Upchurch Village Christmas Tree and Nativity Scene at St Mary’s Churchyard

Click the photo montage to enlarge.

Upchurch Parish Councillors Tyrone Ripley, Neil Sheppard, Gary Rosewell, and Ernie Berntsen, with Bob Friend, have all helped put the village Christmas tree up today.

'SANTA STOP HERE' has been added to the village sign along with sparkling Santa's sleigh and reindeer lights.

This year's lovely village tree has been kindly donated by Bob Friend and his family again.

Thank you, Bob.

The lit Nativity Scene, beautifully built by the late Frank Osborne, has also returned to the Churchyard at St Mary’s, Upchurch.

Upchurch Matters

Changes to Swale Borough Council Christmas and New Year General Waste and Recycling Collection Dates

General waste, recycling and clinical collections will be collected a day later than usual for 2 weeks from Monday the 26th of December.

Usual collection date     ➥ Monday 26th December	Collection will be on  ➥ Tuesday 27th December
➥ Tuesday 27th December	➥ Wednesday 28th December
➥ Wednesday 28th December	➥ Thursday 29th December
➥ Thursday 29th December	➥ Friday 30th December
➥ Friday 30th December	➥ Saturday 31st December
➥ Monday 2nd January	➥ Tuesday 3rd January
➥ Tuesday 3rd January	➥ Wednesday 4th January
➥ Wednesday 4th January	➥ Thursday 5th January
➥ Thursday 5th January	➥ Friday 6th January
➥ Friday 6th January	➥ Saturday 7th January

Garden waste will be suspended as usual from Monday the 26th of December, and restart on Monday the 9th of January.

Bulky waste collections will be suspended from Monday the 26th of December for 2 weeks and will restart on Tuesday the 10th of January.

Check your collection dates at: www.swale.gov.uk/my-collection-day

Upchurch Matters

UpARA - December 2022 Newsletter

Hello UpARA members,

Christmas Party December 16th

We have a few tickets available for our Christmas Party on the evening of the 16th of December. Open to non–members, why not bring a friend(s), doors open at 6:45pm, with a 3-course meal being served from 7:15pm, and entertainment from the very talented ‘Leyton’ to follow; it promises to be a great festive evening as in previous years. Please Email: uparaupchurch@gmail.com or Text: 07802 250773 for more information. 

Festive Mince Pies, Santa, and a Free Raffle!... As a warm-up to Christmas, (and a way to keep warm!), please join us for our Christmas Coffee Morning on December 6th. There will be a free raffle, a festive feel and who knows… Maybe a visit from Santa and his Elf…

The Thoughts of Chairman John

Hi everyone,

"I don't believe it" to quote a well-known saying, having what may have been the last Turkey and Tinsel in my lifetime! Allegedly, just because the "Woke Fraternity" decided it may offend the Vegans using the word Turkey. No problem, we are taking a "Holly and Mistletoe" holiday next year, so all will be happy! 

This year's Turkey and Tinsel was still exceptional. Debbie our Courier and Capt. Rob our Driver, managed to conjure up days of sunshine for our trips and were more than flexible with our destinations. Those of us who took the additional evening trip to the Babbacombe Theatre were given total entertainment from start to finish once again.

We still have our own Christmas entertainment to enjoy:- Tuesday 6th Dec, we have our special Coffee Morning including a free raffle (and Santa). The following Tuesday "A Salute to Christmas" at the Inn on The Lake is very well subscribed, and then we have our Christmas Party, many of our new members will be more than surprised with the quality of the meal and the entertainment! thanks to the "Social Degenerates" as usual headed by Chef John Tutt.

So much to look forward to in the next few weeks and next year.

Regards

John W

Let’s Face the Music

Royal Philharmonic at The Royal Albert Hall 

A reminder to those coming to The Royal Albert Hall with us on the 8th of March, that the balance is due on this by the end of December. Details will soon be sent to you, any queries, please contact us.

Bournemouth Trip

The Final balance for the Bournemouth trip is now due. There is still late availability for any couples or friends prepared to share, who would like to join us.

Please Note… Our activities in the New Year restart on Tuesday 3rd January with Coffee Morning, Art, and Table Tennis. Line Dancing will restart on Wednesday 11th, and our January Kurling session has been rearranged to the 9th of January.

The committee have... reluctantly decided that there will be a charge made to our Friday afternoon meetings as from our January meeting. We have had to look at our income/expenditure challenges going forward and hope everyone will understand. The charge will be £1 for members and £2 for non-members.

Thanks to those who attended and made our Quiz Evening such fun. Over £400 was made and this will now be added to our running total for the St Mary's Bell Tower Restoration Fund.  

2023 Speaker Listings 

Sandra and Linda have been busy finalising our list of speakers for 2023. The website and our notice board will be updated soon…

December Calendar

Friday, December 2nd at 10:00am - Village Walk

Mondays December 5th, 12th, 19th at 10:00am - Short Tennis

Monday, December 5th at 2:00pm - Kurling

Tuesday, December 6th at 9:30am - Xmas Coffee Morning and Art

Tuesday, December 6th at 2:00pm - Table Tennis

Wednesdays December 7th, 14th at 10:15am - Line Dancing

Friday, December 9th at 2:00pm - Monthly Meeting*

Tuesday, December 13th at 10:00pm - Ten Pin Bowling

Tuesday, December 13th - Salute to Christmas at the Inn on the Lake

Friday, December 16th at 7:00pm - Christmas Party

Friday, December 16th at 10:00am - Village Walk 

Tuesday, December 20th at 1:00pm - Petanque (note Winter start time)

*Please note: our previously advertised speaker for December Bob Harding Jones is unwell and one of our members, Elspeth Baeke has kindly agreed to step in. We wish Bob a speedy recovery.

Hopefully, see you all soon - your UpARA Committee.

Email: uparaupchurch@gmail.com

Website: www.upara.club

Urgent Road Closure - Yaugher Lane, Hartlip

It will be necessary to close Yaugher Lane, Hartlip from Wednesday 7th December 2022 for up to 1 day.

The road will be closed for the entire length of Yaugher Lane.

The alternative route is via Yaugher Lane, Warren Lane and Lower Hartlip Road.

This is to enable carriageway patching 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

Animals Let Out - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/228926/22

Between 00:01 on Friday the 25th of November and 10:00 on Sunday the 27th of November, somebody allowed animals to get out of their field in Iwade Road, Newington.

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

The Salvation Army Christmas Present Appeal

Be a star and donate a toy to our appeal

St Mary's Church and Uplift are supporting The Salvation Army Christmas Present Appeal again this year.

We will be collecting toys at our Advent Services on Sunday the 4th of December, at St Mary's Church at 10:00am and at Uplift at 4:00pm in the village hall. You are, of course, really welcome at both of these services.

I will also be collecting toys the following day in the layby opposite the church from 9:30am until 10:15am on Monday the 5th. Jackie, from Lower Halstow, will be collecting the toys to take them to the Sittingbourne Salvation Army.

The appeal asks for new, unwrapped toys and gifts for babies, children and young people aged 0-17 who might not otherwise receive a Christmas present. The gifts will then be wrapped and distributed to those in need.

I know I am asking you for so much recently, but I also wanted to give you this opportunity to again show how big hearted you are.

You can help The Salvation Army spread the joy of Christmas to families whose children would otherwise not receive a gift. This year, they are expecting the number of families requesting help to rise as a result of the cost of living crisis.

Over the years, millions of children and young people have benefited from gifts donated to The Salvation Army.

A suggested gift list can be found at: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/christmas-present-appeal

Bless you ❤️

Gill Gay