Read more about the article Finally, they really are off!

Finally, they really are off!

After many delays due to various unforeseen events, the horses will finally be running on Friday 13th January in the Otford Village Memorial Hall. Despite the date, it will certainly be a lucky night for some! Doors open at 7:15 pm and entry will be £5 per person, payable on the night. It promises to be great fun, with the first of eight races starting at 7:45pm and the chance to take home some winnings if the horse you pick comes in first. There will be a cash bar with a good supply of wine, beer and soft drinks and loads of snacks on offer. Why not get a party together for a convivial evening of horse racing, chatter and cheering?

Continue ReadingFinally, they really are off!
Read more about the article Santa’s coming back!

Santa’s coming back!

Due to huge demand, we are delighted to announce that Santa will be making a return visit to his Grotto in Otford Palace between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturday 3rd December. He’s very busy as you can imagine, so this is your last chance to see him in the wonderfully atmospheric setting of a Tudor tower. Online bookings only will be accepted, and you can make them here. 

Family tickets are £6 and include the first child. Up to three children and accompanying adults can go into the grotto and additional children after the first are £6 each.

Continue ReadingSanta’s coming back!
Read more about the article A great day and a huge thankyou

A great day and a huge thankyou

Thanks to everyone who visited and contributed to the huge success of Otford’s inaugural Christmas Fayre & Markets! We welcomed thousands of visitors who enjoyed a rain-free day of shopping, entertainment, eating and drinking in a High Street closed off to traffic but open to the early festive spirit.

Entertainment and activity occurred across the village. Our singers Pete Gardiner & Miss Vintage provided their sweet melodies on the High Street. The Scouts oversaw ‘hawk throwing’ on the memorial grounds. ‘Silly Billy’ entertained a packed hall of children and parents. A street magician mingled with and mesmerised the crowds and if that wasn’t enough, the Merry Mondays Ukulele band played a selection of Christmas crackers throughout the afternoon. And over sixty children visited Santa in his magical grotto inside the Tudor tower of Otford Palace. Everybody contributed to a wonderful atmosphere!

We are blessed with a vibrant village community, which in tough times can make all the difference. A huge thank you is in order to all members of the Otford Society, the scouts & volunteers that manned the streets. We especially wish to say a big thank you to Patty Chatterjee who oversaw all of the event planning, Jenny Kelly who organised the craft markets, Tash Logsdon who created the wonderful Grotto at the Palace, Claire and Mat Henry, Mrs Claus, and the team of young elves who welcomed children there all day long; and of course all of our local sponsors & shops who stepped up and contributed to a special day. Given the great turnout and positive feedback we’re already planning a similar event for 2023. Have a happy Christmas! 

Continue ReadingA great day and a huge thankyou
Read more about the article Less than a week to go!

Less than a week to go!

Yes, it’s less than a week now until Otford’s first ever Christmas Fayre & Markets! Proceedings commence on Saturday 19th November at 11am. We’re really excited to welcome everyone and there is a full list of events & attractions below.

Travel and Parking

Otford High St will be closed between the Memorial Hall car park and the duck pond roundabout. We are strongly advising people NOT to drive to this event. If at all possible, leave the car at home and either walk or use public transport, but do check train times before setting out as there are planned engineering works in the area. If you must travel by car there may be space to park at Otford Station or the Memorial Hall car park. Note that charges apply in both places and the Memorial Hall car park in particular is likely to be full early in the day.

Crafts and Gifts

Our wonderful village shops will be open and delighted to serve you throughout the day, a fantastic opportunity to stock up on Christmas gifts! In addition, 21 craft and gift stalls will adorn Otford High Street. Beautiful crafts, hand painted glasses, children’s toys, artwork, eco-jewellery, pets treats, Christmas decorations, scented candles, clothing, up-cycled furniture: these are just some of the things to look out for. A further 8 stalls will be situated inside the Memorial Hall selling everything from delicious sweets, wines, crafts and more! A full list of stalls is below.

Family Activities – at Otford Palace, the Memorial Hall, the Recreation Ground and the Library!

  • Santa’s elves are working hard converting Otford Palace into his special grotto for the day! He is looking forward to welcoming children & their families into this special setting.
    NOTE: If you’ve been disappointed that it booked out so quickly, the good news is that Santa might be making a return visit another weekend. Email events@otfordsociety.org.uk to register your interest so we can let you know if this goes ahead.
  • BREAKING NEWS: Magic Circle magician Robert Pound is coming to the fair, so watch out for him as you walk around. There will be magic in the air!
  • Otford Methodist Church will be performing Puppet from an Advent Calendar in the Memorial Hall Hope Room.
  • A football game (with cash prizes!) will be running in the Club Room.
  • Silly Billy will be entertaining children in and around the Memorial Hall between 3:30 and 4:30 pm. He is a well-known comedian and entertainer who regularly performs at The Stag Theatre.
  • A Pin the the Nose on the Reindeer game will be in the Memorial Hall Club Room
  • Otford Scouts will be running a table-top Treasure Hunt, also in the Club Room
  • Otford’s Evangelical Church will be showing little ones how to decorate Christmas biscuits, amongst other craft activities, in the Memorial Hall Club Room. 
  • Little Poppets will be painting faces in the Memorial Hall Club Room
  • With the World Cup around the corner we have a football challenge on the Recreation Ground next to the Memorial Hall
  • Also on the Recreation Ground the Scouts will be organising ‘Hawk Throwing’ (aka axe throwing) from 11 to 3. All proceeds will go to the homeless charity Porchlight.
  • At 11:15 there will be a special Christmas storytelling session in the Library, along with some special seasonal craft activities.
  • Between 2:00 and 4:00 in the Otford Methodist Church Hall “Who Let the Families Out?” provides fun and safe play for children

Music and Entertainment

  • Otford’s very own Merry Mondays ukelele band will be performing a repertoire of catchy tunes at 12 noon and 2:30 – they are great, don’t miss them in the Players Hall.
  • The ever popular Miss Vintage will be singing outside the former Crown pub – at 1:00 to 1:30 and 2:00 to 2:30
  • Local singer/songwriter Peter Gardiner will be singing in the same place from 11:30 to 12:00 and 1:30 to 2:00


Food & Drink

After a full day of shopping and entertainment, you’ll want to treat yourself to fantastic meals, sandwiches, cakes and seasonal treats in our many restaurants, pubs and cafes. Early birds can treat themselves to a delicious bacon roll & pakora roll (Vegan) at the Pond View Café; at Sally’s Cake Emporium you can enjoy a pork, stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwich; the Olive Tree Cafe will be serving a special Christmas cupcake; at Hilal Restaurant you can warm up with mulled wine and hot chocolate Baileys. And don’t forget our two great pubs: The Woodman is offering Christmas ales and turkey & a cranberry baguette while The Bull will be serving mulled spicy cider and  cranberry & orange gin & Christmas cake gin. All this in addition to the usual food and drink you can enjoy at our great local food and drink outlets.

Christmas Fayre Timetable of Events

10:00 – 5:00 Santa’s grotto (prebooked only)

11:15 Christmas stories and crafts in the library

11:30 Peter Gardiner outside the Crown

12:00 Merry Mondays in the Players Hall

1:00 Miss Vintage outside the Crown

1:30 Peter Gardiner outside the Crown

2:00 Miss Vintage outside the Crown

2:00 to 4:00 “Who let the Families Out?” in the Methodist Church Hall

2:30 Merry Mondays in the Players Hall

3:30 to 4:30 Silly Billy in the Memorial Halls

4:00 Switching on of Otford’s Christmas lights, to the accompaniment of seasonal singing.

Craft stalls in the High Street

Lavender and Bows: sewn products – hair bands, face wipes and eco product

Feather.ink: building artist – cards and commissions

Rosa’s Arts and Crafts: children and teen resin jewellery and eco products

Kellyscre8tions: children’s craft

Jane Mucklow: local landscape photographer – calendars & puzzles

Crafted by Charlotte: recycled skateboard, resin children’s jewellery

Bigglewiggs: hand painted wine glasses

World of Wood and Paper: wood gift products – burnt wood and frames

The Felt Elephant: personalised items and clothing

Rhi Love It: upcycling unloved pieces and creating a unique and re-loved piece of furniture @rhiloveit

Playonthegodough: childrens playdough, play sets

Stripy Doodles: childrens artwork

Miss Dots (from the kitchen of Wendy): handmade luxury pet treats

Mille Fleurs: Christmas decorations, hats and gloves

New Life Ceramics: functional and sculptural pottery

Fainting in Coils: pen and ink paintings

Snuggly Bunny: Organic/ vegan and sustainable teddy bears

Kat’s Tropic Oasis: natural beauty and tailored skincare products

Brays Bees: bee products – candles, honey reusable wraps

Max’s Candles: soy candles

Branching Out: iron work

Owen Farm Furniture: wooden pieces

Stalls in the Memorial Hall

Philippine Wines & Spirits Ltd

Leo The Baker: Sour dough bakery @leo.Thebaker

Chilli Jam Factory

E&M Sweet Cones

Imago – volunteers

KS Arts & Cards: luxury handmade cards

Silly Moo Stories

The Little Bird Book Shop

DOWNLOAD MAP 

Continue ReadingLess than a week to go!
Read more about the article Another Otford Superstar!

Another Otford Superstar!

Society Chairman Rod Shelton was delighted to present the second of the Society’s Superstar awards to Robert Hunt at our public meeting on November 10th. In Rod’s words, the community had voted for someone “known to you all; his gentle, friendly manner has endeared him to many. He is known for his generous nature and always having time to talk and listen to others. He is a feature of the Lunch Club and his community spirit, helping to pick-up rubbish around the village every week is a familiar sight to us all.”

The meeting saw an excellent turnout of residents, all keen to hear the guest speaker, 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. There was a lively question and answer session afterwards.

Continue ReadingAnother Otford Superstar!
Read more about the article “Santa Claus is Coming to Otford…”

“Santa Claus is Coming to Otford…”

Ho, Ho, Ho! Santa Claus has been busy packing his sleigh and feeding his reindeer in preparation for his special visit to Otford’s Christmas Fayre on Saturday November 19th.  His enchanted elves will be ready to welcome you to Santa’s Grotto from 10 am inside the atmospheric ruins of Otford Palace, and Men in Sheds have been busy building him a new sleigh. To make the children’s time with Santa even more special, he has a gift for them to take home. Booking is essential if you’d like your child to visit Santa as part of this wonderful celebration of Christmas in our village. Tickets to secure a slot for your family cost £6 and include one child and accompanying adult(s). You can book yours here, but hurry as places are strictly limited:  https://tinyurl.com/4rjr49ut. Note that additional children in the family will be charged for at £5 each, payable on the day.

There will be lots more for families to enjoy on what promises to be a wonderful day out, including a World Cup shoot out on the Recreation Ground, face painting, Christmas biscuit decorating and card making, throwing a ball at the reindeer, and craft activities in the Memorial Hall and the Library. And Silly Billy the goat will be wandering around entertaining visitors! We look forward to welcoming you all.

Do follow us on social media @otfordsociety for lots more about what promises to be an amazing day. The High Street (which will be partially closed) will be filled with stalls selling an array of gifts. There will be crafts, local fine artists, children’s toys & activities, upcycled furniture, books, cards, eco gifts & much more! And our wonderful village food and drink outlets will be serving scrumptious seasonal treats, hot and cold drinks and tasty regular menus.

Continue Reading“Santa Claus is Coming to Otford…”
Read more about the article Give it a try and pop in!

Give it a try and pop in!

There are difficult times ahead for all of us in the coming months. Money is getting short, food is getting pricier and it seems our fuel bills are about to go through the roof. Now the weather is starting to close in. Add to that, Covid & flu seem to be waiting on the door-step. We can all try and cut our expenditures but what you must NOT do is to get cold by turning off your heating. It can do you harm and make you more susceptible to catching an illness. So STAY WARM is rule one.

By joining up with our churches, the library and the Hilal Restaurant we can ensure there will always be somewhere warm for us all to go to EVERY DAY for a few hours and have a hot cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit or two. A place to meet others and, if you are on your own, with a partner, or with children, where you will always be welcome. 

There will always be someone you can talk to if you have a problem. As your Society, we are there to help you sort things through. If we can’t help, we will know someone who can. Here are the times and places where we’re spreading the warmth:

Monday mornings: Otford Library, 11:30 – 13:00

Tuesday mornings: The Evangelical Church, 9:30 – 13:00

Wednesday mornings: Hilal Restaurant, 9:30 – 12:30

Thursday mornings: Otford Library, 9:30 – 12:30

Friday mornings (except November 4): Methodist Church Hall, 9:30 – 13:00

Friday afternoons: St Barts Church Rooms, 14:00 – 17:00 

Continue ReadingGive it a try and pop in!
Read more about the article Public Meeting, November 10th

Public Meeting, November 10th

This big public meeting is taking place in the Club Room of the Otford Village Memorial Hall.  A choice of tea, coffee and biscuits will be available from 7pm.  At 7:30 we will give you an update on all the exciting events we have planned for the next six months. And as always we’ll be asking you for your ideas on how to improve on what we are doing to help bring our community together. The bi-annual Superstar Award, chosen from the nominations which you have made, will also be presented.

The highlight of the evening is a presentation from Nigel Britten, ‘Who cares about the Green Belt?’  Nigel is  chair of the Sevenoaks Division of CPRE: the Countryside Charity. With Government pressures to reduce its size and effectiveness this is certainly applicable to our village. Nigel lives locally and is an excellent speaker. We would welcome you to join us and hope to see lots of you there.

Continue ReadingPublic Meeting, November 10th
Read more about the article Otford Christmas Fayre on November 19th

Otford Christmas Fayre on November 19th

A magical experience awaits you in Otford High Street this festive season, with stalls selling everything from handmade gifts and arts and crafts goodies to fudge, gin, and cute stocking fillers. When your shopping ventures have worked up an appetite, dig into a bag of hot roasted chestnuts and get well and truly in the Christmas spirit with a cup of mulled wine. In addition, there will be a range of craft activities for young and old taking place in The Memorial Hall, with festive music to add to the atmosphere. And Father Christmas!

Christmas Markets have long been a tradition in German speaking countries, the first dating from 1434 when Dresden held one on Christmas Eve. In the UK the first city to host one was Lincoln, in 1982. Otford is slow to catch up; 2022 will be our first ever but hopefully not our last. Our village pubs, coffee shops and restaurants will be serving an array of Christmas treats so be sure to book a table and enjoy the Otford Christmas Fayre.

Continue ReadingOtford Christmas Fayre on November 19th
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