Newington History Group

Unsurprisingly, there are no Newington History Group meetings until further notice.

That means that cancelled are Thursday, April 9th meeting (The Barber-Surgeon with Dave Lamberton) and the AGM including The Mystery of the Yew Tree with Cliff Hansford on Thursday, May 14th.

Also not going ahead will be the history group's planned public celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday, May 8th.

For more details contact: newingtonhistorygroup@outlook.com

Call: 01795 842711.
Visit the website: www.newingtonhistorygroup.btck.co.uk
Follow on Facebook: Newington History Group

Richard Thompstone - Newington History Group

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Swale Borough Council - Business Grants

We’ve written to 2,600 local businesses to let them know they’re eligible for grants of up to £25,000.

The letter explains how the businesses can apply for the cash grants that are available as part of the government’s measures to support small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the period of disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

There are two schemes available:

• The small business grant

• The cash grant for retail, hospitality and leisure

Only one grant can be awarded per property.

If you think you’re eligible but you can’t access your business premises to receive your post at the moment, you can Email us at edu@swale.gov.uk

You’ll need to include:

• your business rates account number, shown on your business rates statement

• the name and address registered on your business rates account

If you have any queries about whether you are eligible for the grant or not, please Email edu@swale.gov.uk with a telephone number that we can contact you on to discuss the criteria.

For more information, and to apply if you haven’t already, visit www.swale.gov.uk/support-scheme-registration

Swale Borough Council

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Coronavirus Public Information Leaflet

Coronavirus

We've published a public information leaflet online about Coronavirus (#COVID19).

Information on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, symptoms and government support.

This resource contains:

▶️ Guidance on spotting the symptoms

▶️ Advice for vulnerable groups

▶️ Information about government support for businesses and workers

The leaflet is available in different languages and formats.

▶️ Read it here: https://bit.ly/2xfHQ7Y

Department of Health and Social Care - DHSC

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Kent Libraries Provide Easy Online Joining for All Residents

Kent residents who are not already members of the county’s library service can now join online and get instant access to a huge range of free digital services for the whole family to enjoy - including e-magazines, e-newspapers, e-books and e-audio books.

Simply by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/libs, anyone across the county can join the library service by submitting their details and creating their own PIN.

Once completed, the website will provide a temporary library number which can be used to access all our free e-services - including hundreds of the latest e-magazines, e-books, e-audio books and daily e-newspapers. Each library number is valid until June but will be extended for as long as required another way the library service can provide a great service for everyone staying at home.

This is a great free resource with something for everyone to enjoy - go and check our website out now.

Mike Hill, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services, said:

“Library staff have been developing our website for the past few weeks so that families and everyone in Kent who are stuck at home for the national effort can join the library online and instantly access all our e-services for free. 

We hope that as many non-members as possible take advantage of this excellent free service and begin a lifelong love of Kent Libraries.”

To access Kent’s free e-services, visit www.kent.gov.uk/libs

Murray Evans
Kent County Council

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Swale Borough Council Donates £20,000 to Citizens Advice Swale

Cllr Roger Truelove and Mark Hinton.

Citizens Advice Swale has received a £20,000 grant from Swale Borough Council to help support their free advice service to the residents of Swale.

Citizens Advice Swale is an independent local charity that provides free and impartial advice about debt, housing, unemployment, immigration and family matters.

The charity has helped more than 60,000 people since the offices in Sittingbourne and Faversham merged in 2005, and also carries out research and campaigning alongside its free advice service.

Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:

“We are very pleased to provide this extra support to Citizens Advice Swale.

We already donate money to the charity every year, and last year we contributed more than £130,000 in total.

We hope that this £20,000 grant will help them continue their invaluable service to the people around the borough who find themselves struggling.

They provide free advice about debt, housing, welfare benefits, employment and family matters among other topics, and we are very conscious of how much they do to support the community.

This is a key objective for us, so we’re pleased with the opportunity to support those who support our community.”

Mark Hinton, Chief Officer at Citizens Advice Swale, said:

“We are very grateful to Swale council for this additional funding.

Every year we help more than 4,000 people around the borough, and any money we receive helps us provide a free, confidential and impartial service to anyone who needs it.

We have a dedicated team of staff and over 40 volunteers and we would not be able to keep them without the financial support we receive from various grants, so this £20,000 will go a long way to helping us provide the invaluable service we’re known for.”

Citizens Advice Swale are operating an increased telephone service in place of face-to-face services while the country works to protect people from the spread of COVID-19.

People can call Adviceline on: 0344 848 7978 for general advice, Help to Claim on: 0800 144 8444 for new Universal Credit claims, or visit: www.citizensadviceswale.uk for more information.

Swale Borough Council

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James Heming Joins 106.9 SFM

James Heming in his home studio.

Former Heart Kent and Invicta Radio presenter James Heming is joining Sittingbourne’s local community radio station, 106.9 SFM.

James presented Kent’s most listened to Breakfast Show for nearly two decades. He joined Invicta FM in 1997, taking over as the main presenter on‘The Morning Zoo’ in 2000.

James said:

“What a time to hop on board and help a superb station do what they do best. Now more than ever SFM is an absolute lifeline for Sittingbourne’s community and proves local radio is very much alive and well.

Personally, I can’t wait to be back on a Kent radio station over the Easter weekend. I couldn’t be happier!”

We are pulling out all the stops this Easter weekend to entertain those that are at home. We have called this weekend our #StayAtHomeWeekender, so that’swhat our listeners should do! We will be making sure that we bring entertainment to not only those following government advice but also the key workers and NHS staff that we owe our thanks to.

All our presenters, including James, will be broadcasting from their homes and will be for the foreseeable future, so it’s important that our listeners do the same: stay at home, put the radio on, stay safe and protect our NHS.

Pete Flynn, Station Manager at 106.9 SFM, added:

“It has taken a little while to make this happen but it will definitely be worth the wait. When we knew James was available we knew we had to get him on board in some shape or form, back on the air again here in Kent.

This will be a great opportunity for James’s fans across Kent to be reunited with one of their favourite broadcasters. He is a hugely likeable guy with a natural ability to say what everyone else is thinking. We have all grown up with James on the radio every weekday morning, so it will be great to hear him back On Air again as part of the #StayAtHomeWeekender”.

James’s first show on 106.9 SFM will be from 11:00am this Friday (10th April) and again from 11:00am on Bank Holiday Monday (13th April).

You can hear SFM on 106.9FM in the Sittingbourne area and online via their website: sfmradio.com, on the ‘106.9 SFM’ App on Android and iOS and also on the Radio Player and TuneIn.

#StayAtHomeWeekender Schedule changes:

Good Friday:

7 - 9 - Nicky B’s Breakfast

9 - 11 - James Waters

11 - 1 - James Heming

1 - 3 - Ian Henderson

3 - 5 - Terry Shea

5 - 7 - Dan Davis

Bank Holiday Monday:

7 - 9 - Sam Gillham’s Breakfast

9 - 11 - Bradley Jacobs

11 - 1 - James Heming

1 - 3 - Angela Maybourne

3 - 5 - Graeme Burford

5 - 7 - Jack Cheeseman

The SFM News Team
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