M&S Little Shop 2 - Swop Shop

For collectors of M&S Little Shop 2, how frustrating is it not being able to swop the items in the shop this year due to COVID restrictions?

Last year, I managed to complete sets for several happy children to play with. However, this year, despite collecting over 130 of them I have only managed to complete one set of 25. All the others being duplicates but not making up a set. 

Looking on the internet, it is extraordinary that people are selling these singularly at very high prices. What fun is there in that and disappointing for the children and costly for grandparents!

I would like to set up a swop shop ‘free of charge’ the only cost being the postage.

I have a large number of duplicates and I am happy to coordinate all this if anyone is interested.

Just drop me an Email letting me know what you have and what you want to swop it for and let’s see if we can get it going.

Looking forward to hearing from other frustrated parents/grandparents.

Bye for now.

Jan Bunting
Email: janannbunting@outlook.com

Medway Council - Residents Encouraged to Book Their Free NHS Health Check

Medway Council is encouraging residents aged 40 to 74 to book their free NHS Health Check.

Residents can now book a health check at a number of GP surgeries across Medway and at the Smokefree Advice Centre in Chatham.

As people get older they have a higher risk of developing conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease or type 2 diabetes. A free NHS Health Check can spot the early signs of these conditions and trained staff can offer tailored advice and ongoing support to help residents make small changes to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Residents aged between 40 and 74, who do not have a pre-existing condition will be invited for a health check every 5 years, either at their GP surgery or the Smokefree Advice Centre. Those who receive their invitation should book their appointment as soon as possible to avoid delay. Queries about eligibility can be made with Medway Council’s Public Health team by phoning 01634 335830, Emailing: medwayhealthchecks@medway.gov.uk or texting the word ‘CHECK’ to 81066.

A number of new social distancing measures have been put in place at the Smokefree Advice Centre in Chatham to keep both visitors and staff safe. This includes Health Checks being by appointment only, a limited number of people being allowed in the centre at any one-time, staggered arrival times and enhanced cleaning. Patients will also be asked to wear a face covering whilst inside the centre.

Cllr David Brake, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder covering Public Health, said:

“I am pleased that eligible residents aged 40 to 74 can now book a free NHS Health Check at our Smokefree Advice Centre in Chatham once again. It is incredibly important that residents continue to look after their health and our specialist staff have been trained to identify early indications of conditions, like high blood pressure, which often have no symptoms. They will also provide tailored advice to help our residents live healthier lives. If you book a health check and can no longer attend the appointment, please let our staff know.”

For more information about NHS Health Checks, visit: medway.gov.uk/healthchecks

Medway Council

Medway Council - Cold War Steve Launches National Exhibition in Medway

Medway will host one of the country’s first new artwork exhibitions this week.

Cold War Steve Meets The Outside World will be on display at Riverside Country Park from Friday, 18th September.

The exhibition supports Medway’s aspirations to become UK City of Culture 2025 which would create a legacy of opportunities for local people and bring significant economic benefits to the area.

Back at the start of 2020 Birmingham artist Christopher Spencer, otherwise known as artist Cold War Steve, was about to set out on a nationwide tour of pubs, hairdressers, village halls, libraries, shops and front rooms as part of his unique You, Me and Cold War Steve do-it-yourself downloadable exhibition.

Then the coronavirus pandemic hit and during lockdown plans started to emerge for a new idea to leave the house and meet the outside world again.

This September and October Cold War Steve will unveil four ambitious new outdoor artworks starting in Medway.

Cold War Steve Meets The Outside World will feature 11 free to view outdoor artworks on the shoreline of Riverside Country Park in Rainham. The exhibition launches on Friday, 18th September at 2:00pm (high tide) and will be on display until Sunday, 27th September.

Anyone planning on visiting the exhibition is reminded to continue to follow social distancing guidelines.

Cold War Steve specialises in surreal, satirical collages originally made on his phone and iPad. Since 2016 Cold War Steve’s Twitter account, with almost daily posts, has seen his following increasing by the day. Three solo exhibitions, two books with Thames & Hudson, commissions for the National Galleries of Scotland, Whitworth in Manchester, Birmingham Museum and Gallery, a giant billboard installation at Glastonbury Festival and an international TIME magazine cover have all followed.

Cold War Steve aka Christopher Spencer, said:

“I’m well excited to start the 'Cold War Steve Meets The Outside World’ exhibition here in Medway. The Riverside Country Park is the perfect spot for this nature trail installation; the mix of beautiful shoreline, wildlife, industrial and post industrial landscape is wonderful. The 11 pieces on display are a kind of 'CWS 2020 best of’, some of my biggest pieces from this crazy year that have never been displayed anywhere before, plus a brand piece made especially for Medway. The event has been designed to be viewed from a distance with social distancing in mind. An art trail throughout the park and on the shoreline. Bring your binoculars!”

Paul Cowell, Head of Culture and Libraries at Medway Council, said:

“It is fantastic that Medway will host the first part of Cold War Steve’s national exhibition. Riverside Country Park is an ideal location for an unusual exhibition, such as this, with Cold War Steve’s satirical artwork being displayed on the picturesque shoreline. We understand how important creativity is to both our own personal wellbeing but how it can also help boost community spirits, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. It is incredibly exciting that Medway is attracting national artists to exhibit their new work here. This exhibition supports Medway’s aspirations to become UK City of Culture 2025 which is a huge opportunity to put Medway on the map and show the rest of the country what we have to offer.”

Imogen Robertson, Bid Director at Medway 2025, said:

“Our Medway 2025 City of Culture bid is all about turning Medway’s green spaces, shopping centres, stadiums and public areas into venues that showcase world-class creativity for everyone. We’re proud to welcome people from across Medway and the rest of the country to Rainham to see Cold War Steve’s artworks at Riverside Country Park as we bid to be UK City of Culture in 2025.”

Riverside Country Park in Rainham is a great location for the exhibition with free on-site parking, walking trails and picnic areas for people wishing to visit the exhibition and spend the day in Medway. It is also a short drive or bus journey away Gillingham town centre and the railway station and has good motorway links with the M25 and M2 for visitors from further afield.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to continue to follow social distancing guidelines when visiting the exhibition.

Medway Council

Urgent Road Closure - The Street, Upchurch

It will be necessary to close The Street, Upchurch from Monday 21st September 2020 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed at the junctions of Wetham Green and The Poles.

The alternative route is via Wetham Green, Susans Lane, Twinney Lane, Halstow Lane, and Forge Lane.

This is to enable drainage repairs to be carried out by Kent County Council.

For information regarding this closure, please contact Kent County Council on:

03000 418181 (9:00am - 5:00pm)

03000 419191 (5:00pm - 9:00am)

For details of roadworks see: https://one.network

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Holywell School to Receive Prestigious Unicef UK Gold Award

Holywell School in Upchurch, Sittingbourne has been awarded Gold by Unicef UK’s Rights Respecting School programme.

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation working for children and their rights. The Rights Respecting Schools Award is granted to schools that show commitment to promoting and realising children’s rights and encouraging adults, children and young people to respect the rights of others in school. Gold is the highest accolade given by Unicef UK and shows a deep and thorough commitment to children’s rights at all levels of school life. There are over 500 schools across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales that have received Gold.

The school has been working with Unicef UK since 2017. They received their Silver certificate in June 2017. Last year, children from Holywell School attended a special Parliamentary event and exhibition to speak out on behalf of children across the country for their right to clean air. In a speech to MPs and UNICEF representatives children from the school spoke of the dangers of toxic air on their health, the importance of monitoring and significantly reducing toxic levels of air pollution urging the government to action to protect children’s health.

Headteacher of Holywell School, Mr Darran Callaghan, said:

“I am immensely proud of our achievement and the work that children, staff and the community have done to receive this award and I want to thank everyone for their commitment to put the rights of children at the very centre of every decision we make. By embedding the UN Convention on the rights of the Child we help our pupils grow into confident, caring and responsible young people so they may realise their potential. As a result, children at our school not only have a voice, feel safe and well cared for but also have a greater understanding of equality, dignity, respect and non-discrimination and the impact they can have, not just in their community but in the wider world.”

Holywell School is one of only four schools in Kent to have received the Gold award from Unicef UK and the first school in Swale. The Award recognises achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of a school’s planning, policies and practice. A Rights Respecting School is a community where children’s rights are learned, taught, practised, respected, protected and promoted.

Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools Programme Director, Frances Bestley, said:

“We are very pleased to be awarding Holywell Primary School Gold; Rights Respecting. It is clear that the whole school has embraced a culture based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Holywell is a very inclusive school where children report feeling valued and safe irrespective of their background. Pupils also have many genuine opportunities to have their views heard and influence key aspect of school life, in turn creating a positive learning environment. It was also clear that children had an excellent grasp of children’s rights and social justice, and so did school staff, parents, carers and the school’s governors. Everyone should be very proud of their achievement particularly in achieving Gold at such a challenging time for schools.”

The Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools initiative is aimed at schools across the UK, including those in an early years setting. This year the programme has received additional support from The People’s Postcode Lottery. This vital funding is helping Unicef UK continue its work with over 4500 primary schools, secondary schools, schools for children and young people with special educational needs and pupil referral units across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Schools have reported a positive impact on pupil behaviour, relationships and well-being by enhancing pupil’s self-esteem, leading to less truancy and bullying, better learning and improved academic standards.

Mr Darran Callaghan

Headteacher

Holywell Primary School

Telephone: 01634 388416

Email: office@holywell.kent.sch.uk

Website: www.holywell.kent.sch.uk

Poolside Bar Music with Country Cousins at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

From 7:30pm

Free Entry - Non-Members Welcome

Food Available Until 8:00pm

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626