Mobile Phone Stolen - Horsham Lane, Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/200080/24

Between 11:30am and 12:00pm on Sunday the 24th of November, somebody stole a mobile phone in St Mary's Church, Horsham Lane, Upchurch.

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

Carol Singing in Upchurch - Raising funds for Swale Foodbank and The Salvation Army Christmas Appeal

Gill Gay

December 2024/January 2025 Edition of The Gabriel - Upchurch Village Magazine

Due to illness within the team, door-to-door deliveries of The Gabriel remain suspended by necessity.

Editor Dave Candy would still like this festive edition of the parish magazine to reach the residents, and we are pleased to help by making it available to read online.

Please visit the link to read the magazine in PDF format:

www.upchurchmatters.co.uk/Gabriel-December-2024-January-2025.pdf

Our thoughts and best wishes for the future to everyone in The Gabriel team.

Upchurch Matters

Email: upchurchgabriel@gmail.com

Christmas Services at Upchurch

Come and celebrate with us

Sunday 1st December 4:00pm ~ St Mary’s Church

Uplift Christingle Service

On behalf of the Children’s Society

Sunday 15th December 4:00pm ~ Village Hall

Uplift Christmas Service

Crafts, Christmas songs/carols, Nativity, Festive Goodies

Tuesday 24th December 4:00pm ~ St Mary’s Church

Crib Service

Tuesday 24th December 7:00pm ~ St Mary’s Church

Nine Lessons & Carols

Wednesday 25th December 10:00am ~ St Mary’s Church

Christmas Day Communion

All are welcome

www.thesix.org.uk

Gill Gay

Village Hall Picks Up £1000’s at the Co-op Community Celebration 2024 | Choose a New Local Cause to Support

Co-op Community Celebration 2024

Co-op colleague Sally Butcher presented Village Hall Treasurer Sandy Tutt with £3,108.04 of funding from the last round of the Co-op Local Community Fund at yesterday's Community Celebration 2024.

Congratulations 😃

Upchurch Village Hall was Upchurch's Co-op local cause for the last 12 months.

Since 2020, Co-op members have helped to raise over £58 million for 20,500 Local Community causes across the UK.

As a Co-op member and owner, you can choose a cause close to your heart, and they will receive a share of the Local Community Fund.

Members can choose a cause at any time until October. After that, the Co-op shares the funds between all their local causes.

The total amount each cause receives depends on how many members have chosen them.

Co-op members can choose to support the Upchurch store's latest local cause, 1st Upchurch Guides at: https://membership.coop.co.uk

Upchurch's Co-op is paired for funding with their Parkwood Green, Rainham store.

Upchurch Matters

Remembrance Sunday 2024 - Upchurch

The Remembrance Sunday service was led by Archdeacon the Venerable Andrew Sewell and took place in the Church of St Mary the Virgin on November 10th.

The Upchurch uniformed youth organisations paraded from Drakes Hut and formed a guard of honour along the entrance to the south door of the church.

At the service, a very full church remembered all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWI and subsequent conflicts for this Nation.

Many of those present wore their service medals or the service medals of their parents or grandparents. Eight wreaths were laid in turn in the Lady Chapel. The wreaths were on behalf of the church, the Mayor of Swale, The Royal Navy Clearance Divers Association, Ferques (our twin village in France*), Upchurch Parish Council, Upchurch Scouts, Upchurch Guides and the Upchurch Brownies.

The names of all those on the Upchurch memorial tablets in the Lady Chapel who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWI and WWII were then read out in the order recorded. At 11:00 hours, the bugler played the Last Post, and the two minutes silence was observed, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. 

At the end of the service, the choir led the congregation to the middle burial ground. Wooden Remembrance crosses were laid at each of the five War Grave Commission graves by present or past members of the Armed or Civilian services.

Once the crosses were laid, all those present stood in silent Remembrance on what was a dull morning only brightened by the autumnal foliage. The Archdeacon concluded with prayers.  

During Remberancetide it was pleasing to see the village showing poppies on lamp posts, knitted poppies on the church railings and elsewhere. In the cemetery, two tall crosses had been placed, guarded by two silhouettes of “Tommys”.

My Royal British Legion thanks to those responsible for these displays. 

*Upchurch Parish Council sends a wreath to Ferques for laying on Armistice Day when the French remember their war dead. 

“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”

Hon. Alderman Gerry Lewin

Email: lewing135@btinternet.com

Parents & Friends of Holywell School - Christmas Fair & Market

Join us for a day of merriment at our Christmas Fair and Market.

Experience the joy of the season with a delightful array of games, treats, and entertainment for the whole family.

Sunday 1st December from 11:00am - 3:00pm

At Holywell Primary School, Forge Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AE

Hot Festive Food - Bar - Games - Rides - Tombola - Raffle - Stalls

Email: thowell@holywell.kent.sch.uk

Upchurch Matters

Parents & Friends of Holywell School - Quiz Night

PFHS Quiz Night

Tom Ball Quiz Master

Prizes to be won!

Friday, November 22nd

7:00pm at Holywell School Hall

Prize donations would be welcome - vouchers, bottles, chocolate, etc

Tables of no more than 8

£5 per person, paid in cash on the night

You are welcome to bring along your own alcoholic drinks and snacks

To book, please call the School Office: 01634 388416

Upchurch Matters

Upchurch Bingo Group

Our bingo sessions are held in the back room of The Crown, Upchurch.

The next session is on Tuesday the 19th of November.

We open at 7:30pm with eyes down at 8:00pm.

Entry is £1.

To play costs £3 to £6 per set of books, for 12 games.

We are a non-profit group and all book sales are distributed as prizes.

There is also a small raffle. 

Why not join us for an evening of fun?

Sylvia Roberts

Changes to Upchurch Parish Council Monthly Meeting Dates in December 2024 and January 2025

Because of the Christmas and New Year festivities, Upchurch Parish Council has amended their full council meeting dates for the next two months.

The December 2024 monthly meeting will be held on Thursday 12th December.

The January 2025 monthly meeting will be held on Thursday 9th January.

As usual, both meetings will be held at Upchurch Village Hall.

For further information, Email: clerk@upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Upchurch Matters

Poolside Bar Christmas Eve Music with Mike ‘Smooth’ Harris at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Email: bar@rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Temporary Road Closure - Poot Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close part of Poot Lane, Upchurch from Wednesday 15th January 2025, for up to one day between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30.

The road will be closed from the junction with Wetham Green, 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.

Pedestrian access will be maintained during the works.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while pole testing and tree cutting works are undertaken by Openreach.

For information regarding this closure, please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.

The Kent County Council Highways Helpline number is: 03000 418181

For details of roadworks, see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Remembrance Sunday Service at St Mary the Virgin, Upchurch

The annual Service of Remembrance begins at 10:15am on Sunday the 10th of November, in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Upchurch.

The young people of the uniformed sections and their leaders will make their parade from the Scout HQ on the Recreation Ground in Oak Lane to the church.

Leaving around 9:45am, they will march (accompanied by marshals) along Oak Lane and return after the service. Please be patient during this time.

If you need to drive through the village centre during their parades, please use Church Farm Road and Chaffes Lane instead. Thank you.

Wreaths will be laid at the internal war memorial in the Lady Chapel, and after the service, crosses will be laid at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves in the churchyard.

Upchurch Parish Council will send a wreath on behalf of all Upchurch residents to our twinned village of Ferques in France for laying at their service.

All are welcome to come and join us as we remember those from our village who died during times of war.

LEST WE FORGET

Sue Rossiter and Upchurch Matters

St Mary's Church Fundraising Sale

Saturday 9th November between 10:00am - 11:30am

Homemade Cakes, Jams, Pickles, Scones and Savouries

Also Puzzles, Books, Bric-à-brac and sometimes Plants

Something for everyone!

Refreshments

Please help support this ancient building - Thank you

🍰 🍓 🧩 📚 🎨 🪴 ☕️ ➕

Upchurch Matters

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church

On the 2nd Thursday of each month.

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church opens its doors again on Thursday the 14th of November, between 2:00pm and 4:30pm.

There will be crafts, a story for the children and a warm welcome for everyone.

We need help to cover the costs of the school fees for our 4 Ugandan children and the drinks and snacks we supply for the Ugandan Saturday Club.

We used to get people coming to buy our hot drinks and cakes, as well as the children coming for our snack deal. We subsidise the snack deal - Children get 5 items and a drink for only £1.

The money we need comes in through our hot drinks and homemade cakes and savouries. We only charge £1 for hot drinks and £1 for a slice of delicious cake - Please support us.

Arrange to meet your friends for coffee and cake.

Or come along before you pick the children up from school.

The Café is quiet before the children arrive. We will be ready to serve you from 2:00pm.

Please tell your friends and neighbours - thank you.

Come and join us.

Gill Gay and the Rainbow Café Team

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Poolside Bar - Christmas Menu at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Swale Foodbank Collection - November

Swale Foodbank Collection

Thank you, Upchurch, for your wonderful generosity in October.

This month, we are starting to prepare hampers to give struggling families a little bit of Christmas joy.

If you could stretch to give a bit of Christmas this month, that would be wonderful. Any Christmas food treats would be amazing - please check that the dates are past December.

If you could manage a small gift for a child or a teenager, that would be beyond generous. The Foodbank is working with the Salvation Army to try and ensure that children in struggling families don't miss out. 

As we share our blessings, we share God's love. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Christmas.

I will be collecting your foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday the 6th of November, between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Please bring your items in carrier bags.

We will then deliver them to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.

All donations are helpful, providing the food is long life and well within date.

Thank you

May God bless you ❤️

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Urgent Road Closure - Marstan Close, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close Marstan Close, Upchurch from Thursday 7th November 2024 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed between the junctions of Chaffes Lane and outside number 12.

There is no alternative route. Every effort will be made to maintain access for residents whenever it is safe to do so.

It is planned that the road will be closed between 07:00 hrs and 17:00 hrs.

This is to enable carriageway repairs to be carried out by Kent County Council.

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

For details of roadworks, see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste