Lower Halstow Village - Garage Sale Safari

Saturday 1st September 

10:00am until 12:00pm

To register your interest, please contact Kelly on: 07786 730407

Kelly Brown
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Newington History Group - Newington Uncovered

Newington Uncovered is organised by Newington History Group as part of the National Heritage Open Days.

Discover the secrets of Newington and its medieval church

Special exhibition commemorating our extraordinary women

At St Mary the Virgin, Church Lane, Newington on Saturday the 8th and 9th of September from 2:00pm until 5:00pm.

FREE Entry - Refreshments available

Find medieval murals and graffiti

Ask about tracing your family history

Take a trip into the tower

See displays on local history

Follow a self-guided heritage walk

Activities and challenges for children and adults

The history of Newington told by those who live here

For more details contact Thelma Dudley
Telephone: 01795 842711

Email: newingtonhistorygroup@outlook.com

View the website: www.newingtonhistorygroup.btck.co.uk
Follow the History Group on Twitter: @newingtonhg

Visit the Heritage Open Days website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group

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Emergency Road Closure - Breach Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close Breach Lane, Upchurch from Monday 3rd September 2018 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed at the junction of Hartlip Hill to Boxsted Lane.

The alternative route is via A2 London Road, Oak Lane and Forge Lane.

It is planned that the road will be closed between 09:30 and 14:30.

This is to enable carriageway repair works to be carried out by KCC Highways.

This Notice applies when the relevant signs and barriers are on site, and is valid for a period of no more than 21 days.

The Kent County Council Highways Helpline phone number is: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks, please see: www.roadworks.org

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Latest 2018 Police Surgery Dates for Upchurch

PCSO John Cork holds regular Police Surgeries in Upchurch so residents can speak to him about any local Policing issues they may have.

Surgery dates for Upchurch are:

Thursday 27th of September between 1:00pm - 2:00pm at Snaffles.

Thursday 22nd of November between 1:00pm - 2:00pm at Snaffles.

Saturday 29th of December between 2:00pm - 3:00pm at Snaffles.

If residents need to contact PSCO Cork before these dates they can ring the 101 number or John's mobile: 07772 226217.

PCSO John Cork
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Upchurch Charity Sports Day - Amount Raised and Thank You

The Charity Sports Day (in aid of Demelza Hospice Care For Children) happened at Holywell School on Sunday the 26th of August.

It was a wet one! But, in spite of the atrocious weather, surprisingly large numbers of people turned up to have a go at the many activities on offer.

The ice cream van did little business but the burgers, hot dogs and cakes went down well. We had a live band, ‘Cakehole’ and more singing from ‘Razzmatazz’. Upchurch Colts FC, UPARA, local residents and a number of ‘out-of-village’ organisations provided the sporting and dancing activities - thanks to all of them and to all who helped in any way, and especially for sticking with it until the bitter end!

Thankfully there were a number of indoor activities so thanks must go to Keeley from 'Zumba at Tonics Fitness Centre' (01795 423090) for giving those so inclined a thorough workout in zumba dancing, Jan Bunting for leading the line dancing and to UPARA for the curling.

Although the weather was foul, a good atmosphere prevailed and most people seemed to leave slightly sodden but with smiles on their faces.

Final figures need to be worked out but the total amount raised for Demelza is in the region of £800.

There is still time to donate online if you wish by visiting our ‘justGiving’ page >> www.justgiving.com/fundraising/upchurchcharitysportsevent

This is the first time we have put on an event like this and we would welcome your feedback. We would also love to hear from you if you might be interested in helping to organise a similar event in the future, please Email us at: upliftmail@ymail.co.uk

Thank you 

Ralph Liddell

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Dog Fouling In Our Village - Please Clean It Up!

Pictured above: Bags of dog waste littered around the route (pictured below).

Tanya is a relatively new resident in the village who really enjoys walking her dog around Gore Farm and the Golf Course, spotting the owl, woodpeckers and rabbits on the way.

However, over the last few months this has changed.

Very recently, Tanya began to notice dog waste collected in bags, neatly knotted together but left, dumped or tucked in the hedgerows, perhaps by a new resident or new dog owner? 

When she spotted a bag dropped in the middle of the road, just like that, Tanya decided to walk her normal route again, this time collecting as many bags as she could on the way. She spotted over 10 bags, some she couldn't collect due to overgrowth or fences, some of the bags she collected had already begun to degrade, so were empty.

Responsible dog owners will find it impossible to understand the ethos of picking up your dog's waste, bagging it up, and then leaving the plastic bag in the middle of our countryside.

The worst areas affected were to the East of Oak Lane, but the bags were not all from one area, but spread across the entire route. Even the bushes along the road from Gore Farm to Chaffes Lane were littered with bags.

It's an exercise Tanya hopes not to have to repeat too often - especially without a litter picker, but one she would like all residents to know about.

Pictured above: The route where the bags of dog waste (pictured above) were collected.

It is an offence not to clean up after your dog.

You can be given an on-the-spot fine (FPN) of £80 if you do not clean up after your dog. 

If you refuse to pay the fine, you can be taken to court and fined up to £1,000.

Registered blind dog owners can’t be fined.

Dog mess is a health hazard!

Apart from being an unpleasant nuisance if you step in it, fall in it, cycle through it, or wheel your wheelchair through it, dog waste can also be a health hazard.

Both dog and cat faeces can contain the eggs of the roundworm 'Toxocara'. These eggs can survive in the soil for several years. If they are ingested or inhaled by humans, they may cause eye, liver, brain and respiratory problems such as asthma, hepatitis and epilepsy.

Children playing in fouled areas are most at risk.

Dog waste is also a potential health risk to farmers' livestock if you allow your dog to foul in their fields.

Do you really want any of these consequences on your conscience?

Please bag your dog waste and put it in any public litter bin or take it home to your household green bin.

If you see anyone not cleaning up after their dog, please report it to either PCSO John Cork on: 07772 226217 or the Parish Clerk on: 01634 363906.

Thank you for your support

On behalf of Tanya and Cllr Tyrone Ripley

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Temporary Road Closure - White Hill Road, Hartlip

The Kent County Council Highways Helpline phone number is: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks, please see: www.kenttraffic.info

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Santus Circus at Westmoor Farm

Click poster to enlarge.

Click poster to enlarge.

🎪 Santus Circus at Westmoor Farm, Rainham ME8 8QF 🎪

🤡 From Thursday 30th August to Sunday 2nd September 🤡

🎟 Book now: 07843 884787 or 07952 418487 🎟    

Website: www.santuscircus.com

Upchurch Matters

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Dead? Or Dead Slow?

Dead? Or Dead Slow?

Over 400 incidents involving Horses were reported to The British Horse Society between March 2017 and March 2018, with a quarter of riders reporting that they were subject to road rage or abuse.

If you or your Horse has been involved in an accident or incident, firstly make sure you report it to Kent Police then please let The British Horse Society know what happened by submitting a report on their Horse Accidents Website at the link here >> www.bhs.org.uk/safety-and-accidents/report-an-incident

Safety Advice and Information

4 Simple Steps for Drivers

If I see a horse on the road;

Then I will...

1. Slow down to a maximum of 15mph.

2. Be patient, I won't sound my horn or rev my engine.

3. Pass wide and slow (at least a car's width).

4. Drive slowly away.

Advice for Riders

There are many things The British Horse Society recommend riders can do to reduce the risk of becoming another statistic.

◉ Always wear hi-viz clothing and put hi-viz equipment on your Horse - even on bright days, it is surprising how well a Horse can be camouflaged against a hedge.

◉ Unless absolutely necessary, The British Horse Society highly recommend you avoid riding in failing light, fog or darkness or when it is snowing or icy.

◉ Show courtesy to drivers - if you show drivers appreciation of their efforts, then drivers should return the favour.

◉ If you are riding a Horse that is not used to roads, make sure you are accompanied by an experienced rider and Horse.

◉ Concentrate all the time.

◉ Make sure you have told someone where you are going and what time you are expected back.

◉ Whether you choose to ride off-road on fields and bridleways, or whether you have no option but to go out onto busy roads, there are always safety issues you need to take into account.

More Safety Advice and Information

For information about The British Horse Society's campaign 'Dead? Or Dead Slow?' visit the link here >> www.bhs.org.uk/safety-and-accidents/dead-slow

Further safety advice and Information from The British Horse Society is available at the link here >> www.bhs.org.uk/safety-and-accidents/safety-advice-and-information

#thinkhorsethink15

Upchurch Matters
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Beating Isolation - 'Friendly Friday Group'

The next Friendly Friday Group meeting is at The Spyglass and Kettle, Woodside, Wigmore, Rainham ME8 0PG on Friday the 31st of August

at 12:30pm

For more information and to book in, please telephone Gayle at the Bluebird Care (Medway) Office on: 01634 780909

Call today - we would love to hear from you!

Gayle Holmes

Office Administrator

Bluebird Care (Medway)

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The Safer in Kent Fund - Apply Now

Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott has released a further £100,000 from his commissioning budget for selected organisations to apply for up to £10,000 each to help prevent crime and antisocial behaviour in their neighbourhoods.

The Safer in Kent Fund is open for bids until Tuesday the 11th of September. Applicants should be able to offer evidence to support the need for their project and demonstrate how it will help make their area safer in the long term.

Examples of such projects could include: diversionary activities, training, crime prevention equipment, awareness campaigns or clean up kits.

The fund is available for projects that will help prevent crime and antisocial behaviour in local neighbourhoods. Projects of particular interest would be those that meet the following:

• Supporting rural and coastal communities to stay safe.
• Reducing re-offending.
• Supporting young people through the provision of diversionary or preventative activities for those committing antisocial behaviour, at the cusp of the criminal justice system or within the criminal justice system who are at risk from such issues a youth violence, gangs and knife crime.
• Tackling antisocial behaviour.
• Preventing crime and fraud.
• Supporting communities to raise awareness of risk, safety issues and crime prevention, particularly hard to access communities.
• Innovative projects that meet at least one of the PCC's priorities but do not fit within the categories above.

To be eligible projects must meet one or more of the Police and Crime Plan priorities, and not be for victims' services or mental health as these are funded separately. All funding will be subject to final end of year monitoring.

To apply for funding, please first read the funding grant conditions to ensure your project is eligible.

To read the full eligibility criteria and to submit an application for funding, visit: www.kent-pcc.gov.uk/Safer

Matthew Scott said:
“Preventing crime and anti-social behaviour requires teamwork between the police and local neighbourhoods and I am pleased to be able to support this ongoing effort with funding for locally based initiatives. I welcome bids from charities, Community Interest Companies and other groups that will help Kent Police prevent criminality and antisocial behaviour and hopefully stop people from becoming victims of crime.”

Funding opened on Tuesday the 21st of August and closes on Tuesday the 11th of September at 5:00pm prompt.

Any projects considered for Safer in Kent funding must complete the relevant application form in full. Applicants should be notified of the final outcome by Tuesday the 25th of September 2018.

Upchurch Matters

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Emergency Road Closure - School Lane, Iwade

It will be necessary to close School Lane, Iwade from 22th August 2018 for up to 7 Days.

 

The road will be closed between Stickfast Lane and Iwade Road.

 

The alternative route is via Stickfast Lane, Sheppy Way, Ferry Road and School Lane.

 

This is to clear fly tipping that is blocking the road, to be carried out by KCC Highways.

The Kent County Council Highways Helpline phone number is: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks, please see: www.roadworks.org

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

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Registration Plates Stolen, Upchurch - Fruit Stolen, Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: XY/051712/18

Between Saturday the 11th and Saturday the 18th of August, registration plates: LX54 WMJ were stolen from a vehicle in Bell Grove Stud Farm, Halstow Lane, Upchurch.

Crime Number: XY/045921/18

Between Monday 13th and Wednesday the 15th of August, apples and gooseberries were among a selection of fruit stolen from various plots in Newington Allotments, Orchard Drive, Newington.

If you are offered fruit for sale, other than at a shop etc, be aware that it could be stolen.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

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Upchurch Players - Car Rally & Treasure Hunt

Dave Candy
Upchurch Players
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Upchurch Players - Halloween Disco

Dave Candy
Upchurch Players
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The Medway Hospital Charity Quiz Night

Trust Quiz Night - Test your trivia to support our Hospital Charity!

We are delighted to announce that you will be able to put your trivia to the test once again, at our second hospital charity Quiz Night, on Friday 5th October, from 7:00pm in the Restaurant at Medway Hospital.

Get a team together and compete to be crowned Medway Hospital Quiz Champions. The price is £6 per person, with teams of six-eight people. Drinks and nibbles are welcome.

Over the past year, Medway NHS Foundation Trust has gone from strength to strength. Your support will enable us to make many more improvements for patient benefit and help us continue to provide the Best of Care.

We have limited space in the restaurant, so please book your team in advance.

Bookings can be made by contacting the fundraising team on: 01634 825398 or

Email: medwayft.charity@nhs.net

All proceeds from the Quiz will go towards The Medway Hospital Charity.

Cheryl Jones

Fundraising Officer

Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Registered charity number: 1051748

Website: www.medway.nhs.uk

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World's Biggest Coffee Morning at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

In aid of Macmillan Cancer Support

Watch the Video

The video may not be visible in your Email version of this post.

If not, you can still watch it here >> youtube.com

Look out for our sign-up poster in the Poolside Bar. Anyone that turns up on the day and donates, with or without cake is very very welcome!

Find out more about Macmillan Cancer Support at: www.macmillan.org.uk

Thank you 

Jenny - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

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Proposed Changes to the Traffic Pinch Point on The Lower Rainham Road adjacent to West Motney Way

Click plan to enlarge.

Michael Edwards, Head of Integrated Transport at Medway Council has written to residents inviting them to comment on proposed changes to the public highway on The Lower Rainham Road adjacent to West Motney Way, Mr Edwards writes:

"Over a period of time, the Council has received representations from users of The Lower Rainham Road about the priority working arrangement adjacent to West Motney Way. Users have commented on the disruption to the free flow of traffic it causes and expressed concerns about safety and speeds when the priority system is not adhered to and outside of peak hours when vehicles are often able to pass through without slowing down.

Highway Officers and your Ward Councillors have carefully considered these comments and spent a considerable amount of time assessing the current situation. A number of site visits have been undertaken, along with a Road Safety Audit and a pedestrian survey.

Following this assessment, we have come up with a proposal to replace the priority working system with speed cushions. This would involve removing the build-outs and widening the carriageway to allow two-way traffic. We would then install two new speed cushions to match the existing ones to the east and west. The 20mph speed limit would remain. In order to widen the carriageway, we would need to effectively remove a kerbed area on the northern side of the carriageway, which is sometimes used by pedestrians. Our survey indicated that the number of pedestrians using this section is very low, and we noted the absence of footway provision elsewhere along Lower Rainham Road.”

In addition, Rainham North Councillors David Carr and Martin Potter posted online:

“After our extensive work with Highway Officers in recent years on how we can improve the priority working "pinch" on the Lower Rainham Road at West Motney Way, the Council has sent out the attached consultation letter on a proposed new road layout. Some residents may not have received the letter but you are very welcome to get in touch with us with your opinion.”

The plan for the proposal is shown above and anyone wanting to comment should get in touch by Monday the 20th of August 2018 at the contact details below: 

Integrated Transport
Front Line Services
Medway Council
Gun Wharf
Dock Road
Chatham
ME4 4TR
Telephone: 01634 333333
Email: travel.safety@medway.gov.uk

Upchurch Matters

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