Talks and Visits

We arrange talks and visits throughout the year drawing on local expertise and the natural beauty that surrounds us. Most of the talks are provided in local village halls along with refreshments. Contribution and collections are often taken to support local abnd national charities. For example, our meeting in 2023 given by Geoff Preston raised a donation of £160 for the Kent Air Ambulance – a worthwhile sum for a good cause.

During 2021 we had a talk by Tom Reid of the EA on Otters and Beavers in the Stour catchment area. Also a tour a Historic tour of Sandwich to learn more about this important Medieval port.

February 2022 – a talk was given at Littlebourne War Memorial Hall by WilderBlean on the aims and objectives of the planned introduction of European bison to Blean woods.

April 2022 – a talk by John Bennett about his rural childhood in Ickham

In June we enjoyed a tour of Goodnestone Park Gardens, led by the Head Gardener, who spent lots of time with us answered all our questions.

July 2022 – a visit to Nonington Farms to learn about their sustainable farming practices and plans for the future

September 2022 – a walk on along the Little Stour led by Lauren Baker of Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership to look at some of the wildlife and in particular, for signs of beaver

April 2023 – a social evening at Ickham where Geoff Preston talked to us about ‘My Farming Life’.

July 2023 – a tour of Goodnestone Gardens lead by Head Gardener, Paul Bagshaw

In November 2023, Cressida Williams, the Cathedral Archivist, provided a fascinating talk entitled ‘Capturing Our Past: The 4 Villages in the Cathedral Archives’. This introduced the archive collection held at the Cathedral and provided examples of resources for the history of our 4 villages. Wickhambreaux Hall was filled to capacity.

Events in 2024

Hopping in Kent – 9th October

October saw Geoff Doel and Richard Bone give a fascinating talk in Wickhambreaux on Hopping in Kent, interspersed with hopping folk songs rendered masterfully by Geoff without accompaniment!

Richard farmed 250 acres near Faversham, of which 50 acres were Hops. He experienced hop picking by hand and machine. Although now retired, he still has close connections with the Hop industry.

Geoff Doel lectured for Universities of Kent & Canterbury Christ Church on the Traditional Culture of Kent, including the social, folklore and song side of hop picking and published jointly with my wife Fran ‘The Hop Bin: An Anthology of Hop Picking in Kent & East Sussex’ for The History Press.