Kench Hill

A return to this delightful venue

A long weekend in the depths of Kent, in the High Weald, to enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable break in good company. We have exclusive use of the Kench Hill Centre, an intimate and comfortable venue set in a rural location, only a short journey from London.

We warmly invite you to bring your ideas, skills and talents to share, but more than this, we would like you to come with an openness to become part of a supportive community, in whatever way suits you; to take a lead, offer a workshop, take part in activities, relax and, most importantly, make friends. As always, the success of the gathering depends on the enthusiasm and initiative of the participants.

Any activity can be a "workshop" - from an organised chat to a day trip. We have in mind that there will be a led spiritual workshop at some point over the weekend, and a short guided meditation first thing each morning, for those that are interested in participating.

We’ll keep the usual structure for ECC, condensed into the weekend - so we'll have daily small base groups plus a heart circle for those who want it.

The property itself is in a secluded area away from the road with about a hectare of garden and is surrounded by arable farmland and woodlands. Amenities include a hall suitable for dancing etc. and a garden with picnic tables and a croquet lawn. The location is close to the historic market town of Tenterden in the beautiful High Weald countryside. Rye and the coastline at Camber Sands are accessible by car.

We will manage our own catering, so we ask all to do their bit helping out with cooking and washing up (likely no more than twice per person during the weekend). The kitchen is modern and well equipped. Breakfast will be self-service; and lunches will be kept simple, to allow folks to enjoy the day out and about. On the Saturday evening we're planning a 'gourmet and glamour' supper - our cooks Graham, Rob and Franco will be busy in the kitchen. We're all invited to dress up (or down!) for the occasion.

We have three lead Cooks - Graham, Rob and Franco - to look after the kitchen and the food All food will be vegetarian. Food can also be vegan for those vegans among us.

We have 26 places available. Accommodation is in shared bunk bedrooms with between 2 and 8 bunks. Kench Hill’s accommodation capacity is 45, so there will be plenty of room to spread out, and we can avoid using top bunks. Sadly, there is no sleeping accommodation on the ground floor.

Nearest rail stations are Headcorn (10 miles) or Ashford International (13 miles). The journey is about an hour from London Bridge/Charing Cross stations. A bookable taxi service from Headcorn is available. Cost is about £25 per single journey so we advise pre-booking in advance, and taxi sharing as far as possible. More transport details will be circulated later.

Organisers

Your organising team comprises Stevenson Graham, Shaun Kent, and Franco Marigliano - with Franco plus Rob Turner and Graham Poole all leading in the kitchen.

Essential Information

Venue: Kench Hill Centre, Appledore Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 7DG www.kenchhill.co.uk

Dates: Friday 24th to Monday 27th May 2019

Accommodation: Shared rooms, mostly 4 or 8 beds including bunks, and some singles. We will be under-occupying the venue, so there will be plenty of space for everyone.

Accessibility: The building can present some physical challenges for people with mobility difficulties, in particular there is no sleeping accommodation available on the ground floor. If you have concerns or queries please contact Shaun before booking. email: *****@*******.*** or phone on *** **** ****.

Nearest shops: In Tenterden, a small local town 2 miles away, about a 5-minute drive.

Places: 26 places will be available on the weekend, and we’ll reserve a proportion for first-time attenders until Friday 26th April 2019. Places can fill up very quickly, so book soon!

We look forward to welcoming you to Kench Hill!