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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Izzy Miller.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
00:26I'm Isabel Miller and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 12th of August.
00:32Habitat heatwave. We check in with how Kent zoos and animal sanctuaries are coping with
00:38the heat.
00:39Drink plenty of water a lot of the time and rather than sort of snuggle up with one another
00:44they will stay away and sort of sit individually instead.
00:47Laying down the law on language. FANIC council threatened with legal action over swearing.
00:54I don't understand the methodology behind it personally. It feels like the intentions
00:59are right but the actual direction they're going is almost performative.
01:05From farm to fork to the future we explore all this in our new series Generation Food.
01:12I've actually been inspired to build a chicken coop in my garden. We went to so many farms.
01:19Yeah we learnt so much about arable farming.
01:21But first, Kent has been hit with some of the highest temperatures during this latest heatwave.
01:36And with more to come throughout the week, how are our animal friends coping with this
01:40sweltering sunshine? Well, Finn McDermott joins us live from the Fenbell Conservation Project
01:46to answer that very question. So tell us how hot is it there at Fenbell?
01:52Hi Izzy, it's about 27 degrees here at Fenbell. Quite hot. I'm really regretting choosing to
01:59wear a black shirt this morning. But I mean, I'm quite lucky. Compared to me, there's quite
02:03a few animals here at Fenbell that simply can't shed their dark coats of fur. So I should really
02:09count myself lucky. On the other hand, I'm a little bit jealous of some of the other animals.
02:13For instance, right now I'm actually right next to the otter enclosure. And they've got this
02:17lovely big pond here that they can dive into to just enjoy that cool water. So I'm counting
02:22my blessings, but I'm also a little bit jealous. But it is very hot out here.
02:26Yes, and I love otters. So I'm glad to hear they're doing well. How are the rest of the
02:30animals doing?
02:31They're not too bad. Some of them are being treated very well. I was just with the raccoons
02:38actually and they were being treated to some lovely little ice lollies. These blocks of
02:43I think frozen blackcurrant squash that had some nice fruits in them. So they were really
02:47enjoying that. Aside from them, we had our lemurs here. They have these very dark, thick,
02:55black and white coats of fur. So what they've been doing is they actually lie down on their
03:00bellies, because their bellies have this exposed area. So they cool themselves by putting that
03:05area of their bellies onto the nice cool shade ground, just to remain a bit cool. And the meerkats
03:10as well, they'll be relaxing in the shade. So the animals are coping, especially since
03:15a lot of them are based in South and Central America. So they are used to these kind of
03:19temperatures. However, plenty were born here in captivity. So some of them may not be as
03:24used to it as we might expect.
03:26And can you tell us a little bit more about the heatwave?
03:30It's our fourth heatwave of this summer. So we've had quite a few. It started this morning,
03:39and then it actually should last until about Wednesday evening, I believe. Five different
03:46areas of the country have had these yellow health heat alerts that have then gone into amber health
03:52heat alerts. And Kent is no different. In fact, in the more southern areas of England is hotter. So we
03:58might be experiencing some of the highest temperatures down here in the Garden of England.
04:02So yeah, it's definitely going to be a hot one. But hopefully it won't last too long with it ending
04:06tomorrow. And what are conservationists saying about how we can keep animals safe in this kind of heat?
04:15Well, they're saying that if you have any pets, make sure to give them enough water. Obviously,
04:19staying hydrated is key. And make sure to give them time in these shaded areas, whether that's your home,
04:26or if you're here at Fen Bell, that might be under some of these nice trees, you might be able to see behind me.
04:30I was actually talking to Amy Thornt earlier. She works here at the Conservation Centre,
04:36and told me a bit about how she helps keep the animals nice and cool during these very, very hot summer times.
04:42So a lot of our fluffy animals, like our black and white rough lemurs, or our binturongs, who are just behind us,
04:49and they can struggle quite a lot in the heat. And so how we sort of deal with that is we have a hot
04:54weather policy. And basically, if it gets too hot, we are then supplying the animals with nice cool,
05:00sort of almost like ice lollies. So frozen ice, icing water bowls as well, and changing their water bowls
05:08several times a day if needed, and especially a lot of them might be in sort of the sunnier parts of the
05:12enclosure. But we also then every time we're building enclosure, we make sure that you have a shaded area,
05:18as also we do know it's going to get hot at some point in the year.
05:22I see. And we just saw the lemurs. Tell me about what they do to cool down.
05:26Yes. So they often sit in the shaded areas quite a lot in the enclosure,
05:29and they aim their sort of bellies in the sort of the cooler spots, sorry. They aim their bellies
05:36towards the sort of the cooler spots, as they do have a lot of thinner fur on their bellies. So
05:41rather than them sitting with all their back thick fur out towards the sunshine, they might choose to
05:46lay on the thinner sides and just help keep them a little bit cool. They also, again,
05:50will drink plenty of water a lot of the time. And rather than sort of snuggle up with one another,
05:56they will stay away and sort of sit individually instead.
06:00And much like the lemurs, I often sit in shaded areas when it's hot outside. But what else can
06:04humans do to stay safe and well in these very high climates?
06:11Well, general advice should be to generally try and stay out of the sun between the times of
06:16around 11am to 3pm when the sun is highest in the sky. The instinct can be to want to go out to the
06:22beach or enjoy this hot summer weather as much as we can. But make sure you're staying safe. You're
06:27applying lots of sunscreen and keeping as hydrated as you can. Just like the animals here that are enjoying
06:33their water, their ice lollies, and if you're the otters, enjoying their pond. So yeah,
06:37stay safe out there. Thank you, Finn. Make sure you take that advice as well. I'm glad to hear the
06:43animals are doing well. Now, a man in his 40s was fatally injured in an altercation off Warden Bay
06:49Road near Laysdown on Sheppey. Following the man's death, a 16-year-old girl and two boys aged 14 and 15
06:58were arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday and remanded in custody. An application for the
07:03police's detention warrant to be extended was granted this morning by District Judge William
07:08Nelson at Medway Magistrates Court, meaning the three can be kept in custody longer. Detectives
07:14are still appealing for witnesses to Sunday's incident, including CCTV or dash cam footage.
07:20It's now been six months since Ashford Borough Council confirmed plans to Flatton Park Mall.
07:27They're making way for an interim car park and residential scheme. The shopping centre saw the
07:32departure of Pound Stretcher last week, and one trader has since said the site died. Traders were
07:38given initially until the end of August to leave, but since the backlash from traders, the deadline has
07:45been extended to January 9th. 27 were based in the centre, with now only 20 remaining. For some,
07:52their future plans are still uncertain. Now, over in Dover and Canterbury, two litters of kittens were
07:59dumped within days of each other before they were taken in by the RSPCA. The first three were left in a
08:06box in a lay-by on Springfield Road in Dover and were described as lethargic and flea-ridden. Nine days
08:13later, a cat and four kittens were found abandoned in a carrier in a car park near Canterbury, Morrison's.
08:20This resulted in one death and some of the kittens being seriously injured. Those that survived have
08:26now been split between the RSPCA's Ashford and Canterbury branches. And campaigners have threatened to
08:33take Fanit District Council to court over swearing. The restrictions on abusive language are from their new
08:40public space protection order. But there's fears the new rules could limit freedom of speech,
08:46as local democracy reporter Olly Leder has been finding out.
08:53A sign, or two, of a future where those in Margate could fall foul of foul language. That's what the
09:01Free Speech Union fears a new public space protection order designed to reduce anti-social behaviour could
09:09mean for the area. With the group announcing plans to take Fanit District Council to court over
09:17restrictions on abusive language and public humiliation. I can understand why Fanit District Council want to
09:24do something about anti-social behaviour in places like Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs. But they're going about it in
09:30such a cat-handed way. I mean they're using a blunderbuss to shoot a gnat. The leader of the council did not wish to
09:39comment when I called him this morning. You can see his face plastered on the Free Speech Union's
09:45rolling billboards showing their disdain for this so-called swearing ban. You and I both know that Fanit
09:52hasn't banned swearing. What it says in our PSPO is about swearing, an abusive language which causes alarm and
09:59distress to other people. That's a bit different. This social media clip of Rick Everett was posted last
10:07Friday when clarifications to elements of the PSPO were put in place. But despite these changes,
10:14critics still argue it's the bad language of the PSPO that makes it unworkable. With worries it's too
10:22vague and wide-reaching. I don't understand the methodology behind it personally. It's it feels
10:29like the intentions are right but the actual direction they're going is it's almost performative.
10:35I mean I understand like wanting to make things safe for the family but I think every normal
10:39working every normal person that comes to a beach or goes out in public knows that you might hear a
10:44little bit of cursive language. And I do think it's going too far and I just also how will it be policed?
10:49I think there's bigger fish to fry. You know, I think there's more to be concentrated on.
10:54Fanit District Council swears its so-called swearing ban will make the area better for families and
11:01tourists. But if they want to avoid a High Court fight, they'll have until the 14th of August to respond.
11:10Only then will we know whether it's curtains on cursing. Olly Leader in Margate.
11:19Now it's time for a break but coming up we hear from a family-run business and how they're balancing
11:25the trade while raising a family. Also we get a sneak peek into our new programme Broadcasting
11:30Today, Generation Food. And we also hear from Finn again on how the Fen Bell Conservation Project
11:39are keeping their furry friends safe during an amber heat alert. And in the meantime don't forget you can
11:44keep up to date with all the latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website kmtv.co.uk. But for
11:50now we'll see you after the break.
12:02That's CAey.
12:04All right.
12:04All right.
12:05Thank you, Jason.
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15:12Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
15:15Now, wines, vines and family time.
15:18All things are family business in Woodchurch has to juggle.
15:21to juggle. Wayford Wines are learning to balance the demands of vineyard life
15:25with the realities of raising a family and while it's not always rosé and
15:30sunshine for the Ashford's they always manage to pour their hearts into it.
15:34Maisie Walker has more. Matt and Karen Ashford quit their jobs to live a dream
15:39and now they're experts in wine while being full-time parents. Five years ago
15:44these were just empty fields however these grapes now are estimated to
15:48produce up to 25,000 bottles of wine each year and the Ashford family still have
15:54plans to expand. Wayfarer Wines run by the Ashford family managed just over eight
15:59acres of vineyard while balancing the hardships of parenthood raising two
16:03young children. Having support definitely really helps so if you've got family that
16:07can help out so my mum helps with the children when we both have to work
16:11because obviously there's times where all hands on deck type thing at harvest time
16:14and so having family or just a little support network of friends really really
16:19helps and I think it's just nearly impossible to do it on your own. It's a
16:23juggling act a hundred percent. It quickly became clear that the Ashford success is
16:27rooted in people. For them the key ingredient isn't just soil, sun or grape it's
16:34family and love. It's good coming to see like you know I see my family pretty much
16:39every day multiple times a week kind of thing so that's that's a good thing that
16:44keeps us nice and close as a family. Since 2016 the Ashford's focus has been on
16:50producing exceptional still wines that reflect the character and quality of the
16:55Kent countryside. In fact earlier this year their wines earned a silver wine GB
17:00award followed by a bronze. We think that we produce good wine but it's really nice
17:06to get proper recognition for that so yeah it's really satisfying. Their journey
17:11began in 2016 when Matt's father planted the first vines behind their home. What
17:17started as a hobby has grown into a successful vineyard demonstrating how
17:22the right support and determination can turn a small idea into a thriving
17:26enterprise. Maisie Walker for KMTV Woodchurch. And joining me in the studio to tell me more
17:34is Maisie. Welcome. So tell me how did Wayfair wines actually get themselves
17:40established? So what began as a very quiet retirement project in the back garden
17:47of the house in Matestone soon grew into something much more for the Ashford family.
17:52After Matt Ashford started helping out with his father's hobby his curiosity
17:57quickly turned into a passion and eventually a full-time commitment. Wanting to
18:04take things seriously they decided to learn the ropes properly or should I say
18:08vines. They enrolled in a college near Brighton where they studied everything
18:14from how to make the wine to how to care for a vineyard and with these new skills
18:20in hand the Ashford's purchased their very own plot of land just a few years
18:25later. They began planting additional vines and laying the groundwork for what
18:30would eventually become Wayfair Wines, a family-run vineyard in the countryside of Woodchurch.
18:37And so how much can they actually make in one harvest? Well I did speak to Karen Ashford
18:43about that. We can produce anything from kind of 25,000 bottles upwards. Yeah so we just got
18:53hope for dry weather up until about September October time nice and hot and sunny and then
19:00we'll see what happens. Like this year? Yeah like this year we've had a lot of rain this year as well
19:06which has been difficult for us. So the problem this year particularly has been really really hot
19:12but really a bit wet at times as well so I think everybody in the UK will be struggling a little bit
19:18with worrying about disease in the vineyard but so far it looks great so fingers crossed.
19:25So the audio was a little ruffled there but basically a harvest can you know grow good results right?
19:32Yeah. So what makes them stand out in particular? Well for those of you that can hear the vineyards
19:38can produce up to 25,000 bottles every harvest but what makes the Ashfords really stand out is the
19:47fact that their sole focus is creating truly outstanding steel wines which is what makes them
19:54different from many other vineyards across England as they don't produce any sparkling whatsoever.
20:01So in being steel wine producers the driving force behind all their decisions is always quality over
20:10quantity and really allowing the sugars and characteristic flavours of the grape to develop
20:16first to its fullest potential to ensure the best possible steel wines.
20:22Ah that's lovely to hear flavourful. Right well don't forget you can keep up to date with all your
20:27latest stories across Kent by logging on to kmtv.co.uk. There you'll find all of our reports including this one
20:34about the Britain's last remaining St John's Ambulance Marching Band which could be forced to disband
20:39following plans to auction its home.
20:48For the band members of St John Ambulance in Sheppey this is the sound of unity, friendship and passion.
20:56Something they are fighting to preserve following an eviction notice from the charity.
21:02Yeah unfortunately St John nationally is going through a little bit of a financial crisis and they are now
21:07reducing their portfolio of properties and therefore we have been under review for the last four years
21:13so really unsure of what's going on and whether we're going to be closed or not.
21:17That dramatically sort of reducing the amount of buildings that they own because of the cost
21:24and we were told on the 26th of July with no pre-warning that we were being closed
21:30and we had eight weeks to leave the premises.
21:33The 38 person unit with members ranging from 90 to 10 years old is rallying to get the St John Ambulance to change its mind.
21:43What do you think of the decision?
21:45Me!
21:48Without the band I would have nothing. It's my life. It's given me a good life and I don't want to see that disappear.
21:59The friendship of the band is even better than can I say a family.
22:07I've been coming for a year, well not even a year yet and now they're closing and if they move I won't be able to go.
22:18The MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey has urged a public consultation hoping to reverse the plan.
22:26We've got 83 people associated with this branch. That's a lot of individuals and then their wider friends and family.
22:32Clearly actually this is a nucleus that they could be building around and to lose that bit of the heritage
22:38I think it loses part of the soul of what St John's Ambulance actually is.
22:42St John Ambulance said the decision to close the unit which has been standing since the 1970s has been made because of a range of factors such as cost, sustainability and the building's condition.
22:57Even though they recognise and honour the commitment of the unit, it says plans must be made for the future.
23:04However, the Sheppey community has come forth to help the unit find a new home.
23:11We've been offered around about 15 different premises to go and have a look at which is brilliant.
23:17Obviously they've got to serve our requirements and we don't want to sound ungrateful because you know even if we had to go six floors up and cart drums around just still to be part of this island's community then we would do that.
23:29Even though its eviction is planned for next month, its members are standing in arms so that they can continue playing together.
23:39Henry Luck for KMTV on the Isle of Sheppey.
23:46And now it's time to take a look at the weather for the coming days.
23:50Clear skies this evening with temperatures cooling to 17 in Ashford with highs of 19 in Dartford.
24:01And into tomorrow morning temperatures rising to 21 in Canterbury, low wind speeds of 5 mph in the east.
24:07And into the afternoon temperatures rising to highs of 27 in Dartford and between 24 and 6 across the county.
24:14And for the rest of the week sunny skies on Thursday and Friday with a cloudy start to the weekend and temperatures dropping to 23 degrees.
24:23Now airing after Captain Eye, here's KMTV's latest series.
24:36Generation Food investigates how everything from farming, tech and high street favourites impact our everyday lives.
24:43Researcher Mariam and student Zimmel explore the journey, the culture and the future of food.
24:48Here's the trailer.
24:49We'll be exploring all of this in...
24:52Generation Food!
24:54What's the furthest your vegetables travel from here?
24:5730 miles.
24:58You have difficult bits, like one day we tried to get these in for scanning and they ran everywhere.
25:03Using less plastic or recycling can make a difference and if we all do it, it can make a huge difference.
25:10I met with Claire who founded a tennis and allergy awareness charity, the Sadie Bristow Foundation, in memory of her daughter.
25:16What's it like living with an allergy?
25:19I find it quite hard.
25:20We celebrate Eid. We go to our friends' houses, meet everyone.
25:31It makes you feel like you're being helpful to society, to your community.
25:34It has been more challenging because the weather is more unpredictable than ever.
25:38So why are mushrooms so cool?
25:40Fungi are so important to everything with life on earth.
25:44The way the world is feeding itself is like killing the planet.
25:48It genuinely tastes like it has cocoa in it. Genuinely. That's the power of science.
25:53Urban farming. Imagine growing food on the side of a building. The more green you see, the more CO2 absorbed.
25:59Tell me a bit about what it's like to be a farmer. Fantastic job. In the summer it can be extremely long hours.
26:09I didn't realise that there were quite so many chemicals that were put into farming.
26:13We live in the UK, it's cold and wet and obviously here it can be hard to grow some things.
26:19If we work together as a society we'll be able to tackle food poverty as well within that and become more sustainable as a society together.
26:31Later on the show I'll be joined by Zimmel and Mariam to talk about what they learnt and the behind the scenes of the production.
26:38But it is time for a break so we'll be hearing from Finn on how the Fenbell Conservation Project are keeping their furry friends safe during the Amber Heat alert.
26:48We'll see you then.
27:08We'll see you then.
27:38We'll see you then.
28:08We'll see you then.
28:38Bye.
28:39Bye.
29:08Bye.
29:09Bye.
29:38Bye.
29:39Bye.
30:08Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
30:15Here's a reminder of your headlines on Tuesday the 12th of August.
30:20Habitat heatwave.
30:21We check in with how Kent zoos and animal sanctuaries are coping with the heat.
30:27And laying down the law on language.
30:30Phanic Council threatened with legal action over swearing.
30:34And from form.
30:35Farm to fork to the future.
30:37We'll be exploring all this in our new series Generation Food.
30:42But first, Kent has been hit with some of the highest temperatures during this latest heatwave.
30:48And with more to come throughout the week.
30:50How are our animal friends coping with this sweltering sunshine?
30:54Well, Finn McDermott joins us from Fenbell Conservation Project to answer that very question.
31:00Now how hot is it there at Fenbell?
31:03Well, it's about 27 degrees here at Fenbell.
31:08It's quite hot.
31:09And unfortunately, I think I do regret picking this black shirt to wear today.
31:13But unfortunately, for some of the animals here, they aren't able to shed their very dark fur that tends to absorb some of that heat.
31:20So it can be a bit tricky for some of the animals here.
31:22For instance, they have some lemurs here, some lovely ring tailed lemurs and black and white lemurs as well.
31:27And both of those can get quite hot.
31:30So it's the job of the zoo staff here to make sure they're feeling nice and hydrated, nice and cool and things like that.
31:35And tell us a little bit about the heatwave and what the conservationists are saying about it.
31:44Yeah, sure. I mean, this is our fourth heatwave this summer.
31:49So we've had quite a few and we as humans are quite used to it.
31:54It started this morning and it should end by Wednesday, i.e. tomorrow.
31:59But conservationists are saying that for animals all across England, especially if you have pets at home or even if you have some exotic animals like they have here at Fenbell, keeping them in the shade is very important.
32:13Making sure they're hydrated is very important.
32:15In fact, I visited some of the raccoons they have here and they were very gifted.
32:20They were blessed with some small, I guess you'd call them sort of frozen smoothies, really, these little ice lollies with some fruit inside.
32:28It was like black currant swash that was frozen and that's just to help them cool down.
32:32But they want to make sure they don't have too much sugar.
32:34Actually, earlier I spoke to one of the staff here at Fenbell who helps look after the animals and she was telling me all about how they can help keep the animals safe, comfortable and above all happy.
32:46A lot of our fluffy animals like our black and white rough lemurs or our binturongs who are just behind us, they can struggle quite a lot in the heat.
32:55And so how we sort of deal with that is we have a hot weather policy.
32:59And basically, if it gets too hot, we are then supplying the animals with nice cool sort of almost like ice lollies.
33:05So frozen ice, ice and water bowls as well, changing their water bowls several times a day if needed.
33:13Especially where a lot of them might be in sort of the sunnier parts of the enclosure.
33:17But we also then, every time we're building an enclosure, we make sure they have a shaded area as obviously we do know it's going to get hot at some point in the year.
33:26I see. And we just saw the lemurs. Tell me about what they do to cool down.
33:30Yes. So they often sit in the shaded areas quite a lot in the enclosure and they aim their sort of bellies in the sort of the cooler spots.
33:39Sorry. They aim their bellies towards the sort of the cooler spots as they do have a lot of thinner fur on their bellies.
33:44So rather than them sitting with all their back thick fur out towards the sunshine, they might choose to lay on the thinner side just to help keep them a little bit cool.
33:52They also again will drink plenty of water a lot of the time and rather than sort of snuggle up with one another, they will stay away and sort of sit individually instead.
34:04Thank you to Finn for that. I'll definitely be taking some of the advice there. Maybe this movie definitely staying in the shade.
34:10Now, the former Park Avenue nursery building in Deal could soon be reduced to rubble under new plans with Dover District Council.
34:18The authority has put forward an application seeking approval to demolish the site, which has stood empty for recent years.
34:26It comes as part of the planned revamp of the Tides Leisure Centre, with bosses previously saying the demolition of both plots was set to cost £600,000.
34:38Among this, plans have been put forward for a fenced multi-use games area at the Village Recreation Ground in Preston.
34:45A notice has been placed at the site.
34:49And campaigners have threatened to take Banic District Council to court over a swearing ban.
34:55The restrictions on abusive language are putting on their new public space protection order,
35:01but there's fears that the new rules could limit freedom of speech, as local democracy reporter Olly Leda has been finding out.
35:09A sign, or two, of a future where those in Margate could fall foul of foul language.
35:19That's what the Free Speech Union fears a new public space protection order designed to reduce anti-social behaviour could mean for the area.
35:30With the group announcing plans to take Thanet District Council to court over restrictions on abusive language and public humiliation.
35:41I can understand why Thanet District Council want to do something about anti-social behaviour in places like Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs.
35:48But they're going about it in such a cat-handed way.
35:52I mean, they're using a blunderbuss to shoot a gnat.
35:56The leader of the council did not wish to comment when I called him this morning.
36:01You can see his face plastered on the Free Speech Union's rolling billboards, showing their disdain for this so-called swearing ban.
36:10You and I both know that Thanet hasn't banned swearing.
36:13What it says in our PSBO is about swearing, an abusive language which causes alarm and distress to other people.
36:20That's a bit different.
36:22This social media clip of Rick Everett was posted last Friday when clarifications to elements of the PSPO were put in place.
36:32But despite these changes, critics still argue it's the bad language of the PSPO that makes it unworkable.
36:40With the worries it's too vague and wide-reaching.
36:44I don't understand the methodology behind it personally.
36:47It feels like the intentions are right, but the actual direction they're going is almost performative.
36:54I mean, I understand wanting to make things safe for the family, but I think every normal person that comes to a beach or goes out in public knows that you might hear a little bit of cursive language.
37:04And I do think it's going too far.
37:06And I just also, how will it be policed?
37:09I think there's bigger fish to fry.
37:11I think there's more to be concentrated on.
37:13Thanet District Council swears its so-called swearing ban will make the area better for families and tourists.
37:22But if they want to avoid a high court fight, they'll have until the 14th of August to respond.
37:30Only then will we know whether it's curtains on cursing.
37:35Olly Leader in Margate.
37:39Now, wines, vines and family time.
37:42All things a family business in Woodchurch has to juggle.
37:45Wafer wines are learning to balance the demands of vineyard life with the realities of raising a family.
37:51And while it's not always rosé and sunshine for the Ashfords, they always manage to pour their hearts into it.
37:58Maisie Walker has more.
38:01Matt and Karen Ashford quit their jobs to live a dream.
38:05And now they're experts in wine while being full-time parents.
38:09Five years ago, these were just empty fields.
38:11However, these grapes now are estimated to produce up to 25,000 bottles of wine each year.
38:17And the Ashford family still have plans to expand.
38:20Wayfarer Wines, run by the Ashford family, managed just over eight acres of vineyard
38:25while balancing the hardships of parenthood, raising two young children.
38:30Having support definitely really helps.
38:32So if you've got family that can help out.
38:33So my mum helps with the children when we both have to work
38:36because obviously there's times where all-hands-on-deck type thing at harvest time.
38:40So having family or just a little support network of friends really, really helps.
38:45I think it's just nearly impossible to do it on your own.
38:48It's a juggling act, 100%.
38:50It quickly became clear that the Ashford success is rooted in people.
38:54For them, the key ingredient isn't just soil, sun or grape.
38:59It's family and love.
39:01It's good coming to see, like you know, I see my family pretty much every day, multiple times a week kind of thing.
39:08So that's a good thing that keeps us nice and close as a family.
39:12Since 2016, the Ashford's focus has been on producing exceptional still wines
39:18that reflect the character and quality of the Kent countryside.
39:22In fact, earlier this year, their wines earned a silver wine GB award, followed by a bronze.
39:28We think that we produce good wine, but it's really nice to get proper recognition for that.
39:34So yeah, it's really satisfying.
39:36Their journey began in 2016 when Matt's father planted the first vines behind their home.
39:42What started as a hobby has grown into a successful vineyard, demonstrating how the right support and determination can turn a small idea into a thriving enterprise.
39:53Maisie Walker for KMTV, Woodchurch.
39:56Wonderful to hear about a thriving small business now.
40:00It is time to take a look at the weather for the coming days.
40:03Clear skies this evening with temperatures cooling to 17 in Ashford with highs of 19 in Dartford.
40:18And then we'll go into tomorrow morning with temperatures rising to 21 in Canterbury, low wind speeds of just 5 miles per hour in the east.
40:27And into the afternoon, temperatures rising to 27, very hot in Dartford between 24 and 6 across the rest of the county.
40:38And for the outlook of this week, sunny skies on Thursday and Friday with a cloudy start to the weekend and temperatures dropping to 23 degrees.
40:49Now it's time for a break, but we'll be exploring farming, tech and high street favourites and how they impact our everyday lives.
41:04I was lucky enough to be a part of Generation Food and creating this new series made for young people.
41:12And we went from farms to our local supermarkets to see how we can see how the climate impacts our food.
41:21We also went to a food bank, which is what you can see here, to share Christmas dinner and the spirit of Christmas and how food actually brings us together.
41:31And we've also seen the future of food too. So how robots are picking strawberries and also how maybe chocolate can be made without cocoa.
41:45So lots of innovation for food there, but we'll see you after this break.
42:01We'll see you next time.
42:02We'll see you next time.
42:03Bye.
42:04Bye.
42:05Bye.
42:06Bye.
42:07Bye.
42:08Bye.
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44:01Bye.
44:02Bye.
44:31Bye.
44:32Bye.
45:01Bye.
45:02Bye.
45:03You've been here.
45:04Bye.
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45:06Bye.
45:11Welcome back to Kent Tonight and kicking off some sports news.
45:15Deal Town Football Club revealed major improvements this weekend following a £150,000 renovation project.
45:23What was once an ageing stadium, now has new changing rooms, along with their relocated match officials
45:30officials' changing area and a new medical treatment room.
45:34The new facilities at the Charles Ground in St Leonard's Road have been described as
45:39a lasting legacy for future generations by the club's chairman Natalie Benville.
45:45Dover District Council approved the project designed by the Smith Group earlier this year.
45:53Now airing after Kent tonight is KMTV's latest series, Generation Food investigates how farming,
46:00tech and our high street favourites impact our everyday lives.
46:04Researcher Mariam and student Zimmel explore the journey, the culture and the future of
46:10food.
46:11Here's the trailer.
46:12We'll be exploring all of this in...
46:14Generation Food!
46:16What's the furthest your vegetables travel from here?
46:1930 miles.
46:20You have difficult bits.
46:21Like one day we were trying to get these in for scanning and they ran everywhere.
46:26Using less plastic or recycling can make a difference.
46:28And if we all do it, it can make a huge difference.
46:32I met with Claire, who founded a tennis and allergy awareness charity, the Sadie Bristow
46:36Foundation, in memory of her daughter.
46:39What's it like living with an allergy?
46:41I find it quite hard.
46:42What's it like living with an allergy?
46:49We celebrate Eid.
46:50We go to our friends' houses, meet everyone.
46:53It makes you feel like you're being helpful to society, to your community.
46:56It has been more challenging because the weather is more unpredictable than ever.
47:00So why are mushrooms so cool?
47:02Fungi are so important to everything with life on Earth.
47:05The way the world is feeding itself is like killing the planet.
47:10It genuinely tastes like it has cocoa in it.
47:13Genuinely.
47:14That's the power of science.
47:15Urban farming.
47:16Imagine growing food on the side of a building.
47:19The more green you see, the more CO2 absorbed.
47:24Tell me a bit about what it's like to be a farmer.
47:26Fantastic job.
47:27In the summer it can be extremely long hours.
47:31I didn't realise that there were quite so many chemicals that were put into farming.
47:35We live in the UK, it's cold and wet and obviously here it can be hard to grow some things.
47:40If we work together as a society we'll be able to tackle food poverty as well within that
47:45and become more sustainable as a society together.
47:48Well, lead presenters of Generation Food, Zimmel and Mariam, spoke about their experiences
47:58and the production.
47:59Inspiring them now in their everyday lives, Mariam is even creating her own chicken coop.
48:04Let's hear more about their visits to farms, talking to schools and being in front of the camera.
48:10And joining us now to talk a little bit more about Generation Food is Mariam and Zimmel.
48:15Thank you both for coming.
48:16So just tell me a little bit about what you thought about filming the series.
48:20I think it was a great experience for me.
48:22I learnt and I saw so many new people such as you two and it was just a great opportunity.
48:27What about you?
48:28It was such fun.
48:29I think me and Zimmel bonded over all the things that we learnt.
48:32So I've actually been inspired to build a chicken coop in my garden.
48:37We went to so many farms.
48:39Yeah, we learnt so much about arable farming, about what organic means.
48:44It's made me think twice in the supermarkets about what I'm buying.
48:47I'm like, oh, was there a less packaging option?
48:50So, yeah.
48:51And also, I think I've been cooking more since we did it, like cooking more with raw ingredients.
48:55Yeah, I like cooking things from scratch.
48:57And obviously, I was quite involved in the series as well.
49:00So it's great to see you again and finally seeing it come together.
49:03But, Zimmel, what did you learn maybe that helps with what you learn at school?
49:08How is this kind of different and adds to that?
49:11I think it's just a totally different opportunity and experience.
49:14Like, for example, we just learn about normal things in school.
49:17But when I got to go to the farms and all the different places, I saw things with my own eyes.
49:22So I felt like it was a different thing.
49:24Yeah.
49:24And what did you learn maybe about the future of food?
49:27That's one of the episodes.
49:28It's not out yet, but it's the third episode.
49:30I think, like, when we went to the mushroom farm, everything was just kept in different conditions.
49:35And I felt like it was a really different way of growing compared to the traditional growing outside.
49:40Yeah.
49:41And episode two, so that was the culture of food.
49:43So what did you think about filming that episode?
49:45That was fun.
49:46We hosted a little dinner at my house, didn't we?
49:48Yeah.
49:49And, yeah, we got to try loads of different dishes.
49:51It was my first time making kushari, which is the national dish of my home country, Egypt.
49:56So, yeah, my family was really proud that I pulled that one out of the bag.
49:59I think it was just great to share.
50:01It actually inspired me to take some in from my colleagues at work.
50:05And you just think food is such an easy way to bond with people.
50:08I think, like, we kind of skip past that part sometimes.
50:11So I'm glad we dedicated a whole episode to the culture behind food and how much it means
50:16to people, because it means a lot to a lot of us, I think.
50:19Yeah.
50:20So I loved trying your mum's curry.
50:21Your food was amazing as well.
50:22Do you think so?
50:23Oh, thank you.
50:24Yeah.
50:25Yeah.
50:26Yeah.
50:27And so what about your friends?
50:28What do you think they'll think of the series?
50:30Do you think they'll learn a lot?
50:31Do you think they'll enjoy seeing you on screen?
50:33I think they're honestly just going to be surprised, because this opportunity, it doesn't
50:37come up very often.
50:38And, like, I'm going to be, like, learning things as well as, like, just presenting,
50:41like, not like a regular show.
50:43So it's going to be different.
50:44Yeah.
50:45Yeah.
50:46And did it inspire you maybe to think differently about food?
50:49What do you think?
50:50Yeah.
50:51I think food is something that we should love, share and remember always, because some people
50:54just, like, eat it all in one go.
50:57And we should, like, actually look at it and, like, feel the pleasure when eating it.
51:01Yeah.
51:02Appreciate it more, I think.
51:03Yeah.
51:04Like, when...
51:05Just take a minute to appreciate where it's come from.
51:07Like, it's come from miles away, or maybe it's come from more locally.
51:10It's made me think twice about how far my food has travelled.
51:13We did that episode where you went to a more sustainable food shop and I went to a supermarket.
51:19And so, which is often the more affordable, more convenient option.
51:23But I have realised that even at the supermarket, they do have, for example, like, loose tomatoes
51:28or, like, you know, loose vegetables, loose fruits, things that come in a bit less packaging.
51:33So it's made me try to make better decisions, at least think twice about it.
51:38Yeah.
51:39And what do you think the most important thing people should know about food is?
51:43Or go to you, Marion, first.
51:44For me, I think what I learned from this whole making of this series, my most important lesson
51:51would probably be to think about where everything's come from, how processed it is.
51:57Because I've got a bit of an obsession with, like, learning how processed a food is.
52:02And, yeah, it made me think so much about what we can actually grow from our soils.
52:06For example, at Nonnington Farm, we were learning about what vegetables they could have that season.
52:12So thinking about where it's come from, is it feasible to have that right now?
52:16Like, maybe we can't have raspberries 12 months of the year, which is sad.
52:20But thinking about what we can grow locally at all times, I think that's the most important thing.
52:26Think about where your food came from and if it could come from a bit closer, if possible.
52:30Yeah, what about you, Zema?
52:32I think I agree.
52:33Like, we should focus on where our food should come from.
52:35Like, for example, the farmers, they don't get as much attention as the actual food.
52:39Like, I found out recently that only, like, 2% of the UK population in the workforce are in agricultural.
52:46And, like, that means if there are less and less throughout the years, there's going to be less food that's distributed across the country.
52:52So I think more people should be aware about food and where it comes from.
52:56Yeah, and Joseph on the programme, hopefully inspiring some young people to be farmers.
53:00Yeah.
53:01And I guess the future is important to think about.
53:04Did you, were you surprised about how much science was in food and how it was involved?
53:09Yeah, because, like, normally we just eat it.
53:11Like, we don't think about the science behind it.
53:13But if we think about the science behind it, then there's more and more we can know about it and, like, actually have real knowledge when eating food.
53:21Yeah.
53:22Yeah, and a few young people said, for example, genetically modified foods and genetically altered foods.
53:28Some of them were a bit concerned about that.
53:30Some people were surprised about how bees pollinate so much and how important they are.
53:35Yeah.
53:36What do you think, in terms of science and food, people should know, Mary?
53:39So I think what people should know is that it takes a lot of things to make things grow the way we're used to them growing.
53:46So it takes nitrogen levels being right, the soils being healthy, water and temperature and pH levels being right.
53:53So a lot goes into it.
53:54And there's lots to learn.
53:55There's lots of opportunity for young people and older people like myself to learn still about optimizing the food making process and how, you know, for example, fertilizers and pesticides are killing a lot of bugs that we need.
54:10Like the bees and other and other pests that we think are annoying, but actually are important to the ecosystem.
54:15So how a lot of chemical processing and farming is a bit damaging to the environment and how we can use natural things like wildflower paths and things like that to naturally increase our yields on the farm.
54:28So I think we could all do better to learn more about how these things work and do better to protect the environment.
54:36Yeah.
54:37And it's also where food comes from, but where it goes at the end of the day as well.
54:40So waste packaging.
54:41Yeah.
54:42And things like that.
54:43I mean, how did it feel?
54:44Because I would say you were both journalists and you investigated these topics.
54:49How did it feel to do that?
54:51I felt like it was a really nice way to find out more about our food and like how we should eat more organic food in compared to like artificial food.
55:00Yeah.
55:01And just finally, how would you describe the series in one sentence?
55:06Mariam, I'll let you go first.
55:08I would describe Generation Food as the ultimate learning experience.
55:14I like it.
55:15What about you?
55:16I think Generation Food is the ultimate blend of love and science.
55:22Yes.
55:23I like that.
55:24I think I agree.
55:25I think it's definitely a way for people to see things through different people's eyes as well.
55:30And I think it spans across all generations.
55:32I guess that's why it's called Generation Food, right?
55:34Yes.
55:35I agree.
55:36Definitely.
55:37Thank you both very much for coming.
55:39It's been great.
55:40Wonderful to hear about Generation Food there.
55:42But now let's take a look at the weather.
55:46Clear skies this evening.
55:51Temperatures cooling to 17 in Ashford, highs of 19 in Dartford.
55:55Tomorrow morning, temperatures rising to 21 in Canterbury with low wind speeds.
56:01And into the afternoon, rising to highs of 27 in Dartford, between 24 and 6 across the rest of the county.
56:08And for the rainy parts of the week, sunny skies on Thursday and Friday.
56:12Cloudy start to the weekend.
56:13Temperatures dropping to 23 degrees.
56:16You've been watching Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
56:29There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
56:32Don't forget you can always keep up to date with the latest stories by logging onto our website,
56:36KMTV.co.uk.
56:38You'll also find Generation Food there soon.
56:40So make sure to watch that after this break.
56:43Good evening.
56:44a lot of tomorrow morning.
57:12.
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