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Friday 29 August 2014

Upchurch Horticultural Society - 2014 Show Dates




If you wish to join or enter a class contact Steve the society Secretary on:
07703 339290 / 01634 373723 or Email: slaming@tycoint.com for more information.

Steve Laming
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Tuesday 26 August 2014

The Gullands Guide to Contesting a Will



Sadly not everyone keeps their financial affairs up to date and for a variety of reasons I increasingly receive inquires from clients who want to challenge a Will. If a loved one has died and the contents of their Will come as a surprise, what should you do?

With an increase in the divorce rate amongst the over 55’s and many people subsequently remarrying or cohabiting with a new partner, it is important to make a new Will or review an existing Will as your life changes.

Occasionally people make Wills that do not provide for people who they should arguably have had in mind at the time of making their Will. A claim may be considered under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act, which enables those who qualify to bring a claim against an estate if they consider that they have been inadequately provided for or excluded altogether.


People who can bring claims under this Act include spouses, former spouses, co-habitees, children, stepchildren and anyone who was being "maintained" by the deceased immediately before their death. When considering these claims, the court will take into account the size of the estate, the circumstances of the person who is making the claim and the circumstances of the people who will otherwise inherit. They will take into account whether there are any special circumstances, such as the Claimant's physical or mental condition. A claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act must be brought within 6 months of the Grant of Probate being issued.

A second reason why Wills are often challenged is because of changes which have been made or a new Will written, which excludes previous beneficiaries or when the person’s mental capacity is called into question.

When a person makes their Will they must be able to understand the nature of the act of making a Will, who they should consider leaving their property, possessions and money to and what property, possessions and money are theirs to bequeath. They must not be suffering from any disorder of the mind at the time of making their Will that might cause them to be delusional and incapable of being rational, fair and just in all of the circumstances.

If there is evidence to show that at the time of making their Will a person was incapable of fulfilling these requirements then it might be argued that they lacked testamentary capacity.

Your solicitor can enter a Caveat at the Probate Registry to stop the Estate from being administered in reliance upon the Will, which is being challenged.

Other valid reasons for disputing a Will might include a claim that the deceased was subject to duress when they made their Will. Whilst such claims do succeed, it is often difficult to provide sufficient evidence of duress to satisfy the Court and so claims of duress should be approached with caution.

A solicitor with the necessary expertise can assist you if you consider that you need to challenge a Will. If you wish to minimise the risk of your own Estate being challenged upon your death then you should ensure that you instruct a solicitor to prepare your Will for you, setting out your wishes clearly and in appropriate cases enabling a note to be prepared explaining why particular dispositions have been made or potential beneficiaries omitted.


Anna Golding.
If you think you may wish to challenge a Will contact Anna Golding by email at:
a.golding@gullands.com or call: 01622 678341 or visit: www.gullands.com for details about how to make a Will. Anna Golding is an Associate Member of ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists).

Gullands Solicitors
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Monday 18 August 2014

Upchurch Best Kept Garden 2014 - The Winners


This years overall winners again were Mr. and Mrs. Panter with
their beautiful Garden in Wilks Close.
Despite challenging weather conditions leading up to and including a violent electric storm on the night before judging on July 19th, those gardens that were well maintained and prepared remained in good condition for the judging. 

In the 'Flowers' category the winner was Mrs. Joan Lewin of 21 Drakes Close.

In the 'Mixed Flowers and Shrubs' category the winner was Mr. and Mrs. Panter of 16 Wilkes Close. Highly commended were 19 The Poles and 25 Oak Lane.

In the 'Small Garden' category the winners was Mr. and Mrs. Friend of 56 Beckenham Park. Highly commended were 6 Beckenham Park and 11 Chaffes Terrace.

The overall winning garden was adjudged to be 16 Wilks Close and Mr. and Mrs. Panter will retain the Barbara Webb Memorial Trophy for a year.


This year is the 50th anniversary of the tragic death of Barbara Webb during the village carnival - the family are commemorating this in this competition by gifting the Barbara Webb Rose Bowl which will be awarded to Mrs Joan Lewin as winner in the 'Flowers' category.

The prize-giving will take place during the Upchurch Horticultural Show on 13th September in the village hall. Mrs Christine Madden, Barbara Webb's sister has kindly agreed to award the prizes. The show is open to the public from 2 to 4 p.m. and the above prizes will be awarded around 3.30 p.m.

The competition is organised by representatives of the Parish Council and the Horticultural Society. This year prizes were sponsored by the Parish Council.


Gerry Lewin on behalf of the organising committee.
Tel: 01634 366113 or Email: lewing135@btinternet.com
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Saturday 16 August 2014

Bastille Day Trip to Ferques


Joanne Harrell travelled to Ferques for the Bastille Day celebrations
in July along with members of the Twinning Group.
Every year on 14th July our twin village of Ferques, and indeed the whole of France take a day off and celebrate Bastille Day. This is always a happy occasion and a wonderful atmosphere exists right throughout the village.

This year, as usual, a group from Upchurch went over including Joanne who put on her usual excellent display of home produced jams and preserves.


Le President (chairman) of their twinning committee, Christian Finance, arranged for us to have a table in front of the Marie (village hall) but was late in coming to see us, as, not only was it his 60th birthday but he happened to be in Calais collecting a Medal, - modest chap!

The sun shone brightly all day and we met many of our old friends and made a few new ones. In fact we had "la canicule" 
(look it up!). Link Here

We look forward to our next visit and if you would like to join us next year just let me know.

By the way - keep an eye on Upchurch Matters to download a new quiz sheet to see what you know about our twin village. There may even be a prize to win.

Joanne's Preserves on Upchurch Matters Link Here

Mike Johnson
Chairmain Upchurch Twinning Group
Tel: 01634 234226
Email: mikeinupchurch@gmail.com
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Tuesday 12 August 2014

UpARA - Latest Schedule of Events

Upchurch Active Retirement Association


Our membership is 137, against our limit of 150. July saw our outing to Oliver at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, which was a resounding success. In August we have our day trip to Brighton, which will be another success story, whatever the English summer weather holds for us!

Our next events are: -

Monthly Meetings (2nd Friday of the month)
(Members Free; Guests £2.00)
*
Friday 12th September 2014 - 2:00pm
*
Friday 10th October 2014

Coffee Mornings (4th Tuesday of the month)
(Members £1.50; Guests £2.00)
*
Tuesday 26th August 2014 - 09:30am until 12:30pm
*
Tuesday 23rd September 2014

Village Walks (Every other Friday)
Friday 15th August 2014 - 10:00am
*
Friday 29th  August 2014 - 6:00pm

Outings
*
Wednesday 13th August 2014
Day Trip to Brighton
*
Thursday 11th September
Trip to Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham

New Members Welcome - Annual Subscription £15


David Powell - Chairman
Email: davidrpowell5@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone: 01795 843550
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Newington WWI Commemoration Weekend


at St Mary's Church, Newington
Saturday, September 6
Free entry 10am-5pm

Our village at the frontline
Life in wartime Newington
Time Bleeds: WWI inspired docu-drama
Community art, poetry, music and floral tributes
WWI sing-a-long, 2pm-2.30pm

Sunday, September 7
Free entry 11am-2.30pm
Exhibitions [see above]

Commemoration Service 2.30pm for 3pm
Led by the Bishop of Dover,
with special guests: Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Kent,
Archdeacon of Maidstone, Mayor of Swale,
Military Representatives, Gordon Henderson MP,
and the Royal British Legion

Special appearance and presentation of arms by uniformed
members of the Royal West Kent Living History Group
Last Post played by Mark Hinchliffe
Finale concert by UK Paper Brass Band, 4pm

Get into the wartime spirit by dressing in 1914-style

Home-made refreshments served on both days

More details: 01795 842711 or Email: thelma@newingtonhistory.co.uk

Commemoration organised by Newington History Group

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Monday 11 August 2014

Upchurch Choral Society Present September Miscellany


St. Mary the Virgin, Upchurch.
Picture Kim Taylor

Music from TV, Stage, Film and other tunes that you will know and love!

On saturday 20th September, 2014 at 7:30pm
in St. Mary's Church, Upchurch.

Entry by programme £5 at the door

or contact Sally Chalmers on: 01634 30545


Interval Refreshments provided by and in aid of the Friend's of St. Mary's. 



Liz Walters
Upchurch Choral Society
Tel: 01634 361897
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Saturday 9 August 2014

Actor & Extras Required for Upchurch RnB Music Video


Upchurch Singer James Hansford along with a fully equipped mobile film crew + makeup & hair artists will be filming a music video at various locations throughout the Village in
October / November.

James is looking for Extras of all ages to volunteer for a day and a female Actor aged between 18 - 21 to take a lead part.

Filming will be at various venues within Upchurch.

James's video's have received 1000's of views, so it will be a great opportunity for any local Actors to get seen by agencies etc.

Please Email applications with photos to: Jameshansfordpersonal@gmail.com

Entrants will be put in front of a panel to decide who will be perfect for the role. The genre of the song is Uplifting RnB.

James is currently signed to Xclusive Management Ltd.

James on Facebook: Link Here

Upchurch Matters
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Friday 8 August 2014

The Tragic Death of a Carnival Queen by David Wood


Upchurch Carnival Queen Barbara Webb with Pauline Ward and Sandra Pamlin.
Nineteen year old Barbara Webb from Drakes Close had plenty to celebrate fifty years ago in August 1964. She had a regular job at Bowaters Packaging Department in Rainham, a steady boyfriend and had won the Upchurch Carnival Queen Competition on June 20th in the Infant’s School.

On a perfect sunny day for a carnival 22 floats drew up on The Recreation Ground for judging before taking off on a procession around the village. The St John’s Ambulance Brigade led the way as the procession wound its way around the village while big crowds lined the route waving, joking and shouting comments at the participants. Barbara Webb and her attendants waved to the crowds and probably felt very happy as important figures in the event.

When the procession came to its end crowds poured into The Paddock where the annual dog show had begun, a coconut shy was already in action and a selection of stalls sold a variety of produce, while pop music boomed aloud from the loud speaker system overseen by Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane.

Walking around The Paddock I noticed an eery hush come over the crowd. Bernard Sketchley, formerly from Chaffes Lane, waiting to participate in one of the junior sports events, informed me many years later that he also noticed it. Something had happened. Nobody wanted to talk about it but as news spread everyone became aware of what had happened. Standing at the entrance of the tea tent where Win Wraight, Queenie South and several other ladies were serving tea I noticed all in deep conversation. My grandmother Mrs. Rose Wood working with them noticed me at the entrance. She came over and told me that the Carnival Queen had been killed in an accident in Chaffes Lane. At this stage people began drifting away from The Paddock after learning what had happened and members of the carnival committee made a decision to cancel the evening dance due to be held in the Infant’s School.

I jumped on my bicycle, sped along Oak Lane and across The Recreation Ground to where I could see the Carnival Queen float stationary on the side of the road and a parked car just in front on the other side with nobody in sight. I rode farther up Chaffes Lane to Drakes Close and saw Barbara Webb’s mother being comforted by neighbour Mrs. Latter on the pathway in front of her house. This is when I realized the seriousness of the incident.

Barbara Webb’s boyfriend Peter Ellesmere from Chatham, already on his way to Upchurch by bus to meet her parents for the first time that afternoon, heard what had happened from the bus conductor who informed him that a terrible accident had occurred in Upchurch and that the Carnival Queen had been killed.

On the blackest day that anyone could remember in the village the story soon began to emerge. The accident happened after the procession had taken place. Mr. Myles Murr from Drakes Close was driving Barbara Webb back home so that she could change out of her costume when he encountered a stationary car beside The Recreation Ground in Chaffes Lane. Unfortunately, as he braked to slow down the vehicle tilted to the right as it passed through a dip on the right hand side of the road. This caused the armchair on which Barbara Webb was sitting to tilt sideways and then topple sending her over the side of the truck and under the wheel of the vehicle. Mr. Murr felt a jolt, a clatter and a shout and immediately stopped the vehicle. As Barbara Webb’s younger brother Ian jumped off the lorry to investigate then run off for help, Mr. Murr found Barbara Webb under the lorry with multiple head injuries. She had been killed instantly.

The inquest which took place in Rochester soon after the tragedy passed a verdict of accidental death and concluded that the armchair which had been placed on a small table but not fixed had been the principal cause of the accident. Ironically, Barbara Webb had requested this to give her more height over her two attendants. The inquest found that neither the chair nor the table were fastened to the lorry which caused everything to topple sideways when the lorry passed along the dip in the road.



David Wood.
On the day after the accident the Sunday newspapers carried the story as the main front page headline and it hit the national TV and radio news, publicity that Upchurch could have done without.

After the tragedy Carnival Committee Chairman Eric Wright from Chaffes Lane summed up the feelings of people in Upchurch when he said,

“It was a tragedy which hit everyone.”

The carnival committee sent a letter of condolence and a floral tribute to the Webb family and a clock and plaque remembering Barbara Webb were later placed on the village hall wall as a permanent memorial to one of the most popular carnival queens to have participated in the event. It remains a great tragedy remembered by everyone from Upchurch who
attended the village carnival in August 1964.

About David:
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and 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's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.

David Wood.
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Tuesday 5 August 2014

Fire Strike



The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have called a series of strikes from:

9 - 16 August between Noon - 2pm and 10:59 - 11:59pm

Background

This is a national dispute between the union and the Government over pension arrangements. Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is not involved in those negotiations, but the strike will affect all fire and rescue services in England and Wales.

Emergency cover

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is pooling working staff to crew as many fire engines as possible, which will be located around the county to provide the best cover possible. KFRS will continue to answer and deal with 999 calls, but will not be operating at the normal level of service, so it is important to take extra care.

Safety advice

Please take a few minutes for a few safety checks to keep your home, business and family safe and help reduce unnecessary 999 calls.

Make sure children are aware of the dangers of water and fires in the countryside

• We attend more road crashes than fires these days so drive carefully and wear a seatbelt

• Before bed (or if you're going to be away) check you've unplugged any unused electrical items, closed all interior doors and made sure anyone in the house knows the safest escape routes

• Smoke alarms should be fitted on each floor of your home. Check yours is working once a week and clean it once a month. Check batteries annually If you don't have a smoke alarm call us on: 0800 923 7000 or email contact details to: home@kent.fire-uk.org for free fire safety advice and services

• Take extra care with barbecues and bonfires distraction can have disastrous results.
Don’t leave any cooking unattended especially if you’ve been drinking alcohol or are on medication

• Business owners and managers please see the safety advice on our website

• Follow the Twitter hashtag #takeextracare

Kent Fire and Rescue Service
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Friday 1 August 2014

WW1 Centenary Commemoration Service at St. Mary's




A service to Commemorate the Centenary of  World War 1 takes place on Monday the 4th of August at St. Mary the Virgin, Upchurch.

From 11:00am.

Refreshments will be available afterwards.


Upchurch Matters
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