Sign up to our What's On newsletter for a weekly email covering the best of Kent's food Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters The time a walk takes is always useful to know but also so you can plan for lunch or a refreshing drink It starts at The Spotted Dog in Smarts Hill and more on this gem of a pub a little later It's the perfect time of year to see the enchanting Kentish countryside bursting to life as temperatures rise and the sun shines It's on the cusp of becoming rather 'Darling Buds of May' which celebrated the best of rural life in Kent taking you up some short hills and through sheep meadows by the River Medway There are varying estimates of how long a 4.5 miles walk will take you with the general view being around 90 minutes at a brisk walk you probably won't be watching the clock but it is handy to know whether or not this distance is right for you and for this it will be obvious as you will see a 'zipper' sign which is near All Souls Chapel Poundsbridge and its cemetery A zipper sign means where walking routes join but you will also pass the equally excellent The Bottle House Inn It's a 15th century free house "celebrating the bounty of the seasons and the joy of barley and hops" One review from March said: "We arrived an hour early for our booked Sunday lunch and were warmly welcomed We each had a perfect roast with the biggest and fluffiest Yorkshire puddings I have ever seen." "Not only was there cauliflower cheese but cheesy leeks too which were fabulous The sticky toffee pudding was perfect and the banana ice cream made the perfect accompaniment The pub was busy but the area we sat in was laid out in little booths so it felt cosy and private." welcomes dogs as well as their 'hoomans' The building is also 15th century and it's bursting with character And who lets warm weather put them off a Sunday roast It has some exhilarating views from the rear of the pub so perfect for a seat outside with the landscape unfolding in front of you It has 3.9 stars out of a possible five from 422 reviews excellent service in a unique public house and the countryside location is perfect and quiet Lots of parking and some good walks nearby And another: "Just had the Sunday roast and it was delicious with meat from Fullers the renowned local butcher and a pint of Larkin's bitter A lovely 16th century unspoilt pub with friendly staff great service and reasonable prices." one of this area's most picture perfect villages and it's where the River Medway and the River Eden meet a stately home owned by the Sidney family since 1552 and where they still live today and run as a popular attraction the childhood home of Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn Friday and Saturday Noon-11pm; Tuesday & Wednesday - Closed; Sundays 12noon -10:30pm If you are heading from the west side of London you would see lovely countryside if you come from the B2026 and then through Markbeech you will pass the Bottle House and then arrive at Spotted Dog If coming via the A21, turn off at the brown tourist sign for Penshurst Place and this lovely stately home still lived in by the family is a superb attraction You will then turn right in Fordcombe village You can find the very helpful narrative and map for the walk on the website Fancy Free Walks.org/Kent/PenshurstPubs.pdf Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of KentLive content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right TAFC needs you - it’s time to get more involved we’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our team and help us build on plans for next season Whether you just have a few hours to spare here and there your time and skills can really help support our club From event support and fundraising to sales and administrative tasks Volunteering is a fantastic way to gain experience and play a larger part in supporting our great community club.  If you have the skills and experience for any of the roles below, or if you think you might have something else to offer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch, and contact shaz.williams@tonbridgeangels.co.uk for further details.  Join us today and help play a part in building the future of our great club and community Sponsorship Development Team – 2-4 individuals to form a small group to plan and coordinate efforts to secure sponsorship from local businesses and organise other fundraising activities Ownership Champions – 2-4 individuals to form a small group to help promote and champion the club’s fan ownership scheme Club Shop Manager – to manage the club shop Assistant Communications Officer – admin support for the comms and media team Social Media Officer – to assist in building the club’s social media presence Poster Distributors – to assist in the distribution and placement of physical advertising material across the region Schools Liaison Officer – to assist in the promotion of community activity with local schools Content Creators – To create interesting and amusing video clips from training sessions and games for publication on club social media channels.  Finance Director/Finance Manager – a suitably qualified individual to lead and oversee the club’s accounting function This can be a directorial or non-directorial role Bookkeeping Assistant – an experienced bookkeeper to assist and support the current finance team Roaming Programme Seller – to walk around the stadium and sell programmes and 50/50 tickets on matchdays.  Stadium Assistants – to support activity and assist customers on the pitch outside of matchdays Turnstile Assistants – to staff the turnstiles on matchdays Stewards – to steward and assist security on matchdays Stadium Clearing team – volunteers to assist with clearing recycling bins Plumbers and Electricians – for ad hoc remedial and maintenance work Hospitality Bar Staff and Chefs - for periodic shifts Volunteer Coordinator – an administrative role to help organise and coordinate volunteer shifts using a new mobile application The Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium, Darenth Avenue, Tonbridge, Kent TN10 3JFTonbridge Angels Football Club Limited is a Community Benefit Society, operating under the Co-Operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.Registered number IPO 32445. | Privacy Notice Looking for the old website? Click here This site is pProvided by Football Web PagesYou can dDownload our app for iOS or Android right now Company Number 8718734 | Privacy Policy | Registered in England© Football Web Pages Ltd 2025 Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox The Conservatives managed to hold three seats in Tonbridge and Malling district meaning that Tory councillors from the area now make up more than half of the party's total number on the council The Tories held seats in Malling North East Malling Rural East and Malling West in what were very rare victories for the party in the Kent Local Elections 2025 The party did lose the Malling North seat to Reform UK who now hold a majority on Kent County Council Malling Central was held by the Lib Dems while both Tonbridge seats were held by Green party councillors Overall on Kent County Council Reform UK now has overall control and holds 57 out of the 81 seats the Lib Dems are the second largest party with 12 councillors The final two seats are taken by Labour councillors down from the five the party held before the election Full results for Tonbridge and Malling district are listed below: For a full list of results from across Kent click here: Kent Local Election results full list For detailed results from the other 11 Kent County Council areas Ashford Canterbury Dartford Dover Folkestone and Hythe Gravesham Maidstone Sevenoaks Swale Thanet Tunbridge Wells five grandchildren and a well-loved member of the her local community is among those being remembered in the latest death and funeral notices for Kent Brenda Burkin was described as a "familiar face" around Tonbridge and will be sorely missed by all who knew her Announcing the passing of a loved one in local news media is a long-standing tradition. KentLive is proud to have the trust placed in us to make these important announcements Every notice published in our newspaper and news site also appears on funeral-notices.co.uk - the UK’s number-one site for death notices and memorials Every notice remains online forever providing friends and families with a lifelong tribute to their loved one you can create a notice by calling our helpful team on 01482 908084 Here are a selection of notices published earlier this week Patricia 'Pat' Bromfield peacefully passed away at St Michaels Care Home in Westgate on Sea Pat will be deeply missed by all her family and all who knew her donations if desired to the Pilgrims Hospice or Cross Roads Care Kent c/o Gore Brothers Ltd A familiar face around Tonbridge will be sadly missed having died peacefully on Wednesday Brenda Elizabeth Myhill was born in Paston the youngest child of Dora & Cyril Myhill Jean (Giddy) who died when a young girl in 1935 and a brother Eric who died in 2010 Norfolk where Brenda attended the secondary school when he was on National Service in the Royal Air Force in Norfolk 1957 in North Walsham before setting up home in Tonbridge Gary and Robin and five grandchildren Sarah The family lived in Barden Road for 40 years before moving to Longmead Way They did many things they had always planned to do including returning to the Isle of Wight where they had spent their honeymoon a holiday to the Channel Islands and other holidays with family and friends John sadly died in 2002 but since then Brenda has had numerous trips abroad to Egypt Malta and Trinidad & Tobago to name a few One of her favourite memories was a flight in a Spitfire at the age of 81 Brenda was a well-loved member of the community and will be sorely missed by all who knew her She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and a good friend to so many The funeral service will be held at Tunbridge Wells crematorium on Monday, April 28 at 3.15pm. Family flowers only. If anyone would like to give a donation to either of her chosen charities, please visit wttp://brendaelizabethburkin.muchloved.com/ It is with great sadness that Ruby's family announces her passing Ruby was a much loved mum to Rob and grandmother to Jamie Ruby is now reunited with her beloved husband Peter Robert Burt and she will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her The Funeral Service will take place on Friday, May 16 at the Tunbridge Wells Crematorium Chapel at 11am. Donations in memory of Ruby are being collected on behalf of the Kent, Surrey, Sussex Air Ambulance. www.abbeyfs.co.uk Cyril passed away peacefully at home in Sevenoaks on April 8 at the age of 86 with his beloved wife Pat by his side The funeral will be held at Tunbridge Wells Crematorium on May 6 at 3.15pm He will be greatly missed by all his family and friends and remembered for being such a lovely gentleman. Family flowers only. Donations to Hospice in the Weald via Doves Funeral Directors, Sevenoaks. https://www.dovesfunerals.co.uk/ Ann Cracknell peacefully passed away on April 4 Ann will be very much missed by all of her family and friends Funeral service will be held at Kent & Sussex Crematorium, Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday, May 7 at 10.45am. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Friends of Crowborough Hospital c/o Tester and Jones Funeral Services, London Road, Crowborough. TN6 2TT or via the website www.testerandjones.co.uk Wendy Davy passed away peacefully at the Hospice in The Weald on April 10 Wendy will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends Anthony sadly passed away peacefully in the wonderful care of The William Harvey Hospital on April 9 He is deeply mourned by his family and friends a Thanksgiving Service for Anthony's life will be held at St Michael's Methodist Church in Hythe at 12.30pm on Thursday May 8 with refreshments afterwards at The Red Lion All friends and family welcome. No flowers please, but donations if desired to the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway Supporters Association where Anthony spent so many happy days Any enquiries to Chittendens Funeral Services on 01303 262762 Janet Hayes sadly died at home on March 15 Donations in lieu of flowers to Demelza Children's Hospice, a charity close to Janet's heart- Demelza.org.uk W Hodges 48 London Road Terry Kelly passed away on March 18, 2025 aged 91 years. Donations in his memory are going to Prostate Cancer Jean Martin died peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, aged 92 years. She will be sadly missed by all her family. Funeral Service will be held at St Michael & All Angels Church, Jarvis Brook on Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 10.45am. Family flowers only. Donations, if desired, to RNLI & RSPB Previously Landlord of The Old Fire House Exeter The family of Ronald 'Ron' Alfred Rowe who was the owner and founder of Herne-Bay Snooker Club he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones on April 13 The celebration of his life and funeral will be held on May 13 there will be refreshments and a reception to be held at The Constitutional Club we would love for anyone who knew him to join us in celebrating his life Terence Rutt sadly passed away on the April 3 Funeral to take place at Herne Bay Crematorium on Friday Donations if desired can be made to British Heart Foundation at www.awelchandsons.co.uk. Enquiries to A Welch & Sons Funeral Services Dearly loved and deeply missed by all her family and friends Jean's cremation service is to take place at Herne Bay Crematorium on Wednesday Family flowers only by request. Donations if desired can be made to Macmillan Cancer Support and Pilgrims Hospices In East Kent at www.awelchandsons.co.uk Enquiries to A Welch & Sons Funeral Services John Whittaker has died aged 93 on March 29 A chartered accountant who travelled widely during his career he settled in Folkestone and was an active Rotarian He will be remembered especially for his love of the piano and his garden Proprietor of The Sion Hill Hotel & The Eagle Cafe To add your own tributes to the loved ones from our area, or to publish a notice for your loved one, visit funeral-notices.co.uk Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those we have lost Penalties: Tonbridge Angels U18 4-2 Kingstonian Tonbridge Angels U18’s will feature in an Isthmian Youth League Champions of Champions Final for the first time in eight years following Thursday evening’s dramatic penalty shootout success against Kingstonian at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium in which either side could lay claim to be deserving of the place in the final which will be against Worthing at Uxbridge Football Club on Thursday the Angels held their nerve in the spot kick lottery with leading goalscorer Robert Penman sending the Kingstonian goalkeeper the wrong way to win the shootout 4-2 It is five weeks since the Tonbridge lads have played a match following their final two games of the season being postponed as Glebe curtailed their season Kingstonian came into the game with a record of only dropping four points in a 14 game season in the Central Division and were the sharper of the two teams out of the blocks Tonbridge gave away far too many free kicks in their own half and with some wicked deliveries entering the box the Angels needed to be at their best to deny the visitors neither goalkeeper had been seriously tested The second period was played in a similar fashion but with a couple of chances that could have won the game for either side the fleet-footed Tolu Fabimafobee sprinted clear but was denied at the last by an equally pacy defender whose last gasp challenge was enough to deflect the ball for a corner The K’s fashioned two chances of their own with Josh Hanson saving well at his near post and when an attacker was sent clear Hanson advanced quickly to save at his feet A collective holding of breath came late in the game was a visiting forward appeared to be brought down in the box but the referee decided it was simulation and the K’s player was shown a yellow card The penalty shootout began with skipper Adam Larkin scoring the opening goal and when the K’s reply came back from the bar the Angels were in front but the second spot kick was missed and Kingstonian were back level after an extraordinary incident in which Hanson saved but the ball squirmed away from him and it was deemed the ball had crossed the line Callum Fincham made it 2-1 before this was levelled Ed Dyer put the Angels back in front and when Hanson saved and took the opportunity to win the contest James Larkin said after the match: "A fantastic evening commitment and approach to the game was first class And there’s not a group who deserve a final than this group A fantastic team performance to be proud of." Tonbridge Castle has announced its bumper summer of entertainment The historic venue in the heart of Tonbridge will see the return of regular crowd-pleasers and new shows further boosting the town’s reputation as the place to come for fun in the sun Two special events will be taking place to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day the castle bailey lawn will feature a free to attend 1940s-themed party with food This will be followed on Thursday 8 May with a service and beacon lighting with band music from 8.30pm to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe May will also see the return of the ever popular two-day food and drink festival (24-25 May) alongside the TN90s music festival taking place on neighbouring Deacon’s Field There’ll be even more music as the summer schedule gathers pace Free Friday night River Walk Music makes its return as does Tonbridge Music Weekend (4-6 July) guaranteed to get crowds moving with disco classics and Michael Jackson tributes For those seeking something a little more laid back regular free band concerts on the castle lawn provide the perfect way to laze away sunny Sunday afternoons Outdoor theatre will be making a welcome return to the castle with a range of  performances to suit every taste and age group Helping celebrate Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in style will be a production of Pride and Prejudice by the award-winning Illyria theatre company.  There’ll also be a raucous retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth Badger for a delightful performance of Wind in the Willows The monthly artisan markets are running throughout the summer and continuing to Christmas in their new home on the castle’s lawn Stalls selling beautiful hand-crafted products jewellery and accessories in a beautiful setting make this a Sunday experience not to miss said:  “We’re excited to have such a brilliant line-up of events for people to enjoy this summer browsing a market or watching performers tell amazing stories Tonbridge Castle is the place to come.  With even more events in the pipeline and yet to be announced 2025 looks set to be one of our biggest and best summers yet.” View the full list of events at Tonbridge Castle. 2025 © Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council The Good Schools Guide visited Tonbridge School in early February to update the previous review undertaken in 2021 meeting a cross-section of pupils and staff as well as touring the site and observing a variety of lessons and co-curricular activities the School was required to complete a detailed data submission as well as providing the opportunity for the reviewer to speak to parents and the diverse pupil groups in both boarding and day Houses across year groups at Tonbridge The Guide describes itself as having "1,450 fearsomely frank reviews of the best schools and tutor agencies in the UK and worldwide" "our writers visit on normal school days and meet the headteacher Their reviews then cover everything from academic matters sport and the arts to the atmosphere of the school facilities and where pupils come from or go on to Schools are selected on merit and cannot pay to be included".  “Intellectual stimulation at every turn with sky-high academic standards set by the specialist teachers who pupils told us are ‘passionate about their subjects’ and ‘challenge all including the absolute brightest’” the Guide is acknowledged by the Daily Telegraph as being “...the only guide that offers parents a genuine flavour of what a school is like” reinforcing its reputation as an independent guide for what pupils and their parents can expect from a school Back to news Voters across Tonbridge and Malling borough will head to the polls on Thursday (May 1) to elect seven councillors to represent them on Kent County Council Residents in Tonbridge and Malling borough including in the towns of Tonbridge have the chance to use their vote to influence policies on issues such as roads Tonbridge and Malling borough has 36 candidates standing across six wards with each ward electing one or two councillors to county hall the seven Tonbridge and Malling seats are held by four Conservatives 425 candidates are standing for your votes in 72 wards across the 12 boroughs and districts that make up the Kent County Council region Medway Council does not have elections scheduled in 2025 Kent County Council currently has a Conservative majority with the Lib Dems as the next largest party on six Labour and the Green Party hold five seats each three members for Reform and one each for the Heritage Party and the Swale Independents Elections in Kent are going ahead this year despite the ongoing devolution process that is set to see the county’s current councils abolished to be replaced with a smaller number of unitary authorities A full list of candidates for all of the Tonbridge and Malling borough seats in the 2025 Kent County Council elections are listed below: For a full list of candidates standing in ever area of Kent in the 2025 Local Elections click here. For a detailed list of Ashford candidates click here For a detailed list of Canterbury candidates click here For a detailed list of Dartford candidates click here For a detailed list of Dover candidates click here For a detailed list of Folkestone and Hythe candidates click here For a detailed list of Gravesham candidates click here For a detailed list of Maidstone candidates click here For a detailed list of Sevenoaks candidates click here For a detailed list of Swale candidates click here For a detailed list of Thanet candidates click here For a detailed list of Tunbridge Wells candidates click here Tonbridge Angels’ supporters will get their first opportunity to meet our new men’s first team manager 17th June at 7.30 pm in an event to be held in the Angels Marquee and hosted by Matt Davison An evening of football chat will include a Question and Answer session with Craig who will update those attending with updates on player signings and his plans for the new season This will be a free event with the bar open for refreshments Plans for a new state-of-the-art leisure centre in Tonbridge look set to take a major step forward with a preferred location for the new building due to be considered by councillors A report to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s cabinet meeting on 1 April recommends that the new facility should be built on the Sovereign Way Mid Car park a stone’s throw from the existing centre The 118 space car park’s central location will provide easy access for users There is extensive parking capacity nearby around the Sainsbury’s store and in the Sovereign Way North and East car parks directly opposite the site The proposed site currently serves as the location for the monthly Tonbridge Farmers Market The market operator is aware of the plans and the council has opened discussions on providing an alternative venue While the design of the new building is not confirmed it is expected to provide a wide  range of facilities the project will next see architects producing designs for the new centre The existing Angel Centre will remain open while the replacement is being constructed the council’s Director of Street Scene Leisure and Technical Services said: “We have a great opportunity to provide a state-of-the-art health and leisure facility for Tonbridge and in a very convenient location “Our goal is to deliver a high quality destination that people can use in a variety of ways whether it’s going for a workout in the gym participating in team events in the sports hall providing fun activities for children or simply popping in for a coffee We see it as a positive investment in the health of the community that will be good for residents and great for the local economy.” Alliance Leisure Ltd has been appointed as the council’s development partner to progress the project through the design and planning stages In tandem with the leisure centre project, global design experts, Mace, and architects, Periscope, are currently developing a masterplan for the redevelopment of the wider area east of Tonbridge High Street Tonbridge School has published its first Community and Partnerships Impact Report 2024 celebrating the positive impact of the School’s community partnerships This report is a celebration of the partnership activities and collaborative connections made across our community and offers a snapshot of how we work with local partners over the year From educational partnerships and mentoring schemes to volunteering projects and charitable fundraising the report highlights the breadth and depth of the School’s commitment to social responsibility A key focus of the report is Tonbridge’s long-standing Community Action programme where our students work with 36 partner schools and community organisations to provide mentoring said, “Community engagement is a fundamental part of life at Tonbridge We are immensely proud of the positive relationships we have built with our partner schools and local organisations This report reflects the dedication of our pupils and staff to making a meaningful contribution to the wider community.” Read the full report here: Community and Partnerships Impact Report 2024 Tonbridge School’s Symphony Orchestra delivered an exceptional performance presenting two iconic works by Russian composers from the Moguchaya Kuchka- the Mighty Handful an esteemed group of composers located in St The concert opened with Mussorgsky’s ‘Night on a Bare Mountain’ a vivid musical portrayal of the Witches’ Sabbath at Bald Mountain on St John’s Eve The main work of this orchestral concert was Rimsky-Korsakov’s dazzling symphonic suite, ‘Scheherazade’ inspired by One Thousand and One Nights Each movement evoked tales such as Sinbad’s Ship “The programme was a tour de force for the Symphony Orchestra Scheherezade makes great demands of the performers as musicians and instrumentalists – it tests an orchestra’s ability to create different colours and sound worlds as well as the virtuosity of its principal players The performance was a testament to the orchetra’s dedication teamwork and enthusiasm for the music.” “It’s hard to believe that there is another school orchestra in the world who could perform as well as that.” Our game at Weston-super-Mare was brought to an unfortunate early conclusion as a medical emergency in the crowd led to its abandonment on 82 minutes Thankfully reports from Weston indicate that the woman concerned was conscious and responsive in A&E and Football, of course, is of secondary importance at such times, but to report the game it was frustrating, especially for Taylor Maloney that his wonder strike only becomes a top contender for the goal that never was On a bright, warm Spring day in Somerset, Scott Wagstaff was able to recall Ethan Sutcliffe following his suspension and Jack Wood to the starting line-up with, initially, Liam Vincent and Brody Peart dropping to the bench Vincent was unable to take his place and Alexander Dubov dogged performance that restricted the play-off chasing hosts to just a couple of chances of note despite their dominance of possession Weston-super-Mare should have gone in front after nine minutes when Luke Coulson’s free kick gave James Dodd a clear header The Angels had a big shout for a penalty a couple of minutes later when Nazir Bakrin was brought down in the penalty area but these were waved away by the referee The first half wore on with the home side seeing much of the ball but without testing Matt Rowley a single time A Bakrin header brought a comfortable save from Max Harris before Sutcliffe’s long throw into the box was cleared to the edge of the box from where Maloney produced a piledriver of a shot into the roof of the net to give the Angels a lead at the break The second half took the same shape as the opening 45 minutes with Weston pressing hard for a equaliser but Tonbridge repelling their efforts with relative comfort Rowley’s major contribution to the game came on the hour when a shot from outside of the area from Will Dawes was turned away for a corner from which Dawes sent a header goalwards but Rowley was equal to it Harry Ottaway was introduced on 61 minutes and immediately the Angels had more of a focal point up front which led to a shooting opportunity for Sean Shields that was just over A tackle from Maloney brought an unseemly fracas on the near touchline but as that was being sorted out it became apparent that there was a more serious concern behind the dug outs on the other side with the medical teams from both clubs hurrying to attend The delay was to last around 20 minutes before the game was officially abandoned whilst an ambulance was awaited Weston-super-Mare Football Club later made this statement: “We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who responded so swiftly and professionally – including both clubs’ medical teams We await the National League’s agreement for a date on which the game will be replayed 2 MAY 2025BookmarkVoters across Kent are heading to the polls for the county council elections (Image: © 2024 PA Media All Rights Reserved)Voters across Kent are heading to the polls today to have their say on how the county is run in the future However this means there are contests to be decided in the districts and boroughs of Ashford READ MORE: Kent Local Election results 2025 as votes set to be counted for county council seats - live updates The authority currently has a Conservative majority However the makeup of the council could look very different once all votes are counted which is expected to be at around 7pm on Friday (May 2) The county is a major target for Reform while the Lib Dems Greens and independent candidates will all be hopeful of picking up more seats meaning a change of governance is possible Polls opened at 7am this morning and will remain open until 10pm for residents to cast their votes For a full list of candidates standing in ever area of Kent in the 2025 Local Elections click here. For a detailed list of Ashford candidates click here For a detailed list of Canterbury candidates click here For a detailed list of Dartford candidates click here For a detailed list of Dover candidates click here For a detailed list of Folkestone and Hythe candidates click here For a detailed list of Gravesham candidates click here For a detailed list of Maidstone candidates click here For a detailed list of Sevenoaks candidates click here For a detailed list of Swale candidates click here For a detailed list of Thanet candidates click here For a detailed list of Tonbridge and Malling candidates click here For a detailed list of Tunbridge Wells candidates click here We have now switched over to our results blog which you can find here. Tomorrow, KentLive will be providing live updates from across the county as the results come in. Wherever you have been voting in Kent you will find the results here. Ballot verification and counting is expected to take please throughout the morning and results should begin to come in in the afternoon. The final decleration of results is expected at around 7pm on Friday (May 2) After polls close counting will not begin across Kent until the next morning. Each district or borough will be counting the votes from there area and reporting back the winners. It is not until 7pm tomorrow that Kent County Council is expecting to be able to announce the full results and we will know who is set to control the authority. Polls across Kent will remain open until 10pm. That means residents have just over six hours left to cast their ballots and have their say on the future of Kent County Council. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kent County Council (@kcc_kent) The only area of Kent where there are no elections going on today is Medway is a unitary authority meaning it operates seperately from Kent County Council The area last held elections in 2023 as is next due to hold elections in 2027 The state of Kent's roads is onew of the major issues facing the county council. The major parties have had their say on how they would go about improving the situation here. You do not need your polling card to cast a vote but you will need photo ID if you want to vote in person A full list of accepted photo ID can be found here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id There are 800 polling stations across the county open today for the county council elections Which one you need to visit will be on your polling card or you can put your postcode in here to find where you need to go: https://wheredoivote.co.uk/ and polls will remain open until 10pm this evening There is no overnight counting planned for this election in Kent instead ballots will begin to be counted across the county's districts and boroughs tomorrow (Friday) morning Kent is expected to be one of the last places to fully declare results with the final ones hoping to be in at around 7pm however results will start trickling in from across the afternoon KentLive has provided full candidate lists for every area of Kent see below for the people who are after your vote: For a detailed list of Ashford candidates click here For a detailed list of Canterbury candidates click here For a detailed list of Dartford candidates click here For a detailed list of Dover candidates click here For a detailed list of Folkestone and Hythe candidates click here For a detailed list of Gravesham candidates click here For a detailed list of Maidstone candidates click here For a detailed list of Sevenoaks candidates click here For a detailed list of Swale candidates click here For a detailed list of Thanet candidates click here For a detailed list of Tonbridge and Malling candidates click here For a detailed list of Tunbridge Wells candidates click here News service PA has provided this helpful round-up of how things stand on Kent County Council heading into the 2025 elections The PA news service said: "Kent is another council where the Conservatives are heading into the elections with a healthy majority (55 of 81 seats) but where they face challenges from more than one party "Reform has three councillors here and hopes to gain more "If the Greens or independent candidates also do well the Tories could lose overall control." Good morning and welcome to KentLive's coverage of the 2025 Kent County Council Elections Public invited to share views on town centre plan A new leisure hub for Tonbridge will be built at a central location The announcement coincides with the launch of a survey to give residents and businesses a chance to share their priorities for redevelopment of the area east of the High Street around Sainsbury’s Locating the replacement Angel centre within the development area paves the way for a masterplan for the whole site medical services and improved access routes including making better use of the nearby riverside A specific location for the new leisure centre will be recommended as part of the initial masterplanning process with a decision by councillors on adoption of the proposal due by June 2025 The existing site is largely given over to council-owned car parks and is home to the Sainsbury’s store which councillors have agreed in principle to replace with a modern The proposals aim to revitalise this part of the town capitalising on its prime location close to the picturesque river the historic heart of Tonbridge and local transport links Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Cllr Matt Boughton said: “I know many people across Tonbridge will be pleased we can confirm the replacement Angel centre will be in a prime location close to the existing site “This will ensure that a modern hub for sport leisure and community activities will be easily accessible and will form a key element of our wider plans to redevelop this important part of our town is also a vital part of the process so we can design something that meets the needs of our residents now and in the future “I’d urge everyone who cares about Tonbridge to get involved and share your thoughts and views with us Help us bring forward the best proposals and shape our town for generations to come.” Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has teamed up with the global design experts, Mace, and architects, Periscope will be developed in the next phase of the project during 2025 Click here to read more and take part in the survey Congestion has built on the A21 Tonbridge Bypass northbound between the junctions with the A26 and the A26 Tonbridge West Traffic is built back to the A2014 Tonbridge and Vauxhall Roundabout Delays are also worsened along the A21 due to reports of an unrelated fallen tree elsewhere along the busy A-road It is not yet known how many vehicles were involved in the collision or if any injuries have been reported. KentLive has approached emergency services for further information The latest update from traffic and travel monitoring service Inrix states: "Slow traffic due to accident on A21 Tonbridge By-pass Northbound after A26 Quarry Hill Road Congestion to A2014 Tonbridge and Vauxhall Roundabout There are also reports of a Fallen Tree on the A21." Follow our blog below for the latest updates as they happen KentLive will return tomorrow to share an updates surrounding the nature of the crash on the A21 near Tonbridge this afternoon For more news follow KentLive to stay in the know To get the latest headlines direct to your email inbox every day, put your email in the box at the top and hit subscribe or visit here Follow KentLive on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments. Click here to like and follow. Follow us on X - For breaking news and the latest stories. Click here to follow us on X (formerly Twitter). Sign up to our free Kent Traffic and Travel newsletter for the latest on the roads or join our Facebook group Kent Traffic and Travel Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of KentLive content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice Inrix has now confirmed that the collision has been cleared from the A21 Tonbridge Bypass northbound Traffic is easing along the A-road and delays are clearing It is not yet known how many vehicles were involved in the crash or if any injuries have been reported. KentLive has approached emergency services for further information The latest Inrix update states: ""Slow traffic due to accident on A21 Tonbridge By-pass Northbound after A26 Quarry Hill Road A collision has been reported on the A21 Tonbridge Bypass northbound this afternoon (April 13) which is causing slow traffic and delays in the area The crash has taken place between the junctions with the A26 and the A26 Tonbridge West Traffic has built back to the A2014 Tonbridge and Vauxhall Roundabout There are also reports of an unrelated fallen tree on the A21 which is impacting travel along the busy A-road Welcome to our live coverage of this breaking incident We will be bringing you all the latest updates relating to the reported crash on the A21 near Tonbridge as we get them Do you have any information or photos? Email kentlivenewsdesk@reachplc.com Don't miss out on the biggest local stories.Sign up to our KentLive newsletter HERE for all the latest daily news and more. Residents of Tonbridge are to be consulted on proposals for the creation of a town council A review of local governance arrangements follows a vote by councillors supporting the idea and the submission of a public petition the new body would represent around 16,000 households in Tonbridge and take responsibility for some local services Tonbridge is currently the only area of the borough without a town or parish council such as public toilets and parks which elsewhere are provided by parish councils are currently delivered by the borough council They are funded via an additional sum called special expenses added to council tax bills for town residents The special expenses cost added to bills in Tonbridge for the year from April 2025 will be approximately £77 The vote to start a review was taken at a full meeting of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council A petition with more than 2,000 signatures also calling for the move has now been validated by the borough council triggering what is known as a Community Governance Review A cross-party group of borough councillors will undertake the review which must be completed within a year The process will include an initial public consultation this summer to gauge the views of residents and inform recommendations which will be put to a vote of the full council The review is being undertaken at the same time as the government is developing plans to reform council structures in England Updates on the review process will be published on the TMBC website here: Tonbridge Local Governance Review said: “The creation of a town council would mark a significant change for Tonbridge in how some local services are delivered and paid for We’ll be doing our utmost over the coming months to ensure as many people as possible have a voice in the decision “The review will need to be thorough in exploring all the implications of creating a town council and share the relevant information with residents so they are well informed when responding to the forthcoming consultation on this proposal.” The Easter Monday fixture between Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels is all-ticket The final home game of the 2024/25 league campaign will kick off at the earlier time of 13:00 Season ticket holders already have their pass for the game and do not need to do anything in advance of the fixture If you usually pay on the day, home e-tickets are on sale now Manchett Stand seat: plus £3.00 on the above prices – subject to availability a limited number of paper tickets for home fans will be available from the club office up to and including Thursday 17 April A reminder that children aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult (18+) or concession (65+) for all first team fixtures at the Gallagher Stadium Proof of age will be checked on arrival by means of photographic ID Tickets will not be available on the day of the game, so please make sure you purchase in advance and by 11am on Easter Monday Stones fans are invited to stay on for the presentation of the manager’s player and supporters’ player of the season The Spitfire Lounge will be open throughout the afternoon and the players and management will be popping in after the end-of-season presentation for autographs and selfies Round off your Easter weekend with a Kent derby at the home of the Stones Hornchurch took the honours in this mid-table encounter and moved themselves into a top 10 position in National League South After early half-chances fell the way of the hosts with Fielding heading over after two minutes and Shields seeing a shot blocked, Hornchurch took the lead on 16 minutes when a through ball from Charlie Pegrum saw Darren McQueen break clear to round goalkeeper Matt Rowley before despatching his shot past a retreating defender The Angels response was limited to efforts from distance from Christie Ward, Jack Wood and Shields with a tight offside decision going against Wood as he found the net on 41 minutes that saw the Essex side reached the break with their lead intact Tonbridge dominated the second half, but the visitors continually found a last ditch challenge or good saves from Mason Terry, who denied Jack Wood on 53 minutes following a wicked deflection In turn, on 65 minutes, Pegrum brought a good save from Rowley and a stabbed shot from the resultant corner was cleared from the line by Ronny Nelson The introduction of Liam Vincent, Harry Ottaway and Mikey Berry injected new life into the home side with Shields seeing successive efforts deflected wide or saved by Terry Hornchurch had chances through Makai Welch and Pegrum but it was the resilience of the Hornchurch defence that won the day Scott Wagstaff summed up post-match: “It summed up our season We’ve dominated the game in the first half switched off for one moment and they score on the counter attack for which we knew they were dangerous It was frustrating because we started the game really well we have just lacked that little something that has stopped us getting over the line and we can’t put all the pressure on the strikers there has been a lot of chopping and changing which hasn’t helped.” Full-time: Tonbridge Angels 2-1 Chelmsford City Taylor Maloney’s second-half volley earned Tonbridge Angels a 2-1 victory over Chelmsford City on Non-League Day The Angels were quick off the mark and were rewarded for their fast start when captain Sean Shields slotted a low shot into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area in the 11th minute with Nico Valentine drawing the Clarets level just five minutes later After receiving a ball over the top from Charlie Ruff Valentine cut inside from the right wing and finished clinically across goal to equalise Robbie Simpson’s men finished the first half strongly with both Valentine and Saleem Akanbi having opportunities to put their side in front Akanbi was denied again by Tonbridge goalkeeper Matthew Rowley early in the second half after Valentine set him up following an impressive solo run which started in his own half Ruff also came close but couldn’t direct a header from close range on target Tonbridge grew into the second period and almost regained the lead in the 74th minute when a goalmouth scramble from a corner saw them hit the woodwork Maloney then made his side’s next opportunity count when he found the back of the net just two minutes later courtesy of a half-volley Clarets academy forward Taylor Legg made his senior debut late in the match but despite going close with a late header in added time the 18-year-old was unable to help his side find an equaliser.  Changes to the squad from last week’s loss to Weston-super-Mare saw Ruff and Jordan Greenidge start from the beginning Tonbridge began the match strongly and fired an early warning shot moments before taking the lead when Ronny Nelson’s header was acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Collins The hosts maintained their early pressure and broke the deadlock when Shields fired a low shot from the edge of the area which proved too powerful for Collins to keep out and nestled into the bottom corner The Clarets responded well and levelled the scoreline five minutes later Ruff played a ball over the top to Valentine cut inside and calmly slotted his shot across goal and into the net City came close to going in front before the half-time whistle with a series of chances created by Ruff and after Ruff passed to Valentine inside the penalty area his shot was deflected behind for a corner Simpson made a half-time switch and moved Akanbi up front after Greenidge was replaced by Kalvin Kalala who played on the left of City’s front three The Clarets nearly took the lead early in the second half when Ruff and Akanbi pressed high and forced a turnover in a dangerous position which resulted in Akanbi fizzing a shot wide from the edge of the box Akanbi was in the thick of things again just minutes later when Valentine’s run from his own half set up a close-range shot Ruff then had a chance to put City ahead from the rebound but his header went over the bar from close range Tonbridge began to ask more questions of City again as the second half progressed and nearly regained the lead via a 74th minute corner where a goalmouth scramble resulted in a shot that hit the crossbar Another effort on the rebound was bravely blocked by a City defender in front of goal Maloney’s winning goal came in the 76th minute after a save by Collins from a similar shot moments earlier Collins had denied Christie Ward from long range who fired a half-volley into the bottom corner which beat the outstretched Collins Simpson made the maximum number of substitutions he could make in the second half including introducing Legg for his first senior appearance Legg nearly played a pivotal role in the final moments when he almost set up Kalala with a square pass across goal Kalala was crowded out by Tonbridge’s defenders before he could get a shot away The ball was then cleared only as far as Valentine whose delivery to the back post found Legg but despite getting good contact on the header the forward’s effort went over the crossbar After being consigned to a second consecutive defeat City now have until next week to put things right when they welcome title-chasing Truro City to Essex Akanbi (Hyde 77’ ) (Legg 81’); Greenidge (Kalala 46’) Chelmsford City FC © 2025 It looks like you haven't added any items to your cart yet the Chapel Choir sung Evensong at Southwark Cathedral The music included ‘Let all the world’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams and the ‘Magnificat and Nunc dimittis’ by T Tertius Noble and William Walton’s coronation march 'Crown Imperial' performed by organist Laurence Long in honour of St George’s Day “The experience of singing in places other than the Chapel is a wonderful opportunity for the Choir and our recent visit to Southwark Cathedral was no exception singing confidently and filling the Cathedral with their sound much to the delight of the congregation.” Chelmsford City will travel to Kent on Non-League Day to face Tonbridge Angels Separated by one point and one place in the National League South standings both sides’ outgoing managers will be keen to pick up maximum points this weekend as they look to bounce back from defeats last time out Since Tonbridge boss Jay Saunders announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Longmead Stadium at the end of the season his side have lost both games they have played They were beaten 2-0 by Bath City in the league last weekend while they were also knocked out of the Kent Senior Cup by National League side Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday Outgoing Clarets boss Robbie Simpson and his side fell to a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Weston-super-Mare last week meaning City will also be keen to re-establish positive momentum going into the final month of the season Here’s all that Clarets supporters need to know ahead of the game… Watch the highlights of our clash against Tonbridge Angels in the reverse fixture from earlier in the season Jay Saunders has guided Tonbridge Angels to another steady season in his third and final year at the helm of the club Following the announcement earlier this month that Saunders will depart Longmead Stadium when the season ends next month going out on a high and bettering the 9th place finish his side achieved in 2022-23 is an achievable goal After impressively securing this finish during Saunders’ first season in the Angels’ dugout Tonbridge earned another respectable 14th-place finish last term While Saunders’ side are once again unlikely to finish in a play-off place they have enjoyed another comfortable season under his watch Highlights have included beginning this campaign with a nine-game unbeaten league run as well as reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup Much of Tonbridge’s success this season has come at Longmead Stadium where the Angels have picked up 10 of their 14 league wins There are two former City players who have been regulars in Tonbridge colours this season who started the 2023-24 campaign as a Claret has been a regular in Saunders’ side since making the move from Melbourne to Longmead Stadium in November 2023 Dabre has played 27 games in a Tonbridge shirt this season although is yet to score a league goal and could be sidelined on Saturday due to an injury Liam Vincent is another player who has recently featured in both Chelmsford City and Tonbridge colours Vincent joined City on loan from Portsmouth last season but the left-sided player’s time in Essex was cut short after just one appearance for the club Tonbridge signed Vincent permanently last year and he has excelled in Kent having scored nine league goals this season making him the club’s second-highest scorer Jazzi Barnum-Bobb and Kane Crichlow are set to be unavailable having received international call-ups for St Vincent and the Grenadines and Bermuda respectively Freddie Hockey is continuing to progress in his recovery from a recent long-term injury Supporters traveling by car should know that the journey from the EMJ Community Stadium to Longmead Stadium takes around one hour Tonbridge Railway Station is served by Southeastern train services and is around a 40-minute walk from Longmead Stadium there are still spaces left on the Chelmsford City Supporters Club coach There is no segregation in place for this match. Tickets for Saturday’s game can be purchased in advance from Tonbridge Angels’ official website by clicking here Supporters can also buy tickets on matchday when turnstiles open at 1:00pm Cash or card payments are accepted at the turnstiles Tonbridge are offering season ticket holders at Premier League and Championship clubs discounted admission prices this weekend ⚽️ | 𝗡𝗢𝗡-𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬Do you support a club without a game on Saturday due to the international break? Saturday is Non-League Day and you can use your club’s season ticket to gain admission to our game against Chelmsford City for just £12 pic.twitter.com/9Vh6J3flw2 Radio Clarets will provide live audio commentary of proceedings at Longmead Stadium Clarets fans can find pre-match coverage of the game and live updates of the proceedings by following the club’s X (formerly Twitter) page: @OfficialClarets and Instagram page: chelmsfordcityfc Post-match reactions will be found on the club’s website, official social media channels and on ClaretsTV Mayor pays tribute to 'sacrifices of others in the defence of our country' In the year that marks the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings Tonbridge & Malling we will honour those who lost their lives during the two World Wars and other conflicts in a number of remembrance events across the borough The Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling will join other dignitaries clergy and community groups at key commemorations on Sunday November 10 and Monday November 11 will also take place at war memorials in villages across the borough serving as a poignant reminder of the bravery and selflessness of our armed forces (Monday November 11) in Tonbridge town centre there will be a two-minute silence starting and ending with the firing of maroons at 11am and 11.02am followed by a short service at the Town Memorial The ceremony will be attended by Deputy Lieutenant Cllr Steve Hammond said: "It is a great honour to be able to take part in these commemorations as Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling.  It’s particularly poignant for me as a former member of the Welsh Guards who has lost friends and struggled with lifelong injuries following my deployment to the Falklands It is vital that we continue to remember the sacrifices of others in the defence of our country and support those who still carry the mental and physical wounds I hope the people of Tonbridge and Malling will stand alongside me to paying tribute to them.” Other key commemorative parades and services will take place around the borough on Sunday November 10 Tonbridge 10.30am: Tonbridge Remembrance Day and Service will begin with the traditional parade leaving Tonbridge Castle at 10.30am and into Bradford Street before gathering for the service and commemoration at the memorial gardens followed by two minutes silence and the sounding of The Last Post Members of the public are welcome to attend any of these services and may also lay wreaths during the ceremonies at the war memorials A new budget to fund delivery of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council services was agreed by councillors last night [18 February] Members voted to set the council tax bills for waste collection leisure and other local services at an average of £4.72 a week for a Band D home an increase of £7.14 on the current year Bills also fund services provided by Kent County Council the costs of which account for around 70 per cent of bills it raises income for the Kent Police Services Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority and parish and town councils.  The combined bill for an average Band D household in Tonbridge and Malling from April 2025 will be made up as follows: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s income from council tax for the year from April 2025 is forecast to be £13.2m The council’s medium term financial strategy is addressing a forecast funding gap of £2.8m over the next ten years Savings and efficiencies totalling £600,000 are planned for the next financial year.  Council tax income receipts ensure delivery of a range of borough services the council has focused on addressing key issues of concern to residents This included devoting more resources to tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) with dedicated patrols targeting known hot spots Tonbridge and Malling has seen Kent’s biggest reduction in incidents reported Last year Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council also invested significantly in its leisure facilities This included a programme of improvements and decarbonisation totalling £1.6m for Larkfield Leisure Centre including new state-of-the-art gym equipment The Angel Centre also received new fitness apparatus and the spa at Tonbridge Swimming Pool has been refurbished as part of our commitment to support residents in leading healthier the council will continue to focus on its goal of being carbon neutral with more improvements to its leisure centres buildings and the installation of air heat pumps The council has also committed to further investment in community and environmental projects with plans for the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Tonbridge town centre creating a new leisure hub and thriving riverside community Jay Saunders set to leave at the end of the season has made the decision to part company with the club at the end of the season to seek a fresh challenge in football Commenting on the move Jay Saunders said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Tonbridge Angels for the chance I was given to lead this great club I’ve enjoyed every minute of my time here and would like to think I leave the club in a good place to keep progressing.  “Everyone at Tonbridge Angels has made me and my family feel so at home and I couldn’t speak highly enough of the place Working day to day with Sophie has been a pleasure I really believe the club will keep growing I believe whoever is lucky enough to take over from me has a great opportunity.” of his decision to leave at the end of the season on Friday ahead of the team’s match against Torquay United Sophie said: “On behalf of the Board and everyone at the club I’d like to thank Jay for all his fantastic efforts since he joined Tonbridge Angels in 2022 He has been an absolute pleasure to work with over the past three seasons and he has successfully established our position as a real contender in National League South Each season the team he has assembled has outperformed expectations competing well against full time clubs with greater resources “We will all miss Jay greatly and we wish him the very best for his next chapter in football Jay and his family will always be welcome here at Tonbridge Angels.” The club confirmed they will now start the process of recruiting a new manager for next season and are inviting applications for the role Email: Sophie.purves@tonbridgeangels.co.uk   Tel Sophie Purves added: “The Board very much appreciates that Jay has notified us of his decision to leave several weeks before the end of the season This allows the directors to review applications properly and embark on a comprehensive interview process to ensure we secure the right person for the job We will keep our supporters updated.” Sophie said: “We want to reassure fans that it’s very much business as usual with nine league games to go and the semi-final of the Kent Senior Cup to look forward to We ask fans to please continue to get behind Jay and the team and let’s enjoy a successful end to the season.” Tonbridge School are thrilled to celebrate the success of our Upper Sixth boys who have received an impressive range of offers from leading universities across the United States and around the world — a testament to their ambition and the growing interest in studying internationally.  International offers to Tonbridge students have doubled year-on-year over the past three years - a clear reflection of both their global outlook and the support they receive in navigating competitive application processes abroad This trend also aligns with a broader global shift as increasing numbers of students explore opportunities at world-class institutions beyond their home countries Tonbridge students applied to a diverse selection of US colleges and universities they have received numerous offers from top-tier institutions Offers have also come in from leading state universities with eight offers from campuses within the University of California system as well as acceptances from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Washington University in St Louis Our students’ applications to top US Liberal Arts Colleges were equally successful with offers from Wesleyan University and the highly selective Williams College.  our students have received international offers from prestigious institutions such as the University of Toronto and McGill University in Canada and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Asia and The University of Groningen in the Netherlands We are also awaiting further decisions from institutions in Australia and other countries.  Over two-thirds of Tonbridge leavers go on to study at institutions that feature in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings with around 40% securing places at universities ranked in the global top 50 These statistics not only reflect the exceptional calibre of our students but also demonstrate the school’s commitment to fostering academic excellence and a truly global outlook.   Our experienced Universities and Careers team provides expert guidance to students pursuing international applications helping them find the university that best matches their academic goals that perfect fit is found beyond the UK — and we are proud to support each student's journey toward a future where they will thrive.   Tonbridge Angels announce new charitable arm Tonbridge Angels Football Club is proud to announce the launch of the Tonbridge Angels Foundation a newly established charitable organisation created to promote support and deliver charitable and community-focused activity in and around the club Building on the work of Angels in the Community the Foundation aims to harness the power of football to make a lasting impact in the local community — from supporting grassroots initiatives and promoting health and wellbeing to tackling social isolation and creating opportunities for young people John Garwood said: ”Our club has always been more than just football – it's a community hub The Tonbridge Angels Foundation will allow us to deepen our commitment to the town and the people who support us week in We're excited about the potential this has to make a real difference."  Chair of Tonbridge Angels said: “The creation of the Tonbridge Angels Foundation is an extremely beneficial step forward in our pursuit of using the positive power of football to help and support our local community Our charity will work closely with the club to deliver exciting and rewarding projects that can make a genuine difference to people’s lives.” The Foundation will work alongside local schools charities and community groups to deliver a wide range of programmes and initiatives These may include youth engagement projects education support and outreach to vulnerable groups Get InvolvedThe Foundation welcomes support from local residents there are many ways to get involved and help build something special for Tonbridge To volunteer or make a donation or for more information please contact johnrgarwood@hotmail.co.uk Saturday’s visitors Chelmsford City find themselves one point and one place adrift of the Angels in National League South a mid-table position a long way short of expectations at the season’s start Robbie Simpson has been Chelmsford's manager since 2020 but in a similar fashion to our own Jay Saunders he will be leaving at the end of the season to be replaced by ex-Braintree Town boss Angelo Harrop Simpson was initially appointed caretaker manager following Rod Stringer's departure but made such a good start he was made permanent manager in March 2020 He had been signed as a player in 2019 and also played in the EFL for Cambridge United goalscoring has not been a reason for their mid-table placing with 60 goals and in their previous visits to Kent they put five past Maidstone United and took maximum points from a single goal win at Welling United but has since returned to his parent club Ipswich Town while Kane Crichlow is just one behind on 11 However he will not be available on Saturday as he has been called up to play for Bermuda in the CONCACAF Gold Cup preliminary round against Honduras There is also the familiar face of Jordan Greenidge in Chelmsford’s squad who played for the Angels between 2022 and 2024 scoring 26 goals in 59 games He has scored six times for Chelmsford this season ended in a 1-1 draw with a goal from the hosts’ Jake Hyde cancelling out Liam Vincent’s first half strike The evening will be less than fondly remembered by Angels supporters as the game that never happened as traffic chaos meant that many never even made it through the Dartford Tunnel The corresponding fixture last season also ended 1-1 with Scott Wagstaff putting the Angels in front early in the game with ex-Angel Luke Jenkins equalising in a game that also saw Ben Swift sent off Jay Saunders will be hoping to welcome back Mikey Berry who was cup-tied at Ebbsfleet but took part in the warm-up but sadly it would appear that injuries to Mo Dabre and Gianluca Botti will see them ruled out Admission prices for Saturday’s game are: Adults £17; Concessions £14; Youths £7 and Under-12’s free with accompanying adult with tickets available HERE season ticket holders from Premier or EFL clubs can receive entry for £12 on production of their season ticket Gates open at 1 pm with the Sports Bar and Marquee Bar open from the outset with special offers of two pints of Madri for £9 or two pints of Carling for £8 hot and cold drinks and Fries Like An Angel serving all your favourite loaded chips are also open from 1 pm the Sports Bar will be open including the Happy Hour with £1 off all pints of draught lagers and ciders with the special offer drinks price continuing priced at £3 will feature reflections from Jay Saunders board member Mark Cornish plus reports from our men’s and women’s first team games plus youth teams a long-term supporter and formerly Press Officer and a Club Director both also long-term supporters with their children Tonbridge Angels fell to a single goal defeat to visitors Truro City who maintained their position in the play-off places The pre-match tribute to Devonte Aransibia began with the laying of a wreath on the centre circle who were accompanied by his partner along with Tonbridge Angels’ chair This was followed by a perfectly observed minute’s silence were “probably not 100% and maybe you could see that at times.” After a good opening period in which Ottaway’s effort cleared the bar after two minutes and Trevan Robinson’s cross flashed across the face of goal after nine it was the well-travelled Cornish side that opened the scoring after 15 minutes when a clearance from a long throw into the box fell to Will Dean on the edge of the penalty area from where a well struck shot into the bottom corner found its way through a crowded area A Shields cross that saw Robinson struggling to get the ball out from under his feet on the edge of the six yard box was the best chance in the remainder of the half whilst Truro who shot wide and a cross from Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain that landed on the top of the bar encouraged by their supporters in the North Stand who had raised a banner for Devonte and had a new song in his honour but stumbled on a stubborn visiting defence that didn’t allow the goalkeeper A corner, after 51 minutes, saw a header from Jamie Fielding go over and when Shields cut in from the left and set for his shot Truro went straight to the other end and when Jaze Kabia was sent clear it took the legs of the advancing Matt Rowley to save Following substitutions of Ottaway and Taylor Maloney by Nazir Bakrin and Crossley Lema Fielding was pushed forward as the central forward Lema had a header that drifted wide; Shields a shot that was over and Robinson a header that went wide after a corner head been headed on as the Angels desperately searched for a goal that would give them at least a point that could But Truro managed the game to its conclusion and took the three points back to Cornwall Jay said after the game: “The game wasn’t we’ve lost it on a long throw which is the biggest disappointment It was a patched-up side but we’re just disappointed with the goal conceded.” Tonbridge Angels are delighted to announce the appointment of Craig Nelson as our new manager for next season Craig arrives at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium from Lewes Football Club where he has been the manager since the start of this season having joined the Rooks from Glebe where he began his managerial journey He secured playoffs in his first full season with the Chislehurst-based where he led the side through a transitional period and has gained a reputation for overseeing exciting attacking football whilst building the foundations of the team and nurturing young talent Chair Sophie Purves commented: “We are delighted Craig Nelson and his team will be joining Tonbridge Angels in the close season talented manager with a determination to succeed We went through an extensive interview process and felt Craig was the perfect fit for our club and our ethos We’re excited about the team he will build for next season and the journey ahead.” Craig added: “I'm incredibly proud to be joining Tonbridge Angels and stepping into the National League South This is a fantastic club with real ambition great sense of community and a passionate fanbase that I cannot wait to connect with “After an unforgettable journey with Lewes I’m excited to start this new chapter and bring the same passion intensity and belief in ensuring that the football we play represents the values of this proud club Fans can expect a team that plays with identity “My focus will be on building a competitive united group that the supporters can connect with and be proud of whilst providing a platform and environment to support the development of our youth I’m looking forward to working with the players and everyone connected to the club as we move forward together.” We thank Lewes Football Club for their understanding and cooperation and wish them the very best for the remainder of the season where Craig will remain at the helm Craig's first interview with Matt Davison can be viewed HERE New date for initiative from Angels in the Community Tonbridge Angels FC are proud to announce that we will be running the latest of our 'Foot-Tea' football sessions on Friday Foot-Tea is a FREE one hour football session followed by a FREE hot meal and indoor activities for pupil premium children who receive government support 21% of children receive free school meals during term time but school holidays can provide a battle for families with financial worries to provide for their children Our aim is to support disadvantaged families in some small way providing to those most in need with an evening of entertainment and a cooked meal during the half term Foot-Tea takes place for around 10 sessions per year and is primarily run during half-term dates This project is supported by The Mears Foundation to whom we are very appreciative of their generosity!  You may be required to show proof of the support you receive.  Please book now HERE  A depleted Tonbridge Angels side made the return journey to Somerset three days after the original fixture had been abandoned eight minutes from time with the Angels holding a single goal lead due to a medical emergency in the crowd The short notice rearrangement saw Scott Wagstaff shorn of six first team regulars which brought recalls to the starting line-up for Joe Tyrie, Mikey Berry, Brody Peart, Nazir Bakrin with Mackenzie Richardson making his first National League South start was the only realistic option open to our caretaker manager A dedicated bunch (pictured) had made their way down and for the rail travellers with no service back to Tonbridge a lift back on the team coach was gratefully received who was to go on to produce a performance of many saves was first brought into action after seven minutes with a remarkable double save that denied Sam Avery and from the resultant corner smothered the ball as it dropped dangerously in the box The reprieve was short-lived and Weston-super-Mare took the lead after nine minutes when Louis Brittain struck a post after being sent clear by Jordan Bastin with the rebound falling into the path of Sam Pearson who took his opportunity The Angels were asked to fight a rearguard action for the remainder of the half but a dogged determination backed by the superb Rowley saw them through to the break just the single goal adrift The second half started well for the visitors with Christie Ward managing the Angels first shot on target the Tonbridge crossbar was rattled by a back post header from substitute Keiran Thomas On the hour, Weston’s goalkeeper, Max Harris, was tested by Jack Wood whose shot from 18 yards took a deflection before being saved Rowley was finally beaten a second time with 20 minutes remaining as a Luke Coulson free kick was headed home by Reuben Reid Nine minutes remained when Martin-Coward was introduced to make his first National League appearance A 25 yard effort from James Waite found the bottom corner for the hosts to add a third and a win that takes Weston-super-Mare into the play-off spots An immensely proud Wagstaff commented post-match: “I’m so proud of the boys they have given me absolutely everything this evening and I’m so emotional after Saturday to a man they could not have given me any more Deep down we know we won the game Saturday and that is the frustrating thing We are frustrated with the result but we can be proud of the club I’m really proud of the boys and we can now look forward to Friday.” Any neutrals walking away from the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium would surely have considered their afternoon well spent having been given a highly entertaining game for their admission fee Tonbridge Angels supporters might have returned home with the very slightest sense of injustice as their team ran Worthing Jay Saunders said of the visitors: “Worthing are a very good side you can see why they are going for the title when you look at their squad I thought we showed them a bit too much respect in the first half but towards the end of the half we were a bit more aggressive and in the second half better you can see why Worthing are up there.” who dropped to the bench alongside Brody Peart the second of the Wycombe Wanderers loanees The opening half-hour saw the visitors look every inch the title contenders they undoubtedly are and only fine saves from the Angels goalkeeper Jack Spong and Mo Faal from giving Worthing the lead Tonbridge were forced into two early substitutions with captain Scott Wagstaff being replaced by Trevan Robinson following a calf injury after 25 minutes and, nine minutes later, Crossley Lema limped out of the game to be replaced by Bailey Akehurst The introduction of Robinson added a different dynamic to the game with his pace troubling the Worthing defence and the Angels grew into the game and ended the first half with half chances for Robinson and a strong penalty appeal that was turned away The second period was hugely competitive with neither side laying claim to being on top Rowley was needed again to make a great save turning a shot from Liam Nash over the bar Worthing took a 69th minute lead when the introduction of Tommy Willard brought an instant dividend cutting in from the left to curl a shot into the top corner Parity was restored for the home side within three minutes when Jack Wood produced an effort of equal quality to the opening goal to find the far corner from around 18 yards With both sides sensing that a draw was of little benefit to their league position but it was Worthing that found the net when whose snap shot from 12 yards produced the ultimate winner Tonbridge had one final chance to rescue what might have been considered a deserved point but Botti steered his shot wide Jay added after the game: “The disappointing thing for me was the second goal, the referee has pulled Taylor Maloney up for clipping a boy’s ankle 15 minutes earlier and then when exactly the same thing has happened we seem to have every official without comms that works so they can’t tell them what they’ve seen But our quality on the ball wasn’t good enough but we were not good enough in possession to have sustained spells where we could cause them problems.” Eleven heaven for The Sports as unbeaten run continues Freddie Carter’s early header was cancelled out by Bailey Akehurst before George Alexander’s second half effort proved to be the difference Three points for the Sports lifts them back up to forth – moving level with top spot on 55 points – and completes a first league double over the Angels Adam Murray made two changes to the starting line up from last weekend’s win over Chelmsford – with Pierce Bird and John Shamalo coming in for the injured David Sesay and Alexander – who was named on the bench The Sports wasted no time getting into their stride – and broke the deadlock from the first set-piece of the game with barely two minutes on the clock Jack Clarke whipped in an inviting free-kick from the left hand side and picked out Carter at the far post the defender got in front of his marker before heading the ball low beyond Matthew Rowley and into the bottom corner the lead didn’t last long as Tonbridge fought back to draw level on nine minutes when the ball was played to Akehurst on the left hand side and his low drive found the bottom corner from just inside the area the game struggled to flow as fouls were committed by both teams in a stop-start period Jason Adigun couldn’t get enough power behind his effort to test Rowley as Carter’s long throw was flicked to the far post before Dom Odusanya fired wide from the edge of the area after Yahaya Bamba’s ball through looking for Shamalo was cut out And a fairly uneventful half was summed up with five minutes to go when Bamba looked to break through on goal before Adigun took over He was tackled on the edge of the area and the ball rolled to Courtney Clarke but he fired over the top Bamba then almost broke the deadlock in the latter stages of the first period when he looked to latch onto a long ball over the top but Rowley was out of his area to meet the forward and clear the danger The Sports came out the blocks quickly at the start of the second half and almost regained their lead when Bamba burst through on goal and held off the challenge of Jamie Fielding but saw his effort on goal saved by the leg of Rowley Borough then had shouts for a penalty waved away when Scott Wagstaff appeared to handle the ball inside the area before Ollie Kensdale couldn’t get his effort on target as he met a corner from the left Josh Anifowose and Alexander were introduced with 64 minutes gone and the latter was almost in the thick of the action from the off – but Bamba’s low ball in was just behind the striker Tonbridge were reduced to ten men with just over 20 minutes to play with Nazir Bakrin shown a second yellow card and Borough made their numerical advantage count almost immediately A corner was swung in by Bird from the right and Bamba’s goalward header looped in the air off Courtney Clarke Rowley couldn’t claim it cleanly and the ball dropped to Alexander who bundled in from close range the Sports went on to dominate possession and even looked to add to their lead as the clock ticked over Adigun had a free-kick from a good position held by Rowley before Alexander had half a chance after cutting out Rowley’s pass forwards but couldn’t get his shot on target the Sports went close again when Anifowose played the ball out to Courtney Clarke in space on the right but his low drive across goal went just wide of the far corner Another hard earned win for Borough – who maintain the only unbeaten home record in the National South and move up the table Reach TV Stadium Priory Lane Eastbourne East Sussex BN23 7QH Tonbridge School hosted the Six Nations Hockey Tournament welcoming international U16 boys’ and U18 girls’ teams Ireland and Austria competed in a series of matches Belgium emerged as the eventual champions after a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Germany in the final with England securing a well-deserved bronze medal The U18 girls’ competition was equally compelling with the England team reaching the final after an impressive run through the group stage they were defeated 5–2 by Spain in a fast-paced final The School's world-class facilities provided the perfect setting for high-level international hockey full of praise for the School’s hospitality and the excellent condition of the playing surfaces.  “It was a true privilege to host such a prestigious event and to support the development of the next generation of international players and we look forward to continuing to welcome sporting excellence to the School.” Maidstone United have released the following details for our game at The Gallagher on Easter Monday The match will be all ticket for home and visiting supporters Concessions (65+/17/students): £13.00 Tickets will be available to purchase HERE from a link that has now been added There will be home and away sections for this game.  The away end has changed since the last game between the two sides Visiting supporters now have a section of the Town End stand and the riverside concourse Entrance for away fans is via Turnstiles 1 and 2 There will be a limited number of seats (15) available in the main stand. These can be booked via the Maidstone United club office on 01622 753817 A ground ticket will need to be purchased first * = children aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult (18+) or concession (65+) for all first team fixtures at the Gallagher Stadium Published Sunday 6th April 2025 (last updated Monday 7th April 2025) Community and environmental projects set to receive more cash Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has agreed a major funding round of grants to boost local businesses and support community initiatives The council secured £327,146 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund which gives the green light for key initiatives to continue driving economic growth and social development across the borough The funding will be used to build on existing programmes that provide vital support for small businesses These initiatives have already made a substantial impact by offering financial assistance business support and resources that help the local economy thrive and community organisations flourish Funding was approved by council members last night (4 March) and will commence from April 2025 said: “This is great news for the borough and testament to our commitment to invest in the people and organisations that help our communities thrive “It means that we can continue to help hard working businesses local schemes and charities with grants that we know are making a difference to thousands of people every day.” provides space and facilities to help people learn about growing food using environmentally friendly methods while also improving mental and physical wellbeing The charity has benefited from the Green Business Grant Scheme and Community Development Grant Scheme said: “We successfully applied for grants through Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council which have been transformative for our charity They’ve allowed us to really accelerate our plans for growth this year which means we’ve been able to support more local people and community groups We’d definitely encourage other organisations to apply.” Read more about our grant schemes and follow us on Facebook or X for details of when you can apply developers and planning agents are being asked to put forward potential sites for future development as part of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s (TMBC) ongoing Local Plan process Following government changes to national planning policy in December 2024 TMBC has an updated annual housing target of 1,096 homes per year stakeholders are being asked again to put forward potential sites to help meet this and other future development needs.    The call for sites process helps the council identify land that could be used for a range of uses such as housing The information gathered will contribute to the Land Availability Assessment which will help shape the next stage of the Local Plan Sites can be submitted online until 26 March. Details on the Land Availability Assessment and how to submit a site can be found on the TMBC website – www.tmbc.gov.uk/land-availability-assessment The submission process takes approximately 10 minutes Those who have previously submitted sites can also amend details relating to these submissions said: "The Local Plan is vital in shaping the future growth of the borough landowners can help us plan for sustainable communities infrastructure and environmental enhancements." The Easter school half-term break is on the horizon and Tonbridge Angels have two weeks of soccer camps that will help to keep your children occupied during the break Football coaching and fun football themed activities for boys and girls aged 5 to 12 years (School years 1-9) on Tonbridge Angels 3G pitch Develop their football skills with our team of FA qualified coaches and meet new friends in a fun and friendly environment Medal presentation ceremony on the last day of the course There will be a girls only session on Friday There will be no girls only session following the second week due to the Bank Holiday We are introducing a new early drop-off at 8.30am and late pick-up at 3.30pm that will be charged at £5 for one or other or £10 for both We have discount offers for parents to take advantage of Until 16th March there is the offer of an Early Bird 10% discount (using code AVL171) and there is also a Family and Friends price of £140 (using code NVY789) for two children for all four days Book for the four days or just a single day Bring a water bottle, packed lunch and make sure your child wears the correct footwear which is referred to HERE  To book, please follow the link HERE