The magazine is a celebration of life in Langton Green and is published 6 times a year. It is delivered door to door to the 1200-plus houses in the village, and is available at local shops and in some surrounding villages.
Please submit editorial and advertisements (pre-paid) for the next edition by 11th September 2024.
Advertising: Rob Mauduit Tel: 07941 117423
advertising@langtonlife.com
Editor: Jayne Sharratt Tel: 07532 339434
editor@langtonlife.com
Director: Ed Langridge
Registered in England 8709597
local happenings
Final farewell to Post Office ladies
Post O ce is well used by many Langton Green residents, who will be saddened by the closure of the dedicated post o ce space on 27th June. It has been replaced by two post o ce counters at the front of the shop, where the same post o ce services will be available, to be serviced by the One Stop retail sta . The new arrangements mean that the women who have worked in Rusthall Post O ce for a combined total of over 100 years no longer work there – and the loss of their knowledge, expertise and patience will be keenly felt by many in the community. On their last day Janet, Judy, Karen, Nicky and Juliette gathered as a team one last time, planning to have a rest before considering what they would do next. The many good wishes sent their way are testament to how valued these five women have been to the local community, beyond their own village. Artist Sophie Cook said, “Ladies, you are the best and quite frankly o er the best postal service I have ever known. You always have a smile and impeccable customer service. Thank you for everything, love Sophie, the poster of paintings!” A Langton Green resident said, “It was always lovely to see you interacting with the elderly, as you showed compassion and patience and clearly knew your customers. You will be missed.” At Langton Life we wish Janet, Judy, Karen, Nicky and Juliette all the very best for whatever they do next.
Plant sale in aid of Hospice in the Weald
Regular readers of Langton Life will know the magnificent work Daphne Streeter does raising money for Hospice in the Weald. She got in touch with us recently to thank us for advertising her regular fundraising plant sale. “We had good weather and wonderful support from those who attended our plant sale in May which raised £1,000. Our thanks to everyone involved for their generosity and particularly to Ann Dell and Ray Smith for donating the majority of the plants,” said Daphne, who also sold plants at the Speldhurst Fete and Langton Green Fete. It is always a pleasure to support Daphne’s fundraising e orts for the vital work that Hospice in the Weald does for our community.
Cover photo: Tug of War at Fete on the Green, 6th July 2024. Photography Jenni Matthews.
Rusthall
local happenings
A bike for Junior Remembering
Two years ago, I interviewed Langton Green artist Nette Browne about the murals she had painted in the Fine Grind café in The Amelia Scott in Tunbridge Wells, and I was impressed by her creative, generous and resilient spirit. At that time, she told me about her son Junior, who was born with a rare neurological condition called Hemimegalecephaly, which has led to to severe disabilities as well as thousands of seizures since birth.
When he was born, Nette was told that her son might never walk, talk or even breathe independently, but amazingly, age six, Junior defied all odds and walked. At the age of nine he stopped using his frame to walk at school, and now walks independently. “Despite his challenges, Junior is always smiling and laughing, has his mum’s adventurous spirit and determination, and anyone who meets him totally falls in love,” family friend Coco, organiser of the Tunbridge Wells Soap Box Race in Dunorlan Park, tells me.
Roy Cross 1924-2024
There can’t be many men living in Langton Green who have not at some time in their lives bought and played with an Airfix kit. For me? There were many!
Nette has been saving and fundraising for a bike that has been specially adapted for his disabilities for some time. The Tandem Pino, by Hase, costs £10,561 with the adaptations Junior needs. It can be extended and adapted for years and years into adulthood but has so far been out of the family's reach. What would it mean to have one, I ask? “Riding a bike is a life experience most of us take for granted, but Junior is ten now and has never been able to do this. For a little boy who needs constant care and attention, it would bring him some independence and adventure. It would also allow his nine-year-old sister Savannah to ride alongside him,” Nette tells me.
Coco is one of many friends who want to help Nette and her family with the fundraising for Junior’s bike. “Nette is one of the most resilient women I know,” she says of what motivated her. “She never asks for help – yet is the first to help others and has been there for me and so many of her friends without hesitation. She has lots of creativity and talent, but her biggest passion is for her three children and grandchild.”
So far, the family are still over £8000 short of their target. If you would like to support the fundraising for Junior’s bike, you can find out more by emailing Nette at lillettebrowne@hotmail.com or follow Instagram @juniorinspires
The man who drew the images on the packaging brought to life the excitement of an RAF plane attacking a German tank; or a Lancaster bomber limping home after a raid with engines ablaze; or a Sunderland flying boat depth-charging a U-Boat. His name was Roy Cross. As the Top Gear presenter James May said, “It was pants-wetting excitement. The picture meant that when you started making the model, you’re in that scene; it isn’t just bits of plastic, it’s a real aeroplane and you are flying it and there are bandits at three o’clock trying to shoot you down. The images by Roy Cross, of which there were over 200 were the most influential of any British artist of the 20th century.”
Roy Cross lived in Langton Green. He passed away the day after his 100th birthday. He captured the imagination of generations of young boys in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Roy started as a technical illustrator for Fairey Aviation during World War Two. When the oil crisis came in 1973, the price of plastics rocketed, and he turned his talents to marine art and was noted for the accuracy of his historical paintings. From the late 1970’s, Airfix began to airbrush out all the bombs and bullets – according to Roy, “they completely sanitised the drawing, taking away all the excitement.” Airfix later returned to the all-action vision.
Roy turned his hand to producing drawings for the aeronautical and motor car industries, following the boom in aviation. As a marine painter, he had many one-man shows and sold his work through a gallery in Pall Mall. His big passions, apart from his art, were frequent changes to cars, and cream cakes!
Ed Langridge
Fete On The Green
Well, the Fete returned and now it’s all been put to bed! The Committee that organises the Fete and indeed I personally have a lot of people to thank as this was a truly joint effort by many in the community.
Firstly, everyone who came, despite the rather unreliable weather and visited the stalls, drank tea, beer, Pimms and Fizz, ate cake, burgers and Hot Dogs and gave very generously, Thank You. The feedback we have received suggests that everyone enjoyed themselves and we certainly hope so.
In addition, we have raised funds to support our chosen causes, Hospice in the Weald, the Community Hub and the Village Society. So, Thank You for coming and making all the hard work worthwhile.
Secondly, we would like to thank everyone who helped on the day, putting up and taking down tents and gazebos, putting up bunting, picking up litter, washing up, baking cakes, helping with carparking, putting up and taking down signs, flipping a burger, pulling a pint, making tea, manning (assuming that remains an acceptable turn of phrase) the Book Stall, the Bric-a-Brac, Inflatable Games, the Toy Stall, the Ice Cream stand, the Raffle, Dog Show, Coconut Shy, Tug of War, and the Bottle Tombola. I could go on …!
Finally, I would like to thank everyone on the Committee who took on all the preparatory and planning work, the communications and organisation of the collection of pre-loved books, toys and household items. Last but not least, Thank You to Guy Lambert for allowing us to use The Green.
Fete day dawned grey and windy, but somewhat better than the rain that had fallen for most of the day as we set up and then returned on the Sunday. The real challenge however was the wind which was so strong it managed to carry off several gazebos and required the bandstand to be tied down with multiple ropes. We were well entertained by The Groove Platform, Langton Green Primary School Brass, Staff and Samba Bands, Abby Page, Angus Morton and many well-groomed dogs.
We are still doing our arithmetic and will know soon how much has been raised for our good causes, which we will advise in due course.
Once again thank you everyone for your support. Our current plan is for the next Fete On The Green to be held in 2026 and in the meantime we may organise something a little more ‘local’ for 2025. So please watch this space!
Mark
local happenings
Warwick Morris OBE
To many of us Warwick Morris is known for his many years of dedication to various voluntary endeavours in Langton Green, including the organisation of the Village Fete bric-a-brac stall! I thought you might like to know a little bit more about him, writes Nicci Levy, who asked Warwick to tell us more in his own words.
To my great surprise I was appointed OBE (O cer of the Order of the British Empire) in the Honours List published on the occasion of HM The King's Birthday back in June 2023. The citation read: ' for services to UK relations with Vietnam and the Republic of Korea.' I was presented with the award by HRH the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on 4 June this year. Pam and our three children accompanied me for what was a highly enjoyable and memorable day.
By way of background, I was a member of the UK's Diplomatic Service for nearly forty years, from 1969 to 2008. As well as working in the Foreign and Commonwealth O ce (FCO) in London, I served in various roles at our embassies overseas: in Paris, Mexico City, Hanoi and Seoul (three times), and at our High Commission in New Delhi. As a Korean-speaker, I served three times in Seoul for a total of thirteen years, and our first two children were born there in the 1970s.
My final postings were as the UK's Ambassador to Vietnam (20002003) and then to the Republic of Korea/South Korea (2003-2008.)
In the past fifteen years I have continued to be involved, mainly on a voluntary basis, in various UK-Vietnam and UK-Korea activities. These have included speaking at seminars, commenting on TV and radio, chairing the British Korean Society for seven years, and co-founding in 2013 and later chairing the Vietnam-UK Network; both these nongovernmental organisations work to encourage and develop the UK's links across the board with these increasingly important East Asian economies.
Pam, who was also working for the FCO when we met, accompanied me on all my overseas postings, providing tremendous support throughout, especially during my two final postings. She was awarded an MBE in 2007 for her voluntary and charitable work in
India, Vietnam and Korea. Langton Green has been our base since 1988. After spending some 25 years living abroad, we were ready to return home in 2008, and have no plans to change that!
Enjoying South East Open Studios
June saw the return of South East Open Studios across the region, and it was lovely to visit the studios in Langton Green.
This year I was keen to take a look at the home studio of Rebecca Ritchie, where she was exhibiting her paintings alongside local artists Libbi Gooch and Nigel Wade, as well as featuring sculptors Gill Brown, Gavin Roweth and Debbie McCall in her garden at The Clock House at Ashurst Place. It was a peaceful and creative atmosphere, and lovely to chat to the artists Rebecca and Libbi in such a beautiful setting – if you get the chance to go next year I would recommend it.
Also opening his studio in Gibbets Langton Green in June was artist Keith Siddle, whose paintings from nature are vibrant and detailed.
You can find out more about the artists who exhibited at www.seos-art.org
Probate
school year!
Thank you so much to Langton Green Primary School for letting us be the proud sponsors of their summer fete, and well done to the Parent and Teacher Association for raising such valuable funds for future use at the school – we know how much hard work goes into these events!
We hope that all the children joining Reception this year have a great start and lots of luck to all of those returning for another school year!
Our local history comes to life
For many years, the earliest recorded history of the village appears to be centered around the possibility of a manor house belonging to Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent in the fourteenth century at The Hollands in Broom Lane. But recent finds suggest that there may well have been Saxon, Medieval or much earlier habitation here. And why not? The River Grom would have been a constant supply of fresh water (the remains of a medieval water mill have been found in the valley), there is fertile soil all around for crops and animal grazing, and two well documented historic routeways came up through the village from Groombridge and Adams Well after leaving the South Coast.
The fact that these important routeways are here confirms the Neolithic, Mesolithic and Bronze Age finds which have come to light in recent times. Whilst there are no signs of Roman habitation in Langton Green itself, finds have recently been uncovered in Speldhurst.
According to the Tunbridge Wells Museum Curator, these are the first Roman artefacts to appear in this parish in West Kent.
In recent months, an early medieval (Saxon) throwing axe, called a Francisca from the fifth to sixth century has been discovered in the village and has been sent away for verification by one of the ‘Digging for Britain’ experts. A small medieval knife has also been found. As has a seal from the twelfth to thirteenth century with the name ‘William’ (almost certainly not the Conqueror!)
So, an exciting picture is beginning to build. Archaeologist Nigel Stapple is leading the hunt along with help from Ed Langridge.
Warrior queen visits Langton Green
On Sunday 14th July the Tunbridge Wells Fringe welcomed DoDo Dramatics to Hollonds Farm fields in Langton Green with their play Boudicca, a family-friendly tale of bravery, community, and legacy. For fans of Horrible Histories, this funny musical play brought a crisisridden Iron Age Britannia to life in a story that could be enjoyed by young and old alike. The Roman Empire has invaded, and Britain’s
only hope is a formidable, fearsome Warrior Queen. Boudica sets out on a quest to unite the tribes of Britannia, rally up an army and defend the freedom of her kingdom.
Pictured is Langton Green Primary School pupil Imogen - who like Boudica is looking ready to be part of a revolution that will change history!
On 27th June the path from St Paul’s Church in Rusthall to The Beacon along the ridge of Happy Valley was reopened, after being resurfaced as an accessible route. The fundraising and project management was the combined e ort of John Barber and Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons. At the opening ceremony, John Barber thanked the Tunridge Wells Access Group, Greg Clark, Tunbridge Wells Health Improvement Team, Rev Ronnie and his church, and the Parish Council, as well as Kate Sander, who had the idea of making the path accessible for all originally. Lizzie Gripper was one of the people who cut the ribbon to formally open the path. “It has such an impact to be able to go back to a place that is so special to me and my family. No words can express the gratitude and joy I have - making the path accessible to mobility scooters and wheelchairs so that I can see the views of Happy Valley again has given me back a part of my life that I had lost.”
The fight for accessibility is by no means over, however. At the moment it is dangerous for people with mobility limitations and young children to cross the A264 to reach Happy Valley because of the speed of the tra c and the lack of a safe crossing. The path is therefore still o limits to many people who don’t have a car. For this reason there was a protest after the opening ceremony in support
Dog show glory
of the speed limit on this section of the A264 being reduced. If you woud like to sign the petition to support the speed reduction from 40mph to 30mph you can use the QR code to take you to the petition.
Twenty dogs and a tray of sausages with two teenagers and a nine-year old as judges. What could possibly go wrong?
The dog show at the Langton Green fete is a family favourite and an array of pets took part. We had Springer Spaniels wagging their tails as hard as they could, drooling Labradors with both eyes on the sausages and some lovely drooping ears. A couple of flu y puppies, some very well-behaved dogs with their junior handlers and a rescue miniature from China who won best-in-class. We even had an invisible dog whose owner won third prize for looking most like it! The winner of the dog that looks most like its owner was a cute spaniel and a little lad with a made-up face and spaniel ears. A chaotic but well-loved centre piece to the fete.
The ‘best in class’ winner’s owner, Emma, told us a little bit more about her dog Cynthia. “I rescued her from Silver Fox Dog Rescue in the UK in November last year. She came from Northern China from Saving Harbin Dogs, a wonderful charity that takes dogs from the most atrocious shocking situations, mainly from the dog meat trade. I support them as much as I can. Cynthia was found as a stray and loaded into a dog meat truck and rescued from that. She’s about two years old but no one really knows and she is supposedly a poodle! She's so sweet natured and funny…comical in fact!” Debbie Hargreaves
local happenings
Protecting our local river
I recently met local author Sarah Jane Butler, who is a member of the Ripple Project, a citizen science project run by the University of Sussex, who train local volunteers to use scientific techniques to monitor water health and biodiversity. Sarah has been testing the water quality of the river Grom, and took me on a site visit to a location on the Grom in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, where high levels of ammonia, suggestive of sewage pollution, had been found. “There’s such a dissonance here,” she told me at the site where the river
flows from the town towards the edge of Langton Green and Groombridge. “We’re in a wood, there’s the sound of water and birdsong - but also strong evidence that raw sewage flows into the river when there is a heavy rainfall and an inspection hatch bursts, and a smell of sewage.” The Grom flows through some of our most picturesque villages and the High Weald AONB but its ecology and water quality are seriously degraded before it leaves Tunbridge Wells, and Sarah tells me there are also problems further along its course at the sewage treatment works near Langton Green. The Grom is part of the history of Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding villages, and it is sad to think it is in such a polluted state because of under investment in infrastructure. In my role as Borough Councillor I have raised the issue with Southern Water and the council’s Landscape and Biodiversity O cer. It is to be hoped that there will soon be change that will allow a restoration of the ecology and biodiversity of rivers like the Grom. If you would like to find out more about the Ripple Project you can look at the website www.project-ripple-e ect.co.uk
Jayne Sharratt
Mothers’ Union trip to Chiddingstone Castle
On 9th July members of All Saints’ Church Mothers’ Union had a cream tea at Chiddingstone Castle. I asked their President, Penny Woodford, to tell me more about the group. “Mother’s Union is a well established group that meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 2.30 pm in the Church Hall. Sometimes speakers are invited or themes suggested. Sometimes members are happy chatting and sharing tea and biscuits. Every year there is an outing and at Christmas we meet for lunch, the last time at The Cha ord Arms. Our current project is collecting toiletries for a Women’s Refuge. New members are always welcome. You can Contact our President Penny Woodford on 01892 862562
Parker of the month
We were recently sent this example parking on Stonewall Park Road. As ever we include examples of poor parking in order to highlight the di culties they cause – in this case, the van has blocked the pavement which will cause problems for pedestrians, especially wheelchair users and parents of young children.
It’s worth remembering that it is possible to request parking enforcement o cers from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council visit locations where illegal parking is a regular occurrence on the council website.
Behind the scenes at the Fete on the Green
I have enjoyed attending Langton Green Fete over a number of years now and have always been aware of the sheer organisational feat and volunteer hours that must go into making it such a success – but until this year I had never glimpsed behind the scenes myself.
This year I decided to o er to help out on a stall, and I’m so glad I did. Despite post-election burn out catching up with me, not to mention some rain and wind, it was great to be part of a team running the toy stall. I was honestly amazed by the generosity of local residents in the sheer number and quality of puzzles, games, toys, crafts and dressing up clothes that had been donated. Alongside Jane, Claire, Alison, and Becca, we raised lots of money for the Langton Green Village Society and also made sure lots of no longer needed toys found new homes – I think that’s a win-win!
My daughter came to the fete with me, but I didn’t need to worry about her getting bored while I was busy. At the suggestion of Polly Taylor from the Pickering Cancer stall she was put to work helping out in the tea and cake tent run by Emma Howden from the Langton Pavilion Café, which she loved. Later she painted with Louise Dean on her art stall and then made new friends with some other children; by the end of the day it was di cult to persuade her to leave the field!
Happily, there were enough volunteers on the toy stall for me to be able to take breaks – which gave me chance to go and chat to the stall holders and take their photographs. Entertainment in the arena was non-stop, with honorary mention for the tug of war, while the BBQ and Bar were both busy keeping everyone refreshed.
It was good to chat to Amy and Debbie at the Tunbridge Wells Fringe stall. The Tunbridge Wells Fringe has been going for a few years and gets better all the time – thanks to Debbie and James Hargreaves they have had a dedicated theatre space this year in the fields at Hollonds Farm opposite All Saints’ Church in Langton Green. They were drumming up trade for the production of Boudicca that took place on 14th July.
The coconut shy was a popular attraction all day, with many fete goers trying their luck. It was also great to catch up with the Thrive team, the RNLI fundraisers Jan and Kate who live locally, the Benhall Forge Honey team with their bees, Ziggy’s Plant stall and the Langton Green Car Club. The weather was showery all day, and an England match scheduled for 5pm in the afternoon undoubtedly lured some away later in the afternoon, but despite the challenges the verdict was that the fete was, as ever, a huge success. Bringing the community together is always worthwhile, and huge credit needs to be given to Nicci Levy and Mark Gamble for their exemplary organisation and hard work, alongside all the other volunteers who made the Fete on the Green such a beautiful experience. If any resident reading this thinks they would like to get involved in future fetes, I would give you every encouragement.
Jayne Sharratt
local happenings
We
Nola and Lesley on the book stall
Tasked with organising the Fete On The Green book stall, we did not realise how far our homes and garages would turn into bookshops and for how long, not just books but DVDs and CDs and computer games and vinyl too. We were not warned that we would be developing muscles we did not know we had and ingesting a fair amount of dust from those long-ago shelves in your homes! Added to which we checked every item for appropriateness to sell which included going through every donated item to separate the empty DVD and CD cases from those that held the correct (or incorrect) disc!
Happily it all fell into place on the day, and in spite of the intermittent rain, we had so many delighted customers, especially the children. A young boy from Ukraine arrived just as items were reduced, and left arms full, with a happy grin on his face. Also remembering the generous customers who refused to take their change. Work has carried on after the fete and we continue to scan and sell leftover items online which will make a significant addition to the money raised on the day.
We would like to say a big thank you to members of the Sole Sisters Walking Group and other local friends and neighbours (Liz and Lynn) who helped to sell on the day, as well as with transport. Thank you too to everyone who donated items. We clearly have a community of bookworms! Lastly we would like to give a big shout out for Teppa Books in Tonbridge, run by the SWORDE Teppa charity, who have taken the surplus to raise money.
John from the Fete Commi ee
Every year stallholders provide such variety and are an important part of the Langton Green Fete. After months of planning and organisation, the British summer weather decided to give the volunteers, and stallholders,an extra challenge on the Saturday morning of the Fete.
Rain and sunshine, I guess, were to be expected given the track record of this year’s summer so far, but strong gusting winds caused a few alterations to our plan. Some gazebos that had been set up the day before, and some on Saturday morning, decided they would like to act like a kite, so needed to be replaced and tied down. They also provided a welcome shelter from the rain at times. There were also a few stallholder cancellations in the morning itself, but I’d like to thank all thirty of those who did join and helped to make the Fete such a success and more importantly a lot of fun for everyone.
The Overseer of Collections
Emperor Gamble announced Fete On The Green should be held on Saturday 6 July 2024 and decreed house-to-house collections of toys,
Volunteer stories from Fete on the Green
asked some of the people who made the village fete happen to tell us a bit more about what goes into making it a success.
games, books and bric-a-brac should be carried out for the benefit of the villagers. Some of Emperor Gamble’s generals from past fete campaigns questioned the Emperor’s sanity. However, he was not to be deterred and he set about gathering and hatching a cunning plan to collect the spoils from villagers to sell on to their neighbours.
An Overseer of Collections was appointed, a post with no power, but lots of opportunity, to sort through an abundance of toys, a plethora of books, nostalgic vinyl, copious bottles of grog, and even the odd broken beyond repair item, so kindly donated by the villagers. Emperor Gamble declared a stronghold was required to safely store the villagers’ o erings and granted the Danemore Dwelling the privilege of acting as a storage facility. He proceeded to gather an army of collectors, he recruited solid and reliable soldiers such as Emma and Natalie, Jeremy, John and Sue, veterans from past collections. He then galvanised collectors from the Langton men’s walking group including Neil and Alistair, mercenaries from Rusthall as well as those who had no idea what they were getting themselves into.
The first scouting party of collectors led by Adrian and Phil were gently marshalled by Adrian’s daughter Anna, who allowed them to think they were in control. From this foundation Emperor Gamble’s collection army gathered momentum. They fought the wind, rain and blistering heat to collect from Newlands, Dornden, The Ridge and as far afield as Leggs Lane. Collectors who thought they could escape conscription by fleeing abroad, were caught by the Overseer of Collections when they crossed back across the borders of Langton. Emperor Gamble’s collectors went house to house night and day, weekends and evenings in search of our unwanted, pre-loved stu .
Emperor Gamble had one final masterstroke to play in his campaign to extract household items from the villagers of Langton. He generously allowed Nola, Dave, Lesley and James to volunteer to sort the books, under the impression they were to be a small cog in the scheme of things. They nearly caved under the sheer volume of items gathered, however, this trusty band of collectors held strong against great odds, with some rearguard action to ensure an amazing book stall at the fete.
The 2024 collections was a successful campaign with our toy, books, Bric-a-Brac and bottle stalls all brimming with fabulous items. The work of the Overseer of Collections is now done and they extend a Well Done and Thank You to all the house to house collectors for their e orts and hard work.
local council
NEWS from Speldhurst Parish Council
STILE OVER SUBSTANCE – AN UPDATE ON FOOTPATHS
With over fifty public rights-of-way (PROW) in the parish, there is always lots to do to keep footpaths and bridleways in good order, and one of the most common reports we receive from walkers is about damaged stiles. With steps broken o and increasingly wobbly posts these are no longer substantial or safe enough to climb over.
Some of you will remember that we used to have a volunteer group of self-named Grumpy Old Men, who repaired these stiles for us. A challenge we now face in actioning repair work though, is that parish council volunteers have been told they can no longer do repairs because we would be liable if a walker hurt themselves on a stile or gate we had fixed. In fact, Kent County Council (KCC) has advised that stiles, gates and fallen trees are the responsibility of landowners to repair while surface erosion, excessive overgrowth, and bridges are their (KCC's) responsibility. So, when we receive a report, we have to send it in the right direction and if it’s for a damaged stile, gate, or tree, it can be time-consuming to find contact details and get in touch with the relevant landowner to request that they make repairs.
Currently, there is an o er from KCC on self-closing metal gates, which are intended to replace the old stiles. While not as attractive as traditional stiles, self-closing metal gates are accessible, easy to maintain, and work well in fields where animals are kept and some landowners in the parish have already had them installed. We always ask landowners if they are interested in a gate, and if they are, KCC checks the site is viable before supplying the gate.
We have noted the frustration from some of you on social media about how long it takes to do a repair and have now updated the information on our website explaining that there can be delays as there are often several stakeholders involved in getting the work done (although we always try to act if there is an emergency).
Finally, an appeal on behalf of all landowners. We receive increasingly frequent reports about vandalised stiles, gates and trees, livestock being bothered by dogs and humans alike, and excessive littering. So, let's please all use public footpaths respectfully and not make more work.
FIND OUT ABOUT LOCAL ROAD CLOSURES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN
The school holidays mean an inevitable increase in road works and closures in the parish. We try to share significant road closures on our website, but if you want to plan ahead, the best way to get updates is through https://one.network. You can create an account with one.network to find out about all current and planned roadworks in your area.
COUNCILLOR NEWS
We co-opted Langton Green resident Jade Dickens to the role of parish councillor in May. She has lived in Langton Green with her family for over 7 years and has two children aged 12 and 14.
Jade's career in bid management has been spent in the construction and energy sectors, giving her an excellent understanding of the key drivers and challenges in the world of development, planning, and environmental management.
clerk@speldhurstparishcouncil.gov.uk
We will be able to put this knowledge to good use as Jade has joined the Planning Committee and the Environment Working Group and has already provided sound advice on our planned purchase of Speldhurst Chapel.
www.speldhurstparishcouncil.gov.uk
Jade's approach to being a parish councillor is to listen and take a balanced viewpoint of all stakeholders to help find collaborative and progressive solutions that will benefit all in our community. We are so glad she has joined us and would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining her and our other councillors in the democratic decision-making that a ects life in the parish villages of Ashurst, Langton Green, Old Groombridge and Speldhurst.
Parish councillors attend meetings to discuss and vote on a range of parish matters, from environment to amenities, highways, planning, and more. They can also get hands-on if they want to, with practical work such as volunteering with community speedwatch.
And just as this involvement is invaluable for the parish, our councillors find it hugely rewarding too. For some, it has made their CV stand out, for others, it provides the opportunity to get to know other residents in a friendly and inclusive environment. Finally, although the role isn't voluntary work in the strictest sense, the feeling of satisfaction is the same.
While our councillors come from all sorts of backgrounds, they are united by their commitment to improving quality of life in Speldhurst parish. If this is a commitment you share, do get in touch with our Clerk, Katie Neve, to find out more about what the role involves. Applicants can expect to attend an informal interview with up to three of our councillors and the successful candidate will be co-opted as a parish councillor for the rest of the term.
PUBLIC MEETINGS – EVERYONE WELCOME
Full Council: 7.30 pm, Monday 5th August, Langton Green Village Hall
Full Council: 7.30 pm, Monday 2nd September, Speldhurst Village Hall
THE COUNCIL OFFICE AND HOW TO CONTACT US
If you’d like to contact the parish council, call the Clerk, Katie Neve on 01892 862927/07760 769513 or email clerk@speldhurstparishcouncil.gov.uk
For helpful information about Speldhurst Parish Council, and to sign up for news alerts, visit www.speldhurstparishcouncil.gov.uk or follow us on Facebook as ‘Speldhurst Parish Council’.
Speldhurst parish covers the villages of Ashurst, Langton Green, Old Groombridge and Speldhurst. The Councillors representing these villages are:
Paul Curry (Chair); Katrina Lyle (Vice-Chair); Hugh Cleaver; Caroline Davies; Jade Dickens; Richard Ellery; Rebecca Leach; Ian Muress; Simon Norton; Alan Rowe; Domenico Tarricone; John Turner
Our village hall needs youcould you
Where were you on 4th July? Many of you were perhaps voting in the General Election at some point that day – and most likely at the Langton Green Village Hall. “So what,” you might say, but have you ever stopped to think about who owns the hall, who runs it, what else happens there and what does the future hold for it?
We are very lucky in Langton Green to have a modern village hall, but how did this come about? Back in 1892 Miss Mary Watson provided the land for the original village hall opposite the Green, for the benefit of the local people of the village.
The hall’s original objectives included "providing and maintaining a Village Hall for use by the inhabitants of the area without political, religious or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures, classes and other forms of recreation and leisure time occupation." This thinking was arguably ahead of its time and certainly these words have stood the test of time rather well, albeit that the good folk who got things rolling back in Queen Victoria’s day probably didn’t anticipate it hosting Jive Dancing, Pilates, Tai Chi, Yoga, Ballet, Badminton or Karate!
One observer once said that the original building, known as the Watson Hall, felt like something out of Dad’s Army: quaint, perhaps a little shabby and having seen much better days. Fortunately for all of us, a group of local residents saw the need to act. They recognised the need for a bigger, modern hall and at the same time the potential value of the old site for new housing. So, supported by TWBC and Speldhurst Parish Council, they devised a plan which involved selling the land and using the resulting funds to contribute a substantial part of the money required for a new building on the present site. It was opened in 2007 and then extended to include additional facilities and the Parish Council o ces in 2011.
Owned and run by The Langton Green Village Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), the building is administered by a small number of voluntary, local trustees. We are involved in overseeing the hall and interacting with hirers, supported by excellent part time hall and bookings managers. We have been able to keep the hall financially self-su cient, funded by hire fees from regular and casual hirers, including the very popular children’s nursery. This allows us to maintain the hall to a high standard and upgrade the facilities as appropriate.
Conscious of the need to future-proof the hall where possible, we are currently investigating the installation of solar panels on the roof of the building which, with Tesla energy storage batteries, would minimise the impact of continuing uncertainties regarding energy pricing on the charity. In a similar vein, we are conscious that the demographic of our present group of trustees needs greater diversity, which reflects the balance in our local community. If you would be
interested in helping to support something which contributes to the overall community well-being as a member of the management team, we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you about the role of a trustee at The Langton Green Village Hall CIO. It only requires a few hours each month. Please do send us an email and we would be happy to provide you with more information about becoming a trustee. Thank you so much.
Stuart Smith, Chair of the Trustees. secretary@langtongreenvillagehall.org.uk
Subbuteo World Cup
Dreams were not quite realised for England in the Euros this summer, but anyone interested in Subbuteo and its connection to Langton Green, will be looking forward to September when Tunbridge Wells will host the Subbuteo World Cup. Taking place between Friday 20th September and Sunday 22nd September, there
Langton Life
will be fringe events running alongside the matches. There will also be exhibitions showing the history of the game in Tunbridge Wells and surrounding villages at The Amelia. If you would like to find out more look at the website www.englishsubbuteoassociation.com/world-cup-2024
local church
News from All Saints’ Church
The summer holidays season is upon us. While we take a break from many regular activities and work it also give us time to reflect on what we are doing and what we might want to do. July saw all the usual school sports days, end of term and transition from one school to another for many young people.
Summer is full of big sporting events worldwide too. Occasions to bring people together and share experiences. We have just had a beautiful wedding in church and the following day the joy of a christening. Times full of hope and love and sharing. Langton Green also had a fabulous fete which involved so many massively hardworking people who come together for the good of the community.
At All Saints’ we also have lots to look forward to. An advertisement has now been written, to go in the Church Times and other places to advertise for our new priest in charge, working with our fellow churches in our multi parish benifice. In early autumn we will be holding the process of interviewing prospective new incumbents, so we are very definitely moving in the right direction.
Children seem to be enjoying our new Children’s Corner in church which is very encouraging. As September rolls round do remember that you can come and talk to either Emma Stevens or me, Sally-Anne about secondary school entry for Bennett Memorial or St Greg’s (There is more information on our website too.)
September will see the return of Chocolate Church and Children’s Chapel following our summer break. Afternoon Tea and Mother’s Union, Little Saints etc will all return and more information can be found on the website or the newsletter we send out each month by email, you can subscribe to this via our website.
Abby Page and Charlotte Edwards are holding three lovely concerts for our community to enjoy. The first by the time of print will have been held and I am sure will have been very enjoyable, the date of the second is 17th August – The Art of Song and the third is 10th September – The Best of Purcell, all start at 7pm in All Saints’ Church, do come and join us if you can, they are free to enter.
Enjoy your summer and should you wish to find a quiet haven from the hussle and bustle of life remember that church is open every day for those who wish to wander in the peace and quiet or to use it for private prayer.
Sally-Anne Gathern – Church Warden
How yoga can change your life
I have been attending a fabulous yoga class for about five years now and I thought I would share a little with you about Anna Schluep, my yoga teacher.
Anna explained to me how she found yoga in her early twenties and fell in love with the practice, always dreaming one day she would leave her corporate job and pursue becoming a yoga teacher. About nine years ago, su ering from exhaustion after working a busy job that she had fallen out of love with, and juggling this with a young family who she missed when she was apart from, she knew something had to change. She described feeling ‘out of balance and unwell’. Anna started to practice yoga regularly, more out of necessity than anything and this helped her to destress and feel calm.
can breath, you can
Regular practice of yoga has been life changing for Anna and she described, how rewarding it is to see how it positively benefits her students. Not only does it help on a physical level to build flexibility, strength, improve mobility and balance. It can also have a multitude of benefits for our mental health, and these seem to be the reasons that keep students coming back to class. For example, relieving stress, reducing anxiety, improving sleep and generally feeling calmer and more at ease. Anna has also noted how the groups she teaches seem to benefit from the social aspect of meeting and forming friendships and told me, ‘This is so lovely to see’.
A year later Anna took the plunge, left her corporate job and started training with Yoga London, obtaining her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Qualification. Anna has been teaching privately and group classes ever since and she says, ‘I haven't looked back!’ Anna is also an accredited life and health coach and is passionate about a holistic approach to wellbeing.
Anna explained to me that through yoga her body is stronger, more flexible and ache free. Not only that but her mind is happier and more at peace. It has given her the ability to slow down and just be, ‘Yoga has changed me for the better’. Anna is passionate about spreading some of the joy of this amazing practice to others and says, ‘The only way to experience it is to give it a go!’ In the words of Krishnamacharya, ‘If you
When I asked about how more men could be encouraged to join yoga classes, bearing in mind our current class is all women, Anna emphasised how yoga really is for everyone, and it is a real passion of hers to make it accessible for all. No matter your body type or fitness level there are modifications for everyone. Anna notes that in the West, yoga has predominantly been targeted at women through social media channels. This often leaves men reticent to join yoga classes, which is such a shame as the benefits are for everyone.
We are starting to see this perception change, as we see more professional male athletes doing yoga. As more men start to give yoga a go, we will see a shift and it’s just getting them through the door first!
If you would like to know more about Anna’s classes, contact her via email annaschluep@me.com
Langton Green Village Hall
You
langtongreenvillagehall@outlook.com
471147
HENRY PAUL FUNERALS
Allotment Society
Simon Heller 077112 24053
Brownies
Sally-Ann Gathern 822261
Church (admin)
Sally-Ann Gathern 822261
Emma Stevens 861213
Church Hall Bookings
Jacqui Avery jacqui.avery@btinternet.com
Friends of All Saints' Church
Jenny Greenaway 01342 850727
Hospice Link / Langton Ladybirds
Daphne Streeter 863753
Langton Green Cricket Club
James Marples 07966 131471 langtongreencc@gmail.com www.langtongreen.play-cricket.com/home
Langton Green Allotments
Chris Pullen 07931 311925
Langton Green Car Club
Ed Langridge 862006
edlangridge@yahoo.co.uk
Langton Life Editor
Jayne Sharratt 07532 339434
Langton Life Distribution
John Preston 07964 897049
Little Saints Parent and Toddler Group, All Saints’ Church Hall
Cordelia.nevill@gmail.com
Mothers’ Union
Penny Woodford 862562
Netball
Laura Kerr-Sheppard 07718 333813
Nursery School
Nikki Lanchester 01892 862943
Parish Clerk
Katie Neve 862927
clerk@speldhurstparishcouncil.gov.uk PCSO
www.mycommunityvoicekent.co.uk/ Rainbows
Sunday School
Sally-Ann Gathern 822261
Village Hall Bookings
Adrian Moss www.langtongreenvillagehall.org.uk LGV committee
langtonfete@gmail.com
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