Swale Borough Council Adopts New Heritage Strategy

A new strategy to protect and celebrate the borough’s heritage has been adopted by the council.

The strategy sets out how the council will work with partners over the next 12 years to protect the borough’s heritage and ensure it is preserved for future generations.

Councillors agreed the plan following an extensive consultation which received 88 responses and more than 180 suggestions, concerns and questions.

Cllr Mike Baldock, cabinet member for planning and heritage champion, said:

“We had a great response to the consultation on the draft strategy, which just goes to show how much local people and groups value our heritage.

We’ve taken on board a lot of the suggestions for the final strategy, including bringing forward the work to develop our own local list of heritage assets.

The strategy sets out specific projects and action plans for us to follow for the next 12 years that will help develop a better understanding of the heritage around the borough, so we are better positioned to protect and manage it.

We want to recognise and promote our aviation and defence heritage, especially as some of it is of national and international importance, and also focus more attention on buildings and structures that have fallen into disuse and disrepair and are now on the heritage at risk register.

The new strategy will also give us a sound footing to bid for future national and regional heritage-focused funding to help us and our partners improve our historic environment and preserve it for future generations to enjoy.

This strategy will help us to protect and support our conservation areas and will be a major element in our tourism strategy once this dreadful coronavirus has been beaten."

The adopted strategy, initial action plan and local heritage at risk register will be available for people to view online in April at: www.swale.gov.uk/heritage-strategy

Swale Borough Council

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UPDATED - Coronavirus Statement from Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

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Upchurch Parish Council - Paddock Play Area Closed

Upchurch Parish Council is urging everyone to follow the Government advice to stay safe by avoiding parks and beaches and has closed the children’s play area in The Paddock until further notice.

Visits to The Paddock and Recreation Ground for exercise are acceptable, but only if you are practising social distancing and keep at least 6 feet away from others. Please ensure that you wash your hands when you return home.

We will inform you when the play area re-opens.

Please follow Government guidelines on social distancing, and isolate as necessary to keep you, your loved ones and other members of your community safe.

Thank you for your co-operation in these difficult times.

Wendy Licence - Clerk to the Parish Council

Tel: 01622 739324

Email: clerkupc@outlook.com

Website: www.upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

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Swale Borough Council - New COVID-19 Community Support Scheme

The government has tasked Swale Borough Council with coordinating how to get support out to the most vulnerable people in the community.

We need to make sure they can access information and can contact us to let us know the support they require. This also involves engaging with our partners in the community and voluntary sectors for their support.

SBC are already working hard to help the local community respond to this unprecedented situation, and this scheme is an important part of that.

The government has told us to expect more information and guidance in the coming days, and we are working to be ready for when they ask us to step in.

We are now looking for volunteers to help with deliveries of food and medicines to the vulnerable residents in Swale and have set up an online form for people interested in helping deliver this work.

Please note that we are looking for volunteers who are not in one of the high risk categories. 

You can visit the Public Health England website to check if you are in one of the high risk categories

Training will be given, and social distancing measures will be followed by all temporary support and voluntary roles.

Swale Borough Council have appointed an officer to be the main point of contact between themselves and the parish and town councils and they will be sharing more information as and when we know how this is going to work.

Swale Borough Council

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Temporary Road Closure - Various Roads, Swale

Temporary Road Closure - Various Roads, Swale - 18th April 2020

Kent County Council has made an order to temporarily prohibit through traffic on Keycol Hill, Bobbing; Boyce Hill, Newington and High Street, Newington from Saturday 18th April 2020 for up to 3 nights (excluding Sunday working) between the hours of 20:00 and 05:00.

The roads will be closed from Key Street Roundabout to the junction with Wickham Close. To the extent indicated by signs and barriers on site.

The alternative route for motorway traffic is via Key Street Roundabout, A249 Maidstone Road, Stockbury Roundabout, M2 Junction 5 to Junction 4 on-slip, M2, M2 Junction 4 off-slip, M2 Junction 4 Roundabout, A278 Hoath Way, Bowaters Roundabout, A2 London Road, High Street, Moor Street, Hartlip Hill and vice versa.

The alternative route for non-motorway traffic is via Breach Lane, The Street, Sheerness Road, Raspberry Hill Lane, Old Ferry Road, The Street, Ferry Road, Sheppey Way, Sheppey Way, Key Street Roundabout, Keycol Hill, Boyces Hill, High Street and vice versa.

Access for emergency service vehicles and pedestrians will be maintained at all times during the closure.

The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while carriageway resurfacing works are undertaken by Kent County Council.

For information regarding this closure please contact Kent County Council on: 03000 418181, who will be able to assist with the scope of the works.

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

Kent County Council - Highways, Transportation & Waste
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UPDATED - A letter on Behalf of the Church in the Six Villages

We are here for you 

What a week already! Whoever would have expected this just a few days ago.
We live in unprecedented times when many are anxious about the present never mind the future. given the Government announcements in recent days. Now, following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday 23rd March 2020, the Church of England’s Archbishops and Bishops have now extended the current suspension of public worship to include the closure of all church buildings too. This is because it is important that we STAY AT HOME apart from essential trips. 

But we are still here for you 

Your local church community is still here, working with others (other churches, parish and local councils, Foodbank, other volunteers) where we can to serve you, to be available to you and especially for the most vulnerable in our village communities. We would like to encourage generosity in providing support for the Foodbank if possible (see the ‘Spareable’ app on the relevant app stores).

Although the church building in your village will be closed, as a “dispersed praying community” we are praying for your village community each day at the set times below. We invite you to join us to pray, as you can wherever you are at home. We are developing resources to help this, see: www.thesix.org.uk

• Daily Prayer: Monday to Friday at 12:00 noon & 5:00pm

• Sunday Worship: 10:30am
• Sunday Lighting of a Candle: 7:00pm 

Although originally just intended for Mothering Sunday, we invite you to continue to light and place a candle (or any light) in the window each Sunday evening as a sign of hope. In doing so please be conscious of fire safety. Let’s see as many lights as possible lighting up windows as the week's pass.

We are aware that many may be worried and struggling in some way during this period. Do not struggle alone. There are many who can help and listen. Do ask. If you wish for help from our churches, do contact me in the first instance. I can then put you in touch with others in the communities who can and are willing to help

"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not (cannot) overcome this light". These words from John’s Gospel remind us of God’s promise that no matter what life brings, the Lord says “I am with you”. In the midst of the storms the Lord Jesus met his panicked disciples and said "It is I, do not be afraid. Where is your faith?" In the midst of this particular storm engulfing our individual lives, our nation and our world at this time may we hear the Lord’s promise
“I am with you”. 

Sometimes
only in the darkest moments of life
as the storms gather and rage
and everything is shaken,
do we see the light
that has been present all along,
shining brightly.

A prayer for our six villages

Lord Jesus we thank you 

for the light of your presence in our midst
for your love which casts out all fear.
We pray that you will carry us through
these stormy uncertain times
praying especially for all those
who are vulnerable in our villages at this time,
praying for all those coming together 
from different groups to serve our communities,
for all those working in our healthcare system,
for all those working hard to provide for what we need.
As many feel caught in a dark tunnel of anxiety and fear,
may we each be your lights, helping others find the way through.
In the power of the Spirit and in your name we pray.
Amen!

Let us hope. Let us love.

Let us be hands & voices of hope.
Let us be hands and voices of love.
In Jesus’ name, in the power of the Spirit.
Peace be with you. 
Amen.

Every blessing

Julian

Rev Julian Staniforth

Rector & Priest-in-Charge of The Six benefice

Upchurch with Uplift, Hartlip, Lower Halstow, 

Newington, Iwade and Stockbury

t: 01795 227329

e: julian.staniforth@gmail.com
w: www.thesix.org.uk

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