More news - past and present

Can you help?
Some residents may no longer be able to receive the Whatlington News unless new volunteers come forward to help with deliveries.
Editor Steve Turner says that
"....there is a real danger that delivery through letterboxes may not be possible for many residents in the future. It's not an onerous task - about an hour every two months".
Call Steve Turner on 07941 669678 or email him on steveturner807@gmail.com if you think you might be able to help.

Whatlington's new vicar
After almost two years of waiting, Whatlington is delighted to
announce that Rev'd John Hawkins will become the permanent
Rector for the village.
Although John grew up in West London he moved to the
South Eastern suburbs when he married his wife Julie.
He has two married children and twin grand-daughters.
John has had a varied and fascinating career, and brings many experiences from a rich tapestry of life to illustrate his preaching

Whatlington at the movies
To see a year's worth of movies costs just £12 and you can find out
more by contacting Steve Turner at steveturner807@gmail.com
or by calling 07941 669678.
You can book a basket meal to eat before or during the screening - sausages, scampi or chicken with chips for £10. Please book your meal in advance by emailing info@royaloakwhatlington.co.uk
or calling 01424 870 492

Flexibus for rural communities
In areas with limited or no public transport Flexibus, the on-demand ride share service, can help connect you with your local area and the wider public transport network.
Flexibus operates Monday to Saturday 7am-7pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
Book via the Ride Pingo app or call 01273 078203
All bookings must be made through the app or the call centre.
'Walk up' bookings cannot be taken directly by drivers.
Click here to go directly to the Flexibus page for more information.

Local young entrepreneur
Hello, my name is Maisy Mai and I'm 11 years old. I offer a unique collection of denim bags imported from South Africa. Each bag is crafted with high quality denim and features vibrant South African fabrics, blending style and cultural heritage. Designed for practicality and durability, these bags are perfect for everyday use. By choosing denim bags, you not only get a fashionable accessory but also support fair trade practices and talented artisans. If you'd like to purchase one you can email me on info@whatlington.com
Thank you for your support.

Whatlington Village Pageant
The little church of our parish was crammed to standing room only for the start of the Village Pageant, as over 100 gathered to join the young people in carols and telling the nativity story.
Beginning in the church, the large group proceeded to the small private parking space beyond the church for the telling of the shepherds. Then for the first time in a couple of years it was down the hill to Mill House, where to the request "for a room" were told "no reservation - no room!" So, on up the torch lit drive to Leeford Farmhouse, where a knock at the door found a room in the Oast.
The music was provided by a brass ensemble, many from Cranbrook Band, under the leadership of our church organist Russell.
Children and young people from across the village played their parts with gusto, while several older ones gave readings to tell the story, the whole under the direction of Reverend John Hawkins.
Following the final tableau in "the barn", the whole group were entertained wonderfully to soup and mulled wine, courtesy of our hosts, the Apthorp family, to whom we extend our enormous thanks.

WHATLINGTON PEDESTRIAN FOOTPATH DRAFT
The following is a statement from the National Highways A21 Safety Package team,
following an online meeting with Parish Council Chair Roger Fisher.
We are looking to implement a footpath between the Whatlington 2b public right of way from Hoath Lane to the paved area slightly north of Whatlington Garage. We are also looking to include an uncontrolled crossing in the area between the White Chapel and Whatlington Garage. This is where the highest footfall for crossings has been recorded. The aim of this footpath and crossing is to provide a safer pedestrian route through Whatlington.
During this process we were aware of several potential constraints, which our surveys have confirmed to be applicable. The majority of these impact the land both north and south of
the proposed locations for the footpath and crossing, which restricts the land and locations we can use. These constraints, as spoken about during the call, are also laid out below:
Constraints for the footpath:
Land width – ensuring there is sufficient width to put a footpath in that is safe for pedestrians to use.
Environmental – there are several mature trees and tree roots in the area which
we are aiming to maintain and keep environmental impact to a minimum.
Ensuring any impact on existing road conditions is kept at a minimum as this
could lead to further constraints.
Land ownership, stopping in a safe location – to mitigate this, we are keeping
the footpath on National Highways land.
Constraints for the crossing:
Crossing at a safe location for visibility and safe distance for drivers and pedestrians – ensuring that visibility is not impaired for pedestrians or cars.
Implemented in an area with a significant number of crossings to justify the
requirement of the crossing – our pedestrian counts show that between
Whatlington Garage and the White Chapel is the best location to cater for safe crossings.
Due to these constraints, the locations outlined above have been identified as the
best solution that we can provide to increase the safety for pedestrians in Whatlington.
Please find attached the draft drawings depicting the locations of our
proposed footpath and crossing as discussed in our call.
Please note that these are still in draft and may change.
You also discussed the potential for works at Royal Oak junction, where the A21 meets Whatlington Road, with another A21 Safety Package project manager, Alice Alexander.
Alice explained that the team has investigated a number of possible solutions for the area. Unfortunately, due to several constraints including visibility and verge width
we are currently unable to provide a workable solution for this junction.
Comments can be made via email to info@nationalhighways.co.uk or
by calling 0300 123 5000
SOUTHERN EXTENT DRAFT DRAWING

NORTHERN EXTENT DRAFT DRAWING
