What's on
National Folk Dance
Folkestone District National Dance Group meets on Tuesdays 7.30 - 9.30 pm from mid-September to mid-July to learn folk dances from Europe and beyond, many danced in lines or circles with no partner required.
Open to anyone who would like to enjoy folk dancing in an informal setting.
Price is currently £2 per evening.
For more information please contact Pat on 07908 570957 or Barbara on 07880 703514 or email clarkepm51@gmail.com
MEL Academy
At MEL Academy of Performing Arts we nurture creativity through inclusive performing arts.
With expert guidance, students grow skills and confidence, embracing every opportunity to learn, express, and shine.
We offer:
Private 1-1 singing lessons - by arrangement
THURSDAYS
Mini Movers dance class 17:45 - 18:30
Musical theatre class 18:30 - 19:30
Street Dance - Intermediate level 19:30 - 20.00
FRIDAYS
Street dance classes (AGES 4+) 16:00 - 16:30
Contemporary dance (AGE 7+) 17:30 - 19:00
Adult dance class 19:00 - 20:00
All ages and abilities, everyone is welcome and there is a class for everyone.
07584067155 melacademy@hotmail.com
£5 trial classes and then we will discuss ongoing payments.
CHARADE - A French Cinema & Dining Experience | Folkestone Film Festival presents...
Newington Village Hall, Folkestone, CT18 8AU
Sunday 18th October 2026
Folkestone Film Festival invites you to spend an autumn evening in Paris… without leaving Kent!
Join us at
Newington Village Hall on Sunday 18th October 2026 for a special French-inspired evening of food, wine, cocktails and classic cinema, built around one of Audrey Hepburn’s most stylish and entertaining films,
CHARADE (1963).
Starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant,
CHARADE is a fun Hitchcockian mix of romance, mystery, comedy and suspense, played out against the streets of Paris. We will be showing the film in two parts, with an old-fashioned style intermission.
Your £18 per person ticket (+ booking fee) includes…
Red-carpet reception
Arrive from 6.30pm and enjoy a complimentary French mimosa as we welcome you to the evening (non-alcoholic fizz also included).
“When Audrey Hepburn lived in Kent”
Before the film,
Folkestone Film Festival
Director Ben Barton presents a short illustrated talk exploring Audrey Hepburn’s fascinating connection with our corner of Kent, and the years she spent living just a few miles away in nearby Elham.
French grazing supper
Help yourself to a generous French-inspired grazing table of meats, cheeses, breads, tartlets, vegetables, dips and accompaniments.
Vegetarian and vegan options will be available. Please select the appropriate dietary requirement for each member of your party when booking.
On our big screen...
CHARADE
Settle down for Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant on the silver screen as we transform Newington Village Hall into a French cinema for one night only!
Interval coffee & croissants
We’ll pause midway through the film for an old fashioned intermission. Stretch your legs, visit the bar or enjoy complimentary freshly-brewed coffee (decaf available) accompanied by croissants.
Le Bar
Our French bar will remain open throughout the evening and during the film, serving French red and white wine by the glass or bottle, along with cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks. Look out for our special house cocktail, “The Charade”.
Drinks from the bar are not included in the ticket price. This event has been licensed by Folkestone & Hythe District Council and ID will be requested if you happen to look under 18 and want to drink or purchase alcohol.
CHARADE (1963) has been
rated PG by the British Board of Film Classification.
As part of the evening we will also hold a champagne raffle, with further prizes kindly donated by the Folkestone Film Festival headline sponsor
A. Simmonds, the Jewellers of the South East.
Join us for a night of Parisian cinema and dining this autumn!
Sunday 18 October 2026
Doors open 6.30pm, arrive promptly · Evening ends approximately 10.30pm
Newington Village Hall, Folkestone
£18 per person + booking fee
Advance booking only. Strictly no tickets on the door.
As all food will be purchased specifically for the number of guests attending, ticket sales will close 48 hours before the event.
We’ll do our very best to accommodate different dietary requirements. Please be aware, however, that food will be prepared and served in a shared kitchen environment, so we cannot guarantee against cross-contamination if you have strict allergies. Vegetarian options will be clearly labelled, while vegan guests will receive their own individual French grazing box, prepared separately in a designated vegan area of the kitchen. If you have any allergies or intolerances, please let us know when booking so we can provide as much information as possible.
Free on-site parking is available. Further information about parking, local taxi services and public transport will be supplied to ticket holders before the event. Contact us via email at:
hello@folkestonefilmfest.co.uk
The
Folkestone Film Festival is run by volunteers and all profits from our ticket sales and events go into our work supporting filmmaking in our town.
NEWINGTON & DISTRICT GARDENERS ASSOCIATION
For those who are not aware, Mr David Milton initiated the building of the village hall and McAlpine's builders, completed the building in 1962. It was paid for by the Newington gardeners, villagers and friends and is very much a central part of the village.
Newington Gardeners are a local friendly Club, ideal for your new hobby and for those already with green fingers! New members welcomed with for all ages and experience.
We hold monthly meeting February to November, 1915 in the village hall, guest speakers each month, garden visits, refreshments and social outings. We also have 2 Beetle Drives a year to raise money for our chosen charity, which for 2026 is Guide Dogs for the Blind and a cheque will be presented to them at our business meeting on 16 November.
On Tuesday 15 September our members will be going to Capel for a Quiz Night with Capel gardeners. The quiz is held at St Radigunds Church, 16 Albany Road, Capel CT18 7JT.
Monday 19 October the guest speaker is Kevin Toher talking on Roses, growing pruning and which varieties to grow, commencing 1915. Tea/coffee and raffle.
Saturday 24 October is our Beetle Drive commencing at 1900 with tea, coffee and a prize for the winners. Small entry fee.
Our last meeting of the year is 16 November which is where we present our charity with a cheque for money raised throughout the year. We also ask for suggestions from members for a charity for 2027.
Subscription for the year is £8 and we would like to welcome anyone who would wants to learn more about gardening, meet like minded gardeners and be part of a growing local group. Even if you are not interested in gardening your are more than welcome to come along for the social element.
Please contact Denise Buckland if you would like any further information, 07841 669161 or look on the website Newingtongardeners.co.uk
Sing and Play - Wednesday Mornings Starting 2nd September 2026
Sing & Play is EXPANDING! πΆπ
We're going to be bringing our magical adventures on a wednesday morning to a brand new venue, opening up Sing & Play to even more families and making our sessions more accessible for those who might not be able to make our existing Tuesday sessions in Hawkinge.
And our new home has SO much to offer! π
π Its own parking
π³ A fenced outdoor play area
π½ Newly refurbished toilets
πΆ Baby changing facilities
π» A child-sized toilet cubicle
π‘ A spacious, welcoming hall
And the location is...
π₯π₯π₯
π NEWINGTON VILLAGE HALL! π
I'm SO excited about this next chapter for Sing & Play and can't wait to start welcoming little explorers to this beautiful venue! π₯°
But before we get started, I want YOU to help shape what comes next...
I'm putting together a short interest form to find out what local families would like to see at the new venue, including which sessions would be most useful and what ages/stages you're looking for.
π HELP SHAPE THE NEXT CHAPTER π
π https://forms.gle/SxZapG8pz8uMhbAg7
Even if you're not sure whether you'd attend, I'd really appreciate you taking a couple of minutes to fill it in. Your responses will help me decide what the new Sing & Play offering at Newington should look like.
And keep your eyes peeled... π
There's lots more to come, including details of our introductory session!
I can't wait to see where this next adventure takes us. π¦₯π°
ο»Ώ