Swallows Leisure Centre Roof Fixed and Ready for Re-opening After Lockdown

Work to replace the severely storm-damaged roof of Swallows Leisure Centre has been completed.

The roof of the leisure centre in Sittingbourne was damaged in storm Ciara last year, causing significant damage.

In July, the council agreed to provide £800,000 to replace a large area over the pool, sports hall, café and part of the gym.

Cllr Angela Harrison, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at the council, said:

“I’m glad to see the works have finished, so the centre can now plan for reopening as lockdown restrictions are relaxed in coming weeks and months.

The last year has been a tremendous challenge for the centre, with the damaged roof, national lockdowns, and adapting how they operate to make sure people could exercise safely.

We know how important Swallows is for local people’s health and wellbeing, which is why we’ve invested a significant amount of money on the repairs.

We’ve invested now as we don’t want to cut corners and just patch over issues as they crop up. It needed to be done properly so we can prevent more unnecessary closures which don’t just have a direct financial impact, but also have a significant effect on the health and wellbeing of local people.”

Dave Harcourt, Chief Executive Officer at Swale Community Leisure who run the leisure centre, said:

“It’s fantastic news that after a lengthy construction period, overcoming the constraints of Covid-19 and the inevitable winter weather, that the Swallows Leisure Centre roof project is finally complete.

This is great news for our customers, and also for our staff, who are looking forward to the pool and sports hall being operable again.

It is thanks to the investment and ongoing support from Swale Borough Council in bringing this about, that when we re-open following the Governments ‘Road-map to Recovery’, we anticipate the return of so many wonderful people to the centre.”

Plans are being prepared to reopen the centre in line with Government guidance, and further announcements will be made in due course.

Swale Borough Council

£100,000 Grant Awarded to Educate Children on the Importance of Air Quality in Kent

A council scheme to help children think about the air they breathe has been awarded a government grant of more than £100,000.

The funding will be used by Swale, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury district councils, along with Kent County Council, to develop and build an educational resource with an interactive story book, animations, and digital games to help improve air quality.

The resources will encourage children to learn why air quality is important, as well as teach them what they, and their parents, can do to help improve the air they breathe.

They will be taught things like how much air pollution is created by a stationary vehicle with its engine running, as well as how to let grown-ups know they need to change their behaviour and switch off their engines at the right times.

Cllr Julian Saunders, cabinet member for environment at Swale council, said:

“It's great news that we've been awarded government funding for this project.

“Children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of air pollution and we've been working to address this through things like our Clean Air for Schools campaign where we’ve been working with local primary schools to speak to pupils and encourage No Idling Zones around school gates.

“This funding will help us build on the work we’ve done so far and engage with children to encourage healthier day-to-day behaviour.

“Home schooling has shown us how children can effectively learn using technology, and this scheme will use that with interactive gaming to teach them about how we can improve air quality.”

The funding of £103,770 comes from the Air Quality Grant Scheme run by the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs.

Swale Borough Council

Centenary of The Royal British Legion

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION CELEBRATES ITS CENTENARY THIS YEAR

Formed in 1921 to provide welfare to soldiers returning from the First World War, the Royal British Legion is today the UK's leading military charity. In May 2021 the Legion celebrates its centenary. We Are the Legion is the first book to look at the whole hundred years, telling the extraordinary story of support to servicemen and women in the UK and around the world - from finding jobs and housing to healing the injuries and trauma of conflict.

In recent years the Legion has quietly transformed itself from an organisation of old soldiers to a modern media-savvy charity leading the country in remembrance but also lobbying the government on pensions and researching state-of-the-art rehabilitation while working alongside other leading charities on welfare provision.

We Are the Legion covers every aspect of the Legion's work: the history of the poppy, the Legion's international links, its role in fostering peace between countries and its latest work on rehabilitation and support. But the book also pulls together lesser-known aspects of the Legion's history, whether of the villages set aside for rehabilitation or the misguided trip to Germany in the 1930s as an attempt to foster friendship between nations.

Richly illustrated with over 350 images, including an extraordinary collection of early poppy designs, Legion posters and unseen archive shots, the book also includes original photography specially commissioned for the project.

We Are the Legion - Julie Summers.

We Are the Legion is available for pre-order on Amazon. The book, richly illustrated with more than 350 images, looks at the Legion’s 100 years, telling the extraordinary story of support to servicemen and women in the UK and abroad while covering every aspect of the Legion's work. The edition is offered at £16.71 reduced from £18.99 and pre-orders will be shipped on the publication date of 6th May.

The text above is copied from my RBL membership newsletter.

“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”

Hon. Ald. Gerry Lewin - Poppy Day Appeal Organiser 

Telephone: 01634 366113 - 07946 996789

Email: lewing135@btinternet.com

Knitting Group Decorate the Centre of Upchurch Village for Mothers's Day

Click the photo montage to enlarge.

The ladies of the Knitting Group, along with their partners have surprised everyone by decorating the railings at St. Mary's Church, the bus shelter in Horsham Lane and the post box and railings at Upchurch Post Office in a wonderful Easter theme of lovely Spring Daffodils and brightly coloured flowers for Mother's Day.

They really have brightened up the centre of the village again!

Thank you, ladies 👍🏼😀🐣🐇🌷🌼🌹

Upchurch Matters

125 Years of The Strand - What are Your Favourite Memories?

Strongman Geoff Capes astride the popular Miniature Railway at The Strand.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of The Strand since it first opened in June 1896.

The hugely popular Gillingham leisure park has brought joy to generations of families over the years. To celebrate, Medway Sport would like to hear your favourite memories of The Strand from years gone by and see your family photos which showcase the history of this iconic Medway attraction.

Your best memories and photos will be used as part of an exhibition to celebrate this very special anniversary - the details of the exhibition will be announced in April.

Perhaps you can remember your first visit to The Strand? or maybe a memorable summer's day at the Lido?… perhaps you shot an unbelievable hole in one on the Crazy Golf Course… or you had a lovely family picnic which you look back on fondly.

What’s your favourite memory?

Why do you love The Strand?

Help create a celebration of memories that will live on forever!

You can take part by sending:

• Your favourite memory

• Pictures of The Strand from your family archives

Send your Strand 125 entry along with a picture (if you have one) to: medwaysport@medway.gov.uk by midnight on Sunday 21th March.

#TheStrand125

Upchurch Matters

Temporary Road Closure - Breach Lane, Upchurch

Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Breach Lane, Upchurch from Wednesday 31st March 2021 at 22:00, with estimated completion by 1st April 2021 at 06:00.

The road will be closed in the general vicinity of the rail bridge, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic is via Breach Lane, The Street, Halstow Lane, Forge Lane, Horsham Lane, Otterham Quay Lane, Lower Rainham Road, A2 Moor Street, London Road, Hartlip Hill and vice versa.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while bridge maintenance works and other associated works are undertaken by Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd.

For information regarding this closure please contact Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd on: 03457 11 41 41, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

Kent County Council 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste