In pictures: Xmas Craft Fair

Saturday 8th December saw another successful Kentish Craft Fair. This time at the Plaza Suite at the STAG.

Organiser Helen Cook said she was very happy with the turnout and the venue.

Here are a few pictures of the event. More are available on our Facebook page.

Click here for more photos »

Kate Bush Guitarist plays the Padwell

Guitarist Brian Bath, formerly with Kate Bush, and his band The Life of Brian Band are due to play at the Padwell pub in Stone Street on Friday December 21st at 8:30pm.

They say they will be 'performing numbers from a wide range of musical styles and genres by artists such as Adele to ZZ Top! including The Beatles, The Kinks,  The Police, The Pretenders, Anastasia, KT Tunstall, Amy Winehouse, Kings of Leon, Sheryl Crow & lots lots more.'

Brian has also played with Peter Gabriel, Roy Harper and Albert Lee.

Life of Brian Band website: http://www.thelifeofbrianband.com
Padwell website: www.thepadwell.com

Rockdale Christmas Concert with Second Wind

On Saturday 15th of December Rockdale Housing Association will be holding their Christmas Concert at the Pamoja Hall at Sevenoaks School. From 6:30 to 8:30pm.

There will be music from the Second Wind Concert Band along with Poems and Prose and the chance to join in with a few of your favourite Christmas Carols.

There will be mulled wine and mince pies served after the concert.

Tickets are £15 and include a glass of wine and a mince pie.

Further information is available from the Fundraising Department at Rockdale on 01732 458762 or via email at fundraising@rockdale.org.uk.

Christmas Kentish Craft Fair, Saturday at the STAG

The Plaza Suite at the STAG plays host to the Christmas Kentish Craft Fair on Saturday 8th December. From 10am to 2:30pm.

Described as '27 stalls of Kentish Crafts and delicacies, crafts for kids, face painting, teas and cakes and a pop up photo portrait studio. It is going to be a real party!' and, based on the previous Kentish Craft Fairs, it should be well worth going to.

Get local produce, crafts and gifts direct from local suppliers and crafters. If you're looking for a good way to support your local economy this Christmas then this is definitely a good place to start!

STAG: London Road Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1ZZ

Contact Kentish Craft Fairs:

Website: http://www.kentishcraftsfairs.co.uk/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kentish-Crafts-Fairs/296071640487085
Twitter: @KentishCrafts

Sevenoaks Christmas Lights Switch-on

2013 Christmas Light Switch On Info Here »

The Sevenoaks Christmas Lights will be turned on by the cast of the pantomime Aladdin and the Mayor on Friday 30th November 2012 at 7pm.

The turn on will take place on the main stage outside Tesco's in the High Street. The cast of Aladdin includes Shane Lynch from Boyzone.

The High Street will be closed from 5.30pm until 9pm which is likely to cause rush hour traffic problems, based on previous years.

The event has been arranged by Sevenoaks Town Council, The STAG Community Arts Centre and Sevenoaks Chamber of Commerce.

There is free parking provided by Sevenoaks District Council and Sencio Leisure Centre.

Attractions will include community carols, late night shopping, street entertainments, food and drink, fairground rides and Christmas stalls.

'Father Christmas' will be at Specsavers from 6pm - 8pm but the press release doesn't say whether he is their to meet children or get his eyes tested!

Sevenoaks Area Mind will also have their Mulled Wine and Mince Pie stall.

PUP (Pop-Up-Play) Cafe will be opening its doors in December

The play café will 'pop up' most often between 9.30 and 3.30 Mon-Thurs in the Plaza Suite of the Stag Community Arts Centre in Sevenoaks, providing a welcoming environment for parents and carers of pre-school children.

Due to its flexible ethos, PUP will also pop up on some Saturdays and at other times, and visitors can keep up-to-date with opening arrangements via its website, mailing list, dedicated phone line or social media pages on Twitter and Facebook. 

The children will revel in the fabulous range of ROSPA-approved climbing and soft play equipment. There will be a dedicated sensory area for babies, and a driving area for would-be Lewis Hamiltons. For those children who fancy a little bit of piece and quiet, the home corner is the place to find books, toys and colouring-in.

For parents and carers, PUP will offer a welcome opportunity to sit back, relax and maybe even enjoy a conversation! The menu has been carefully crafted to offer a mix of coffees, teas, cakes and treats, as well as healthy, well-balanced meals for adults and children alike. Wherever possible we are sourcing from local producers, particularly mumpreneurs.

PUP parties will also be available - contact us via the website for details.

PUP's aim is to be a haven for parents and children alike. We actively welcome breastfeeding mums, and there are comfortable baby-changing facilities. The ideal central location in the Plaza suite means that we hope popping into PUP will soon be part of your weekly routine.

We hope to employ local mums to help us run the café, as finding flexible work that fits around family time was one of the main drivers behind PUP's creation.

For more information, please visit www.pupcafe.co.uk

Borough Green Christmas Lights Festival 2012

2013 Christmas Light Switch On details here »

On Saturday November 24th Borough Green will be holding their annual Christmas Lights Festival.

The switch on will take place at 2pm and there will be stalls, food and entertainment available.

The High Street will be closed from 12 noon until 6:30 pm. As a result there will be a slight change to bus schedules for the afternoon. Please see: http://www.arrivabus.co.uk/borough-green-christmas-lights-2012/ for more details.

Ann Barnes Elected Police and Crime Commissioner

Independent candidate Ann Barnes has won the first Kent Police and Crime Commissioner election.

The results can be seen here on the returning officer's website: http://www.kentparo.org.uk/results.aspx

Overall the turnout was only 16.3% but Ann Barnes clearly won in all voting districts and had more than 40,000 more votes than the second place candidate Craig Mackinlay.

Barnes also had more than double the second preference votes of Mackinlay so they made no change to the overall result.

The government has declared that despite the low turnout nationally these result will stand.

Police Commissioner Elections Tomorrow

Thursday 15th November brings the first Police and Crime Commissioner Elections to Kent and 40 other Police Force areas around England and Wales.

The Commissioner's role includes: meeting the public to get their views on policing, allocating the police budget, appointing and dismissing Chief Constables and setting local police priorities.

The Kent candidates are:

• Ann Barnes - Independent
• Dai Liyange - Independent
• Craig Mackinlay - Conservative Party
• Steve Uncles - English Democrats
• Piers Wauchope - UK Independence Party
• Harriet Bronwen Yeo - Labour Party 

The Liberal Democrats are choosing not to field any candidates for these elections as they don't agree with the idea of elected commissioners and campaigned against it.

More information about the candidates can be found at: http://www.choosemypcc.org.uk/candidates/area/kent

More information about voting can be found at: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Polling Stations and other info can be found on the Returning Officer's website: http://www.kentparo.org.uk/ and on the Sevenoaks District Council website: http://www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/council_democracy__local_services/elections_and_voting/4652.asp

Add your Club, Society or Association to the directory

Press Release

Local Sevenoaks Directory 247oaks is looking to expand its number of listings for local Clubs, Societies, Associations and Groups.

This includes all non-commercial groups from sports teams and clubs through to knitting circles and allotment associations.

Get your Free Listing »

Listings are free and allow you to publish the name of your group, a short description/tagline and any of the following forms of contact information that you would like to make available to the general public: phone number, fax number, address, website and email address.

247oaks is committed to supporting the local community so if you have any problems with the site, have any suggestions or would like our assistance in any way please feel free to contact us: info@247oaks.co.uk.


Website: http://www.247oaks.co.uk
Twitter: @247oaks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/247oaks

Bonfire and Fireworks Spectacular

See here for details about 2013 Fireworks Events in Sevenoaks

On Saturday 3rd November Hildenborough Scouts are holding their Bonfire and Fireworks Spectacular.

Location: Recreation Ground Riding Lane - Hildenborough

Time: Gates open at 6:30pm - Fire fireworks at 8pm

Tickets in advance:

• Adult: £6
• Child: £5
• Family (2 adults and 3 children): £20

Available from Hildenborough One Stop and Thompson's Pharmacy.

Tickets on the night:

• Adult: £7
• Child: £6

Event includes: Bar, Music, BBQ, Hog Roast, Fun and Games

Petition Against Parking Charges

Sevenoaks Liberal Democrats have begun a campaign to get Sevenoaks District Council to abandon plans to increase the cost of parking in Sevenoaks Town from 2013.

Sevenoaks residents can sign up on the Sevenoaks Liberal Democrat Website.

Parking has been a hot button issue in Sevenoaks over the last few years, with regular price rises being brought in by the Council.

Many residents, traders and shop keepers have complained that the cost of parking is off-putting to potential shoppers and is contributing to the decline of the High Street.

The Council claims that parking charges are an essential revenue making exercise for them and without increases they would be unable to pay for essential services.

It would seem that if visitor numbers are decreasing then increasing the parking charges to make up the shortfall in revenue can only work up to a point.

Previous attempts to get the District Council to debate the issue fully have been ignored despite campaigners achieving the requisite number of signatures.

Sevenoaks Liberal Democrats
http://www.sevenoakslibdems.org.uk

Do you have a Facebook page?

If your business, club, group or any Sevenoaks related entity has a Facebook page why not tell us (and everyone else) about it?!

Put the name and a link to your page in the comments below this post.

You can find the Sevenoaks News Wire Facebook Page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sevenoaks-News-Wire/484554471561731
So come along and say hello. All of our stories are automatically added to Facebook so you can keep up to date with them there, as well as on Twitter and this website.

We look forward to hearing from you all!

English Correction is not just for foreigners!

UKcopy, the Proof Reading and English Correction service based in Sevenoaks, is most often kept busy correcting documents from abroad that have been translated into English. All over the planet everyone from academics to Internet marketers is using English to communicate in this modern interconnected world. This provides plenty of fodder for the people at UKcopy.

"We get some really interesting stuff." says Rob, "It varies from excellent grammar with just a few mistakes to the barely intelligible. We get a lot of websites that have been translated using an online service that make no sense at all!".

However, there seems to also be a new trend. More and more native English speakers from the UK are coming to them to correct official documents or letters that need to be sent to Government agencies and corporations.

"Often these are people with difficulties reading and writing. They may have dyslexia or sometimes they left school early to get a job or missed out on a lot of their education due to illness or delinquency." Rob explained. "What they all have in common in that they know they are more likely to be taken seriously if their English is up to scratch."

It seems that many of the British people contacting UKcopy have had bad experiences where letters or emails have been ignored or they have treated as though they don't deserve assistance because they find writing difficult.

"There is a tendency for people to equate linguistic ability with intelligence and with written communication they don't have a lot more to go on. As a result they are more likely to dismiss something written in simple broken English while taking something well written more serious than perhaps they should. Big words don't necessarily mean you know what your talking about!"

So, it would seem, that while dyslexia and other learning difficulties are appreciated and taken into account in schools these days there are still many adults suffering from discrimination due their poor English skills.

If your reading and writing level causes you difficulties or you have been the victim of discrimination why not tell us about it in the comments below?

UKcopy can be contacted via their website: www.ukcopy.co.uk
or on Twitter: @UKcopy

Part Time Work For Professionals

A new Tonbridge recruitment agency is focusing on getting qualified professional people back to the part-time work place after a career break.

A section of the workforce which is often over-looked is being promoted by the new Kent based firm, Juno People (www.junopeople.com).

There are a myriad of reasons why men and women want to work part-time and there are roughly 5 million of us choosing to do so from all walks of life. City types, chief execs, directors, managers, accountants, IT wunderkind, these are the new breed of people abandoning the full-time job market.

"We think employers are now recognising that in these economic times a professional part-time member of staff can often be just what is required. There has been a sea-change in the way employers look at job-structure and what can be achieved part-time.

"Part-time staff members bring so many skill sets to the table such as great qualifications, professional experience, life skills and they put in the effort and commitment needed at a cost companies can afford" says Juno People's MD, Laura Mathias.

Born from her own professional experience and desire to re-address work/life balance, Laura hopes to bring the employers and candidates together offering a valuable service to the regional business community.

For additional information, contact Laura Mathias 07714 777851

Local Crafters Show their Wares

Saturday 28th July saw the first Kentish Craft Fair come to Riverhead.

Helen Cook is the mastermind behind Kentish Craft Fairs, she says: "The crafters and food producers are out there. What they need are markets and outlets to get their great items out to the public."

We asked her about her aims with the Fairs: "We run craft fairs with an ethos to promote and provide an outlet for handmade, artisan crafts and regional delicacies from independent or small producers from the county of Kent. We also want to make each fair into a genuinely enjoyable community event for all ages, that’s why we had free children’s games and activities at the first Riverhead Kentish Crafts Fair on Saturday. And it seemed to work because so many people said what a nice atmosphere it was and how relaxing and friendly."

Was it successful? "It was a great success! Especially as it was the very first one. We had around 33 stalls of crafts and food and it was a lovely sunny day which helped. A constant flow of visitors came all day right up til closing time at 4pm which was great."

With high street landlords struggling to rent their retail properties it would first appear that the current economic climate has put off many would be small business owners. However, the opposite seems to be true. There are plenty of small local businesses springing up and flourishing but they are choosing to use alternative methods to achieve their goals.

The success of events like the Kentish Craft Fairs also shows that the public want what these local producers have to offer and are willing to support them. Locally sourced goods not only support the local community and economy but are also friendlier to the environment as they travel shorter distances to market. This ticks a lot of boxes with those who dislike global big business.

Nevertheless, the question remains whether enough local people will go out of their way to find these products or whether the crafters will need to make them available in more prominent locations. Cost will be a strong factor in this equation. We shall continue to follow how things progress.

The next Kentish Crafts event will be:

Date: Sat October 20th 
Time: 10.30am to 3pm 
Location: St Mary's Church Hall and grounds, London Road, Riverhead Sevenoaks, TN13 3DR.

An indoor craft fair with stalls of fine crafts and gourmet foods plus an outdoor fresh foods and bakery harvest food fair, crafts and free activities for children and refreshments all day.

www.kentishcraftsfairs.co.uk
Kentish Crafts Fair on Facebook
Kentish Crafts Fairs on Twitter

Mumpreneurs Launch Online Boutique

Prep my baby 

Prep my baby launched in October 2011 by two Kent based 'mumpreneurs', Joanna and Liz, who are also sisters. The aim of this new online retail site is to provide consumers with stylish and functional mum, bump and baby products with a focus on all things Organic.

The original idea for setting up a new business came about due to one half of us leaving full time employment as a teacher to concentrate on family life. As is often the case with stay-at-home-mums, it soon became apparent that switching from a busy career to suddenly being at home all day became a challenge in itself; the little grey cells were dwindling fast! The other half of us continues to work part time in the City as a Marketing and Communications Executive but hopes to be able to leave this soon to concentrate full time on family and prepmybaby and so it was that we pooled our skills.

With 3 children between us we spent a large amount of  'free' time browsing web-based shopping sites at all hours of the day! Our last 2 children were born 2 days apart and so we spent time together in between feeding and naps researching products and the baby market. Our site is completely self-funded and we have built and designed the website ourselves which means we can make regular updates and keep it fresh.

Knowing that new skin is incredibly sensitive, we focused on organic products. Where possible we have therefore sourced organic clothing and skincare ranges, which are kind to the environment. Between us, our experience of pregnancy also demonstrated how sensitive mum-to-be skin can become; the award winning Organic Skincare range from Vital Touch is therefore perfect for expectant mums who enjoy being pampered.

Our largely Organic designer clothing ranges consist of rompers, babygrows, dresses, trousers, jackets, T-shirts, vests, socks, tights, bibs and shoes. These designer ranges such as Fozia, Organics for Kids and Green Eyed Monster have been carefully sourced in order to 'fit' the look and feel of prepmybaby. In addition to this we stock a range of accessories including teething necklaces, dummies, baby slings, activity mats and much more. Not forgetting the all important gift section; perfect for baby showers and new arrivals!

Our products have been sourced from UK based niche lines, which offer that something a little bit different and stylish than is usually found on the high street. With a price point aimed at mid to high range we feel our items are desirable for any new mum and family.

Our long-term vision for the company is for it to become a successful business which can be worked around family life.

"Prep my baby was born out of a desire to source stylish items that were that little bit different, maybe not what you would find on most high streets. Its also something which I hope enables me one day to be at home with my children but still have a career." (Joanna Hammond)

"Both having boys we felt the need to provide the baby market with items which are more than the classic 'blue for a boy, pink for a girl' and so our ranges are fun and bright and offer variety not always found on the high street." (Liz Seage)

 www.prepmybaby.co.uk
 All enquiries to Joanna Hammond and Liz Seage at info@prepmybaby.co.uk

Local Web Directory is Looking for Feedback

247oaks.co.uk - The local web directory for Sevenoaks is run for the benefit of local people, businesses, community groups, clubs, societies and council services.

They are looking for feedback from the local community about their website so that they can make it better and tailor it to the needs of local people.

So why not pop over to the 247oaks blog and tell them what you like and don't like about the service?

If you haven't used their directory to find something in Sevenoaks why not try it out now? Or you could add a listing for your business, service, community group or whatever you think people need to be able to find in Sevenoaks.

www.247oaks.co.uk - The Sevenoaks Directory

@247oaks - Twitter

247oaks on Facebook

Daytime Drinkers Leave Vine in a Mess

Yesterday's sunshine was a welcome relief to most after weeks of rain and an apparent absence of summer.

However, some of those who took the opportunity to enjoy the pleasant weather were not so concerned about how their actions would effect others.

In warm weather the Vine Cricket ground attracts many who come to sun bathe, play games or just sit and enjoy the pleasant surroundings. While most of those who visited yesterday left the ground as they found it there were a number who chose to leave their mark.

Alcohol bottles and cans were left strewn around in places while others even brought (and abandoned) barbecues. Neither of which are permitted on the Vine.

By the end of the day all of the many bins around the ground were filled to overflowing. It is not clear if these were empty and the beginning of the day or whether they had yet to be emptied from the Olympic Torch Parade festivities on Friday.

Fines for littering are hard and expensive to enforce, especially at a location like the Vine, so it falls to the general public to treat the ground with respect and the council to clean up after those who don't.

Publicise Yourself with FREE Press Release Publishing

Here at the Sevenoaks News Wire we exist to help you tell the whole of Sevenoaks about what you're up to.

Whether you're a business, an entertainer, a charity, an individual or any other local entity you can use us to spread the word.

Send us a Press Release about what you're up to and we'll publish it for FREE!

You can add pictures to your Press Release and you can add links to your website. This will also help with your rankings in search engine results. Why not add links to you Twitter, Facebook and other social networking accounts?

So, tell us about your new services, product launches, events, seasonal promotions and special offers. We're here to help Sevenoaks people and Sevenoaks businesses.

Council Denies Terror Planning

Daniel Whitmarsh, Communication and Consultation Manager for Sevenoaks District Council, has denied claims that council staff have been preparing to respond in the event of a terrorist attack on the Olympic Torch Relay on Friday.

He says:
"There is absolutely no truth in the story..." and "Tomorrow we will be stewarding the event and as a matter of course our staff and 200 volunteers will wearing high vis clothing."

While the council have sent two messages asking for the original article to be removed we do not believe in censorship but in open discussion of the facts.

We are not aware of any threat to Sevenoaks or the Olympic Torch Relay and have no reason to believe there is anything for people to worry about.


However, we received information from a reliable source so either planning for a potential terror threat was an element of preparations for Friday or staff were inadvertently lead to believe that it was.

Due to the secretive nature of any discussions about such threats the public are always the last to know and potential public panic is always used as an excuse to keep things secret. The problem with this is that it then becomes impossible for the public to trust the word of those in authority and even means their statements will be questioned even when they are telling the truth.

Regardsless, Sevenoaks Newswire will be attending the Olympic Torch Relay in Sevenoaks tomorrow.

District Council Prepared for Terrorist Attack

UPDATE: Council responds to this article

Workers at the Sevenoaks District Council offices in Argyle Road have been told not to book meetings or appointments for Friday 20th July when the Olympic Torch comes to Sevenoaks so that they can all be available in the event of a terrorist attack.

Staff have been issued with high visibility jackets to wear if an attack happens, presumably because they will be asked to direct members of the public away from the event or to medical help etc.

No information is available at this time as to whether an actual threat exists as no warnings have been passed on to either the public or organisations preparing to be present on the day. Whether the council has received any intelligence from counter terrorism forces or is just making prudent preparations also remains to be seen.

While Sevenoaks seems an unlikely target for terrorist action local MP Michael Fallon is in a very high ranking position within the Conservative Party and could, potentially, attract interest from terrorists. We have yet to receive confirmation of whether Michael Fallon will be attending the event.

Note: Sevenoaks Newswire has no information to indicate an attack is either likely or expected. If you have any concerns about this event please contact the relevant authorities for up to date information.

Olympic Torch Coming To Sevenoaks

Friday morning (20th July) will see the Olympic flame arrive in Sevenoaks via Borough Green and Seal.

It is due to arrive at the Vine Cricket ground, up Dartford Road, at about 11.30am.

There will be a ceremony organised by the Town Council and LOCOG which will include a celebrity guest who has yet to be named. Guests in other towns have included sporting stars, pop musicians and well known TV and radio presenters.

A number of local businesses will be providing food and refreshments on the Vine.

Cricket Everyday at the Vine

Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club is holding its annual Cricket Week this week on the Vine.

Weather permitting there will be cricket matches every day starting between 11.30am and 1pm. There are evening matches starting at 6pm on most days too.

The general public are fully welcome to come and watch all matches. Barbecue food will be available in the afternoons and the Vine Pavilion bar will be open all day.

A selection of real ales still remain from the Sevenoaks Lions Club Beer Festival at the weekend and will be available until they run out.

Muse Life Drawing Group

Practise your drawing skills with a friendly mix of amateur and professional artists. We meet every Tuesday evening in Knole Academy.

New members are always welcome at all levels of ability.

Visit http://mwportraits.co.uk/lifedrawing.htm for more information.

Youth Café Opens 4th July 2012

Sevenoaks Town Council and Sevenoaks Youth Council are pleased to announce that the long awaited Sevenoaks Youth Café opens next Wednesday and would like to invite you to the pre-opening event


Wednesday 4 July 2012
11am in the Plaza Suite Stag Community Arts Centre (TN13 1ZZ)
Guided tours for the Youth Café will be provided in groups

The Youth Café’s name was agreed following a period of consultation to be and will be open for 11-18 year olds, after school, weekends, and holidays. The venue is also available to hire when not in use as a Youth Café.

Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust (ICET) celebrated its tenth birthday with a special competition that had a first prize of £150,000.
The Sevenoaks team made their case for getting the top prize with obvious enthusiasm and commitment leaving the ICET Trustees in no doubt who should be the winners.

Sevenoaks Town Council and Sevenoaks Youth Council wish to publicly that the following organisations, without whose financial support the project would not have been possible:

Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust
HOUSE (Kent County Council)
Stag Community Arts Centre
Local Strategic Parnetship
Waitrose

CONTACT:
     Linda Larter MBE, Chief Executive/Town Clerk
     council@sevenoakstown.gov.uk
     01732 459953

Beer on the Vine 2012 - Beer Festival

Edit: These are the details for the 2012 Beer on the Vine Event
See Here for this year's event

On Friday 6th July (5pm - 10pm) and Saturday 7th July (11am - 10pm) the Lions Club of Sevenoaks will be holding their annual beer festival at the Vine cricket pavilion.

There will be over 25 beers and ciders. Food will also be available.

Entry is £4 (CAMRA members £2) includes Festival Tankard

Further info from Roger Hope 01732 810197

Home Insulation Grants

It seems that many people are still wary about home insulation, especially the offers of free or heavily discounted installation. However, it is a genuine opportunity, though people should be wary of 'door knockers' and telephone cold calls as there are some dishonest types operating scams out there.

If you want to be sure of getting insulation installed by a reputable, accredited installer, one able to offer the grant, please visit http://bit.ly/gov-grants - http://www.government-grants.co.uk/

The grants are not repayable, they're a grant, not a loan. At the moment, as the utility companies need to meet a deadline in reducing their carbon emissions, many more homeowners and private tenants than before will be eligible for free or at least heavily discounted insulation, from around £49. But this opportunity will not be around forever, once targets are met, it is likely to disappear.

Mini Video Recorder - perfect for busy Sevenoaks mums

Ever wonder how much attention the child minder gives your kids when you leave the house? Worried parents in Sevenoaks can now find out with the CATs-I mini video recorder which can be set up discreetly to provide peace of mind surveillance inside or outside the home. No installation is required and no on-going monitoring charges apply!

The size of a key fob, this miniature device is motion activated and records video and audio (day or night) using built-in infrared lights onto an integral mini SD card for viewing and storing on your PC. It comes fitted with a 4Gb SD card for 2-hours continuous recording and storage capacity. With a 32 GB SD card this can be extended to 40 hours.

A 10-day battery, USB cable and power adapter are included in the kit which retails at £82.50 plus vat available online www.cat-psl.com or Tel: +44 (0) 844 3267326

The CATs-I Mini Video Recorder is also ideal for monitoring staff, empty or vacant property and deliveries. It provides evidence of occurrences which in normal circumstances are hard to prove. Rogue traders, watch out!

Other products in the CATs-i range include a security system with SIM CARD camera & GPRS technology, a GSM wireless power switch which enables you to monitor and control your power socket by switching the socket on/off from anywhere in the world, and a 3G wireless modem / router for instant diverse and resilient network connection.

Advice and guidance on all security issues for home and office are available from:

CPS Ltd on Tel: +44 (0) 844 3267326.
www.cat-psl.com

Report Local Road Problems Online

Report, view, or discuss local problems on FixMyStreet.com

Issues like graffiti, fly tipping, broken paving slabs, or street lighting. Enter a nearby GB postcode, or street name and area. 


Force the council to act on problems and keep your community informed on issues.

web designers and developers wanted

Web Design and Development collective mjcpk is looking for a freelance web design, developer or general web/social/SEO person to collaborate with on a number of projects.

Ideally they would like someone who is local to Sevenoaks who would like to become a long time collaborator/partner.

It would suit someone new to professional web design or a solo freelancer who wants to team up now and then. Motivation and interest in the web is more important than experience but they need to have a willingness to learn new skills and keep up with the changes on the Internet.

Contact mjcpk for more information.

Twitter:      http://twitter.com/mjcpk
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/mjcpk.co.uk

News Wire Going From Strength to Strength

We've been running for only three weeks now but already we have had over 500 visits to the website, have nearly 200 Twitter followers and have published over 35 stories and 336 Tweets.

All in all we've very happy with the response so far and things keep getting better. We get a number of new Twitter followers daily and we're branching out on Facebook too.

Submit your News, Press Releases and Announcements

Remember that you can submit articles for publication for free. It can be about a business, community group or individuals. The only requirement be that it is relevant to people living and working in the Sevenoaks area. So Submit Your News Now!

Keep up to date

You can keep up with stories from the Sevenoaks News Wire either here on the website or you can

Follow Us on Twitter

Join Us On Facebook

Bar Manager Heads for Sunnier Climes

Sevenoaks Bar Manager and former Town Councillor Rob Dobson is preparing to leave his job at the Vine Club where he provides a bar for both the Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Club and the Sevenoaks Hockey Club.

He has been offered 'the job of a lifetime' as the Bar Manager of the Sandals resort in Antigua in the Caribbean. A job with great advancement potential and, not least, the chance to live in many people's dream holiday location.

Previously, former Sevenoaks School boy Rob has managed the Royal Oak Tap, was part of the management team at The Chequers and a relief manager at The Plough in Ivy Hatch. He is also currently the deputy Chairman of the Sevenoaks Liberal Democrats.

While he says he will miss Sevenoaks this is an opportunity he'd 'be a fool to turn down'.

Charity Cycle Event stops at Padwell

The Skyline London to Paris Charity Cycle Event will be stopping at The Padwell pub in Stone Street between 9.30 and 11.30 on Wednesday mornings throughout the summer.

It offers a chance for the cyclists to fill their water bottles and visit the toilet before continuing on their mammoth trek.

Riverhead Kentish Crafts Fair July 28

A new showcase for the finest Kentish crafts is being launched in Riverhead on Saturday July 28.

The First Riverhead Kentish Crafts Fair will feature quality contemporary crafts like stained glass, handmade greetings cards, fine woodturning, fused glassware, pictures and prints, handmade candles and soaps, handmade oak chairs for children, textiles and fabric homecrafts, fabric toys, pottery and ceramics and more.

To tease the palate there will be delicacies like handmade fudge and cupcakes, and even a stall of vodkas, infused with the flavours of hand-picked Kentish fruit, and homemade Limoncello.

The ambitious event at St Mary's church hall, Riverhead, which runs from 10.30am to 4pm, will also be a family fun day so parents can browse the craft market inside the hall while children are entertained outside. There will be an outdoor crafts fair for children in the church grounds next to the hall, with hands on crafts like clay painting and making greetings cards.

And a free programme of activities for children will run all day, put on by Gymboree, Musical Bumps and 7Oaks Multisports. There will also be face painting. Teas, cakes and refreshments will be available all day, with homemade cakes provided by Chipstead WI.

Stallholders will be coming from all across Kent, as well as nearer to home in Sevenoaks, Otford, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Bromley. There is no entry fee.

More quality craft fairs are being planned for the autumn as well as a shoppers' Christmas crafts fair.

St Mary's church hall, London Road, TN13 3DR is next to the church above the Riverhead roundabout on the A25. For more information look out for the banners, flyers and posters, or call 01732 450152.

Also see Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Riverhead-Kentish-Crafts-Fair-Sat-July-28th-2012-1030am-to-4pm/296071640487085

The Hop Farm Music Festival

Friday 29th June, Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July

With only 8 days to go until the Hop Farm Music Festival we have been checking the weather reports regularly to make sure the sunshine we ordered is on its way and we can confirm beautiful Kent is going to be lovely over the Hop Farm weekend, Whooop!

Tickets are still on sale but are limited so make sure you don't miss out seeing some of the best bands on the planet, new and old, this summer.

Line up includes:

• BOB DYLAN
• SUEDE 
• RICHARD ASHCROFT 
• PETER GABRIEL AND THE NEW BLOOD ORCHESTRA 
• DAMIEN RICE 
• RAY DAVIES 
• THE LEVELLERS

For all ticket information got to our ticket page....

Book Your Stall for This Years Riverhead Carnival

Riverhead Carnival -  September 2012 

The 3rd Riverhead & Dunton Green Scout Group organises and runs the Riverhead Carnival located on Chipstead Common, Witches Lane.

Admission is free.

With approx 80 stalls on offer, the event encourages local voluntary and community groups and businesses to support their local community by holding a stall on the green. Attendance is around 4,500.

We are looking for local businesses and charities who would like to run a stall at this year's event.

For more info: http://www.3rdsevenoaks.org.uk/event-Riverhead_Carnival2.html

or contact

https://twitter.com/#!/TraceyPound on Twitter.

The Simple Way to Let Your Home

We’re introducing a new, slimmed down lettings service called ‘Lite’… the price is £80 + vat and includes: advertising on Rightmove, Zoopla, FindaProperty, Primelocation, www.vinelettings.co.uk and one of our ‘To Let’ boards. With ‘Lite’ you send us the property description and digital photos and we pass all enquiries directly to you'.

It suits very hands on landlords who want advertising only and will happily handle all enquiries and viewings themselves and be responsible for deposits, contracts, inventories etc.

We're making it available on all types of residential property and including a listing on our website at www.vinelettings.co.uk and a To Let board which ads local credibility. Not suitable for all and for those who want us to find and vet tenants and go to contract with deposit protection we offer our Find Only service, and also our Find and Collect and Fully Managed service.

Vine lettings office: 01732 746 606
Fax: 01732 746 614
NALS license number A3811
Twitter:     @vinelettings
Facebook: facebook.com/vinelettings
Blog:         vinelettings.tumblr.com

Ethically led. No re-occurring finder’s fees. No stealth fees. State-of-the-art website. Smart apps. Video tours. Accompanied viewings - late nights & weekends. www.vinelettings.co.uk

Measure the Success of Your Website

Do you know what position your website is in the search engine rankings?  For how many different keywords?  How many different search engines?


If you have a website you want to know how successful it is. To do this you need to know where your site ranks in the search engines for a number of different keywords. This will allow you to know where to focus your efforts when promoting your site and which pages may need a little optimisation.

We'll do the hard work for you

Our Keyword Monitoring Service will provide you with a complete report of where your site is ranking for up to 100 keywords or phrases across 3 major search engines. More search engine available on request. To do this yourself would be a long and tiresome process but we'll do all for only £25.

We would recommend checking your rankings every month or so but if you are running a site promotion campaign you may want to do a few in one month. It is entirely up to you. Rates for regular repeat jobs are negotiable.


Filter Bubbles

Google now modifies the search results it sends you depending on your geographical location, where you are logged into your Google account and your previous search history (amongst others).

This is known as a 'filter bubble'. It means that your search results are NOT the same as everyone else's. Just because your site appears high in the rankings for you doesn't guarantee that others will see it at the same position.

We provide you with as neutral results as we can and are able to provide you with results from different geographical locations, if required. We can't show you exactly what everyone is seeing but can provide you with a 'good enough' approximation.

Contact Us for more information or visit our website: http://www.mjcpk.co.uk/keyword_monitoring.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mjcpk.co.uk
Twitter:     http://twitter.com/mjcpk  -- @mjcpk

Sports Clubs send us your weekly round up

If you are a sports team or club in the Sevenoaks area the why not send us a weekly round up of your results and your next week's fixtures.

If you want you can include photos and match reports and you can always provide links back to your own website for more information.

Contact Us for more information or Submit your round up.

Hoad Shoes: Calling all shoppers!

We will now be open every Sunday from 10am until 4pm and for the next two Sundays as an introductory offer you can get a 10% discount in-store off any full priced purchase over £50!! 

Like us on Facebook "Hoad Shoes" to be entered into a draw to win a free pair of shoes (T&C's apply) or follow us on twitter @hoadshoes to get up to date tweets about new stock and special offers. We hope to see you soon!

www.hoadshoes.co.uk 
01732454004

Mindfulness and Mindfull Meditation Workshop

My next workshop will be an 'Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindful Meditation'

This two hour workshop is being held in a lovely spa setting in Westerham, near Sevenoaks, with plenty of convenient free parking.

On this workshop, you will be introduced to Mindfulness, the benefits of a Mindful approach to living and we will practice Mindful Meditation.

Find out how to use Mindfulness for: 

• Stress Management 
• Feelings of anger 
• Anxiety and panic attacks 

The workshop will take place on Saturday 21st July from 10am until 12pm 

 Cost: £20

 BOOKING A PLACE IN ADVANCE IS ESSENTIAL

Contact Tanya Wright:

07940 571207

 counselling@tanyawright.com

 www.tanyawright.com

Calling all media students!

The summer holidays are on their way so we thought we'd suggest something to keep you occupied.

Sevenoaks News Wire is always on the lookout for new stories to publish. One of them could be yours!

We publish news and information that is relevant and of interest to people living and working in the Sevenoaks area. Why don't you submit news that you come across?


We can't pay for submissions but we can offer you good experience of working a story and getting it published online. You will get full credit and there is always the possibility that someone may pick up your story for publication elsewhere. We are followed by people from the Sevenoaks Chronicle and other Sevenoaks and Kent based print publications who may find your article interesting.

What to write?


We can't tell you what to write about as learning how to spot a story is all part of the experience but you'll find that there are more things to write about than you first imagined. You don't need to focus on sensationalism and scandal like the main stream national and international media seem to do. Just think about being interesting an informative.

We don't accept editorial content. We are looking for balanced coverage of local issues and not your comments on them. Try to cover all sides of the story and leave the reader to make up his or her mind on the subject.

We do accept: interviews, photos, video reports, analysis articles and more. Contact Us if you are unsure if your article is suitable. Remember, we also accept press releases and community announcements. So, if you think of yourself as being less of a journalist and more into marketing and public relations you can still take part.

The legal bit


Sevenoaks News Wire cannot be responsible for the content of your article but we will refuse to publish work that is clearly false or unsupported by evidence. Please cite your sources where possible.

We cannot publish articles that are in breach of the law. This includes (but isn't limited to) libellous remarks, information protected by the Official Secrets Act, comments inciting racial or religious hatred and the publishing of privileged information or facts currently under a 'gagging order' issued by a judge.

If you ask someone for their comments on a subject please inform them that you intend to publish it. Always give people the right of reply before writing about them.

Should you make false accusations (or those unsupported by evidence) in your writing you may face legal action from those you have mentioned in your article.

That all sounds a bit scary but if you approach your writing in a serious and methodical way you'll be fine and your articles will be better for it.

We look forward to seeing what you come up with. Good luck!

Children's Summer Tennis Camps at Hollybush

Looking for something to keep your children active this Summer? 

Why not try one of our tennis camps, all sessions take place at Hollybush Tennis Centre, Hollybush Lane, Sevenoaks. Places are booking up fast so call us on 01959 523377 or visit our website:

http://www.tennisacademy.org.uk

Sevenoaks News Wire now on Facebook

In addition to our Twitter feed you can now keep up with the latest happenings in Sevenoaks via our Sevenoaks News Wire Facebook Page.

Come along and Like our page and we just might Like you back!

As always you can submit your news and announcements to our website:  http://sevenoaksnewswire.blogspot.co.uk/p/submit-news.html

100 Twitter followers in just over a week!

Thanks to all our new Twitter followers. Last night we reached 100 followers which is quite exciting given that we only launched just over a week ago.

It all goes to show that there is a demand in the Sevenoaks area for somewhere to publish local news and announcements.

By working together as a community we have created a network to reach out to Sevenoaks. Through co-operation we have all achieved something greater than we would have alone.

Keep the submissions coming and thanks again,

       Sevenoaks News Wire team.

Indiana Jones experience at Combe Bank School

The girls of Combe Bank School, Sundridge will be enjoying a 'Time Team/Indiana Jones Experience' on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd June. The whole school will be reverting back to the war years in a groundbreaking, quite literally, two-day project, aptly named "Dig it".

The event is the brainchild of inspirational History teacher Peter Hutchins, who is always looking for new ways to bring his subject to life. He felt that, as the school was situated on such an historic site, the girls should be involved in unearthing some of the history and, quite literally, digging it out.

Peter said: "I am really passionate about making history come alive, to help create a long-lasting interest in the subject. What better way to bring it alive than in the form of an archaeological dig? The whole school has been hugely enthusiastic and active in the planning of the event and there is a real sense of excitement building around the school. We are very fortunate to have the school located on such a historically interesting site, and I believe the knowledge gained across the curriculum will remain with the girls far longer than if they were just reading about it."

Based in and around the historic Combe Bank House and grounds, the two-day extravaganza has taken on a life of its own and is now involving all the pupils and staff from both the Senior and Prep Schools and is now a very cross curriculum event. The field opposite the main house, which was used as a landing strip and, later, a dumping ground for decommissioned World War II aircraft, is the main site for the dig. An area has been identified in which a trench is to be dug, an initial reconnoitre of the area has already unearthed pieces of a Spitfire and very large German aircraft bullets. Metal detectors will be employed and it is hoped for lots of interesting finds, which will be cleaned and carefully catalogued.

The girls are also excavating around the old swimming pool and the changing rooms. The summer growth will mean the pool's structure is less well defined and will add to the 'Indiana Jones' like experience. In addition the girls will be trying to identify and excavate the site of a four roomed thatched cottage which was built in the grounds as a playhouse for the daughters of one of the previous owners of the house and grounds.

Weather permitting; things really start to come alive with three World War 11 Piper Cubs from Biggin Hill due to land on the old airstrip, active for the first time since 1978, on the Thursday and a fly-past from a Heritage Spitfire on the Friday. Other planned activities include Land Girls pulling vegetables and delivering on tractors to help with the ration cooking workshop; building an Anderson shelter and radio transmitter which, it is hoped, will transmit to the incoming planes; producing a newspaper as it would have been produced at the time; and the PE department organising an 'old-style' sports day where some of the activities recorded around 1930 will be restaged.

The girls will also investigate the story of a German airman who parachuted into Combe Bank and hid in the caves in the grounds. A touch of realism will be added to the investigation by a member of the teaching staff, who will recreate the event by hiding out in the caves overnight.

All the activities will recreate a real feeling of the 1920's and 1930's as well as the Blitz years for the 21st-century pupils.

Added to these events, much, much more is going on, with each department adding something to what looks set to be an unforgettable experience for all taking part. Headmistress Jane Abbotts, said: "This is a truly memorable and exciting event for Combe Bank School, and it will extend our understanding of the history of the site. The girls are creating their own record of the experience using film and music. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them choose to develop their interest in archaeology further following these two days."

Fentons at Chartwell Farmers' Market

Kemsing based Roz Burton of Fentons of Kent is going to be at Chartwell this Saturday (16th June) from 12:00 until 16:00. She will be selling her Handmade Natural Soaps, Bath & Body products as well as her line of Reed Diffusers.

This event is the first Farmers Market at Chartwell where you will not only see Fentons of Kent but also other local crafts people and food producers. So why not come along and support local businesses?

http://www.fentonsofkent.co.uk/

Sevenoaks Wedding Fair

Date: Sunday 24 June 2012 
Time: 11am-4pm 
Venue: The New School at West Heath, Ashgrove Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1SR 

 FREE ADMISSION

 Calling all brides and grooms from Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells,West Malling, Maidstone and surrounds. Announcing the Sevenoaks Wedding Fair and Bridalwear Sale (the Summer Collection) at West Heath!

 As we all know, getting married can be a bit of a minefield and the Sevenoaks Wedding Fair is designed to make the task of creating your perfect day just a little easier by introducing you to the best wedding suppliers in the industry all under one sumptuous and historic roof.

 We look forward to seeing you at the Sevenoaks Wedding Fair to make the wedding of your dreams a stunning reality. Pre-register now to beat the queues and save valuable time on the day, to receive details of special offers and giveways and for updates on the latest exhibition news.

http://www.thesevenoaksweddingfair.co.uk/

Upgrade your 247oaks listing for FREE!

Mention http://www.247oaks.co.uk - The Sevenoaks Directory on a social network (preferably in a favourable way!) and get your listing upgraded for free.

Contact Us with a link to your post/message and the name of your listing and we'll make your listing more visible to the people of Sevenoaks.

Standard listings become Bold listings
Bold Listings become Featured listings
Featured listings become Front page listings


More info: http://www.247oaks.co.uk/blog/2012/05/free-listing-upgrades/

Musician Launches Record Label

Former Sevenoaks music teacher and music director for shows Alastair Cameron has just launched the Genuine Folk label.

'Genuine Folk is a new record label started by Alastair Cameron and Mel Adams to allow them to indulge their passion for traditional and contemporary folk by recording and working with folk musicians themselves.
Music is best enjoyed live and their aim is to convey the vibrancy of live performance in their recordings by recording on location where possible.'

Web:   http://www.genuinefolk.com
Tel:     07578 046692
 Skype ID:  CameronMusic

The Padwell gets old phone Number back

The Padwell pub in Stone Street has finally got its old telephone number back. You can now reach them on 01732 761532. The temporary number is no longer in use.

Due to the complications of a change in management 6 weeks ago it has taken a while to transfer the original number back to their initial supplier. Jayne and Tony at the Padwell would like to apologise to anyone who has had trouble contacting the pub in the last few weeks.

You can now also contact them via their website: http://www.thepadwell.com where you'll find details of upcoming events.

Father's Day Food at The Padwell, Stone Street

A full menu is on offer at The Padwell on Sunday 17th June for Father's Day. Call 01732 761762 to book.

http://www.thepadwell.com

Is Your Website Illegal?

The new EU regulations regarding the use of cookies on websites came into force at the end of May.

They require website owners to provide users with clear information about the cookies used on the website and users MUST have actively opted in before cookies are used.

It is the website owner's responsibility to understand the new regulations and implement the necessary changes to their site. This includes not only sites for businesses but those for sport clubs, societies, community groups and individuals.

Finding Hidden Cookies


Many website owners may not be aware that cookies are being used behind the scenes on their website. Statistics tools like Google Analytics often use cookies without the visitor or website owner realising but it is now the website owners responsibility to deal with these cookies and not Google or other third parties.

Sevenoaks Web Design partnership mjcpk are offering a Cookie Audit service where they check your website for cookies and provide advice and solutions on how to comply with the new regulations.

More info: http://www.mjcpk.co.uk/blog/cookie-audit-service/

New Website for St. John's Medical Practice

 The St. John's Medical Practice website offers a new look and new features for patient.

Repeat Prescriptions 

A new secure repeat prescription service has been introduced via the website and can be accessed by clicking on the box/icon below or the top left menu option 'Prescriptions'. As this is a new service it unfortunately requires those who were registered on the old website to re-register using an email address and password. This can be a new password or you may use your existing one to create the new account.


New Appointments System 

Tthe new appointments system trial begins on 18th June 2012. This involves telephone triage with a GP and necessitates that appointments can not be given to people who turn up at the door in the morning expecting to be seen. A telephone triage appointment will be given instead.


For more information: http://www.stjohnsmedicalpractice.co.uk/

AXA-PPP Sponsor Sevenoaks based 'Little Love Project' for premature and stillborn babies

A group of around 30 nurses from AXA-PPP have been recently involved with the Little Love Project and are holding a sponsorship day on 12th June 2012 at AXA-PPP. The Little Love Project is a small, non-profit project founded in 2008 to make and donate much needed, tiny clothing to local hospitals for premature and stillborn babies. Making these items readily available to parents gives them one less thing to worry about at such a difficult time. The Little Love Project's founder, Tanya Wright of Sevenoaks, is a qualified counsellor who is now hoping to gain further funding to launch a counselling and support service to parents for pregnancy loss, pre mature birth and neonatal death. 

Tanya is delighted that AXA-PPP offered their support by holding a Knitting Day on June 12th. Helpers from across the business will spend the whole day making soft knitted clothing for these babies and also create small burial gowns and blankets. Although knitting sounds a bit old fashioned to a lot of people, it's perfect for these babies as the garments are soft, warm and have no seams which makes them more comfortable for babies lying in incubators.

The items will then be packaged up and donated to Pembury and Maidstone NHS hospitals who will use them as they're needed. The group of nurses are also keen to provide on-going support to the project by continuing to knit and ensure the hospitals' supplies are kept topped up.

Tanya is going to visit the group of approximately 30 employees helping throughout the day (9am - 5pm).

This is part of AXA-PPP Healthcare's Hearts in Action project which allows staff to assist with local charities during their working hours. In the past we've helped charities such as Hospice in the Weald, Demelza House, The Pickering Cancer Drop-in Centre, Kent Air Ambulance Trust, Young Carers, St George's Community Children's Project, chYps and many more).

If you are interested in further details, please contact either:-

Denise Dallender 
Senior Nurse Case Manager (Clinical Centre)
AXA PPP healthcare
denise.dallender@axa-ppp.co.uk

 or

 Tanya Wright MBACP, Adv Dip Couns
counselling@tanyawright.com
07940 571207
www.tanyawright.com

Kent Kite Festival and Mote Park Grand Opening

The Mote Regeneration Project is rapidly approaching completion, with the official reopening taking place as part of the Kent Kite Festival Event in the park on Sunday 24th June. We have local youth bands performing on stage, UK national champion kite display teams exhibiting a number of displays of weird and wonderful kites. 

Meet and great Peppa pig and her brother George. There will be the opportunity for families to build and fly their own kites. Free build your own kite kits supplied. We will also have disc golf, Face painting funfair and much more. All activities, displays and performances on the day are completely FREE excluding the funfair. 

The final areas to be completed are the main car park extension, the Lake Overflow and reinstatement of the River Len into Turkey Mill Lake, the cleaning and restoration of the Volunteers Pavilion and the final surfacing of all of the new paths in the park. All of these areas will be ready for the opening event.

The majority of the work has now been completed and is now being used by park users including the waterfall and the two accessible circular paths around the Park. The lakeside and parkland paths are 2.3Km and 3.8Km long and link to all of the major entrances.

The original objective of the project was not only to encourage more people to visit but also to get them to discover more of the park. In addition to the original main car parking area, off of Mote Avenue, there are now two additional hubs accessible from Willington Street and School Lane. These two additional hubs also have car parking and play areas. 

At 12 noon the Mayor will officially declare the park reopened and will unveil a commemorative plaque. As well as local Councillors, representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund and volunteers that have worked in the park,
Peppa and George are looking forward to meeting families at the event as well as doing a bit of kite flying.


http://www.maidstone.gov.uk

Shipbourne Primary School Summer Fete

Shipbourne Village School Summer Fete
Including Classic Cars and Birds Of Prey 
Saturday 16th June 2012 
12.00-4.00pm