Notice Board

Saturday, 3 February 2024

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church

On the 2nd Thursday of each month.

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church opens its doors again on Thursday the 8th of February, between 2:00pm and 4:30pm.

We will be serving delicious homemade cakes and savouries, and for the children, we have our wonderful snack deal, which consists of 5 items of their choosing with a drink, all for £1. They can also enjoy some brilliant crafts and a story.

You will receive a very warm welcome, and while you are eating our delicious cakes and savouries, you will be helping us pay the school fees for 4 children in Uganda and give breakfast to a group of Ugandan children at their Saturday Club.

How amazing is that - lovely cakes and savouries - the children have a great time - and you help us support some children in Uganda.

Gill Gay and the Rainbow Café Team

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

Swale Foodbank Collection - February

Swale Foodbank Collection

Thank you to everyone who came along that first Wednesday in January.

As ever, your kindness and generosity were amazing, especially as I was collecting just after Christmas and New Year.

It is even more important to keep the support going during these cold months. Everything is so expensive now.

More and more people/families are finding themselves struggling. So thank you for your big hearts.

I will be collecting your generous foodbank donations at the bus stop opposite the church again on Wednesday the 7th of February, between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Please bring your items in carrier bags.

We will then deliver them to the Swale Foodbank Warehouse, part of the Trussell Trust.

All donations are helpful, providing the food is long life and well within date.

God bless you for your amazing kindness and for being bringers of hope ❤️

Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator

Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

The Upchurch Poppy Appeal

The local Appeal, organised in Upchurch during Remembrancetide 2023, raised over £3,145 in donations to The Royal British Legion.

As I indicated last year, the 2023 Upchurch Appeal would be the last Appeal that I would organise. This after being associated with the Appeal for 30 years after taking over from Mrs Vera Kew.

I am pleased to let you know that The Upchurch Poppy Appeal will, in future, be organised by Colin Sutcliffe, who, for the last four Appeals, has been a house-to-house collector in Crosier Court.

For me, it has been an honour to give 30 years of service to The Royal British Legion, during which time the Upchurch Appeals have raised in excess of £64,000.

In 1988, I became one of the first civilians to become a Member of the Legion.

My personal and RBL thanks go to past and present house-to-house collectors who also gave service to the Legion and equally to residents, organisations, schools and businesses who have donated so generously.

“LEST WE FORGET”

Hon. Alderman Gerry Lewin

Telephone: 01634 366113 Email: lewing135@btinternet.com

Upchurch Scout Group Says Thanks Again to Kent Trade Frames

Scout Group Chairman Jeremy Jobson MBE, joined by

Kent Trade Frames' Robert Sketchley with members and leaders of

the Upchurch Scout Group sections.

Young people from the Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, with their leaders and Chairman, have all thanked Kent Trade Frames for generously donating and installing smart new doors at their Scout HQ on the Recreation Ground.

They made cards, wrote messages of thanks and presented the popular local business with a hamper, all to show their gratitude.

The new doors have improved disabled access and fire safety and are in addition to the new fire escape door KTF donated to the Scouts in 2016.

To find out more about Scouting in Upchurch, contact GSL Julia Richardson.

Tel: 01634 389836 Email: 1stupchurchscoutgroup@gmail.com

or visit: www.sittingbournescouts.org.uk

For quality replacement windows, doors and conservatories with no sales representatives or pressure selling, supplied and installed by a local family-run business, contact Kent Trade Frames.

Tel: 01795 431600 Email: enquiries@kent-tradeframes.co.uk

or visit: www.kent-tradeframes.co.uk

Upchurch Matters

Sunday, 28 January 2024

Terry Lewis 1944 - 2024

Terry Lewis

Terry Lewis of Crosier Court passed away on Friday the 12th of January 2024.

Terry was a much loved husband, father, grandad, great grandad, brother, uncle and a good friend to all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.

Our family moved to Upchurch in 1976, and Terry began helping with the football at Holywell School and with the fundraising for their new swimming pool. There were no checks in those days. You just joined in. The school pool later became the Pioneer and Challenger classrooms.

After Terry retired from working abroad, he helped run the Farmers Market at the Village Hall and played a large part on the committee that successfully returned the Village Fete back to the Paddock in Upchurch in 2014.

Terry enjoyed attending the many quizzes, dances and fundraisers organised by the various village organisations I have been involved with over the years.

As one of the knitting group husbands, Terry helped us decorate the centre of the village, many times with knitted characters at Christmas, Easter, Jubilees and with poppies, Tommy silhouettes, and a military arch specially built for Remembrance Sunday.

When I lost my regular cleaning partner at St Mary's Church, Terry started helping me and proved to be the better cleaner.

He was also a regular helper at the Scout's monthly Paper Drive and joked that his children had left over 30 years ago!

Terry loved village life and the people of Upchurch.

A positive service and appreciation of Terry's life will be held inside St Mary’s Church on Friday the 9th of February, at 10:30am, followed by his committal in the Burial Ground.

Car parking is available at Upchurch Village Hall.

A reception will be held afterwards upstairs at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course from around 12:00pm.

All who knew and loved Terry are welcome to attend.

We ask for family flowers only, please.

Donations (made in the box) will given to the Macmillan Nurses.

Thank you

Jill Lewis