NHS Kent and Medway CCG - Community Bulletin

Thank you for two million doses

We made it to two million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine - thanks to you; now let's keep going to make sure as many people as possible are protected.

It's in a little more than six months that 1,212,538 first doses (as at 1st July) and 909,492 second doses (as at 1st July) have been given to people living in Kent and Medway. It's an incredible achievement, but there is still more to do.

If you need a vaccine, there are many different ways you can grab a jab at booked and walk-in appointments across Kent and Medway; please keep checking our web page with details of clinics as more are added all the time.

We know that sometimes booking an appointment isn't most convenient for you, that's why our walk-in clinics may suit you better - be vaccinated at a time and location that is right for you.

If you have adult children aged 18 and over and they haven't yet had the vaccine, please let them know too about the walk-in clinics.

You can also now find 13 pharmacies and 10 GP-led vaccination clinics on the national booking service, with a further four GP sites due to be added soon. Anyone can use GP services listed on the national booking system; you don’t need to be registered with the practice.

A full list of vaccination sites can be found at www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

Planning a pregnancy? Where to go for handy tips and advice

Planning to have a baby is exciting, whether it’s your first pregnancy or you already have a child or children.

It’s important to think about your diet, exercise and mental health, as well as lifestyle habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

This NHS short video, with sign language, helps explain how you and your partner can prepare for pregnancy. You can also visit the preparing for pregnancy page of the new Bump, Birth and Beyond website or follow @NHSKMCCG on Twitter and look out for #ReadyForPregnancy

Lung Cancer: Spot the difference and take action

Early symptoms of lung cancer can be subtle and easy to ignore. A bit of breathlessness is put down to being a bit out of shape. Lack of energy can be poor diet or low mood. A persistent cough can easily be confused with Covid

Spot the difference is a new awareness campaign from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. It aims to help people spot the difference in their health, identifying symptoms that are unusual for them and encourage and reassure them to take action.

Further information can be found here www.roycastle.org/spotthedifference

Happy birthday NHS

Our NHS celebrated its 73rd birthday on Monday (5th July) as it continues to address the impact of the pandemic; its biggest challenge since it was created.

Saturday saw landmarks in Kent and Medway light up blue to mark the occasion and also to commemorate those we have lost to Covid-19. The clock tower in Gravesend, Brook Theatre in Chatham, Rochester Bridge and Herne Bay clock tower all went blue in support.

The next day, #ThankYouDay acknowledged the NHS workers, key workers and volunteers who have supported the country during the pandemic. On our birthday itself, NHS teams across the county celebrated with the big tea. This was a chance to have a cup of tea together and take a moment to thank our colleagues throughout health and care.

We would like to thank you too, our communities; you have supported us by following the rules and protecting the NHS throughout.

Thank you

Read the full bulletin at >> https://bit.ly/3AKnwHW

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group

Update: Southern Water Wastewater Pumped Main - Otterham Quay to Poot Lane

Tankers were required to transport sewerage earlier this year while Southern Water carried out temporary repairs to burst sections of sewerage pipework that cross the marsh between their treatment works at Motney Hill, Rainham and Poot Lane, Upchurch.

Thank you to Barry Woodham at Southern Water for again keeping residents updated on the progress of these works.

Below is the latest update received from southern Water:

Poot Lane, Upchurch

Hello,

Firstly, we would like to thank you for your support and understanding whilst we completed repairs to the pumped sewer main. We appreciate that the presence of tankers in your area caused inconvenience and disruption and we would like to sincerely apologise for this.

You may have noticed some new activity and vehicle movements along Straight Lane and Poot Lane in the last week as we are now progressing with a permanent repair on the section of pipe from Otterham Quay, through private land toward Poot Lane.

We anticipate that this section of work will be completed in early October 2021 and then our focus will now turn to the future resilience of the remainder of the pumped main to Lower Halstow. The project team are assessing the viable options and associated timescales of replacing or refurbishing the remaining sewer line and we will provide a progress update as soon as possible.

Community engagement

Our Stakeholder Manager, Barry Woodham will continue to work closely with the Lower Halstow Parish Council and the wider community will be updated on the long term project by a dedicated communications team from Southern Water and MGjv, who are delivering the work on behalf of Southern Water.

We appreciate your feedback

We welcome any questions or concerns you may have so please feel free to contact:

Barry Woodham at: barry.woodham@southernwater.co.uk or

Stuart Roy at: stuart.roy@mgjv.co.uk

Yours faithfully

Tim Olliffe - Project Manager

Southern Water

Motorcycle Stolen - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/118773/21

Between Tuesday the 6th and Wednesday the 7th of July, a black ZNEN motorcycle, reg number: G66 LXY, was stolen from Newington High Street.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Community Messaging

Thank You from Foodbank Co-ordinator Gill Gay and Swale Foodbank

Hi Everyone,

The weather was uncertain, but we were never uncertain about your generosity. 

We knew if we turned up, you would also turn up with your bags full of hope and love. Because that's what you bring when you give your gifts of food and other necessary items - you give hope and love.

Ron and I will be collecting again at the bus stop opposite the Church in Horsham Lane on Wednesday the 4th of August between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Thank you, and God bless you ❤️

Gill & Ron Gay

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Poolside Bar & Courtyard Music Nights July - September 2021 at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course
Telephone: 01634 360626
Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

Landowner George Lumley-Webb and the Reclamation of Land Lost to the River by David Wood

Throughout the centuries the present collection of islands in the river formed part of the Upchurch mainland. During the mid-18th century after years of erosion, the river cut channels through the land forming islands. Two of the biggest islands, Burntwick and Greenborough, were still used by farmers for growing crops such as wheat and for the grazing of sheep. Some agricultural workers lived in houses erected on these two Islands. The ruins of a house can still be viewed on Greenborough today. From 1850 to 1918 digging for marsh clay and the removal of a large quantity of this exposed the marshes to further erosion and destruction by the tides.

During the second half of the 19th century, George Lumley-Webb, a Tunstall based landowner, attempted to reclaim the land. As the owner of land in Lower Halstow and at Ham Green he saw the opportunity to reclaim land cut off from the mainland and flooded by the river.

George Lumley-Webb had inherited about 1,500 acres of land in Upchurch and Lower Halstow from his uncle Henry Murton. Murton’s Father had enclosed about 100 acres of land on Greenborough for agricultural purposes in 1802. This gave George Lumley-Webb the idea of trying to reclaim more land lost to the river.

Mr Lumley-Webb decided to reclaim the land by enclosing it with bricks to protect it from the river and flooding. The length of the entire area which included five creeks covered about two miles. Mr Lumley-Webb employed fifty workers to complete the venture and he bought an old boat to accommodate forty of these. The workers constructed a tramway for trucks to remove the mud on the site. About 1,000 old corn and potato sacks were used to contain the mud. In 1881 a dam was constructed at Bob’s Creek. Two workers were drowned while working on this but it did not stop the project.

Mr Lumley-Webb had the weakest parts of the wall strengthened with ragstone and brick burrs. Grass seed with wild white clover was then sown. The area had to be harrowed by a small pony with a plough attached. This was because the surface proved too soft for a horse and plough to do the job without sinking into the mud.

After completion of the project, Mr Lumley-Webb still had problems to deal with such as the South of England Oyster Company. On the eve of the project completion, they claimed £10,000 in damages arguing that millions of young oysters they had laid in the area had died. When taken to court their claim was adjudged to be dishonest and their case rejected leaving Mr Lumley-Webb free to proceed with his project.

Although regarded as a great success at the time, the project proved to be expensive as the initial cost of the enclosure totalled £15,400 with a further £20,300 added later. However, Mr Lumley-Webb remained unconcerned as he was motivated by enterprise and endeavour rather than by profit. He also wanted to put lost land to use that would have otherwise been wasted.

In total 627 acres of land were enclosed with 237 acres at Greenborough, 237 at Slayhills, 142 at Milfordhope and 14 at Shoregate from where a way for wagons and livestock to reach Greenborough island was constructed and the remains can still be seen today.

The workers completed the job in July 1881 and to celebrate the occasion Mr Lumley-Webb held a special dinner for the men who had worked on the project.

The enclosures lasted until a high tide broke through the wall in fourteen places and swallowed up the entire area on December 31st 1904, ending hopes of continuing with agriculture on the islands. After this, there were no further attempts to reclaim the land.

Click photo to enlarge.

The long-distance photograph, taken in 2016, shows Burntwick Island

with Greenborough Island in front, then Barksore.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Thornton.

Mr Lumley-Webb continued farming in the Ham Green area. He had two identical sets of tied farm cottages constructed for his workers at Ham Green in 1882. These became known as Callows Cottages and Webbs Cottages which still exist.

Mr Lumley-Webb’s orchards were initially managed by James Robinson and then by James Holloway who lived in The Homestead at Ham Green. James Holloway, who was very active in village affairs, gained local fame as a member of the church parochial council, a manager of Holywell School, a long serving member of the church choir, a churchwarden, a member of Upchurch Cricket Club and the bellringers, a parish councillor and as chairman of the parish council. He also entered fruit in exhibitions at the Royal Horticultural Society on behalf of Mr Lumley-Webb for which he won numerous awards.

George Lumley-Webb stopped farming in the Upchurch area during the inter-war years. As one of the most important parish landowners, he offered employment to local people and he gained widespread fame with his attempt to reclaim land lost to the river.

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.