The 2026 Annual Meeting was held on 24 April 2026 at Otford Village Memorial Hall. We were delighted to see so many members in attendance, showing their support and interest in our plans for the year ahead.
We were especially privileged to welcome Richard Knox-Johnston, Chairman of the London Green Belt Council, who spoke about the proposed reclassification of the Green Belt as “Grey Belt.” This is a significant issue for Otford and the surrounding area, particularly given the potential impact of large-scale housing developments.
A copy of his presentation is available to view or download here (link opens in new tab).
If you have not yet paid your 2026 membership subscription, we kindly encourage you to do so. Paying by standing order is particularly helpful, as it reduces the administrative workload for our volunteers. Membership is just £5 per person for the entire year.
Alternatively, you may pay by bank transfer. Members benefit from free entry to the Village Fete and also receive additional benefits at selected village events.
Please remember that all Society profits go towards supporting good causes within the village and helping to protect Otford from inappropriate development and other threats.
Bank details for payment of membership fees are as follows:
Key Documents from the 2026 meeting:
Key Documents from the 2025 meeting:
Public Meeting 30 October 2023
Our guest speaker was Ed Thompson, a long-time well-known Otford resident. His dedicated collection of photos and early sketches has earned him the accolade of being the village archivist and historian. There is little he does not know about our past. His talks are always a fascinating insight into our earlier years.
Annual General Meeting 2023
This was held on Wednesday 24th May in the Otford Village Memorial Hall. Our guest speaker, Dr Chris Gardner from the South East Rivers Trust, outlined the challenges facing the Darent River, one of only 250 chalk streams worldwide. He presented encouraging long-term plans to protect it and restore biodiversity in the river catchment of the Darent Valley. The Otford Superstar award was presented to the village pharmacist, Mr Shafi.
Key Documents from the 2023 meeting:
Public Meeting 10 November 2022
Our guest speaker was Nigel Britten, chair of the Sevenoaks Division of CPRE: the Countryside Charity. In answering the question ‘Who Cares About the Green Belt?’ he outlined the history of this measure to protect our much loved countryside and the challenges posed by local housing targets and planned developments. The Otford Superstar award was presented to Robert Hunt.
Annual General Meeting 2022
Some 40 residents attended a much delayed Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the Memorial Hall Club Room on May 26th 2022. Roger Gough, Leader of Kent County Council and Member for Sevenoaks North and Darent Valley, gave a stimulating talk on how he saw the future of Otford and the challenges likely to emerge over the coming decades. The first of our Otford Superstar awards was presented to Sue Stephenson