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Covid-19 vaccines update
Latest vaccinations progress
Our latest data shows we have 90 per cent of the top nine priority groups vaccinated with at least one dose in Kent and Medway. More than 360,000 people are now protected with both doses of the vaccine.
Bank holiday second doses appointments
Several of our vaccination teams are running clinics this bank holiday weekend. Getting your second dose is really important to maximise your own protection and help protect friends and others. If you have an appointment this weekend, please do make sure you attend. There’ll be more sunny days in the months ahead.
Primary care vaccine team top 50,000 jabs
Dr Sati Lall and the team providing vaccinations for patients of 16 GP practices across Rochester, Strood and Medway South have celebrated giving their 50,000th vaccination this week.
Well done to all the staff and volunteers running the clinics. They even got a mention on the Downing Street press conference this Wednesday.
Read more on KentOnline here Within Medway as a whole, more than 175,000 people are now protected with at least one dose.
You can read more about these stories in our weekly vaccines update
Get possible cancer symptoms checked
A cancer patient who was diagnosed during the first lockdown and has now had her cancer successfully removed says people should get worrying symptoms checked as soon as possible.
Miriam McGuirk, from Romney Marsh, said others "should not hesitate" to see their GP if they notice anything unusual.
During her recent experience, she says she was cared for safely, quickly and with empathy.
She added that she felt safe attending her GP practice and hospitals for tests and treatment throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Miriam said: “I knew something was amiss, and then the lump felt more prominent and became painful. I realised that I couldn’t leave it.
“I would say to anyone who notices anything - do not hesitate to get it checked out, it is better sooner rather than later. You will be looked after and cared for.”
It is also important that patients continue with any ongoing treatments, such as routine endoscopy, and follow the advice of their clinician and hospital to help keep themselves safe while accessing cancer care.
Find out more on our website
Helping you over the May bank holidays
People across Kent and Medway are being encouraged to call NHS 111 if they need urgent medical help over the May bank holidays.
NHS 111 is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering patients support on a wide range of conditions, covering both illnesses and injuries. Help is at hand from a team of highly trained experts and if needed an appointment can be booked at an urgent treatment centre (UTC) or even an A&E department.
More advice for help available over the bank holidays visit our websiteWorkshop to help young people deal with anxiety
Diversity House, working with Relate, are delivering a workshop for young people struggling with life in post-Covid times.
The 12-hour workshop is divided into six sessions and will help young people:
• Recognise the symptoms of anxiety
• Understand what anxiety is and its relationship to worry and stress
• Explore practical ways of dealing with problems
• Understand the positive and negative thoughts and beliefs that trigger and maintain anxiety
• Explore ways of challenging unhelpful thoughts
• Learn ways to let go of anxiety
• Learn ways to accept the uncertainties of life.
The first session is being held online on 1st May, starting at 2:30pm. You can join using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdgqs3mlJl
Meeting ID: 897 8135 6634
Passcode: 867580
Read the full bulletin at >> https://bit.ly/3gTbjZY
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
Thank you to Sally Candy and Sittingbourne Morrisons Community Champions for generously donating garden tools, compost and bulbs.
Our pea plants needed repotting, so the compost arrived at just the right time.
Mayflower and Richmond classes are learning the value of growing our own vegetables and enhancing outdoor areas, so these tools and bulbs are a perfect way to help us get started this Spring.
Thank you so much.
Mrs Warner
Holywell Primary School
Engineering improvement works are taking place on the rail network over the early May Bank Holiday, which will affect some train services.
Work taking place includes track renewals and the removal of the old footbridge at Chatham Station. This is part of the Access for All scheme, which will see an accessible footbridge installed in its place.
A replacement bus service will be in operation on some routes.
Service disruption - Sunday 2nd May
• Train services between Dartford and Lewisham via Sidcup will not run, and replacement buses will be in operation.
• Buses replace trains between Rochester and Rainham.
• High-Speed services will only operate between Rochester and St Pancras via Gravesend.
• Train services between Ramsgate/Dover Priory and London Victoria will only operate as far as Rainham, with trains then running between Rochester and London Victoria.
• Thameslink services will only run between London Bridge and Gravesend.
• Buses replace trains between Ashford International and Dover Priory (A mini-bus service runs between Sandling and Westenhanger).
You should still continue to follow government guidance on public transport and minimise the number of journeys you make where possible.
Check before you travel
If you are travelling, you can find out the latest information about Southeastern services and see if there are any disruptions that might affect you.
Journey planners are now up to date for Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd May, please check your journey and allow extra time to reach your destination, full details of what work is taking place over the weekend can be found on the engineering page
If your journey involves a replacement bus service, please note that face coverings must also be worn on these (unless exempt) and social distancing on board may not be possible.
You can find further details on travelling with confidence on rail network here
Upchurch Matters
Hi everyone,
I would like to thank you all for the tremendous support we have received on behalf of Swale Foodbank so far.
My husband Ron and I will be collecting again at the bus stop lay-by opposite the Church in Horsham Lane on Wednesday the 5th of May between 10:30am and 11:30am.
Please come along with your donations (in carrier bags would be helpful) and put them into our open car boot while we remain at a safe distance.
We will then deliver your donations to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.
Everything is helpful providing it is long life and well within date. They are currently really short of Tinned Fruit and long life Milk.
Thanks so much for every single donation we receive - we are deeply grateful!
Thank you
Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator
Medway Council is encouraging children and young people to take part in a survey to help shape Medway’s future.
As part of the council’s aspirations to become a Child-Friendly City, putting children and young people at the heart of everything it does, the council is encouraging young people, up to the age of 25, to fill out the anonymous survey to find out more about what it feels like to be a young person in Medway and understand their wants and needs.
Medway Council has asked TONIC, a social research organisation, to conduct the survey and analyse the findings.
Questions include what young people like most about their local area, what the most important things to them are and how they would like to be involved in decisions in the future.
The survey is open until midnight on Sunday, 23rd May.
The council is also encouraging the parents and carers of younger children, or those with physical or learning disabilities, which may make it harder for them to take part in an online survey, to fill it out on their children’s behalf.
Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Alan Jarrett, said:
“We are developing exciting plans for the future of Medway and we are keen to hear the views of our young people to ensure their voice is heard. Our ambition to become a Child-Friendly City will ensure Medway is a place where all children and young people are involved in decision-making and benefit from the decision, services and spaces which help shape their lives. I would encourage our youngest residents to take part in the survey and have their say on their future and their Medway.”
Archibald Bean, Chair of Medway Youth Council, said:
“I have loved growing up in Medway and I’m excited that young people are being invited to have their say and that their opinions will help shape Medway’s future. I would encourage as many under 25s to take part in the survey as possible. It’s really important that we all continue to have our say to help shape our future.”
Matthew Scott from TONIC said:
“We are committed to ensuring that the voice of young people is heard and understood by the people who make decisions about Medway’s future. This is a great opportunity for children and young people to share their views about what matters most to them and what they want Medway to be like.”
To fill out the survey, visit: smartsurvey.co.uk/s/MedwayYourWay
Medway Council
Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Poot Lane, Upchurch from Monday 10th May 2021 for up to 3 days between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00.
The road will be closed 20 metres north of number 3 Webbs Cottages, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Wetham Green, Poot Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while pole replacement works are undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding the closure please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Holywell Lane, Upchurch from Monday 17th May 2021, with estimated completion by 28th May 2021.
The road will be closed between the junctions with Halstow Lane and Breach Lane, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Halstow Lane, The Street, Breach Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while tree surgery & fibre connection works are undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding the closure please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi SubbiahThe following was discussed at the last PPG meeting:
Covid-19 vaccination programme
1. If patients received a text/telephone call from their respective Practice for their 1st jab, they will receive a similar notification for their 2nd one.
However, if they have not heard from their Practice by the 11th Monday in their 12 week period, they should contact their Surgery. Some Practices are advising patients to ring 119.
2. In respect of Maidstone Road/Upchurch Practice, the vaccination programme is going extremely well.
As of 13th April 2021, 2494 patients had received their 1st jab, of which 408 had received their 2nd.
However, 54 patients had declined the offer to be vaccinated.
Stay safe
Ray Kemsley
Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham
Looking for something to do?
You Me Us is a project from Ideas Test to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation in Medway and Swale.
With You Me Us, you’ll get to join a group with an artist and other local people to take part in;
• Poetry or Creative Writing
• Storytelling Photography
• Singing and Music
• Drawing, sketching and collage
You won’t need special equipment plus you can take part over the internet, by post, or on the phone.
You just need to be over 18 years old and live in Medway or Swale.
Get in touch by 30th April 2021 if you’d like to join a group. Alternatively, you can request the at-home activity sheets via the channels below. The project runs until mid June 2021.
To find out more check out the website or get in touch with Kasia by Email at kasia@ideastest.co.uk
You can call, text or WhatsApp 07387 842524 and Kasia will contact you.
Don’t forget to join the Facebook group too - You Me Us Medway and Swale
Upchurch Matters
Click map to enlarge.
Gladman Developments has submitted an outline planning application to Swale Borough Council for up to 74 dwellings with public open space, landscaping, sustainable drainage system and new vehicular access point with all matters reserved except for means of access onto land off Otterham Quay Lane, Upchurch.
The proposed site belonging to Wakeley Brothers (Rainham, Kent) Ltd and Ayshland Ltd is part of a commercial Pear orchard located in Otterham Quay Lane at the junction with Lower Rainham Road, currently farmed by Mansfields and is the first sizeable development to be brought forward to the North of Lower Rainham Road. The site is not included in the Swale Borough Council Local Plan, and others nearby have already been deemed ‘unsuitable’ in the council's Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.
The SHLAA is a high-level assessment used as a starting point to decide what sites could be developed for housing and other uses in the local plan or in a neighbourhood plan. The SHLAA document is the catalogue of all sites submitted to Swale Borough Council for consideration as having development potential under the ‘Call for Sites’ exercise and current local plan allocations (not yet given permission) along with other known sites - e.g. council-owned land and previous SHLAA sites that have not been developed and so on. The sites are assessed for their suitability, availability and achievability.
Before making a formal planning application, Gladman published a consultation website setting out their proposal and asking residents for their views.
You can view the planning application at: www.swale.gov.uk/planningsearch and submit comments to Swale Borough Council using planning application reference: 21/501839/OUT where “Have Your Say” guidance on making comments is also available.
Swale Borough Council has written to neighbouring residents advising that comments received later than 21 days (excluding bank holidays) from their letter dated 16th April 2021 might arrive after their decision is taken and may therefore not be taken into account.
Upchurch Matters
It will be necessary to close Breach Lane, Upchurch from Wednesday 21st April 2021 for up to 7 days.
The road will be closed outside Breach Lane car garage.
The alternative route is via Breach Lane, The Street, Horsham Lane, Otterham Quay Lane, Moor Street and A2.
This is to enable water pipe repairs to be carried out by Southern Water.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Report of the Parish Council April 2021
Cllr Tyrone Ripley (Chairman), Cllr John Arnold (Vice Chairman), Cllr John Bodycomb, Cllr Pam Denny, Cllr Alan Horton, Cllr Gerry Lewin, Cllr Janet Marshall, Cllr Gary Rosewell and Cllr Neil Sheppard. Clerk Mrs Wendy Licence
Councillor Vacancy
There had been no call for an election to fill the vacancy and Mr John Bodycomb has been co-opted to the Parish Council.
The Great British Spring Clean
The Great British Spring Clean is from 28th May - 13th June, unfortunately, due to COVID-19 regulations, the Council is unable to organise an event. The Council is grateful to those residents who are currently litter picking their local area, if you would like to help during the national event please contact the Clerk.
Streetlights
It had been anticipated that the streetlights would have been completed by 18th March but this had not happened as UK Power networks have not connected the lights. The Council is liaising with the contractor and UK Power Networks.
Planning
i. Ref: 21/500690/FULL Address: Orchard Barn Twinney Lane Upchurch ME9 7FS
Proposal: Change of use of land to residential garden, erection of garage/tractor shed including alterations to gated entrance.
Councillors considered the application and had no objections to the proposal.
ii. Ref: 21/500853/FULL Address: 27 Homefield Drive Upchurch Gillingham ME8 8RS
Proposal: Demolition of conservatory and erection of single storey rear extension.
Councillors considered the application and had no objections to the proposal but the views of neighbours must be given due weight.
iii. Ref: 21/500990/FULL Address: 75 Forge Lane Upchurch Sittingbourne ME9 7AD
Proposal: Erection of single storey rear extension.
Councillors considered the application and had no objections to the proposal in principle but were concerned that the flat roof was not in keeping with the area, consideration should be given to a pitched roof. The views of neighbours must be given due weight.
iv. Ref: 21/500778/FULL Address: 10 Hartlip Hill Hartlip Sittingbourne ME9 7PA
Proposal: Erection of a single storey rear extension and detached garage to the rear (part retrospective revised scheme to 20/500039/FULL).
Councillors thanked the Planning Officer for consulting on this application but felt it inappropriate to comment as the proposal is not in the parish.
v. Ref: 21/501136/PNEXT Address: 9 Woolbrook Close Upchurch Gillingham ME8 8ST
Prior notification for aproposed single storey rear extension which: A) Extends by 4.92 metres beyond the rear wall of the original dwelling. B) Has a maximum height of 2.80 metres from the natural ground level. C) Has a height of 2.40 metres at the eaves from natural ground level.
Councillors considered the application and agreed that this was a technical matter for the Planning Officer.
vi. Ref: 21/501145/FULL Address: Bell Grove Stud Farm Halstow Lane Upchurch ME9 7AB
Proposal: Removal of a mobile home and erection of 1 No. detached dwellinghouse.
Councillors considered the application and noted that work had already started and that there had never been permission for a mobile home. There needs to be a view from an agricultural consultant and there needs to be evidence of a need for the proposal. The proposal would cause a coalescence between the settlements of Upchurch and Lower Halstow; it would cause further urbanising of Halstow Lane; it would change the character of the landscape; there was no business case to justify the proposal Councillors agreed unanimously to object to the proposal.
Environment
The barrier baskets at the Recreation Ground will be replanted and the cascade planter in the centre of the village will return.
Burial Ground
The area of the Burial Ground behind the village hall will be planted with wildflowers.
Co-op
The Co-op is currently receiving two deliveries a day and to ensure these arrive, cones are placed outside the store. If you are unsure whether you can park in these spaces please speak to the staff in store who will be happy to help.
This is a precis of Council business; full minutes of all meetings can be found on the website when ratified.
Date of next meetings:
Annual Parish Meeting, Annual Parish Council Meeting and Monthly Meeting - Thursday 6th May
This will be held remotely, please contact the Clerk, clerkupc@outlook.com to obtain login details for the meeting.
All residents are welcome to view the meetings and there is a time for members of the public to comment, raise concerns or ask questions.
Full Council Meeting - Thursday 24th June
Meetings will return to the Village Hall.
Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council
Tel: 01622 739324
Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Spade Lane, Hartlip from Monday 10th May 2021 for up to 3 days between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00.
The road will be closed between the junctions with Meresborough Lane and A2 London Road, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Meresborough Lane, South Bush Lane, London Road and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while pole replacement works are undertaken by BT Openreach.
For information regarding the closure please contact BT Openreach on: 0800 800150, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
For details of roadworks see: https://one.network
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Lower Hartlip Road, Hartlip from Tuesday 11th May 2021 for up to 1 day between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00.
The road will be closed from Old Farm House to outside Paradise Farm Barn, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route for any through traffic is via Lower Hartlip Road, Munns Lane, The Street, Hollow Lane and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while equipment transfer works are undertaken by BT Openreach.
For information regarding the closure please contact BT Openreach on: 0800 800150, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.
KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group needs your views about end of life care services that support those who are in the last months or years of their life.
We want to hear your experiences to make sure we focus the services on what matters most.
Please complete our survey where you can also let us know if you are interested in attending a future workshop to share your views on what works well with these services and what we can improve.
Responses to this survey, along with people’s views shared at our planned workshop, will be used to inform and develop a new End of Life Care Strategy to improve end of life care.
Please note that this survey will close on Friday 7th May.
Thank you very much for your time.
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
Modern Slavery Helpline: 0800 121 700www.modernslaveryhelpline.org
Kent Police
Until Sunday 9th May, Upchurch's Co-op is currently receiving 2 main lorry deliveries per day.
To ensure Co-op lorries have space to park safely and are not turned away, colleagues have been running a trial, placing traffic cones in the road outside the store before they arrive. Once deliveries are in store, they move the cones back onto the pavement.
In preparation for morning deliveries, colleagues place the cones in the road again as late as possible each evening or when they gauge it to be quiet.
your store
your say
Please tell us how well our “Traffic Cone Trial” is working and about your experience at Upchurch's Co-op, using store number 7889 at: www.coop.co.uk/yoursay
You could win £250 of Co-op vouchers - 10 prizes to be won per month.
Thank you
Nik - Upchurch’s Co-op
Upchurch Parish Council has installed a new litter & dog waste bin in Oak Lane opposite the junction with Chaffes Lane.
It's hoped more owners will now clean up after their dog and dispose of their bagged waste responsibly instead of allowing their pet to foul the grass verge used as a footpath between Chaffes and Canterbury Lane.
You can dispose of bagged dog waste in any public litter bin or take it home to your green wheelie bin.
It is an offence to allow a dog under your control to foul a public place, and Swale Borough Council has the power to fine owners who do not clean up after their dog.
You can report dog fouling to Swale Borough Council at: https://bit.ly/2VA0csW
Allowing your dog to mess in a public place and not clean it up is antisocial and unacceptable to all residents.
Please leave our village spaces clean and tidy for others.
Thank you
Upchurch Matters
Covid-19 vaccines update
Vaccinations begin for 45-49 year olds
This week the Government announced that the next phase of the vaccination programme is beginning, with people aged 45-49 now eligible for the vaccine. GP services are starting to invite people and appointments at large vaccination centres and pharmacies have seen a surge in bookings.
Second doses ramping up
We are now more than four months into the Covid-19 vaccination programme and the number of people getting the extra protection of a second dose is increasing significantly. Over 213,000 people have now had two doses, including 64% of frontline health staff.
Booking service reopens for health staff
From 19th April the national booking service will reopen for frontline health and social care staff to book appointments. You will be able to tick a box to confirm you are eligible and will then need to bring ID to your appointment. Full details will be on the national booking service from next week.
You can read more about these stories in our weekly vaccines update
New maternal mental health service trial
‘Thrive - Psychological Support for Birth Trauma and Loss’ is running throughout 2021 in east Kent, as a partnership between the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.
Thrive has been built and shaped with input from women who have lived through birth trauma and birth loss themselves. One of them is Charlotte, who suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after the birth of her first child in 2018.
You can find out more about her experience, and how the Thrive service is already helping local women like her on our website
Online mental health and wellbeing support
Kooth, an online mental health and wellbeing service for young people, is now available to all 10 to 25-year-olds across Kent and Medway.
Anyone aged 10 to 25 (up to 26th birthday) can log on to www.kooth.com and begin accessing free counselling, advice and wellbeing support.
Kooth provides a safe, secure means of accessing help via the internet including:
• Out-of-hours availability with counsellors available from 12 noon to 10:00pm on weekdays and 6:00pm to 10:00pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop-in basis
• Online counselling from a professional team of qualified counsellors
• Discussion boards, which are all pre-moderated, allowing young people to access peer-to-peer support
• An online magazine full of moderated articles
No referral is required. Young people can register at www.kooth.com Transforming acute adult mental health services
Across Kent and Medway commissioners and providers are working together to transform acute mental health services for adults, so that the right support is available for those who need it.
If you, a carer or family member or loved one has needed to seek support, or help for a severe acute mental health problem, we would really like to hear about your/their experience, and what you would like from future mental health services in Kent and Medway.
We’d be grateful if you would complete this complete this survey to let us know your thoughts. Please complete it by 7th May 2021.
If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact kmpt.engagement@nhs.net
You can find out more about our current engagement activities on our website
Help develop NHS Talking Therapies
Engaging Kent CIC in partnership with NHS Kent and Medway CCG is holding two engagement events to hear people's views about the development of IAPT (NHS Talking Therapies) for Kent and Medway from 2022.
The two events will be held on Zoom on Thursday 29th April 2021 starting at 10:00am and 1:00pm. Both events will have the same content and last for one hour and forty-five minutes.
You can register your interest by completing a Google form https://forms.gle/79Q64gqEea1fsrLp7
Registration will close at midnight Monday 26th April 2021.
Meeting details will be sent on Tuesday 27th April 2021.
If you have any questions about the events or are unable to use this form, please email the Kent and Medway CCG Adult Mental Health Team using KMCCG.mentalhealth@nhs.net
Read the full bulletin at >> https://bit.ly/3mVXx9X
NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group
Our Local Community Fund for support between November 2021 - November 2022 opens for applications on 4th May 2021 and any community group, club or charity can apply. This year with your application you are required to be registered on our Co-operate platform which can be found by visiting co-operate.coop.co.uk
Co-operate, as you may already be aware is a great way to share events, activities, fundraisers and even community work that requires volunteers. This resource is being used more and more by the local community so please do join and upload any events and activities you have going on.
If you are not currently a cause supported through the Local Community Fund, we also have a Community Donations Scheme that is run by each of our stores and you can apply for up to £250 to support your organisation. I can support applications made through the Community Donation Scheme.
For anyone who was unable to join our first meeting, we may look to hold a second one soon, please do keep a lookout for any updates on this.
If you haven't joined already, you can find a group on Facebook called Swale Co-op Community Updates. You can request to join and again post any updates, events and activities that you wish to share.
Thank you
Jamie Rhodes
Member Pioneer
The Co-operative Group
Mobile: 07929 830988
