“Some sort of periodical is an essential life-line in a village such as ours”

CHRISTMAS
Welcome to West Farleigh’s own EDITION

LIFELINE

Distributed freely in December 2021 Edition 539 Editors: Stephen Norman, Helen Swan and Jacky Taylor
Website: www.thefarleighs.co.uk Email: editor@thefarleighs.co.uk
Deadline for the next issue is 20th January 2021

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Pastoral Letter
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…the glorious familiarity of the
Season. The shops are laden with sparkly tat and/or classy Scandinavian
style decorations a-plenty. Christmas music echoes through shopping
centres and we all sing along, never seeming to tire of it.

In our house, even though my children are way past the magical childhood
years, there are things we have to do, and times we have to do them, and
ways in which they have to be done. The kids still open advent calendars in
the morning (a shocking departure from my own childhood when we did
them last thing before bed! I have never truly reconciled with this new pattern…) and then, in the
evenings we still pin the felt nativity characters, one by one, day by day, on to the stable scene my sister
made for us years ago.

In the churches we are preparing again for Christingles and Carol services and Children’s services and
Midnight Communion…

All this, every year, because of one moment, over 2000 years ago. One single, never-going-back-now
moment. A moment to change all time and history. The moment that the God of Heaven broke the
silence and entered this world.

What was invisible was now to become visible, as a tiny baby was born.

And he is here still. Among the baubles and fairy lights, in the glow of the candles and the warmth of
mulled wine, the sharing of gifts and the raising of glasses.

If we take just a moment. To look a little longer; a little closer; a little deeper. We might catch a glimpse
of him…

‘Come and behold him! Born, the King of Angels!’

As you behold him this Christmas, may you see the invisible become visible, and may you know the
heart-filling, peace-bringing presence of Jesus in your world – may God bless you all,
Lorna

Christmas season at All Saints

9.30am on 12th December………………. Communion service (Rev Lorna Faulkner)
5.30pm on Sunday 19th December….. CAROL SERVICE (LF)
9.30pm on Friday 24th December……. “Midnight Mass” (LF)

*** Toddlers & young children, mums, dads and grandparents

all welcome to Little Angels Fridays 1pm – 2.30pm at All Saints.
Last meeting 17 Dec, restarts on January 7th. Bring a friend ***

*** Please note, the CAROL SERVICE IS 30 MINS EARLIER THAN USUAL. Sadly, no
mince pies and mulled wine but lots of carols, led by the choir. ***

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 Maidstone Borough In Bloom 2021:
West Farleigh triple winners!

This was the first ever Maidstone Borough In

Bloom competition. Working with Coolings
Garden Centre, Maidstone Borough
Council Judges inspected all entries for the
three categories during August before making
up their minds. The winners were announced
and congratulated at an awards evening
hosted in Sevenoaks in October.

In the Residential Categories two West Farleigh residents walked away with three awards
between them:
- Best Front Garden - Winner - Claudia Muessig, Roselawn, West Farleigh
- Best Back Garden - Second Place - Gabby King, 1 The Green, West Farleigh
- Best Pollinator Friendly Garden - Outright Winner - Claudia Muessig, Roselawn, West
Farleigh

Congratulations to Claudia and Gabby! PS. BBC Radio Kent’s Andy Garland invited the winners
to be interviewed live on air on the Sunday Gardening show, Claudia couldn't make it due to
work commitments, so Ed stepped up and had a 15 minute discussion with Andy and the
gardening experts on the competition, its merits and of course life in the West Farleigh garden!
Quite an experience!

Merchant Navy honours Captain Brian Cushing

Regular readers of LIFELINE will know Brian for his epic accounts of shipwrecks and adventure
while working as a marine assessor in various far flung parts of the world (see for example his
article entitled “Whisky in Ethopia” which you will find on www.thefarleighs.co.uk under
Special Features, posted in August 2017). And more recently
his vivid account of the Medway valley in Roman times,
currently accessible from the home page.

But few of us knew that Brian started out as an apprentice

with P&O, and rose to become a First Officer in the
Merchant Navy. While working latterly as an insurance
assessor, he has also been the Deputy Chairman of the
Education and Training Committee of the Hon. Company of
Master Mariners. Over the past decade, this organisation
has mentored over 300 young cadets or officers new to the
profession. For his work, Brian has just been honoured by
the HCMM for his outstanding contribution to the industry.

Congratulations, Brian!

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 GRETA IRENE BOTTEN

5TH DECEMBER 1932 – 28TH SEPTEMBER 2021

Greta was born in Battle but grew up in Robertsbridge.
Her first job was in a chemical factory in Tenterden,
where she trained as a chemist. It was here she met her
future husband, Peter. They married in April 1954.

Peter accepted a farm maintenance job, which came with

a house, at Tutsham farm. They settled in Kennel
Cottage, which is in Wateringbury. It was there they
raised their 6 children.
Unfortunately, the house being close to the river it was at
risk of flooding. In the 1968 they had to be rescued by
boat from the bedroom window! It was then that the
Days decided to move the family closer to the farm and
further away from the river.

They moved to Marshalls Cottage in Hunt Street. When Peter retired, they moved to Tutsham Cottages
and lived next door to Geoff and Candy Martin. Greta did casual farm work while raising her children.
Subsequently working as a cook at BHS and the Safeway. She then moved to Linton Hospital as a
housekeeper. She later worked for Peter Day, driving him around to do shopping and generally looking
after the bungalow in Charlton Lane. She followed this by working for Mr and Mrs Randell.
After her husband’s death, Greta moved into the village to a house in Charlton Lane. She retired finally
aged 80.

Greta joined in village life, joining the WI and the Evergreens. She was often seen driving about in her
little yellow car, taking friends out and about.
She will be a loss in the village, her wicked sense of humour and cheekiness will be missed by many folk!

She was not without mishaps in her life! Greta had put a ham joint on to boil and went out to pick the
children up from school. On their return there was a fire engine and black smoke pouring out of the
window. She had forgotten to put any water in the pan.

Another occasion on Christmas day, she tripped on a step in the kitchen knocked over a pile of
saucepans, managing to get one stuck on her head. A trip to A&E was needed to remove it, which
included having stitches! Greta was more upset that she had to set to and cook the Christmas lunch
when she got home!!

Her daughter, Jean, will not forget the time she realised that both her mother and father were asleep in
the car. Greta was supposed to be driving! What made it worse Greta was towing a caravan!
Another occasion, when she was driving to Bluewater, she found herself at the Dartford Crossing.
Unbelievably Greta persuaded the attendant to stop the traffic so she could turn around and go back to
Bluewater. Only Greta had enough cheek to ask!

Greta was planning to wing walk on her 90th birthday, but could not get insurance, so her plans
changed to going down a zipwire. She did not make it, but her family will do it instead!
We hope that she is entertaining and making people laugh in Heaven. They will certainly know she has
arrived!

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LOOK WHAT WE FOUND IN THE RUBBISH!
A small group of WI ladies and their dogs walk regularly on a Wednesday morning. We were on a circular walk
around Tutsham. It was a pleasant morning and an enjoyable, chatty walk.
We had walked down the foot path from the Tickled Trout towards Mill Lane. When we got to the gate on the
lane, we found a black and orange waste food bin. Strangely out of place. We investigated and inside there were
three very bedraggled puppies. Wet, dirty but looking quite perky.
It shook us all, that someone could have dumped them. The one
walker who did not have a dog with them was elected to take the
bucket and content to Coxheath vets.
By coincidence the veterinary
nurse that took them in, was
also talking to the WI that very
same evening, with her
husband. They train dogs and
have an Assistance dog as the
husband is disabled. She was
able to tell us that they had
scrubbed up nicely and seemed
healthy apart from being under
weight and having worms. One
of them had an eye infection, which was responding to antibiotic eye drops.
One of the puppies was adopted by another nurse and the Vet bagged one for
a friend of his. Leaving one. On hearing about the poor things and seeing the
photo David Swan said we’ll have one. Freddie is now settled in and has the walkers as “aunties”.

Reports from around the village organisations

SPORTS REPORTS:
Football: Plenty of goals flying in from both of our sides’ matches last month but not always in the right
net!
Our 1st XI have had a good month, just one defeat in four and three victories. Our loss
came away, going down 3-1 in the Cup to Hildenborough but we had fine wins against
Rochester 5-2, another Cup fixture 3-1 versus Southborough and finally a really tight
game 3-2 away to Aylesford.

Meanwhile our 2nd XI have had a mixed bag of results. We started with a high scoring
victory over West Kingsdown 6-4, then a heavy defeat versus Pembury 5-1. But we
bounced back the following week, beating Orpington 3-2 but we finished going down 7-2 to Green St Rovers.

Netball: Our girls have continued their run of good form and apart from one game have
been on a winning streak. We lost our first game, losing 44:15 to runaway leaders, Moons.
However since then we have beaten Vixens 40:32, Bengals 31:16 and finally ‘All the Girls’
32:19. One more game before Christmas, let’s hope next year the rest of the season will
be just as good.

Cricket: Not a lot to report this time of year, only to say we are always on the lookout for new players. If you or
anyone you know would like to join, please get in touch. The season will soon come round.

Club news: Many thanks to those who supported our recent fireworks party. We hope you had a good time and, all
being well, look forward to another one next year.

Ton-up results!
This month’s winners are:
No 96: Rachel & Emma Wells £30 No 108: Claire Beck £20 No 81: Ian Sands £10

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Tel’s Trees! (XMAS, that is)
Christmas trees are available again this year in and of the Sports Club. Call 07761
355518 to order yours. Prices this year:
5’ £ 33
6’ £ 38
7’ – 8’ £ 48

Delivered to your door, might cost you a mince pie as well!

FINALLY, I WISH MY READER A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR,
CHEERS.
Yours in sport – Tel

EVERGREENS
The Evergreens had a very enjoyable afternoon. Table games were distributed,
but mostly ignored! There was nonstop chatter. Many subjects were touched
upon. Funerals, end of life care, euthanasia, were the topics of one table. They
had a very enjoyable time!!!
As many of them live on their own, a good old natter is just what is needed. There
are always willing volunteers to make sandwiches. And willing to eat the amazing
cakes made by Jill. To ring the changes at our lunches, a member has suggested
sausage and chips instead of fish. We will have tried this on the 23rd November.

We will be having a special Christmas tea on 14th December, with Carols. A good old sing of old
favourites is very uplifting and will set the scene ready for Christmas, one of our members will be
playing the piano. We will not be having a lunch meeting in December as Christmas has got in the way.

The first January meeting is on Tuesday 11th January 2.30 in the WI Hall. If your New Year resolution is
to get out and do something different, why not come and join us. Ring Helen 814445 who can tell you
about it and arrange transport if required. We look forward to seeing you.

THE FARLEIGHS W.I

We had a lovely meeting with Pat and Hazel dog training giving us a
demonstration of what can be achieved with good training to help with
assistance. Hazel also offers agility training and shared some very useful tips on
recall which a number of our members were having issues with.
It was very opportune that they were our speakers that day as members of the walking group had found
3 abandoned puppies and taken them to Coxheath Vets where Hazel works. So, we were able to get an
update on their condition. Thankfully all puppies were fine and have already been rehomed.
Plans for our December meeting were discussed – this will be a party for members only. Yes- we will be
having a Pantomime together with games and Secret Santa. We will also be having Christmas lunch at
the Walnut Tree East Farleigh.

Our January and February meetings with be via Zoom with speakers as normal but hopefully avoiding
driving on icy roads and keeping safe. Sign in details will be sent ahead of the meetings.
The Farleighs W.I would welcome new members who are looking to become part of a group who enjoy
and share many different and diverse hobbies – we are not all Jam and Jerusalem. If you would like
more information on the W.I please e-mail thefarleighs@wkfwi.org.uk

Diane Scott- President.

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FARLEIGH FEATHERS by Ray Morris

Christmas over-eating – but not for birds!

It’s an understandable human trait that at the time of year when days are
shortest and the weather at its coldest (remember those days?) we should eat
plenty to keep warm and Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Prior to
Christianity it was simply to celebrate the return of longer days and the
renewal of the plant growth that keeps us alive. So it continues, and in many
village households the garden birds enjoy the spin-offs of sympathetic humans.

The birds look puffed-up (they are, it traps heat like a duvet) and cold (probably not, because they are
puffed-up) and they are hungry. Their hunger is driven by the demand for calories to store as body fat
to be burnt through long nights to keep themselves alive. Our natural response, therefore, is to feed
them.

Except in the hardest of weather many birds will find enough to survive without our help. This is
especially the case in an untidy garden where vegetation hasn’t been cleared away and burnt (although
if it’s been composted and put back on the garden, thrushes, dunnocks and other ground feeders will
find it full of nourishing invertebrates) and where the leaves haven’t all been swept up and disposed of
at the local household recycling centre. Jays have been busier than usual this year burying the few
acorns they can can find (it’s been a poor year for oaks), with additional chestnuts to make up for the
shortfall, in soft lawns (another reason for not having plastic ones).

Feeding garden birds is now big business (£250m and 150,000 tonnes per year, according to The
Telegraph) but is it good for the birds? For some species a definite ‘yes’, but for reasons too complex for
this short piece, for others it’s a probable ‘no’. But whatever the science tells us we (including me) will
almost certainly continue doing it. But feeding unsuitable food, in unsanitary feeders, is the worst of
both worlds. So a few Yuletide dos and don’ts.

It has to be CLEAN to be safe, so clean feeders weekly, getting rid of old or uneaten food. If you
wouldn’t eat the food from dirty containers in a restaurant with all sorts of nasties on the ground under
the table – neither should the birds! Don’t store food for too long (peanuts particularly as they develop
poisons that can kill birds – so buy them fresh from reputable sources).

Avoid salt and milk in scraps as birds cannot deal with these. Fat is very good (lots of calories) but oil
isn’t (it can damage plumage). Never feed desiccated coconut (it swells up inside and kills them) – fresh
is fine though. Clean water is important too, so change it regularly and clean the birdbath.

And don’t forget to put the turkey carcass out to be picked clean!

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 REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY AT ALL SAINTS on 14th November

The service was

led by Sue Elliott.
It was wonderful
to hear ex-WWII
REME veteran Bill
Horn (left, seated)
read the Immortal
Words to the
congregation of 25
or so, and also to
see veteran Hugh
Grainger (right) there as well.

LOCAL TRADES LISTINGS (neighbours who can help you)

Business
Business name service Website Contact name Phone no email
Firefly Payroll
Services Payroll www.fireflypayroll.com Jason Hart 01622 934110 enquiries@fireflypayroll.com
Professional
and affordable
No Muck'in cleaning
About services Sarah Dunn 07885 634559 nomuckinabout@outlook.com
Heathside
Electrical Electrical www.heathsideelectrical.co.uk Sam Sephton 07976 895001 heathsideelectrical@gmail.com
Bespoke
SF Carpentry & carpentry and
Joinery joinery www.sfcarpentryandjoinery.co.uk Spencer 07710 477570 sfcarpentry@mac.com
Plumbing &
Heating
D. Ward services Darren Ward 07973 314266 darren@dward.biz
01622 842481 or
Pest Purge Pest Control www.pestpurge.co.uk Richard Lee 07758 615101 richard@pestpurge.co.uk
Top Dog Fencing and
fencing Gates Sam Morton 07709 530166 Topdogmaintenance@icloud.co
Castle Portable
Loo Hire Ltd Events http://www.castleportableloohire.co.uk/ Steve Millsom 07990 606067 castleplh@gmail.com

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Team Tutsham: RIDING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR 2021
Team Tutsham, West Farleigh’s riding school based in Hunt Street, have just become national winners of
this prestigious award at the Equestrian Business Awards, presented at the Nottingham Awards
Ceremony last Friday. Up against 112 riding schools across the country, Team Tutsham - run
predominantly by volunteers - were thrilled to scoop the title.

It’s been a long journey for Maxine and her partner Mark. Back in 2004, Maxine needed to move her
own horses from a yard in West Malling, and she brought them to Tutsham. Looking after them while
working full time at Ferns’ was hard, and she advertised for help. The phone rang and rang but the
callers were all little children, too small and inexperienced to look after her horses.

Fortuitously, she also acquired occasional waifs and strays, mostly little black and white ponies whose
owners no longer cared for them. So she put the two together: breaking and training the ponies, and
offering riding on them to the children. And it has grown from there. Today, Maxine and her helpers run
the weekly Saddle Club. 25 ponies, 25 riders.

“We believe that riding lessons shouldn’t start and end with getting on and off a horse, but instead see
the benefits of children spending time in a safe, rural environment, mixing with other children and
learning valuable social skills to build a strong foundation to take in to adult life,” says Maxine.

So Saturday morning starts with the children bringing in the ponies from their far-flung paddocks across
the Tutsham estate. Once at the School, the riders groom and saddle their ponies, chatting to each
other, before setting off on their appointed steed at the appointed time according to the efficient
noticeboard outside the stable.

It’s a kind of selective charity: those who can afford to pay for riding do so, and those who can’t are
supported. Team Tutsham benefits from the generosity of some corporate clients, and its own
fundraising events, like equestrian birthday parties. It hasn’t been easy. Two years ago, there was a
break-in and the School lost 100% of its kit: saddles, tack, riding hats. Who would do such a thing? But
today the charity is back at full strength and bustling with energy and new experiences for all.

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