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I have received several reports from residents living in the Poot Lane area of vehicles speeding and racing around the lanes. The speeding is continuing into the 30mph zone on The Street and in the other direction, whereby people are travelling over 30mph prior to the national speed limit sign.
I would like to remind people that the speed limit is there for a reason.
There are numerous potential hazards in and around Poot Lane - horses, tractors, wildlife and pedestrians, including the local nursery school children who walk down the lane to one of the orchards.
The speed limit is a limit, not a target.
The reports I have received indicate that many of the offending vehicles belong to local people who should be more aware of the potential hazards along the lane than anyone.
I will be conducting speed checks in the area to record offending vehicles. I am also looking into other measures that could be implemented in conjunction with other partner agencies, such as reducing the speed limit and other restrictions.
PCSO Lorraine Holmes
Tel: 07970 458645
Click photo to enlarge.
Thanks very much to Reverend Nathan Ward, Vicar at St Margaret's Church, Rainham, for sending us his photos of The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Beacons taken from the church tower on Thursday the 2nd of June 2022.
Nathan's three photos of the beacons visible at Riverside Country Park and Hoo show Upchurch burning the most brightly.
🔥 🔥 🔥
Upchurch Matters
After recent events and reading everyone's comments about the speed of drivers going through Upchurch, Debbie and I are going to start campaigning for a 20 mph speed limit throughout Upchurch.
We will be looking to attend the next Parish Council meeting on Thursday the 9th of June to raise our concerns. We have already contacted our local councillors, and they have been helpful in pointing us in the right direction to get things underway.
We will require as much support as possible to get this noticed, and we need all of us behind it.
This is following our third cat being knocked down on Friday the 27th of May by a car and almost killed. He is still with emergency vets now.
We know that many of you have had the same experience. We want to protect our children, older residents and our animals.
LET'S MAKE OUR VILLAGE SAFE
Jonathan Martin
Swale Borough Council has refused Gladman Developments Limited outline planning application: 21/501839/OUT for up to 74 dwellings at land off Otterham Quay Lane, Upchurch, with public open space, landscaping, sustainable drainage system and vehicular access point - all matters reserved except for means of access.
The Swale Borough Council planning decision notice, and Medway Council consultee comment, letters of objection along with associated documents can be viewed at >> https://bit.ly/3wJ9Ahx
Upchurch Matters' post regarding the original planning application can be viewed at >> https://bit.ly/32CKIrU and the developer's pre-application consultation at >> https://bit.ly/3v7X4oL
Rainham residents are invited to celebrate their town by submitting designs for a new town sign in this Platinum Jubilee year.
A new sign is due to be installed in the town centre to celebrate Rainham and give a strong first impression to visitors.
Residents are being encouraged to come up with their own artistic and colourful designs which reflect Rainham’s history and present day character. Designs could include local landmarks, people or Rainham’s agricultural and industrial history or sport.
The competition closes on Friday 27th May and a judging panel will decide on the winning entry or entries which will be converted into the final design by a professional artist. All the entries will go on display during the summer at Rainham Library and the winner or winners of the competition will be invited to the official unveiling.
Cllr Phil Filmer, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Frontline Services, said:
“We wanted to find a way to mark this most important year of the Platinum Jubilee in Rainham and provide a welcome to the town that will endure for years. It is a special way to mark the occasion. Over recent years the people of Medway have shown how creative they can be, so we want to celebrate the best of our local talent by inviting the sign to be designed by our local residents. We hope this will be of great interest locally and look forward to judging the best ones and getting the sign up in this Jubilee year.”
Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Education and Schools, and Child-Friendly Medway Champion, Cllr Martin Potter, said:
“This is a wonderful way to mark the Platinum Jubilee year and I would like to encourage local residents and particularly our children and younger residents to showcase their creativity with designs celebrating the town. Over recent years I have had the pleasure of seeing at first-hand just how creative Medway’s young people can be and I am looking forward to seeing the designs submitted.”
The competition closes at 5:00pm on Friday 27th May and designs may be submitted along with contact details, in hard copy by post to:
Computer generated images of what the new centre and pool area may look like.
Photos: SPACE & PLACE.
Designs for a state-of-the-art modern, family-friendly sports centre in Medway have been unveiled for the former Splashes site in Rainham.
The proposals include two swimming pools - a training pool for lane swimming and lessons, as well as a children’s fun pool with flume, wave ball pool and beach area. For those who prefer land-based activities, there will also be a fitness gym and room for exercise classes and children’s parties.
The exciting computer-generated images (CGIs), which can be found on Medway Council’s planning application for the new sports centre, demonstrates Medway’s commitment to putting children at the heart of everything it does. The new facility is proposed to have a modern look and feel, but will be family-friendly, including having family and accessible changing rooms. The plans for the new centre support Medway’s ambition to become a child-friendly city, providing further opportunities for the area’s young people.
The proposed new sports centre will provide a full experience for customers - visit the gym, join-in a class, take a dip in the pool and afterwards relax in the café which is planned to overlook the pool areas and surrounding park.
The designs also include electric charging parking spaces, as part of Medway’s Climate Change and carbon neutral aims and ambitions.
Residents have the opportunity to formally provide feedback on the plans through Medway Council’s planning application.
The designs will also be on display in May at two public exhibitions:
• Tuesday 10th, to Saturday, 14th May, at Rainham Library
• Tuesday, 17th to Saturday, 21st May, at Twydall Library
Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council's Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said:
“I am delighted to be revealing the plans for a new family-friendly sports centre in Medway. The proposed sports centre in Rainham will be a welcomed addition to Medway Council’s existing sports and leisure offer, including Medway Park in Gillingham - a centre of sporting excellence with an athletics track, Strood Sports Centre - a footballer’s dream with outdoor pitches and Hoo Sports Centre with its enjoyable exercise classes.
“Splashes was a much-loved facility by generations of families from across Medway and the plans for the proposed sports centre have children in mind, as well as facilities for adults to enjoy. I would encourage residents to make note of the public exhibitions in May so they can view the designs in person and give their feedback to help shape the plans to provide Medway’s families and residents with another popular facility on their doorstep.”
The former Splashes Sports Centre, in Bloors Lane, Rainham was demolished in February to make way for the new centre.
Medway Council
Click the montage to enlarge.
Top left: Stuart Betts with the repainted Upchurch Village Sign.
Top right: Photographing the repainted Upchurch Village Sign.
Bottom left: The new official photograph of the Upchurch Village Sign.
Copyright © 2022 Upchurch Parish Council. All rights reserved.
Photography and image editing on behalf of Upchurch Parish Council by Louis Newbery.
Bottom right: Mockup of how the repainted Upchurch Village Sign will look.
The Upchurch Village Sign
You will no doubt have noticed the iconic Upchurch Village Sign has been missing from the centre of the village for a while.
The sign was taken down earlier this year and repainted in March 2022 by traditional handwritten signwriter and artist Stuart Betts at his workshop in Gillingham using enamel paints. The last time the sign received a refresh was in January 2005.
The Parish Council previously commissioned Stuart to produce the eye catching shield which hangs from the Beacon of Light Brazier on the Recreation Ground in 2018. Stuart also refurbished the four church clock faces at St. Mary's.
Obtaining a copy of the new photograph
We are pleased to reveal the new official village sign photograph, commissioned by Upchurch Parish Council, ahead of the sign's reinstallation soon.
Upchurch Parish Council owns the copyright to this officially photographed image of the repainted Upchurch Village Sign on behalf of the residents of the parish.
The image is freely available to residents who wish to use it for the promotion of things associated with the parish, whether for private or commercial purposes.
We look forward to seeing our village sign back in its familiar place, on the corner for everyone to see!
Upchurch Matters
Supporting you to live well in Kent
KCC's new Kent Connect to Support website provides information and advice to help you stay independent and connect with your local community.
Unsure where to look or who to contact, visit the information finder tool for help.
The website helps you to look after yourself or a friend or relative and includes:
■ Information and advice
■ Community directory
■ Care directory
■ Applying or renewing a blue badge or bus pass
■ Report abuse or neglect
■ Advice on staying healthy
■ Request for care support services
■ Information about housing
■ Financial advice and support
■ Transport and accessible facilities
Upchurch Matters
Rubbish collected by the Cubs and year 5 & 6 pupils at Holywell School.
Guides made posters for their take action skills builder during the run-up to the litter pick.
One Bag
Big Difference
The young people of Upchurch have led the way again and cleaned up the village brilliantly for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee as part of this year's Great British Spring Clean.
Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides and pupils from Holywell School have all been out litter picking around the village, accompanied by their leaders and teachers. Children and staff from Nursery Days also pick up litter from around the village centre from time to time.
Their tremendous litter picking effort all week meant the few volunteers who came to The Recreation Ground Car Park on Saturday morning found there was little left to do.
Amazing!
Well done everyone.
The village looks lovely.
To find out more, visit >> www.keepbritaintidy.org
#GBSpringClean #BigBagChallenge
Upchurch Matters
People who have been approached by Swale Borough Council’s enforcement officers as part of their anti-idling campaign have done their bit to improve air quality.
Since the council introduced the anti-idling legislation and launched the education campaign late last year, officers have been visiting school hotspot locations across Swale where idling engines are at their highest.
The seven schools identified as hotspots where parents leave their engines running include:
• Fulston Manor school in Sittingbourne
• South Avenue Primary School in Sittingbourne
• Highsted Grammar school in Sittingbourne
• Ethelbert Road Infants School in Faversham
• Bysingwood Primary School in Faversham
• Davington School in Faversham
• Ospringe Primary School in Faversham
Research shows that an idling vehicle can emit up to 20 times more of some pollutants than one travelling at 32mph and these pollutants can cause asthma and be particularly damaging for children.
Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for the climate and ecological emergency at the council, said:
“Our enforcement officers have approached 16 drivers who had their engines idling while waiting to collect their children from school since the campaign begun and they’ve all been understanding and switched their engines off.
“Our officers can issue a £20 FPN to drivers who refuse to switch off their engines, but we don’t want to jump straight to a fine and think we’ll have better results by educating people to the increase in pollution an idling engine can have.
“Each car we approached was given a leaflet with idling advice and information on air pollution and the impacts on health.
“We put up 42 signs around the seven school hot spots and drivers seem to be happy to switch their engines off, especially around schools.
“By leaving your car idling it emits 20 times more pollution than one travelling at 30mph and what most people don’t realise is that if you leave your car engine running the pollution levels inside will be worse than outside.
“Idling for an hour can waste half a gallon of fuel or more so switching off your engine will save fuel and money.”
The next hotspots to be added to the anti-idling campaign include Fulston Manor school and Lansdowne school in Sittingbourne, Faversham train station, Bank Street in Faversham and Vincent Road in Sittingbourne.
People can report a hotspot for investigation by calling the council on: 01795 417850.
Swale Borough Council
One Bag
Big Difference
Upchurch Parish Council is asking village groups and residents to volunteer as litter pickers once again and help clean up our village for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, as part of this year's Great British Spring Clean.
Back for its seventh year, the Great British Spring Clean is the country’s largest 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 annual litter campaign organised by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy inspires 1,000’s of volunteers across the UK to get involved in their local Spring cleans.
The litter pick in Upchurch is always well supported, and the tremendous village effort each year results in around 70 sacks of litter being picked from our village spaces and the surrounding country lanes. The Parish Council hopes this will be the case again during this special Queen's Platinum Jubilee year.
To volunteer, please come along to The Recreation Ground Car Park in Oak Lane on Saturday the 2nd of April at 10:30am and help us all make a noticeable difference to our village together. The litter pick will follow the usual format lasting around 90 minutes.
The Parish Council has a limited amount of equipment, so please bring your Litter Pickers, Hoops, Gloves, Hi-Vis if you have them - thank you.
Thank you for your help and support.
Councillor Roger Truelove.
The Leader of Swale Council, Roger Truelove, has written to Highways England calling for urgent action to clear up the extensive litter along the A249 between Sittingbourne and Sheppey.
Drawing particular attention to the stretch between Grovehurst and Bobbing, Cllr Truelove points out that Highways England are responsible for this road and despite discussions and assurances, the situation remains unacceptable.
Cllr Roger Truelove, leader at the council, said:
“I know that litter is everywhere along the side of main roads, but the situation here is awful.
“We’re encouraging people to come to Swale, and especially to Sheppey in the summer, and this massive amount of litter impacts our prospects of doing that.
“We clear up litter and empty the litter bins in the lay-bys on the A249 on their behalf, but we don’t have the ability to clear away the excessive amount of rubbish and plastic carrier bags along the side of the road and in the adjoining trees.
“We hope this letter will prompt the litter to be cleared away and we’re looking forward to improvements in the near future.”
Swale Borough Council
People can now have their say on Swale Borough Council’s plans to regenerate Sittingbourne town centre.
The plans are outlined in a draft supplementary planning document that is now available for public consultation after it was approved by councillors in December.
Following consultation, the document will then become part of the current local plan and will shape how the council considers new development proposals, outlining what developers and landowners need to include in planning applications.
Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning at the council, said:
“These exciting new plans to revitalise Sittingbourne town centre will bring much needed life to the area and we want to know what local people think.
“We plan to develop a leisure quarter, a historic quarter and a community hub, but it’s important that we hear from local people. They know better than anyone what their community needs
“Once this draft supplementary planning document has gone through the consultation and approval process, it will sit alongside our current and future local plan.
“We have important heritage that will need to be considered when developing Sittingbourne town centre and it’s important that we preserve and promote what we have whilst incorporating these plans for the future.”
Cllr Monique Bonney, cabinet member for economy at the council, said:
“We have essential plans to revitalise Sittingbourne town centre, bringing much needed footfall to the high street and providing better links to surrounding areas.
“We’ve been committed to investing in our town centres and high streets and we want to hear from local people who really know what will benefit the area.
“We know we need not only leisure and businesses in our town centre but also a better healthcare provision that is easily accessible.
“We also need a range of housing in our town centre to meet the diverse needs of the population from young to old, including affordable homes.
“The consultation is now open and will run for six weeks, and I encourage people to take this opportunity to have their say on how we bring life and much need investment to Sittingbourne.”
The consultation is open from Monday, 7th February until Monday, 21st March at 5:00pm.
The Sittingbourne draft supplementary planning document can be viewed online at www.swale.gov.uk/sittingbourne-spd or in-person at The Forum, Swallows leisure centre and Sittingbourne library.
Comments can be made on the council website, by email to lpcomments@swale.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy Team, Swale Borough Council, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne ME10 3HT.
Swale Borough Council
While we look forward to the return of Upchurch's newly repainted and refurbished village sign, a reminder you can still read all about the origins of the sign's distinctive design in David Wood's 2015 article on Upchurch Matters, at the link below.
Upchurch Matters
Living River Foundation, supported by Upchurch wedding venue The Oak Grove, has organised another litter pick along the Saxon Shore Way public footpath and adjacent saltmarsh edge of the Medway/Swale Estuary.
There are limited spaces available given the terrain and protected birds in the area, so please book early. Children need to be accompanied by a responsible adult guardian.
Volunteers should meet at The Oak Grove for a briefing at 12:00 noon on Sunday the 6th of February, wearing appropriate clothing for the weather.
To book a place and volunteer, visit eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/upchurch-saltmarsh-litter-pick-winter-2022-tickets-248577250247
Location:
The Oak Grove
Twinney Wharf
Susans Lane
Upchurch
ME9 7HA
Upchurch Matters
Click photographs to enlarge.
Upchurch Parish Council has planted an English Oak tree at the Recreation Ground to commemorate The Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.
The well established Oak from grower Majestic Trees was planted on the Oak Lane side of the Recreation Ground on Thursday 9th December, close to where one of the two Lime trees by the beacon stood previously. Both Lime trees became diseased unfortunately, and had to be removed recently.
A commemorative plaque will be added later, in time for next year's jubilee celebrations.
The Parish Council is liaising with a local arboriculturist and Lawrence Merton at Westmoor Nurseries regarding a planting scheme to replace the Poplar trees along the Chaffes Lane side of the Recreation Ground. The row of Poplar trees also became diseased and had to be removed recently for safety.
In June 1977, Upchurch Parish Council planted an Oak tree for The Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations with an accompanying commemorative plaque on the green known locally as Grannies Green near Bishop Lane. A second tree was later planted when the original appeared to die, but it recovered and became one of the two large Oaks that stand there today.
Upchurch Matters
The following Swale Borough Council grants are now live on the website:
• Community Health and Wellbeing
• Heritage and Culture
• Environment Grant Schemes
These use the new online grant application forms, and information on all grants can be found at: www.swale.gov.uk/grants
Swale Borough Council
Click photographs to enlarge.
For the fifth consecutive year, the ladies of the Kitting Group, with their partners, have decorated the railings at St Mary's Church, Upchurch, with hundreds of beautiful knitted Christmas characters.
A lovely new post box topper has been added this year with characters on the Post Office railings and the Co-op garden fence, snowmen in the bus shelter, and knitted stockings hung on wooden bollards.
They have brightened up the centre of the village once again!
Thank you
Go and take a look...
Upchurch Matters
Click map to enlarge.
A Parish Council Public Access Defibrillator has been installed and is available to use 24 hours a day located at the Park Office:
Beckenham Residential Park
Otterham Quay Lane
ME8 7XF
A Parish Council Public Access Defibrillator is also available to use 24 hours a day located at:
Snaffles Equestrian & Country Store
2 - 4 The Street
Upchurch
ME9 7AJ
Holywell Primary School has a Defibrillator, which is available in an emergency only when the school is open.
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm.
Modern AEDs have been designed to be simple for the layperson to use.
In a medical emergency
In a medical emergency, you must dial 999.
The 999 operator will assist and instruct the user, particularly with CPR, and provide the unlock code to open the Defibrillator cabinet.
No training is required to use the Defibrillator. The Defibrillator will talk to the user giving them instructions on how to use it.
The 999 operator will also dispatch an ambulance.
If you notice a problem with the Defibrillator or if you have had to use it, please let the Parish Council know as soon as possible so that it can be made ready for future use - Thank you.
Upchurch Matters
