News Concert bid to


raise the roof A FUNDRAISING concert in aid of the Headcorn Methodist Church’s ceiling restoration fund takes place onAugust 5. The event, at Headcorn village


hall, starts at 7pm. There will be performances by the Headcorn Ukulele Group, Brenda Waite, Robert Chance, GillyWilford and Fiddle&Faff. Tea, coffee and cold drinks will be


available and there will also be a free prize draw. Prizes have been do- nated by local businesses, including a free car service worth £160, and vouchers for meat and meals. Tickets cost £8 from the Headcorn Delicatessen or by calling 01622 890735.


Beer festival


A BEER Festival and live music promises a great evening out at Sut- ton Valence on Saturday, July 15. Gates open at Round Oak Farm


from 3pm until 8pm. Tickets, priced £10, include a drink


and hot food, and are available by calling 01622 861280. The event is being organised by


the Friends ofLeeds and Broomfield Churches.


Garden safari


GRAFTYGreen Gardening Club cel- ebrated its 20th birthday with a gar- den safari which raised £800. The club plans to make a donation


to the Heart of Kent Hospice with the remainder going to provide a special speaker next season. The committee thanked the gar-


den owners for their hard work, as well as the team of supporters.


Boot fair date


HEADCORN Scouts are holding a boot fair on Sunday, August 27, at the aerodrome. Cars and small vans will be charged £10 for a pitch while larger vans and lorries will be charged £15. Participants can turn up on the day and gates open at 6.30am.


Tribute act


ATRIBUTE act to the Rolling Stones will play at the Potting Shed in Lan- gley onAugust 25 at 8pm. The Counterfeit Stones are per- forming the free concert in aid of Langley Park Academy School. De- tails, 01622 862112.


Film night


THE film society in Headcorn is showing Hidden Figures at the vil- lage hall on Saturday July 29. Doors open at 6pm and the film


will start at 7pm. Hidden Figures is rated as a PG. Further details at www.headcorn- filmsociety.webs.com.


4 Maidstone Weald July 2017


downsmail.co.uk


Pleasure boat charity marks 10th birthday


A CHARITY providing pleasure trips on the River Medway for disabled and disadvantaged people has celebrated its 10th birthday. Based at Medway Wharf Marina


in Wateringbury, the Kingfisher is a familiar sight as it cruises thewa- terway between Yalding and East Farleigh, with up to a dozen pas- sengers on board. A crew of four volunteers, in- cluding a licensed skipper, run each trip and there is enough space for three wheelchairs, which can be loaded with a hydraulic lift. The cruises provide an opportu-


nity to help operate the locks or steer the boat, or just enjoy messing about on the river. Supporters and volunteers were invited to mark the 10th birthday of the Kingfisher Medway Trust with a party on board the Maidstone- based pleasure boat Kentish Lady. Trust chairman Pete Harris out-


lined how the charity was inspired by the late John Lockhart, with his boat The Dawn Treader and his Kingfisher Project. Mr Lockhart, who had a son af-


fected by Down’s Syndrome, re- cruited helpers to skipper and crew the boat.


Fundraising for the £75,000 needed for a purpose-built new boat included village events and pub evenings to larger donations from Rotary and national agencies. Within two years, an updated ves- sel, the Kingfisher,was launched in 2007.


Pete Harris, chairman of trustees thanks supporters and volunteers at the Kingfisher Trust’s 10th birthday party on board the Kentish Lady


By October 2016, the boat had provided 1,802 trips carrying 15,999 people, including 1,550 in wheelchairs. It caters for a wide range of groups including the Alzheimers Society, Amputee Sup- port Group and Age Concern, as well as community groups, day centres and schools. Mr Harris said: “Particular thanks go to Ivan, Sally and Stephen of Medway Wharf Marina for all the support and help they have given with discounted moor- ing fees, lifting the boat at the start and end of the season and work cleaning Kingfisher.” Help also came from the


Baughan family, who provided a mooring and picnic tables at their river-fronted garden at East Far- leigh for the passengers to enjoy. The prices charged for the trips


cover the basic running costs, but the charity relies on donations for repairs and improvements such as more comfortable seating and bet- ter galley equipment. Mr Harris said: “The boat oper-


ates from May to September. It is very popular and for the last four yearswe have been fully booked by January to February.” For more details, visit www.kingfishermedwaytrust.org. uk.


Look to the skies for air show action


NEXT month sees the Combined Ops Military and Air Show on August 19 and 20, when a variety of vintage and modern aircraft will be on display on the ground and in the air at Headcorn Aerodrome. The Tigers’ parachute team


(pictured) will also be “dropping in” to the arena. Their formation displays include smoke-trailing and flag-flying. There will also be the RAF Battle


of Britain Memorial Flight and the mighty Chinook. The family event also includes


military vehicles, re-enactment groups, arena events and military stalls. In September, it will be the turn


of the Southern Model Show, which returns on 9 and 10, in association with the Maidstone Model Flying Club. On show will be model aircraft, helicopters, ships, tanks and other vehicles.


All events take place at Headcorn


Aerodrome, in Shenley Road, from 10am to 5pm each day. The season was due to kick off


with Spitfires flying over the village in early July to mark the 77th anniversary of the Battle of Britain


The air show was also to have


displays by Hurricanes, Tiger Moth, Harvard T6 and the ME 109, courtesy of the Aero Legends. Go to headcornevents.co.uk or


call 07769 683345 for details of the activities.


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