Safe Car Wash App - Help End Modern Slavery in Hand Car Washes

MODERN SLAVERY IS OFTEN HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

The National Crime Agency thinks there are currently tens of thousands of people being forced to work for little or no pay in the 18,000 hand car washes on Britain’s roads, at the sides of motorways and on abandoned garage forecourts.

Many hand car washes are legitimate businesses but according to campaigners some exploit, force and threaten workers, but there is no reliable data on the scale of the problem. Police raids in hand car washes have found victims living in horrendous conditions.

Developed by The Clewer Initiative, the Church of England’s campaign against modern slavery, and the Santa Marta Group, the Catholic Church’s anti-slavery project, Safe Car Wash is a new app that will enable the largest community intelligence gathering exercise ever attempted in the United Kingdom. 

When you are using a hand car wash, simply open the app and complete a short survey about the working conditions of the car wash.

The app will ask a series of questions related to the indicators of modern slavery and if there is a high likelihood that modern slavery is occurring in the hand car wash, you will be asked to report your concerns to the Modern Slavery Helpline 08000 121 700.

The data the app collects will be anonymised and shared with the National Crime Agency and the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority, two law enforcement agencies who are leading on efforts to stamp out modern slavery across the UK.

Safe Car Wash is FREE and available to download for IOS devices from the Apple App Store: https://apple.co/2t5AWMw and for Android devices from Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JHVWjN

Upchurch Matters

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KCC 'Big Conversation' on the Future of Rural Bus Services

Kent County Council funds some bus services which are considered 'socially necessary' but not 'commercially viable'. These services are important to the communities and the passengers they serve. Further cuts to rural bus services made in 2015 could leave communities even more cut off from the rest of the county.

The council recently reduced the savings they need to make subsidising bus travel from £2.25 million to £0.45 million, but they are still looking at ways to save money on rural transport services.

To best address this, KCC has launched what it is calling its 'Big Conversation' programme which they say aims to find potential new opportunities in providing rural transport services. The main objectives of the programme they say are to maintain and, where possible, improve rural accessibility for those without alternative means of travel. It will also look to integrate existing transport with the commercial transport network and make best use of technology to transform access to public transport.

KCC are inviting the public to give their views at 11 public meetings held across the county over the next 2 months.

Our nearest meeting is at UKP Leisure, Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne ME10 4DE on Wednesday the 18th of July between 7:00pm and 9:00pm.

If you are unable to make it to one of the public meetings you can still have your say via the online questionnaire at the link here >> www.kent.gov.uk/bigconversation

KCC cabinet member for transport Mike Whiting said: “We want to explore how we can improve connectivity for our rural residents and assess the viability of offering different kinds of services.

That’s why for the next couple of months we’re meeting with all stakeholders – residents, parish councils, operators - and running our “Big Conversation” programme to see what we could do and get feedback from the people that could run them and use them.

Once we have explored potential ideas with the market and completed our engagement with residents we will work on developing these ideas.

We’ll then be working with transport and technology providers to look at how we can develop new ways of delivering rural transport.”

Upchurch Matters

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Please Vote for Holywell Primary School to win £5,000 in National Book Tokens

Please vote for Holywell Primary School to win £5,000 in National Book Tokens to spend on their School Library and you might win a £100 Gift Card to spend on yourself!

The Competition ends on Tuesday the 31st of July 2018.

The more entries the school the gets, the more chances they have of winning - so please get voting at the link here >> http://bit.ly/2JBCCEJ

Thank you

Upchurch Matters

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7th Annual Novelty Dog Show on Lower Halstow Village Green

Click picture to enlarge.

Lower Halstow Memorial Hall presents 7th Annual Novelty Dog Show on the Village Green - Saturday 23rd June 2018

Registration 9:00am - Judging starts 11:00am

BBQ - Refreshments - Fundraising Stalls

Upchurch Matters

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The Final Scouts Paper Drive 9/6/18

To every resident who left out paper and cardboard for collection, and to all the helpers both past and present who have contributed to the Scouts paper drive over the years, Upchurch Scout Group are extremely grateful for all your support and loyalty 👍🏼

Thank you 😀

Upchurch Matters

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Upchurch Brownies and Guides - Strawberry Tea

1st Upchurch Brownies and Guides are holding another Strawberry Tea on Wednesday the 11th of July at Drakes Lodge Scout Hut, Oak Lane between 6:30pm and 8:30pm.

Proceeds will be split 50/50 between Breast Cancer Care and the modernisation of the St. Mary's church clock - war memorial crowd fund.

All welcome, please come along and support us!

Tracey Snellings

1st Upchurch Brownies and Guides

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