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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Gabriel Morris.
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00:00Well, hello there, hope you had a lovely day.
00:26Welcome to Ken Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:28I'm Gabriel Morrison, here are your top stories on Friday, the 1st of August.
00:33This won't be our last song.
00:35UK's only St John's Ambulance band in Sheppey fights to find a new home following closure notice.
00:43Without the band, I would have nothing. It's my life.
00:48MP opposes huge random development proposal.
00:52Neshava Khan supported residents speaking out against the loss of Orchard.
00:56I do have concerns about this site, particularly the impact on the road infrastructure.
01:01It's a number of homes and the roads just aren't designed to cope.
01:04A cracking day out.
01:06We head to Chicken Stop to ask, could this be Kent's Glastonbury?
01:11We started in our back garden and somebody turned around to us and said, you know what, why don't you just open this up to the public?
01:17So in a moment of madness, we said, yeah, why not?
01:21First tonight, bosses at St John's Ambulance face mounting pressure to scrap plans to shut down their last remaining musical unit on the Isle of Sheppey.
01:39The local MP, Kevin McKenna, is demanding the charity holds a public consultation and reverse the decision to sell off the unit.
01:48St John's Ambulance defends the eviction, citing rising running costs, sustainability concerns and future development plans.
01:56Well, our community reporter Henry Luck went to meet the band members fighting to save their group.
02:00For the band members of St John's Ambulance in Sheppey, this is the sound of unity, friendship and passion.
02:15Something they are fighting to preserve following an eviction notice from the charity.
02:21Yeah, unfortunately, St John's Nationally is going through a little bit of a financial crisis and they're now reducing their portfolio of properties.
02:28And therefore, we have been under review for the last four years.
02:33So really unsure of what's going on and whether we're going to be closed or not.
02:37That's dramatically sort of reducing the amount of buildings that they own because of the cost.
02:44And we were told on the 26th of July with no pre-warning that we were being closed and we had eight weeks to leave the premises.
02:52The 38-person unit, with members ranging from 90 to 10 years old, is rallying to get the St John Ambulance to change its mind.
03:03What do you think of the decision?
03:05No!
03:07Without the band, I would have nothing.
03:11It's my life.
03:13It's given me a good life.
03:14And I don't want to see that disappear.
03:19The friendship of the band is even better than, can I say, a family.
03:27I've been coming for a year.
03:30Well, not even a year yet.
03:32And now they're closing and if they move, I won't be able to go.
03:37The MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey has urged a public consultation, hoping to reverse the plan.
03:45We've got 83 people associated with this branch.
03:48That's a lot of individuals and then their wider friends and family.
03:52Clearly, actually, this is a nucleus that they could be building around.
03:55And to lose that bit of the heritage, I think it loses part of the soul of what St John's Ambulance actually is.
04:01St John Ambulance said the decision to close the unit, which has been standing since the 1970s,
04:09has been made because of a range of factors, such as cost, sustainability and the building's condition.
04:17Even though they recognise and honour the commitment of the unit, it says plans must be made for the future.
04:24However, the Sheppey community has come forth to help the unit find a new home.
04:30We've been offered around about 15 different premises to go and have a look at, which is brilliant.
04:36Obviously, they've got to serve our requirements and we don't want to sound ungrateful
04:40because, you know, even if we had to go six floors up and cart drums around
04:45just still to be part of this island's community, then we would do that.
04:48Even though its eviction is planned for next month,
04:52its members are standing in arms so that they can continue playing together.
04:58Henry Luck for KMTV on the Isle of Sheppey.
05:06Well, now for some news in brief.
05:08A large fire broke out at the site of a former school in Hive on Seabrook Road.
05:14Six fire engines and a hype vehicle were called to the former Foxwood School building late last night.
05:20There were no reported injuries.
05:22However, residents living near the area were advised to keep windows and doors closed
05:26from 7am to 11am this morning when that advice was withdrawn.
05:31Well, the plumes of smoke could be seen from across the town as these pictures show
05:34and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
05:38Well, in other fire-related news, a recycling centre,
05:41which was on fire for 12 hours in Strood, is set to close down.
05:47This site had already suffered a large fire last month,
05:50but in the early hours of this morning, multiple fire engines were called to the site
05:54and firefighters worked for 12 hours to contain it.
05:57A spokesperson said that Virador, the company who owns the centre,
06:01was unable to find a buyer for the business
06:03and therefore will decommission and close their Rochester site.
06:07Forty-two employers will be made redundant as a result.
06:10However, the company has said it will look to support those affected.
06:15And tributes are being paid to one of Kent's greatest football players,
06:19John Ripley, who has passed away at the age of 81.
06:23During his 12-year career, John was the record goal scorer with Dartford Football Club,
06:28in total scoring 175 goals during his 512 appearances for his team.
06:34John was also a businessman, singer and entertainer,
06:36notably being a big Max Miller fan and even joining the Appreciation Society for him.
06:42Well, he entertained audiences with impressions, but also fundraised for charity.
06:46Better performances he did and will be dearly missed by his daughter, Kim,
06:51his three grandchildren and many others.
06:57Now, anger is boiling over in Rainham as plans push forward
07:01for a large-scale development that would wipe out a local orchard.
07:04Labour MP for Gillingham and Rainham has joined residents on the front line,
07:09voicing serious concerns about the strain on infrastructure and the environmental damage.
07:14Well, our reporter Daisy Page was at yesterday's protest to hear first-hand
07:18why locals are determined to stop the plans.
07:21It is the second protest in just two weeks, as proposals might see 126 acres of agricultural
07:32land turned into a housing development.
07:35Four years ago, Rainham residents fought to save their orchards, but here today,
07:41they're in protest again against the unwanted houses.
07:44Here you can see the land, which has the proposed developments for 170 homes by Esquire,
07:50which includes schools, a community centre, a nursery and a care home.
07:55But residents have concerns over the impact of the proposed plans.
07:59I think it's the loss of this valued landscape, the loss of the productive orchards,
08:05the impact of the traffic and the mayhem that this level of development will cause,
08:09and those impacts on the heritage properties and the heritage areas.
08:14The site is the wrong site, I think, for that type of development.
08:17I recognise the need for new housing.
08:19I do really recognise that.
08:20But this is prime agricultural land.
08:22It's a productive orchard.
08:25Orchards provide a really important and valuable habitat for a whole bunch of species.
08:30Generally, the infrastructure is so poor, in my opinion,
08:35that we can't really afford, for the Medway Towns generally, not just Rainham,
08:42to have a big population explosion.
08:46In support of the protest was Labour Party MP for Gillingham and Rainham.
08:50So I actually recognise that we have a housing crisis
08:52and it's something we really need to tackle.
08:54And I'm very supportive of Labour government's plans
08:56to bring forward new affordable housing, tackle the housing crisis,
08:59and particularly some of the challenges that we face around temporary accommodation
09:02and people living in sub-standard homes.
09:04I think having a roof over your head should be a right,
09:07and that's something I support.
09:08I do have concerns about this site,
09:10particularly the impact on the road infrastructure.
09:13It's a number of homes and the roads just aren't designed to cope.
09:16And I don't believe that the mitigations that have been put in place
09:19for this particular development suitably will address that issue.
09:22The proposals are a part of the Medway Council's local plan,
09:26which has not yet been adopted.
09:28But the council has been operating without this planning framework
09:31for over two decades.
09:33This council, under the previous Conservative government,
09:37lost £170 million of infrastructure funding.
09:41Why is that important to this particular set of circumstances?
09:44Because that's meant that the housing number,
09:46which has decreased slightly under the new Labour government,
09:50we've had to share that across Medway more widely.
09:53So the number has gone down slightly in who,
09:55because the infrastructure has now not got the funding that it did have.
09:58And it's meant that other parts of Medway have perhaps taken slightly more
10:02than they would have done in previous iterations.
10:04But for now, the plans are just proposals,
10:07meaning they won't be submitted until after the adoption
10:09of the Medway Council's local plan,
10:11which is expected to happen late next year.
10:14Well, reporter Daisy Page joins me in the studio now.
10:23Daisy, you were at the protest last night,
10:25second one, as you said, in just two weeks.
10:28What's the feeling amongst these protesters here?
10:30Yeah, so when I went outside the community centre yesterday,
10:33there was around 60 to 70 people.
10:36As you can see, they all had signs, chanting, Save Our Auction,
10:41and many of them spoke to me about their concerns.
10:44And their concerns were about an array of things.
10:47One concern was about around infrastructure, not being able to cope.
10:51I know that you reported on one of the protests that they'd done as well,
10:54and you heard about traffic concerns.
10:56And many repeated this yesterday as well,
10:58saying that the area is already difficult to drive around,
11:01and they're concerned that more houses means more cars on the road
11:05and more traffic.
11:06And there was also a concern for the apple orchard itself,
11:10the loss of that, meaning the loss of habitat for wildlife,
11:13but also the loss of history.
11:15Now, as mentioned four years ago,
11:16they were protesting against buildings there.
11:19The previous application was first submitted in 2019
11:22and was for 1,250 home development.
11:25Medway Council refused the application in 2020
11:28and successfully defended the decision
11:30at a planning appeal the following year.
11:33But this current proposal is for 750 homes to be built,
11:37which would include a nursery, a shop, a care home,
11:39a community centre,
11:41and land for a primary school and secondary school.
11:43But these are just plans and just proposals.
11:46And, of course, the developer will be listening to
11:49B's Concerns during their consultation daily.
11:51Thank you for those details.
11:52And with that, we're going to head up to a quick break.
11:54We'll be back in a few minutes.
11:55We'll be back in a few minutes.
12:25We'll be back in a few minutes.
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14:25We'll be back in a few minutes.
14:55We'll be back in a few minutes.
15:25Some people have drawn comparisons to that world-famous artist.
15:29But the big question, is it actually his or not?
15:32Well, our reporter Maisie Walker joins me in the studio now.
15:35What more can you tell us, Maisie?
15:37Yeah, so that's right, so-called anonymous street artist Hendog has been applauded for their work of a child playing a harmonica and guitar in Sire's Lane, which you should be seeing on the screen right now.
15:54Now, this is not the first time.
15:56Now, this is not the first time.
16:00This is not the first time.
16:02This is not the first time.
16:06This is not the first time.
16:08This is not the first time.
16:10In October, a piece featuring a child carrying a fishing rod was spotted near a lake in Moat Park, Maitstone.
16:17Many have been following Hendog's work on social media, their recent piece being titled Small Town Blues on their Instagram page, which has over 14,000 followers.
16:30Yeah, interesting stuff there.
16:33Obviously, world-famous artist, Maisie, can get millions of pounds for some of his artwork, and I think people don't mind too much if one gets stenciled or graffitied on the side of the building.
16:44But I guess for other graffiti, it's not as easy.
16:47But how about Hendog?
16:48What makes his work so popular amongst people in Kent?
16:50Yeah, so, well, on top of their frequent return to Kent, of course, it seems that the public have taken a great interest in Hendog's artistic pursuits because of the similarities their pieces share with the notorious street artist, Banksy.
17:07In fact, a member of the public shared their belief that Hendog's intricate stencil work is even more detail than Banksy's work.
17:15Now, while some do thank the artist for making a boring corner interesting, others are hesitant to support Hendog's work, given the controversial nature of their art.
17:28Though some claim Hendog's artistry is not vandalism, others are inclined to disagree, saying that although it is beautiful, they wouldn't really be feeling the same way if it was done over their house.
17:42But despite this, however, we do see a common agreement amongst people that it is an honour to have their art in Tenterton.
17:51Yeah, it can be controversial, can't it?
17:53I suppose if it was a bank sale, as I was saying, you wouldn't mind too much.
17:56But somebody else, it is still illegal, I'm sure.
17:58The homeowner and the council would have something else to say.
18:00Maisie, thank you so much for bringing us those details.
18:02Well, now, engines will be revving and tails will be wagging in Tenterton this Sunday, as the Lions Club hosts its Pistons and Paws 2025 show.
18:12With over 200 classic cars, a lively dog show and family-friendly activities, they say it promises to be the highlight of the summer.
18:20Well, I was joined earlier on the show by one of the organisers.
18:24Well, Mike, thank you so much for joining us this evening.
18:28Now, tell us a little bit about what's happening this weekend.
18:31Classic cars and dogs all in one event.
18:34That's right.
18:36Hence the title, Pistons and Paws.
18:38Well, what's going to be happening is, we've done it for seven years now, this is our seventh year,
18:43is that we welcome over 150 cars, up to 100 dogs.
18:50We have catering, we have drinks.
18:53It's very much a family show.
18:56There's trade stands, for example, as well.
18:59So it's an all-round event, just fun.
19:03It's not huge, but it's very, very nice and very well run.
19:09And what sort of cars can we expect to see there this weekend?
19:13A real variety.
19:16The oldest, I think, is a 1919 American Studebaker.
19:20We have 1920 Morris Bullnose.
19:24We have Rolls Royces.
19:26We have 17 Mercedes of different types.
19:30We have the Ramsgate old motor club.
19:36We have also the Kent Classic Car Club as well.
19:42So, you know, there's a lot to see with different vehicles and all interesting.
19:49And, of course, is there still the opportunity if you have a classic car or maybe a dog to go down there this weekend and take part in some capacity?
19:56Absolutely.
19:57Absolutely.
19:58Yes, you're welcome.
19:59Dog owners are welcome.
20:01And they can just turn up on the day, on Sunday.
20:05And also, classic car owners.
20:06We're very happy for them to turn up on the day.
20:09We have space reserved for people who turn up on the day.
20:12Amazing.
20:14It sounds brilliant event.
20:15And, of course, this will help Tenterton's economy because, obviously, there'll be trade stands there, as you're saying.
20:21But perhaps afterwards, maybe they want to fancy a ride on the local steam train there or maybe go for a meal and one of the local restaurants.
20:27So this must be helping the local economy.
20:29I'm sure it is.
20:31It is.
20:31And also, which is importantly, Tenterton Lions is a charity.
20:36And our ethos is to collect funds to help local causes, schools, local youth clubs of different kinds.
20:44For example, the boxing club, the netball club.
20:47And we like to try and raise the funds to support local people.
20:53That's what the Lions is about.
20:55And, yes, we do contribute a small amount to international problems.
21:03And that's because the Lions is an international body of, invented in America originally, but 1.4 million members worldwide.
21:12It's a large organization, but very local here in Kent.
21:17And we've been in Tenterton.
21:19We were formed in 1957.
21:21So we've been here for a while.
21:23And what do people need to know?
21:25If they're watching this right now, what time shall they get there on Sunday for this event?
21:30And where is it, importantly, in Tenterton?
21:33It's, first of all, the time to get there.
21:35You can get there any time from half past nine.
21:38The show starts at 10.
21:40It's on the Cranbrook Road.
21:42That's you go up the other side of Tenterton, as if you were going to Hastings.
21:45And it's the first big road on the right.
21:47It will be marked.
21:48It's about a quarter of a mile away over the railway line, because you cross the level crossing there, and up on the left-hand side.
21:55And it's got wonderful views of the railway as it goes by as well.
21:59I'm sure the steam trains will be puffing on by over the weekend.
22:02So there's lots to see there.
22:04Thank you so much, Mike, for your time today.
22:06Hopefully the weather stays clear for you on Sunday.
22:10And best of luck with the event.
22:11That's very kind of you.
22:14Thank you, Gabriel.
22:15Bye-bye.
22:17Well, what's the weather going to be like for that event this weekend and others taking a place across the county?
22:22Let's take a look at the weather and find out.
22:30Well, tonight is looking rather mild with scattered clouds across the sky.
22:35Temperatures around 15 degrees.
22:37Into the morning, much of the same weather in most of the west.
22:40Mostly clouds in the east, with similar temperatures and high wind speeds.
22:44And in the afternoon, temperatures rising to highs of 21 degrees.
22:4720 elsewhere, with more clouds coating the skies.
22:50And here's your outlook for the next few days.
22:52Highs of 22 on Sunday, with partly cloudy weather.
22:54Monday, much of the same.
22:55Weather rising to 23.
22:57Tuesday, seeing some clouds with highs of 23.
22:59And finally, what started as an ordinary garden party near Citiborne has now turned into a large-scale music festival.
23:16Chicken Stock sees thousands of people coming through its gates every day.
23:21And the organisers say children under 10 go free.
23:23So, it's a family-friendly event as well.
23:27Kristen Hawthorne asked, though, could this be Kent's answer to Glastonbury?
23:31This week, hidden in Stockbury, there's a field that isn't growing food or flowers, but a festival.
23:40This festival began in 2018 in Moyes Backyard.
23:43It was two days long and hosted around 200 people.
23:47This year, it's now four days long and has 1,000 people per day.
23:51So, it's really growing.
23:53And some say, could it be the next Glastonbury?
23:55I don't want it to be.
23:57I like the fact that we're small.
24:00You know, if one of our attendees has a problem, we're small enough that we can be personable and try and help sort those out.
24:07It's a really, really friendly atmosphere.
24:09And also, we are limited by the amount of land that we borrow.
24:13But I really like the little boutique festivals myself to go to.
24:17So, basically, we're running the festival how we would want a festival to be that we were attending.
24:22I want it to be the next Glastonbury.
24:23I think Glastonbury is a little bit overpriced just because it's so big and you can't see everything.
24:28I think here, all festivals like this size are really nice for people to come along.
24:32I mean, I'm a bit older as well, so I like the really chilled out vibes here as well.
24:36Whether people came to support the acts or to have some family fun, it seems like there was something for everyone to take part in.
24:42I mean, you have been here, what, this is your second year?
24:44That's right, yes.
24:45And what's it like?
24:46It's such an amazing venue, although small.
24:49They've really done a good job to get everything together.
24:54You know, you've got a great arrangement of stalls.
24:57You've got the little theatre over there this year, all of the food vendors.
25:03It's very well put together, super close to the camping.
25:05I think it's brilliant.
25:06My daughter, Madeleine McPherson, she's a singer-songwriter.
25:09She's been writing and singing songs for the last five years.
25:13She's performed at places like Runny Scott's, played some other festivals, and slowly but surely we're trying to grow her fan base through social media.
25:22We tend to go to kind of country festivals, go to things like Black Deer.
25:26This is pretty special because it's more local bands, fresh talent, and I think it really gives them a shot at getting up there and getting out to an audience.
25:36What is your favourite thing?
25:39The magic thing there.
25:47What began as a humble gathering has outlasted a pandemic and blossomed, drawing in musicians from across Kent and occasionally from across the Atlantic.
26:16Kristen Hawthorne for CAM TV in Stockbury.
26:23A great, looks like a great event there this weekend.
26:27Never know, maybe having a barbecue this weekend, five years' time.
26:30We might be reporting on it as the next music festival for Kent.
26:33Well, that's all we've got time for this evening on the programme.
26:36Phil McDermott will be back here at 8pm with your late news.
26:40But for me and the rest of the team, have a lovely evening and weekend.
26:43Goodbye.
26:46See you next week.
26:49Bye.
26:50Bye.
26:51Bye.
26:53Bye.
26:59Bye.
27:02Bye.
27:03Bye.
27:03Bye.
27:03Bye.
27:05Bye.
27:05Bye.
27:09Bye.
27:10Bye.
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