Swale Borough Council Releases Winter Grant Scheme to Support Families Financially Impacted by Covid

People who have been financially impacted by the covid pandemic can now apply for a pre-packaged essential food box from Swale Borough Council to help feed their families.

The council’s winter grant scheme has been created to help support local families who have been financially impacted by covid and will help people who have received a reduction of income, loss of employment or other financial suffering due to the pandemic.

Nine different pre-packaged essential food boxes will be available to meet the various dietary, cultural and religious needs of local residents.

Each box will provide enough food for seven days and will be delivered within a maximum of two weeks of an application being accepted.

Bidfood and Diversity House will process and deliver the food boxes to residents’ doors.

Cllr Richard Palmer, cabinet member for community at the council, said:

“The winter grant scheme is a new service that is in direct response to those who are suffering financial hardship because of the covid pandemic.

“This year has taken its toll on families in many ways and we want to help those who have been hit the hardest financially.

“We’ll be working with both Bidfood and Diversity House to deliver the food boxes to residents’ homes.

“Working with both organisations means we can provide a range of dietary requirements as well as cultural and religious specifications.

“If you’ve recently become unemployed because of the pandemic we encourage you to visit our website to see if you are eligible and make an application.

“Once your application is submitted, our community support team will carry out an assessment. If successful, the essential food box will be delivered to you within two weeks.

“We know this has been a difficult year for people and we’re doing everything we can to help support families experiencing financial hardship this winter.”

To be eligible for support you must:

• Have recently become unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Not already be receiving help from the Kent Support and Assistance Scheme.

• Not already be receiving benefits related free school meals.

• Not already be receiving support through all the available government benefits.

• Be experiencing current financial hardship, for example loss of income before benefits have been assessed.

• Be fleeing domestic abuse.

For more information and to apply for the winter grant scheme visit: www.swale.gov.uk/cwgs

Swale Borough Council

New Nativity Scene at St Mary’s Churchyard

A lovely new Nativity Scene, beautifully built by Frank Osborne has been installed in the Churchyard at St Mary’s, Upchurch.

#UpchurchXmas

Upchurch Matters

AMENDED - Temporary Overnight Road Closure - A2 London Road, Hartlip Hill & High Street, Newington, Hartlip & Upchurch

The roads will be closed between the junctions with South Bush Lane and Bull Lane from 14th December 2020 for up to 3 nights between the hours of 20:00 and 05:00.

The alternative route for motorway traffic is via A249 Maidstone Road, M2 between Junction 5 to Junction 4, A278 Hoath Way, A2 London Road and vice versa.

The alternative route for non-motorway traffic is via Oak Lane, Forge Lane, The Street, Breach Lane, Boxted Lane, School Lane, Iwade Road, Stickfast Lane, Sheppey Way and vice versa.

To allow carriageway patching and preservation works to be carried out by Kent County Council.

This programme is subject to weather and other factors and may therefore change; every effort will be made to keep as close as to the programmed dates and durations.

Changes will be notified locally and signposted on site.

For information regarding this closure, please contact Kent County Council on: 03000 418181, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Swale Borough Council - Tier 3 Restriction Grants Open for Applications

Swale Borough Council has now received the guidance for the grants available to support businesses severely impacted by tier 3 restrictions, which came into force on the 2nd December 2020.

The three main schemes are:

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (for closed businesses)

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (for open businesses)
• Additional Restrictions Grant 2

You can use the business support finder tool on our website to find out which funding scheme is available for you and your business.

Click here to find out which of these grants your business may be eligible for.

You can also read the guidance for these grants on our website.

In addition, there are two additional schemes, for which eligible businesses are being contacted directly:

• Local Restrictions Grant (Sector)
• Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs - further details to be announced shortly

If you applied for a Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) and are looking for an update, please remember that you can check the status of your application by logging into the Grant Approval website.

If you have any queries, please Email us at: economicdevelopment@swale.gov.uk

Swale Borough Council

Upchurch Surgery - COVID-19 Vaccinations and Changes to 16th December Surgery Opening Hours

Dr Supriya Das & Dr Lakshmi Subbiah

COVID-19 vaccinations will begin on Wednesday the 16th of December at Parkwood Health Centre for patients at this practice.

The first 18 (over 80 patients) have been contacted by the NHS to attend.

As a result, there will be a MORNING SURGERY ONLY at Upchurch on Wednesday the 16th of December and NO SURGERY OPEN in the afternoon/evening as our GP’s will be at Parkwood assisting with the vaccinations.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Ray Kemsley

Chair - Surgery Patient Participation Group - Upchurch & Rainham

Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for the Area - October 2020

Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch

Here is a brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months:

56 crimes are shown on the map in October 2020 including:

16 Anti-social Behaviour

5 Criminal Damage and Arson
5 Other Theft
3 Public Order

1 Shoplifting

6 Vehicle Crime
15 Violence and Sexual Offences

5 Other Crime

33 crimes were shown on the map in September 2020.

Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Lower Halstow and Iwade

Here is a brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months:

31crimes are shown on the map in October 2020 including:

11 Anti-social Behaviour

1 Burglary

4 Criminal Damage and Arson

1 Shoplifting

2 Vehicle Crime

11 Violence and Sexual Offences

1 Oher Crime

39 crimes were shown on the map in September 2020.

Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Upchurch Matters