Correspondenh ohn Anderson; ,7" Deri-ng Road, Bridge, Canterbury, -GT4 5NA, phone 830260." _ -Gardeners: At the annual meeting - of the Nailbourne Horticultural _ Society, there was a_ talk by - '. Barbara Beevin; home economist ' and regional speaker from . . ' Sainsbury’s sup.ermarkets, on. the - history and the development-of the "company. New services such as shopping by the Internet, home "delivery and advisory services _ were also described. " The speaker was _thanked_ by the president John Anderson. - T -Chairman. Roger Austin thanked . T allofficers and members or the committee for their support. . He also -announced, that as he vras_ now to be chairman" of the Kent Federation of Horticultural _ Societies, he would have divided loyalties. If his workload increased -he _'__would have to. consider resigning from the society next ' year" aftermany years in the post and some thought _'should be given to a possible successor. - . The treasurer, Ann Edmonds, reported _th_at__i‘unds_- were _still..- _ healthy although down‘ on last" year. Extra expense was incurred _ in 2000 by-the society exhibiting in the Bridge Millennium -Flower -. Festival, and also, it was the only _ one to exhibit from south of " » Canterbury in the Herne Bay . Millenmu m. G-ard.e1'1 Exhibition. ' The Show se(::r.'etary, Joan . Stingeinore, saidon.t1'ies were . slightly up on. the previous year, and thanked l3i'l.'l.ie AntIerso.n and members of the comm;i.ttee :l:'or - their help in setting up of the spring and summer shows. The secretary Kathy Welder appealed for new blood on Ll-"m committee. The committee was disappointed, considering‘ the st.’/.n "of the membership, with the numbers attending meetings and outings. It- would like to hear from members on what subjects theywould like talks and presentations to be about and at what time ‘of year would they like outings to take place. It '- .-:—-would be--,a great-. pity,if:-,the-:-,socie.ty, which has been in existence in one form or another since 1911, should have .to fold through apathy. The. committee was elected _as ' follows: Chairman, Roger Austin} vice-chairman, the Rev John Shorrock; treasurer, Ann Edmonds; secretary, Kathy Walder; show secretary, Joan Stingeniore; committee: Billie Anderson, -Ethel Cartwright, Betty Cope, Bill Oakey, with two others yet to be co-opted. Billie and John Anderson won the tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show. The first meeting of the year will be a talk and demonstration on pruning by Roger Austin, at the Methodist Church on Thursday, February 22, at 7.30pm. All members and friends are welcome. Coffee: A coffee morning and Annual General Meeting for the , Nailbourne League of -Friends .of Canterbury Hospitals will be held in Bridge Village Hall, on Saturday, February 10,‘ from 10am to noon. ' There will be a bring-and_buy and raffle and donations will be gratefully received. Council: The parish council will meet in the Hunter Room of the village hall at 7 .30pm on Thursday, February 8. Church services: On Sunday, 8am BCP Communion with the Rev Paul Filmer is at St Mary’s Church, Patrixbourne; 10am Communion _ with the Rev John Shorrock at St ' Peter’s Church, Bridge and 11am Bridge Methodist Church service led by Mr M. Baybutt. -- ' Corre-sponde_nt: John Anderson, 7 Dering Road, Bridge, Canterbury CT4 5NA. ' . 2 Wisdom: A wine‘ and wi-sdorn-H evening has been ‘organised by the _ parish churches of the Bridge group,'in aid'o_f_ the Indian - Earthquake Disaster; This will be held on Saturday, February 17. at 7.15pm, in the. Bridge Primary ' School, Conyngham Lane. . Ticketsare available. from Pat Dunderdale on 01227 830668; Andrea Nicholson on -01227 830947; ' or John Anderson on 01227 830260, £5 each including a light supper. Please bring own cutlery, plates glasses and liquidrefreshment of your choice. ' " Fish "scheme: A" coffee pop-inwill. be held in. the vi1lage_.hall.on _ Wednesday, _-February 14, from 10 to ,1__1.15a1n. All are'welc_o_Ine._' Pudding: A pudding evening in aid of ' local churches_was_ held in the village hall on Saturday evening, when 80 parishioners sampled "eight varieties of. sumptuous ' _ desserts entered into the competition, plus anextra _ presentation donated by last 'year’s I _ :_ winner, Phil Andrews. - ' Each samplingvvas preceeded by a ' . suitable grace by-‘the Rev Paul: Filmer. To keep the company entertained, a number of quizzes and araffle was held during the ~ proceedings. _The winner thisyear _ was voted to beJulie Lathom-; . The event raised £200 for-the fund and was considered to be a" most H ' entertaining evening. The‘ organisers thank all who in_ any way contributed. _ . - Gig: On Sunday evening, Carousel, who play popular music of all _ sorts, are at the Red Lion, Bridge. Church-"services: On .Sunday at’ ._ " ' 10am Matins with Dr Andrea Nicholson is at St Marys Church, Patrixbo-urne; llarn family service (Education Sunday) with the Rev P. Filmer and 6pIn'.Evenson'g with Mr '_ Filmer, and Mrs M. Clarke at St Peter's Chu1?ch,'Bridge, and 11am Bridge Methodist Church Service, with the Rev David Marshall. -1’é|a.g'~ mun LP-cl.» .i.lt5’"" Zczssfi’ .4‘ F I . — Correspondent: John Anderson, 7 Dering Road, Bridge, Canterbury, CT4 5NA, phone 830260. Flood: Last Thursday, the El.oodi.r1g situation became critical for many a residents living in areas surrounding the Nailbournein the village. Brewery Lane, Bridgeford Way and parts of the High Street were particularly badly threatened Being a working day it was difficult to raise volunteers to assist in the sandbagging operation. However the prompt arrival of three members of the Environment Agency with a-lorry load and assisted by city councillor V Bill Oakey and the chairman of the. parish council John Anderson, B theygotdownyto the task of stemming the flow of the flood to : the most vulnerable areas and increasing the defences elsewhere. , _ After some hours work it looked as though they hadrnanagegd to , containthe damage to_ a minimum. By early evening however, the river ‘ continued to rise, overflowing. its » banks again and the rise in the a water tableycaused water. to thrust upwards through the drains and manhole covers. This was further -complicated by pollution with sewage in some areas. Two of -the_public._houses had to cease trading, and the remaining one was onlyable to serve drinks. On Friday, there being no hot food available in the village, John and -Billi.e.,_I§_.finders%on.‘, John and Wendy "'“"*-—=.=.—:£1‘.~_1'_;1'-:.<=.<1-r.".rriri'l‘£'-‘* "I . .. * FJa1¢».s:5*‘“<2.a~...¢.ai opened up the ‘village hall at noon ' - to provide soup and French bread, tea and biscuits free to anyone in need of help. . Although the-immediate threat seems to have passed, John . - Anderson. thanks, on behalf of the village, Cllr Bill Oakey and those Environment Agency employees for their prompt action. At the .saI1’1_e time he feels that it would be desirable to draw up a list of _ names and phone numbersof ' anyone prepared to help in a-ny - ' emergency in the Village should '. ~ '- that occur anytime in the future. They are asked to contact the parish clerk on 01303 862814.. _ " Hospitals: The annual meeting of - the local branch of the League of ._ - Friends of Canterbury-Hospitals was held at a coffee morning in the." village. hall on "Saturday. 7 Elizabeth Stewart rep'_or.te'd on a b_etter'year, due" in part. to fund- raising for specific items such as a - camera muchneeded by .St_ewart' 7. Coltart and the oncology . _ department for cancer care, also a laptop computer for Stewart _Fie-Id ' and .his breast—screenin_g team,"to aid the smooth running of this ' valuable department. ‘Letters ‘of thanks were read from both. The"oommitte'e for the next year. - - will -be: Chairman, Elizabeth '- _ Stewart; vicechairman, Rosy Green; treasurer, Maggie iI3‘aiI'weat'her; secretary, ('Jh.1'.is'ti.ne I-leap; comm.i'l;tee, We.ndy ;Durre1l., l\/Iadole'ine' Fra.:n.k1i:n, Jane Millyard, Kat Whitten, and Ann Medhurst. ' Anyoneinterested in the work of . . . the League‘, wishing to lend a hand . or has ideas for ~fu1id-raising can .' - call Elizabeth "Stewart on. 01227 t . 830344 or Rosy (_}reen_on_0‘l2._27 . p ' _ 830204. I e e * - The group thanks not only those ‘I I who regularly give their support time and money, but also to those I who supported the ann_ua1meet_i_ng . and coffee morning, raising a further £220.55. = . 1.1.4; IILLL/J. d.44.lLl‘J.\J\J. Wisdom: There will be a" wine and wisdom at theprimary school on ‘ M _, Saturday in aid of the Indian earthquake disaster appeal. There are still a few places ieft. Ring Pat Dunderdale on 01227 830668 for details. ' " P I WI: The neXt‘rneetin-,‘oH|te tho and the matter will be (lruwn to the attention of the Patrixbourne unrl Bekesbourne Parish Council. Planning applications; The. _ have been received: Glazed roof if)” fire-escape staircase at»The Plough and Harrow, Bridge.- Internal and external alterations at The Plough and lslorrow. Bric.l;:e. Amended |nlnrnss/otlilitionuI Inl'orme.tio.n'for 19 ltlvere-«lilo Hlomv hove olso lmen l'(!t!(!lVt!(l. ' The l‘ol1ow_ingplun nine‘ applications have been notified as Parish counci'l_chairn1an M'a1c'oln1 '3 _ Mitchell welcomed him and urged upon him the need to get the ' ' ' Environment Agency to accept ' responsibility for the river _' stretches_ above Bonrne Park. . On Sunday, a" group of visitors "out" a ditch in the paddock at tho - feet of Rose Lane to divert _" ' floodwater back into the river and : - _-prevent it flowing across the . ' ..-‘allotments and inundating The. - Street, threaten_ing- worse flooding to propertiefs. - ' . -' _ The work proved to be successful‘ ' _ ' ._and almost iminediately levels . began to fall, although the road at ' _thejnnct'_io.n will -i‘rogI'.,:.1I*1e continued to he i ni'p:..iss:.1l ale to ill I but off—I‘{'J£1d_ ve.l'1li:l.:-as and l.1"z.Ii:Lo1'H. f” Shrove Tuesday: A Ilarham .1'Jown:-e benefioe pancake party will be -lield - in the Conrad Hall on_’_I‘uesday, ';February_' 27, at 6.3.Opn1. _ . -_ . -_'~'»Fun,' games and pancake racing “for children of all ages” is - promised at t'h_:i.s I:‘a_m:I].y ow.-nl.. ' “Admission free but tliose -wishing to attemtl sliould advi.se their churchwardens. Bishopsbourne residents should ' . contact Gill Applin, phone 01227 - 700693: 2 s ' J cw» -’U—.-”""i=-==~=>* :_ To adifertise ri1__1___g:. 768'. __'CT_4"5NA,phone_.01227e8-30260. i ~ ~ 1 "Appeal": The'wine and W_lSd0I1’;i in . "aid of the Indian -Earthquake. = 'Appeahorganised-bythe Bridge ' group of _ parishes; was a great -./success. It was held in the primary ;. school hall on Saturday as the - demand. for-ticl<_:ets_ far outweighed -the space availab-1e"i'n_ the village ' hall.‘ . ' -» v_ ._I .. . ' "The total amount raised was £760‘. ' The Rev Pau1Fi_1m'er thanked all Whose hard-work made. theevent ' possible, couplied with those who supported it. _ . _ School: Last weekend saw "the, arrival of the first heavy ' ' ' ma_ohinery__ to._ prepare for. the . replacement of the primary ' sehool’s m_obile__c_lassrooms with "a permanent building. From this week no vehicles, either staff or '. visitors, will be allowed to park on - . the school road, between" 7.30am _' and 6pm. ' During the summer holidays the whole schoolfwill be out of bounds to al_1 the staff and visitors, with no vehicles allowed" anywhere on the site. It is ‘hoped that the project . . will be completed around the end of October, _ _ , _ In the meant_ime"a11t.hose involved in the_rec.Q11.Struction works . apoiogise for any inconvenience caused to staff, parents and parishio_n'ers._ ' ' _ . - Hit and run: Last‘ Wednesday week at about 7p-In in the centre of the High Street, a white van wasseen to collide with .a‘ parked Ford Fiesta shunting it into two "parked cars behind. The van sped off, but .' - - witnesses _had.tak_er1't'he_'- ' f'investigat:ior1. . '- registration ‘number-_. and the - matter is under. police. Ca1min_g:' -’I‘ra'ffic—ca1min'gurhea-sures " due to--star-t inthe village this month will be delayed owing to ' _ pressure of --work on the Highways Department due to flooding. They hope to commence as soon as possible. Flooding: A futr delge acld ' *he'.B.revier§E ' This 'has4n'o't hleenuwithoutthe ‘C _ humour and -stoicisrnoften ' -v~_v%=+.—wT-wwf-——--—.»—--_I: 1 Charles D Scott; secretary, Chris ' Maclean; treasurer, Adrian _ lake -outside the front door of the: - Flooding: further ‘deluge added to the distress of those residents in Hi *8 _ een flofliiefiifie and this time by as much as afoot ‘ ‘- of water in some cases. i already -having la demonstrated by people adversity. Neighbours have met neighbours they have neverspoicen .to before; A = _. _ A . The most affected in the village ' have got together to form The ' Bridge Yacht Club, and atthe A inaugural meeting discussed topics _such asa regatta, navigation’ rights, mooring, pennants and the discharge of foul waters! They intend to hold an annual dinner at a local hostelry as the only land- locked yacht clubinthe British Isles. - - - The officers are: Commodore, Mortimer; cabin boy; Mary ' Macle-an; lock keeper, Elisa. Hudson. Anyone interested in A joining should apply" the secretary. Aiso seen in the village was a flight of plastic ducks swimming on the . village butchers shop. Gig: Tomorrow (Friday) evening The Odd Couple,'with Drew and Jez offering songs and harmonies, are at the -White-Horse. ' - Church news: There will be; a concertentitled Flowers Familiar and Less Familiar at St Peter’s ' Church, onwednesday, April 4 at_ 8pm in aid of the church , , 7 restoration appeal. Details will be announced shortly. ” The new family service-on the second Sunday of the month --at 11am in St Peter’s Church Bridge ‘has really ~taken'.off, with well over 100 parishioners aged between" 5 three weeks and 82 years. A warm 1 welcome is extended to all those, 1 who have n‘o.t1yet_ hadthe _ - l opportunity toiattend this-service. on Sunday are: 8am BCP Communion, with the Rev John ' Shorrock; at St Peters Church Bridge; 10am Communion, with the 3 _ starting;Marsch»s8,8to9;:3g0pin1aTJ1e ‘ ‘i ‘ “1ira::11'iServi'ce,-led by . .- ‘ theRevi)ona" ldi;i1gg.*~*73 ‘1 " I 1 T Wonierfis World Day of Prayer will be held in the Bridge Methodist Church -Patrixbourne Road, on Friday,- March 2 at 11am. On Ash Wednesday, February 28, Communion is at St Peter_’s re .at_7-.30p1'n with the'ReV ' " A eneiice Lent course -- . c. .956. at * lunchtime on_ “essays,-xio'on._‘ 1.30pm and Thursday evenings ' ‘ — '~”' I-'«1"i.'l ~—-‘ =§ 2- J22 2} .4. .2»_"‘