit guide who is creating a whole new way to travel”.

Sandals and Beaches are offering packages aimed at runners competing in the Reggae Marathon in Jamaica.

The ‘Runcation’ packages include seven nights at Sandals Negril or Beaches Negril resorts from November 2017.

Packages include transfers to and from the event, a ‘pasta party’ to load up on carbohydrates the night before the race, a marathon welcome party, ‘Rest & Repair’ spa sessions, an awards ceremony and return flights.

Runners must register separately for a place in the December 2nd marathon and places cost $140. Guests can alternatively take part in a half-marathon or 10km race and book the same Sandals package. Seven nights’ 18

Aurora will be refitted next spring, prior to its relaunch as an adult-only ship. New cabins will be added as well as fixtures, fittings, soft furnishings and enhancements to the public spaces throughout the ship.

Airbnb lost a high-profile battle in New York when the city’s housing committee voted to order the company to hand over information about hosts to a city enforcement agency. A bill is expected to follow the vote as New York looks to crack down on the alleged widespread use of Airbnb by operators of unlicensed hotels.

The decision means Airbnb will have to hand over the addresses of rental properties to New York’s Office of Special Enforcement, along with the names of hosts, information about how much of each property is available for rent, and whether it is a primary residence. A similar rule introduced in San Francisco is estimated to have reduced Airbnb’s listings in the city by half.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages is to showcase Columbus,

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Magellan & Marco Polo at six no-sail events at Tilbury during December.

Customers will be able to board one of the three ships for lunch or dinner. The five-course festive lunch costs from £49 and includes a show, welcome cocktail and half a bottle of wine. The five-course festive dinner and show costs from £79, extending to £99 for an overnight stay with breakfast.

For 2018 the what if…? Gallery presents a bigger and better workshop programme. All places should be booked and paid for in advance please.

- Family COLLAGE WORKSHOP with Fiona Friday 3rd August 1-4pm - Family Arts/crafts workshop Friday 24th August - 1-3pm - HALLOWEEN WORKSHOP Friday 26th October 1-3pm All above workshops are just £5 per person

Call - 0800 023 8974 E-mail - tim@hardenholidays.co.uk Website: www.hardenholidays.co.uk Visit us at: Unit 1B Henley House, Home Gardens, Dartford, DA1 1AS

(Opposite Prospect Place & Costa, next to Subway)

- FUNTOONS WITH Tayo – Cartoon workshops for all the family £7.50 for each participant.

Wednesday 15th August from 11-12pm and 12.301.30pm Fun sessions where you will learn all the tricks of the trade creating your own cartoon character.

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19

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For more information and to book your place call 01732 227000 * for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) over 28

20

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS byJoanne Cherry

We are The Great Outdoors, an amazing stay and play-that’s outside !! A very unique concept that has only been open for just over three months but has some amazing reviews !

We are based in a paddock at Eagle Heights, and we are open from 10-12 , Monday to Friday.

We have people come along that would be happy just to pay for the view, I have the best office in the world!

We have balance beams, mud kitchens, work benches, a sand pit, rock box, car table, train table, dolls house, farm, lots and lots of dinosaurs, jungle animals, bug heap, sensory garden, tepee, log stumps, pickled triangles, see saw, tyres, tunnel, pony brushing, dolls, buggies, boat, bubbles,water wall, house, weaving frame, slope and drop ball chutes-so far!!!

Some parents are very wary at the beginning, but they are soon reassured when their little one happily goes off to play and mums(and dads/grandparents/carers) get to chat and make some new friends. Warning - most children cry when they leave!

Come and give us a try-make some memories today ! Take a look at our Facebook page The Great Outdoors to see any changes to opening or to look at some of our pictures!

Our entry price of £3 per child and £1 for siblings (adults go free) doesn’t include entry to Eagle Heights and vice versa.

We are very lucky to be able to use their toilets and tea room until half an hour before we close.

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21

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STEVE COOK DOUBLE GLAZING SERVICING, REPAIRS AND INSTALLATION

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www.dartfordlivinglive.co.uk - www.dartfordliving.com - www.dartfordbusinessdirectory.co.uk

23

Rock Painting in Dartford.

DARTFORD PAINTED and hiding them around town.

The rocks can also ROCKS be exchanged at Stephen Oliver: Studio and Local people from Dartford Painted Rocks on Facebook have been busy this month painting Gallery located in the Orchard Shopping Centre.

By HereMaria are someKingsford great photos of their painted rocks.

Local people from ‘Dartford painted rocks’ on Facebook have been busy this month painting and hiding them around the town. The rocks can be exchanged at Stephen Oliver: Studio and Gallery located at the Orchard Shopping Centre.

Here are some of the photos of their painted rocks.

24

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RECIPE - FLATBREAD

by Debbie Dickinson

Flatbreads Instead of an actual recipe this month, I have a bit of a challenge for you!

Did you know that you can make a flatbread, in its simplest form, by adding water to plain flour?

We love making flatbreads in our house – we add self raising flour to a small pot of plain yoghurt, until it becomes a manageable dough, then knead, roll on a floured surface, and fry in a griddle pan with a touch of oil. I’d love to be able to give you some weights/measurements, but we really do just add until it feels right!

So, my challenge to you is to experiment with yoghurt or other liquids and create your own flatbreads.

I’ve heard coconut milk works well, but am yet to try it, or you could use plain milk (I think adding a bit of melted butter would be delicious!)

What about the juice from a can of chickpeas?

Start with just a tablespoon of liquid (until you find your perfect ingredients!) and add enough flour to make the dough. Then simply roll (or flatten with your hand) and cook in a griddle/frying pan, or you could grill or BBQ your flatbreads!

Once you’ve mastered your own basic flatbread, start thinking about adding some flavours. Finely chopped herbs, spices, flavourings – how about trying to create a sweet flatbread?

Let me know on my Facebook page if you find an absolute taste sensation (and any combinations to avoid!!!)

Experimenting with flatbreads is a fantastic activity for the school holidays! You could use food colourings to paint pictures on the rolled-out dough before cooking!?

Have fun!!!

Debbie xx

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25

Discover Why Parenthood Is Good In Dartford!

Everything You Need To Know For Expectant Parents, Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers Bringing You All The Amenities and Support Our Community Has To Offer FREE TO ATTEND! Venue: Dartford Football Club, Princes Park Stadium, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT

www.FamilyExpo.co.uk For more details contact info@familyexpo.co.uk @DartfordFamilyExpo

Media Partner

Sunday 30th September 2018, 12 - 4pm 26

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MONEY ADVICE

by CAP

How to be a community builder Right now, there are people living just a stone’s throw from you who are trapped in a prison of isolation and loneliness because of poverty. Through its campaign, created for community, national charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is working hard to break this isolation and show people that they’re not alone, no matter how desperate their situation may feel.

You can play your part too. Whether you’ve got ten hours or ten minutes to spare, you can be a community builder and help break the grip of poverty and isolation in your area.

If you have half an hour or less free per week: Check in with someone you haven’t heard from in a while.

WEBSITE: www.capuk.org TELEPHONE: 0800 328 0006 you pay a visit to an elderly neighbour or relative? A cuppa and a chat could be enough to brighten their whole week.

If they struggle to get out and about, could you help them with a food shop? You could make this a weekly commitment and really change their life.

Through its poverty relief services, CAP is drawing thousands into community. All are delivered face-toface, ensuring that vital community link is forged and isolation is wiped out. Find out more at capuk.org/ created4community.

In partnership with Dartford Community Church, CAP offer a free face-to-face debt counselling service to everyone regardless of age, gender, faith or background. If you’re struggling with debt, give CAP a call on 0800 328 0006 or visit capuk.org.

Even if you’re really busy and don’t have much time to spare, you can do your bit to beat isolation by ringing or messaging a friend or relative that you’ve lost touch with and listening to what’s going on in their life. Never underestimate the power of a text message asking, ‘How’s it going?’ – it shows you’re thinking about them and that you care. It might be helpful to set a reminder on your phone to check in now and again if you’ve got lots going on!

If you have one evening free per week: Get to know your neighbours.

How well do you know the people that live next door to you or in your street? As Brits, we’re used to keeping ourselves to ourselves and may never really get to know the people around us. Stepping out of your comfort zone to break the ice is a great way to build community.

Pop round with something you have baked or grown in your garden and get chatting. You never know, your neighbour could be feeling lonely, be battling an illness or going through any number of struggles, and your small gift could brighten the end of a difficult day for them.

If you have one afternoon free per week: Remember the elderly According to Age UK, 3.6 million older people live alone in the UK, and 1.9 million feel invisible or ignored. Could

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27

Whatever place you’re into

“ Getting fit for a fiver.”

Join for £5 and find your perfect summer workout Get in touch for full details Offer valid 1st - 31st August Fairfield Leisure 01322 421166

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RESCUE IS BEST

by Battersea Dog and Cats Home - Brands Hatch

We have teamed up with Battersea Dog and Cats home - Brands Hatch to bring you regular listings of animals requiring rehoming.

Cat Pooki, 4 years old, Domestic Short-hair Reference number: 364048 Pooki is a little lady who loves nothing more than to indulge in some strokes and affection with her human companions. She will keep coming back for more, rubbing her head into your hand and she may even climb up onto your lap. Pooki loves the company of people especially if they have treats!

Pooki will need access to a garden in her new home.

Dog Rex, 5 years old, German Shepherd Reference number: 361961 Rex is an athletic and alert dog who is looking for a special home. He is sociable and affectionate and loves to make friends with everyone that he meets. He’s looking for a home with experienced owners who have owned high energy dogs previously. Rex may be something of a project so his new family will need to be calm, patient and passionate about providing Rex the guidance he needs. He needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to help him settle. He can be quite sensitive to noise so he is looking for a quiet, rural home with plenty of countryside walks nearby.

Gareth Johnson, Member of Parliament for Dartford, will be available to meet with constituents on the following dates: Bluewater, DA9 9ST (4.00 pm – 7.00 pm - Appointment required) Friday 14th September Friday 19th October Friday 16th November Friday 14th December If you would like to meet Gareth at one of his regular appointment based surgeries in the future, please contact him at gareth.johnson.mp@parliament.uk or telephone 020 7219 7047. www.dartfordlivinglive.co.uk - www.dartfordliving.com - www.dartfordbusinessdirectory.co.uk

29

MEET THE DBL TEAM

by Dartford Big Local

Hi all. What a month it has been! I hope you all enjoyed the Festival and many of you came along to see us. I don’t think you could miss us!

So this month I said I would introduce you to some of the partnership who can tell you what it’s all about and why they do it.

First up is our Vice Chair, Steve.

In my opinion, Steve sums up exactly what Dartford Big Local is all about. It’s about giving residents experiences and opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise come across. A quote from Steve “All my life all I’ve ever done is work with my hands, now for the first time I’m getting to use my brain”.

So here’s Steve’s story….

“My role as Vice-chair is to assist Janine, our chair in leading and supporting the partnership.

In my day job I’m an appliances engineer. DBL to me is a way to give something back to a community I have lived in for over 30 years by using my local knowledge to good effect. I am a Dartfordian, born and bred. I believe local people should be given the chances to get involved with issues and help improve our area”.

Steve is a keen allotment keeper and you’ll see his updates on our Facebook page about how his veggies are progressing. This is one of the reasons he is the lead on our Big Eat project which aims to teach local residents how to grow, cook and perhaps even sell their produce locally. The project is in its infancy, but if you are interested please get in touch and we can update you with our progress.

Next up is Bob, “I spent most of my working life in the decorating trade but I have been retired for quite a while so I have various interests to keep me busy. I love meeting people, getting to know them and helping in any way I can. I have been in committees for over 55 years and in various roles. For example, I’ve been a member 30

of the Dartford Working Men’s Club committee for over ten years, and am now vice president. I joined Dartford Big Local (after some arm twisting by Steve) as I felt my years of experience in committees, and a desire to use some of my spare time helping in the local community, could be put to good use. It has been a good move as we all seem to have the same passion about Dartford Big Local.”

In fact, with the new hub in town, Bob’s work experience and contacts are coming in extremely handy!

Finally, the one who helps steer the ship, our Chair, Janine.

You’ll notice that she’s last. That is because she is creating a partnership where everyone else gets the space to share their ideas. Again, that is what Big Local is about.

“I’ve been involved with Dartford Big Local for 4 years now and chair for 18 months. In the last 6 months we have gone from naught to light speed which is amazing. My background is as an employment lawyer and I spend the day working on community advocacy projects. Dartford Big Local is an opportunity to make a difference to peoples lives without the shackles of having to find the money, we have that.

This gives us the chance to take risks, something that often holds people back from going forward with their wonderful ideas. How many people could have an idea to open a shop and actually be able to do it? We did! I would like to see DBL the centre of our community. I’m proud of what we have achieved in the last few months and look forward to seeing where we will go in the future”.

So, that’s a taste of the partnership and why they are on this ride (and what a ride the last 6 months has been!)

We are always looking for passionate people who have a positive forward vision of how to make our areas of Dartford better places to live and work. That’s it. No other qualifications needed. In fact, if we need some training, Local Trust will support us in further learning to help us deliver our plans.

If you would also like to be involved please come forward.

Anyone is welcome to come along to our monthly meeting to see what we are about in person. Just get in touch via our Facebook or twitter pages or www. dartfordbiglocal.com Next month I’ll tell you more about Ivan’s youth work.

Shirley xx

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2018

DARTFORD business AWARDS supporTing growth

Is yours a winning business?

Visit www.dartfordbusinessawards.com to apply before 19th July Or contact businessawards@dartford.gov.uk

The Dartford Business open for 2018 With several categories available, the awards are all free to enter and designed to cater for every size of business, from the smallest to the largest in the Borough.

Entrants must be based in the Dartford Borough Council rates areas, and must have been trading for a full year to January 1st, 2018.

To enter your business, visit www.dartfordbusinessawards.com and apply before 19th July.

Our great sponsors are: Barclays Bluewater Dartford Borough Council Dartford Living Leigh Academies Trust NatWest Oxford Innovation The Creation Lab The Learning Shop The Nucleus Thomson Snell & Passmore Wilkins Kennedy LLP

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31

SPORTS NEWS Bav’s Sporting Comment

France’s victory over Croatia in the Football World Cup final - and the manner in which this superb climax unfolded at the atmospheric Luzhniki Stadium - provided a fitting finish to a thrilling tournament.

This World Cup in Russia has witnessed a showpiece underpinned by superb organisation. It has also, more significantly, provided a feast of football fortified with elements of surprise that made it arguably the most exciting World Cup of the modern age.

What about England? There were so many positives for England. We played with a freedom and confidence that is not like us. Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland are doing everything right and the future looks bright, but we have to build on this now. Having consistency in the squad is going to be important now. The Croatian team that played the final included 9 players that were in the team 6 years ago. Consistency makes a difference. I was impressed by Henderson, but need something a little different… creativity and someone that can manage games.

England have credible reason to be hopeful. That’s more than we had going into the tournament… I’ll take that.

Upcoming events in August include: 1-12: European Championships - Glasgow and Berlin. Inaugural event featuring rowing (2-5), cycling (2-12), gymnastics (2-12), aquatics (3-12), athletics (7-12), golf (7-12) and triathlon (9-11) 1-5: Cricket - England v India, first Test, Edgbaston 2-5: Golf - Women’s British Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes 9: Football - Premier League transfer window closes 9-12: Golf - US PGA Championship, Bellerive Country Club, Missouri 9-13: Cricket - England v India second Test, Lord’s 11/12: Football - 2018-2019 Premier League season starts 18-22: Cricket - England v India, third Test, Trent Bridge 18: Athletics - Birmingham Diamond League 25: Rugby league - Challenge Cup final, Wembley 26: Formula 1 - Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps 26: Motorcycling - British MotoGP, Silverstone 27 Aug-9 Sept: Tennis - US Open, New York

Dartford’s Health Walks Healthy Living Centre - Mondays 10.00am Darenth Country Park - Tuesdays 10.30am Greenhithe - Wednesdays 10.30am Central Park - Thursdays 11.30am Swanscombe - Fridays 10.00am Swanscombe - Sundays 9.00am • • • • •

Health walks are free and led by trained volunteer walk leaders Short social walks that last around an hour No need to book - just turn up Any age and ability welcome Great for people getting little or no exercise, recovering or suffering from an illness or lacking in confidence • Dress for the weather including comfortable footwear

For more details including starting points please contact Healthy Lifestyles Project Coordinator on 01732 227000

DARTFORD BOOTCAMPS Outdoor Bootcamp Fitness Classes Strength Sessions Animal Flow Classes (indoors)

30 Aug-3 Sept: Cricket - England v India, fourth Test, Southampton

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weekly!

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FIRST SESSION !

For more info and to Go to:

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33

NEW DARTS MANAGEMENT TEAM, ADAM FLANAGAN AND JAMIE COYLE

By Jack Smedley First of welcome back. Having both played in the past for Dartford is it a good feeling to be back albeit in a management role?

It is a tremendous feeling being back at the club especially with the fondness both Jamie and I have for it. For me after I left as a player I always wanted to one day come back in some remit so to come back as part of a joint management team is very exciting and I am sure it is the same for Jamie.

The club now have two people who are equally as passionate about the club as the fans and who will use the passion they have as ex players (and supporters) to continue the legacy that has been left and develop a new chapter for the club with the same high levels being attained.

In a broad term what can the fans expect from yourselves this season in terms of playing style etc…?

The team have had a playing style that has been very successful and having only not gone up on goal difference we feel we do not to reinvent the wheel. That being said we want to add our own ethos / style of play to the team. So for fans I would expect them to see that the good traits that have proven to be successful over the years while also offering a new style of play that should be noticeable as our own.

Has much changed from your time as players?

Speaking honestly I do not think much has changed within the ground as the same quotes are still on the staircases walls and the dressing rooms are still very much as I remember apart from gym area. There are a few new faces around the place but it’s good to see the club still has the same passionate people within it that I remember from before.

What are your thoughts on the squad?

The squad is taking shape and we are eager to see how the trialist’s perform in the upcoming weeks / games. We are confident that we have some 34

Photo by Carol White-Griffiths - photodiva.zenfolio.com

What convinced you take the job?

No convincing was required as I loved my time here as a player and equally the plan is to have a similar experience this time round as the manager.

talented players with the group and this will be shown during the fixtures and this will leave Jamie and myself with some tough decisions to be made.

Did preseason go as well as expected in terms of signing players?

The pre-season market was somewhat flat this summer so we found we had to wait a bit longer than we would have like for some signings. We missed out on some players but we signed more than we lost and overall we are happy with those players that we have secured. We still have room in the squad for a few more additions through the pre-season process so I would expect more signings to be named prior to the season starting.

What are your ambitions for this season?

Expectation at Dartford has always been high and sometimes out of sync I feel with the finances the club have available in comparison to others. That being said Jamie and I have come to the club to keep the traditions in place of being one of the

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best teams in the division. We do not want the hard work Tony and the many players over the years have put in (ourselves included) for the club to now regress. We feel the squad is maybe 2-3 players away from where we would like it to be but come the start of the season the team / club will be in a strong position once again to challenge and one that will be very exciting for all.

come to the club the same euphoria that I use to sense just wasn’t there and I felt like everything was more towards a negative. Maybe I am really wide of the mark but I want things to return to where they were before. I want princes park rocking every week with the players outplaying our opposition on the pitch and our fans out singing our opposition in the stands.

Are there any particular games you will be looking forward to next year?

I think you always look for the local derbies so Welling will be one of the first ones. Chelmsford would be another, Concord for obvious reasons but I will look forward to all of the games with excitement and I can’t wait for the fixtures to come out next week.

As a management team we know the bar is set high and what the minimum expectations are so rest assured we will work tirelessly to put together a squad that incorporate the fundamentals of what it is to be a Dartford player and what they must deliver for you during our matches. With your support I feel very confident that we will once again have a strong league campaign in what will be a very challenging division and that come the end of April if we have all delivered - management team, players and supporters that we will look back and say it has been a successful season. You are the best supporters in the league and I can’t wait to hear the drum beating and the shouts of ‘Black and White Army’ coming from the terraces.

Finally any final words you want to say to the fans?

For those that remember my time at the club as a player I would like to think that the perception of me was that I always gave an honest performance.

My philosophy as a manager is exactly the same.

For me it is important that the fans realise the role that they play in helping us succeed this season. For me the fans support was pivotal in helping us win the two championship when I was here before yet I would say over my last 5-6 visits whenever I have

2018

Photo by Carol White-Griffiths - photodiva.zenfolio.com

AUGUST Tuesday 7th August Chelmsford City KO 7.45pm Saturday 11th August Hemel Hempstead T KO 3pm Saturday 18th August Wealdstone KO 3pm Monday 27th August East Thurrock United KO 3pm ADMISSION PRICES: Adult – £14.00 Concession (65+) – £9.00 Youth (13-17) – £5.00 Junior (5-12) – £2.00 Under 5s – FREE

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www.dartfordfc.com info@dartfordfc.com | 01322 299990 Princes Park, Grassbanks, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1RT,

35

The Masonic Province of West Kent The Freemasons of Dartford in conjunction with Heritage Open Days cordially invite you to an OPEN DAY at Dartford Masonic Centre, 71 West Hill Dartford DA1 2HJ on

Sunday 9th September between 10.00 am and 4 pm

Visitors will be able to access the whole building, which will include guided tours of the Masonic Temple. On the ground floor there will be exhibits relating to the organisation and Masonic charities, with representatives of the Lodges and other Orders that meet in the Centre to provide information and answer your questions.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day. DMC staff will also be available to advise on booking the Centre for Weddings, Parties, Wakes or other events.

Further information can be obtained from DMC on 01322 224007 and at Heritage Open Days https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

CLAREMONT DECORATIVE SERVICES • ALL TYPES OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DECORATING • AROUND THE HOUSE MAINTENANCE JOBS • FREE ESTIMATES • REFERENCES AVAILABLE • RELIABLE, INEXPENSIVE AND QUALITY WORK BY LOCAL TRADESMEN CAN WE HELP YOU?

Please call Mike or John on: Tel 01322 406439 / 01322 525708 Mobile: 07742 085333 Email: mikeperry5001@aol.com Partners: Mike Perry and John Petherick

36

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Historical Military Themed Tours for Clubs, Groups and Societies

LOOK INSIDE

Legacy offers a range of military themed tours from a day trip to the scene of the Battle of Hastings, to bespoke tours to the WWI and WWII battlegrounds of Belgium and France from as little as £39 per person.

• Luxury Coach Travel

JOIN OUR OPEN DAY CELEBRATIONS AT EMERSON PARK • Local Collection Points • The Services of an Friday 7th Sept: 12am – 6pm & Saturday 8th Sept: 10am – Expert 4pm Gareth Johnson, Member of Parliament for Dartford, will be available to meet with constituents on the following dates:

Be one of the first to take a look inside the Bluewater, DA9 9ST (4.00 pm – 7.00 pm - Appointment required) new luxury retirement Friday 3 March village for Kent. rd

• • • •

Friday 21 April st

Restaurant & bar • Private transport Friday 19 May service Fitness suite Friday 9 June Friday 28 July • 24-hr emergency Hair & beauty salon Friday 8 September call system Cinema/TV room Open Surgery – (no appointment necessary) th

01322 771477

Battlefield Tour Guide

• Channel Tunnel Crossings (where applicable)

For further details please contact Steve Hookins

Emerson Park Retirement Apts:

• Accommodation (B&B Legacy Historical Services Ltd 42 luxury apartments Service basis) (where applicable) Room and 9, 1455Nathan Way, Plus apartments. Thamesmead SE28 0AB

th

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THRILLS AND SKILLS FOR LIFE AT THE PAULINE QUIRKE ACADEMY

by Debra Baker

The Pauline Quirke Academy is a weekend performing arts school for 4-18 year olds. Actress Pauline Quirke told us, “When we opened our first Academy in 2007 our mission was simply to provide the very best performing arts education. We’ve grown a lot since then, but that mission hasn’t changed. By working with people we believe are outstanding in their field, we aim to bring the widest, most exciting experience to our students in an environment that is both friendly and rewarding.”

PQA’s core modules in Comedy & Drama, Musical Theatre, and Film & Television teach a comprehensive range of skills, which are useful for everyday life, not just a career in the performing arts, whilst masterclasses allow students to experience more specialist lessons in areas like stage combat, beatboxing, street dance and SFX make up.

PQA believe in rewarding and inspiring their students, so along with regular reports to monitor their progress, all students are offered group exams through Trinity College London - at no additional charge to parents. These exams fit in perfectly with work the students are doing anyway, present a very enjoyable challenge and are the perfect way to celebrate all their hard work.

As well as many in-house productions and showcases there are two stand-out highlights for all PQA students.

The first is the chance to see their short film projects on the big screen of their local cinema, where they get to walk down the red carpet just like the Hollywood stars.

Some of these films even get selected for the PQA Film Festival, where winning films are shown on the huge screen at the Cineworld Leicester Square in a glamorous event students and parents will never forget! The second is the chance to take part in one of the annual PQA shows in the West End. Every year different academies join together to create a spectacular show at a top West End Theatre!

For those students who want the chance to work professionally, there is the opportunity to join Quirky Kidz Creative Management (QK) – an agency that exclusively represents PQA students. QK clients have won parts in many high profile projects including Matilda the Musical (West End); Game of Thrones (HBO); EastEnders (BBC); and the film Mary Poppins Returns.

The main Academy is for 6-18 years olds (split into appropriate age groups) and runs for 3 hours, with 4 & 5 year olds invited to join Poppets – a 90-minute session which combines the best of movement, dance, singing, acting, expression, and imagination.

PQA Dartford is enrolling now! Academies run on Saturdays at Longfield Academy, DA3 7PH. To book your free taster session or to find out more visit pqacademy.com or call 0800 531 6282.

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INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE HEALTH

By Mark Broadbent Summer tends to be a time when people attempt to follow strict diets in the run up to holidays, but these short-term, crash diets can have knock-on effects to your health.

It’s not good for us to half starve ourselves for two weeks and then binge on alcohol, ice cream, food and sugary drinks for the next fortnight.

people that seem to eat whatever they want and still look good – this is their secret! It’s not a “fast metabolism” or that they’re missing the “fat gene” that you seem to have been blessed with, it’s simply that they naturally moderate their eating (and possibly exercise a bit!).

Whilst our bodies are adapted to cope with periods of low food supply (winter) and high food supply (spring/summer), they are NOT very good at going through this change every couple of weeks.

By adopting a healthy approach to eating, rather than following one diet after another, you save yourself the stress and unpleasantness of food restrictions and cravings, and the disappointment of the rebound weight gain. You won’t have to worry about what you’re eating, you’ll just know that if you decide to have the “less healthy” option, you might just need to be a bit better later on and maybe only have a little bit instead of the whole damn cheesecake!

This also leads to unhealthy relationships with food – Binge.

Starve. Binge. Starve… and so on.

The classic “yo-yo” diet. It’s not healthy to restrict your diet for some event (holiday/wedding/work do etc) and then pig-out once the event has passed.

I’ve always promoted the slow and steady approach to “dieting”, for a number of reasons.

Firstly, it’s far easier to reduce calories by a couple of hundred cals a day for the long-term (you’d barely even notice it), than to drastically reduce calories for any extended period of time (as is often the case in weight-loss diets). Bodybuilders are a great example of this, with the classic approach of extremely strict calorie reduction for 12 weeks of hell, followed by 12 weeks of “bulking up” after the event/show. An easier (and in my opinion, better) approach may be to spend 24 weeks eating a less strict and more enjoyable diet plan, and then 24 weeks of moderate calorie increase after. It may even be possible to maintain a near “show-ready” physique for the long-term with a well-planned approach like this.

The point here is that if you get control of your diet, there’ll be no need to follow high- or low-calorie plans unless you have an event that calls for it; but for most people, this won’t ever be necessary.

Secondly, you’ll have a much healthier relationship with food. You won’t be in the habit of starving yourself, then treating yourself, then starving yourself because of the treat, only to do it again next week… The general consensus seems to be that you deprive yourself in the lead up to something, then blowout after. This is not healthy and means you have repeated periods where you are craving foods you “can’t” have, leading to stronger impulses to eat those very foods and even bigger blowouts when you do. It also leads to the rebound weight gain that people often experience when they lose weight quickly and in a ‘not-so-healthy’ way, where they lose a few kilo’s in a short space of time, then gain back that weight and more in an even shorter period of time.

Instead, if you can still have those treats on a regular basis, just in slightly smaller amounts, you never have to go without or suffer intense cravings, and in the long-term, you’ll have the physique you want with barely any effort – you know, like those annoying

This more stable approach will help you to maintain your weight easily, and any small alterations will make it easy to lose a couple of pounds if you want to.

From a health perspective, this more controlled approach will also be beneficial since you’re not putting the repeated stresses of under- and over-consumption of calories on it.

The same approach can be used for exercise – consistently doing something you enjoy is far better than over-training for a few weeks (especially if you’re pairing that over-training with under-eating!).

If you want to set yourself up for a healthier, less stressed future, then invest some time now into learning consistency and moderation. It’s a smoother ride without the highs and lows, and you’ll look and feel better for it.

Short periods of more intense training or adaptations to your regular diet can be factored in if you want to make some changes, and these will be easier to implement and deal with, and easier to sustain if you need to.

Basically, slow it down and think long-term. It’s easy to overestimate what you can achieve in a couple of weeks (thanks to all the fad diets that have been promoted over the years), and underestimate what small changes can add up to over time.

Learn now how to eat for YOUR body, and how to exercise properly and you’ll save yourself years of stress (and possibly add a few more stress-free years to your life!).

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PIZZA EXPRESS: KIDS’ PIZZA MAKING PARTIES AT BLUEWATER

by Annabelle Jain

staff though this was more than covered and eventually 21 pizzas were ready to go in the oven.

Once hands were washed again and hats and aprons removed everyone went back to the table to enjoy crudité and dough balls. The pizzas followed and brilliantly each pizza was numbered based on the number that had been on their hat. Bear in mind if you are dealing with younger ones its probably best to keep hold of their hat or make sure parents remember what the number is!

It’s always difficult to decide what to do for a kids birthday but as my son loves cooking as soon as he heard about a pizza making party at PizzaExpress he was desperate to have one. As it happened one of his friends also wanted a pizza making party. Considering their close proximity in birthdays, and being in the same class at school, we decided it would make sense to do it together.

We were all nervous about what to expect when a large group of 4 and 5 year olds try to make pizza at the same time but we needn’t have worried. When we arrived a large table was laid out for us towards the back of the restaurant in the Village, Bluewater. One thing the kids really loved was that we were also able to step out onto the terrace and look at the lake and they had great fun looking at the flowers and ducks.

Once all the guests had arrived our host Angelo gave all of the kids hats and aprons. Each hat had a number.

I presumed this was to check numbers but it turned out later it would be important. It was then time for the children to wash their hands... Unsurprisingly a long task when there are 21 kids.

One thing we noticed at our party is that a lot of the kids finished at different times which meant we did have a few periods (between starters and mains and then mains and desserts) where some of the kids got a littl fidgety or wanted to get down from the table so ideally we would have got some of the activity sheets and crayons from the restaurant to keep them entertained whilst the rest of the guests finished. A lot of the kids couldn’t finish all of their pizza but we did ask for some takeaway boxes so they were able to take their pizza home if they wanted.

All in all the children really loved the party and they loved being able to make and then eat their own pizza.

I have heard so many good things from the parents who attended about how much they and their children enjoyed the party and how it was such a different and interesting thing to do. Something a bit different to the usual kids parties!

If the idea interests you for your child’s birthday then pop in to PizzaExpress at Bluewater, give them a call or check out their website for more information. https://www.pizzaexpress.com/book/kids-pizzamaking-party

Angelo was a superb host as he was so entertaining.

The children interacted with him well. They found him funny and they listened to him.

The kids had great fun rolling out their dough, taking turns to ask Angelo and the other chefs to throw their dough in the air (there was much whooping at this bit) and then choosing their toppings. Had the children been a bit older they would probably have been able to undertake a lot more of this on their own but at 4 and 5 they needed a bit more help. Between parents and the 42

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THEATRE ROUNDUP

By Liz Dyer

If you’re wondering what to do with the kids these summer holidays, our local theatres have some great ideas - and there are plenty of options for us grown-ups too. So let’s take a look…

Not made it down to Central Park yet for the open air theatre? Don’t panic, you haven’t missed out - check out Dartford Council’s website to book tickets for Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit (1st) or Gilbert & Sullivan classic Pirates of Penzance (15th). Tickets are only £5 for Dartford residents (and £15 for non-residents, which frankly is still a bargain) so why not take advantage of the sunshine and enjoy some fantastic theatre at the same time?

If you’d rather take a break from the heat and head indoors for a bit, the Orchard has its usual varied line-up of theatre, music and comedy, featuring Sam Bailey (30th), Greatest Hits of Motown (25th), Tropicana Nights (4th) and Orchard Comedy Club (31st), amongst others.

The star attraction this month, though, is the Summer Youth Project’s production of The Wizard of Oz (16th18th), starring a 130-strong cast of young talent from all over Dartford. The SYP shows are always a highlight of the year, as anyone who came along to last year’s Little Shop of Horrors will no doubt agree, and particularly impressive given they’re put together in just two weeks.

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Nor are Dartford kids the only ones taking to the stage this month: the Churchill in Bromley has its own Summer Youth Project with Bugsy Malone (9th-12th), and Woodville Halls welcomes the Centre Stage Theatre Academy with Oliver! (10th-11th).

For youngsters who’d rather watch a show than be in it, the Orchard plays host to Dinosaur World Live (30th July-1st August) and Teletubbies Live (22nd-23rd) - or why not take a trip to Woodville Halls for Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales (16th-17th) from the brilliant Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler? Coincidentally, the award-winning duo are also represented in Bromley, where the Churchill will be home to The Gruffalo’s Child (25th-28th).

But what about the grown-ups? Well if you missed Flashdance at the Orchard last year, starring Strictly’s Joanne Clifton, there’s another chance to catch the show in Bromley this month (15th-18th) - or you can go a bit further afield and check out An Officer and a Gentleman, a new adaptation of the Oscar-winning Richard Gere movie featuring an awesome 80s soundtrack, which is at the Marlowe in Canterbury (6th-11th).

Happy holidays - and enjoy!

For local and London theatre reviews, visit theblogoftheatrethings.com

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COMPETITION

Dirty Dancing is back! Exploding with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion and sensationally sexy dancing. Seen by millions across the globe this worldwide smash hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Featuring 35 hit songs, including Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and the heart stopping (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.

MON 1 - SAT 6 OCTOBER | 7:30PM, FRI 5PM & 8:30PM, SAT MAT 3PM To book tickets visit orchardtheatre.co.uk | Ticket Office: 01322 220000 We have teamed up with The Orchard Theatre to offer a pair of tickets for Dirty Dancing – Monday 1 October at 7:30pm To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize just answer the following question...

Which actor played the lead role in the Dirty Dancing movie? a) Tom Cruise b)Patrick Swayzie c) Richard Gere d) Jon Travolta Closing date 15th August. Email your answer to competition@dartfordliving.com Good luck!

RUES: 1. The winner(s) will be the first correct entry/entries drawn. 2. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. 3. Prizes are as stated and no cash in lieu or an alternative prize will be offered.. 4. Winners will be notified by telephone by the Orchard, within 5 working days of the competition being drawn. 5. Employees and the immediate families of participating companies are ineligible to enter. 6. Closing date for the competition is stated above. 6. We will only use your email address to contact you if you win. It will not be used for any marketing or promotional emails

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CAR NEWS - AUGUST 2018

By Dhiren Ganesh

In this month’s article we’ll bring you new SUVs available in 2018 from a couple of Asian manufacturers and tips for safe summer driving.

2018 Honda CR-V – this is bigger, especially the gap between its front and rear wheels – this should generate more space inside with a seven-seat option for the first time. There’s also a lot more safety kit expected with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control to be standard and blindspot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert available as options. Prices haven’t been confirmed, either, but maybe incrementally higher than the current car, starting at around £25,000 and available from September 2018.

That’ll be for the entry-level trim, with two-wheel drive and a 171bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, with a six-speed manual gearbox. The auto may come with a power boost to 190bhp plus and will cost roughly £2000 more. It will be an unleaded only option although a petrolelectric hybrid will be joining the range in early 2019.

2018 Hyundai Nexo – The Hyundai Nexo might be another SUV – albeit an adventurously styled and thoroughly futuristic-looking one and also the first mass-produced, and therefore widely available, hydrogen-powered car to go on sale in the UK. The two most important points you need to know about the drive moter are these: one, the Nexo drives like any other electric car, and two, it emits nothing but water. It is silent as it pulls away like the electirc vehicles. On the inside you get perforated leather seats, a metallic ‘floating’ centre console, a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen and a 7.0in display between the instrument dials. The boot is slightly smaller than that of its competitors Volswagen Tiguan and Peugeot 3008, although it does contain hydrogan tanks on the boot floor. The car is released now to order with a price tag of c£60,000.

Tips to drive in the hot weather – The summer months are the worst for breakdowns and tyre-related incidents, so follow our tips for safe summer driving: Check your car’s fluids - check the coolant, windscreen washer fluid and oil levels in your car.

Check the tyres - check that your car tyres are correctly inflated and that they have enough tread. The legal limit for tyre tread is 1.6mm across 75% of the tyre’s width.

Keep people hydrated - Symptoms of dehydration include a headache, tiredness and dizziness. None of these are good if you’re driving.

Plan your journey - Use online resources to plan the best route to your destination and avoid traffic hold-ups.

Include time for food and rest breaks.

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WHERE TO GO LOCALLY Parent and Toddler Groups - Term Time Only

MONDAYS 9:15am - 11:00am - A&J Toddlers - St Anselms Church Community Centre, Dartford. £2.00 per one adult and child and 50p for any extra children or adults each. Tea/coffee biscuits, small snack for children with juice. Toast 20p per slice Craft table and singing and dancing at end of session Contact Julie on 01322 291092.

TUESDAYS Session 1: 9.15-10.45am, and Session 2: 11-12.30pm. Christchurch, Crossroad, Dartford. Contact Catherine on 01322 220036.

9.30am -11.30am. The Salvation Army, 66 Hythe Street, Dartford. Please call us on (01322) 288434 for further information.

9.30am-11.30am Sticky Fingers - £1.50 per adult includes tea ,biscuits and healthy snack time for the children For pre school children up to 4 years St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall London Road Greenhithe Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe.com WEDNESDAYS 10am -12pm - Little Angels Net Church, (Formerly Gala Bingo Hall) Dartford, £2.50 per family including all snacks and drinks.

Catherine 07878658685 11.15am - SLADE GREEN AND HOWBURY COMMUNITY LIBRARY BABY AND TODDLER ACTION RHYME TIME GROUP 12:45pm -2.45pm - Fleetdown Open House - Fleetdown Community Centre, Swaledale Road, Dartford, DA2 6JZ £2.50 per Adult THURSDAYS 9:30am - 11:30am. St Paulinus Church Hall, Manor Road, Crayford.

9.30am-11am Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers - facebook.com/ToeRags 1pm-2.30pm Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers - facebook.com/ToeRags FRIDAYS 9.30am-11am Baby and me for expectant mothers and mothers / carers of chidren up to 2. £1 per adult St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall, London Road Greenhithe. Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe.com 9.30am-11am Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers facebook.com/ToeRags 9.30am-11.30am Carer & Toddler Group, St Mary’s Church Hall, Stone Place Rd, Greenhithe. Jeanne 01322 380322 jeannehoadley@ yahoo.co.uk 1-3pm Gigglekidz, Tree Estate Community Centre on Cedar Road - £2 Per Child SATURDAYS 9.30am-11.30am Daddy and Me - A group for dads and male carers of children up to 5years. £1.50 includes healthy snack time for the children. St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall, London Road Greenhithe. Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe. com 2-3pm - Lego Club- ages 5 and over - Chrome Road Slade Green DA8 2EL Tel: 01322 333602

Toddler Music & Rhyme Sessions at Dartford Libraries - Monday Friday Thursday Story Time Fleetdown - Tuesday Greenhithe - Thursday - Thursday Longfield Summerhouse - Tuesday Sutton-at-Hone -Monday.

Temple Hill - Thursday Dartford

10:30am - 11am 2:15pm – 2:45pm 10:30pm -11:00am 10:30am -11am 2.15pm – 2.45pm 10:45am -11:15am 10:30am – 11am 2pm – 2:30pm 10.30am -11am

The World Garden and Lullingstone Castle www.lullingstonecastle.co.uk

8 EVENTS 201 UST & 27TH AUG 25TH, 26TH M 5P 11AM rs Weekend Plant Hunte – 11AM SEPTEMBER 15TH & 16TH - 5PM Celebration Weekend Mexican ON - 7PM BER - 12 NO ving ar C 28TH OCTO in pk Pum Halloween & t en Ev

Come along and join in the fun! Term time only For more information please call 03000 41 31 31 48 Please mention Dartford Living when contacting our advertisers

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The Brent Playgroup meet Monday to Friday 9.15am to 12.15pm Term time only.

For enquiries please contact: Mobile: 07989073866 Tel 01322 271738 (between 8 and 12:30) email: thebrentplaygroup@gmail.com or call in at any time.

Registered for Free for Two Children The Brent Methodist Church Hall PostCode DA1 1XF

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WHERE TO GO LOCALLY Groups and Clubs

THE NORTH WEST KENT BRANCH OF THE MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION meets at 8pm on the 4th Wednesday evening of each month in the PopIn Parlour, Mill Road, Northumberland Heath, Erith. The meetings last about 2 hours and the group often have a speaker on a variety of subjects, followed by tea and biscuits and general chat. For more information contact Eileen on 01322 228169.

NORTH KENT EMBROIDERERS’ GROUP Meets on the third Saturday of every month (except August) from 2pm - 4pm in the Community Room of Gravesend Library, Windmill Street, Gravesend DA12 1BE. The programme of activities is varied with workshops, talks and sit and stitch sessions. Visitors are very welcome.

More information can be found on our website www. northkentembroiderers.co.uk or phone 01474324734.

DARTFORD OSTOMY GROUP SUPPORT (DOGS) meet every third Wednesday in the month at St Anselm’s Parish Centre, West Hill, Dartford DA1 2HJ from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm. It is for anyone who has an Ileostomy, Colostomy, Urostomy, IBS and pouch, their carers, family and friends.

THE GARDENING CLUB SUTTON AT HONE Monthly meetings, Visits to Gardens, Annual Garden Show and much more. For more information or to become a member please ring 01322 863556.

ALL DIRECTIONS is a community learning organisation for adults and young people aged 16+ with physical, learning and mental health difficulties. For more information, attend a taster session or visit our community lunch club, contact Caroline on 01322 440482 or 07570 347612

AGE UK, CRAYFORD LIBRARY POP IN PARLOUR COFFEE MORNING every Friday morning 10.30 - 12.30 Tea, Coffee, Biscuits and a chat - Just £1

YOGA & MEDITATION CLASSES Every Tuesday from 6-7pm &Thursday from 10.30am to 12.00pm at Peppercorns, 3 Orchard Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2DF. For more information please call The Hope Group on 07580 615206.

BEXLEY AND DARTFORD BRANCH PARKINSONS UK For people with Parkinsons and their carers.

We have 2 meetings per month. Bexley: 4th Thursday of each month, at Pincott Hall, 2-4pm. Dartford: 2nd Thursday of each month, Mick Jagger Centre, 7.30-9.30pm.

Information support workers available, guest speakers and quizzes.

Contact Wendy Leach. Tel: 02083065973

JUST FOR GROWN UPS GROUP We are a small friendly group who meet at the Meeting Place in the Orchards Shopping Centre on the first Tuesday of the month. Join us any time between 11am and 1pm for a social chat, coffee and biscuits or a fun quiz. For more information contact mikeansell.dt@hotmail.co.uk

MODERN LINEDANCING CLASSES St Michael & All Angels Church Hall, DA2 7EG Wednesdays 1pm - 2pm. Fun, social class learning routines from differing genres to popular music providing exercise for body and brain. No dance experience or partners necessary. Contact Kay 01322 276528

SHORNE FLOWER ARRANGERS Our Club presents a programme of workshops and demonstrations in a very informal and friendly atmosphere.

We meet on the last Thursday of each month except December. Shorne Village Hall, The Street, Shorne. DA12 3EA. Visitors are always made very welcome, entry £3. We have 30 members and look forward to welcoming anyone who loves flowers. The Club provides an opportunity for people to be creative, make friends.

For further information please phone 01474 353405 or email landaclatworthy@btinternet.com

BEXLEY PHILATELIC SOCIETY Meetings first and third Friday of the month at Freemantle Hall, Bexley village, 7:30 for 7:45 start. Covering stamps and postal history, meetings offer displays, auctions, competitions, and convivial atmosphere. More information on www.bexleyps.org.uk

SWANLEY HISTORY GROUP Meets 1st Tuesday of every month. Presentations on local social history. Venue Swanley Indoor Bowls Centre Garrolds Close Swanley BR8 7BF. Doors open 7.15 for 7.30 p.m. Members £1 Visitors £2. Everyone welcome. Email swanleyhistorygroup@hotmail.co.uk for more details or visit our website https://swanleyhistorygroup.weebly. com or Facebook page. Annual membership £5 includes a monthly newsletter.

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MAKE A NOISE CHOIR Singing songs from the shows and having fun! We meet every Tuesday from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. at St Anselm’s Church, West Hill, Dartford DA1 2HJ www.makeanoisechoir.com

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DARTFORD BRIDGE CLUB meets every Tuesday evening at 7.00 pm at Wilmington Christian Fellowship Church Hall, Broad Lane, Wilmington DA2 7AQ. We are seeking new members at all levels to play Duplicate Bridge -cost £2 per session.

Enquiries: contact John Davies on 01474 832221 or e-mail carolandjohnd@tiscali.co.uk 20S 30S DARTFORD BEXLEYHEATH SURROUNDING AREAS SOCIAL GROUP more information visit: www.meetup.com/20s-30s-Dartford-Bexleyheathsurrounding-areas-social-group/ DARTFORD U3A (UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE) meets on the first Tuesday of every month (except August) at St Anselm’s Church Hall, West Hill, Dartford at 2pm, For information about meetings and interest groups call 01474-709068 or visit our website.

THE DARTFORD STROKE GROUP This group meets Monday afternoons at the YMCA Roundhouse, Overy Street, Dartford for a chat in a relaxing atmosphere, chair-based excise sessions, stroke leaflets and magazines, informal workshops, special art or games sessions and outings. It is aimed at Stroke Survivors, their carers, family and friends.

Please contact Theo Hodges on Theo.Hodges@gmail. com or phone/text Theo on 078 755 68296 for more details and current dates of our events and meetings DARTFORD FLORAL CLUB The club meet on the 3rd Friday of the month at Hawley Pavilion, Hawley Rd.(opp Papermakers Arms) at 7.30 Come along for an evening of beautiful flowers, fun and friendship. Entrance £6.00, refreshments and a raffle with the chance to take home a beautiful floral arrangement.

Contact Chris 01322 836026 DARTFORD QUILTERS meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month at the Mick Jagger Centre, Shepherds Lane, Dartford. We run a varied programme of activities suitable for the beginner through to the more experienced quilter.

More details can be obtained from the club secretary on 01474 834872 DARTFORD BOOKS AND CULTURE CLUB meets once a month on Saturday mornings at Dartford Library. For more information, find us at www.meetup. com/West-Kent-Book-Club/ THE DARTFORD CHESS CLUB The club meets every Thursday evening from 7.30pm at St Anselms Parish Hall, West Hill and was founded 100 years ago in 1914. All queries to Mike Wiltshire at 01322 272152 or visit www.dartfordchessclub.co.uk COLUMBINE CHINA PAINTERS CLUB meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month

at Sutton at Hone Village Hall. 1.30pm until 4.30pm. £3.00 per afternoon (to include a raffle ticket and tea/ coffee) £10.00 yearly fee.

We are a small, friendly club, not expensive. Tuition given.

All supplies can be bought in situe. Come and see if you like it, You will be very welcome.

Contact - Maureen Beckham 01322 287214. Marie Blake 01474 704581. Doreen Goddard 01474 707357.

WEST HILL MORRIS Come and join your local Morris side, dancing and performing in Dartford, Gravesend and Bexley areas and throughout Kent in the Summer. We are a mixed and very sociable side, and can always find room for new dancers and musicians. It’s a great way of keeping fit and you’ll be helping to conserve a great English tradition.

We practice alternate Tuesday evenings at Bexley, from September to April, then dancing out at pubs, clubs and fetes, throughout Kent, from May to August. Private Bookings taken. Contact Alison on 01322 862298, e-mail alisondukes@btinternet.com THE WELLBEING LINK The Wellbeing Link meets on Friday mornings from 10-1pm in the St. Anselm’s Parish Centre, 89 West Hill, Dartford A friendly and informative group - call Julie On 07775875585 STIMUL8 ACTIVITY SERVICE I provide all the equipment, materials and refreshments with just a small all inclusive, pay as you go, fee of £10.00 per person per session.

Those who come have the opportunity to learn painting with watercolours, acrylics, inks and how to draw with pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, charcoals, watercolour pencils, fabric pens, plus basics of sculpting and have the opportunity to sign up to additional floral workshops I offer too. www.stimul8-activityservice.co.uk WILMINGTON AND AXSTANE PROBUS CLUB We are a group of retired men who meet monthly for a lunch and a speaker at the Swanley Bowls Centre. We also have a monthly walk and occasional coffee mornings and as a side line we raise money for a local charity. If you are missing the contact with other business men since you retired, why not come and join us on the last Thursday of every month. For more details contact Phil Burt on 01322 274541 or look at our website www.waprobus.com EXTRAORDINARY YOUTH GROUP’ - calling all 11-18 year olds who want more than an ordinary life, come hang out with other young people and discover their ultimate purpose. Every Friday in term time, 7pm-9:30pm at Net Church Dartford, near McDonalds and next to Weatherspoons.

For more information email andrew@thenetchurch.co.uk or call 01322 272649.

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WHERE TO GO LOCALLY Groups and Clubs

TONI MOUNT HISTORY CLASSES The group meet every week at Towncentric in Gravesend and this year we are looking at Everyday Life in Medieval London. We meet every Thursday from 10.30-12.30 at £6.00 per week customers can phone me on 01474 355676 for more information or look at my website www.tonimount.co.uk DSTC ALUMNI Hi all, if you went to DSTC, DTC, Dartford West Girls or any other name that the school has been known as we would love to hear from you! The school is looking to make links with former students to help raise the profile of the school but also as a way of getting back in touch with people. There will be an event later on in the academic year and we are planning some exciting things for the group so get joining and let’s get reminiscing!! www.facebook.com/groups/DSTCAlumni THE MANOR HALL VARIETY GROUP We meet every Tuesday at 8.00 in the Community hall (opp St Paulinus church) Crayford. We are looking for anyone who could help us with sound, lights, scenery or singing/acting on the stage - everyone welcome.

Email me (Carolyn) for more details at c_sawyers@hotmail.com.

CRAYFORD TOWN ARCHIVE incorporating Barnehurst and Slade Green. Meet every Monday (except the third Monday) of the month at Crayford Library hall - 2pm-4pm. Call in for a chat about old Crayford and to view the large collection of local images, or bring your own for us to copy.

TALK TIME TUESDAY 2.00 - 3.00PM (TERM TIME ONLY) Fleetdown Library Everybody welcome, join us for a friendly chat and light refreshments.

HAVEN (LGBT) SOCIAL GROUP. London / Kent area. Every Friday - a safe Place to Meet.

For more information please contact 01322 287356 or 07503 306467 or email - havenx35@gmail.com SCRAPPY DAYS! A SCRAPBOOKING GROUP is being held at Hawley Pavilion, Hawley Road, 52

Dartford, DA2 7RB on the 2nd Sunday of the month between 2pm and 6:30pm. It costs £6 which includes refreshments, nibbles and the use of a cricut (cutting machine for those that don’t know). Beginners are very welcome. Contact Michelle on 07910 488428 or email scrappydays@hotmail.co.uk PAVILION PLAYERS Is an amateur dramatics group based at the Joydens Wood Community Centre, Wilmington, Kent. We meet every Tuesday from 8-10pm. For more information please visit www.facebook.com/pavilionplayers or call us on 07505 006539. Alternatively just pop down on a Tuesday night! Everyone welcome!

DARTFORD BELLRINGERS Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Wednesdays 8.009.30p.m. Free tuition with a very friendly, sociable group. The ideal way to make new friends. Phone Ester 01322 220458 or email: esther.correia1@btinternet.com North West Kent Family History Society The Dartford Branch meet the 1st Saturday of each month from 10am-12:30pm at the Dartford Science and Technology College, Heath Lane, For more information see www.nwkfhs.org.uk or ring Janet 01322384836 WILMINGTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE is a friendly group who meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall, High Road, Wilmington. For more information on our activities please call Ann Hambridge on 01322 228082 Erith Model Railway Society has been in existence for over 50 years and has well over 50 active members. As the club continues to grow new members are always welcome.

The club meets on Wednesday evenings from around 7.00pm until around 9.30pm at our new clubrooms in Invicta House (aka Belvedere Workingmen’s Club), 66 Gilbert Road, Belvedere DA17 5DA. DARTFORD ACTIVE RETIREMENT GROUP,[ DARTARA,] We are a group that meets on second Thursday once a month 2 - 4pm at Fleetdown community

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centre. At the meeting we have a guest entertainer or speaker, we also organise holidays and day trips out as well as activities including theatre trips, curling, short mat bowls, indoor games, coffee and cake afternoons and an art group.

Just turn up on the day or phone Maureen Dixon-Jones 01322 383337 or Glenys Theobald 01322 273108 for more information THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NORTH DOWNS They meet at the Holiday Inn, Black Prince, Thursday evenings 7:30pm for 7:45pm for Dinner and fellowship.

For details phone 07759 863836.

THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S REGISTER The National Women’s Register (NWR) is a national organisation that meets in the Dartford area. The NWR is a discussion group for ‘lively minded women’. Contact can be made via www.nwr.org.uk or call 01603406767 and ask about the Dartford group.

HEALTHCARE RETIREMENT GROUP Dartford & Gravesham Branch.

Meets the first Wednesday of every month at the Masonic Hall, West Hill, Dartford from 10-12pm.Activities include guest speakers, outings, lunches, holidays and quizzes.

For more information contact Marion on 01322 402967 OVER 55’S CLUB - We meet every Wednesday 2pm to 4.30pm at Tree Community Centre, Cedar Road. We play bingo, tea and biscuits, and socialise. We also run regular coach trips to the coast throughout the year.

Our club is open to anyone over 55 wherever you live and costs just 60p to come along and join in. So why not come and join our friendly welcoming social club? For further information please call either John Letchford on 01322 270732 or Pam Carr on 01322 222195.

JOYDENS WOOD WOMEN’S INSTITUTE meet on the third Tuesday of every month, with meetings beginning at 7.45pm. We meet at the Community Centre, Birchwood Drive, Wilmington, DA2 7NE. More information can be found at joydenswoodresidents.co.uk (under Local Clubs and Societies).

CRAYFORD AND DISTRICT PROBUS CLUB meet on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at the Falcon Wood Club, 1 Falcon Wood Avenue, Welling at 10am.

Contact Tony Maun 0208 306 1075 or email Crayford.Probus@gmail.com.

FAIRFIELD (DARTFORD) WI 2nd Tuesday of every month, Dartford Girls’ Grammar School, 7.30pm. Contact Judith on 01322 278703

CRAYFORD WOMEN’S INSTITUTE 1st Thursday of every month at 1.45pm. Baker Trust Hall. Maxim Road, Crayford (near Sainsburys). Contact Secretary, Linda Lewis 01322 557229 DARTFORD LADIES PROBUS CLUB A group of retired ladies meet locally for lunch on the 4th Wednesday of each month,. They raise funds for charity and usually invite a speaker. Join them and enjoy meeting and making new friends. If you would like more information please contact Iris (Secretary) on 01474 703448 MALE? AGED 18 - 45?

Round Table is for the guys with Ladies Circle for the Ladies (ladiescircle.co.uk) Dartford RT meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday.

Often called the original young man’s social club, Round Table has over 400 clubs in the UK and is in 50+ countries worldwide. We have an emphasis on having a lot of FUN. We guarantee that involvement with Round Table will enhance your social life, your personal abilities, your network and best of all it is not expensive.

For your chance to become involved in something very special, you need to experience it because no other organisation offers you the opportunities that Round Table does.

Check out the locally famous club www. dartfordroundtable.co.uk Facebook search: * Dartford Round Table * Round Table * Dartford Egg Hunt You will receive a very warm welcome.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF DARTFORD We meet at lunchtime at The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel on 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tuesdays. Time 12.45 for 1 pm For further details phone: 07706 103706 THE RENDEZVOUS CLUB (50+) Every Monday Time: 8pm - 10pm Location: Close to Bexleyheath Town Centre Description: We are a (non-profit making) friendly social group open to anyone over fifty.

We enjoy socialising, making new friends and activities including Quizzes, Meals Out, Trips to the Theatre, Cinema, Coach Trips, Gentle Walks and Short Breaks Away.

Admission: Subs £2.50 per week. Annual membership £6 If you would like to join us or require further information please telephone: Tel: 01322 287356 or 020 8304 6414

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WHERE TO GO LOCALLY Sport

WHEELCHAIR EPEE FENCING Wheelchair epee fencing in Dartford and Gravesham, we are delighted to announce that New Ash Green Epee club, can now introduce wheelchair fencing. If interested in taking up this para sport please contact us on 01474 871484 or alternatively look at our website www.nagfencing.eu ERITH YOUTH RUGBY Sunday 10:45-12:00, Sussex Road Erith. Ages 4-16 welcome 07903 590515 LITTLE TIGERS - KARATE FOR 3, 4 & 5 YEAR OLDS Sundays 10:15-10:45 at Swanscombe Leisure Centre.

Call Saj on 07903 513104 DARTFORD GYMNASTICS is the only British Gymnastics Club in Dartford to hold the”GymMark” Award for 6 years.

Based in Heath Lane, we are a friendly club with super equipment, great coaches and high standards.

We do lots of competitions and we do not close through the holidays!

Visit our website www.dartfordgymnastics.co.uk for full details or contact Linda on 01322 409312 or email dartfordgymclub@yahoo.co.uk LEARN KARATE Learn karate with Yamato Damashii – for adults & children Every Wednesday evening at the Leigh Academy & every Saturday morning at Becket Sport Centre, first lesson free.

For more info, visit www.ydma.club or find us on Facebook, search for Yamato Damashii Martial Arts.

YOGA WITH EMMA Wednesdays & Fridays 9:30am-10:30am At Europa Gymnastics Centre Mondays 7.30pm to 8.30pm and Fridays 7.00pm – 8.00pm at Becket Sports Centre For more information please contact Emma: emma@samadhi-yoga.co.uk TEL: 07932 621415 www.samadhi-yoga.co.uk KENT EXILES AMERICAN FOOTBALL CLUB www.kentexiles.co.uk.

Coach Martin - 07944 730634.

All ages from 7 years to adult welcome ENERGY FITNESS AND NUTRITION I run group fitness classes as well as 1-1 and semi private personal training sessions in Darenth at Dimples Day Nursery DA2 7HT. ENERGY Fitness & Nutrition: we offer a wide variety of group classes such as strength & conditioning, boot camps, Boxercise, mum and baby classes, 54

inside and outside classes with great equipment and suitable for all abilities. The website is www.energyfitnut. co.uk HARTLEY SWIMCLUB AT WHITE OAK POOL, SWANLEY We are a friendly group of adults who meet for a social swim every Thursday at 9pm. We’re looking for new members.

Why not give us a try?

Contact Diane on 01689 871846 or join us one Thursday.

Tuesday Morning Yoga Class at Sutton Court, Sutton-AtHone The class is from 9.30am to 11am and is a mixed ability class beginners are always welcome.

More information is available at www.yoga-vitality.com or please contact Lesley at lesley@yoga-vitality.com or 07531 140646 DARTFORD JU JITSU CLUB Mondays 7-8pm for 7-16s at the Dartford Girls Grammar, Shepherds Lane Dartford DA1 2NT in the Dance Studio.

We have an adult class 8-10pm too.

We’ve been running for 20 years, building confidence, teaching self-defence, hardening the target, developing skills and always welcome new members.

DARTFORD ORIENTEERING CLUB For more details see www.dfok.co.uk HOP LIKE IT’S HOT A fun (different) circuit based workout with space hoppers that challenges core stabilty, balance and strength. It is suitable for all levels and abilities. Classes are held every Wednesday evening at the stone pavilion starting at 8:15 until 9:00 costing £5 per person.

THE HIGHLY STRUNG BADMINTON CLUB, Friendly club seeking new members. Abilities mixed.

Would suit players with some prior experience.

Thursdays at 7.45-9.45pm, Dartford Girls’ Grammar School, DA1 2NT For further information please email: stephanie.thredgle@btinternet.com WAR GAMES AND MODEL CLUB Based in Erith we have a wide number of members from across SE London and Kent. A great place to come and have a game, make, paint and hobby! Or, if you prefer, come grab a cup of tea and chat about all things hobby and some things not! For more info visit - https://emperors10th.wixsite.com/ home

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This group was set up after the founder suffered with PND herself and on trying to find support groups noticed there wasn’t any in KENT, We now support mums from all over the world online, in person or at groups. We pride ourselves on being there so no one feels alone or scared when dealing with PND. Groups held every Friday 12-2pm at St Mary’s church hall Greenhithe Kent.

Groups are set up in a playgroup style with activities for children of all ages and adults. Free to attend and refreshments/snacks supplied

by Mummy on the Mend.

Staff are available to talk with should you feel you need extra support. We are also able to help refer parents onto other services if needed. Staff are DBS checked, Frist aid trained and have training in mental health problems.

This is a friendly relaxed group for families to meet others in the same situation as them. Our focus is on mental health however anyone is able to attend.

Find us on:

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Interestedininadvertising? advertising?

01322 507817 www.dartfordliving.com Interested Tel:Tel: 01322 507817 www.dartfordliving.com

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11 15

LOCAL SPORTS CLUBS

By Brian Downton

Dartford Parkrun Dartford parkrun is a free to enter 5k run every Saturday morning starting by the Dartford harriers track in Central Park at 9am. All participants get a time a position emailed and texted after the event. To register go to www.parkrun.org.uk. Remember to bring your printed Barcode.

Every Sunday Morning in the Park there is a Junior parkrun over 2k – registration is the same.

Due to The Dartford Festival DARTFORD parkrun and DARTFORD Juniors Parkrun will be cancelled ON 14TH AND 15TH July Dartford Heath Parkrun Dartford’s 2nd parkrun event is now live. The run starts behind the Heath Lane car park and is a free 5k run every Saturday morning at 9am.

Parking is restricted in the area so please do not park in Heathclose Road and wherever possible please walk.

Seeds Cycling Club Dartford Seeds is a long-established cycling Club in Dartford and we share our headquarters at Hesketh with Dartford Cricket Club. We cater for most abilities and have a social ride most Saturday mornings. For info on joining us please visit our website www.seedscycling.co.uk Dartford and White Oak Triathlon club We are the local British Triathlon Federation Club covering Bexley, Dartford and Swanley. We offer coached swimming sessions 3 times per week at White oak pool in Swanley and Fairfield pool in Dartford. Our members compete in many local Triathlons plus many members are training towards Iron Man distance. We also have our own Triathlon in June every year which has been running since 1989. If you are interested in joining us then please visit our website http://www.dartfordandwhiteoaktri.co.uk Well done to everyone who took part in the DWOT Triathlon on 10th June Dartford Road Runners Dartford Road Runners are based at Princes Park Stadium and are one of the biggest road running clubs in Kent. We currently have about 200 members of all abilities including a beginners group. DRR teams compete in the Kent League, the Assembly League and the Kent Fitness League. To see what we offer and how to join us please visit our website – anyone is welcome to join us with all abilities. http://dartfordroadrunners.co.uk/node/440 Joydens Wood summer series – 3 races on the last Wednesday in May, June and July – 3rd race will be Wednesday 25th July 2018 at 7pm and is open to anyone – save the 56

date and entry is on the day cost £6 Run Dartford Series 2018 again sponsored by Downton and Ali Associates – 5 races around Dartford over the Summer – Race 4: Thames River path 10k – 19:00 Friday 20th July 2018 entries at http://rundartford.com/ or pay and enter on the night (discount for booking the whole series) Dartford 10k – The second edition of our 10k will take place on the August Bank Holiday Monday 27th August 2018 at 9.00am and you can enter via our website http:// www.dartfordroadrunners.co.uk/node/449 Dartford Harriers Athletics Club Dartford Harriers is among the leading athletics clubs in Kent, with a history stretching back to the 1920′s, making it one of the oldest clubs in the country. If you are interested in seeing how we can help you advance your Athletics then please visit our website http://www.dartfordharriersac.co.uk Central Park Athletics Club We are situated in Dartford’s outstanding Central Park and can provide access to a state of the art running track (relaid in 2015) and the full range of track and field facilities for just £4.50 per session (we offer discounted annual memberships). Refreshments and changing facilities are also available. For no extra charge, we hold coached track sessions on Wednesday evenings for runners of all abilities. This is a tough but very popular way to increase your stamina and running technique, and you’ll be in the company of qualified coaches and some of the friendliest runners around. For more information please visit our website http://centralparkathletics.co.uk/ Every Sunday 10-11am – Child friendly coached sessions – Come and join the CPA Swifts – As a fledgling club we would like to give children of all ages and abilities the chance to experience training and coaching within a club environment – come and be part of the team Free first session with this advert So Let’s go Running (SLGR) SLGR is a local running club with structured training sessions designed to improve runners speed and stamina.

There are currently four runs available with more starting soon; see below for more details.

The Run leaders for each group are as follows; Dartford Cricket Club, Dartford - Dawn & Brian Cyclopark, Gravesend - Dawn & Brian New runners are always welcome, and you can contact Brian if you would like more information; see contact details and e-mail link on Our Group page.

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USEFUL NUMBERS Local and National

KEY NUMBERS Police 01622 690690 NON EMERGENCY ONLY Fire Safety Advice & FREE Home Fire Safety Check 0800 169 1125 Dartford Borough Council 01322 343434 Gas Leaks (24 hour) 0800 111 999 EDF Energy Networks Emergencies/Powercuts Helpline 105 Flooding 03459881180 Highways Kent 03000 41 41 41 Social Services 03000 41 41 41 Water Burst 0800 820 999 (Southern) 0800 714614 (Thames) HEALTH Darent Valley Hospital 01322 428100 Dartford East Health Centre 01322 421480 Dartford West Health Centre 01322 223600 Boots Chemist Bluewater 01322 624780 (Late Night) ASDA Greenhithe Chemist 01322 374100 (Late Night) The National Pandemic Flu Service 0800 1513 100 West Kent NHS helpline 0800 0 850850 TRAVEL Heathrow Airport Enquires 08700 000123 Gatwick Airport Enquires 08700 002468 National Rail Enquires 08456 484950 Highways England Info Line 0300 123 5000 HELPLINES 24 Hour Kent Dementia Helpline:

0800 500 3014 Alcoholics Anonymous: 08457 697 555 Citizens Advice Bureau: 01322 472 979 Debt Councilling (CAP) 0800 328 0006 Information About Drugs FRANK: 0800 776600 Kent Homophobic Incident Reporting Line: 0800 328 9162 Kent Racial Incident Reporting Line: 0800 138 1624 Local Breastfeeding Counsellors Judianne/Paula 01322 224072 National Domestic Violence Helpline (24 hour) 0808 2000 247 NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 RSPCA Kent, North West Branch Helpline 01322 286720 Samaritans: 116 123 LOCAL MP Gareth Johnson 020 7219 7047 LOCAL SPORTS CLUBS Bexley Rugby Club 01322 550142 or www.pitchero.com/clubs/ bexleyrfc/ Dartford Ladies Hockey Club Dawn Hall (Secretary) 07793 777250 Dartford Ju Jitsu Club Mondays, Dartford Girls Grammar School, Shepherds

Call 999 in an Emergency Fire, Police, Ambulance and Coastguard 101 Non Emergency Number for Kent Police Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 111 NHS Non Emergency Number

Lane. 6.30-8.00 Juniors, 8.00-10.00 Seniors www. dartfordjujitsu.co.uk

Dartford Sharks Basketball Club Tim Dickson - 07855 692527.

Dartford Volleyball Club Graham - 01322 275290 or 07984 106134.

Stone Lodge Indoor Bowling Club 01322 274111.

VCD Table Tennis Club Eric Jenkins - 0208 3038312.

‘Play & pay’, 9 hole, par 3 golf course on Dartford Football Club’s Princes Park- Contact: 01322 299990 www.dartfordfc.com The Ashes Badminton Club Mondays, Dartford Technology College, Heath Lane. 7.30-9.30.

Jacqui 07764 182854.

Dartford Valley RFC www.pitchero.com/clubs/ darenthvalleyrfc/ USEFUL FACEBOOK GROUPS Dartford Living Dartford Today and Tomorrow Dartford Remembered Dartford Gossip Dartford Living Community Group

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ADVERTISERS INDEX

Directory of Local Businesses advertising in Dartford Living ACCOUNTANTS, FINANCE & LEGAL Buss Murton ...................................................................... 40 Downton Ali Associates.....................................................59 GF + Co...............................................................................37 BUILDERS, DECORATORS ROOFING, BATHROOMS, KITCHENS & WINDOWS Dream Doors......................................................................13 Nightingale Bathrooms......................................................22 Steve Cook - Double Glazing..............................................23 The Double Glazing Repair Man..........................................4 CARE HOME Emerson Grange.................................................................10 CHILDREN Bip Bop Shop.................................................................11 Hartbeeps......................................................................49 Monkey Music................................................................55 COSMETIC, BEAUTY & HEALTH Dia Wipes...............................................................................7 COUNCIL Dartford Borough Council ................................................31 ELECTRICIANS AES Electricians....................................................................4 ESTATE/ LETTING AGENTS GPS Lettings..........................................................................7 Fox Estates ...........................................................................9 Wisdom Estates..................................................................33 GARAGES & VEHICLE SERVICES Orchard Garage..................................................................60 Shenley Road Garage..........................................................45 JEWELLERY Bradleys...............................................................................23 LOGISTICS/ REMOVALS FD TRANSPORT ...........................................................38 NURSERY The Brent Playgroup......................................................49 MEDICAL AND HEALTH Emerson Grange...........................................................17 Helping Hands...............................................................13 58

Mindfullness...................................................................37 Slimming World...............................................................2 MUSIC/DANCE & FITNESS Blondies Fitness.................................................................22 Dartford Bootcamps...........................................................32 Fairfield Leisure Centre......................................................30 PQA.....................................................................................14 Why Weight?......................................................................20 Worried about your childs weight?....................................16 OPTICIANS Linklater Opticians.............................................................40 PICTURE FRAMING Craft Frames........................................................................42 PUB Bird in the Hand..................................................................6 SCHOOL Ebbsfleet Academy.............................................................10 SECURITY Excel Security Systems......................................................45 SPORTS Paul Page Golf Academy.....................................................17 Fairfield Leisure Centre......................................................28 THEATRE Orchard Theatre.................................................................44 WILL WRITING

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