Estuary 2021

23 Days of Art, Music, Literature and Film

Estuary 2021 is the second edition of the large-scale arts festival that celebrates the lives, landscapes and histories of the spectacular Thames Estuary.

The festival takes place on the river itself and along the 107 miles of South Essex and North Kent coastline. Contemporary artworks, discussion and events explore and respond to powerful themes resonant to the estuary.

Artworks are set in the landscape, online and within Covid-safe venues and aim to bring new audiences to a deeper understanding of the estuary.

Estuary 2021 is led by a partnership between estuary-based arts organisations, Metal (South Essex) and Cement Fields (North Kent).

The festival runs from Saturday 22nd May to Sunday 13th June 2021.

Explore the local festival events at: www.medway.gov.uk/events/event/486/estuary_festival

Find out more about Estuary 2021 at: www.estuaryfestival.com

Upchurch Matters

The Strand Swimming Pool Will Reopen This Summer

Medway’s popular open-air pool in Gillingham will reopen later this month.

The Strand pool will reopen for weekends only from Saturday, 29th May. The pool will then open daily from Saturday, 24th July until Wednesday, 1st September.

The Strand boasts a leisure pool, a 25-metre swim area, a 300-metre lazy river and children’s slides.

A new, online pre-booking system will be in place and residents and visitors will be able to book a morning or afternoon session from 12:00pm (noon) on Saturday, 22nd May. Numbers for each session will be limited, in line with government social distancing requirements. All sessions must be booked online, in advance, by visiting medway.gov.uk/strand. If residents do not have access to the internet, they can visit Medway Park in Gillingham or Strood or Hoo Sports Centres to book online, or phone: 01634 336655, during office hours, to book a session.

Customers must bring their booking confirmation with them, either printed out or on their phones, for their session.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of The Strand and the council is currently creating an online exhibition, using fond memories and images from residents to celebrate the history of The Strand, along with new signs which look back at memorable moments over the last 125 years. The exhibition also forms part of Estuary 21, an arts festival that celebrates the lives, landscapes and histories of the Thames Estuary. There are more than 20 exciting events and activities happening across Medway during the festival, which supports Medway’s aspirations to become UK City of Culture in 2025

The iconic pink elephant is currently having a makeover and will be painted all the colours of the rainbow as a tribute to Medway’s keyworkers and the NHS for their hard work during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Medway Council has launched a competition to name the elephant. Residents are encouraged to email their suggestions to medwaysport@medway.gov.uk or message Medway Sport on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, before 5:00pm on Sunday, 20th June. The name will be announced by Saturday, 26th June. The winner will receive four complimentary entrance tickets for a swimming session at The Strand this year.

Cllr Howard Doe, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said:

“I am pleased that we will be reopening The Strand pool later this month. As the pool is incredibly popular with residents, and visitors, we have introduced a booking system to avoid disappointment. All visitors must book a session in advance and bring their confirmation with them when they visit the pool. We are looking forward to welcoming residents back to the pool, especially as we will be celebrating The Strand’s 125th anniversary in June. As a tribute to Medway’s keyworkers and the NHS, for their hard work keeping residents safe during the coronavirus pandemic, the pink elephant, which is synonymous with The Strand, is currently being painted all the colours of the rainbow. We have launched a naming competition and I would encourage our youngest residents to enter. Medway is aspiring to become a Child-Friendly City, putting children and young people at the heart of everything it does.”

For more information, and to book your session (from Saturday, 22nd May), visit: medway.gov.uk/strand

Medway Council

Survey: Your Views on Sittingbourne’s Avenue of Remembrance

Avenue of Remembrance, Sittingbourne.

Your views on Sittingbourne's Avenue of Remembrance

Swale Borough Councillors would like residents and interested parties to have an opportunity to share their views on how important the Avenue of Remembrance memorial is by completing a short survey.

Following the WW1 commemorative period, Swale Borough Council and a working group of interested parties (including Kent County Council, Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne, Sittingbourne Society, Royal British Legion and Veterans Breakfast Club), was set up to look at the Avenue of Remembrance in Sittingbourne. The group work with local schools to explore new methods and technologies to provide information about the fallen men.

The purpose of the survey is to ensure the views of the Sittingbourne community are considered in matters relating to the maintenance and future management of the Avenue of Remembrance. It will enable Swale Borough Council and the working group to make decisions about the specification and format and how much needs to be spent going forward.

Sittingbourne’s Avenue of Remembrance consisted of trees and 181 commemorative name plaques of local men who died during WW1 when inaugurated in 1923. A further 94 plaques were added to commemorate those who died during WW2.

Research into the Avenue reveals that it is probably the last remaining memorial of this type in the whole of the UK, which is an actual roadway.

Please help by completing the short survey at: www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/37H5FZX

The survey takes around 5 minutes to complete and will close at 5:00pm on Friday 25th June 2021. The information you provide is controlled by Swale Borough Council.

If you would rather have a paper copy of the survey posted out to you for completion, please request a copy by emailing lynnewton@swale.gov.uk or call 01795 417420.

Thank you

Upchurch Matters

Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for the Area - March 2021

Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch

A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.

42 crimes are shown on the map in March 2021 including:

16 Anti-social Behaviour

5 Criminal Damage and Arson

1 Drugs

3 Other Theft

1 Public Order

4 Vehicle Crime

11 Violence and Sexual Offences
1 Other Crime

40 crimes were shown on the map in February 2021.

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

A brief summary of crime information for the past 2 months.

20 crimes are shown on the map in March 2021 including:

9 Anti-social Behaviour

2 Criminal Damage and Arson

4 Public Order

5 Violence and Sexual Offences

31 crimes were shown on the map in February 2021.

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

Temporary Road Closure - Iwade Road, Newington

Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Iwade Road, Newington from Monday 24th May 2021, with estimated completion by Monday 7th June 2021.

The road will be closed between the junctions with Church Lane and Stickfast Lane, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for any through traffic is via Church Lane, A2 High Street, Boyces Hill, Keycol Hill, Key Street Roundabout, Sheppey Way, Stickfast Lane and vice versa.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while tree surgery works are undertaken by Openreach.

For information regarding the closure please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

Swale Borough Council - Use of Electric Scooters is Illegal on Public Roads, Cycle Lanes and Pavements

Swale Borough Council urges electric scooter users to comply with the law by only using them on private land where they have permission to ride.

Electric scooters are classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles and are treated as motor vehicles. This means users require crash helmets, lights, number plates, insurance, vehicle tax, a driving licence and registration to use them on the road.

This also means that it is illegal to use them on pavements, in cycle lanes and in pedestrian-only areas, and users risk having their scooter seized by police if they are seen riding dangerously.

Local police are stopping users to inform them of the law and are seizing scooters if an offence is committed.

Persistent offenders and dangerous riders can also receive a fixed penalty notice or traffic offence report.

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

“We’ve noticed hot spots across the borough where electric scooters are being used recklessly. Our town centres in Sittingbourne, Faversham and especially in Sheerness are problem areas for the community.

“We know that adults use electric scooters, but it is mostly children that are riding dangerously through the high streets, making it unsafe for pedestrians and shoppers.

“We are monitoring high street CCTV and can pass footage of people riding dangerously and repeat offenders to the police.

“Our ambassadors and marshals are also patrolling high streets now that shops have reopened and will be on the lookout for electric scooter users who are breaking the law.

“Anyone breaking the law will be reported to the police.”

Inspector Joel Mitchell of Swale’s Community Safety Unit said:

“Our PCs and PCSOs have been patrolling the town centres to engage with the owners of electric scooters and have been providing education around the law on using them. We have also been working with the local council to ensure a joined-up approach to tackling this issue.

“We have received reports of people using them dangerously and causing anti-social behaviour and it is important that people adhere to the law.

“Owners should be aware that these vehicles currently fall under the same laws and regulations that apply to all motor vehicles, which means for use on a public road the rider requires insurance, vehicle tax, a driving licence and registration.

“We will continue to stop and give words of advice and will seize the equipment where offences have been committed.

“Where appropriate, persistent offenders or dangerous riders can be issued with a fixed penalty notice or be reported to the court for prosecution.”

Report the dangerous use of an electric scooter at: www.kent.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime

Swale Borough Council