Vanessa Hutchinson - Ashford Green Party

From all of us at Ashford Green Party we’d like to thank you all for your support this year. We hope you enjoy a wonderful few days of joy with friends and family. If Christmas is not a good time for you, please be kind to yourself and know that Christmas isn’t picture perfect and there is help & support available. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace & love. From all of us to all of you! 💚💚💚 Mandy Rossi Cllr. Steve Campkin, Kati Ramsden -Vanessa Hutchinson -Cllr. Katrina Giles Cllr. Kate Walder Cllr. Jo Gambling Cllr Al Arnold, Pat Marsh -Steve Sitton -Thom Pizzey,Cllr. Liz Wright

Christmas can be a very difficult time of year for many reasons, these helplines will be available as normal throughout the festive period. If you are struggling, don’t suffer in silence.

I've been collecting the details of all the Christmas events happening in Downs North and the Green Team have made a poster! Feel free to share, and if you have an event that I have not included, please pop me a message and I'll share it!

Spotted! Hedgehog hole in someone’s fence leading out to the footpath in OWL. So fantastic when people do this—thank you for caring about the hogs!!

Out and about in beautiful Wye the other day, supporting these two amazing, hard-working Green Party women 💚

Mandy our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate joined Pat our Ashford Rural East Representative & Co-Ordinator Vanessa in Wye today to talk to residents about both General Election and County issues affecting them locally. Vanessa Hutchinson Mandy Rossi Pat Marsh

* ACT APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN *

Are you a

* Musician
* Band
* Choir
* Stage School
* Dance Troupe
* Street Performer

Are you based in Ashford or surrounding boroughs?

Then the AFITP team would love to hear from you!

You can apply via email at [email protected]

Please include

* Links to social media platforms/websites
* What your links are to Ashford
* Links to performances/material

Look forward to hearing from you all!

I was out this morning delivering Ashford East KCC Newsletters for Green Cllr. Steve Campkin in beautiful Willesborough. I tried to get the windmill in the background, but it has not come out because it was too sunny!

Our next craft fair!

Want to learn about local wildlife or meet farm animals over half term? 🦋🐰

Both events are part of another fab lineup of activities that have been put together courtesy of the Ashford Children's Centres team - Something there for everyone! For more information on children's centres across our borough visit: https://orlo.uk/hoPux Kent County Council

Chilham craft fairs Chilham craft fairs. We hold 4 events with over 30 stalls in chilham. Also at Godmersham village hall

‘We turned wasteland into a cycling cafe’ A cycling cafe made from reclaimed shipping containers has finally opened after two years, on the base of a derelict bus depot.

I've been out this morning with some other Chilham Parish Councillors helping to clear public footpaths in Old Wives Lees. Brambles and nettles are very much in your face at this time of year! All the clippings have stayed near where they were clipped so insects aren't accidentally scooped up, and the clippings will rot down and feed the hedges on either side.

Chilham Parish Councillors are so hardworking and really care for the community--it is a pleasure to work with them!

What a pleasure to go to the special Community Tea in Old Wives Lees Village Hall for Macmillan Cancer Support this afternoon. It was an absolutely packed hall, with piles and piles of cakes, sandwiches, and friendly faces!

Here's a link if you're thinking of hosting your own MacMillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning, or if you'd like to donate some money: https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/apply-great-british-insulation-scheme

Apply for support from the Great British Insulation Scheme Check if you can get free or cheaper insulation to reduce your home’s energy bills - including cavity wall, solid wall and loft insulation.

I've just reported this flytipping at The Mount in Old Wives Lees. Hopefully sorted soon 👍

It was a great pleasure to help the Chilham School PTA last Saturday with the refreshments at the last Boot Fair of the season! Lots of tea sold, despite the heat...🥵

The PTA and all of the parent volunteers work so hard and raise lots of money for school trips and other things that give the children an amazing extracurricular experience at the school. What fantastic people they are!

Thank you so much to our Ashford Independents friends for organising the first AI/Greens social. Not just in Joint Administration, but also building a community, forging friendships & sharing a passion for putting people & planet at the heart of what we do. A great afternoon! 💚🤍 Ashford Independents

Just popped a couple of books into the new Little Library and Plant Swap in the phone box next to OWL Village Hall. Some absolute top reads in there!! Thank you so much Chilham Parish Council for sorting this fab new resource!!

Road closure on the way out of OWL on Selling Road next Monday.

If you need extra support as a result of rising food prices then come along to our Eat Well Spend Less roadshow TODAY - Wednesday 5 July, 10am to 2pm at Farrow Court, Stanhope Road, TN23 5FT.

The event brings together a range of partner organisations including frontline NHS staff and council officers, outreach organisations and charities, in one easy-to-access place.

It's free to attend and is open to all, not just residents of Farrow court, so everyone is welcome to pop along for all this and more:

• Guidance on shopping, preparing and cooking healthy, nutritious meals
• Benefits and housing advice and advice on what support is available locally
• Information on where and how to access local food banks along with community venues who offer free, pay as you feel or very reasonably priced meals in a social setting
• Advice from the NHS including pathways to One You services and vaccinations
• Public Health bus
• Health MOT’s from Kent Community Health (NHS) Foundation Trust
• Specialist help and advice - Falls Prevention/Postural Stability
• Specialist help and advice - Diabetes Dietitian
• Mental Health advice – We Are With You & Talk it Out.
• Recipe bags with all ingredients to make a recipe along with instructions
• Fare Share Kent Family Food Bank offering food items including fresh fruit and vegetables
• Advice on saving water and costs
• Advice and practical tips of efficiency, energy habits and how to regain control of energy bills
• The Hygiene Bank will be providing hygiene items
• Information and help to access a range of community, health and social care options
• Digital Kent – help with cheaper broadband, digital support and signposting
• Information on Alzheimer’s and Dementia
• Information from Ashford Active Retirement Association (AARA)
• Information and advice on mental health and where to access support for young adults from Porchlight
• Ashford Children’s Centre – including activities for children