Ann Harman 1938 - 2022

Ann Harman.

Ann's funeral takes place at 9:00am on Friday the 20th of January at St Mary's Church, Upchurch, followed by a cremation at The Garden of England Crematorium, Bobbing.

Ann loved flowers, but equally, our beautiful village and church were close to her heart. Options for both tributes are below:

We would like donations to St Mary's Bell Tower Restoration Fund in Ann's memory. Please see details of how to do this via JustGiving, and please mention Ann's name when you donate in the comments. Note that you can reduce the "voluntary" contribution to JustGiving to zero by entering £0 at the final stage of payment.

JustGiving link: www.justgiving.com/campaign/upchurchbelltower

You can also write a cheque to "Upchurch Parochial Church Council", but please write on the back, "Bell Tower Fund - memory of Ann Harman". You can send your cheques to me at:

Mike Powell

94 Chaffes Lane

Upchurch

Sittingbourne

Kent

ME9 7BH

I will arrange for them to be delivered to the Treasurer. Please do not send cash, and please also note that John Wier no longer holds cheques for memorials.

Floral tributes are to be delivered by 16:30 on 19/1/2023 to:

John Weir Funeral Directors

130-132 High Street

Rainham

Gillingham

Kent

ME8 8AR

Telephone: 01634 373111

Thank you

Mike Powell

Results of Kent PCC Matthew Scott's Annual Policing Survey - Your Views on Kent Police 2022

Your views on Kent Police 2022

Earlier this year, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott conducted his Annual Policing Survey to help shape his Police and Crime Plan.

The survey seeks to understand the views of Kent residents and businesses and whether they agree with the priorities Mr Scott has set for the force and to find out what matters to them and how safe they feel where they live.

The Police and Crime Plan is the document that outlines the priorities that Kent Police is held to account on by Matthew Scott.

Mr Scott was also keen to know if you have been a victim of crime and, if so, whether you thought the police and victim support services did a good job. He received 2964 completed survey responses overall. Your responses help shape what you want your police force to be focused on.

Residents told Mr Scott:

■ The new Chief Constable must show effective communication in his new role.

■ Violence against women and girls, antisocial behaviour, and gangs and county lines were the priorities the Chief Constable should focus on.

■ They agreed with the PCC's priorities for Kent Police. ‘preventing crime and antisocial behaviour’ and ‘being visible and responsive to the needs of communities’ were the most popular.
■ They feel safer where they live than in previous years; however, they feel less safe on the roads.
■ More than half would be willing to pay more council tax (with half of these stating they would pay £15 more a year) to support the police service.
■ Most had not been a victim of crime in the last year but almost 50% of those who had been a victim were dissatisfied with the service they received from Kent Police.

■ Crime types mattered most: serious violence, sexual offences, child sexual exploitation, and burglary/robbery.

The Office of the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner website is >> www.kent-pcc.gov.uk

Upchurch Matters

New Wooden Trim Trail Balance Equipment in The Paddock

Click the photo montage to enlarge it.

Upchurch Parish Council has installed new wooden trim trail balance equipment in The Paddock funded by a collective grant from Queenborough Fishery Trust and Swale Borough Council.

Cllr Pam Denny hopes to eventually create a woodland trail in the wooded area of The Paddock. Pam met with children from Holywell School earlier this year. They gave her lots of good ideas, which included adding bug hotels, bird boxes, bat boxes and the new trim trail.

If anyone has some of these items they can donate, they will be very gratefully received - thank you.

A trim trail is balance equipment of varying forms. In The Paddock, there are now balance beams, a wobble beam and a wobble bridge leading to the wooded area, which will hopefully encourage children to use this area more to play and explore, which could be educational.

The latest equipment in The Paddock is in addition to the swings, rocker, space saucer and new benches, which the Parish Council installed along with the adult exercise equipment on the Recreation Ground, also funded by grants.

Thanks to Pam for the information.

Why not take the children to go and explore The Paddock this holiday?

Upchurch Matters

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Upchurch Matters.

Thank you for all the support you have given the website throughout the year.

This Christmas, we think of those struggling with the cost of living crisis and the brave people of Ukraine.

To peaceful and more affordable times in 2023 🥂

Santa illustration courtesy of Nick Thompson-Moore.

Thank you, Nick 🎅🏼

Upchurch Matters

Christmas Services at St Mary's, Upchurch

Christmas Eve

Saturday 24th December

Crib Service at 4:00pm 
Carol Service at 7:30pm 

Christmas Day

Sunday 25th December

Sung Communion at 10:00am

Sue Rossiter

Website: www.thesix.org.uk

Vehicle Broken Into - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number:  46/241571/22

At around 08:00 on Saturday the 17th of December, somebody broke into a Nissan Micra parked in Wickham Close, Newington and stole the radio and a socket set.

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