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The Group was started in 1975 under the name of “The Friends of Cobtree Hall”. This was a social club with the aim of raising funds for MENCAP, which had recently acquired the redundant Church of England Parish church for Willington and Otham “St. John the Evangelist” now known as Cobtree Hall, situated in Mote Park, Maidstone. The funds to purchase the building were loaned to Mencap by the Cobtree Trust. The Group was made up from parishioners including our Vice Chairman Peter Green and his late wife Phyllis. Among the activities that the group embarked upon were Bridge and Folk Dancing. At the suggestion of one of the members, John Rose, the group decided to try Scottish Country Dancing every other week and so the group as we know it today was born. The Friends of Cobtree Hall association was disbanded in 1985 due to lack of support but the Scottish Dancing Group has gone from strength to strength.
Initially there was no real experience of Scottish country dancing in the group; most of it was whatever could be gleaned from books. Through one of the member’s connection with the WI, a lady by the name of Vera Simms was recruited to become the first teacher. In 1980 Dick Barford a qualified SCD teacher joined the club and took over the teaching and MC role until 1994 when he stepped down due to career commitments. Dick handed the mantle to John Day, our current chairman, who along with his wife Jan has been with the group since 1983
By this time the club was beginning to thrive and by 1999 it had become too large for Cobtree Hall. This is when the group relocated to the current venue at Grove Green. John continued to be the sole MC until 2003 when Dick, who had returned to the group in 2000, agreed to share the MC role with him. In the past 6 years Mike Gould has helped out as MC during July and August whilst John has taken a summer break.
In all this time the group has never lost sight of the original aim and has managed to contribute substantial funds to Maidstone Mencap, some of which is specifically for the benefit of the children who attend the playschool at Cobtree Hall. In 2006-2007 we contributed £3,500
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