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Upchurch Parish Council has once again pledged its support for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, organised by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and supported locally by Swale Borough Council and Biffa.
The Great British Spring Clean is the country’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign and aims to bring together individuals, community organisations, businesses and councils to make a difference to the environment on our doorstep.
The campaign was first run in 2017. In 2018, despite the Beast from the East, more than 371,566 litter heroes (including more than 126,651 school children) collected over 630,000 bags of rubbish. In total 13,500 events were held over the campaign period and 300 local authorities took part.
2019
The 2019 campaign, which runs from March 22nd to April 23rd will see up to half a million people taking part to clean up streets, parks and beaches across the country.
Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said:
“The Great British Spring Clean is an opportunity for the millions of people who care about the environment on their doorstep to do something positive that will make a visible difference.”
Please join us
Upchurch Parish Council is once again calling on all villagers to volunteer as litter pickers and clean up Upchurch!
Previous Spring Cleans have inspired many of our village groups and residents to take part in the litter pick. The tremendous village effort resulted in dozens of sacks of litter being cleaned up from our village spaces and the surrounding country lanes.
To volunteer, please meet at Holywell School, Forge Lane on Friday the 5th of April at 10:30am or at the Recreation Ground car park, Oak Lane on Saturday the 6th, where all equipment will be provided.
Thank you for your help and support.
Upchurch Parish Council
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Contact Booking Secretary, Mollie Harriss on: 01634 364859
Upchurch Village Hall - Management Committee
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An off peak closure of part of Lower Hartlip Road, Hartlip is planned for Tuesday 9th April 2019 for up to 1 day, between 9:30am and approximately 3:30pm.
Lower Hartlip Road will be closed in the general vicinity of Sweepstakes Farm, with no through access between the junctions with Mount Lane and Old House Lane.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Mount Lane, The Street and Hollow Lane.
The closure is to allow access to the overhead phone cable network for works to provide a new service to be carried out by Openreach.
There is a chance that the works may over run for such reasons as adverse weather conditions or unforeseen engineering difficulties.
The Kent County Council Highways Helpline is: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks, see: www.roadworks.org
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
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It will be necessary to close part of Lower Rainham Road, Upchurch, in the Swale area, planned from Monday 8th April 2019 with estimated completion by Sunday 14th April 2019.
Lower Rainham Road will be closed in the vicinity of the roundabout junction with Otterham Quay Lane.
Access to the remainder of Lower Rainham Road continues from the Rainham direction up to where the road is closed, but there will be no through access.
The alternative route for through traffic is via Lower Rainham Road, Station Road, A2 High Street (Rainham) and Otterham Quay Lane.
The closure is to allow surfacing works to be carried out to a previously installed sewer, being carried out by Mostrim Groundworks.
Due to the nature of these works, it will not be possible to re-open the road outside the working hours.
The works have been timed to be carried out during the school holidays, to reduce their impact.
Some delays are likely at times, especially at busier times, so it is recommended that motorists allow extra time for their journeys or consider using alternative routes during these works.
There is a chance that the works may over-run for such reasons as adverse weather conditions or unforeseen engineering difficulties.
The Kent County Council Highways Helpline is: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks, see: www.roadworks.org
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
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It will be necessary to close sections of Bull Lane and Church Lane, Newington, planned from Monday 8th April 2019, with estimated completion by Friday 19th April 2019.
Bull Lane and Church Lane will both be closed in the general vicinity of their junctions with the A2 High Street.
The closures are in conjunction with temporary traffic lights on the A2.
The alternative routes are:
Bull Lane via A2 High Street and Playstool Road.
Church Lane via A2 High Street, Boyce’s Hill, Keycol Hill, Sheppey Way, Stickfast Lane and Iwade Road.
Due to the nature of the works, all restrictions will need to remain in force outside the working hours.
The closures are to allow water mains and sewer repair works to be carried out on behalf of Southern Water.
Some delays are likely at times, especially at busier times, so it is recommended that motorists allow extra time for their journeys or consider using alternative routes during these works.
There is a chance that the works may over-run for such reasons as adverse weather conditions or unforeseen engineering difficulties.
The Southern Water Customer Services Team phone number is: 0845 278 0845
The Kent County Council Highways Helpline is: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks, see: www.roadworks.org
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
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Wednesday 10thApril 2018 at 7:30pm
In the Rear Hall
(Please use the kitchen entrance)
The Village Hall affairs have been well publicised recently and support for its fundraising efforts is very much appreciated.
The Committee is a group of volunteers drawn from village organisations who give up their time (and peace of mind!) to maintain and run the Village Hall on your behalf. It would make their job so much more worthwhile if village residents showed their appreciation of this work by attending the AGM.
A new committee will have been formed and its work in the coming year will be so much easier if it knows it has the backing of the village residents. So, please come to hear the reports and its aims for the future.
Please put the date in your diaries and try to attend.
Thank you
Upchurch Village Hall Management Committee
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Contact Booking Secretary, Mollie Harriss on: 01634 364859
Upchurch Village Hall - Management Committee
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The Churches Conservation Trust is the national charity protecting churches at risk. They care for the churches vested in them by the Church Commissioners of the Church of England, repairing the damage from sometimes years of neglect, and work with local communities to bring them back to life again.
The trust has launched its annual appeal to create a £50,000 fighting fund to protect our historic buildings. They have already saved 350 beautiful buildings which attract almost 2 million visitors a year. With your help and support they are kept open and in use - living once again at the heart of their communities.
What is Heritage Crime?
The problem of crime and anti-social behaviour relating to historic buildings is not a modern phenomenon. It has been documented and recorded for centuries. However, what is new is the sheer scale and extent.
Historic England define Heritage Crime as:
‘Any offence which harms the value of England’s heritage assets and their settings to this and future generations.’
Harm caused to heritage by crime or anti-social behaviour often has both direct and indirect impacts. Vandalism or theft not only results in damage to heritage assets themselves, but also to the local community to which they belonged, through indirect social or economic consequences.
Annual Appeal
Halting the Epidemic of Heritage Crime
The growing scourge of Heritage Crime has afflicted many churches and those of The Churches Conservation Trust are no exception. You may be aware of the terrible impact of metal theft at a number of our most cherished sites. Damage to a roof inevitably leads to interior issues resulting from water ingress.
Precious objects including stained glass and wooden panels are also not immune. At Withcote in Leicestershire, thieves removed a Tudor glass panel showing the prophet Ezekiel - very likely the work of Henry VIII’s glazier - from the remote 16th-century chapel.
At Torbryan in Devon two painted panels were hacked out of the 15th-century rood screen and whisked away for sale. 2 years later - following a high profile, international media campaign and police operation - the trust were lucky enough to recover, conserve and re-site the panels - but the cost was high.
Fighting Back
These buildings belong to us all. Their architecture, fabric and contents form a precious collection of public art - free for everyone to experience and draw inspiration from. 2019 will be the trust's 50th year. In the lead up to this important anniversary they are launching a Campaign against Heritage Crime in liaison with other sector bodies. As part of this they are opening an appeal for £50,000 to start a fighting fund to protect our buildings and keep the doors open for all to enjoy, now and long into the future.
You can make a donation to their campaign at >> www.visitchurches.org.uk/get-involved/donate
Find out more about the trust at their website >> https://www.visitchurches.org.uk
Thank you for helping to fight back against Heritage Crime.
Upchurch Matters
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Good Friday 19th April will see the Easter Bunny making a guest appearance, bringing Easter treats and fun crafts with him.
The My Shining Star Easter Eggstravaganza is being held behind 97 Chaffes Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7BD from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
There will be an *ice cream van serving cold drinks, ice cream and waffles. A *burger van serving hot food and drinks, *facepainting (adults can get involved too!) and the My Shining Star Marquee will be up selling merchandise and raffle tickets (£1 per strip)!
*All at an additional cost and not included in the ticket price.
Tickets must be pre-booked and include an Easter Egg Hunt with a FREE Easter egg prize, meeting the Easter Bunny and fun arts and crafts in the lovely decorated barn. Book now to avoid disappointment!
Tickets are limited and in high demand so please be quick.
Slots are every half an hour from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
Ticket price is £5.50 per child.
Please come and support this not-for-profit local charity. Everything raised through your fun and activities will go towards supporting children and their families through the traumatic journey of childhood cancer.
We look forward to seeing you all in April!
Phonics Builders offers high quality, fun, play-based classes to introduce your child to letters and sounds. Each session is structured around the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, with the emphasis on communication and language, physical development, social and emotional development and literacy.
Each class will include songs, games and activities to help build the foundations for reading and writing, as well as activities to develop gross and fine motor skills required to support your child’s handwriting. When children play, they learn!
Book your free taster session today. Spaces are limited, so get in touch.
Phone: 07817 868857
Lisa Masters
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Celebrate with a trip to the beach at one of Medway’s award winning parks next month.
The English Festival returns to Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham Road ME7 2XH on Saturday 20th April, between 11:00am and 5:00pm. The fun packed FREE festival marks St George’s Day with activities celebrating iconic English traditions.
The beach is back
This year the beach will be back so bring your bucket and spade and get ready for a range of traditional English seaside activities.
There’s plenty of cultural, historical and beach themed activities including: pirate workshops, building sandcastles, a helter skelter, shire horse displays, donkey rides, a bandstand, steam engines and tractors. George and the Dragon will also walk around the festival meeting visitors, there’s something for everyone to enjoy!
The festival falls on Easter weekend so get ready for Easter egg hunts and much more!
Getting there
Park & Ride
£1 per Person (return). Children under 16 go FREE. From Greenwich University - look out for the yellow Park & Ride signs - running from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
Park & Walk
£3 per vehicle at Bloors Wharf (bottom of Bloors Lane, off Lower Rainham Road) and enjoy a pleasant 15 minute walk to the event along the river path.
Parking On-site
£5 (limited spaces available). Parking will be primarily for blue badge holders.
Look out for local roadsigns or check online for details of this year's parking arrangements. Riverside Country Park is covered under the Medway bus routes, however, the Saturday bus service does not enter the country park site.
To accommodate GP meetings, the following regular afternoon Surgery dates at Upchurch will be replaced with morning sessions, between 10:00am and 1:00pm on:
Thursday 21st March
Wednesday 17th April
Thursday 23rd May
Wednesday 19th June
Thursday 18th July
Thursday 22nd August
Wednesday 18th September
Thursday 24th October
Wednesday 27th November
Please collect your prescriptions during the morning Surgery times above.
The Patient Participation Group meet on Thursday 18th April and Thursday 25th July.
The October meeting has still to be scheduled.
If you have any questions or suggestions on the local practice, please Email:
Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham
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Join the Medway Swale Estuary Partnership for our monthly Beach Clean in the park on Thursday 25th April, 9:30am - 11:30am.
Meet at Sharps Green car park, a short walk from the Visitor Centre.
All equipment provided, but please wear suitable clothing.
The Beach Cleans at Riverside are a monthly event and are open to all age groups. Everybody welcome.
Belinda Lamb
Guardians of the Deep Project Officer
Medway Swale Estuary Partnership
Riverside Country Park, Lower Rainham Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 2XH
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Kent County Council gives notice that Susans Lane, Upchurch will be closed to traffic, on or after Monday 18th March 2019 for up to 1 day.
The road will be closed at the junction of Twinney Lane.
There is no alternative route. Every effort will be made to maintain access for residents whenever it is safe to do so, a gate marshall will be present to allow access to residents.
It is planned that the road will be closed between 7:30am and 5:00pm
The closure is necessary to enable KCC Highways to carry out carriageway repairs.
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 is: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks, please see: www.roadworks.org
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
A new 326/327 and 328 timetable for buses running through Upchurch, Lower Halstow and Newington will come into operation on Monday the 8th of April 2019.
The 326/327 bus route provides a very important link between Sittingbourne and Chatham. Chalkwell say the new timetable changes are nothing that should cause alarm, with no loss of service between Sittingbourne, the villages and Medway, and that overall they think this is a much better offering.
From Monday the 8th of April 2019 there will be a number of service improvements that should benefit current and potential users, of particular benefit will be parents whose children go to school in Medway because the changes take into account the revised school finishing times for Rainham Mark Grammar School and Chatham Grammar School for Girls.
Chalkwell has highlighted what they believe to be the main benefits of their new timetable as:
• Improved connections with the Arriva services from Sheppey and Iwade, meaning that customers have a greater choice of journeys from the Island to the Medway Towns.
• The 326 journey that starts in Sheerness will commence from Sittingbourne, although will connect with the Arriva 334 service.
• Improved 327 and 328 journeys for pupils attending Sittingbourne schools.
• Improved journey times for pupils attending school in Medway, such as Rainham Mark Grammar School, The Howard School and Chatham Grammar School for Girls.
• More consistent and memorable departure times from Sittingbourne and Chatham.
Managing Director Roland Eglinton commented:
“We have taken a long time to plan these changes, and we think they will benefit a lot of people. We also plan to make some vehicle investment in the coming months, updating what is currently used on these services”.
The new timetable can be viewed and downloaded from the Chalkwell website at the link here >> http://bit.ly/2Fdfe0l
Upchurch Matters
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Report of the Parish Council March 2019
Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice Chairman), Cllr Pam Denny, Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Peter Masson, Cllr Janet Marshall, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence
Memorial Plaque
The Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne wants to install a memorial plaque at Oak Lane railway bridge to commemorate those who lost their lives when the bridge was hit by a doodlebug. The Society has spent a lot of time researching the centenary of the end of the Great War and is now looking at the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. One of the casualties was sheltering under the bridge when the bomb exploded. The Society has permission from the authorities and is now seeking approval from the Parish Council for the plaque.
Councillors agreed unanimously to support the project but consideration must be given to safety at the location.
Upchurch Fete
The Parents & Friends of Holywell School will run the Annual Village Fete and this will be held at the school on the same day as the School Summer Fayre. If the field next to the school is in a fit condition, parking will be there. Councillors agreed that if the field is not suitable the Recreation Ground could be used for parking for the fete.
Planning
i. Ref: 19/500370/FULL Address: Twinney Acre Susans Lane Upchurch ME9 7HA
Proposal: Change of use of part of residential garden for the siting of 3no. shepherd huts with associated parking and access, for use as holiday lets.
Councillors considered the application and noted the huts had moved slightly from the previous proposal and were concerned that there would still be an issue of noise at night which could cause a disturbance to neighbours. The proposal does not meet the criteria of bringing employment or income to the village as there are sufficient B&Bs in the area.
Councillors agreed unanimously to object to the proposal.
ii. Ref: 19/500522/FULL Address: 2 Church Farm Road Upchurch ME9 7AG
Proposal: Single storey side extension with pitched roof.
Councillors considered the proposal and noted that there were no objections on the planning portal. Councillors agreed unanimously to support the proposal.
iii. New Kaine Solar Farm
The New Kaine Solar Farm is seeking an extension of the lease from twenty-five to forty years. The company wants to talk to the parish Council and seek its views. Councillors considered that the solar farm is on Grade 1 agricultural land; the land has to be re-instated when finished; the solar farm has only been online for a few years and has about another twenty years left under its present lease; solar panels have a twenty-five years life span although the inverters have a shorter life span.
Councillors agreed that the company be asked to give a presentation to the Annual Parish Meeting where more people will be in attendance.
Allotments
Four more plots have been rented over the past few weeks and anyone else interested in having an allotment garden should contact the Clerk.
There has been a request for a disabled area with raised beds and proper pathways. There are grants available to facilitate this and the project will be properly managed.
Burial Ground and Churchyard
The Burial Ground Fees and Policy have been revised and can be found on the Parish Council website.
Church Clock
The updates to the winding mechanism were carried out a year ago and the clock has been working well. The atomic clock went off air for two weeks and when it came back on it sent an erroneous signal although the operators do not accept responsibility for it. The mechanism has been taken out of the clock for a software update and was refitted last week and the time has been out of sync since. The clock has been restarted twice and it seems to be keeping time and this is being monitored. If necessary, the clock repairer will come out to help.
Highways and Street Lighting
There will be some road closures over the next few weeks to repair potholes in the parish
The street light tenders have been sent out.
Date of next meetings:
Full Council - Thursday 4th April 2019 at 7:30pm in Upchurch Village Hall.
The Planning Committee and General Purposes Committee - Wednesday 17th April at 7:30pm in the Committee Room of the Village Hall.
Annual Parish Meeting - Thursday 18th April at 7:30pm.
All residents are welcome to attend the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.
Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Lower Rainham Road, Rainham will be closed for carriageway resurfacing, starting on or after Thursday 28th March 2019, for 2 nights between 7:00pm and 6:00am.
The Lower Rainham Road will be closed between the junction with Station Road and No: 742.
The diversion route for through traffic is via Otterham Quay Lane, A2 - High Street / London Road, Ito Way and Yokosuka Way.
Parking will be restricted for the duration of the works.
Delays likely.
The Medway Council phone number is: 01634 333333
Upchurch Matters
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Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd
March normally means the arrival of spring and it looks as if it will come early this year unless the weather has a surprise for us. I normally write these articles about two weeks before they are published and distributed so plenty of room for an Ooops, but at the moment the forecast remains mild. The list of gardening jobs goes stratospheric in March and normally doesn’t ease off until June.
One of the main tasks that will be facing most gardeners this spring will be lawn recovery following last years hot summer. This has resulted in a lot of bare patches which may have allowed weeds to get established. I will tackle the bare patches first and then get rid of the weeds when the new grass is established.
Dig over the bare patches with a handfork and go at least 2” deep, 4” if you can manage it. This will remove the weeds but fresh weed will get established as the new grass grows. Break up the soil so that it is nice and friable and firm it down by foot and rake over. The next task is to select a suitable mix of grass seed which can be an adventure in itself. Grass seed used to fall into 3 basic categories, Ryegrass which is hard wearing and vigorous and ideal for a sports pitch. Fescue, which makes a good utility lawn without looking like a sheep meadow. Bent, which is a fine quality grass which can be found on a bowling green. The proportion of grass seed will be shown on the box and will be largely Ryegrass, but look for a mix which has a high Fescue content. This seed is rhyzomous and spreads to fill gaps and also does well in shade. Other types of seed have also become available like Bluegrass and Bermuda but these are almost certainly not present in your lawn and introducing them will create patches, so best to avoid them. Spread the seed generously over the prepared soil and lightly rake in, gently firm and lightly water. Now let the grass and the weeds grow together.
Finish off tidying the borders and prune roses fuchsia and clematis when you see signs of growth. Deadhead hydrangeas by cutting back stems by about two thirds otherwise they quickly get very large. Use a general fertiliser (7-7-7) or just dig in some compost to help get things started. Fertilise fruit trees and shrubs and similarly tidy up the vegetable patch and fertilise. Keep filling up the runner bean trench with leaves, weeds, prunings and kitchen cuttings. I also empty the fire pan into the trench as wood ash is a good fertiliser. Top dress your containers with 2” of compost lightly turned in with a handfork.
One of the main tasks in the vegetable patch is to get the early potatoes in by the end of March. I will use Rocket again this year as it lives up to its reputation as being the earliest of earlies. I lift mine after 13 weeks to get some size, but they are easily ready in 11 weeks. In the Telegraph last week Monty Don has been looking at the benefits of chitting potatoes and his conclusion is that it only benefits early potatoes and has little effect on Maincrop. He also said that only 4 new shoots are required and the others shouldbe rubbed off. So I will follow Monty’s advise and plant my potatoes with 4 new shoots, if possible, at the rose end, facing upwards. Dig over the potato patch so the soil is friable, dig a generous hole and line it with a fine mix of sieved soil and compost with a general fertiliser. I use 6X which is a dried concentrated poultry manure and available on the internet. Place the seed potato about 8” deep and cover with the soil/compost mix until 2” from the surface, then add a generous fistful of manure on top, above the seed potato, which will soak down over time. Level off with soil and water in.
It is also time to get the seedlings going so check the packets for sowing times and line them up in order. The first sowing will be a tray of Little Gem lettuce followed by a second tray a month later and so on until July to keep a succession of lettuce coming through the summer. Also try for a second sowing of beetroot in May which can be planted out after the first sowing has been lifted in June/July.
That will be plenty to keep us busy through March, but never lose sight of the fact that we do this for fun and there is still time in April and plenty of beers in the fridge.
We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.
If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk
Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society
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Saturday 22nd June 12-4pm on the School Field
The school were very sad to hear that the Village Fete this year had been cancelled.
The PFHS have decided to step in and save the Village Fete and combine it with the School Summer Fayre, but instead of running it in the Paddock it will be held at Holywell School.
All village organisations are invited to come and run their own stall as usual (pitch fees apply).
Let’s ensure this fantastic event continues for our village!
