Upchurch Players: Panto Launch Night - Pinocchio

Thursday 7th April

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Upchurch Village Hall

Come along and find out about how you can be involved: on stage, backstage & behind the scenes. 

Upchurch Players

Website: www.upchurchplayers.co.uk

UpARA - March 2022 Newsletter

Hello UpARA members,

There are still a few tickets available for our 8th Birthday Party on Friday, March 18th, 6:45pm. Tickets (£15), include a two-course meal and entertainment from Steve Cherelle. This is now open to non-members as well.

If you would like tickets please Email uparaupchurch@gmail.com or by text to 07802 250773; payment can be made at the coffee morning or the Friday meeting, or via BACS payment.

Thank you to those... who have indicated that they are willing to take on the organisation of some trips. We have been working on a process where coordination etc. such as banking, website and calendar etc can be provided centrally by a few of the committee, and hopefully will remove the burden of all the trips being organised by a single individual.

Malcolm has agreed that he will continue to lead on the trip to Leonardslee Gardens on 9th May, and a few members have come forward willing to take on a trip or holiday in the future.

We are hoping that there will be a variety of trips going forward, please let us know of any trips you may wish to consider in the future.

The thoughts of Chairman John

YO HO HO (see below)

Hello everyone, 

There is light at the end of the Tunnel… and not a train coming in the other direction but the end of all restrictions we have been under.

YO, those of us who went to the Bob Marley Musical learnt quite a lot about Rastafarian culture along with plenty of foot-tapping music.

HO HO For those of us who were lucky to have been on the Turkey and Tinsel trip to Torquay on the English Riviera, one of the best I personally have undertaken.

A notable event last month was the unveiling of our badly needed Book Cupboard, thanks to Dennis and Peter, and to Ann for the painting. It's been said that if the hall was to fall, the cupboard would still be standing! It also means that Norman is no longer having to store 20 boxes of books in his garage!

Don't forget our Birthday Bash is just around the corner, looking forward to seeing you all, you won't be disappointed.

We are now fully up and running, we can now look forward to an enjoyable year ahead, despite events happening elsewhere.

John

Fundraising day / Can you help us? 

We have decided that our fundraising day to raise money for the defibrillator, (which you will notice is now situated at the entrance to the hall), will be Friday 3rd June, during the 4-day Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

More details to follow nearer the time, but we are looking at a Quiz evening for the various groups that use the hall and an ‘Open Afternoon’, (12 - 4pm) with a variety of entertainment, teas/ coffees/cakes etc.

We want members in groups of 4/5/6 to take turns ‘manning’ the kitchen, (teas/coffees/washing/collecting cups etc) in 30/60-minute intervals, so that we can all enjoy the day. Please put your name forward if you can help - It really will be appreciated - we ideally need 20 - 30 members to come forward.

AGM 

Our AGM will take place after the Friday meeting on 13th May.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are now overdue. There will be one month’s grace to pay your subscriptions if you have not yet paid. Membership will lapse at the end of March, and places will be offered to those on the waiting list.

If you know that you will not be renewing, please let us know and we can offer your place to those on the waiting list. 

March Calendar

Tuesday, March 1st at 9:30am - Coffee Morning and Art

Tuesday, March 1st at 2:00pm - Table Tennis

Wednesdays March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th at 10:15am - Line Dancing 

Friday, March 4th at 10:00am - Village Walk

Mondays March 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th at 10:00am - Short Tennis

Monday, March 7th at 2:00pm - Kurling

Tuesday, March 8th at 10:00am - 10 Pin Bowling

Friday, March 11th at 2:00pm - Monthly Meeting

Chris McCooey, ’Kent and Sussex Scandals’

Tuesday, March 15th at 1:00pm - Petanque

Friday, March 18th at 10:00am - Village Walk

Friday, March 18th at 6:45pm - UpARA Party

Tuesday, March 22nd at 9:30am - Coffee Morning and Art

Tuesday, March 22nd at 2:00pm - Table Tennis

Hopefully, see you all soon - your UpARA Committee.

Email: uparaupchurch@gmail.com
Website: www.upara.club

Swale Borough Council - Get Involved in National Empty Homes Week

Homeowners and members of the community can join in this year’s National Empty Homes Week by reporting empty homes in their area to Swale Borough Council or applying for a loan from Kent County Council (KCC) to bring their property back into use.

The annual National Empty Homes Week by charity Action on Empty Homes focuses on bringing back into use the 238,306 long-term empty homes in England, and this year it runs from Monday, 28th February to Sunday, 6th March.

Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council, said:

“We’ve helped people find the right support and funding to help bring their previously disused properties back into use.

“Forty-one properties have been bought back into use in Swale so far this financial year, twenty-two of which are thanks to more than £1 million from KCC’s No Use Empty loan scheme.

“The scheme aims to create sustainable accommodation across Kent by helping landlords, owners and developers bring properties that have been empty for more than six months back into use.

“The loans are interest free, range from £25,000 to £175,000 per applicant and must bring properties back into use via renting or selling.

“We also have a reporting tool on our website for members of the community to report any empty homes in their local area.

“Bringing empty homes back into use helps us meet local housing needs and creates safer and more resilient communities.”

To report an empty home or find out how to bring a property back into use visit: www.swale.gov.uk/housing-council-tax-and-benefits/housing/abandoned-properties

Swale Borough Council

The Rainbow Café at St Mary's Church, Upchurch

The Rainbow Café - Thursday 3rd March

10:00am - 12:00pm

Hi everyone,

We just want to say thank you for your support over the past few years. It has meant we have been able to get to know you and use our income to give support to some young people in Uganda; paying their school fees and making sure they had uniforms, shoes and stationary. 

Please read a recent letter from Lesley Ambrose who runs the project in Uganda:

Dear Gill,

I just wanted to give you an update on your sponsored children. We've spent the last 2 to 3 weeks going around all the schools paying the fees. The younger children have been out of school for some time and so had many needs including uniforms, books, shoes and bags. There was some good credit so we have done as much as we can for the children.

Raymond's mother has sent him to a place called Buweya which is very near, just across the lake. His mother is not around very much and so can't take care of him. I also go across there once a week and so we were able to visit him. Raymond is staying with his aunt and attends a school called 'Delight'. It's just a small school but looks to be very nice. and he seems to be happy. We paid his fees, lunches, uniform and sportswear. I'll check on him again soon.

Florence attends 'God is Able' a small Christian school; she's in Primary 1. What an absolutely lovely welcome I received when I went there a couple of weeks ago. We have several of our children in that school and it's very good.

Joshua is now in P4 at Kiwafu Primary School, he's doing well and he's happy.

Lesley went on and asked if we could help support two more children which we said yes to - how could we not. Thankfully some kind people have covered the donations while we haven't been able to open.

Which leads me to the next bit...

We will be open in March. It will be a slimmed down Rainbow while we work out how we can safely open at full capacity.

So do come and have cake, a hot drink and a chat on Thursday the 3rd of March between 10:00am and 12 midday at St Mary's Church, Upchurch.

Cake and a hot drink will be a very reasonable £1.50 and will help us to keep on supporting the wonderful work in Uganda.

God bless you all ♥️

Gill and the Rainbow Café Team

Swale Borough Council - Western Area Committee Meeting at Upchurch Village Hall

The next round of Swale Borough Council Area Committee Meetings begins on Tuesday 1st March with the Western Area Committee Meeting at 7:00pm in Upchurch Village Hall.

Area Committee Meetings are an opportunity for residents to talk directly to borough councillors about the issues in your community.

To submit a question, Email: areacommittees@swale.gov.uk

For more information and to view the agenda, visit: https://bit.ly/3Ihx7Jx

Upchurch Matters

UPDATED: Latest 2022 Police Surgery Dates in Upchurch

New village PCSO Lorraine Holmes will be holding regular Police Surgeries in Upchurch so residents can speak to her about any local policing issues they may have.

Police Surgeries in Upchurch will take place on:

Friday 21st January 2022 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles

Monday 28th February 2022 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles

Friday 25th March 2022 between 2:00pm and 3:00pm at Snaffles

If residents need to contact PSCO Holmes before these dates, they can ring the 101 number or mobile: 07970 458645.

Upchurch Matters