"She'll attend the Opening of an Envelope if there's a free drink"

We hosted a reception yesterday for West Kent's finest envelope packers. 

They came from the four corners of the county, brandishing their paper cuts as a warrior would bear his battle scars. The event was an Open Day for our army of packers (or stuffers if you are from Chatham and Aylesford) - the unsung heroes of ten thousand mail shots.

Lady Birch (second left), who would allegedly attend the opening of an envelope if there was a free drink, kindly brought along her Maid, Gardener and Cook

The face than lunched a thousand chips - the Doyenne of the Ladies Lunch Club,
Trish Robinson, with Plate Carrier and Washer-up In Chief, Dr Tony Robinson

Director of Paper Clips, Jon Botten, with Queen of the Raffle, Janet Sergison


Maidstone and Faversham & Mid Kent's finest
(just Norah Batty short of a sitcom)

West Kent Oberleutnant (far left) with a delegation from SAGA holidays,
who wandered in by accident.


Jon Botten finds Basil Hallward's portrait, which he had hidden in the attic 80 years ago

Thelma, Lady Liptrap of Sherwood, added a touch
of Tunbridge Wells glamour