FREE Christmas Parking Dates in Medway Council Run Public Car Parks

🅿️ Medway Council has announced FREE Christmas parking dates in Medway Council run public car parks from Thursday 15th December 2022 to Sunday 18th December 2022 inclusive.

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More info at: www.medway.gov.uk/parking

Upchurch Matters

From the Potting Shed - December 2022

Upchurch Horticultural Society

Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd

Autumn has finally started to get a hold and temperatures are dropping after a mild start to November, leaves are falling, and the rain is coming down. The only thing that appears to be going up is prices! East Anglia is a very arable farming area with lots of local produce being retailed by independent traders. So a weekly shopping trip to the market town of Beccles is proving to be an interesting experience. This town has two independent greengrocers and a weekly market stall offering excellent fruit and vegetables at highly reasonable prices. I was delighted to find a large torpedo shaped Marrow for £1.50, which allowed me to engage in my passion for stuffed Marrow. The shop owner was quite surprised that anyone could get so excited about a lowly vegetable. I really cannot wait to get another vegetable patch up and running, but we are yet to complete on the cottage and still living in temporary accommodation out on the marshes. We do like it here. It reminds me of how Kent used to be 50 years ago with wide open countryside and lots of peace and quiet.

After tidying up the landscaped area around the lodge, the management of the park have appointed a firm of landscape contractors to tidy up the rest of it. I appear to have become the gardening consultant, which makes me feel uncomfortable as the position is unpaid and leaves me susceptible to picking up the blame. They are doing a good job, but I wince watching a young lad prune the shrubs with a hedge trimmer.

A lot tidier, but the shrubs have been massacred.

Hopefully, all the tidying up in the garden is completed by now, and you can enjoy the quieter Winter months, possibly in front of a wood burner, which is a good thing to have these days. Now is a good time to order seeds for next year and a number of catalogues should already have been delivered through your door. I actually bought my seeds through Amazon and was amazed that I could buy them more cheaply than directly from the seed merchant. The plan is to take up part of the lawn to create the new vegetable patch, but just do half this year and then double the size next year up to 800 sq ft (approx 3 poles). That should be sufficient to feed the two of us. I have selected 16 varieties of vegetables for starters and will increase to 32 the following year. These are tried and trusted old favourites but will concentrate more on Winter varieties in the second year. This will then hopefully provide a number of crops to choose from each month of the year.

Other than looking after Winter vegetables and containers and raking up leaves, it is a quiet time of the year. Leek and Onion seeds can be started in December if you are keen as the large varieties need plenty of time to fully mature. That brings us to the end of the year and time to think about the year ahead… if you want to that is. I keep on extolling the virtues of a kitchen garden and try to encourage people to “grow your own”. It has been a long time since money has been this tight, and the professional advice is that it will get worse before it gets better. Now is an ideal time to create some space and start digging. If you need advice, contact the Upchurch Horticultural Society, who will be happy to help.

It has been a cold, wet day today, so I am going to knock up a Beef Pie with mash from Picasso Potatoes (the world’s greatest mash), Hispi Cabbage, Carrots and Leek in beef gravy… and a cook’s glass. That way, I can fill up on both vegetables and beer!

Happy Christmas, and I hope to be writing to you next year from Suffolk.

UHS is always looking for new members and tries to encourage a fun attitude towards friendly competition. So if you want to grow your own fruit, vegetables, and flowers or even enter any of the shows we hold each year, please get in touch. We would be happy to hear from you.

If you are interested in becoming a new member, (all ages are welcome), please contact Tracy Wells: tracywells0312@gmail.com

Sean Barry

Urgent Road Closure - Magpie Lane, Hartlip

It will be necessary to close Magpie Lane, Hartlip from Monday 5th December 2022 for up to 1 day.

The full length of Magpie Lane will be closed.

The alternative route is via Yelsted Lane, Yelsted Road, Yaugher Lane and vice versa.

This is to enable carriageway repairs 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

Urgent Road Closure - Yaugher Lane, Hartlip

It will be necessary to close Yaugher Lane, Hartlip from Monday 5th December 2022 for up to 1 day.

The full length of Yaugher Lane will be closed.

The alternative route is via Warren Lane, Lower Hartlip Road, Magpie Lane and vice versa.

This is to enable carriageway repairs 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 Foodbank Collection | Christmas Hampers | A Cuppa and a Chat | Warmer Place at Upchurch Village Hall

Swale Foodbank Collection

Dear Upchurch,

We will be collecting your regular Swale Foodbank donations of care at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday the 7th of December, between 10:30am and 11:30am. This will be our last collection before Christmas.

Please bring your items in carrier bags. Warehouse Coordinator Richard Divers will then deliver your donations to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.

Bless you, all for your kindness ♥️

Christmas Hampers

I have 2 Christmas Hampers that St Mary's and Uplift have put together.

Maybe we could make up a 3rd hamper, if you are able to bring a few Christmassy bits on Wednesday too, I will bring another box and we can turn it into another hamper?

But we still need your regular Foodbank donation this month. I know it's a big ask, but it's going to be so rotten for some people. Together let's spread the light, the love and the joy.  

Thank you 😊

A Cuppa and a Chat

While you are there, why not call into the church for a cuppa and a chat in the Lady Chapel.

We will have the kettle on from 10:00am until 12:00pm. There will be mince pies and a warm welcome. Come and have a hot drink and enjoy some good company.

We will be praying for our village from 12:00pm until 12:30pm. Pop in and join us or write a prayer in our prayer book and we will pray for you.

Just call in, and we will be pleased to see you!

Warmer Place at Upchurch Village Hall

We will be flinging open the doors of the village hall for everyone on Friday the 9th of December between 11:00am and 1:00pm.

There will be Christmas carols. The heating will be on. The Kettle will be on. The toaster will be on. There will be hot drinks, snacks and cuppa soups - We just need you to complete the happy scene!

Everything is free thanks to the generosity of the Village Hall Management Committee, Upchurch's Co-op and a grant from Swale Borough Councillor Richard Palmer.

Bring a friend and stay warm without worrying about the cost!

Hosted by St Mary's and Uplift.

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator
Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Vehicle Window Smashed | Damage to a Property - Upchurch

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/227642/22

Between 22:45 and 23:00 on Thursday the 24th of November, somebody smashed a window of an Audi A1 parked in Horsham Lane, Upchurch.

Crime Number: 46/227718/22

Between 23:00 on Thursday the 24th of November and 11:39 on Friday the 25th of November, somebody damaged a residential property in Forge Lane, Upchurch.

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