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Friday, 13 February 2015

Upchurch Parish Council Report - March 2015


The Parish Council met on Thursday 5th February at the Village Hall where 8 Councillors were present and 12 members of the public.

Public Time – Localism Grant Fund – Cllr John Wright stated that there is a small amount of money left in the fund. Cllr Tucker advised that the Council would give this some thought. Otterham Quay Lane – A resident raised concerns over the blocked gullies following the hedge cutting. Cllr Lewin advised who should be contacted when this situation arises. The resident also requested that he be able to remove the traffic cones left on Chaffes Lane and store them for the Council. Planning – a resident raised their concerns over the Solar Farm, Boxsted Lane and questioned why the planning permission had been passed and that they felt they had not been properly informed by Swale Planning of the planning application for this site and still have concerns regarding the impact on the countryside.  Cllr Tucker advised that the resident should email all of their concerns to the Clerk who will then speak to Swale Planning regarding this.

Correspondence Local Boundary Commission Electoral Review – Cllr Tucker advised that the Electoral review of Kent County Council has commenced. This is open to the public and full details of this can be found on the website www.lgbce.org.uk. Lord Lieutenant’s Civic Service at Rochester Cathedral on 10/3/2015 – Cllr Tucker advised that Cllr New and Cllr Lewin would be attending this event.

Planning - 14/505230/FULL Jack Russell Place, Halstow Lane – Variation of condition 2 and 4 of planning permission SW/11/0496 to increase the number of mobile homes (from 2 to 5), and to have flood lighting security lightning for safety. – Cllr Tucker confirmed that an objection had been made by the Parish Council that the applicant had acquired new land not on the original application. Cllr Rossiter had received a response from Swale Planning stating that the applicant will be contacted with a view to the application being withdrawn or amended. 14/506519/FULL Kent Terrace, Canterbury Lane – Redevelopment of existing landscape contractor’s yard and land surrounding Kent Terrace to provide 13 dwelling houses and an extension to the existing terrace with associated car parking and landscaping. In addition a ground floor rear extension of Plot 15. It was decided that the Parish Council would object to the application in its current state and will reconsider an amendment.

Permissions and refusals – Crescent House – It was confirmed that Crescent House has had prior approval for change of use to residential buildings.

Allotments and Recreation Ground Allotments and Recreation Ground fences – It was agreed to accept one of the quotes for both the repairs to the Allotment fence and for the replacement of the Recreation Ground fence and for work to proceed on these as soon as possible.

Paddock - Nothing to report.

Burial Ground and Churchyard - Burial Ground Rules and Regulations – Cllr Rose has reviewed the Rules and Regulations and has drafted a proposal to deal with the issues of non-compliance of the current rules. It was agreed to move the proposal forward on the ‘next steps’ and formulate a detailed proposal.

Environment - Salt bag – The village annual salt provision has been incorrectly delivered to Nursery Days car park. Cllr Masson and Cllr Lewin have agreed to distribute small salt bags from the car park to residents who may wish to make use of the salt. A date for this will be confirmed with the Clerk who will put notification on the website and notice boards. Unipar Dual Message System - It was agreed that the system be repaired and returned to the Parish Council.

Highways - Street lights – Cllr Arnold reported that the parts for the street light on the junction of The Street with The Poles have now arrived. He was also aware of a faulty light in Chaffes Lane and that the contractors have been notified. Cllr Tucker advised she would be raising KCC’s proposal to upgrade all lights to LED at the Swale West Meeting to see if a grant could be obtained.

Other Matters – Church Clock – It had been noted that the Church is running slow. The Clerk will contact the contractors to get this fixed.

Next meetings – Confirmed as being 5th March 2015 and 2nd April 2015, 7:30pm in The Village Hall. The Annual Parish Meeting will take place in the Village Hall on 30th April 2015.

Julia Cura, Clerk to the Parish Council 
Telephone: 01634 363906

Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Upchurch Cricket Club - Colts Football For Ages 5, 6 and Under 7’s

Good news! There is now officially an under 7's football team operating from Upchurch Cricket club!

It is a desire to start up 5's and 6's teams too who will be able to progress through the club.

Any parents with boys of these ages who would like to get involved are welcome to contact by Email Terry Lewis terrylewis44@yahoo.co.uk or Rob Croome robcroome@sky.com

All are welcome to visit Upchurch Cricket Ground on a Saturday morning at 10am where the present team train.


Terry Lewis
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Sunday, 8 February 2015

Talented Local Singer Wanted


Hello people of Upchurch, Singer/Rapper "Palermo" (James Hansford) is looking for a talented Singer within the village to feature on an upcoming release which will feature on his
"Legion" EP.

James would like to extend the invitation to the local people in the instance. The right person would have to travel to perform the single at relevant events where "Palermo" performs (all expenses paid for).

James "Palermo" is signed to a Manager/Record Label as well as being UK ambassador to an exclusive clothing line, so there is great potential to be seen by mainstream companies and record labels.

Please message James directly through Facebook to enquire: Here 

James on Instagram: www.instagram.com/palermomusic

James Hansford
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Thank You from Upchurch Twinning Group


This years winning team.
On behalf of Upchurch Twinning Group may I, as secretary thank all the people who attended the Quiz on Saturday the 7th at the school, it was our best attendance ever and as a consequence we raised our best ever contribution to the funds.

This year we raised around £700 and our treasurer has gone to bed tonight a very happy man!

Thanks again to all who came along and spent their money buying raffle tickets and joining in our card game in the interval. Our thanks must also go to our question master, Frank Osborne and his team, not only for their efforts tonight but for setting the questions.

Ann Harman (Secretary)
Mike Johnson (Chairman)

You can read more about Upchurch Twinning Group at the link here

Upchurch Twinning Group
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Wednesday, 4 February 2015

UpARA - Latest Schedule of Events

Upchurch Active Retirement Association


Into another new year on the calendar and a new year for UpARA not far off. As of 1st March annual subscription become due at £15, the same as last year. Obviously it is necessary to be fully paid up to maintain your membership. You can even pay early if you like! Hopefully everyone will sign up again, but if you decide not to continue with us it will be very helpful if you can let the committee know, as we do have a waiting list of over 30 people eager to join us.

Monthly Meetings (2nd Friday of the month)
(Members Free; Guests £2.00)
*
Friday 13th February 2015 - 2:00pm
*
Friday 13th March 2015 - 2:00pm

Coffee Mornings (4th Tuesday of the month)
(Members £1.50; Guests £2.00)
*
Tuesday 24th February 2015 - 09:30am until 12:30pm
*
Tuesday 24th March 2015 - 09:30am until 12:30pm

Village Walks (1st & 3rd Friday of the month)
*
Friday 6th February 2015 - 10:00am
*
Friday 20th February 2015 - 10:00am 

Outings
*
Tuesday, 10th February 2015
ITV Studios, London
Mel & Sue
*
Saturday, 21st March 2015
Thriplow Daffodil Festival


David Powell - Chairman
Email: davidrpowell5@hotmail.co.uk
Telephone: 01795 843550
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Tuesday, 3 February 2015

Two Upchurch Men at the Battle of Gallipoli in 1915 by David Wood


William Wood.

Charles Gransden.
With the outbreak of war in 1914, men from all over Britain joined up to fight for King and Country. In Upchurch William Wood from Ham Green and Charles Gransden from Forge Lane both enlisted in the East Kent Yeomanry, a cavalry regiment made up of landowners, farmers and farm workers under the command of Lord Harris and they were soon undergoing training in Canterbury.

On September 24th 1915 the two Upchurch men sailed from Liverpool with their regiment to Mudros in Greece then on to Gallipoli where they had their first experience of warfare but were not used as cavalry, instead they operated as infantry in trenches. Coming ashore on the Helles Peninsular, they faced Turkish gunfire and shrapnel shells from high cliff-top positions. William Wood said they were targeted by a determined enemy who British soldiers respected as fighters and nicknamed ‘Johnny Turk.’ On the day after they arrived the allied commander General Sir Ian Hamilton visited and welcomed the East Kent Yeomanry but had a narrow escape when a shell fired by the Turks exploded directly above him according to his personal diary from 1915.


Armed Soldiers of the East Kent Yeomanry 
Serving at the front line for two week periods followed by two weeks behind the lines where soldiers constructed roads and unloaded provisions, Wood and Gransden survived in trenches and dugouts in the firing line with their fellow soldiers and food was brought to them on a mule. When a Turkish sniper eventually shot and killed the mule this apparently affected the men's morale badly. Disease also became a problem with an estimated 50,000 allied soldiers suffering enteritis or dysentery. Unsuitable diet, flies, unburied putrid corpses and open latrines caused this. William Wood contracted dysentery but survived mainly off periodic food parcels sent from home.

Eating bully beef, biscuits and jam as a daily main meal, soldiers suffered more when the weather became inhospitable with a severe blizzard that lasted for three days in November causing hostilities to temporarily cease. Ferocious winds with torrential rain flooded trenches and the snow and frost that followed caused frostbite and death from exposure. The regiment spent several months facing Turkish gunfire on the rugged Helles Peninsular until they were successfully evacuated at night by the Royal Navy in late December 1915 which turned out to be the most successful part of an otherwise disastrous allied campaign.

During 1916 the regiment amalgamated with the West Kent Yeomanry to form the 10th Buffs Yeomanry Battalion. The new Battalion formed part of General Allenby's Palestine offensive against the Turks. After landing at Alexandria in Egypt in 1917 they participated in the Second Battle of Gaza, then the Battle of Beersheba. They also played a leading part in the capture of Jerusalem from the Turks. William Wood recalled that during the campaign he remembered Captain Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) regularly entering the army camp on horseback with Bedouin warriors to deliver information about enemy movements in the Hijaz Desert to General Allenby. Apparently, soldiers ran from their tents to stare or laugh at the captain dressed in traditional Arab clothes.

Heavy casualties on the Western Front required the withdrawal of infantry divisions from Palestine to France in May 1918. After fighting at Merville, the Kent Yeomanry Battalion moved to the Somme in September and participated in the advance on the Hindenburg Line and then in the final advance which led to the armistice of 11th November 1918.

When the war ended William Wood returned to his farm at Ham Green physically unscathed while Charles Gransden who sustained a serious leg injury in a rail accident in France returned to Forge Lane and later became bellringer captain and churchwarden at the village church. Both men maintained contact with their old regiment and regularly attended the annual reunion dinner together until they both passed away during the mid-1960s.

In 2001 on Anzac Day which is observed by Australians and New Zealanders, I visited the site of the Battle of Gallipoli in Turkey where an Australian military historian took me to the beach where my grandfather and Charles Gransden came ashore with the East Kent Yeomanry and to the rugged and desolate area where they had fought, a fascinating and enlightening experience almost a century after the event.


David Wood.
About David:
David Wood was born and raised in Upchurch and 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's book ‘Memories of Upchurch’ is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters.
Price £12 + £3.50 postage and packing.

David Wood
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