Upchurch Village Hall 50th Birthday Fun Day

The Village Hall is 50 years old this year.

Upchurch Village Hall is celebrating it's 50th birthday this year with a Fun Day on Saturday the 12th of November.

There will be free children's entertainment from 12:15pm to 4:00pm, including face painting, arts & crafts, cake decorating and ending with a magician.

Admission costs just £3 for Adults and £2 for Children.

Ploughman's Lunches will be available between 12:00pm and 2:00pm and the evening entertainment will start at 7:00pm, with local talent performing sketches etc.

please contact:

Jan Lacy on: 01634 366729  or  Brenda Kemsley on: 01634 231585

Please support this important village celebration.

Upchurch Matters

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Upchurch Village Hall at 50 Years Old

Memories of Upchurch.

Of all the schemes dating back in the village none had been so long awaited as the construction of a village hall. For many years the Old Forge in Forge Lane, the Infant’s School in The Street and the Labour Hall in Horsham Lane had served as social venues but were increasingly considered unsuitable. Mrs Margaret Neame from The Upchurch Stores in The Street opened up the discussion after World War Two and this led to the setting up of the Upchurch Victory Trust Fund Committee in 1953 with the aim of obtaining a village hall.

In the early years a search took place for a suitable location with the oasthouse on the site of the present day Crosier Court being considered followed by a proposed conversion of the old Elizabethan barn at Church Farm. After consideration neither plan became reality so the search continued and the Village Hall Fund was started in June 1954 with a committee chaired by Rich Boakes from Chaffes Lane. This led to fund raising events like a weekly member’s lottery, a Buy a Brick Club, whist drives, dances, raffles, and takings from the fete and carnival. Eventually, a suitable site was found behind The Crown public house and a plan was drawn up by architect Mark Hartland-Thomas from Forge Lane incorporating a hall and car park which local building company E. C. Gransden Ltd constructed. The building cost £6,750 helped by a £2,000 loan from the National Council of Social Services.

After initial problems over catering rights with Courage & Barclay Brewery, the village hall, designed to accommodate 300 people, was completed then opened on November 4th 1961 by Deputy Mayor of Gillingham Freddie Cooper. After speeches by local M.P Percy Wells and village hall chairman Rich Boakes, Revd Bradshaw and Methodist Minister Revd Groves conducted a dedication service. The debt for the building was paid off and a village hall extension fund set up for future improvements.

The new village hall soon became the base for organisations like the Horticultural Society, the Table Tennis Club, the Youth Club, the Badminton Club, the Darby and Joan Club, and various dramatic societies. With funds available the village hall extension was completed in 1974 followed by further changes in the mid 1990s and 2000 when better toilet facilities, wheelchair access, a new meeting room and storage room were created. The improvements made the village hall much more suitable for social events like wedding receptions, parties and dances. After fires in 1977 and 1995 which potentially could have destroyed the building, the village hall has survived and continues to play an important part in the life of the village.

A 25th anniversary was celebrated in November 1986 when several village organisations presented entertainment and a 50th anniversary is planned for Saturday November 12th 2011 when families will be encouraged to visit the village hall where stalls selling goods, competitions and entertainment will take place followed by entertainment for adults only during the evening.

David Wood, who was born and raised in Upchurch, is able to write from personal experience about many people and aspects of the village and of changes that have taken place over the years making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable book and a detailed historical study of the village.

David Wood's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David on:  david3702001@yahoo.co.uk  price £12 + p+p £2.

David Wood
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Splash the £ash

The closing date for applications is the 30th of September 2011.

Need funding to help start a business idea ?


Money to make imaginative ideas happen ?

Provide money for fun activities and equipment ?


Splash The Cash is funding for young people in Swale with awards of up to £250 for individuals and £750 for groups. The idea came from young people in the Swale Youth Forum and Youth Advisory Group (YAG).

YAG Co-chair, Mike Whiting, and other members for Swale, along with the Deputy Mayor for Swale have contributed part of their members' grants towards a budget that promotes local decision making amongst young people.

If you are between 11 and 19 (or up to 25 with a disability) then you can apply as an individual (£250) or with a group of friends to receive up to £750 !

The closing date for applications is the 30th of September 2011 Shortlisted projects will be invited to pitch ideas on the 15th of October 2011.


The scheme is being administered by KCC Youth Services and should you wish to find out more or have any questions about the scheme and it’s development please call Angela Ford, Area Youth Officer, Thanet Canterbury Swale on: 07919 535633.


The Application Form can be downloaded here:


Splash the cash application form (PDF, 121k)


Website:  http://www.kent.gov.uk/education_and_learning/youth_service/youth_opportunity_fund/splash_the_cash.aspx


Martin Goodhew

Economy & Community Services Project Officer

Swale Borough Council

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Upchurch Twinning Group October News

Upchurch is twinned with Ferques-Elinghen in Pas de Calais, France.

Do look on the Holywell School website:  www.holywell.kent.sch.uk   for our news as well.  Also, try looking at:  www.ferques.fr  for interesting stuff!
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Sports Day – We had a great day on 27^th August, with lots of games played and lots of French language tried out!  47 residents of Ferques joined us at the Recreation Ground and Scout Hall and they have written to express their thanks for a most enjoyable day.  Thank you to all those people of Upchurch who joined in with this event, which, apart from us all having a good time, was a valuable way of cementing our links with Ferques.

Diary dates for you:

Saturday 15^th October – Anniversary Dinner and Dance in Ferques, in Elinghen Village Hall.  A set meal with some Celtic music.  Cost will be 18€ each from 7.30pm.  Tickets now available from us but you need to book by 7^th October.  It’ll go on all evening so you’ll need a late ferry home or a stop-over in a hotel or B&B.  Come along – it will be a really good night!

Tuesday 18^th October – School children from Ferques will visit Holywell School – do say “bon jour” if you see them in the village!

Saturday 5^th November – Scout Group Fireworks at Westmoor Farm – Find the Twinning Group, who will be selling their famous, delicious bacon rolls again!

And for 2012:

Saturday 28^th January 2012 – Quiz night at our School – always popular, more details nearer the time!

Sunday 15^th April 2012 – Upchurch Choral Society will be performing in the church at Ferques – again more details nearer the time.

FRIENDS OF THE TWINNING GROUP – Our “Friends of the Upchurch Twinning Group” has a healthy membership now, but we would always welcome anyone who would be willing to give practical support e.g. on stalls, or at events, giving hospitality etc etc.  Just let us know!
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Jim Harman (Chairman) 01634 235420 & Sue Rossiter (Secretary) 01634 234780

Upchurch Twinning Group

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Parents & Friends of Holywell School AGM

The 2011 AGM takes place at 7:30pm on the 29th of September 2011 at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course. All are welcome and this year they are looking for a new Chairperson to start ASAP.


Please help if you can !


Upchurch Matters.

Nursery Days Gets An Outstanding !

Help us celebrate and save £100 !

Nursery Days Ltd Upchurch were inspected by Ofsted on Monday the 5th of September. We have now received the report and are pleased to annouce that we received an OUTSTANDING in all areas !

This is the highest grade that settings can acheive and obviously we really want to shout this from the roof tops !

The report will shortly be available to veiw online at the Ofsted Website:  here 


As many children have now left Nursery Days to go to school we have vacancies to fill in our baby room and two to three year old room. Full time or sessions are available and we are offering for the months of October and November free registration and holding fee, this is a saving of £100 to celebrate our excellent achievement !

Website:  www.nurserydays-upchurch.co.uk

Stephanie
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