Kench Hill

A week in the beautiful High Weald countryside of Kent

We are returning to the much-loved Kench Hill Centre in May 2025.

We have exclusive use of this characterful venue; an intimate and comfortable house set in a rural location, only a short journey from London.

We warmly invite you to join a diverse group of 30 men and to bring your ideas, skills and talents.  But more than this, we would like you to come with an openness to be part of a supportive community, in whatever way suits you: to take a lead, offer a workshop, take part in activities or just relax and, most importantly, make friends. 

At Kench Hill, there will be all the usual features of an ECC event. These ensure that everyone is included, that each man is heard and honoured, in a spirit of unconditional acceptance. 

Towards the end of the week, we love to plan a ‘soiree’. If you’d like to perform, or stage-manage or just be an audience member, this much-loved part of the week provides further opportunity for being yourself in a highly supportive atmosphere.

We welcome and reserve places for men who have not attended one of our events before.  There will be an optional buddy system in place where first time attendees will be able to talk to a more experienced member in advance of and during the event. There will be an opportunity during the booking process to indicate whether you’d like to have or buddy, or to buddy a first timer.

The venue is in a secluded area away from roads with about a hectare of garden, lawns, picnic tables and a couple of ponds (home to chickens, ducks, donkeys and some very vocal Marsh frogs). There’s a fire-pit, which we’ll be using late nights.  We will have a bell tent in the garden, which will be bookable for small workshops.

The house has a homely feel spread over three floors and bathroom facilities are good, if slightly eccentric. While the venue sleeps 50+, there will be only 30 of us, so we will have plenty of space in the shared rooms.

As with all our events, you are likely to find yourself sharing a room with between 1 and 4 other men.

Catering

We have contracted two professional cooks (who received rave reviews at last year’s event) to provide us with vegetarian or vegan meals.  Participants on the gathering will need to do their bit helping out on a rota basis: this usually involves helping set up the dining room, serving food and clearing up after meals.  The kitchen is modern and well-equipped.  Breakfast will be self-service, and lunches kept simple, to allow everyone to enjoy the day out-and-about.  Please let us know on your booking forms of any “free from” or other dietary requirements.

Nearby places to visit

There are lots! Places of interest include two contrasting gardens with LGBT connections: the famous gardens at Sissinghurst Castle, created by Vita Sackville-West, lover of Virginia Woolf, and Prospect Cottage on the bleak promontory at Dungeness, created by gay activist, artist and film-maker Derek Jarman. The fabulous Great Dixter House and Gardens near Rye is another nearby attraction, as well as lovely little coastal towns, beaches and heritage railways. Fairlght beach – a lovely secluded naturist beach, just by Hastings, is also not far.  Usually enough participants bring cars and are willing to offer lifts.

Sissinghurst

Prospect Cottage

Rye

Fairlight beach

Organisers

Your organising team comprises Shaun Waller, Andy Paterson and Tim Goddard.

Shaun Waller

Andy Paterson

Tim Goddard

For further information please contact us using the form at the bottom of this page:

Shaun Waller (for enquiries about bookings, sleeping accommodation, catering)

Andy Paterson (for enquiries about anything else)

Booking

The event opens to online bookings on Saturday 1st February 2025 at 9 am.

Essential Information

Booking: Places on the event can fill up very quickly (but note that we hold 25% of places until one month before the event starts for first-timers to ECC events). Make sure you are signed up to the ECC Newsletter so that you are informed if there are any amendments to this event.

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

Dates: Friday 23rd May - Friday 30th May 2025.  Suggested arrival times will be confirmed in the joining instructions but registration is likely to be around 5 pm.

Nearest shops: In Tenterden, a small local town 2 miles away, about a 10 minute drive. Lots of little shops, cafes, pubs and a Waitrose.

Alcohol: There is no bar at the venue but participants are permitted to bring their own.

Public transport: Nearest rail stations are Ashford (high speed trains from London St Pancras can get you there in around 40 minutes, probably most convenient for people from the Midlands and North) or Headcorn (about an hour from London Bridge / Charing Cross stations). From Ashford, there are buses to Tenterden, and then a 2-mile walk, taxi, or we may be able to pick you up. A bookable taxi service from Headcorn is available. More transport details will be circulated in advance of the event to those who book.

Accessibility: The venue has a ground floor bedroom, which can accommodate one or two wheelchair users or men with mobility difficulties. There is a bathroom close by with shower, basin and toilet equipped with aids for people with disabilities.

All the rooms we will be using for our activities will be accessible to wheelchair users, including the big outbuilding, accessed by a wide, low gradient ramp. The patio tables and sunbathing lawns are also entirely accessible, though if you wander into some areas of the gardens you may encounter some challenges. Please ask Andy Paterson if unsure. The venue has a comprehensive accessibility statement. www.kenchhill.co.uk/what-we-offer/facilities.