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 10th of April, between 2:00pm and 4:30pm.

As usual, we will be offering delicious cakes and savouries.

We will have our fantastic kid's snack deal - 5 items and a drink for £1. Where else would you get such wonderful value?

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

This all helps us support 4 children in Uganda to go to school and supply breakfast for a group of Ugandan children at their Saturday Club. How special is that?

Come and join us.

Gill Gay and the Rainbow Café Team

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Swale Foodbank Easter Collection - April

Swale Foodbank Easter Collection

Thank you to everyone who donated food and other needed items in March.

I will be collecting your foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday, the 2nd of April, between 10:30am and 11:30am.

🥚 🌼 🐇 With Easter approaching, it would be lovely to deliver some children's Easter

                  goodies to the foodbank too.

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

April 2025 Edition of The Gabriel - Upchurch Village Magazine

The Gabriel team has gained access to their printing and collating machines and are cautiously optimistic that normal production and door-to-door deliveries can resume with effect from the May issue.

Editor Dave Candy would like this month's parish magazine to reach the residents, and we are pleased to help by making it available to read online.

Could you volunteer to help produce The Gabriel?

Please read the April edition online to find out how you can help the team.

Visit the link to read the magazine in PDF format: www.upchurchmatters.co.uk/Gabriel-April-2025.pdf

Email: upchurchgabriel@gmail.com

Upchurch Matters

Window Smashed - Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/48888/25

On Saturday, the 22nd of March, around 14:55, somebody smashed the window of a residential property in Oak 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

Wilf Busbridge 1938 - 2025

Wilf Busbridge

Wilf sadly passed away on Monday the 10th of March, aged 86. He will be sadly missed by his loving wife Marian, son Simon, daughter Kerry, and all his family and friends.

Born in Lower Halstow in 1938, Wilf moved to Drakes Close in Upchurch as a young child, where his sister still lives today.

Wilf's funeral will take place at 1:00pm on Wednesday the 23rd of April, at Garden of England Crematorium, Sheppey Way, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8GZ.

Please visit Wilf's obituary: www.funeralguide.co.uk/obituaries/132429

Thank you

Kerry Geer

Vehicle Stolen - Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/48173/25

Between 8:00pm on Sunday the 16th of March and 7:52am on Monday the 17th of March, somebody stole a black Vauxhall Insignia, YO17***, from a driveway in Halstow 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

Upchurch Choral Society - Come and Sing Day

For more information, please contact Upchurch Choral Society Secretary Liz Walters.

Email: kbl.walters@talk21.com

Telephone: 01634 361897

Upchurch Parish Council - Schedule of Meetings in 2025

This is to inform you of the schedule of meetings for Upchurch Parish Council in 2025.

The next Full Council Meeting is Thursday, 3rd April 2025, at 19:30 at Upchurch Village Hall.

The Annual Parish Meeting - a public meeting that provides a platform for local groups and residents to come together to discuss community matters is Thursday, 10th April 2025, at 19:30 at Upchurch Village Hall. 

The May Full Council meeting, the Annual Meeting of the Council, is on Thursday, 1st May 2025, at 19:30. Due to the local elections taking place on this day at Upchurch Village Hall, this meeting will take place at Holywell Primary School, Forge Lane, Upchurch.

The schedule of meetings from June onwards will be agreed at the Annual Meeting in May.

Upchurch Parish Council meets on the first Thursday of each month at Upchurch Village Hall at 19:30.

Thank you

Nina Henley

Clerk and Proper Officer to Upchurch Parish Council

Tel: 07798 600696

Email: clerk@upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Website: www.upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Upchurch Annual Parish Meeting

This year's Annual Parish meeting is on Thursday, the 10th of April 2025, at 7:30pm in Upchurch Village Hall.

The meeting is an opportunity for residents to learn about local groups and activities in the Village.

If you would like to speak or read out a report, please contact the Clerk.

If you are unable to attend but would like a report read out on your behalf, please send it to the Clerk no later than the 8th of April 2025.

The parish council will once again present a community award to a resident or group that has made a significant contribution to our village community over a period of years.

We hope you can all attend and look forward to seeing you.

Nina Henley

Clerk and Proper Officer to Upchurch Parish Council

Tel: 07798 600696

Email: clerk@upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Website: www.upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk

Upchurch WI - Quiz Night

Wendy Pitts - Upchurch Women's Institute

Tel: 07751 013298

Email: marwen.pitts@btinternet.com

Urgent Road Closure - Oak Lane, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close Oak Lane, Upchurch from Monday 17th March 2025, for up to 3 days.

The road will be closed between the junctions of A2 London Road and the Golf Course.

The alternative route is via Oak Lane, The Street, Forge Lane, Halstow Lane, The Street, Breach Lane, A2 Hartlip Hill, A2 London Road and vice versa.

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

The KCC Highways Helpline number is: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

St Mary's Church Fundraising Sale

Saturday 8th March 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

Thank You, Marian Richardson from Everyone at Upchurch Surgery

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

Email: raykemsley@btinternet.com

Kent Police - Register Your CCTV and Doorbell Camera

Do you have a security or doorbell camera?

Sign up to our CCTV Registry and help keep your community safe.

It’s free, secure, and quick to register.

Your camera footage could be used to support investigations, bringing criminals to justice and making your area a safer place to live.

Please note:

• We do not have access to your cameras.
• We can only view the location of registered cameras.
• We always contact the camera owner to request footage.

To register or learn more, go to: www.cctvregistrykentandessex.co.uk

Kent Police

Poolside Bar & Courtyard Music Night with P’ZAZ at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Email: bar@rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

URGENT - Can You Help Us to Save The Gabriel?

Dave Candy - Editor

Email: upchurchgabriel@gmail.com

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 13th of March, between 2:00pm and 4:30pm.

As usual, we will be offering delicious cakes and savouries.

We will have our fantastic kid's snack deal - 5 items and a drink for £1. Where else would you get such wonderful value?

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

This all helps us support 4 children in Uganda to go to school and supply breakfast for a group of Ugandan children at their Saturday Club. How special is that?

Come and join us.

Gill Gay and the Rainbow Café Team

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Swale Foodbank Collection - March

Swale Foodbank Collection

Thank you to everyone who donated food and other needed items in February.

Upchurch, your hearts are full of godly kindness. Here is a picture of the three trolleys you filled with love.

I will be collecting your foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday the 5th of March, 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