Organisations at Otterden
Church
Otterden is part of a combined benefice with Eastling, Stalisfield and Throwley. It is within the parish of 'Stalisfield with Otterden', and the parish church is St Mary's, Stalisfield.
Contacts
Please note: the following contacts were updated in January 2023.High Downs ParishRector: Reverend Canon Dr. Steve Lillicrap,01795 522510, email: steve.lillicrap@kc-hd.org.uk
Associate Priest: Reverend James (Jim) Pye,Curate: Reverend Caroline Turvey,Reader: Caroline Ramshaw,Anna Chaplain: Caroline Ramshaw, email: AnnaChaplaincy@outlook.comReader: Pim Baxter,Church ContactsEastling Warden: Andrew Baxter,Administrator: Janet Payne, email: eastlingchurch@gmail.comStalisfield with OtterdenWarden: Jenny King,Administrator: Shirley Pritchard, email: Stmarystalisfield@gmail.comThrowley contact: Alison Young,
The Chapel of St Lawrence in the grounds of Otterden Place is now a private chapel. Services are normally only held in this building during summer months. For more on the Chapel of St Lawrence CLICK HERE.
Cricket Club
Otterden Cricket Club mainly plays home matches in Otterden, on Saturday afternoons in the Summer. These are on the square adjacent to the St Lawrence Chapel, Otterden Place.
Membership comprises keen local sportsmen from Otterden and other local communities including Stalisfield, Doddington, Painters Forstal, Westwell, Faversham and Sittingbourne. The club is run on a voluntary basis and is very much a friendly, family organisation, with the playing members varying in age from 14 to 64.
New local faces are very welcome - to watch or to play or umpire. For visitors who wish to watch some friendly non-league village cricket in a beautiful setting, teas are usually available at home games and served at 4.45pm - 5.15 pm.
Otterden Womens' Institute
Launched at the end of 2007, the Otterden WI attracts members from Otterden and the surrounding villages. The group has a full programme of interesting speakers and events, the latter including, for example, a Summer tea party and a fund-raising children's pony show.
Regular meetings are held in Stalisfield Village Hall on the first Wednesday of every month. New members are always welcome.
The Bunce Trust
The Bunce Trust was founded in the 17th century to promote Christian teaching in the Anglican tradition to children living in Otterden and Stalisfield. Later this was extended to include Throwley and now it includes the Benefices, although the emphasis is on the core villages.
The Trust is able to offer funding for individuals and groups wanting to promote Christian teaching.
Over recent years the Trust has, for example, given money for school leavers’ bibles at Eastling and Sheldwich Primary Schools, attended by most of the children from its core villages. Other activities have included: taking groups of primary school children to Rochester and Canterbury Cathedrals; providing funding for Christian RE materials in those schools and for Sunday School/Children’s Church in Throwley and Leaveland; contributing towards a secondary school pupil’s trip to Auschwitz, a student’s trip to help at a Christian school in India and a university student’s theology books. The Trust has also contributed to the salary of a full time Eastling Church Youth Worker.