Upchurch School Bus Service

We are aware of school bus changes at the start of the new school year affecting secondary school children going to/from Sittingbourne.

If any parents have school children affected by these changes would they write to the Clerk and let us know. Upchurch Parish Council will then discuss the matter at the approaching October meeting and decide whether it should make a formal representation to KCC.

We understand that some of the issues have been addressed but want to know specifically if there are outstanding matters.

Unfortunately Upchurch Parish Council is unable to deal with individual cases.

Tyrone Ripley

Chairman - Upchurch Parish Council
Email: chair@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Wendy Licence

Clerk to the Parish Council

Email: clerk@upchurchpc.kentparishes.gov.uk

Caravan Stolen Wetham Green - Burglary at The Three Tuns Lower Halstow

Hartlip, Newington & Upchurch Ward

Crime Number: XY/036361/16

Between the 14th and 15th of September a Tourer Caravan, registration number: VK62 WUX was stolen from Riverview Farm, Wetham Green, Upchurch.

Iwade, Lower Halstow & Bobbing Ward

Crime Number: XY/036372/16

Just before 1:00am on the 15th of September there was another burglary at The Three Tuns Public House in The Street, Lower Halstow. 2 windows were smashed by the burglar.

If you have any information that could help investigators please contact Kent Police on telephone number 101 and quote the relevant crime number above.

For more information on crime prevention visit: www.kent.police.uk

Kent Police Neighbourhood Watch

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Upchurch Poppy Day Appeal 2016

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

The Royal British Legion was formed in 1921 to be a voice for the ex-Service community. Today the Royal British Legion helps the whole Armed Forces community through welfare, comradeship and representation as well as being the Nation's custodian of Remembrance.

The Poppy Appeal, the Royal British Legion's annual national fundraising event, this year will take place between Saturday 22nd October and Saturday 12th November with Remembrance Sunday being 13th November.

During this time a team of volunteer house-to-house collectors will call at every home in Upchurch and collecting boxes will also be found in all of the shops, public houses etc. Residents of Beckenham Park can get Poppies from the site office.

Please give generously as the need continues with our armed forces being killed or injured abroad.

Gerry Lewin - Upchurch Poppy Appeal Organiser 

Tel: 01634 366113

Email: lewing135@btinternet.com

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Newington's Heritage with Cake - Newington History Group

The 9,000-year-old practice of beekeeping, 2,000-year-old Roman artefacts and life in 20th century Newington all formed part of a successful Heritage Open Days weekend held in the medieval St. Mary’s Church.

Volunteers from Newington History Group opened up the Grade I listed building for tours with the guarantee that everyone who visited would be shown something they hadn’t seen before - even if they knew the church well!

Finding medieval graffiti.

History goes high-tech.

The cake stall under the stairs.

Local historians entertained visitors with stories about the nobility and the ordinary people who’ve lived in Newington over the centuries. People such as John Blaxland, whose name appears on wine sold in major British supermarkets, Richard de Lucy, whose family came over with William the Conqueror and more recent residents, such as the soldiers from Newington who died in WWI and who are remembered in a unique Book of Remembrance at the church.

Many families also enjoyed going into the bell chamber - a dizzying trip up a 14th century narrow spiral staircase.

History Group Chair, Sue Flipping, says the weekend looks set to become an annual event.

“Many of us tend to travel away for a day out, forgetting that there’s plenty to find out about our home town. Heritage Open Days was a good opportunity to look back on Newington’s rich past and take time to explore the beautiful medieval church and especially the celebrated wall paintings.

“Plus we have some amazing bakers in the village who provided a feast of cakes for afternoon tea. It’s definitely worth doing again.”

Heritage Open Days is a national initiative where historic buildings and sites of interest open free of charge for four days in September.

If you would like more information about Newington History Group,

Email: NewingtonHistoryGroup@outlook.com or follow them on Twitter: @NewingtonHG

Sue Flipping - Newington History Group

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Latest POLICE.UK Crime Data for the Area - July 2016

Here is a brief summary of the crime information for the past 2 months:

	June 2016	July 2016
All crime	48	34
Anti-social behaviour	16	12
Bicycle theft	1	0
Burglary	3	2
Criminal damage and arson	8	4
Drugs	1	0
Other crime	0	0
Other theft	2	2
Possession of weapons	0	0
Public order	0	0
Robbery	0	0
Shoplifting	3	0
Theft from the person	0	0
Vehicle crime	5	3
Violence and sexual offences	9	11

Please visit: www.police.uk for more information including outcomes for these crimes and contact information for your local policing team.

Upchurch Matters

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Nursery Days Paddock Project Funday

Nursery Days are holding a Fundraising Event at The Old School, The Street, Upchurch on Saturday the 17th of September to raise funds for the Paddock Project.

Organised by their Sunbeam Room, it is taking place between 10:00am and 1:00pm. There will be lots of exciting stalls, including a cake stall, bric-a-brac stall, teddy tombola, treasure hunt, beanbag throwing, lemonade stall, guess the sweets, hook the duck, ice poles and a raffle. Prizes have already been donated by Sainsbury's, The Wildwood Trust, The Crown and The Three Tuns to name a just a few, as well as many other exciting things planned!

Please come along and help the Nursery raise as much money as possible to give to the Paddock Project for some lovely new equipment for everyone to benefit from.

Any donations for stalls would be greatly appreciated - teddies, cakes, bric-a-brac etc.

Telephone: 01634 263896 or

Email: info@nurserydays-upchurch.co.uk

Upchurch Matters

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The Blythswood Care Shoe Box Appeal 2016

At the end of November and the beginning of December 2015, a few of us from Upchurch, spent some glorious hours, helping Anthony and Jenni from Blythswood check and sort the many thousands of shoe boxes that had been donated. 

We were humbled and amazed at the love and generosity that had been poured into the shoe boxes. These precious boxes were destined for struggling adults, teenagers, children and babies all over Eastern Europe.

We learnt much about the strict regulations that Blythswood have to adhere to. For instance knitted stuffed toys, as beautiful as they may be, are not allowed in the boxes – why? - security believe they could hold drugs within the stuffing. Although candles are allowed matches are not. Sweets have to be taken out if there isn’t a sell by date (multi packs only have a date on the outer wrapper). Teddies/dolls have to carry a CE authorisation on their label. Sprays are not allowed. Chocolate or biscuits are not allowed. These were the things we sadly had to remove from the boxes – but they weren’t wasted they were passed on to charity shops and the Food Bank.

What we also did was add things. If there wasn’t a knitted scarf, gloves or hat we added them. No sweets – we added them. No toothpaste or brush – those were added. The list goes on. What we learnt was that Blythswood needed an extensive supply of many of the basic things they suggest for the boxes.

Watch the video

The video may not be visible in our Email alert version of this post.

If not, you can watch it here: youtube.com

So now we have another opportunity to fill a box with love. There will be leaflets at Church, Uplift and at the Rainbow Café. Any questions please Email: gilliangay99@yahoo.co.uk
or elizabeth.shorthouse@tesco.net

Boxes will be picked up from St. Mary’s the beginning of November so if you would like to donate a box we will need it by the last Sunday in October.

We would also be very grateful for any single items i.e., (new) scarves, hats, gloves, sweets, soap, flannels, toothpaste, toothburushes, shampoo. All these will be used to top up boxes where necessary.

The boxes bring great joy to people whose lives are often very bleak – they show them that someone somewhere cares. And for those of us that donate a box – we get the satisfaction that we have been able to make a real difference – how often can you say that.

You can learn more about the appeal at their website: www.blythswood.org/shoebox-appeal

Thank You

Gill Gay

St. Mary's - Uplift (Upchurch)

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