You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December 2012.
Brompton Westbrook Primary School in Gillingham has been rated as outstanding for leadership and management by Ofsted inspectors.
The overall rating for the school is now good, following a previous Ofsted rating of satisfactory at its last inspection in December 2010. More
NHS Kent and Medway is reminding people to make sure they have enough medication to last them over Christmas and New Year, and pick up repeat prescriptions in plenty of time if they need them. It is also a good idea to check on medicine cabinet essentials now, such as over-the-counter cough, cold, flu and indigestion remedies, plasters and a thermometer, to avoid running out over the festive season.
While there is pharmacy cover on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day (full details below), it is much easier to be prepared. More
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award 2012. Today’s announcement from the Cabinet Office has given the charity the opportunity to thank all its volunteers for all their hard work and dedication to help save lives at sea.
The charity, which relies on volunteers to carry out its lifesaving work and who form 95% of its workforce, is one of just 60 organisations to receive this one-off award. The category that was added to the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in order to mark the Diamond Jubilee and Olympic year.
In a nomination submitted by long-term RNLI supporters, actor Timothy Spall and his wife Shane, the charity’s volunteers were described as ‘what is ‘Great’ about Britain.’ The Spalls went on to say: ‘They are an inspiration, and have our eternal gratitude and respect.’
Volunteers have been at the heart of the RNLI since its inception in 1824; its 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members are on call 24/7, launching whatever the weather and often in the hours of darkness to help those in danger around the UK and the Republic of Ireland. In addition, volunteer lifeguards work alongside paid lifeguards to help keep beach-users safe and educate those who visit the coast. Specially-trained Flood Rescue Teams are also ready to deploy to any instances of inland flooding. None of this would be possible without thousands more dedicated volunteers who give their time to raise funds and awareness, give safety advice and help out in museums, shops and offices across the country
Paul Boissier, RNLI Chief Executive, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to receive this prestigious award, and for our selfless volunteers to be recognised for their commitment and dedication in this Diamond Jubilee year.
‘Our volunteers come from all walks of life and are united by one common goal; an unfaltering commitment to help save lives at sea. From the volunteer crews and lifeguards who are at the forefront of rescues to the people who give up their time to raise vital funds. I am not only proud to be part of the charity but inspired by so many ordinary people doing extraordinary things’.
Martyn Lewis CBE, Chairman, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Volunteering Award Committee, said:
“The sixty organisations honoured today with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award for Volunteering have built their success on the dedication and generosity of thousands of extraordinary people, each of whom has devoted their time and energy to the simple aim of making their communities – and their country – a better place.
Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, said:
“The list of recipients of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award for Volunteering reads like a Who’s Who of British volunteering and is testament to the enduring strength and immeasurable contribution of volunteers over the past sixty years.”
“2012 brought volunteering firmly, and deservedly, into the spotlight. The stories behind these awards show what people can achieve when they come together and I hope they will inspire more people to come forward to contribute, and to gain from, all that volunteering offers.”
RNLI lifeboat crew member Gavin Steeden and volunteer lifeguard Chris Lewis will be representing the charity at a small presentation being held by the Cabinet Office at Whitehall this evening (12 December).
Gavin said: ‘I have grown up with the RNLI and volunteer alongside my dad, brother and friends – it is part of who I am and what I love. It is a great honour to be recognised for what we do, and I am really proud to be representing not only my own station in Swanage but all the volunteers who are part of the charity.’ More
The sleigh bells are ringing and the halls are decked – yes, it’s Christmas time. But with only fourteen days left to get the Christmas shopping done some of us may feel like yelling ‘Bah Humbug!’ More
‘Throwing Snowballs On The Thames’ is just one of the works painted by artist Chris Billington especially for the Blake Gallery at The Woodville, Gravesend.
There are 22 paintings in the exhibition that embrace the colours of Christmas including the titles ‘Oh Christmas Tree’, ‘Christmas Under The Clock Tower, Gravesham’ and We Three Cosmic Kings’
Cornwall based abstract artist Chris Billington said ‘To be invited to paint for this exhibition and to return to Gravesend for the first time in 40 years, has been an absolute delight for me . Through these paintings I have rediscovered my love for the area and there is a strong element of Kent in a lot of the work.’
The Colours Of Christmas exhibition will be on show until the 28 December 2012
Entrance to the Blake Gallery is Free.
Age UK has today launched a search for its Internet Champion of the Year for 2013, with the aim of inspiring the 824,000 people in the South East who have never been online.
The charity is looking for someone aged 55+ whose life has been changed for the better by learning to use the internet. The aim of the search is to demonstrate that with benefits such as keeping in touch with loved ones, making savings and pursuing hobbies, the Web isn’t just for computer geeks or young people but has benefits for everyone.
However, 31% of older people say they do not use the internet because they feel they have ‘no need for it’[ii], whilst 24% say they are ‘too old to use the internet’[iii]. The Internet Champion will inspire older people to get online by showing them how it enhanced their life and demonstrating that the benefits of the web are open to everyone, whatever their age.
Brenda O’Mulloy, 83, from Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire, who is Age UK’s joint Internet Champion for 2012, is urging people to put themselves forward to be the 2013 Champion, saying: “I took up the internet on my 75th Birthday. My husband had passed away a few months after we moved to a new area, so my son bought me a computer to ensure that I wasn’t left alone and it has changed my life.
“The first thing I do in the morning is turn on my computer and check my emails. It’s fantastic to have the world at your fingertips and to have the ability to chat with friends and family so easily. It’s been great sharing my passion for all that the internet offers during my time as Internet Champion and encouraging others to get online, so I’d urge any older people who use the internet to enter.”
Frederick Briggs, 75, from Reading, Age UK’s joint Internet Champion for 2010 is urging people to put themselves forward to be the 2013 Champion. He said: “I love being online because it allows me to talk with my children and grandchildren as though they are in the same room. It’s wonderful being able to keep in touch with them so easily, especially my grandchildren who are always so busy. More
Please click on the link below, you will be taken to the Anim-Mates Winter Newsletter. If you can help them with anything at all they would be truly grateful
The Mayor of Gravesham invites the community to join her to sing Christmas carols accompanied by the Borough Band around the first ever Christmas tree on the Community Square at the Civic Centre, Gravesend.
This festive event will take place On Thursday 13 December at 6.30pm. There will be a mini funfair and sideshows that will open at 7pm. Mince pies and mulled wine will be available in the Spotlites Café
Mayor of Gravesham, Councillor Lyn Milner said ‘Christmas will soon be upon us and singing carols around the tree will be a perfect way to get into the festive spirit, I am really looking forward to singing along with the borough band’
It was on Christmas Eve 1864 when Charles Fechter announced that he had a Christmas present for Dickens that was far too big for him to carry, and was now waiting for him at Higham Railway Station, fortunately transport was not a problem, as Dickens kept a four-wheel spring van in the van house behind the servant’s hall at Gad’s Hill. When the gift was finally collected, which took some considerable time, as the gift was contained in fifty-eight packing cases, which meant that a number of trips to and fro from the station were necessary; the packing cases which had travelled from Paris, were opened to reveal all the pieces required to build a genuine Swiss chalet. More
A trial project to increase food waste recycling in Medway starts this month (December). Medway Council’s Waste Services has teamed up with chemical company BASF in a small trial to increase food waste recycling. Nearly 5,000 households in Hempstead, Twydall and Rochester will have received a silver kitchen caddy, a trial roll of ecovio® compostable liners, and an explanatory leaflet.
The average family will produce around one tonne of waste a year, of which 20 per cent is food. The trial will encourage residents to use the ecovio® bags to dispose of biodegradable garbage. The bags not only prevent noxious odours and keep out insects, but also mean that it is not necessary to wash and clean the container in which the organic waste is collected.
Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Frontline Services Cllr Phil Filmer said: “It is always important to establish cross sector partnerships to encourage our residents to continue to recycle their food waste. There are many advantages to composting food waste via the brown bin, instead of black refuse sacks. When composted through the brown bin collections, it has a positive effect to the environment and rodents will not rip black sacks open if they do not contain food waste.
A spokesman for BASF Plastics said: “We were delighted to work with the council and the residents of Medway. We hope this project will prove that ecovio® compostable and biodegradable liners will increase the amount of food waste which can be used to produce good nutritional compost.”
Currently in Medway, recycling and organic collections are collected on a fortnightly basis. Following a successful bid from Central Governments Weekly Collection Support Scheme, the council has been given funding of just over £14million to increase these services to weekly, as well as maintaining a weekly general waste service. These improved services will come into effect summer 2013.
A free 12-week healthy lifestyle course will be launched in January for young people in Medway aged 13-17 years old, run by A Better Medway health improvement services.
Designed to help young people work towards a healthy weight, the ‘Fit Fix’ course will encourage healthy eating and physical activity to improve their health and well-being. The course will also give participants the chance to cook healthier versions of their favourites.
The young people that take part will receive one-to-one support for up to one year, as well as gaining a Level 1 Award in Personal Well-being.
Dr Alison Barnett, Director of Public Health said: “This initiative gives us an opportunity to work with the teenage population in Medway, educating them in sustainable healthy behaviour.
“With this 12-week course we hope to provide them with the skills, knowledge and tools needed to make healthier choices around healthy eating and physical activity.”
To request an application form phone 01634 333101, email
or visit website
A Chatham man has been fined £1,000 for failing to supply the correct paperwork for transporting waste.
In July this year, Kent Police and Medway Council Environmental Enforcement Team, working on a joint operation, stopped Terry Arnold, 22, of White Road, Chatham.
Arnold was issued with a fixed penalty notice for failure to produce authority for transporting waste.
The FPN remained unpaid, so in August an invitation was sent to Arnold to arrange a meeting with an enforcement officer.
There was still no contact or payment from Arnold, so the case went to Medway Magistrates Court, and was heard on Tuesday, 20 November. Arnold did not appear in court but the case was heard in his absence. Arnold was issued with a £1,000 fine, full costs of £409.90 and £15 victim surcharge. Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety Cllr Mike O’ Brien said: “Unlicensed waste carriers are a higher risk for the illegal storage, transport and disposal of waste or flytipping than licensed carriers. Often little or no evidence leaves council taxpayers picking up the cost of clearing up the fly tipping. The total cost to clear and dispose of such waste was £2.7 million for the 2009-2010 tax year.
“Carrying the correct documentation allows authorities to monitor the accountability of the waste and who is responsible for the production and disposal of waste.
“Mr Arnold was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice which gave him the opportunity to discharge liability for the offence, but after no payment was received, we had no choice but to take this matter to the magistrates court.”
A job centre worker has been convicted of fraudulently claiming more than £20,000 in benefits.
Benefits cheat Kim Draper was living with partner Lee Fairfax while claiming housing benefit and council tax benefit. More
There’s plenty of festive fun to be had in Medway in the coming weeks. Children’s Centres will be hosting a number of events for families in the build up to Christmas.
A Christmas charity walk will be held by Brompton Children’s Centre in Gillingham on Monday, 17 December from 1pm to 3.30pm. The walk will be followed by coffee and mince pies and all money raised will go to Help for Heroes and FSID. For more information call 01634 844152. More
Thursday 27 December will see the streets of Medway playing host to an array of old and unusual buses taking part in the Diamond Jubilee Bus Event. Nu-Venture have assembled a colourful collection of vehicles past and present which will supplement the normal bus services between about 1000 and 1530.
The event ‘HQ’ will be at the Acorn Wharf Coach Park in Gas House Lane, Rochester, just a short stroll from the shops and cafes in Rochester High Street, so while the mums are busy shopping, dads and kids can look at the buses on display in the coach park and take some free rides on the frequent runs between Rochester Coach Park and Chatham, the first bus from Chatham will depart at 0945 then every 15 minutes until 1530. For those travelling from further afield, there will also be a shuttle bus between Strood Station and the Coach Park, first bus 1005 then every 30 minutes until 1505.
Special bus routes will operate to and from Lodge Hill, Earl Estate, Medway Gate and also Princes Park to meet the service 150 to and from Maidstone.
The Friends of Chatham Traction will have a stall promoting their work to completely restore a 1939 Chatham & District double-deck bus.
The event builds on a similar – and very popular – event held in Maidstone in December 2002 for the Golden Jubilee.
Full details can be found by visiting www.nu-venture.co.uk
Yet another event from the Upnor Pier, this time nearly 100 people had assembled for a wine and cheese tasting evening. There was even a wine expert on hand to guide us all through all of the different wines that evening. A set of tasting notes had been prepared to help us explore the world through our glass. I doubt that from the range that was presented that there was anyone that did not find at least one or two wines that they enjoyed. A selection of White, Rose and Red were served some from the traditional wine making countries and regions and others from what I think we are still allowed to refer to as the new world. My personal favourites were the Beaujolais from Domaine Romany in France and a Remole Sangiovese from Tuscany. although I don’t think that there was a wine that wasn’t well received. Even with my very limited knowledge of wine this was a fine selection. The evening was hosted by Gilles Wilfrid an expert from a major wine distributor.
A fantastic array of cheeses, pickles, chutney and other items were set out on a large table and more than enough to feed everyone was provided. We were given a few tips as to which cheeses would compliment which wines, and told how temperature was important to the condition of both.
Again the wines with the most positive feedback will be making it onto the wine list of the Pier, joining the chosen few from last year. To be informed of the different events at the Pier, keep your printed copy of the Peninsula Times handy as you will find them on page three and all the dates for the month will be there.
Please click on the link to view more of the images from the evening Pier Wine Tasting Link to images
Peninsula Times 