Swale Borough Council - Free Month for Garden Waste Disruption

Garden waste subscribers in Swale who missed collections in April will get a free month added to their 12-month subscription.

Garden waste collections were suspended for two weeks (one collection) at the beginning of April as refuse collections were impacted due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

With more people staying at home and tidying their gardens, demand for the service increased, as did the amount of garden waste people were putting in their bins.

Cllr Tim Valentine, cabinet member for the environment at the council, said:

“We’re happy to offer this month extension for the thousands of people around the borough who subscribe to the 12-month garden waste collection service and were impacted by the service disruption in April.

We’ve been working hard to maintain essential services during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and people have been incredibly understanding about any missed or delayed collections.

Since lockdown began, the amount of garden waste being collected has gone up as people have been spending more time in their gardens. This is good news for recycling, but it also means more trips to empty the vehicles when they are full, which has a knock-on effect for collections later in the day.

Not only have people been understanding and patient with the service, but they’ve left some wonderful messages of support for the workers who have been keeping the services going during the pandemic.”

For more information about bin collection or to sign up to the garden waste collection service visit: www.swale.gov.uk/brown-bin-garden-waste

Swale Borough Council

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Swale Borough Council - Use Common Sense When Spending Time Outdoors

With the slight easing of lockdown, many of us - who don’t need to self-isolate to stay safe - can now spend more time outdoors, subject to social distancing rules, but please remember to use your common sense.

Individual households can now relax in the park, sunbathe, go for a picnic and go fishing.

We can also spend time with one member of another household, one-on-one, as long as we all use common sense and stick to the strict social distancing guidelines at all times by staying two metres apart.

We can also travel further to enjoy our time outside, with no restrictions on how far we can go to get to the countryside and visit beaches.

This gives us more options for where to go but relies on us making sure we use our common sense.

If you’re planning on heading out, please think about:

• Will you be able to social distance? If it’s somewhere popular, there may be lots of people around making it harder to stay two metres apart.

• Outdoor play and exercise equipment is still closed - don’t try to use it.

• If you’re planning a picnic, make sure you’ve got a bag to clear up your rubbish.

• If you’re visiting the seaside, please be careful around the water.

The advice remains that everybody should continue to avoid public transport other than for essential journeys.

We should only make journeys by cycling, walking or driving in a private vehicle. We should also check in advance of visiting places like National Parks and beaches to make sure they are prepared for visitors.

This advice is strictly limited to spending time with your household or with one other person and is subject to social distancing rules.

It remains the case that you cannot gather with more than one member of another household - for example to play sports. 

You also cannot:

• Go on holiday.

• Visit and stay overnight at a holiday home or second home.

• Visit the homes of friends and family, unless it’s to help a vulnerable person, for medical reasons, or to take a child to another household with whom parental responsibilities are shared.

More stringent enforcement measures for non-compliance with the new rules have also come into effect.

Fines have been increased, and will now start at £100, which will be lowered to £50 if paid within 14 days. This will double on each further repeat offence up to £3,200.

For updates and information about the council's coronavirus response, visit www.swale.gov.uk/coronavirus

Swale Borough Council

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Southeastern - Coronavirus Travel Advice

Beginning Monday 18th May, the currently reduced timetable will have additional peak services added and some trains will be retimed.

For more information and to check your journey, visit >> https://bit.ly/3byJlwb

Upchurch Matters

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Kent and Medway Acute Primary Care Ophthalmology Service

For people who have new eye or vision symptoms, a community based acute eye service provides you with care during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Acute Primary Care Ophthalmology Service provides patients with emergency eye care with treatment closer to home without the need to attend the hospital eye service.

You can phone them directly or speak to your GP or to NHS 111 who can refer you if you have a concern.

This is a free NHS service available to patients registered with a Kent or Medway GP.

Please contact the providers below:

Osborne Harle - Tonbridge www.osborneharle.com

Kent Eye Care - Aylesford www.kenteyecare.co.uk

Eye2Eye - Maidstone www.eye2eyeopticians.net

Headcorn Opticians www.headcornopticians.co.uk

Tenterden Opticians www.tenterdenopticians.co.uk

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group

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Thank You from Foodbank Co-ordinator Gill Gay and Swale Foodbank

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing, generous response I received this morning on behalf of the Foodbank.

So many people turned up and filled my car nearly to the roof, even with my back seats down!

Thank you so much.

You have helped feed and nurture struggling vulnerable people. It warmed my heart to see such generosity. You truly loved and cared for your neighbour.

I have been asked if I can collect food again, and I will, in about 4 weeks. I will let you know the date.

Thank you again.

God bless you all
Gill Gay - Foodbank Co-ordinator ♥️
Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk

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Coronavirus Outbreak FAQs: What You Can and Can't Do

The government has set out its plan to return life to as near normal as they can, for as many people as they can, as quickly and fairly as possible in order to safeguard livelihoods, but in a way that is safe and continues to protect the NHS.

New “Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can't do” guidance sets out key FAQs to inform the public and help you prepare for these changes at >> https://bit.ly/2T1VO5k

In addition they have have published “Staying safe outside your home” for guidance on what the new rules will mean at >> https://bit.ly/3cspgZI

All changes will come into effect in England tomorrow, Wednesday 13th May.

Until then the government say we should follow existing guidance on social distancing at >> https://bit.ly/3dHKQd9

Upchurch Matters

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