News – It’s Christmaaas!
Advent Windows
Hadlow have their Advent Trail (see parish newsletter) but GG can do our own thing! I’m organising 24 homes in GG to decorate a window with a Christmas theme. Each day a different window is revealed. Terrifically tasteful or lit up like Blackpool – it’s up to you, as long as it includes your assigned date! Post a photo on Facebook (or send it to me if you’re not on FB). If you’d like to participate, post a request in the GGA Facebook group or email me at gghamlet@outlook.com. Selected dates still available between 9th and 23rd. Let’s make a special effort to brighten up a dreary December!
Christmas Eve
Sadly, we won’t be having the usual Carol Service in the Mission Hall this year and there are no Carols in Hadlow Square but to get you in the right mood, on Christmas Eve at 6pm why not stand on your doorstep and ring a bell for a minute to spread Christmas spirit and to encourage Santa on his way. If you don’t have a bell, a chorus of ‘Ding, dong, merrily on high’ will do! (Please maintain social distancing.)
There is a possibility that we can arrange a small brass group to come round to play carols – stand in your front garden and sing in a socially distanced chorus. Watch this space.
Retirees’ New Year Lunch
Regrettably the January lunch for GG seniors has had to be cancelled. When the world wakes up again … perhaps an Easter lunch?
GGA’s 250 Club – November winners of £25 each
Ben Revell
Gabrielle Lear
Graham Edwards
The 2021 Club numbers will be available in the New Year – more details in the next Hamlet but if you want to retain your numbers for next year, just drop round the money to Alec – £6 per number.
GG Zoom Quiz Night
Monday 7th & 21st December – 8pm
While we’re in Tier 3, the quiz will be held fortnightly on Zoom. Each participating household provides five questions. No entry fee, no prizes – just the honour of being GG’s Best Brain! Contact Alec Pelmore (alecpelmore@btinternet.com) for the Zoom link.
Golden Green Coffee Morning – we’ll be back!
Coffee morning has been suspended while we’re under extra Covid restrictions but rest assured we plan to resume as soon as these are eased, with kind permission of The Bell.
The Bell
Clare, Justin & Nigel
Tel 07940 250644
Email: queensowntaverns@hotmail.com
Facebook: The Bell – Golden Green
The Bell is serving an exciting, extensive takeaway menu on selected days during December – check it out on Facebook. Earls Flowers are supplying Christmas trees, wreaths and seasonal flowers at weekends. And there’s free range eggs for sale too!
Bonus Ball draw for charity
Each week a different charity will receive 25% of the monies taken with the rest going as the Bonus Ball prize. £1.00 per number. Contact Clare Tanner for available numbers. The winning number is drawn every Saturday.
Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children
The Bell are collecting new toys and donations for children who are being helped by TMBC social services and the local churches. Please call in or contact Clare Tanner (07940 250644) with contributions.
Pierce Mill Farm Logs
What’s more Christmassy than a roaring log fire? Seasoned logs and kindling available throughout the winter – order from piercemillfarm.co.uk. Payment can be made remotely, and the delivery made safely.
Other advertisers and the Facebook page
We have had to draw a line somewhere as to what advertising can be allowed on the Facebook page and after much discussion, we are restricting it to businesses based in Golden Green which provide a benefit for the community and with specific permission from the administrators. We would like to support other local businesses from the area but there are plenty of other places for them to advertise. For instance, Hadlow has a dedicated page https://hadlowpc.co.uk/local-businesses/.
RBL Poppy Appeal 2020
Hadlow & District Poppy Appeal Organisers Sean & Anne Waddingham (01732 850048)
This year, despite the disruption caused by Covid-19, Hadlow District has raised over £2800 for the RBL Poppy Appeal. Considering there were no house-to-house collections, which meant that we were able to distribute only a quarter of the usual number of boxes into the community, and they had to be retrieved early before lockdown 2 started, this is an amazing amount. It demonstrates how generous people are in recognising how the Legion depends on the support of the public to continue its work providing vital services to the armed forces community. Thank you to everyone who donated.
Remembrance Sunday
Our thanks to Josie Cummings who made a lovely wreath for the new sign post on the triangle, a very touching gesture from a young person. An RBL poppy wreath paid for by kind donation from the Golden Green Association was also placed on the post and 10 wooden crosses in the flower bed outside the Mission Hall each carried the name of a man from Golden Green who died in WWI or WWII. A wreath from Golden Green was also laid at the Hadlow war memorial at the scaled-down service on Remembrance Sunday.
St Mary’s Church, Hadlow
Vicar: Revd Paul White 01732 850238 pauljohnwhite@gmail.com
For all services, places need to be booked on Eventbrite (link on St Mary’s website) or email Revd Paul for a Zoom invite.
* Sunday 13, 20, 27 December 10am: Holy Communion (6 December fully booked).
* Sunday 20th December 6pm: Zoom service of Nine Lessons and Carols at 6.00pm.
* Christmas Eve from 11.00pm Midnight Mass with carols from the choir (service starts 11.30pm).
* Christmas Day 10am: Family-friendly communion service.
For details of other services and St Mary’s weekly newsletters, please visit stmaryshadlow.org.uk. The parish newsletter can be downloaded at hadlowpc.co.uk.
Christmas & New Year Waste & Recycling Collections
The collection dates over the holidays can be found on the TMBC Waste Service Updates website
Don’t forget you can recycle your (real) Christmas trees, wrapping paper and cards (no glitter or coated paper please).
St Mary’s Food Bank
If you would like to make use of the food bank, please come to the church on Wednesdays between 10.30am and 12.30pm (no appointment needed) or call Revd Paul on 01732 850238. Donations of food or money would be greatly appreciated (please contact Revd Paul). Thank you and please don’t hesitate to use us if you need us.
Hospital Transport Service
Residents of Hadlow & Golden Green who need help to get to clinic appointments can contact Mike Harvey (tel 01732 851881, mob 07464 548448).
Citizens Advice
New freephone number and extended opening hours:
0808 278 7810 Mon-Fri 9am–5pm
Email advice@nwkent.cab.org.uk
And finally …
Happy Christmas to everyone in Golden Green from the GGA, and we wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2021.
Compiled by Anne Waddingham and Alec Pelmore © 2020
