St Mary's Church Fundraising Sale

Saturday, 12th July, between 10:00am - 11:30am

Homemade Cakes, Jams, Pickles, Scones and Savouries

Also Puzzles, Books, Bric-à-brac and sometimes Plants

Something for everyone!

Refreshments

Please help support this ancient building - Thank you

🍰 🍓 🧩 📚 🎨 🪴 ☕️ ➕

Upchurch Matters

Help Us Improve NHS 111 - Your Voice Matters

NHS Kent & Medway and NHS Sussex are working together to review and improve the NHS 111 service, and we’d really value your help.

NHS 111 is a free service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It offers advice and support for urgent, non-emergency health issues, whether accessed online or by phone.

To ensure the service works well for everyone, we’re asking people who have used it to share their experiences.

The survey takes just 5 - 10 minutes and is completely confidential. Your feedback will help us:

• Understand what people think of the NHS 111 service
• Identify any challenges or barriers to using it
• Learn how the service can be improved

Survey link: www.haveyoursayinkentandmedway.co.uk/nhs-111

Thank you for helping shape a better NHS 111 for your community.

The survey closes on Monday, 4th August.

NHS Kent and Medway

Upchurch Choral Society Welcomes New Members to Join Them at September Rehearsals

SINGING IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Upchurch Choral Society are always happy to welcome new members.

We are a four-voice part choir that rehearses on Fridays in St Mary’s Church, Upchurch.

Our next rehearsal is on Friday, 5th September at 7:45pm, when we begin rehearsing for a concert featuring parts of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ on Sunday, 23rd November.

There are no auditions, and while the ability to read music is helpful, it is not essential.

If you are interested, please call me on: 01634 361897.

Thank you

Liz Walters

Secretary Upchurch Choral Society

The Train that Jumped the Gap - New Book and Talk at St Mary’s Church, Upchurch

Author Richard Emmett’s new book, The Train that Jumped the Gap, examines the wartime railway disaster in Oak Lane, which happened on Wednesday, 16th August 1944.

Richard will be giving a talk for the Friends of St Mary the Virgin, Upchurch, about his research into this disaster at 7:00pm on Thursday, 25th September 2025, at St Mary’s Church, Upchurch, where his book will be available to purchase.

The talk will examine the tragic WW2 disaster when a Doodlebug flying bomb demolished the railway bridge at Oak Lane, Upchurch, causing the derailment of the London to Margate train.

It examines the facts gathered from various sources, including eyewitness accounts, to evaluate what happened on that ill-fated day.

Tickets are £5 with proceeds to the Friends of St Mary the Virgin, Upchurch.

Tea and cakes will be available with donations appreciated.

The new book is currently on sale at the Heritage Hub, The Forum, Sittingbourne, price £12.00 and is available online through the HRGS website: https://hrgs.co.uk/shop/books-2/train_that_jumped_the_gap

Proceeds of the book go to the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne/The Heritage Hub.

Upchurch Matters

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church

On the 2nd Thursday of each month.

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church opens its doors again on Thursday, the 10th of July, between 2:00pm and 4:30pm.

As usual, we will be offering delicious cakes and savouries.

We will have our fantastic kid's snack deal - 5 items and a drink for £1. Where else would you get such wonderful value?

There will be crafts, a story for the children, and a warm welcome for everyone.  

This all helps us support 4 children in Uganda to go to school and supply breakfast for a group of Ugandan children at their Saturday Club. How special is that?

Come and join us.

Gill Gay and the Rainbow Café Team

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Swale Foodbank Collection - July

Swale Foodbank Collection

Thank you to everyone who donated food and other needed items in June.

I will be collecting your foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday, the 2nd of July, between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Please bring your items in carrier bags.

We will then deliver them to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.

All donations are helpful, provided the food is long life and well within date.

Thank you

May God bless you ❤️

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk