Local News

A dedicated Scout leader has pulled together a team of electricity workers for a makeover at a Sittingbourne Scout campsite.

UK Power Networks’ engineer, Paul Austin, led improvements to Bexon Lane Scout Campsite with a team of power workers, after raising £800 from a sponsored walk with colleagues to buy equipment for the challenge.

His ‘DIY-SOS'-style makeover team of electricity linesmen, substation fitters and project managers repaired a climbing wall roof damaged during winter storms, painted containers housing activity equipment, installed shed lighting, built a new base for a flagpole and painted gates and fences.

Paul has spent 20 years supporting the Scout movement in Kent during his free time, helping young people experience outdoor adventures, right on their local doorstep. He currently serves as a water sports adventure leader in the county.

Paul told SFM News: “As the former district commissioner for this campsite I feel passionate about keeping this site in good condition, maintaining access to adventurous outdoors activities for young people right across the county. We rely on dedicated volunteers who do a brilliant job keeping the campsite in good condition for thousands of young visitors, and our volunteers needed our help. My colleagues have a broad variety of practical skills which I knew would make a big difference. I’m so grateful for their hard work which will help many young people in Kent who enjoy using this special site. I’m proud of my colleagues who worked extremely hard. We achieved our goal to complete some major projects which will benefit Scouts visiting us from across the county.”

The 12-acre site offers outdoor activities for youngsters aged between four and 18, from traditional campfires and archery, to climbing, go-karting, and other activities.

The volunteers from UK Power Networks gave their free time through Donate a Day, a company initiative giving all staff two paid days per year to work on projects in their local community.

Angela Palmer, district commissioner for Sittingbourne, Milton and District Scouts, told SFM News: “We are extremely grateful for the work UK Power Networks has carried out. Without their help, we were unsure when we would be able to reopen the area to young people. The young people are now able to experience activities they would not be able to do if it was not for their help. We want to say a big thank you to the team.”

Police stations across the county have been welcoming a special new recruit to help support the mental wellbeing of officers and staff.

Honey is Kent Police’s first wellbeing and trauma support dog and will provide a calming presence following potentially traumatic events. She is not a police dog, but belongs to a community policing volunteer and has been provided through the national Oscar Kilo 9 network which aims to introduce wellbeing dogs throughout the country.

A springer spaniel, Honey can be arranged for specific teams or individuals, including front line officers dealing with traumatic events and 999 call handlers who may take distressing or upsetting calls. Her role will be to provide a few minutes of relief to those in need across the workplace and along with her handler she has so far visited police stations in Canterbury, Ashford and Maidstone.

PC Martyn Tulk, who leads the Community Policing Volunteer Canine team, told SFM News: "Policing is a challenging and demanding job which can frequently lead to stressful, upsetting and sometimes disturbing situations. A growing number of police forces are recognising the value of dogs in helping officers and staff cope with the daily stresses of work and in supporting their overall wellbeing. When a dog is introduced to the workplace, the interactions can provide much needed light relief. We hope Honey’s presence will help our officers and staff to find it easier to engage and speak about issues and events that have been causing them upset or may have been affecting their mental health and wellbeing."

The OK9 network currently has more than 100 accredited wellbeing and trauma support dogs and as well as a number of police forces, has representation within several fire and rescue services. Their handlers are also mental health first aiders and are trained to talk about their own experiences. They are ideally placed to listen, enable difficult conversations and provide signposting to support if required.

As well as the dedicated wellbeing trauma and support dog, Kent Police uses other volunteer therapy dogs to help tackle a range of issues including around mental health and supporting vulnerable people and child centred policing.

Rainbow Homes is preparing its first project to deliver new affordable homes in Swale.

The new council-owned housing company is planning to deliver more than 170 new properties at three sites in Sittingbourne and has appointed Counties & Capital Consulting Ltd (C&CC) to oversee the project.

The new homes are planned for Cockleshell Walk, East Street and Fountain Street and will be the first built by Rainbow Homes.

C&CC will manage and advise on all stages of works, from concept designs, to securing planning permissions, sourcing all project professionals and overseeing the build process through to the successful letting of the new high-quality homes

Emma Wiggins, director at Rainbow Homes told SFM News “Rainbow Homes is a wholly council-owned venture that has been set up to deliver new, affordable homes in Swale. We will be working with our partners to provide local people with a home of their own, built to a good standard and offering a mix of affordable tenures. Our focus will be on creating sustainable communities which make a real difference to the lives of those who live there. Our plans for these three sites are still being finalised, and we’re getting ready to submit planning applications in the next few months. This is the first project we’re hoping to deliver, and we’re already considering plans for other locations around the borough to give as many local people as possible the chance of moving into an affordable home of their own.”

The managing director of C&CC, Neill Tickle, has previously worked with Swale Council and within the borough for more than 15 years as the development director for local housing association, Optivo. During this time he was responsible for successfully delivering many property developments including the Regis Gate Extra Care scheme and the Wild Ash Croft regeneration project.

Neill told SFM News: “We’re over the moon to have been selected from the many companies who entered into the procurement process. We’re most excited to assist Rainbow Homes in delivering these transformational regeneration projects that will continue to improve Sittingbourne town centre and benefit local people and the community. It’s refreshing to see that despite the wide range of political parties and views represented withing Swale, the one factor that everyone agrees with is that they must do their part to help with the housing crisis in delivering more affordable housing for the local community and the people who need it the most – we are delighted to be able to help them achieve this, every step of the way!”

Mohammed Parekh, the development and investment consultant at C&CC who is taking the lead role in delivering these projects told SFM News: “Due to our exceptional commercial awareness and management of internal stakeholders – we have the right balance in managing client’s requirements whilst also understanding the key issues that are so often faced during the stages of a development. We also possess good knowledge and experience of modern methods of construction which is an important consideration for all development clients these days.”

People visiting Sheerness and Leysdown beaches this weekend will see the start of this summer’s lifeguard service.

The six-week Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) weekend and bank holiday Lifeguard service starts this weekend (Saturday 28th May) at Sheerness and Leysdown beaches ahead of the summer season.

The seven days per week summer service covering Sheerness, Leysdown and Minster beaches starts on Saturday 9th  July through to Sunday 4th September.

Cllr Monique Bonney, committee chair for regeneration and property, told SFM News: “We’ve just received blue flag awards for all three of our bathing beaches and it’ll be fantastic to see people starting to use them more as the weather warms up. Every year we start with a part time weekend and bank holiday lifeguard service at our busiest beaches - Sheerness and Leysdown - before we move on to the seven days per week summer service for Sheerness, Leysdown and Minster beaches. We are delighted the RNLI continue to provide lifeguarding on our lovely Blue Flag beaches. We want you to have a great summer on our beaches.  We encourage you, where possible, to visit a lifeguarded beach, know the risks, understand the flags, leave inflatables at home and stay safe. Finally, please take your rubbish home so it does not endanger other beach users or the environment.”

Cllr Sarah Stephens, vice committee chair for regeneration and property at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “Please remember, being able to see a lifeguard isn’t an excuse for taking risks, and even though a beach has lifeguards, people should always be careful in and around the water. There’s lots of information and advice on the RNLI website, and I’d urge everyone to have a look at their float to live advice. If you’re visiting the beach with the kids, don’t forget you can grab an armband from one of our lifeguards, write your phone number with waterproof ink and give to the little ones to wear just in case you get separated. In the case of an emergency at the beach, seafront or sea, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

For more information about Swale's beaches visit their website: swale.gov.uk/seafront.