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The Co-op Local Community Fund
The Co-op Local Community Fund supports projects across the UK that its members care about.
Every time Co-op members buy selected Co-op branded products and services, 2p for every pound spent goes to them, and the Co-op gives the same to support community organisations and local causes.
Co-op members have helped raise £103.39 million for UK causes and £44,452 for causes near Upchurch.
Register your interest now
To apply to be a local cause, you must be part of a not-for-profit group and run a project that will benefit your local community.
If successful, you will be part of the Local Community Fund, usually for 12 months.
You can encourage Co-op members to support your local cause, and the more members that shop at the Co-op, the more money your project will receive.
Co-op membership
To become a Co-op member and choose a local cause to support, visit: coop.co.uk/membershipOur current 3 local causes are:
1st Upchurch Brownies and Guides
Upchurch Village Hall
SATEDA
Sally Butcher - Member Pioneer
Update:
The following dates have now been confirmed:-
Bull Lane (Including Wormdale Hill), Newington
Closed 10th to 11th July
Breach Lane, Upchurch
Closed 10th to 11th July
Basser Hill, Lower Halstow
Closed 10th July to 11th August
Please note, these dates are subject to weather conditions and may change.
It will be necessary to restrict traffic on various roads in Swale.
This order takes effect on or after Friday 17th March 2023 for a period of up to 18 months or until works have been completed.
It may be necessary for some of the roads to be closed on multiple occasions for each phase of the works.
Planned dates will be published in advance of the works on: https://one.network and indicated by signage displayed on site 14 days before they start.
After the surface treatment works, a temporary speed limit of 40 & 20 mph may need to be imposed in place on certain roads for a period of up to 7 days. Where the 40 & 20 mph speed limit does apply, this will be clearly indicated by relevant signs displayed on site.
These works are subject to weather and other factors which may potentially cause changes at short notice; every effort will be made to keep as close as possible to the planned dates that are notified, and any changes will be publicised.
The closures are required for the safety of the public and workforce while surface treatment works are undertaken by Kent County Council.
Please note, the roads will not be closed for the duration of 18 months.
The works are yet to be programmed, with further notification Emails to be sent confirming individual closure dates.
For information regarding this order, please contact Kent County Council on: 03000 418181, who will be able to assist with the scope of these works.
Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
May 1973 proved to be a busy and significant month as arguments about the future of the Otterham Quay caravan site continued.
Mr Ron Beckenham, owner of the Otterham Quay caravan site, appealed to the Department of the Environment for permission to construct a new caravan site in Poot Lane after being turned down by Swale Council. This came after Mr Beckenham had been told that the lease on the Otterham Quay site would end in 1976. However, Mr Beckenham, unhappy with the verdict, appealed to the Department of the Environment. They also rejected his appeal on the basis that a new site would cause traffic congestion on the narrow country lanes in the area.
While arguments about the future of the Otterham Quay caravan site continued, E C Gransden Ltd applied for permission to construct 50 new houses between Oak Lane and Wallbridge Lane, and Wakeley Brothers applied for permission to build houses in Forge Lane, but local residents objected to the proposals. This came at a time when residents believed that more housing would put more pressure on the village schools when they were already under great pressure with high pupil numbers. The new Holywell School had not yet been constructed.
May saw local council elections in the area. In Upchurch, John Ardley from the Mayflower barge just off Ham Green won on behalf of the Conservatives along with Mr A Hough, Labour. Although he gradually developed the disability of blindness, John Ardley served the parish very efficiently during his time as Borough Councillor. He also served as a churchwarden at Upchurch church.
With the continuation of Otterham Quay caravan site in doubt, the Otterham Quay Lane brickworks was experiencing its final years. The East Kent Gazette reported the retirement of four local brickwork workers who had completed 200 years service between them. Each man was awarded a silver medal for long service by Redland Ltd. The men who received the medals were Tom Tassell and Arthur Jarvis of Station Road, Rainham, George Tyler of Berengrave Lane, Rainham and Tom Page of School Lane, Lower Halstow. Each man had served 50 years in the brickfield.
In village sport, the table tennis club ended a successful season with the first team winning Division 3 of the Sittingbourne and District Table Tennis League and the fifth team winning Division 5. The other teams failed to win anything. Overall, the club had a successful season.
With the folding of Upchurch United Sunday football team, the Saturday side was also experiencing difficulties as they had to concede a semi-final match in the Sheppey Charity Cup against local rivals Breach Rovers from Lower Halstow because of insufficient players. During the same period, successful local players Ray and Richard Hales helped Sittingbourne secure runners-up position in the Kent League. In the final match, Sittingbourne defeated Chatham 2-1, with Ray Hales scoring both goals, but in a bad-tempered game, Richard Hales was sent off.
With the new cricket season underway, Upchurch had a good start with Derek Hales in great form. In the match against Lenham Storage, Hales scored 112 runs, and he then took seven wickets for only four runs, which included a hat trick as Lenham were bowled out for only five runs. Upchurch next defeated Belnor and batted first, and Derek Hales, this time, hit 150 runs in a total of 197. Bryan Veale then took three wickets for only one run as Belnor were bowled out for 85. The following week Upchurch defeated Minster. Upchurch scored 105, with Steve Parker 30 and Derek Hales 28 scoring most runs. Minster were then bowled out for just 45, with Bob Goodson taking three wickets. In the final week of May, Upchurch played Hartlip, and after scoring 111, Bryan Veale took four wickets for 26 runs and Don Diffey took four wickets for eleven runs to bowl out Hartlip for only 43 runs to complete a very successful month for Upchurch Cricket Club who were still playing home matches at their ground in Poot Lane.
In other social affairs, the election of candidates for the Carnival Queen took place in the village hall. The winners were Julie Baker, aged 16, from Eastcourt Lane. Second was Lorraine Neil, aged 25, from Childscroft Road in Rainham. And third was Jackie Baker, aged 19, from Staplehurst Road in Sittingbourne. The girls were chosen from fifteen candidates. Lorraine Manley, the previous year’s winner from Wallbridge Lane, opened the event.
The May Queen selection also took place. Raeshel Lloyd became the new May Queen, and Julie Bennet and Jeanne Woods were chosen as her attendants. Although a power failure occurred in the village hall where the judging took place, the event was successful, with a tug-of-war competition won by The Poles team. Pupils from Holywell School did maypole dancing, and a children’s art competition was held.
Overall, Upchurch experienced a very successful month with a Carnival Queen and a May Queen election, the cricket club getting off to a good start, and new Councillors elected. Upchurch once again proved to be a village with lots of activities.
David Wood
About David
David was born and raised at Ham Green and still lives there today.
He writes from personal experience about Upchurch village life and the changes that have taken place over the years.
David's book, Memories of Upchurch, is a very readable and detailed historical study of the village and is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk price £12 + postage and packing.
Please note these works have now been cancelled:
It will be necessary to close part of Bull Lane, Newington from Tuesday 6th June 2023, for up to one day, between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30.
Bull Lane, Newington will be closed in the vicinity of number 86, to the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.
The alternative route is Bull Lane, Old House Lane, Lower Hartlip Road, A2 Hartlip Hill, London Road, Playstool Road and vice versa.
The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while new customer connection works are undertaken by Openreach.
For information regarding this closure, please contact Openreach on: 0800 023 2023, 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
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
30 crimes are shown on the map in March 2023 including:
1 Anti-social Behaviour
1 Bicycle Theft
1 Criminal Damage and Arson
1 Drugs
2 Other Theft
2 Public Order
1 Shoplifting
3 Vehicle Crime
17 Violence and Sexual Offences
1 Other Crime
34 crimes were shown on the map in February 2023.
Not all crime that occurs is shown on the map.
Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.
Upchurch Matters
Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward
Crime Number: 46/81169/23
Between 17:00 on Wednesday the 3rd of May and 07:13 on Thursday the 4th of May, somebody broke into a Ford Transit parked in Otterham Quay Lane, Upchurch.
Crime Number: 46/81298/23
On Thursday the 4th of May at around 02:42, somebody tried to break into a vehicle parked in Homefield Drive, Upchurch.
Crime Number: 46/81171/23
On Thursday the 4th of May at around 18:15, somebody damaged glass panels in a garden of a residential property in Poot 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
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