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Give a gift and light up a life!
The Salvation Army believes every child deserves a new gift at Christmas (so they are unable to take used or second-hand items) and ask for donations with the following guidance:-
• 0-3 years: dolls, teddy bears, cot mobiles, baby clothes, bath toys, CDs of suitable music and nursery rhymes, puzzles.
• 3-5: dolls and action figures, cars, lorries, DVDs and CDs (music and nursery rhymes), colouring sets, pencils, crayons, books, puzzles.
• 5-9: educational games & toys, stationery (colouring sets, pencils, crayons, school sets), CDs & family-friendly DVDs, books, puzzles, wordsearch, crosswords.
• 9-12: games and toys, stationery, DVDs, books, t-shirts, hair accessories, gloves, scarves, hats.
• 13-16: books, make-up and toiletries (please try to ensure non-allergic ingredients if possible), gloves, scarves, hats, t-shirts, hair accessories and gift vouchers.
Over the years, millions of children and young people have benefited from gifts donated to The Salvation Army.
Collection will take place at the layby next to the bus stop in Horsham Lane, Upchurch between 10:30am and 11:30am on Wednesday the 2nd and Friday the 4th of December.
By giving a gift to the Christmas Present Appeal you can make a real difference in someone’s life this Christmas.
William Little
Councillor Roger Truelove.
An emergency meeting has taken place to help tackle the number of cases of coronavirus in Swale.
The meeting was called by Swale Borough Council in response to the recent rise in the number of cases in the borough, and included representatives from partner agencies such as Kent County Council, Kent Police, HM Prison Service and Public Health England.
Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:
“This was a valuable meeting where we were able to bring together a wide range of interested parties to discuss where we are and how we are going to improve the situation.
“We received the very latest figures from our public health colleagues, and these showed that whilst we do seem to be starting to see a fall in cases locally, they are clearly still too high.
“There are also worrying signs that the infection is growing among the over-60’s who are more vulnerable to this virus, and we are sadly starting to see the number of deaths increase.
“We also heard that Swale has the second highest level of testing in the county, which shows that the work we’ve been doing to encourage people with symptoms to get tested is getting through, and it will ultimately make a difference.
“We also had confirmation that only 12 per cent of cases in the last couple of weeks are related to care homes and prison settings, and that this isn’t a problem that is just on the Isle of Sheppey, but elsewhere across the borough.
“The overwhelming majority of cases are through community transmission. It’s spreading in residential settings, and through social activity and it only takes a small number of people to create the clusters of cases that are driving up our figures.
“This is why we needed to call the meeting, so we could be sure where we need to concentrate our resources to get the cases under control again.
“We will be getting in touch with local supermarkets to ask for them to be as vigilant as possible, and we will be carrying out work to make sure everyone involved understands the reasons why people might not feel able to follow the rules.
“Parents seen in supermarkets with children who should be isolating may not have any other childcare and can’t afford the minimum spend for a home delivery. People may be unwilling to get a test as they can’t afford to have time off work. These are issues we need to be able to identify so the relevant agencies can step in with the right support.
“Everyone is committed to making sure people understand the seriousness of the situation to people, and if we don’t follow the rules in place, we face a winter of further restrictions.”
The meeting was attended by officers from Kent County Council, Public Health England, Kent Police, HM Prison Service, the NHS, The Federation of Small Businesses, The Department for Work and Pensions, Optivo and Swale CVS.
Swale Borough Council
I am making Christmas stockings for families in need this Christmas.
So far I have just over 30 stockings to provide to families who have been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic.
The idea is to provide each child with a stocking ‘from Father Christmas’ stuffed with small toys and treats.
Lots of people have already very generously donated stocking fillers - thank you.
If anyone has any pre-loved but in very good condition toys or toddlers books, I would really appreciate them.
For some children, these will be the only gifts they receive this Christmas so I’d like to provide as many as possible.
Please get in touch.
Many thanks as always!
Cia Merrall
15 Forge Lane, Upchurch
Telephone: 07916 151299
Temporary Road Closures - 30th November - 1st December 2020
Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on various roads in Swale from Monday 30th November 2020, with estimated completion by Tuesday 1st December 2020.
The following roads will be closed, as detailed below:
Breach Lane, Lower Halstow - 30th November 2020The road will be closed between the junctions with The Street and A2 Hartlip Hill, from 30th November 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00.
The alternative route is via The Street, Forge Lane, Oak Lane, A2 London Road and Hartlip Hill.
The Street, Lower Halstow - 30th November 2020
The road will be closed between the junctions with Breach Lane and Hollywell Lane, from 30th November 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00.
The alternative route is via Breach Lane and Hollywell Lane.
Spade Lane, Upchurch - 1st December 2020
The road will be closed between the junctions with A2 London Road and Meresborough Lane, from 1st December 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 08:00 and 12:00.
The alternative route is via A2 London Road, South Bush Lane and Meresborough Lane.
Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow - 1st December 2020
The road will be closed between the junctions with School Lane and Vicarage Lane, from 1st December 2020 for up to 1 day between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00.
The alternative route is via School Lane, Boxted Lane, Breach Lane and School Lane.
Access for emergency service vehicles, pedestrians and residents will be maintained at all times during the closure, when it is safe to do so.
The closures are required for the safety of the public and workforce while street cleansing works are undertaken by Swale Borough Council.
For information regarding the closures, please contact Swale Borough Council on: 01795 417850, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.
Kent County Council 24hr Contact Centre:
03000 418181 (9:00am - 5:00pm)
03000 419191 (5:00pm - 9:00am)
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
Swale Borough Council has called an emergency meeting of partner agencies to address the high number of cases of Coronavirus across the borough.
The council has invited senior representatives from partners such as Kent County Council, Kent Police, HM Prison Service, The Department for Work and Pensions and the local voluntary sector.
Cllr Roger Truelove, leader of the council, said:
“We have been working with partners for quite some time in response to the pandemic, but the recent rise in cases is a significant cause for concern.
“We are particularly concerned about compliance with the restrictions in place. I know most people and businesses are doing what they should, but it is frustrating to still see people not wearing face coverings or keeping their distance when they should.
“This kind of wilful disregard of the rules means we are more likely to have further restrictions imposed on us in December, which is hugely unfair for people and businesses who have been doing the right thing since March.
“I want to make sure we are all doing everything we can to address the situation and keep local people safe.
“This is not where we wanted to be, but this is a chance for us all to come together to make sure we are responding effectively, and reassure people that we are all doing all we can to stop the spread of this deadly virus.”
Swale Borough Council
