- 8 months ago
Catch up on all the latest news across the county with Abigail Hook and Bartholomew Hall.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:28I'm Abbey Hook, here are your top stories on Tuesday the 10th of June.
00:33The cost of caring. We speak to those campaigning for more support during Carers Week.
00:39It's really, really hard. Really, really hard.
00:43Caught on camera, Sevenoaks driver avoids prison after leading police on a 130mph chase.
00:51And Pride in Maidstone art exhibition celebrates LGBTQ plus creatives in Pride Month.
00:58The fact that we've got this as a single event in the arts calendar, perhaps there is scope for us to have a lot more of these types of things.
01:07The first this evening calls for a by-election in Thanet as Reform Councillor has had the whip suspended by his party.
01:25Daniel Taylor will now sit as an independent with mysteries surrounding why he's been removed from the party with immediate effect.
01:31It comes as a war of words erupted between Dover MP Mike Tabb and Kent County Council Leader Lyndon Kemp-Karren over the weekend.
01:39While our local democracy reporter Olly Leader has the details.
01:44Olly, these stories seem to be continuously coming out from this newly formed council.
01:51What exactly can you tell us about the latest?
01:53So, Daniel Taylor, you can see him on screen right now.
01:56He is a Cliftonville ward councillor in Thanet.
01:59He is one of the new reform intake.
02:02They've won 57 council seats just about a month ago.
02:07He's now sitting as an independent.
02:09The question, I think, on everyone's lips is why.
02:13Because Reform UK confirmed the group whip had been withdrawn from councillor Taylor with immediate effects.
02:21And the Kent County Council Leader Lyndon Kemp-Karren did tell group leaders in a letter that the decision was made due to a very sensitive set of circumstances.
02:32What those are, we don't know.
02:34We can't really speculate here, but Catherine Taylor has described himself during the lead-up to the local elections as a local businessman and a devoted family man who has great concerns regarding Cliftonville's future.
02:47All questions will be about his future within Reform UK.
02:51And what are other councillors saying?
02:53What's the response been?
02:55So, it's been quite immediate from the Kent Greens.
02:59They are already calling for a by-election in the ward if he is not re-admitted to the party.
03:07Something which Mark Hood, the KCC councillor for Tunbridge, he admits it's unusual.
03:13It's not the sort of thing they would normally do, given the lack of clarity around the circumstances.
03:19It's all to do when this removal happened within the term.
03:23What we are really worried about is the constituents of Cliftonville being saddled with somebody who they voted for them on the basis that they were a Reform candidate.
03:38There's a real problem here that you could have a community there that have got a representative that they didn't really want in place.
03:49And I think a by-election would probably be appropriate if he isn't re-admitted.
03:56But obviously, we haven't got any idea of what the circumstances are here.
04:00Yeah, Mark Hood speaking to you there.
04:04But it's, of course, not the only controversy-facing reform at KCC, is it?
04:09It's been, in the words of Mike Tapp, the Dover MP pitch is right there a little bit chaotic.
04:14We've seen last week the party chairman at the Times here, Yusuf, coming down to launch the Doge unit only for him to leave the party.
04:23Well, we've got a bit of a jump in the gun here.
04:25We can see Mike Tapp's letter to Lyndon Kamkaren and her response.
04:31They've been in a battle, a war of words on social media.
04:36He's saying it's been a chaotic start.
04:38She's refuting that.
04:40He's accusing him of a lack of ideas and credibility.
04:45It's been a bit of argy-bargy.
04:48And it all comes down to this start.
04:52As I was just saying, we had this Doge unit being launched at Kent County Council.
04:56Then it seems to self-implode.
04:58Then it put itself back together by the weekend.
05:01And all eyes are on this new administration.
05:04The Reform UK are now a party of government.
05:07They have to be seen to deliver.
05:10And that is the real concern here.
05:11From Mike Tapp about this new government, can they deliver here at KCC?
05:17There's something we'll be keeping an eye on here at KMTV as well.
05:20Yeah, Ollie, thank you very much.
05:22Lots unravelling.
05:24All right, next this evening, a man from Sevenoaks who drove more than 130 miles per hour
05:29in a police chase on the M25 has narrowly avoided prison.
05:33A police helicopter captured the moment Lee Twinley was weaving in and out of cars.
05:38I've become somewhat erratic.
05:40It's now...
05:40Apologies there.
05:43So that footage we're about to show you now shows the chase.
05:46It ended with the 20-year-old crashing into a tree.
05:49Well, Bartholomew Hall can take us through the footage now.
05:51Let's take a look.
05:52The subject's manner of driving has become somewhat erratic.
05:56It's now weaving around in the lane.
05:57This dramatic footage shows the moment a driver clocked speeds of up to 130 miles per hour
06:03on the M25 in an attempt to escape police.
06:07Lee Twinley's Volkswagen Tygo only stopped when the 20-year-old driver lost control before
06:13hitting into the central reservation and crashing into a tree.
06:17The clip, taken from a police helicopter, lasts 17 minutes and was shown in full in court,
06:22with the car visibly weaving in and out of traffic on the motorway.
06:26The chase begins with officers from Cambridge Police attempting to stop Twinley on the M25
06:35near Brentwood in Essex, before he leads them onto the M11.
06:39At Junction 10, officers try to stop the vehicle, but moments later, the collision happens.
06:44Twinley was the only occupant of the car and suffered knee injuries requiring surgery.
06:49He was handed five charges, including failing to stop, driving without insurance and failing
06:55to comply with a breath test.
06:57Sevenoaks Magistrates Court heard the father of a four-month-old suffers from mental health
07:01issues, including ADHD, but that alcohol had played a significant role in his actions
07:06that night.
07:07It wasn't explained why police wanted to stop Mr Twinley in the first place, but the court
07:12heard he was remorseful of his actions and accepted all the charges.
07:15He was handed a suspended prison sentence of 12 months, banned from driving for 30 months
07:20and ordered to pay more than £270 in fines.
07:24Bartholomew Hall, for KMTV.
07:31More on that story over on Kent Online as well today.
07:34Now, Eurostar plans to launch direct services from London to Germany and Switzerland.
07:39They've been branded as short-sighted as the operator continues to skip Kent.
07:43Cross-channel trains haven't stopped at Ashford or Ebb Street International since the first
07:48COVID lockdowns, leaving passengers forced to travel into London's St Pancras to leave
07:53the UK.
07:54In a statement, the MP for Ashford, Sojan Joseph, says the company's reluctance to return
07:59to Kent is misguided and has urged them to rethink the decision.
08:03Well, Chief Executive of the Kent Chamber of Commerce, Tudor Price, told us Eurostar has
08:09a moral obligation to return to the county.
08:12It is, without doubt, the most blatant example of monopolistic behaviour I've seen in a very
08:18long time.
08:19Eurostar know very well that they have a moral obligation to be stopping back in Kent.
08:25A huge amount of the economy and the consumer spend has been built around these international
08:32stations at Epps Fleet and at Ashford.
08:34And they are sitting there like white elephants doing absolutely nothing.
08:40Eurostar has previously said it remains fully committed to the future of rail connectivity
08:44and continues to work transparently with local stakeholders and councils as well.
08:50Now, a sitting-born woman has told CAME TV about her heartbreaking story as we mark National
08:55Carers Week in Kent.
08:57Let's take a look at Kristen Hawthorne's report.
08:59For many, it's a 24-7 job, often powered by love and not a paycheck.
09:09I've been speaking to those on the front line of caring about the challenges they face, the
09:13realities of the role and what needs to change.
09:16Sharon cares for her partner Shane, who has CKDS, which is the most advanced stage of chronic
09:22kidney disease.
09:23She also works at a care home for dementia patients.
09:26I'm not just saying it's your job, it's a hard job being a carer, working in the industry
09:30or looking after someone.
09:31It is a hard job to fulfil whatever needs they need.
09:37And, yeah, emotionally and mentally it does affect you and I can't say that it doesn't.
09:43We're trying to balance ourselves in looking after this person, trying to work.
09:49You know, our work doesn't stop from just looking after that person.
09:55We've still got to cook, clean and also work.
10:00Personal lived experience of being a carer in the late 80s when my father had, care for
10:04my father when he had pancreatic cancer.
10:06Over the years, I've been diagnosed with a major kidney and bladder disorder.
10:10My condition's worsening.
10:12My wife is now juggling, was juggling work and care.
10:14And I just think it's time for equality for all carers because they are doing the best
10:19they can.
10:21And I've used that experience to try and change the world.
10:27Chris and Sharon have told me that throughout the years, the support for carers has simply
10:30been getting worse.
10:32That's why Chris has started a campaign called Someone's Listening, which aims to identify
10:36hidden carers within the workforce across the county and make them aware of support that's
10:40available when they need it.
10:42Over the last 12 years, Chris has been campaigning for paid carers leave as chair of Mending
10:47the Gap.
10:48They're the only sector of society that's not helped by support paid leave from government
10:54when they need time off.
10:56You've got maternity leave, paternity leave, pre-adoption leave, post-adoption leave, but
11:01all unpaid, all carers leave is unpaid.
11:03Just think if people in your workforce that are struggling, saving annual leave, they could
11:10be possibly being carers, juggling work and care.
11:13Just think if you can help them, please do.
11:17If you can't, just try and show that you understand what they're going through, that they're struggling.
11:24They're doing their best to remain in employment.
11:26They're doing their best to care for the person they care for, and they're doing their best
11:31to juggle their daily routine.
11:33It's clear that for many, financial pressures are a major part of what makes caregiving so
11:38challenging.
11:39But as awareness grows, it's equally clear that there are people listening, and change
11:43is possible.
11:44Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Tunbridge Wells.
11:47Time for a quick break now, and see you in a minute.
15:09Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
15:17Now the cause of a loud bang in Ashford has been revealed as the controlled explosion of a wartime hand grenade.
15:26The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the small bomb was found in Highfield Road in Ashford on Sunday morning.
15:33The noise was captured on doorbell camera with residents questioning where it even came from.
15:37The MOD confirmed the bomb was disposed of in a safe manner.
15:43Now Ashford-born author Frederick Forsyth has passed away at the age of 86.
15:48He was best known for writing The Day of Jackal, a bestseller that has since been adapted for television.
15:54But he was also an RAF pilot and investigative journalist.
15:58Well, Finn McDermott joins me in the studio now to discuss the life of one of Kent's most famous authors.
16:05Finn, tell us a bit more about him.
16:06Well, Frederick lived a very interesting life and he actually credits a lot of his natural curiosity, which you can see in his work,
16:13and all about the wider world, really, with his upbringing in the small agricultural town of Ashford, as it would have been in the 50s when he was growing up.
16:21He also spent some time in Tunbridge for his education.
16:24And it seems he really quite liked Kent.
16:26And in fact, he actually worked at Kent Online's sister paper, the Kentish Express, as a junior reporter when he was 17.
16:33He then went on to become one of the youngest ever RAF pilots.
16:36And after serving, he turned to journalism, which he definitely suited thanks to a gift for languages.
16:42He could speak German, French and Russian.
16:44And you can see, I believe, that is his parents' shop there in Ashford.
16:47Like I was saying, he could speak German, French, Russian and became a foreign correspondent in Biafra, which was a state in West Africa during the late 1960s that's now a part of Nigeria.
16:57And obviously, he became a very famous author.
16:59We can see some of his books here, The Cobra, but none more famous than the one known as The Day of the Jackal.
17:04And it's all very much inspired by his time as an RAF pilot.
17:08And tell us more about his books.
17:10Of course, that's how he became known to the world.
17:13Absolutely.
17:14So Day of the Jackal is definitely his most famous work.
17:17But it wasn't actually his first, as many people believe.
17:19During his time covering the civil war in Biafra, he wrote another book.
17:24And there's a great quote.
17:25So the BBC said that he couldn't continue covering the disaster after six months.
17:29And he said, I smelt news management.
17:31I don't like news management.
17:33So I made a private vow to myself.
17:35You may, gentlemen, not be covering it, but I'm going to cover it.
17:37So I quit and flew out there and stayed there for two years.
17:40And that was how he wrote the Biafra story all about the civil war.
17:42And it was during seeing all these times of war that really inspired the start of his novel career.
17:47He wrote The Day of the Jackal, a political thriller all about a professional assassin trying to kill Charles de Gaulle,
17:52who was the president of France at the time.
17:54And he was actually inspired by some of his early journalism work.
17:57The attempted assassination actually did happen, and he covered it while being a journalist.
18:01And that book was an instant bestseller around the world.
18:04And following that, he wrote 25 more books that sold more than 75 million copies altogether.
18:09And what have his friends and family been saying in way of tribute?
18:12Well, his agent and friend Jonathan Lloyd said,
18:16we mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers.
18:19Only a few weeks ago, I sat with him as we watched a new and moving documentary of his life called In My Own Words,
18:25which will be released later this year on BBC One.
18:28And he says he was reminded of an extraordinary life well lived.
18:31He will be greatly missed by his family, his friends, all of us at his agency,
18:35and of course, his millions of fans throughout the world.
18:37OK, all right, Finn, thank you very much.
18:40Lots of tributes will be pouring in as this story hits lots of people across the world with his notoriety as well.
18:47Finn, thank you very much.
18:49Now, next evening, it's been one year since compulsory microchipping for cats became law in England,
18:55and it was something actually that was pushed forward by a rescue charity in Medway.
18:59Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all our latest reports across Kent,
19:03like this one over on our website, kmtv.co.uk.
19:07But let's take a look back at the success of the campaign
19:10and what it meant to people who made it happen.
19:13The Medway charity that turned a dream into legislation.
19:18Natasha and her partner Dee started Animals Lost and Found in Kent after their cat went missing.
19:24They've played a crucial role in making microchipping cats mandatory across the UK.
19:29And the legislation came into force this week.
19:33This is where it all began for Dee and Natasha 10 years ago
19:36in their mission to help rescue and protect cats right across Medway and Kent.
19:41But it's been in the last six years where they've really been pushing
19:44that all cats in the UK get microchipped.
19:47Currently, about 25% aren't.
19:50But they hope with this new legislation, those numbers will start to change.
19:54I mean, we're only a small cog in the massive part of a massive machine that's actually made this work.
20:00And when it came to how strongly we felt about the microchipping legislation
20:06and it needing to be changed to cats too,
20:09we did get a bit of a back from it.
20:12But people were saying, actually, you can't govern this.
20:14It's not going to work.
20:15And dogs are bigger than cats.
20:17And, you know, cats are free roamers.
20:18And what about the feral?
20:20If your cat has chipped, it comes home.
20:22It's as simple as that.
20:23Because you don't own the animal, you own the chip.
20:26It's exactly the same, really, technically, as a car and a logbook.
20:30You're in a logbook, not the car.
20:32And if you're not logging your pets, well, you could face a fine of up to £500.
20:37National charity Cats Protections say the deterrent is working,
20:41despite record numbers of animals being rescued
20:44and microchipping being a challenge to police.
20:47This isn't about trying to find people or make money from people.
20:51This is more about trying to encourage people
20:53and show how important it is that they have their cats microchipped.
20:57So I think when people are found to not have their cats microchipped,
21:00they will be given a notice and have 21 days to go to the vet
21:03and get their cat microchipped.
21:05And this will cost between, depending where you are in the country, £20 and £30.
21:10And that money means volunteers like Natasha
21:13can check on any lost or injured cats.
21:15So you have to really go over the entire animal, right around the...
21:19I always start here and I go down, and then I go down to the other side.
21:24And I do it slowly.
21:25I go in with the mindset of, there's a chip there, I need to find it.
21:28Where some people just go, well, they're not chipped.
21:31It's not good enough.
21:32I always try really hard, and other volunteers try really hard,
21:35to make sure that that animal is scanned properly and thoroughly.
21:39Unlike dogs, at eight weeks,
21:40cats must be microchipped and registered by the time they're 20 weeks old,
21:44with contact details stored and kept up to date in an approved database.
21:49And just like the paw prints in the concrete when this place was built,
21:53Natasha's push for this legislation is now cemented in the heart of what they do.
21:58Abbey Hook for KMTV in Medway.
22:03Amazing to see such important work at the heart of a Medway charity as well.
22:07All right, let's take a very quick look at the weather forecast now.
22:10Tonight's looking fairly mild, with temperatures around the low to mid-teens.
22:18Clear night skies to be expected.
22:21Tomorrow morning, sunshine across the county, with some clouds scattered in the west.
22:24Temperatures rising to around 17 in most parts there.
22:2818 in Canterbury.
22:29And into the afternoon, the clouds clear off, leaving the skies nice and sunny.
22:33Temperatures reaching highs of 23.
22:35And here's the picture for the next few days.
22:38Friday, highs of 26.
22:52Next this evening, driverless cars could be on our roads as early as next year,
22:57but many of Kent's road users are still sceptical of the technology.
23:01It comes as Uber will trial so-called robo-taxis, with the government claiming the industry could create 38,000 jobs over the next decade.
23:10Well, Bartholomew Hall joins me in the studio now.
23:13Take us through today's announcement and what it means for Kent.
23:16Are we all passengers in our own cars now?
23:19Well, potentially, in a few years to come, it could be the reality that people have a new way to explore a night out.
23:25You no longer need a designated driver or if everybody could just jump in one of these automated taxis.
23:31You won't need, you know, for people who are disabled, unable to use normal, regular cars and want to be on their own in these vehicles.
23:39That could be the reality for them.
23:41Well, it all comes because of a change to the government's rules around driverless cars.
23:45We originally thought this was going to come in sort of 2027 time.
23:48It's now been pushed forward.
23:50They're calling it an accelerated framework for small autonomous bus and taxi-like commercial services.
23:56And as a result, as you mentioned there, Uber says it will be taking the reins and trialling this system from next autumn.
24:02And we've already heard that the company's been putting this technology to use in London as we speak.
24:08But all of those trials involve a driver there ready to take the wheel if needed.
24:12What we're talking about here is cars going around for the first time on UK public roads with no driver in the driving seat.
24:20And it sounds exciting for sort of sci-fi lovers, but I've been talking with people here in the county today, in Rochester in fact, and not everybody is convinced.
24:28Driverless cars, would you consider getting in a driverless taxi?
24:30Not at all. No.
24:32What is it that you think that sort of makes you a bit weary?
24:35The drivers, real drivers have better reactions, I would hope, than a computer.
24:39Yeah, I think I would, but I'd probably give it a little bit of a wide berth before I jumped in straight away.
24:45But like I said, there's plenty of bad drivers out there, so AI probably couldn't be that much worse.
24:50I think that's just the way the world's going now, isn't it? So you have to just get the times, I think.
24:54I would trust the car to take me where I want it.
24:59My son's got a Tesla, and he still feels he has to, you know, there's a little camera inside that tells him he's got to keep a hand on the wheel.
25:08So that's driverless technology telling you you've got to keep a hand on the wheel, and that's why I wouldn't trust it.
25:15Also, computers and things go wrong, and I'd like to be in charge for my staff.
25:22Yes.
25:23Yes, absolutely.
25:24I've got an electric car which almost drives itself anyway, so I'm happy with the systems that they've got to stop them crashing.
25:32They've probably crashed less than people driving.
25:35You might have ten times as little car, as less car crashes with driverless cars than you have with actual drivers, but when those do happen, who's going to be responsible?
25:45And once those questions are answered in such a way that, you know, we can as a society agree on, then I don't see a problem with it.
25:53Well, it's quite interesting, isn't it, because I was quite surprised that there was that many people saying that they were in favour of it, because there's a YouGov poll that came out recently showing just 3% of adults in the UK would be in favour of it.
26:07It's a slightly different picture over in the US, where there are already some driverless taxi services available, the likes of Cruise and Waymo available in some US cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin in Texas, whereas over in the US, almost 45% of people say that they would consider getting in one of these driverless taxis.
26:28So the future looks like it could be an interesting one, very sci-fi-like, but there is also some concerns over jobs.
26:34Of course, taxi drivers would be out of one.
26:36The government saying that the sector, having this investment in the technology sector, could add £42 billion to the economy and create 38,000 jobs.
26:46So we'll have to see how it plays out.
26:48All right, Bartholomew, thank you very much.
26:50That's it for now.
26:50Bartholomew will be back after this short break.
26:53Bartholomew will be back after this short break.
27:23Bartholomew will be back after this short break.
33:22I've been speaking to those on the front line of caring about the challenges they face,
33:24the realities of the role and what needs to change.
33:27Sharon cares.
33:29Sharon cares for her partner Shane who has CKDS which is the most advanced stage of chronic kidney disease.
33:34She also works at a care home for dementia patients.
33:37I'm not just saying it's your job, it's a hard job being a carer working in the industry or looking after someone.
33:42It is a hard job to fulfil whatever needs they need and yeah emotionally and mentally it does affect you and I can't say that it doesn't.
33:54We're trying to balance ourselves in looking after this person, trying to work.
34:00You know, you know, our work doesn't stop from just looking after that person.
34:06We've still got to cook, clean and also work.
34:10Personal lived experience of being a carer in the late 80s when my father,
34:14care for my father when he had pancreatic cancer.
34:17Over the years I've been diagnosed with a major kidney and bladder disorder.
34:21My condition is worsening, my wife is now juggling, was juggling work and care and I just think it's time for equality for all carers
34:28because they are doing the best they can and I've used that experience to try and change the world.
34:37Chris and Sharon have told me that throughout the years the support for carers has simply been getting worse.
34:42That's why Chris has started a campaign called Someone's Listening which aims to identify hidden carers within the workforce across the county
34:49and make them aware of support that's available when they need it.
34:53Over the last 12 years Chris has been campaigning for paid carers leave as chair of Mending the Gap.
34:59They're the only sector of society that's not helped by support paid leave from government when they need time off.
35:07You've got maternity leave, paternity leave, pre-adoption leave, post-adoption leave but all carers leave is unpaid.
35:14Just think if people in your workforce that are struggling, saving annual leave, they could possibly be carers juggling work and care.
35:24Just think if you can help them, please do.
35:27If you can't just try and show that you understand what they're going through, that they're struggling, they're doing their best to remain in employment,
35:37they're doing their best to care for the person they care for and they're doing their best to juggle their daily routine.
35:43It's clear that for many, financial pressures are a major part of what makes caregiving so challenging.
35:49But as awareness grows, it's equally clear that there are people listening and change is possible.
35:55Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Tunbridge Wells.
35:58Well, to speak more about this, Naresh Katerina from Carers First joins me on the line now.
36:06Naresh, thank you very much for joining us this evening.
36:08First of all, can you just tell me what Carers Week is all about? Why has this week been set up?
36:14Well, Carers Week is organised by Carers UK, Carers Trust UK.
36:20They have a theme every year and this year the theme is all about caring about equalities.
36:26We know that unpaid carers are unrecognised.
36:32There's research to suggest that there's nearly half of all UK adults that provide unpaid care at some point in their life,
36:40which equates to around 11.9 million individuals currently providing unpaid care to support their family members and friends who are ill, with a disability or older.
36:52Their contribution is vital to society and often come at their own personal cost, as we hear Chris and Sarah's own personal story.
37:00It can take up to two years before someone actually recognises themselves as a carer.
37:06They may be gradually doing that caring role, maybe a couple of hours a week, and then over time that would increase because the cared for their medical condition, physical and mental will deteriorate.
37:22I suppose that's one of the main concerns, isn't it?
37:26That if carers are not even knowing or recognising themselves that they are an unpaid carer, that they're having to give up their time for this and they're realising that they do fall into this category, then how else is the rest of society supposed to get involved and recognise this?
37:41Well, during this week, because of Carers Week, there's themes every day, and one of our main events that's taking place on Thursday in Medway is all around raising the awareness with our local residents, inviting our local carers, but also all our partners and organisations that we work closely with.
38:01Carers First is commissioned by Medway Council. We work closely with social services, with DWP and also the voluntary sector.
38:12And on Thursday, we've got over 10 organisations that are going to come along and talk about how they support our carers in the community.
38:20And it's an opportunity for all carers to find out what is available and what support is available and how we at Carers First can support them around their own physical, mental needs, but also ensure that they are entitled to receive a carer's assessment via the local authority.
38:41And we will do that all the way through in supporting that carer.
38:46I think that's one of the big questions as well, isn't it? Because obviously, there are the effects that caring for somebody and devoting so much time has on a person, as we heard from in Kristen's report there.
38:56But there is a lot of sort of paperwork and the admin that has to be sort of dealt with as well.
39:01And I think that's some of the support that you provide at Carers First as well.
39:04Absolutely. It is a minefield, I mean, to navigate through, you know, the social and health and social care system.
39:13But our support workers are very experienced and qualified and they're able to support those carers from having that first conversation and identifying what their needs are.
39:25What do they need immediately? And then put together a support plan to actually help handhold them all the way through that process to ensure that they get that financial support.
39:36They get the support from social services and also making sure that their GP recognises them as a carer as well.
39:44Absolutely. And I suppose one of the other great advantages of this week and the services that you offer as well is that sense of community as well to know that carers aren't alone in their journey.
39:55Absolutely. And also we mustn't forget about young carers.
40:01You know, we know that young carers are underrepresented.
40:04We know that, you know, there are at least two pupils in each classroom that may be a carer, but the teachers and staff may not recognise them or those young carers may not want to come forward.
40:17So at Carers First, we also provide activities working alongside the schools and offering after school activities for those young carers.
40:27And again, we've got a series of activities happening throughout the week to support those young carers as well as older carers.
40:35Yeah, of course. Young carers, of course, another huge part of the conversation.
40:39Just before we wrap up, Naresh, can you just let us know how anybody who feels like they may need to get involved and reach out to you, how can they do so?
40:48Absolutely. If they go onto our website, really easy to find.
40:53It's www.carersfirst.org.uk.
40:57There's a whole host of information. It's really easy to find any information and all our activities and support that's on offer locally in Medway.
41:08Well, Naresh, thank you very much for joining us today. It's been a pleasure speaking with you.
41:13Thank you very much.
41:15All right. Time for a quick break now.
41:17But coming up, we'll be taking a look at how Maidstone has been celebrating Pride Month with a special art exhibition open until the end of the week.
41:24And I'll be joined by our Kent climate producer, Daisy Page, ahead of a new episode of Kent on Climate.
41:29All that and plenty more to come on Kent tonight this evening.
41:33Just a reminder, you can keep up to date with all the latest stories for Kent by following us on social media.
41:38Just search KMTV Kent. You can follow us on Facebook and TikTok for all the latest reports there, too.
41:44Time for a break now. We'll be back after this.
41:47Thank you very much.
45:47Taking place every June, Pride Month celebrates the rights, culture and inclusivity of the LGBTQIA plus communities across the world, and Maidstone celebrated its first last year.
46:03So this is for Maidstone Pride, and the exhibition is talking about community and obviously the LGBTQ community as well.
46:12It also talks about pride in itself, so what are we proud about as general as Maidstone, as a town.
46:19It also gives the LGBTQ community a chance to share their artwork and their talents as well.
46:27This art exhibit serves as a platform for artists to express themselves during Pride Month, from paintings, sculptures and music.
46:36So all the money donated towards Maidstone Pride will keep them running, and we think it's really important, especially in Maidstone, to make sure that we keep these events going, because there's a lot of hits happening, and we just want to make people here who are part of the community feel welcome, and not listen to all the hate and prejudice that they get in the media.
46:58Whilst at the event, I bumped into the deputy mayor and mayonesse of Maidstone, and asked them if events like this are likely to become a regular occurrence.
47:11I think you can see that this is a wonderful event, it's well attended.
47:18I think the fact that we've got this as a single event in the arts calendar, perhaps there is scope for us to have a lot more of these types of things.
47:27There is an appetite for it. I think it's great that Maidstone is becoming more of a vibrant town, and I say bring it on.
47:36Definitely, it should be all-inclusive, and there's some inspiring artwork in here, and we should have it displayed throughout the year, not just in one day.
47:44The Maidstone Pride Art Exhibit will be in Fremenon Walk until the 13th of June.
47:51Henry Luck, the KMTV, in Maidstone.
47:54Lovely events there. Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
48:03There you'll find all of our reports, including this one, about double red lines in Raynham, which are heavily affecting local businesses,
48:10and just how many people are getting fined for parking on them.
48:13Double red lines drive around Medway. You've probably spotted them.
48:18We've obtained exclusive figures showing how many drivers enforcement cameras have caught.
48:25The Brook in Chatham recorded the highest number of offences, with 655 penalty charge notices issued in January.
48:34That number dropped to 134 by March.
48:37On Raynham High Street, the figures have fluctuated.
48:41To give you a taste, 52 fines of December, 25 in January, and 46 in February.
48:48One ice cream shop on the red route says the scheme has driven customers away over the last year.
48:55It's been very tough.
48:57I mean, we've had a reduction in footfall and revenue of around 30%.
49:01It's been very, very difficult.
49:05Obviously, we've tried to reach out to the council to get some sort of concession regarding the bay,
49:12immediately outside our shop, but there's no concession being offered.
49:16And one of his customers says Raynham's lost its appeal, thanks to fines on the red line.
49:23Would it put you off coming back here again?
49:24Well, of course it will.
49:27£75 for an ice cream?
49:30I think that's a little bit expensive, don't you?
49:33We took the business concern straight to the councillor, responsible for the red routes.
49:39There are actually more legal places to...
49:41Well, apologies there.
49:42I think there was some sound there on that report.
49:46You can watch the full thing over at kentonline or kmtv.co.uk.
49:50For now, though, we're going to take a quick look at how the weather's looking over the next few days.
50:00Well, tonight's looking rather mild.
50:02Temperatures around the low to mid-teens.
50:04Clear nights to be expected, though.
50:06Low winds.
50:07As we go towards tomorrow in the morning, it's looking to be quite mixed.
50:11Sunny in the east of the county with some cloud in the west.
50:15As we go towards the afternoon, looking like it's going to be clear for most of us.
50:18Temperatures rising to highs of 23 in Maidstone.
50:21And as we look towards the rest of the week and the weekend, it's going to be rather sunny on Friday.
50:2626 degrees with it cooling down slightly as we go towards Saturday.
50:29Staying nice and clear.
50:37Well, it's looking very lovely and sunny, isn't it, over the next few days?
50:41I'm sure we've all been waiting for that.
50:42Summer is finally here.
50:43Well, speaking of the climate, coming up after the break is another episode of Kent on Climate,
50:48which covers all of the latest green and eco news.
50:52The show's producer, Daisy Page, joins me in the studio now.
50:55Daisy, thank you very much for being here.
50:57Talk to me about what we've got, because we've got a bird on the screen.
51:00Well, question for you first.
51:02Okay.
51:03What type of bird do you think this is?
51:04It is a bird that we can see along our Kent coast.
51:06I don't know if you're a birdie yourself.
51:07Can you guess what it is?
51:08I'm not a birdie.
51:09I wouldn't even know where to start.
51:12Pigeon is the extent of my knowledge.
51:14Far from a pigeon.
51:15This is a curlew.
51:17They are the largest European wading bird.
51:20They're found on estuaries in winter and moors in summer.
51:24And their population, unfortunately, has been declining.
51:27Curlews have been added to the red list of the UK Conservation Status Report.
51:32And that means that they're treated with the highest conservation priority and unless needing urgent action.
51:39But here in Kent, there's actually been 39 chicks being raised in the conservation effort, which is super exciting.
51:46They've collected eggs from the north of England and brought them down.
51:49And they've hatched into chicks.
51:50And basically, they're going to continue returning there.
51:53So these birds, it's kind of explained as imprinting.
51:56So when they're born and they recognize a place, it's something like us.
51:59We go home, we recognize the rooms, we recognize which rooms is ours.
52:03So it's very similar for these guys.
52:05When they hatch, they recognize it as their home.
52:07So when they go off for different migratory seasons, they come back to their home.
52:11So they were brought down for that reason.
52:13But I spoke with Gareth from the Emily Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey, where this has been taking place, to find out why the project started.
52:19So we can hear from them just now, if we can.
52:21It started because we realized that curleews are going to go extinct.
52:26And they're breeding successfully on some upland areas in the Yorkshire Dales.
52:31And so we noticed that the project leads noticed that there were eggs that were vulnerable to dog walkers or being cut in farmer's fields.
52:39So those eggs were able to be collected and then transported south and then reared and released in areas that might be really suitable for curleew to breed.
52:51So that's kind of how it came about.
52:53Somebody saw an opportunity to do something really amazing to hopefully keep these birds breeding in lowland England.
53:02Well, I'm learning quite a bit here.
53:04What more do we know about the bird?
53:05Because they seem quite fascinating.
53:06It's quite fascinating.
53:07This is something in Kent as well.
53:08Yeah, so these birds, obviously, we can look on the screen behind us here.
53:12Long legs, brown bodies, and then their beaks.
53:15So their beaks are curved down and they're quite long.
53:18And one thing, if you can't see them, you can recognize them by their call.
53:22Some of them have called them the cries of the curlew.
53:25And they're very high-pitched whistle.
53:27I'm not going to do an impression because it might hurt the ears of our viewers.
53:30But it's a very unique sound.
53:33So I definitely go and have a hear and listen if you can see them out in the wild.
53:37But what I love about birds and why I'm so passionate about it is, birds kind of, each different individual species has kind of like a superpower.
53:44And now this one is kind of linked to its beak.
53:48So what would you think this bird's superpower would be if it could have one?
53:51Well, I'm guessing by the picture that it would be, you know, easily able to find some prey, find some little worms or whatever it's going to be eating.
53:59Yeah, so basically spot on.
54:01But it's kind of done in a really cool way.
54:03And it's fascinating to think if we could be able to do something like this.
54:08So their beak is actually full of sensors.
54:09So they can actually find food without seeing it at all.
54:12So imagine trying to put something on the plate in front of you, closing your eyes and being able to try and find it.
54:17That's what these guys can do.
54:19And it's really cool.
54:20And here in the UK, we actually have 40% of the global population, which is a really high amount.
54:27But again, Gareth told me a bit more in this interview.
54:29We do have a full interview with him in Kenton Climate.
54:31So stay tuned to watch that.
54:33But here's a little clip of why these birds are so important to our Kent coasts.
54:37A really key bird for the marshes is if you go to the estuaries of, you know, the Medway, the Swale, down to Sandwich Bay and all along the Kent coast, which we've got a huge coastline, you'll hear the curlew call.
54:50It's a really important part.
54:51You'll see them on the estuary and they're just synonymous with the place.
54:55And, you know, it's one of those things that Charles Dickens sort of recalls when he's painting a picture of the marshes in Victorian times.
55:00They've always been here, particularly in the winter.
55:04And it would be a real tragedy to see them go on our watch.
55:08Well, that's exciting.
55:09And as you said, that full interview is going to be played in Kenton Climate after the break this evening.
55:13What else have we got going on?
55:14There was a protest that you told us about last week.
55:17We've had a bit of an update.
55:18Yeah.
55:18So over the weekend, there was a protest that happened at Romney Marsh.
55:23It was led by Hands Off Our Marsh group.
55:26And the outcome was actually 60 walkers came to the event.
55:29And now the walk is to raise awareness about potential threats of solar panel farms being implemented across the marshlands.
55:36People are concerned for habitat loss.
55:38But also the big point that they're trying to raise is waste of quality farmland.
55:43But the important thing to note is the two people, two companies that are building these,
55:48say that they're trying to help the UK government reach their net zero goal by 2050.
55:53So it's a really complicated debate.
55:54You can watch last week's episode on kmtv.co.uk to see what Hands Off Our Marsh has had to say.
56:01But it's a really complex debate of whether farmland or energy security in the future.
56:06And it is interesting.
56:07It is an interesting debate, isn't it, because of both very key eco issues.
56:11Daisy, thank you very much for that.
56:12We'll all be sitting tuned for Kenton Climate coming up after the break.
56:16And, of course, all episodes of the programme available on the website as well, kmtv.co.uk.
56:20But that is it.
56:21You've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
56:24There's plenty more news made just for Kent throughout the evening, of course, starting with Kent on climate.
56:28Don't forget, you can always keep up to date with the latest by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
56:34You can also keep us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook, following us on TikTok.
56:39We'll be back tomorrow with another episode of Kent Tonight.
56:42And we'll see you then.
56:42Bye-bye.
56:43We'll see you then.
57:13Bye-bye.
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