St Mary's Church Fundraising Sale

Saturday 8th April between 10:00am - 11:30am

Homemade Cakes, Jams, Pickles, Scones and Savouries

Also Puzzles, Books, Bric-à-brac and sometimes Plants

Something for everyone!

Refreshments

Please help support this ancient building - Thank you

🍰 🍓 🧩 📚 🎨 🪴 ☕️ ➕

Upchurch Matters

Scooter Battery Stolen - Newington

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: 46/59442/23

Between 00:01 and 23:59 on Friday the 17th of March, somebody stole a scooter battery from High Street, 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

Kent PCC Matthew Scott Launches Antisocial Behaviour Survey to Find Out the Extent of ASB in Kent

Antisocial Behaviour Survey

Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott would like to know if antisocial behaviour is a problem in your area.

According to police statistics, antisocial behaviour is falling across the county, but is that your experience?

The Kent PCC wants to know what you see where you live, what sort of crimes and how bad they are.

Have you reported it to the police or the council? Many people don't report antisocial behaviour, so Mr Scott is asking you to fill in this anonymous survey, so he can try to address the problem and understand how antisocial behaviour affects you.

Please complete the short survey online at >> www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/antisocialbehaviour

It will only take a few minutes.

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

Upchurch Matters

From the Potting Shed - April 2023

Sponsored by Upchurch River Valley Golf Course Ltd

April is upon us and there is nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. As the temperatures warm up and spring takes a hold, everything gets going. I miss the Kent orchards which are spectacular when the buds burst and the blossom starts to show. I haven’t seen a single orchard up here in Suffolk, which is more Sugar Beet and Swede. Nothing wrong with that of course, just not so pretty! The weather has turned wet and cold again and slowed down progress. It is very manly clearing brambles (without gloves of course) with rain and sleet lashing your face… but also very stupid. I have made some progress on the southern boundary, clearing the undergrowth and discovering all sorts of old tools and discarded bottles. Apparently, the previous owner was a publican who had a local pub and quite clearly had some good parties in the back garden.

I have yet to make a start on the lawn, and the recent cold snap appears to have slowed it down a bit and bought a bit of time. It is pleasing to see the birds gathering up the moss for nesting material, although it is leaving large bare patches where there is very little grass. At least moss is green. April is the month to give the lawn its first Weed & Feed. High Nitrogen to get it going and green it up, and if possible two weed killers to start clearing all the weeds. Weed killers vary in effectiveness, so it is best to find a product that has two or even three to help eradicate all the weeds. Cutting will also clear most annual weeds, so lower the blades a little and aim to cut every two weeks. Seed can be sown into bare patches, but wait a few days after applying the Weed & Feed.

Now is the time to get the seedlings going, so dig out the trays and give them a good rinse, unless, of course, you did it when you planted out last year… ? Use a good compost for seedlings. A lot of cheap, poor-quality compost has appeared in the garden centres in recent years. The seeds will germinate naturally but then struggle to generate much growth and are too tender for fertilisers. Some seed is best going straight into the ground, like Parsnip, which doesn’t like being transplanted, so follow the instructions on the packet. Most will germinate within 7-14 days, except Parsnip, which seems to take weeks. When they do show it is hard to differentiate them from the weeds. Seedlings in trays should be uncovered once the leaves start to show or else they are prone to fungus infection, which kills them off.

Leek seedlings ready to pot on.

Tidy up the borders and clear out the weeds unless you have already done so. I like to turn the soil over with a hand fork which makes short work of the weeds and looks so good afterwards. The Snowdrops have gone over now, but collect the seed heads and plant them about 1” deep and they should come up next year. That helps to spread them out into drifts rather than tight clumps. The Daffodils are in full force and just what you need in early spring to cheer things up. The Tulips will follow but are not so long-lasting. Personally, I like strong vivid colours in spring and go for bold yellows and reds. However, there is a myriad of colours available these days for those who prefer contrasting pastel shades rather than clashing primaries.

There is a lot to do now, and it can seem a bit daunting, but by the end of May, you can take your leisure and enjoy outdoor living. It is good to invite family and friends around for a BBQ and completely show off all the work you have done while maintaining extreme modesty and pretending that it is nothing.

There is nothing wrong in taking satisfaction in your labours, and it is a great pleasure at the end of the day to prepare a meal, pull a cork and see where you have been. Also, the sleep of a labouring man is sweet even though his back may hurt in the morning. Another good thing is that the Laithwaites wine box has arrived, so I need to get the Gruner Vetliner in the fridge in time for the evening entertainment.

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

Postponed: Temporary Road Closure - Old House Lane, Hartlip

Update

 

The below works have now been postponed until Wednesday 12th April 2023, with estimated completion by 14th April 2023.

It will be necessary to close part of Old House Lane, Hartlip from Wednesday 12th April 2023, with estimated completion by 14th April 2023.

Old House Lane, Hartlip will be closed in the vicinity of Lodge Farm, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route is via Bull Lane, Cowstead Road, Lower Hartlip Road, Old House Lane and vice versa.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while connection works are undertaken by Southern Water.

For information regarding this closure, please contact Southern Water on: 0330 303 0368, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.

KCC 24hr Contact Centre: 03000 418181

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste

St Mary’s Church Choir and Upchurch Choral Society Presents “There is a Green Hill”

As well as other Holy Week services at St Mary’s, Upchurch, the Church Choir, augmented by Upchurch Choral Society members, is leading an act of worship on Good Friday entitled “There is a Green Hill”.

All are welcome.

For more information, contact Sue: 01634 234780 Email: suerossiter@waitrose.com

Sue Rossiter