CANCELLED: Urgent Road Closure - Sheerness Road, Lower Halstow

Please note: This closure has been cancelled due to ongoing Southern Water works requiring a road closure in the vicinity.

It will be necessary to close Sheerness Road, Lower Halstow from Monday 12th April 2021 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed between the junctions of Vicarage Lane and Basser Hill.

The alternative route is via Vicarage Lane, Wardwell Lane, Church Lane, Iwade Road and Basser Hill.

It is planned that the road will be closed between 09:30 hrs and 16:30 hrs.

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

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Swale Borough Council - Restart Grant Scheme and UK Community Renewal Fund Open for Applications

Restart Grant scheme opens for applications

Swale Borough Council has opened the restart grant scheme for applications.

The restart grant scheme supports businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors with a one-off grant, to reopen safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

To be eligible for the grant, your business will need to be trading on the 1st April 2021, registered for business rates and in the non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care or gym sectors.

You must make a new application through the Grant Approval website to receive this grant. Register or login, with the details which you used before, to apply at: https://grantapproval.co.uk

If you are eligible for the grant, you will receive:

• A one-off grant of up to £6,000 in the non-essential retail sector.
• A one-off grant of up to £18,000 in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors.

If you have any queries or an issue with error messages on your application, please Email: ndrgrants@swale.gov.uk

There will also be funding available in this phase of the roadmap through the Additional Restrictions Grant scheme. We are currently waiting on final guidance from the government. We will let you know when the scheme launches and how you can apply through this e-bulletin, on social media and through our website.

UK Community Renewal Fund - open for applications

The government has announced a new UK Community Renewal Fund to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The Fund has identified Swale as one of 100 priority areas and could provide mostly revenue funding to significant projects which aim to test new approaches to four investment priorities - investing in skills, supporting people into employment, helping businesses to develop their potential and investment in communities and place.

Kent County Council (KCC) has been designated by the government as the lead body and is tasked with undertaking a call for bids, which it must shortlist for each district, prior to submission to government by June.

The call for UK Community Renewal Fund (UK CRF) bids is now live on the KCC website. This link provides access to details about the Fund and the application form: www.kent.gov.uk/ukcommunityrenewalfund

The deadline for applicants to submit bids to KCC is 9:00am on Tuesday 4th May 2021.
To try and help co-ordinate bids which are hoping to deliver in Swale, Swale Borough Council is asking those looking at bidding to let us know along with an outline of the project. Please Email: economicdevelopment@swale.gov.uk

Workshops

To support potential applicants, KCC is hosting two UK CRF workshops via zoom on:

• Tuesday 6th April 2021 between 10:30am and 12:30pm.
• Thursday 8th April 2021 between 2:00pm and 4:00pm.

To sign-up to attend a workshop Email: UKCommunityRenewalFund@kent.gov.uk and make the Email subject line ‘Attend UK CRF workshop’.

Swale Borough Council

NOW HOME: Biggles is Missing From Ham Green

Thank you

Abigial Yarrow - John Davies

The Gore Farm Aircraft Incident of June 1912 by David Wood

Not many out of the ordinary incidents occur in quiet country villages like Upchurch but in June 1912 residents experienced a sensational event when a large mysterious aeroplane flying haphazardly and in flames above the village was spotted. The news spread quickly and curious residents rushed from their homes to view the spectacle.

The story, according to the 'East Kent Gazette' dated June 1912, concerned a French pilot named Mr Jules Nardini who was flying a monoplane from Dover to Hendon after completing a successful crossing of the English Channel from France. While passing over Upchurch the plane’s engine developed serious problems and Mr Nardini, without many options, was forced to crash land it in a wheat field at Gore Farm.

Famous aviator Jules Nardini about to take off from Whitfield Airfield

near Dover in May 1912.

Jules Nardini steeplechasing over crowds and aeroplanes at Hendon on

the Deperdussin monoplane.

After the plane looped down it landed heavily, the petrol tank was damaged and developed a serious leak. Mr Nardini, uninjured but shaken, climbed out to inspect the damage but as he did so a large crowd of Upchurch residents who had been watching the plane swarmed across the wheat field at Gore Farm to get a closer look. In the process of doing this, they trampled down a large area of wheat. In 1912 aircraft were not a common sight flying over the Kent countryside and this one probably had the same effect on the local population as a U.F.O would have today, especially as it had been encircling the village with visible serious problems.

Gore Farm owner Mr Crawford, who was not amused with what had happened, soon appeared on the scene. After inspecting the plane and his damaged wheat field, he invited Mr Nardini into his house to discuss the matter but in the process of doing this, somebody in the crowd dropped a cigarette or match on the ground. Petrol that had leaked from the plane on to the ground immediately ignited and the monoplane instantly went up in flames along with the surrounding wheat. The police were called to a chaotic scene and eventually drove the inquisitive but defiant crowd away while the blaze was tackled.

Eventually, the fire was extinguished and the monoplane survived but badly burnt and Mr Crawford estimated that about £50 worth of damage had been done to his wheat. In the evening he drove Mr Nardini to Chatham railway station from where the Frenchman was able to continue his journey to London. The damaged monoplane was then removed from Gore Farm and temporarily stored in the yard of 'The Key Inn' situated in Key Street.

In the meantime, Upchurch residents were able to gossip about the unexpected incident which appeared in both the national and local press.

David Wood

About David

David Wood was born, raised and still lives in Upchurch today. He is able to write from personal experience about village life and the changes that have taken place over the years, making ‘Memories of Upchurch’ a very readable and detailed historical study of the village.

David's book is available from David at david3702001@yahoo.co.uk or from us here at Upchurch Matters. Price £12 + postage and packing.

Easter Sunday Garden at the Empty Tomb in St Mary’s Churchyard

Read more on the importance of the Empty Tomb

at: https://bit.ly/2Pe3WRp

The stone to the Empty Tomb created by Frank Osborne in the Churchyard at St Mary's, Upchurch has been rolled back to reveal the linen burial shroud in which Jesus was wrapped after crucifixion before he was placed into the tomb.

Potted plants have been left to create a glorious garden on Easter Sunday when Christians celebrate Jesus, their risen saviour.

From John's Gospel

“Mary ran to find Simon Peter. They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, she cried.

Then Simon Peter ran to the tomb, went inside the tomb and noticed the cloth laying there that Jesus had been wrapped in.”

Gill Gay

Upchurch Matters

NHS Kent and Medway CCG - Community Bulletin

Covid-19 vaccines update

986,486 vaccine jabs have been given across Kent and Medway. Of these, 870,141 are first doses. This means 85% of the nine priority groups are now protected with a first dose.

First doses for 50+ and vulnerable groups

If you are eligible but not yet had a first dose, please do now call your GP to arrange an appointment for the next available clinic.

April first dose supplies

National supply constraints during April means limited appointments will be available for first dose vaccines at our large vaccination centres and pharmacies.

Services will be concentrating on second doses and outreach services until supplies increase.

Second doses

Supplies for second doses are not affected and appointments will be continuing across all services.

Second doses will be given by the same service that did your first dose.

For GP-led vaccination services, you should be contacted about second dose appointments no later than the Monday of the 11th week after your first dose.

If you have not heard by that point, please contact your GP to check.

There is more detail in our weekly vaccines update

Covid restrictions: what you can and cannot do

Some of the rules on what you can and cannot do have changed. You can now gather with either two households or up to six people outdoors, and outdoor sports facilities will also reopen for use.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are no longer advised to shield. However, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and take additional precautions to protect yourself.

Many restrictions remain in place.

You must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with or have formed a support bubble with.

Where possible, you should continue to work from home and minimise the number of journeys you make.

Holidays abroad are not allowed.

You can read the ‘COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021 (roadmap)’ for more information on the roadmap out of lockdown in England.

Integrated Care System established

From 1st April 2021, the Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership has been formally confirmed as an Integrated Care System.

Interim Chair, John Goulston, welcomed the move, saying:

“Together we can be more than the sum of our parts, and we will achieve more for the health and wellbeing of our population by maximising the integration of services.

“As a partnership, we have agreed a simple statement of our purpose: We will work together to make health and wellbeing better than any partner can do alone.”

Read more here

Help improve diabetes care in east Kent

People living with diabetes, their family and carers are being asked for their views on a major programme to enhance diabetes services. 

Led by diabetes specialists from the NHS and local councils in east Kent, the aim is to deliver more effective and accessible care, as well as prevent people from developing the disease through improved education.

Please find out more and complete a short survey online now until 23rd April.

Read the full bulletin at >> https://bit.ly/31O3X0V

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group