Harvey Jones Kitchens opens this Saturday - but don't we live in Kent?

We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening a new showroom in Chislehurst, South East London! - See more at: http://www.harveyjones.com/blogs/new-chislehurst-showroom-opening-soon#sthash.vVKZwLes.dpuf

We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening a new showroom in Chislehurst, South East London! - See more at: http://www.harveyjones.com/blogs/new-chislehurst-showroom-opening-soon#sthash.vVKZwLes.dpuf

We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening a new showroom in Chislehurst, South East London! - See more at: http://www.harveyjones.com/blogs/new-chislehurst-showroom-opening-soon#sthash.vVKZwLes.dpuf

We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening a new showroom in Chislehurst, South East London! - See more at: http://www.harveyjones.com/blogs/new-chislehurst-showroom-opening-soon#sthash.vVKZwLes.dpuf

“We are delighted to announce that we will soon be opening a new showroom in Chislehurst, South East London!”

Chislehurst, Petts Wood and Bickley residents may think that, despite being in a London Borough, they actually live in Kent. The BR postcode suggests this as all London addresses have "London" in their address followed by a London area - SE, SW, E, N etc.

Harvey Jones thinks not apparently.

This Cambridgeshire-based kitchen-maker has over 25 showrooms across the UK and this Saturday (21st) will be opening its latest, at 30 High Street, Chislehurst. Although, if you visit their website and click on Showroom Finder, Chislehurst's address will show up as being in London. What’s worse, according to their press release as above, we live in South East London! They put the exclamation mark in, not us (!)

In the meantime, whilst they sort out this small hiccup, pop along on Saturday and see what they have to offer.

With all those mince pies being scoffed the following day (see 11^th December news item) let’s hoped that they’ve installed the ovens.

www.harveyjones.com

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Chislehurst School goes to the top of the (very large) class.

According to The Department for Education there are 21,370 primary schools that have been tested for Key Stage 2 (i.e. the 7 to 11 year olds) for 2013; the results of which have just been released. That’s a very large class. Out of these, 549 scored 100% in those pupils achieving Level 4 or above in reading, writing and maths. Amongst this select group comes Chislehurst (St Nicholas) C of E Primary School in School Road, Chislehurst. (To check a school’s performance go to www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance)

Not content with being in this select 2.5% of schools, Chislehurst C of E goes one step further. It also scores 100% in the more selective measure, that of the percentage of pupils achieving level 4B or above in reading and maths and level 4 or above in writing, of which there are only 164 schools in total, putting Chislehurst C of E well into the top 1% of schools.

Pushing our analytical luck here at Village News we then had a look at the percentage of pupils achieving Level 5 or above. Chislehurst C of E scores 59%, again putting it well into the top 1%. To put this in some form of context, and to round up, 6 out 10 Key Stage 2 pupils at the school attain a level which the Department for Education classes as “exceptional”.

It is true that Chislehurst is a well-heeled London suburb with plenty of pushy parents who no doubt boiler-room their kids at the drop of a hat, but this happens in many other schools in equally affluent areas of the country that don’t score so highly. In any event, it’s not just Chislehurst children who attend the school. It is a fact that faith schools are massively over-represented in those schools achieving 100%. The Church of England’s head of education has insisted that C of E schools perform well because they have a distinctive ethos, rooted in Christian values, with teachers that develop children’s social, spiritual and emotional intelligence…alongside their academic performance.

Village News asked head teacher, John Paddington, why his school was so successful. He replied, “Quite simply the children enjoy their learning, they enjoy being in school and when you couple this with skilled teaching staff and our close family community it is a recipe for success. However the children don't just spend their time practising the '4 Rs', we do a lot of sport, music and science too!”

So how do we get our little ones into such a prestigious state school? As usual with a faith school, it’s not, first and foremost where you live. It helps enormously if the parents have been attending one of the three Church of England churches in Chislehurst at least once a fortnight over the previous 2 years and then get the priest to attest to this.

Given this fact, expect at least three churches in Chislehurst to be even more stuffed full of worshippers next week.

www.chislehurstcofe.org

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

NEWS for THE WORLD

Christmas Past

I grew up in a large rambling house in God's own County of Yorkshire. Christmas for me many years ago meant a coal fire in a big sitting room and letters up the chimney to Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. Later we hung up empty pillow cases at the end of the bed and waited snuggled under several blankets for Christmas morning, knowing there would be frost on the inside of the windows!

The scent of the Christmas Tree, the cold, the quiet, the roast turkey, and Christmas pud with sixpences in it for Christmas dinner, using Great- Grandmother’s cherry table cloth which came out once a year are all indelible memories of a half-forgotten sheltered, but precious era.

Christmas Present

Today it’s all different. Now, vicar of a Church in Chislehurst, I meet hundreds of people in the week leading up to Christmas, including many who come to our “Carols by Candlelight” or Christingle Service on Christmas Eve or Services on Christmas Day. The contrast between the quiet family life of my childhood in the north of England, and a “public” Christmas in a London Borough couldn’t be greater. I often marvel at contrast, and the steps that have led me here.

Christmas Reality

It all started in 1968 when after a short period of deliberate atheism, I became a Christian. I experienced a profound change in heart and mind and, ever since, Christmas has been different. For Christians believe that at the first Christmas, God became Man and lived among us. Those few words sum up the Christian Good News for me for God has revealed himself to us. There need be no vague searching upwards, but simply a response to the baby of Bethlehem who became the Saviour of the World, who lived and died and rose again to save us, and be our friend. And in a world where there is so much suffering and sadness, so much violence and destruction, that baby born in a stable in an obscure part of the then known world, grew up identifying with us and dying for the world that for the most part, still rejects him.

Christmas Day

A small boy asked last Christmas why the baby in the crib was known by the same word as his dad used when swearing! Sadly respect and honour for the Son of God is less than ever in our own country, but Christmas is truly about the coming of a Saviour, and he can bring meaning, purpose, direction and fulfilment in place of emptiness in a mixed up world. And putting Jesus, the true “Christ” back into Christmas makes that life-changing difference. May Christmas Day be His day this year!

Canon Michael Adams

www.christchurchchislehurst.org

 

Marks & Spencer's in Chislehurst - The shortest questionnaire in history

Maybe we'll get a new sign?

To be precise, it's not a Marks & Spencer, but one of those M & S Simply Food stores (of which there are a couple locally at B P petrol stations) that is being planned.

M & S is seeking all of our opinions on their proposal to refurbish Chislehurst Library and include a Simply Food store on the site.

We at Village News always thought food 'n' drink and libraries didn't really go together - "no eating or drinking in the library". We expect there'll be another sign going up in Simply Food saying, "no books in the food store" but in the meantime, what have local residents been saying to Village News?

1. Who owns the library building and who will own it if the plans go ahead?
2. M & S state that the proposals "offer the opportunity to safeguard the future of the library."
   a. What happens when Simply Food wants to stop being in the library complex?
   b. Was the library under any threat of closure? We think not, given the political fallout that would have ensued.
3. Do we need yet another coffee shop? (See Village News' news item on 27th October.)
4. Will the library be open on Wednesdays?
5. The proposals look all very cosy, but remember, it's the planning application that counts. There was much controversy over in Sidcup recently with the Waitrose / Travelodge refurbishment of the Black Horse pub; it lost its facade despite assurances to the contrary during the planning process.
6. Despite the desire of local community groups, businesses and individuals for Chislehurst to thrive with a number of independent shops, do we really want our High Street to become more and more like a "Little Bromley"?

As for the questionnaire, we encourage you to fill it in. It's only two questions. However, as with all good questionnaires, the questions are framed to give the answers that are wanted. The second question is "Do you support the principle of a refurbished library facility on this site in Chislehurst?" No one's going to say "no" to that, but what if you would like to have a refurbished library without any M & S involvement? There's not a box to tick for that, so leave your comment below.

Details of the scheme can be found at www.chislehurstlibrarymands.co.uk. You have until 31st December to make your comments.
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

Scoff your way round the churches on Sunday 22nd, with mulled wine for the children & who has all the oranges?

The dates for the Christmas services are out (click on the Christmas logo on our home

page) and unbelievably there are more than 50 over about one week, in Chislehurst and Bickley. There's also a newcomer this year; more about them in a minute. There's Nativity from Scratch, Nativity Tableau (which is one not to miss) and Nativity Service. There are four Christingles, two of which are in the same church - so we know where all the oranges have gone this year and no wonder there are no candles left in The Workshop. There's Mass, Children's Mass, Family Mass, Midnight Mass, Sung Mass, Sung Midnight Mass, Solemn Mass and Vigil Mass. Then we have Midnight Communion, Midnight Eucharist. Finally there are the Carols: Communion and Carols, Nine Lessons & Carols, Carols "by the garden", Carols by Candlelight, Carols & Midnight Mass. Then finally, on 29th December, one church is having a ramble in Scadbury Park. No one in the Village News area will have any excuse not to go on that one! (Although, usefully,  it's followed by refreshments.)

Then there's Sunday 22nd. here's how it works:

• Start at St Patrick's Church, Chislehurst at 10.00am for Children's Christmas Mass, followed by mulled wine and mince pies. (That's what it says...! There's no indication that the mulled wine is for anyone other than the junior St Patrick's worshippers.)
• Then there's a bit of a break until 4.00pm when it's off to Chislehurst Methodist Church for Carols by Candleight followed by tea.
• Between 5 and 6.30pm new boy Kemnal Park Cemetery (www.kemnalpark.org) is hosting its inaugural Christmas Carol Service; the local community is welcome to attend. Village News is advised that the event is free. Which is a pity, because paying may have slowed down our mince pie scoffing. Kemnal Park has mince pies and mulled wine to match St Patrick's children, but then it also has hot chocolate - presumably for the adults.
• Finally we whizz over to St George's Church, Bickley for its 6.00pm Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols, followed by more mulled wine and mince pies.

We think we may be needing that ramble before Christmas, not after it.
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

OH NO – SANTA’S REINDEERS BROKEN DOWN!

(10th Dec: We are pleased to report that the reindeers are now back in action.)

Santa's reindeers broke down last night (the clutch pedal failed on the Land Rover that the

SANTA - IN HAPPIER TIMES

organisers, The Rotary Club of Chislehurst, borrow) and they currently have no other source of towing vehicle - so if anyone could lend them a suitable vehicle (with or without driver - they will insure if necessary) they would be most grateful. In the meantime, Santa and his elves will be foot-slogging the Christmas Collection Routes as below, but devoid of Christmas carols!

If anyone can help please call John Harris on  07776 149834 or Ian James on 07702 281092; or email Rotary at rcchislehurst@gmail.com

MONDAY DECEMBER 2ND

Red Hill - Albany Road - Belmont Road - Degema Road - Townshend Road – Green Lane - Barham Road - Barham Close - Meadow Close - Marsham Close – Greenway - Farmland Walk - Hill Close

TUESDAY DECEMBER 3RD

Mead Road - Green Lane - Woodside Avenue - Holmdale Road - Belmont Parade - Alexandra Road - Adelaide Road - Edward Road -Heathfield Lane - Ashfield Lane - Roehampton Drive - Liskard Close - Marlowe Close - Sturges Field - The Meadow - Heathfield - Heatherly End

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 4TH

Lydstep Road - Hillview Road - Green Lane - Mainridge Road - Walkden Road - White Horse Hill - Oakdene Avenue - Walden Avenue - Elmstead Avenue - Cranmore Road - Jay Gardens - Louis Gardens.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 5TH

Elmlee Close - Walden Road - The Weald - Sandy Ridge - Selby Close - Grove Vale - Clifford Avenue - Grange Drive - Melbury Close - Elmstead Lane - Downs Avenue - Melanda Close - Hallam Close - Fosters Close - Elmstead Glade

MONDAY DECEMBER 9TH

Cricket Ground Road - Norlands Crescent - Onslow Crescent - Paget Gardens - Sheridan Crescent - Cromlix Close - Islehurst Close – Heatherbank - Oakleigh Park Avenue

TUESDAY DECEMBER 10TH

Old Perry Street - Homewood Crescent - Radnor Close - Shepherds Green - Holbrook Lane - Poyntell Crescent - Bull Lane - Hollybrake Close - Church Lane - Bishops Walk - The Glebe - Prince Consort Drive - Queens Gate Gardens

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11TH

Chapel Farm Road - Bill Hamling Close - Hartsmead Road - Leysdown Road - Ministry Way - Lavidge Road - Birbetts Road – Bowmead - Margaret Garner Drive

THURSDAY DECEMBER 12TH

Belmont Lane – Laneside – Edgebury - Beechwood Rise - Domonic Drive - Brownspring Drive - Molescroft

MONDAY DECEMBER 16TH

Kevington Drive - Kevington Close - Marlings Close - Marlings Park Avenue - Berens Way - Ravensbury Road - Sayers Court Road - Clarendon Way

TUESDAY DECEMBER 17TH

Broadheath Drive - Fenton Close - Beaconsfield Road - Castlecombe Road - Court Farm Road - Chilham Road - Framlington Crescent - Harting Road - Dittisham Road - St Kevern Road

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 18TH

Waratah Drive

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk