Raffles Style Afternoon Cream Tea at Upchurch Village Hall

Friends of Upchurch Village Hall invite you to a special event on Saturday the 8th of June, from 4:00pm until 7:00pm in our own Village Hall.

Featuring for our enjoyment:

Delicate selection of sandwiches, consisting of smoked salmon, cucumber, cheese and ham.

Delicious selection of small cakes, scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream and spectacular large exhibition cakes.

All the above served with as much tea, coffee you may need.

And for your entertainment the ever popular Rich Phillips.

Tickets - £7.50 are on sale now, available from any UpARA meeting and from any Village Hall committee member.

John Tutt

Friends of Upchurch Village Hall

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April News from Upchurch Horticultural Society - From the Potting Shed

Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd

April is here and Spring does appear to have come early. March was a mix of lion and lamb but at least we didn’t get a return of winter. So unless April brings a very unexpected surprise we can really take to the garden this month and get the year going in earnest.

If you got going on lawn repairs last month you will be off to a flying start but if not April is also a good time to get this job done so that you have an even lawn again in time for the summer. If you have sown seed avoid those areas when applying a weed and feed, if not do the weed and feed first then wait a week or so before sowing seed. Remember that a lawn requires a high nitrogen feed in the Spring to get it greened up and growing. Use a garden fork to aerate the soil by digging the tynes 6” into the ground and slightly lifting the soil to break it up under the surface. This will allow air into the soil and provide drainage in the event of April showers. The soil will quickly settle back into place due to normal foot traffic. Get into a cutting routine but avoid the new growth from seed. Let this grow and get established before cutting it for the first time in June. When it is growing vigorously after this, apply a weed and feed to get rid of any weeds that have become established amongst the new grass.

Lift and divide perennial plants to improve vigour and increase numbers, particularly primroses as soon as they finish flowering. Divide hostas before they come into leaf. Pinch out the tops of sweet peas and fuchsia to encourage the plants to get bushy. Any perennials showing good basal growth like penstemons, phlox and chrysanthemums can be pruned back to the base and basal cuttings can be taken if required. Deadhead daffodils and tulips and let them die back naturally. Also prune forsythia as soon as the flowers fade and ensure that there is no wood more than 3 years old left in the plant as this will not produce much flower next year

Finish preparing the vegetable plot and fill up the bean trench with any left over compost before raking the soil level. Mark the corners of the trench with canes so that you will know where to erect the frame in May. Continue sowing seed either in trays or individual pots but do not over water, just keep the compost moist to avoid damping off or larger seeds rotting before they have chance to germinate. Once germination has taken place remove tops to allow air to get to the seedlings. Carrots, parsnips and salad crops can go straight into the soil. If you are lucky enough to have an asparagus patch, harvest the spears while they are still short (12” - 18”) and tender as the stems harden up quickly. Also aim to get your maincrop potatoes in the ground by the end of the month and they should be ready in September. I will stick with the allotment favourite, Cara, because it is such a good all round spud, but there are so many varieties available that we are simply spoilt for choice.

Apply a slow release fertiliser to your fruit trees, shrubs and roses and water in. Check that containers are not getting dry and keep an eye out for the unexpected hot day that can cause havoc with seedlings. It is hard work this time of year and May is another busy month but come June you can start to enjoy the garden with outdoor living and a cold beer in the evening. But I don’t think I am going to wait that long.

We are always looking for new members and try to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables and flowers or even enter any of the 3 shows we hold each year, then please get in touch, we would be happy to hear from you.

If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Rosey on: 01634 377812 (evenings) or Email: rosemary@ringwoodaccounting.co.uk

Sean Barry - Upchurch Horticultural Society

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The Great British Spring Clean - Upchurch - Thank you

Upchurch Parish Council once again pledged its support for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, organised by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy and supported locally by Swale Borough Council and Biffa.

The Great British Spring Clean is the country’s biggest 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 campaign was first run in 2017. In 2018, despite the Beast from the East, more than 371,566 litter heroes (including more than 126,651 school children) collected over 630,000 bags of rubbish. In total 13,500 events were held over the campaign period and 300 local authorities took part.

All set to Spring clean Upchurch!

Heading off along Chaffes Lane.

Looking for litter on the Recreation Ground. 

Busy filling sacks.

Litter pickers at the ready.

Cleaning up in Chaffes Lane.

Well done Holywell. Look at all that rubbish you collected!

Sunday's volunteers.

Another huge pile of rubbish was collected again this year.
You wouldn't believe some of the things we found!

2019

Our Great British Spring Clean in Upchurch took place this year on Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of April.

Friday 5th

Young people from Holywell School went out litter picking around the village, accompanied by their teachers and members of staff. Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP, Gordon Henderson came to the school to help too, along with Councillor's Tyrone Ripley, Alan Horton and teacher, Mr Ball. Upchurch super litter pickers, Helen and Eddie Tydeman collected a dozen sacks between them. Regular volunteer, Margaret Packer and Dave Warren helped as well. Cliff our village caretaker also went out litter picking.

Saturday 6th

Rain didn't stop volunteers setting off from the Recreation Ground car park in Oak Lane shortly after 10:30am, to litter pick the planned routes around the village. 1st Upchurch Brownies and Guides were there in force, accompanied by their parents and leaders, Tracey and Sophie Snellings. Helen and Eddie Tydeman joined the litter pick for a second day as did Margaret Packer and Dave Warren. Jan Bunting came to help as well. Councillor Richard Palmer litter picked, helping organisers, Councillor's Tyrone Ripley and Alan Horton who drove around the routes collecting the full sacks and large items of rubbish, before dropping them to the Recreation Ground car park to be collected later by waste contractor, Biffa.

Another tremendous village effort resulted in dozens of sacks of litter and large items of rubbish being picked from our public spaces and the surrounding country lanes. 

Well done everyone. The village looks lovely!

Thanks to Swale Borough Council for the loan of the equipment again, and to Biffa for collecting all the rubbish.

To find out more, visit >> www.keepbritaintidy.org

#GBSpringClean

Upchurch Matters

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Poolside Bar & Courtyard - Live Music with Victoria Cluskey - Twisted Diva at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

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Who Do You Recognise From This Old Photograph? And What Was The Occasion?

Click on the photograph to enlarge.

Thanks to Bryan Veale for sharing this old photograph of what is believed to be children from Upchurch, and possibly neighbouring villages.

Who do you recognise from this old photograph?
And what was the occasion?

Some local children have already been spotted, they are:

Bob Barnes
Pat Simmons
John Swift
Neville Busbridge
John Gilbert
Jayne Batchelor
Grahame Daniels
Evelyn Coe
Adrian Wildish
Audrey Spree
Margaret Everest
Evelyn Champion
Margaret Stevens
Mary Batchelor
Shirley Swift
Frank Cook
Edward Williamson
Peter Boakes
David Bronger

Upchurch Matters
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Poolside Bar & Courtyard - Live Music with JUST ONE MORE at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

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