Community action/Malling
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The gift of climate and ecological emergency is that we all get to work together. Ordinary citizens and community groups naturally share what they learn, and what they know of what helps. Everyone can help, everyone has something to offer, everyone is welcome. We all need to design, make and grow a better future for ourselves, our communities and our world. Together we CAN. Yes we CAN.
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism across Malling. It's an introduction to local networks, groups, events, community resources and assets.
- Malling community climate action and ecological restoration is a separate page.
CDC video
[edit | edit source]Cosmolocal discovery club
Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/Moray, Rewilding Scotland, Community action/Wiltshire / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
| Map | |
|---|---|
| Location | West Malling, Kent, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51° 17' 43.45" N, 0° 24' 34.06" E |
News
[edit | edit source]Malling
Kent
UK
Europe
Cosmolocal
Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- Hedgerows the 'unsung heroes of the countryside', BBC News (Feb 16, 2026) — A group of Kent volunteers is aiming to provide vital habitat for wildlife by planting about 3,800 yards (3,500m) of hedgerows in the countryside this year.
- Plans for major overhaul of councils halted, BBC News (Sep 07, 2026)
- The UK towns at risk of running out of water within six weeks, inews.co.uk (Aug 12, 2026)
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- Plans for major overhaul of councils halted, BBC News (Sep 07, 2026)
- Sardines are having a moment but could this humble fish turn the tide for the UK’s local fisheries?, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Sep 03, 2026) — Can the UK learn from Iberian traditions and turn its booming love for tinned sardines into a lasting win for coastal communities?
- Andy Burnham announces thousands of new homes, but is the government much closer to its target?, theconversation.com (Sep 02, 2026)
- European farmers face ‘unprecedented crisis’ after successive heatwaves, theguardian.com (Aug 17, 2026)
- Europe’s rivers are running dry, and the knock-on effects are disastrous, Yiannis Baboulias, theguardian.com (Aug 05, 2026)
- How Australia combines modern tech and Indigenous knowledge to fight wildfires, BBC News (Aug 01, 2026)
- Why I choose to build commons, rather than being an ‘activist’, growingcommons.substack.com (Sep 06, 2026) — And why I think you should, too, Dil Green
- What Brazil’s supercentenarians can teach us about living to 120, positive.news (Sep 02, 2026)
- How a South African town cleaned up its polluted river using stones, wood and sand, theguardian.com (Aug 31, 2026) — Scientists say system to treat contaminated wastewater offers a model for ensuring food security in a fast-warming climate
Malling video
[edit | edit source]
Networks, sustainability initiatives and community support
[edit | edit source]- Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Community, private group on facebook.com, link checked 08:43, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- Friends of the Earth Kings Hill, private group on facebook.com, link checked 08:36, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- Tonbridge and Malling Friends of the Earth on facebook, link checked 08:41, 2 November 2025 (UTC)
- West Malling Parish Council
Local concerns
[edit | edit source]Overdevelopment
In common with many areas across the the South East, the constant threat of overdevelopment or inappropriate development, for example locking us into yet more car dependency, pollution and carbon emissions, loss of green space, lack of genuinely affordable housing and imbalances against community interests in the current top down planning system is a concern for many people locally.
14% of Tonbridge and Malling is 'Built on', compared to 6% nationally, Nov 9, 2017...bbc.co.uk. Because of recent and planned new housing the disparity is likely to be growing, with even more of a disparity for some parts of the Borough. It wold be interesting to know what the figure is for Malling and how this has increased over recent years...
Housing news
UK
Cosmolocal
- Andy Burnham announces thousands of new homes, but is the government much closer to its target?, theconversation.com (Sep 02, 2026)
- Share offer for UK’s biggest community development passes first target, thenews.coop (Aug 20, 2026)
- From grey water to cool spaces: 10 climate crisis policies Britain needs right now, theguardian.com (Aug 12, 2026) — Rejecting North Sea drilling licences and protecting nature are just some measures Andy Burnham must implement to ready country
- England risks building new ‘death traps’ as experts warn of overheating crisis, theguardian.com (Jul 14, 2026) — Vulnerable people more at risk as research finds only half of local authority plans require cooling strategies
- Homes need more renewable energy tech – here’s how to make sure retrofits avoid creating e‑waste, theconversation.com (Jul 08, 2026)
- The most beautiful act of resistance I’ve seen: Madrid tenants fighting landlords with art [The Guardian], Daily Alternative (Jul 16, 2026)
- We Don’t Have a Housing Crisis. We Have Something Worse, digbyhall.substack.com (Jun 28, 2026) — The way we’re solving the housing crisis will become our future cities crisis, Digby Hall
- Europe needs affordable, low‑carbon homes – here’s how Barcelona is reimagining its housing system, theconversation.com (Apr 08, 2026)
- New York Cooks Up a Plan to Boost Energy Efficiency in Public Housing, insideclimatenews.org (Mar 16, 2026)
- Community land trusts: Building a different kind of wealth, thenews.coop (Feb 03, 2026) — How the model is protecting US neighbourhoods from property speculation and gentrification
New
- Grey belt tracker, from the Community Planning Alliance: docs.google.com (form only, map not found?)
- Via this Land Cover Explorer map, you can see changes in land use / land cover, for example the built up area, 2017-2023: livingatlas.arcgis.com, added 14:41, 8 September 2024 (UTC)
Campaigns
- Friends of Offham Road, "Committed to supporting sustainable development and protecting green spaces around West Malling". Friends of Offham Road on facebook.comadded 17:46, 7 December 2025 (UTC)
- Kent quarry extension is one of the biggest threats of the 21st century. Hermitage Quarry expansion plans: If approved, the loss could even surpass ancient woodland losses from the Lower Thames Crossing and HS2 schemes combined, woodlandtrust.org.uk, added 14:04, 9 August 2023 (UTC)
- Broadwater Action Group, based in East and West Malling,...Press release, broadwateractiongroup.co.uk, added 12:35, 27 August 2021 (UTC)
- Protect West Malling, public group on facebook
- Ryarsh Protection Group, an action group working alongside Ryarsh Parish Council. "Our priority currently (2018) is to object to the proposed 'West Malling Sandpit' which is a large sand quarry located in Ryarsh."
see also: Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England, Housing
Events
[edit | edit source]Malling
UK and international
Sep 12, 2026 (Sat) — Macey's Meadow Volunteers, Macey's Meadow Community orchard, details via West Malling Parish Council noticeboard in High Street- Sep 12, 2026 (Sat) — Apple Fest (West Malling), At Macey's Meadow Community Orchard, details via West Malling Parish Council noticeboard in High Street, facebook.com
- Sep 19, 2026 (Sat) — Malling and District Repair Café, East Malling Village Hall, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk
- Sep 26, 2026 (Sat) — Macey's Meadow Volunteers, Macey's Meadow Community orchard, details via West Malling Parish Council noticeboard in High Street
- Sep 27, 2026 (Sun) — West Malling Farmers Market, westmallingfarmersmarket.co.uk
- Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — Malling and District Repair Café, East Malling Village Hall, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk
- Oct 25, 2026 (Sun) — West Malling Farmers Market, westmallingfarmersmarket.co.uk
Regular events
- Malling and District Repair Café, usually 3rd Saturday of the month, mallingrepaircafe.co.uk
- West Malling Farmers Market, usually on the 4th Sunday of each month, but may be different in December
- Aylesford Farmers Market, usually 3rd Sunday each month. Aylesford Farmers Market on facebook.com
UK events
- Sep 7 - 11, 2026 (Mon-Fri) — Zero Waste Week, zerowasteweek.co.uk
- Sep 11 - 20, 2026 (Fri-Sun) — Heritage Open Days, celebrating our fantastic history and culture. Your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore, heritageopendays.org.uk
- Sep 18 - 27, 2026 (Fri-Sun) — Great British Beach Clean, mcsuk.org
Global or international events
- Sep 15, 2026 (Tue) — Free Money Day, Global invitation for people to explore, in a liberating and fun way, what it might be like if our relationship to money was a little different. Sep 15, annually, freemoneyday.org
- Sep 18, 2026 (Fri) — Park(ing) day, global, public, participatory project where people across the world temporarily repurpose curbside parking spaces and convert them into public parks and social spaces to advocate for safer, greener, and more equitable streets for people, myparkingday.org
- Sep 21-27, 2026 (Mon-Sun) — Global Week Of Action For Peace And Climate Justice, climatemilitarism.org
- Sep 21, 2026 (Mon) — International Day of Peace, Globally shared date, Sep 21 each year for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace, internationaldayofpeace.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Communities online
[edit | edit source]- eastmalling.net, independent project providing information and news for residents and visitors of East Malling
Food activism
[edit | edit source]
From Communigrow
Communigrow is a charity committed to promoting and teaching the benefits for people and local communities of growing local, fresh and affordable produce in an organic and sustainable way.
- Spadework - farm shop, Offham
Past events
- 2010, Malling Harvest Festival Supper (link no longer available)
Social inclusion
[edit | edit source]- Pilsdon at Malling, community, based in West Malling. Christian-based Community with its ideals and ethos taken from the Pilsdon Community in Dorset. The first Pilsdon Community was founded in 1958 as a refuge for those in crisis.
- Spadework, independent training organisation, based in Offham, which undertakes tuition in a number of subject areas for adults with Learning Disabilities.
Community resources
[edit | edit source]- East Malling Centre, on facebook.com, added 10:43, 25 August 2021 (UTC)
- Assets of community value listed for Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council on tmbc.gov.uk, link checked 20:50, 16 February 2026 (UTC)
Citizens data initiative
- Thriving Places Index, Tonbridge and Malling, 2020 summary scores, thrivingplacesindex.org added 17:53, 19 March 2020 (UTC)
- Automatic search suggestions for TheyWorkForYou, FixMyStreet, and WriteToThem, when you enter your postcode on www.mysociety.org. eg mysociety.org
- Census data 2011, use drill down menus for ward and Census Output Areas
- West Malling Poverty and Index of Multiple Deprivation data from the Church Urban Fund
- Search all grants, Tonbridge and Malling, The National Lottery Community Fund
Maps
Poverty Map from the Church Urban Fund. (Enter location eg 'West Malling, Egland', then zoom out to see whole and neighbouring parishes)
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
[edit | edit source]- Malling and District Repair Cafe, Bin it? No way! added 15:29, 27 September 2022 (UTC)
Arts, sport and culture
[edit | edit source]
- West Malling Community Choir, a friendly and inclusive local choir
- Malling parkrun, takes place at Leybourne Lakes Country Park, Larkfield
- Sofa to Saddle, local (West Malling) cycling group aiming to make cycling accessible to everyone. Regular local social and club rides.
Health and wellbeing
[edit | edit source]- Right to Know, Learn about the systemic and environmental trends that could be impacting your health. right-to-know.org, enter your postcode for local results, added 10:26, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
- West Malling Wellbeing Index, communitywellbeing.coop.co.uk
- West Malling Group Practice, includes maps of locations but disappointingly, unable to find related public transport information on the site Philralph (talk) 08:14, 8 January 2019 (PST)
About Malling
[edit | edit source]West Malling is an historic mediaeval market town based in West Kent. Malling, West Malling and hinterland consists of the parishes of Addington; Birling; East Malling; Kings Hill; Larkfield; Leybourne; Mereworth; Offham; Ryarsh; and Trottiscliffe.
The area is unusual in that East Malling, Larkfield and Kings Hill are substantial communities with their own shops and facilities – however they provide the main commercial and industrial estates, leaving West Malling as a traditional market town offering retail shops, services and hospitality to the surrounding area. There are more than 500 businesses in the Malling area.
The parishes are within the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (offices at Kings Hill). The town is actually closer to Maidstone, County Town of Kent, than to Tonbridge; however both are substantial centres accessible to West Malling car drivers, but Tonbridge much less so for car-free households...MAP Action plan 2009-2011, Introduction (link no longer available).
West Malling archive
[edit | edit source]Past events
- Nov 5 - 27, 2021, Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Hub's Pledge tree. Every small change we make has a ripple effect influencing and inspiring our friends, families, colleagues and shops and businesses.
- Our Eco Hub is creating a pledge tree in West Malling Library. We hope to get lots of schools, businesses and groups involved to make a pledge to take one step greener and be part of a bigger community movement.
- Make your leaf or leaves from some waste paper or card (preferably in autumn colours!) Write your pledge on it and post the leaf into the library during November.
- We will add the pledges to the tree and share how the tree is growing on our Facebook page @KingsHillandWestMallingEcoHub. Kings Hill and West Malling Eco Hub on facebook.com
- Neighbourhood Plan for West Malling (2024-2025), no longer updated
Near you
[edit | edit source]News
Maidstone
Tonbridge
South East England
- ‘It’s irreplaceable’: Fury over Reform plans to expand quarry in ancient Kent woodland, theguardian.com (Jul 30, 2026)
- Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover
- Council accused of 'ecocide' over quarry plan, BBC News (Jul 01, 2026)
- Popular outdoor pool to remain open year round, BBC News (Sep 07, 2026)
- Four new councils confirmed for Kent and Medway, BBC News (Jul 16, 2026) — North Kent: Dartford, Gravesham, and Medway; West Kent: Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Maidstone, and Tunbridge Wells; Mid Kent: Swale, Ashford, and Folkestone and Hythe; East Kent: Canterbury, Thanet and Dover
- 'Not enough water supply' for planned housing, BBC News (Mar 12, 2026) — There is "insufficient" water supply for the number of houses planned in a Kent borough, South East Water has claimed.
- The UK towns at risk of running out of water within six weeks, inews.co.uk (Aug 12, 2026)
- White storks: why introducing non‑native species in rewilding projects can be a good idea, theconversation.com (Jun 05, 2026)
- Record-breaking heat and dry spring leave parts of England without water, reuters.com (May 29, 2026)
Gravesham - Maidstone - Medway - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge - Kent
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2014–2026). "Community action/Malling". Appropedia. Retrieved September 13, 2026. |