Swale Borough Council Member Grant Scheme

Voluntary and community groups can bid for money from their local councillor as Swale Borough Council’s member grant scheme opens again.

Each of Swale’s 47 councillors has £2,400 available to support small-scale, local community projects that provide benefits in areas such as culture, sport, recreation, health, environment and community safety.

Cllr Richard Palmer, cabinet member for community at the council, said:

“Every year we support our local voluntary and community groups through our member grant scheme.

“We make £112,800 available for schemes that support and improve local communities around the borough.

“As expected, last year we had a lot of applications from organisations needing additional support through the pandemic.

“Upchurch Support Network received £550 to help provide food and care packages, Faversham Umbrella received £650 for project crafts kits, and Swale CVS received £3,050 for volunteer befrienders and drivers to vulnerable, isolated and lonely residents.

“Local groups can apply for anything that will provide benefits in areas such as culture, sport, recreation, health, environment and community safety. No request is too big or small, and sometimes the smallest grant can make a big difference to a local area.

“Organisations can apply for as little or as much as they need by completing an application form and submitting it to the council or their local councillor.

“This year’s scheme will run until the end of February and we encourage all local community groups to apply.”

For more information on how to apply for a member grant, visit: www.swale.gov.uk/member-grants

Swale Borough Council

Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan

Kent County Council has launched the first round of engagement to help shape its 'Kent Bus Service Improvement Plan' by asking residents two questions:

What would make bus travel more attractive to you?

and

Do you have any other suggestions on how we could improve the bus service in Kent? 

This is just the start, and there will be more opportunities for people to help shape the plan in the coming months. Your feedback will help KCC create proposals which they will share with residents later in the Summer and ask for your views.

You can subscribe to the project to keep in touch and be one of the first to find out about further opportunities to get involved.

Please take a few minutes to answer, and help the council understand which factors may encourage you to travel by bus more often.

To answer the questions and for more information, visit: https://letstalk.kent.gov.uk/busfuture

Upchurch Matters

St Mary's Church Fundraising Garden Sale

Mary Stone

Poolside Bar Music Night with Annie Love at Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

From 8:30pm

Free entry - Non-members welcome

Food available till 8:30pm

Jenny Giles - Upchurch River Valley Golf Course

Telephone: 01634 360626

Website: www.rivervalleygolf.co.uk

NHS Kent and Medway CCG - Community Bulletin

Thank you for two million doses

We made it to two million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine - thanks to you; now let's keep going to make sure as many people as possible are protected.

It's in a little more than six months that 1,212,538 first doses (as at 1st July) and 909,492 second doses (as at 1st July) have been given to people living in Kent and Medway. It's an incredible achievement, but there is still more to do.

If you need a vaccine, there are many different ways you can grab a jab at booked and walk-in appointments across Kent and Medway; please keep checking our web page with details of clinics as more are added all the time.

We know that sometimes booking an appointment isn't most convenient for you, that's why our walk-in clinics may suit you better - be vaccinated at a time and location that is right for you.

If you have adult children aged 18 and over and they haven't yet had the vaccine, please let them know too about the walk-in clinics.

You can also now find 13 pharmacies and 10 GP-led vaccination clinics on the national booking service, with a further four GP sites due to be added soon. Anyone can use GP services listed on the national booking system; you don’t need to be registered with the practice.

A full list of vaccination sites can be found at www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/covid19vaccine

Planning a pregnancy? Where to go for handy tips and advice

Planning to have a baby is exciting, whether it’s your first pregnancy or you already have a child or children.

It’s important to think about your diet, exercise and mental health, as well as lifestyle habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol.

This NHS short video, with sign language, helps explain how you and your partner can prepare for pregnancy. You can also visit the preparing for pregnancy page of the new Bump, Birth and Beyond website or follow @NHSKMCCG on Twitter and look out for #ReadyForPregnancy

Lung Cancer: Spot the difference and take action

Early symptoms of lung cancer can be subtle and easy to ignore. A bit of breathlessness is put down to being a bit out of shape. Lack of energy can be poor diet or low mood. A persistent cough can easily be confused with Covid

Spot the difference is a new awareness campaign from the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. It aims to help people spot the difference in their health, identifying symptoms that are unusual for them and encourage and reassure them to take action.

Further information can be found here www.roycastle.org/spotthedifference

Happy birthday NHS

Our NHS celebrated its 73rd birthday on Monday (5th July) as it continues to address the impact of the pandemic; its biggest challenge since it was created.

Saturday saw landmarks in Kent and Medway light up blue to mark the occasion and also to commemorate those we have lost to Covid-19. The clock tower in Gravesend, Brook Theatre in Chatham, Rochester Bridge and Herne Bay clock tower all went blue in support.

The next day, #ThankYouDay acknowledged the NHS workers, key workers and volunteers who have supported the country during the pandemic. On our birthday itself, NHS teams across the county celebrated with the big tea. This was a chance to have a cup of tea together and take a moment to thank our colleagues throughout health and care.

We would like to thank you too, our communities; you have supported us by following the rules and protecting the NHS throughout.

Thank you

Read the full bulletin at >> https://bit.ly/3AKnwHW

NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group

Update: Southern Water Wastewater Pumped Main - Otterham Quay to Poot Lane

Tankers were required to transport sewerage earlier this year while Southern Water carried out temporary repairs to burst sections of sewerage pipework that cross the marsh between their treatment works at Motney Hill, Rainham and Poot Lane, Upchurch.

Thank you to Barry Woodham at Southern Water for again keeping residents updated on the progress of these works.

Below is the latest update received from southern Water:

Poot Lane, Upchurch

Hello,

Firstly, we would like to thank you for your support and understanding whilst we completed repairs to the pumped sewer main. We appreciate that the presence of tankers in your area caused inconvenience and disruption and we would like to sincerely apologise for this.

You may have noticed some new activity and vehicle movements along Straight Lane and Poot Lane in the last week as we are now progressing with a permanent repair on the section of pipe from Otterham Quay, through private land toward Poot Lane.

We anticipate that this section of work will be completed in early October 2021 and then our focus will now turn to the future resilience of the remainder of the pumped main to Lower Halstow. The project team are assessing the viable options and associated timescales of replacing or refurbishing the remaining sewer line and we will provide a progress update as soon as possible.

Community engagement

Our Stakeholder Manager, Barry Woodham will continue to work closely with the Lower Halstow Parish Council and the wider community will be updated on the long term project by a dedicated communications team from Southern Water and MGjv, who are delivering the work on behalf of Southern Water.

We appreciate your feedback

We welcome any questions or concerns you may have so please feel free to contact:

Barry Woodham at: barry.woodham@southernwater.co.uk or

Stuart Roy at: stuart.roy@mgjv.co.uk

Yours faithfully

Tim Olliffe - Project Manager

Southern Water