Bearsted in Bloom Trail 2021
Join us to celebrate the beautiful front gardens within the Parish. Follow the Bearsted in Bloom Trail during the May bank holiday weekend. 29th-31May.
Judges will select 3 winners but we welcome residents to share their highlights. Maps are available from our noticeboards and by request: admin@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk
Bearsted in Bloom Trail Map 2021Project A – Announcement
Bearsted Parish Council are delighted to announce they have received the donation of a parcel of land to the east of the Church Landway formerly part of Mote Hall. The land was kindly donated by Richard and Dena Ashness with the request that it is used to improve facilities to the local allotments, tennis club and parking facilities. An extremely generous offer for which we are profoundly grateful.
The donated land sits off the Church Landway opposite the tennis club. The way initial designs have been drawn up offers the Bearsted and Thurnham Tennis Club some land next to the existing club which currently houses our allotments. This will enable them to extend to two further tennis courts and two paddle courts.
The land that has been donated will be used for rehoming our current allotments but will essentially double in size therefore allowing us to offer plots to the 23 people currently on our waiting list.
Within the allotments we aim to build a Dementia Garden and Children’s Garden which will be used by schools and clubs for teaching and growing vegetables and flowers.
The remaining land that is currently used for allotments will be used as an extension to double the size of our car park which is constantly full during peak times. Bearsted Parish Council intend to improve security around the car park area to prevent anti-social behaviour.
In association with the Bearsted and Thurnham Tennis Club, this proposal is now as follows:
- Richard and Dena Ashness have donated the land directly opposite the tennis club to Bearsted Parish Council.
- The donated land will then be used to create greater capacity for allotments that are currently catered for next door to the tennis club. The aim is to create a total of 48 plots of Parishioners to use.
- The land will also be home to a Dementia garden, bringing an even greater level of serenity that the Bearsted Woodland Trust already presents for all of us but particularly those that are living with a conditions that challenge everyday life.
- The land will also host a Children’s garden for use by schools and clubs teaching how to nurture, grow and cultivate vegetables and plants.
- This will also enable additional space to be provided, alleviating the current pressures on the well-used car park.
This is an extremely exciting time but we are also mindful of the position that this puts current allotment holders in. To that end, the expectation is that a comfortable transition period is needed. The land donated by Richard and Dena needs to be prepared correctly in order for the allotment owners to transition their allotments with as little impact to their crops as possible. This is expected to take place over the next year or two.
We are looking forward to working with our allotment holders and consulting with them on their requirements to finalise the design of this project. We are sure that with their expertise they will be able to participate in designing the layout of both our Dementia and Children’s gardens making them a success for our community.
Initial thoughts are that there will be a joint submission of the project to Maidstone Borough Council by the Parish Council and Bearsted and Thurnham Tennis Club. The proposal to encapsulate additional allotment capacity, a Dementia garden, a Children’s garden and additional tennis courts is a fantastic opportunity to bring the community even closer together than it already is.
This entire process is conditional on permissions being granted for the building of additional tennis and paddle courts and for the allotment being moved.
Bearsted Parish Council and the Bearsted and Thurnham Tennis Club are extremely grateful for this opportunity and wish to publicly thank Richard and Dena Ashness for their unbelievable generosity, as well as all the allotment holders for making this possible. We have a long way to go but this is a significant step. Bearsted Parish Council will be putting up £100,000 as well as seeking funding on the Dementia and Children’s projects. An overly exciting journey that we know will make an amazing difference to our already fantastic community.
Michael Bollom
Chairman
Bearsted Parish Council
Parish Meetings – 2021
When the UK entered in to the first lockdown local councils were permitted to host it’s meetings virtually thanks to a temporary change in legislation. It has been announced that the Government will not allow for meetings to continue this way after the 6th May 2021 and so face-to face meeting will resume. However due to restrictions on community halls, where Parish meetings have historically been held, there may be the need to reduce the number of meetings due to the reduced availability of hall space.
Bearsted Parish Council have decided to enable our Annual Parish Meeting and our Annual Meeting of the Council, to go ahead we will for the first time hold these virtually. The Annual Parish Meeting has changed to the 4th May at 18.30 and we invite all residents to attend to hear what has been achieved over the past year and ask any questions you have to Parish Councillors. The Annual Meeting of the Council has been changed to the 5th May at 19.30.
To join the meeting on the 4th May 2021 please use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85813996501?pwd=UitOemNPMXdkZTdJbzY5am8vTU0yQT09
Meeting ID: 858 1399 6501 Passcode: 883781
To join the meeting on the 5th May please use this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82156225837?pwd=bG0wSlRqMEducjNIazFkNU9xcldGUT09
Meeting ID: 821 5622 5837 Passcode: 696948
Please note that the Meeting of the Full Council scheduled for the 11th May has been changed to the 5th May 2021.
Lamp posts to be painted
Recently Kent County Council (KCC)have replaced a number of lamp posts within the Bearsted Conservation Area but have failed to paint them making them stand out from the others in the area.
KCC suggested it was for Bearsted Parish Council (BPC) to paint the posts. After pointing out to KCC it is their responsibility to adhere to Maidstone Borough Councils Street Furniture Guidelines, the county council have agreed to paint the new lamp posts to be sympathetic to the Conservation Area. BPC look forward to this improvement.
Pond vandalised
We are sorry to report that some vandalism has taken place at the pond which is most disappointing.
A stake was thrown in and pierced the new liner as well as side boulders being thrown in. We have also had reports that the access platform for the filtration system is being walked on and shingle being thrown in the water. We would ask that people do not stand on this area or throw stones in to the pond.
Repairs to the liner have been successful and the water will be put back to the correct level. Some additional hedges will be planted to prevent access to the filter system and a metal cover installed. We aim to also replenish the bank with some more top soil to grade it steeper which will include additional grass seed.
A permanent sign will be placed by the filter system stating it is forbidden to access this area. We aim to arrange periodic visits to check the pond for debris, filter maintenance and attend to the lilies and other plants.
We now look forward to the pond being allowed to re-establish itself during the spring and summer months for all our residents and visitors to enjoy.
Good to Chat
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”3″ display=”basic_slideshow”]This month we have introduced a dedicated ‘Good to Chat’ bench on The Green. For such a long time the nation has not been able to have face to face conversations and many feel isolated, alone and lonely.
The suggestion was made by a resident a long time ago but we had not been able to implement the idea due to all of the restrictions being in place. We feel now our residents need a place they know if they go and take a seat it is a place they can have a chat.
With mental health also being affected this past year we have engraved The Samaritans telephone number here to guide to a place where help is at the end of the phone.
The Samaritans
Tel: 116 123