Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway this Sunday

Come along this Sunday and make the most of the nice weather.

Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway's set for a fantastic day this Sunday. Good news - it isn't the last day either!

This Sunday is the last full open day of the year and it looks like the weather is going to be just fantastic so bring the picnic, kites and balls - so you can relax in the park, have fun AND ride the trains. We are expecting three steam engine to be running as well as the usual attractions - the difference is you aren't going to get wet this Sunday so swap the brolly and raincoat for sunblock and shorts.

Although this is normally the last event of the year we have two further events for your diary. An Autumn Steam Gala - Enthusiasts day on Sunday 30th October. We will be running 5 steam engines including both Mozambique Fowlers plus 2 diesels. We will be running passenger and goods trains - some double headed. If you have an annual ticket this will get you in for free. Gates open at 10:30 and we will be open till 6pm so we can run some "late" trains. Between 1pm and 3pm there will be guided tours of the workshops (subject to availability and demand). This will be a great day and we expect a good visitor turnout so arrive early.

Finally Thursday 10 November we have Coffee and Trains. A coffee morning in aid of the Heart of Kent Hospice. For full details  click here  or  here. 

After last years successful issue of season tickets we are offering annual membership at an even lower price of £30 per adult which will include one child. Extra children are £12. This will get you into all public and any member only events for 12 months. Bring a passport photo with you and you can start saving on the day.

Did you know we can also run  Steamy Suppers,  an ideal event for Birthdays or even business dinners. You can also put yourself on the footplate and have a go at driving with our well managed, hands on, driving courses. You can also book the railway for special events or parties and have the railway to yourself and your guests. Call 01622 884254 for more infromation.


Visit us at:  www.bwlr.co.uk  to find out more about BWLR and events.

Best regards and see you Sunday,


Bill Best


BWLR
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Upchurch Village Hall 50th Birthday Fun Day

The Village Hall is 50 years old this year.

Upchurch Village Hall is celebrating it's 50th birthday this year with a Fun Day on Saturday the 12th of November.

There will be free children's entertainment from 12:15pm to 4:00pm, including face painting, arts & crafts, cake decorating and ending with a magician.

Admission costs just £3 for Adults and £2 for Children.

Ploughman's Lunches will be available between 12:00pm and 2:00pm and the evening entertainment will start at 7:00pm, with local talent performing sketches etc.

please contact:

Jan Lacy on: 01634 366729  or  Brenda Kemsley on: 01634 231585

Please support this important village celebration.

Upchurch Matters

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Upchurch Village Hall at 50 Years Old

Memories of Upchurch.

Of all the schemes dating back in the village none had been so long awaited as the construction of a village hall. For many years the Old Forge in Forge Lane, the Infant’s School in The Street and the Labour Hall in Horsham Lane had served as social venues but were increasingly considered unsuitable. Mrs Margaret Neame from The Upchurch Stores in The Street opened up the discussion after World War Two and this led to the setting up of the Upchurch Victory Trust Fund Committee in 1953 with the aim of obtaining a village hall.

In the early years a search took place for a suitable location with the oasthouse on the site of the present day Crosier Court being considered followed by a proposed conversion of the old Elizabethan barn at Church Farm. After consideration neither plan became reality so the search continued and the Village Hall Fund was started in June 1954 with a committee chaired by Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane. This led to fund raising events like a weekly member’s lottery, a Buy a Brick Club, whist drives, dances, raffles, and takings from the fete and carnival. Eventually, a suitable site was found behind The Crown public house and a plan was drawn up by architect Mark Hartland-Thomas from Forge Lane incorporating a hall and car park which local building company E. C. Gransden Ltd constructed. The building cost £6,750 helped by a £2,000 loan from the National Council of Social Services.

After initial problems over catering rights with Courage & Barclay Brewery, the village hall, designed to accommodate 300 people, was completed then opened on November 4th 1961 by Deputy Mayor of Gillingham Freddie Cooper. After speeches by local M.P Percy Wells and village hall chairman Rich Boakes, Revd Bradshaw and Methodist Minister Revd Groves conducted a dedication service. The debt for the building was paid off and a village hall extension fund set up for future improvements.

The new village hall soon became the base for organisations like the Horticultural Society, the Table Tennis Club, the Youth Club, the Badminton Club, the Darby and Joan Club, and various dramatic societies. With funds available the village hall extension was completed in 1974 followed by further changes in the mid 1990s and 2000 when better toilet facilities, wheelchair access, a new meeting room and storage room were created. The improvements made the village hall much more suitable for social events like wedding receptions, parties and dances. After fires in 1977 and 1995 which potentially could have destroyed the building, the village hall has survived and continues to play an important part in the life of the village.

A 25th anniversary was celebrated in November 1986 when several village organisations presented entertainment and a 50th anniversary is planned for Saturday November 12th 2011 when families will be encouraged to visit the village hall where stalls selling goods, competitions and entertainment will take place followed by entertainment for adults only during the evening.

David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch, is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David Wood's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood
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Splash the £ash

The closing date for applications is the 30th of September 2011.

Need funding to help start a business idea ?


Money to make imaginative ideas happen ?

Provide money for fun activities and equipment ?


Splash The Cash is funding for young people in Swale with awards of up to £250 for individuals and £750 for groups. The idea came from young people in the Swale Youth Forum and Youth Advisory Group (YAG).

YAG Co-chair, Mike Whiting, and other members for Swale, along with the Deputy Mayor for Swale have contributed part of their members' grants towards a budget that promotes local decision making amongst young people.

If you are between 11 and 19 (or up to 25 with a disability) then you can apply as an individual (£250) or with a group of friends to receive up to £750 !

The closing date for applications is the 30th of September 2011 Shortlisted projects will be invited to pitch ideas on the 15th of October 2011.


The scheme is being administered by KCC Youth Services and should you wish to find out more or have any questions about the scheme and it’s development please call Angela Ford, Area Youth Officer, Thanet Canterbury Swale on: 07919 535633.


The Application Form can be downloaded here:


Splash the cash application form (PDF, 121k)


Website:  http://www.kent.gov.uk/education_and_learning/youth_service/youth_opportunity_fund/splash_the_cash.aspx


Martin Goodhew

Economy & Community Services Project Officer

Swale Borough Council

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Upchurch Twinning Group October News

Upchurch is twinned with Ferques-Elinghen in Pas de Calais, France.

Do look on the Holywell School website:  www.holywell.kent.sch.uk   for our news as well.  Also, try looking at:  www.ferques.fr  for interesting stuff!
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Sports Day – We had a great day on 27^th August, with lots of games played and lots of French language tried out!  47 residents of Ferques joined us at the Recreation Ground and Scout Hall and they have written to express their thanks for a most enjoyable day.  Thank you to all those people of Upchurch who joined in with this event, which, apart from us all having a good time, was a valuable way of cementing our links with Ferques.

Diary dates for you:

Saturday 15^th October – Anniversary Dinner and Dance in Ferques, in Elinghen Village Hall.  A set meal with some Celtic music.  Cost will be 18€ each from 7.30pm.  Tickets now available from us but you need to book by 7^th October.  It’ll go on all evening so you’ll need a late ferry home or a stop-over in a hotel or B&B.  Come along – it will be a really good night!

Tuesday 18^th October – School children from Ferques will visit Holywell School – do say “bon jour” if you see them in the village!

Saturday 5^th November – Scout Group Fireworks at Westmoor Farm – Find the Twinning Group, who will be selling their famous, delicious bacon rolls again!

And for 2012:

Saturday 28^th January 2012 – Quiz night at our School – always popular, more details nearer the time!

Sunday 15^th April 2012 – Upchurch Choral Society will be performing in the church at Ferques – again more details nearer the time.

FRIENDS OF THE TWINNING GROUP – Our “Friends of the Upchurch Twinning Group” has a healthy membership now, but we would always welcome anyone who would be willing to give practical support e.g. on stalls, or at events, giving hospitality etc etc.  Just let us know!
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Jim Harman (Chairman) 01634 235420 & Sue Rossiter (Secretary) 01634 234780

Upchurch Twinning Group

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Parents & Friends of Holywell School AGM

The 2011 AGM takes place at 7:30pm on the 29th of September 2011 at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course. All are welcome and this year they are looking for a new Chairperson to start ASAP.


Please help if you can !


Upchurch Matters.

Nursery Days Gets An Outstanding !

Help us celebrate and save £100 !

Nursery Days Ltd Upchurch were inspected by Ofsted on Monday the 5th of September. We have now received the report and are pleased to annouce that we received an OUTSTANDING in all areas !

This is the highest grade that settings can acheive and obviously we really want to shout this from the roof tops !

The report will shortly be available to veiw online at the Ofsted Website:  here 


As many children have now left Nursery Days to go to school we have vacancies to fill in our baby room and two to three year old room. Full time or sessions are available and we are offering for the months of October and November free registration and holding fee, this is a saving of £100 to celebrate our excellent achievement !

Website:  www.nurserydays-upchurch.co.uk

Stephanie
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Upchurch Parish Council Report October 2011

The Parish Council met on Thursday 1^st September in the Hall of Holywell Primary School where 7 Councillors were present and 18 members of the public.

Public Time – Road repairs in Oak Lane – A resident reported that repairs to a section of Oak Lane had been non-effective. This will be referred to Highways. Vehicles speeding through Crosier Court – A resident expressed concerns about this. Access into Holywell Lane from Forge Lane – A resident reported that this was becoming more dangerous as visibility around the bend was being obstructed by the hedges. This will be referred to Highways. Rural Needs Housing – Several residents expressed concerns about the site in Forge Lane opposite the school as a proposed site for this scheme. 

Planning - The following applications were considered:

SW/11/0885 Sandyridge, 61 Horsham Lane – Extension to side of house to provide 1 reception room and bedroom. No objections.

SW/11/0749 32 Wallbridge Lane – Single storey pitched roof extension to rear of house. No objections but they commented that the views of the adjacent property owners should be given due consideration.

SW/11/0867 Four Gun Field, Otterham Quay Lane – Formation of areas of hardstanding, siting of wheel spinner, CCTV cameras and stanchion. There were strong objections to this site being used as a concrete crushing plant because of its close proximity to 130 houses on the Pear Tree Estate, 15 in Kent Terrace and 2 at Mackland Cottages. They made the following observations: a) if the use of the wheel spinner is for cleaning lorry wheels, the location should be adjacent to the hardstanding, not further into the site where they could be contaminated again before exiting via the gateway. b) The location and height of the CCTV camera and stanchion are an invasion of privacy for the residents of the Pear Tree Estate causing some of them having to install blinds to all their windows.  The CCTV cameras should be positioned so as to view only the site. Inspection of the site indicates that there is room for quick growing trees, e.g. poplars, to be planted outside the fence, which would also help to minimise the noise and dust.

SW/11/0925 the Oast, Holywell Lane – Single storey rear extension with room in loft area. No objections.

SW/11/0949 79 Chaffes Lane – Retrospective application for amendments to scheme approved under SW/10/0762 comprising additional bedroom and en-suite in loft space together with roof lights and light tube in roof slopes, barn hip to rear gable and porthole window to garden room. Members commented that the lights were out of place in a rural setting and unnecessary. Also, there were objections to the extra height of the property.

SW/11/1027 Ridgedale Stables, Halstow Lane – Removal of condition (7) of planning permission SW/08/07 to allow permanent occupation of 3 mobile homes for gypsy family – Cllr New is drafting an objection to this proposal.

SW/11/1020 18 Horsham Lane – Demolition of existing conservatory and existing rear extension and erection of new single storey pitched roof extension – Cllr New is reviewing this proposal.

APP/V2255/A/11/2157895 Oastfields, Stud & Livery, Track off Holywell Lane – Change of use from private stables to stud farm and livery yard including the erection of foaling boxes and the stationing of one mobile home for residential accommodation in association with the stud farm and livery business. Members were advised that this was refused permission by Swale BC on 28 June 2011 and an appeal has been lodged against this decision. Cllr New is drafting a response.

Permission refused:

SW/11/0623/4 The Cart Lodge, Chaffes Lane – Listed building consent for provision of Oak Timber doors to enclose present parking area & 3 conservation style rooflights on the rear elevation.

Permission granted:

SW/11/0600 92 Oak Lane – two storey side extension to provide new bedroom and wash room.

SW/11/0655 The Barnyard, Gore Farm – Extension to marquee and erection of toilet block

SW/11/0653 Field to rear of 32/62 Hartlip Hill – Change of use of land for the keeping of four horses and a 1.2m high fence.

Other Planning matters – Rural Needs Housing – Alison Thompson from English Rural Housing Association had advised that the Landowner of the site in Forge Lane opposite the school, was currently looking at the terms of the existing tenancy agreement on the land. With regards to providing parking for residents in The Street, she explained that they would need to look at the financial feasibility of this and also seek the views of planners.


Finance – Grass Matting vandalised under the new basket swing – Two mats have been replaced at a cost of £160 + VAT. This matting is fitted for safety reasons, please respect this. Village Hall Asbestos Problem – A letter from the Village Hall Management Committee requesting a contribution towards the cost of removal of asbestos, the cleaning or disposal of contaminated equipment and the replacement of fire-protection. A sub-committee will meet to discuss this financial request. Also, it was requested whether the Council would consider including a sum in the precept, annually towards the operation of the Village Hall. Members have decided to discuss this request at the Annual Parish Meeting in 2012 before making a decision.


Allotments and Recreation Ground – Recreation Ground Car Park - It was agreed to accept a quote from J Strevens to the sum of £1,950 +VAT for relaying the tarmac in a section of the car park. Tree Work in Recreation Ground – It was agreed to accept the quote from Lindsay & Company to the sum of £155 for removal of the dead horse chestnut.


Paddock – Footballs being kicked into Oak Lane – It was reported that there was a hole in the fencing around the Paddock, opposite the homes in Oak Lane. This will be repaired as soon as possible. Footballers are encouraged to use the Recreation Ground or to move into the centre of the Paddock.

Environment – Broadband speeds – It is hoped to set up a committee to investigate the options available. Please do let the Clerk know if you would like to join this committee. Clean-up day – This will be held in May 2012.


Highways - Traffic Calming Horsham Lane adjacent to entrance of Woodruff Close – An email from a resident expressing concerns. The Clerk will contact Highways explaining that a scheme to reduce speeds along Horsham Lane was prepared approx 10 years ago but has never been implemented. Vehicles speeding through Crosier Court to access Small Profits – Cllr Catford and Cllr Arnold have met with the agent of the site to discuss the concerns of residents. It is expected that the construction works at the site would continue for another 5 weeks and the Council were advised to record the number plates of any vehicles found to be speeding.


Next meetings – 6^th October and 3^rd November, at 7.30pm in the Hall of Holywell School.

 Claire Attaway, Parish Clerk, 33 Church Farm Road, Upchurch. Tel: 01634 363906

Email:  clerk@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk           www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk


Upchurch Parish Council
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Upchurch Scout Group Volunteers Needed

Do you fancy a new rewarding challenge ? 

Upchurch Scout Group needs volunteers. Our Beaver Leader is stepping up to run Cubs in January and we will need to find some volunteers to help run the beaver section in his place. Without some fresh help Beavers, another valuable village resource, may struggle to stay open. As a leader you will be spending time with children aged between 5 and 8 years of age.

If you fancy a new rewarding challenge please join our merry band of volunteers. You will have support of a whole group of people and training so you are not left to fend for yourself. The children are brilliant fun to spend time with. In the last few years we have been camping, visited places of interests, made craft items, supported the local pantomime, raised money for charity, learnt pioneering skills and obtained many badges.

Volunteers must be 18 years or older (no upper age limit, so we warmly welcome those of you that have retired). You do not have to have any children within the group, just a willingness to volunteer. Every little helps as the saying goes so if you want to become a leader, can only spare time now and again or have a special skill or interest that you can share with the group once a year please phone Darren Hatcher (Beaver Leader) on:  01634 373313 for more information.

Rozz Dyett

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Destiny Africa Children's Choir Concert

Come along to St. Mary's on the 2nd.

The concert will be full of energy and colour and includes African drumming and dancing as well as singing. The children are all orphans who have been rescued from horrific situations and now live at Kampala Children's Centre in Uganda. The smiles tell the story.


Don't miss this exciting evening ! 7pm Sunday the 2nd of October at St. Mary's Church Upchurch.


Tickets £5 or £3 for uder 12s. To book tickets in advance Contact:  rosie.liddell@talk21.com  Any remaining tickets will be available on the door.


Website:  www.destinyafrica.org


Rosie Liddell
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Produce Sale at St. Margaret's

Come along on the 17th for the final sale of the summer.

St. Margaret's Church Lower Halstow is holding its final Produce Sale and Crafts of the summer on Saturday the 17th of September from 10:00am to 12:30pm.


Join us for a wide selection of home grown and home made produce, books, plants and local crafts.

Refreshments available and a warm welcome.


Elizabeth Mouland

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carocol.weebly.com

Please visit David's new site.

Local author and Upchurch resident David Wood has a new website  carocol.weebly.com  The site is made up of 15 of his travel stories from around the world covering the period 1980 to 2011.

You can also access 50+ photos at the bottom of the homepage although eventually these will be replaced with better quality pictures of similar size.

All the sories are based on David's real life experiences.

Upchurch Matters

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Friends of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin

The trust launches on the 8th of October.

A small group of like minded people have come together who share a common view that this historic church should be maintained for the benefit of generations to come, as it has been for over 700 years.

Where historic buildings form part of our heritage it is desirable to sustain and enhance them – this is certainly true of this church. By doing we will seek to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of local history and the past by capturing evidence from the church and making this information more publicly available.

The small group have therefore formed a charity for this purpose which I will refer to as ‘The Friends’. We shall be launching the scheme in the church on Saturday the 8^th of October from 9 am – this will coincide with the regular porch sale. Current members of the Trustees will be available to explain the charity and give mini guided tours of the church. Accompanied children will be able to take part in a quiz. Refreshments will be available.

We would like YOU to become a member of “The Friends” charity through annual membership. Further details including a membership application form can be obtained from me on:

Tel: 01634 366113 or Email: lewing135@tiscali.co.uk

Gerry Lewin - Chairman of ‘The Friends’
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