Kent Police - Keep Your Valuables Out of View

Don't wait... until it's too late

STAY SAFE

Call 101 for non-urgent issues

Call 999 in an emergency

If deaf or speech impaired text ‘police’ and your message to 60066

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

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Swale Borough Council - Op Assist November

Waste carriers were targeted last week as part of a day of action to crackdown on fly tipping. Swale Borough Council teamed up with Kent Police’s Rural Task Force to carry out enquiries, arrest people suspected of fly tipping, seize vehicles and collate evidence with a view to prosecuting offenders for waste related crimes. Outcomes of the day were:

3 vehicles seized;
5 vehicles stopped and searched; and
2 Fixed Penalty Notices issued;

Martyn Cassell, head of commissioning, environment and leisure at the council, said:

“We are pleased to be part of this cross-organisation effort to crack down on fly-tipping across the borough.

We urge anybody disposing of household items to use a licenced waste carrier who will dispose of the goods properly, and not criminals who are unlicensed and likely to dump rubbish on the side of the road. Not only is this unsafe, but it makes the borough an eyesore for everybody who lives here.”

More and more of these action days are taking place across the County. A tremendous amount of preparation takes place ahead of these days, including the gathering of vital intelligence to support the Council’s Enforcement team with their duties.

What can you do to dispose of your waste responsibly?

Fly tippers often target households via social media or local advertising, luring customers in with cheap rates to dispose of unwanted furniture, building rubble or garden waste. However, these unlicensed waste carriers often simply dump the waste where ever they can get away with it, including in Kent’s country lanes. Householders or small businesses found to be using criminals to dispose of their waste can and are being issued with fixed penalty notices (FPN) that go up to £400 per offence. Failure to pay such an FPN may result in court action where fines can be significantly larger.

To prevent this, householders should check whether someone is licenced to carry waste by visiting the Environment Agency website below, or alternatively call 03708 506506. It also helps if householders receive a written receipt or transfer note, including contact details, description of waste removed and details of where the waste is being taken to.

Link: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

The 13 Kent councils, along with Kent Police, are working in partnership to Keep Kent Clean. To keep updated with the councils’ efforts to tackle fly tipping and littering, follow #KeepKentClean

Swale Borough Council

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UPDATE: Monday 18th November - Notification of Major Gas Works: A2 - High Street, Newington

Following on from my previous communications, I am writing to provide you with an update regarding our gas works in the A2 High Street, Newington.

Our engineers have inserted the new plastic pipe for phase 2 of our replacement project. Following the completion of our reinstatement, we expect to safely reopen Mill Lane to motorists today, 18th November. Our temporary traffic lights will move along the A2 to the High Street, just west of Callaways Lane to ensure everyone’s safety whilst we carry out a diversion to our gas pipe. We expect these engineering works to last approximately three weeks.

Upon completion of this work, we’ll restore the road surface and safely remove all our equipment from the site. We continue to work closely with Kent County Council to plan future phases in the new year and we will share details with the local community once confirmed.

Please feel free to share this information with your own stakeholders and anyone you think may be impacted by our work.

We would like to thank residents, traders and road users for their continued patience and understanding while we carry out this essential work.

If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Kind regards

Paige Roberts

Stakeholder and Community Manager

SGN Gas

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Upchurch Poppy Day Appeal - 2019

The Remembrance Sunday service led by Revd. Julian Staniforth and supported by Revd. Simeon Nevell was held in the church of St Mary the Virgin on November 10th. It was a moving occasion for the large congregation. At this time we remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWI and in subsequent conflicts for this Nation. Names of all those from Upchurch who made the ultimate sacrifice in WWI and WWII were readout. There then followed the laying of seven wreaths in the Lady Chapel, one of which was from the Mayor of our twin village Ferques in France (Upchurch Parish Council reciprocates by sending a wreath of poppies for laying at the service in Ferques on the 11th). After the service the Rector, Curate, church choir, uniformed Scout, Guide and Brownie organisations together with members of the congregation processed to the burial ground in the cool November sun. Remembrance crosses were laid at each of the War Graves Commission Graves by five past members of the Armed Services or Police and members of the youth organisations from the Parish.

The work of The Royal British Legion continues and it stands shoulder to shoulder with all who serve in our Armed Forces. It provides financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or are currently serving including their dependents.

The Poppy Appeal will benefit from donations for poppies and wreaths plus gift aid totalling £2,823 from the Upchurch Appeal in 2019.

My Royal British Legion thanks to the house-to-house collectors who raised £1,350 of the total. Thanks also to the businesses, retail outlets and others who provided static collection points raising £1,192. 

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Gerry Lewin - Poppy Day Appeal Organiser 

Telephone: 01634 366113 - 07946 996789

Email: lewing135@btinternet.com

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Christmas Craft Fair at St. Margaret's Church, Lower Halstow

Liz Mouland - Friends of St. Margaret's Church

Website: www.thesix.org.uk

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Upchurch Scout Troop - Trip to Normandy 2019

Day 1 - Saturday, October 19th

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We set off at 5:30am from the Scout Hut, on our way to the Channel Tunnel. Due to delays earlier on, we had to start our journey 2 hours later than expected. We arrived in Calais at 11:00am then set off. It was a long journey down to Normandy and due to the lateness of the train, we had to postpone our first visit to the Merville Germany Battery site so went straight on to the bridge at Ranville-Benouville. We arrived at the Bridge feeling very tired but glad to get out of the bus.

This bridge is called Pegasus after the 6th Airborne Division that liberated it on the night of the 5th/6th June 1944.

The bridges over the Canals were planned to be taken by men dropped into the area from Gliders. These Gliders were called Horsa Gliders and were designed to be used only once for this one action, so they were made from plywood and therefore not very strong. The Gliders were pulled along by planes and once they had released the Gliders, the planes flew back to Britain. The Gliders were able to carry men as well as vehicles and guns.

These Gliders, like all other aircraft flying on D-Day, were painted with three large white stripes in order for them to be recognised as Allies. This was to stop the many planes being hit by ‘friendly fire’. Unfortunately, on that night, a terrible storm blew up and many of the parachutists were blown well off course. The Gliders were attacked by enemy fire. The first phase went well and at 20 minutes past midnight, three Gliders landed within metres of their objective. Ten minutes later with bagpipes playing, the Bridge was secured.

Day 2 - Sunday, October 20th

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On our second day, we managed to get some time to look around the Gun Battery at Merville. The area had been unsuccessfully bombed so it had to be taken from the ground. This was where another Battalion of men, the 9th Battalion, should have landed but:

The 9th Battalion, however, was not so lucky.

A total of 700 men were due to land in the Ranville area, and some 500 of these had the objective of capturing the German Gun Battery at Merville. Only 150 were able to attack as the troops were scattered over a wide area or were shot before landing, with the heaviest weapon being one single machine gun and some hand grenades, they had to fight their way through shelling, barbed wire and land mines. Eventually, just 75 men were able to capture the Battery and survive.

From the Merville Battery, we carried on to the village of Aromonches les Bains. This is the site of the 360º Cinema which shows actual footage of D-Day. The Troops were deliberately not landed on this beach as it was to be left clear for an artificial harbour to be built. This was the Mulberry Harbour known as Port Winston.

The Harbour was intended to be used for only three months but lasted 5 and there are still some sections to be seen today. It was built by the Royal Engineers, who still have a base here in Chatham. They built floating roadways to allow tanks, vehicles and men to land on the Beaches.

This was an old soldier who told a tale of his experience on the Beach.

Our day turned out to be very busy as we now had to travel to Aromanches after lunch to the American Beach of Omaha, to the site of the American Cemetery. 

We arrived at Omaha Beach at 4:45pm just before the Cemetery was due to close at 5:00pm. They allowed us in and above is a portion of what we saw.

Day 3 - Monday, October 21st

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Day Three saw us move on to the Cemetery at Ranville. This is where a lot of British soldiers were buried. Including that of the youngest killed in D-Day (private R. Johns) and the first to lose his life on D- Day (Lt. Herbert Brotheridge).

This is where we laid a wreath and said a prayer of thanks to all those who bravely did what they had to, to allow us the freedom we have today, both those in the armed forces and civilians too.

Our next visit was to the Juno Beach, site of the Canadian landings.

Day 4 - Tuesday, October 22nd

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On our fourth day we made one last visit to the British landing beach called Gold.

I really loved our trip to Normandy with the Scouts. It was really interesting finding out about so many amazing places, my favourite place was the Gold Beach where the British landed. It was so quiet and beautiful there.

I think the soldiers were very brave and some were so young - too young to die.

And then on to the Bayeaux Activity Park.

Thanks very much to Group Scout Leader, Julia Richardson for sending us this write up of their trip which was written and presented to parents by the Scouts themselves.

Upchurch Matters

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