Craft Fair at St Mary’s Church with Proceeds Towards the Restoration of the Church Bell Tower

If you would like to sell your handiwork, please contact: elspethbaecke@gmail.com

Meanwhile, you can still donate at: www.justgiving.com/campaign/upchurchbelltower

Thank you

Elspeth Baecke

Candles Missing from St. Mary's Church, Upchurch

Last week, twelve oil-filled candles went missing from St. Mary's Church, Upchurch.

A reward of £10, plus a thank you from a grateful community published in the Gabriel village magazine, is on offer for information that leads to their recovery.

Please contact William (Treasurer) on: 01634 232772 or Email: williamthearcher56@gmail.com if you can help.

Thank you

William Little

Swale Borough Council - Nominate Heritage Assets for Local List

Do you know a building or green space that makes a positive contribution to the character of the borough?

Swale Borough Council is asking people to nominate local buildings, structures and green spaces to be added to a new local heritage list.

This will help promote the borough’s local heritage assets and highlight their importance to the local community.

If a building, structure or green space is designated as being of local interest, it will be given the status of heritage asset. This makes its conservation a material consideration in any planning applications.

Cllr Mike Baldock, deputy leader of the council and heritage champion, said:

“There’s a rich and diverse range of heritage assets across the borough, much of which most of us are unaware of, and which may be known to just a few people.

“But these assets are important to those local groups and communities that are aware of them, and we want to formally recognise their importance to the borough.

“They might not reach the nationally set benchmark for grade I or II listing, but they do have special interest or value to the local area.

“Being on the list will not only be taken into account when considering planning applications but will also - for the first time - create an accurate record of our local heritage assets.”

To decide if an asset can be added to the local heritage list, it will be assessed to make sure it meets specific criteria on age and integrity, historic and architectural interest, with a particular local emphasis.

All candidate buildings would need to be considered against these criteria which would be consistently applied across the borough.

The listing criteria document for the local heritage list is available at: www.swale.gov.uk/local-heritage-list

Nominations can be made at: https://swale-consult.objective.co.uk/kse and the deadline for nomination is Monday 26th June 2023.

Swale Borough Council

St Mary's Church Fundraising Sale

Saturday 10th June 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

Medway Council - Major Grant Opportunity for Medway Businesses, Charities and Voluntary Organisations

Medway’s businesses and organisations are being encouraged to apply for funding of up to £20,000 to make a difference in their local communities.

In 2022, Medway Council wrote an Investment Plan and received £1.8 million from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to invest in three key priority areas over a three-year period - community and place, supporting businesses, and people and skills.

During the first year (2022-2023), £225,000 was allocated to 17 projects to provide support to local businesses as well as projects which promoted and encouraged people to visit Medway. The projects included Medway Light Nights and the Intra Lateral Arts Festival. The council also used the funding to introduce free public WiFi in Rainham and Strood town centres.

Medway Council has now launched two grant schemes to support local community projects and local businesses.

Businesses, charities, voluntary organisations and higher and further education providers in Medway can apply for grants of up to £10,000 from the new Pride in Place Fund. The fund aims to enhance and support local community infrastructure projects, support and develop tourism campaigns, and help to build capacity for local community groups. Grants of £20,000 will be available in exceptional circumstances.

Businesses can also apply for a £5,000 grant from the Feasibility Fund to conduct studies, research or develop business plans which could lead to further investment in projects across Medway. The projects must aim to encourage people to visit and explore Medway, support local community infrastructure projects or help to build capacity for local groups and communities.

The deadline for applications for both funds is 12 noon on Monday, 26th June.

Around 150 businesses and local organisations attended the launch of the grants at an event at The Rochester Corn Exchange on Thursday, 18th May. They also took part in an interactive session and shared their ideas and thoughts on key projects to help Medway’s town centres continue to thrive, including repurposing empty buildings, improving public realm works and holding more events.

Cllr Lauren Edwards, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic and Social Regeneration and Inward Investment, said:

“Medway is a great place to live, work, learn and visit and we are incredibly proud of how vibrant and innovative Medway, as a place, is. We are delighted to launch the Pride in Place Fund and the Feasibility Fund which will both support local businesses and encourage our local communities to celebrate and promote Medway. I would encourage Medway’s businesses and organisations to find out more about these fantastic funding opportunities.”

To find out more about the grant opportunities, and to apply, visit: medway.gov.uk/SharedProsperityFund

For more information about Medway’s support for businesses, visit: medway.gov.uk/MedwayForBusiness

Medway Council

Picnic Hamper Winner | Upchurch’s Co-op - Going BIG for Barnardo's

Congratulations to Leah, winner of the Picnic Hamper at Upchurch’s Co-op.

Thanks to everyone who bought tickets 🤗

You helped us raise £89 for our chosen charity partner, Barnardo’s.

Please keep a lookout for future raffles and events.

Upchurch’s Co-op - Going BIG for Barnardo’s for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Read more at: www.coop.co.uk/blog/co-op-goes-big-for-barnardos-this-mental-health-awareness-week

Sally Butcher - Member Pioneer