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The Pensioner Just Missing Out scheme supports Kent pensioners in need of help with significantly rising living costs.
The scheme is available for pension-aged residents on lower incomes who are not eligible for Pension Credit or the government’s Winter Fuel Payment.
The scheme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of the UK government.
Please Note: You will need to provide an Email address and have online access for energy support activation. Food vouchers will not require online activation and can be issued by Email or post.
The scheme provides eligible residents with £200 towards energy, food, or both.
The scheme will close on Friday 28th February 2025, or when all funds are spent.
Kent County Council
Join the SBC ladies for their first ever Women's Conference Edition 25 from 9:30am until 3:30pm on Saturday the 15th of March, at Sittingbourne Baptist Church.
A time of worship, prayer and the word from honorary guest Elaine Simpson.
All women are welcome!
For FREE tickets, contact:
Telephone: 01795 420990
Sittingbourne Baptist Church
The High Street
Sittingbourne
ME10 4AQ
Julie Stride
Calling all Upchurch Parish Residents
Upchurch Parish Council will once again present an award to a resident or group that has made a significant contribution to our village community over a period of years.
If you know someone who has given this kind of service and merits an award, please nominate them.
The person must live or work within the Upchurch Parish Council boundary. Parish residents can make just 1 nomination, but all adult family members may submit a nomination form.
The nomination form below can be downloaded and printed or requested from the Clerk Nina Henley at: clerk@upchurchparishcouncil.gov.uk
Please send your completed nomination form in a sealed envelope to:
Nina Henley
Clerk and Proper Officer
2 Alfriston Grove
Kings Hill
West Malling
ME19 4SR
Tap and hold or right-click on the nomination form above to download and print it.
The winner will receive a certificate signed by Upchurch Parish Council Chairman Cllr Tyrone Ripley and Swale Hon. Alderman Cllr Gerry Lewin at the Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday the 10th of April 2025.
The closing date for receiving nomination forms is Tuesday the 28th of February 2025.
The previous winners of the (KALC) Community Award in Upchurch are:
Pat New - 2017
Tracey Snellings - 2018
Ray Kemsley - 2019
No award given - 2020
Cia Merrall - 2021
John Arnold - 2022
Gerry Lewin - 2023
Terry Lewis (posthumous) 2024
Upchurch Matters
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Upchurch Matters.
We're always grateful for the support you give the website throughout the year 🙏🏼
This year's lovely village Christmas tree and lit decorations are courtesy of Upchurch Parish Council.
The knitting group has decorated the centre of the village with skillfully knitted Christmas characters again. The added colour they bring really brightens up our winter days.
A lit Nativity Scene, beautifully built by the late Frank Osborne, has also returned to the Churchyard.
Thank you to everyone for all their hard work and generosity.
To a healthy, happy and peaceful 2025 🥂
Upchurch Matters
Join Nursery Days for an afternoon of festive fun with traditional games, crafts and some very special guests on Sunday the 22nd of December, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm.
Everyone is welcome.
Address: Nursery Days, The Old School, The Street, Upchurch, ME9 7AJ
Telephone: 01634 376924
Upchurch Matters
Upchurch’s Co-op is fundraising for their chosen charity partner, Barnardo's.
Win a Christmas Hamper* 🧺 🎅🏼 🎄
Enter in-store for £1 per ticket - Please ask a colleague at the till.
The winner will be picked before Christmas.
*To be collected upon winning.
Good luck 🤞🏼
Upchurch Matters
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.
Upchurch's Co-op is paired for funding with their Parkwood Green, Rainham store.
Upchurch Matters
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
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.
Sue Rossiter and Upchurch Matters
PC Jez Chittim.
Swale Neighbourhood Officer PC Jez Chittim is holding a police surgery at Holywell School, Forge Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AE so residents can raise concerns about local policing issues they may have.
PC Chittim will be in the school reception on Saturday the 19th of October between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.
The surgery is for Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch residents, and it is an opportunity to find out what is being done to tackle the issues that matter to you.
If you are travelling by car, please park in the staff car park at the front of the school, and PC Chittim will let you in the gate.
Is it an emergency? If so, please call: 999 now
Upchurch Matters
Upchurch Parish Council is thrilled to announce that it has secured grants from The National Lottery Community Fund and Swale Borough Council Prosperity Fund to install an exciting new piece of play equipment at The Paddock, designed specifically for children aged 5-12 years old (Key Stage 2).
The grants, which marks significant investment in the local community, will enable the council to expand The Paddock's play area with an engaging and adventurous play structure tailored to the needs of slightly older children. This new equipment aims to offer a fun, active, and inclusive space for children to play, explore, and develop essential physical and social skills.
Vice Chair of Upchurch Parish Council, Pam Denny, expressed their gratitude for the funding, saying:
"We are incredibly grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund and Swale Borough Council for their generous support. The addition of this new equipment will provide a much-needed resource for older children in our community, offering them a place to challenge themselves, stay active, and enjoy the outdoors."
The Paddock, already a popular destination for families, is set to become even more inclusive with the new addition, offering something for all age groups in the village. The design for the new equipment will be discussed at the next meeting of Upchurch Parish Council on Thursday 3rd October at 19:30 at Upchurch Village Hall, all members of the public are welcome. We hope to have the new equipment installed late 2024 / early 2025.
Nina Henley
Clerk and Proper Officer to Upchurch Parish Council
Tel: 07798 600696
Upchurch Parish Council would like to remind all residents that the public waste bins placed throughout the village are intended for general public use and not for the disposal of household rubbish.
We have noticed an increase in household waste being placed in these bins, leading to overflowing containers and unnecessary strain on the waste management services.
These bins are provided to help keep public spaces clean and tidy, ensuring that litter from passers-by and small waste items are disposed of properly. However, they are not designed to accommodate large quantities of household rubbish.
Overuse and Overflowing Bins
When household waste is disposed of in public bins, it fills them up quickly, leaving no space for general litter. This leads to overflowing bins and litter scattered around the village, which not only looks unsightly but also poses health and environmental risks.
Collection and Capacity Issues
Public bins are collected on a regular schedule, and when they are filled with excessive rubbish, it can cause delays or require additional resources to manage the overflow.
Proper Disposal of Household Waste
All residents have their own designated household waste collection services, including bins for general waste, recycling, and other disposal needs. These are the appropriate facilities for household rubbish.
We kindly ask all residents to be mindful of the purpose of the public waste bins and to use them responsibly. Please refrain from disposing of household waste in these bins and ensure that all rubbish is placed in your own household waste containers for collection.
Upchurch Parish Council is committed to maintaining a clean, pleasant environment for all who live in and visit our village.
Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated, and together, we can ensure that our public spaces remain clean and welcoming.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Nina Henley
Clerk and Proper Officer to Upchurch Parish Council
Tel: 07798 600696
PC Jez Chittim.
Swale Neighbourhood Officer PC Jez Chittim is holding a police surgery at Holywell School, Forge Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AE so residents can raise concerns about local policing issues they may have.
PC Chittim will be in the school reception on Saturday the 21st of September between 4:00pm and 8:00pm.
The surgery is for Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch residents, and it is an opportunity to find out what is being done to tackle the issues that matter to you.
If you are travelling by car, please park in the staff car park at the front of the school, and PC Chittim will let you in the gate.
Is it an emergency? If so, please call: 999 now
Upchurch Matters
Projects in Swale can receive funding from their local councillor to help them make a difference in their community.
Swale Borough Council has reopened the member grant scheme with £47,000 being available to support small-scale, local community projects.
Swale’s 47 councillors have £1,000 each available to fund projects that provide benefits in areas such as culture, sport, recreation, health, environment, community safety, crime reduction and education.
Cllr Richard Palmer, chair of the community committee at the council, said:
“The people who really understand what their area needs are those who live there, and member grants enable us to help these local people’s work to improve their community.
“We put aside this money every year so we can support as many important local community projects that we can.
“A small amount of money can make a huge difference for community groups and projects, so we want to make sure we’re doing what we can to support them.”
Cllr Elliott Jayes, vice chair of the community committee, said:
“You can apply for anything that will provide benefit to your community in areas such as culture, sport, recreation, health, environment and community safety, no matter how small it may seem.
“We as councillors are looking forward to hearing from, and offering support to, the people and organisations who are working incredibly hard to make Swale a better place.”
Last year over 200 grants were made to local groups to support projects, including:
• Iwade Parish Council receiving £1,100 to purchase a defibrillator for the village.
• Child’s Vision Charity receiving £150 to purchase storage boxes for their clothes bank.
• Children and Families charity receiving £2,250 to support their food bank and to run slow cooker cooking courses.
The application process simply needs the person or group to discuss the project with their local councillor to get their support.
They will then complete the relevant form and submit the application for approval to the council.
Interested parties can apply to one or more councillors for funding and could have all, or part, of their project funded.
Swale Borough Council
Our bingo sessions are held in the back room of The Crown, Upchurch.
The next session is on Tuesday the 16th of July.
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.
Why not join us for an evening of fun?
Sylvia Roberts
PC Jez Chittim.
Swale Neighbourhood Officer PC Jez Chittim is holding a police surgery at Holywell School, Forge Lane, Upchurch, ME9 7AE so residents can raise concerns about local policing issues they may have.
PC Chittim will be in the school reception on Sunday the 14th of July between 10:00am and 2:00pm.
The surgery is for Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch residents, and it is an opportunity to find out what is being done to tackle the issues that matter to you.
If you are travelling by car, please park in the staff car park at the front of the school, and PC Chittim will let you in the gate.
Is it an emergency? If so, please call: 999 now
Upchurch Matters
The UK and France will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings on the 6th of June 1944, with a series of major commemorations and events taking place on the 5th and 6th of June 2024 to honour the brave personnel who risked their lives for freedom and peace.
Also known as D-Day, the historic operation saw the Allied Forces mount a large-scale invasion of Nazi-occupied France that ultimately tipped the course of the Second World War in the Allies’ favour.
Please come and join Upchurch Village to commemorate D-Day 80 at an event organised by Upchurch Parish Council at the Recreation Ground, Oak Lane, on Thursday the 6th of June.
A reading of the proclamation will take place at 8:00am, and the beacon will be lit at 9:15pm, in line with the national commemorations.
There will be a food vendor, a licenced bar, an ice cream van and light refreshments in the Scout Hut provided by the Scouts. All are available from 7:30pm.
Please bring your own seating and blankets.
And visit:
