News
LEN VALLEY ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
NEWSLETTER
November 2026 – ISSUE 194
| Emails @lenara.org.uk | |||
| CHAIRMAN | Roger Newman | 07889 287417 |
rog.newman |
| VICE-CHAIRMAN | Julia Elliot | julia.elliott | |
| SECRETARY | Teresa Thompson |
teresa.thompson |
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| WEBSITE | Mike Compson | 01622 851763 | mike.compson |
| EMAILS | info |
CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE
Hello everyone,
I hope you are keeping free of all the various winter illnesses. We have lots of enjoyable activities coming up in the period to Christmas so we need to keep well.
At our October meeting we had Julie Camburn, a volunteer from the Stroke Association, who gave us a very factual presentation on just about everything to know about strokes. I must admit it was not a laugh a minute and it was a bit scary. However, the information that Julie gave us could also be a life saver. I sincerely hope none of us have the need to put it into practice. We gave her a donation of £80 for the Stroke Association and you generously contributed a further £53 for which she is very grateful. Well done.
11th November is our next ten pin bowling session at Ashford with lunch afterwards for those wanting to go.
18th November is our pub lunch at The Alma, Painters Forstal. Please note this is slightly earlier than usual. You can arrive from 12pm for a 12.30pm lunch start. There are 3 places left. If you would like to book please contact Sue Newman. See the menu...
25th November is our monthly meeting at the Community Centre. Something more light hearted this month which should give us a laugh and have time for a bit of a chit chat. Julia and Chris are organising a Beetle Drive for us no doubt with cash prizes for the winners. It will cost £3 for an afternoon of games but we will not be charging the usual £1 to come in. Please bring along pens or pencils and come along and have some fun.
2nd December is the Christmas Dinner at the Orida Hotel in Maidstone.As many of you will know we had a very successful Christmas Dinner here a couple of years ago. This event proves to be really good fun with good food, entertainment and dancing.Full details will be provided later.
16th December This is the date of our Christmas Social in the Main Hall at the Community Centre. You must reserve your place and there is a charge of £5 per head. 71 members are paid up and on the list. There are still places available but again numbers are restricted. We will be taking names again at the November meeting if places are still available. The Social starts at 1.30pm and doors will not be open until then so please do not arrive too early. We need time to set out the tables and food etc. If you are unable to get to this month's meeting and would like to put your name down please contact Barbara Kyprianou as soon as possible as places are going fast.
Best wishes to our teams in the KentARA ten pin bowling competition at Rochester on 12th November.
We have only two seats left for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Michael Ball in London next June. If you would like to go the cost will be approximately £65 depending on the cost of the coach. Please contact Barbara Kyprianou if you want more details.
OUR WEEKLY EVENTS:
Short Mat Bowls |
Tuesday |
2.00pm to 4.00pm |
£4 per session |
Phil Gooda 01622 851217 |
Zumba |
Wednesday |
9.30am to 10.30am |
£7 per session |
Barbara Kyprianou 01622 850468 |
Line Dancing |
Wednesday |
7.30pm to 9.00pm |
£5 members per session £6 for non-members per session |
Ann Rolfe 01622 859725 |
Petanque (weather permitting) |
Thursday Saturday |
10.00am to 12.00pm |
£3 per session |
Peter 07831 147656 Jackie 07734 566896 |
OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS:
November 2026
Wednesday, 11th November |
Ten Pin Bowling |
11.00am |
£7.50 for two game |
Pat Highsted 01622 743658 |
Wednesday 25th November |
Beetle Drive |
2.00pm |
Lenham Community Centre |
December 2026
Wednesday, 9th December |
Ten Pin Bowling |
11.00am |
£7.50 for two game |
Pat Highsted 01622 743658 |
Wednesday 16th December |
Lenara Christmas Social |
1.30pm doors open |
Lenham Community Centre |
Wednesday, 13th January |
Ten Pin Bowling |
11.00am |
£7.50 for two game |
Pat Highsted 01622 743658 |
Wednesday 27th January |
Road Safety Talk |
2.00pm doors open |
Lenham Community Centre |
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM SOUTH EAST WATER -
We're going to install almost 2.5 kilometres of water pipes in and around Old Ashford Road and Ham Lane in the Lenham area. The planning for this project is underway and we're currently aiming to start work on Monday, 26 October 2026. Our teams will work weekdays and some Saturday mornings. We still need to finalise the programme, but expect the project to take approximately seven months in total. We'll do our best to get the work done faster if we can. We'll be working in two phases for the project, starting on Old Ashford Road in October, with a rolling road closure in place as we install more than two kilometres of water mains.
The rolling road closure, from the junction of The Square and Old Ashford Road to the junction of Old Ashford Road and Ashford Road, has been agreed with Kent Highways, and is scheduled to be in place until Wednesday, 10 February, 2027.
We'll be lifting the road closure over the Christmas period, before resuming work on Monday, 4 January 2027.
Two-way traffic lights will also be required in the new year at the junction of Old Ashford Road and the A20 Ashford Road, for a period of around three weeks from Thursday, 21 January, 2027.
Work is then due to follow on in Ham Lane, which will require a lane closure for the duration of this phase and three-way traffic lights for a short period at the junction with the A20 Ashford Road. A road closure will also be in place at the junction of Pilgrims Way and Ashford Road for a period of around five weeks.
Please be aware that these road closures may affect your journey to and from Lenham especially if you are picking up coaches for holidays etc. Give yourself plenty of time for diversions.
As we have lots of events coming up please could you consider car sharing as much as possible. This will give some members the opportunity to take part in something that maybe they could not have done otherwise.
If you know of anyone who would like to join Lenara please bring them along to a meeting so that they can see what we get up to. I am sure they will enjoy it. Or they can contact Barbara Peacock, our Membership Secretary.
Don't forget to let us know of any changes to your contact details. We wouldn't want you to miss out on any information. Also please ensure you take your emergency contact details and medical information with you when you go away on our Lenara holidays and days out.
So get your party clothes out!
Best wishes to all
Roger
November: where leaves fall,
and so does my willpower around desserts
artofpoets.com