- 5 months ago
Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Isabelle Miller.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live on KMTV.
00:27I'm Isabel Miller and here are your top stories on Wednesday the 17th of September.
00:33It doesn't make me feel safe, words of a student after school denies measuring skirts.
00:39I don't think that I'm going to send her back to the school, I think mental health is more
00:44important than a uniform.
00:46By foot or be fined, residents react to school street scheme expansion in Medway.
00:52It's very reasonable, it should have been done a long time ago, I would have thought
00:56outside schools, I think it's a good idea for all schools, not just this one.
01:00And friends for life, 100 year olds reunite after a decade apart.
01:05And I contacted her, I said would you be able to help her mother, she's 106, she's in the
01:09wheelchair.
01:10And we had a chat about it, the committee had a chat and we said yes we can do this.
01:14First tonight, a mother from WHO has said her daughter felt humiliated after reportedly being
01:31removed from class due to her school uniform.
01:3412 year old Pearl has been left with a feeling of not wanting to return to school after her
01:39and many students say staff measured the length of their skirts.
01:43Hundreds of WHO secondary school deny this and say that their expectations around uniform
01:49are there to promote a positive learning environment.
01:52Our reporter Daisy Page has more.
01:54She ran me from the toilet crying hysterically down the phone.
01:59This was the reality for Kola Glennie, when she found out her daughter was one student amongst
02:04dozens of those pulled out of class and placed into the school hall.
02:09The reason?
02:10Her skirt was said to be too short after staff allegedly measured how high the girls skirts
02:15were above the knee.
02:16School doesn't seem like a safe place to me, I can't do nothing there, it don't make
02:22me feel like I'm a human being, like I feel like I'm just a robot when I'm there.
02:27Like I would walk into school and my whole appearance would have to change otherwise it
02:30wouldn't be good enough that I'd be sitting in isolation basically every day.
02:33Like most of my friends that have went there today have literally been sent home again because
02:37of their skirts and because their mum picked them up because they were sitting in isolation.
02:41I don't want it to carry on because I don't want to go back to that school because it
02:44would make me feel safe and I just don't want to feel like a robot no more and I don't
02:48feel like I can be myself.
02:50The school refuted the suggestions that the staff have been measuring skirts and said that
02:55the standards applied to all students and are in place to promote fairness, consistency
03:00and a positive learning environment.
03:02But the uniform Pearl's mum brought was from a shop advised by Hundreds of Whos Secondary
03:07School.
03:08I don't think that I'm going to send her back to the school. I think mental health
03:11is more important than a uniform so I don't, she doesn't feel safe going back and I don't
03:17want to put my child in an environment where she doesn't feel safe so I will probably make
03:21the decision not to send her back if I'm honest.
03:24And Pearl wasn't the only student put into isolation for the hemline of her skirt being
03:29too short. Other parents who have spoken to us have said that their children have been
03:33left upset and humiliated. Other parents said despite buying the correct
03:38skirt they did not meet the requirements due to each child having different bodies.
03:43The school have said to help families they change their policies so parents can purchase
03:47skirts from a wide range of high street shops. Meaning that suitable skirts are more accessible
03:52and available in different variety of fits. Saying in this specific case they will be contacting
03:58parents directly to offer support and help source an appropriate skirt which meets their
04:02requirements. But with fears still lingering around students being put into isolation,
04:07a more uniform approach to the rules may be needed to win back the parents' trust.
04:13Daisy Page for KMTV in Who.
04:16Following a hearing today it was concluded that Lisa Smith, who was shot outside a pub on
04:22Valentine's Day this year, died by unlawful killing. Mrs Smith died at the scene from a gunshot wound
04:28to her neck inflicted by her husband Edward Smith outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockolt.
04:35Mr Smith's body was later recovered from Raynham in Essex as it was believed he had fallen into the
04:40River Thames and the court concluded he had died from a head trauma.
04:47Medway Council are set to expand their controversial School Street scheme at the end of the month.
04:53The scheme aims to stop cars driving alongside certain roads around morning and afternoon pick-ups.
04:59The council hopes that the new restrictions across Medway will keep school children safe.
05:05Our local democracy reporter Olly Leder has been getting local reaction in Frinsbury.
05:10It may look quiet now but come pick up time and drop off. Hilltop Road is rammed with parents parking outside the primary school.
05:21But that's all about to change. From the 29th of September the road will become pedestrianised at set periods during the school term.
05:31With number plate recognition cameras being used to enforce the new restrictions.
05:38Hilltop Road is just one of four new school streets being rolled out at the end of the month.
05:43And the hope is it will make the school drop off that little bit safer.
05:47It's really important that we tackle this issue before we are dealing with casualties.
05:53So I'm not prepared to wait for a child to be knocked down or killed outside a school before we act.
06:00That's not what this scheme is all about. The statistics are horrifying.
06:05There's a thousand children injured within 500 metres of school every month on their journey to and from school.
06:14That's completely unacceptable. That's an epidemic.
06:17There's already seven school streets in Medway with another one set for High House though in November.
06:24But despite exemptions for those living along these roads and blue badge holders,
06:29some parents have previously slammed the scheme as making things worse.
06:35Do residents living here share those concerns?
06:38It's very reasonable. It should have been done a long time ago. I would have thought outside schools.
06:42I think it's a good idea for all schools, not just this one.
06:45I've been here 60 years and it's always been the same up here with the cars.
06:52When I take my son to school, people will be parking in front of my drive.
06:56There will be a problem out here with other schools, mum and dad, with the parking.
07:01So the parking is really bad around here. So we can't wait for this thing to roll in any time now.
07:06I mean, any car is dangerous in it, obviously, you know what I mean?
07:10So, no, hopefully it will make a difference, but who knows?
07:15We have to wait and see, won't we?
07:17Hilltop Primary School have welcomed the scheme's expansion
07:21and with several location proposals still being considered,
07:26a school street could be coming to your neighbourhood sooner rather than later.
07:32Ollie Leader in Rochester.
07:35Now, from long COVID to posture checks, here to talk about the health headlines
07:39is KMTV's resident health expert, Dr Julian Spinks.
07:50So, it has been more than five years since COVID-19 emerged
07:54and it's me with my trusty notes again, so here are some figures.
07:57A UK survey of more than 12,000 women has been found to have an effect on women's periods
08:04and a high risk of iron deficiency.
08:06What do you know about this and those symptoms from long COVID?
08:10It's amazing, it's five years. It feels like it was yesterday, but it's a long time.
08:14Long COVID is a response to having COVID, obviously.
08:18It's not the COVID itself, it's actually the body's response to it that's been the problem.
08:23And there's a whole range of symptoms, particularly things like tiredness, but also breathing problems.
08:28And it has interfered with women's cycles, tends to make periods heavier, and that then tends to mean that people get iron deficiency.
08:37Because, unfortunately, having a period every month is not very good for your iron stores.
08:41And so, women are always sort of on a knife edge, to be honest with you.
08:44And it doesn't take much to tip them over.
08:47And once they're losing more blood and they're actually replacing the form of iron,
08:51gradually what will happen is their iron stores go down, then they get anemic.
08:54And how do these two dots connect exactly?
08:57Because, obviously, women may have faced low iron levels even before COVID.
09:01So, what has COVID brought in that would mean these results?
09:04I think it's just worse than the situation in people with long COVID.
09:09Absolutely, women have been having anemia and low iron for a very long time.
09:15And we have to deal with a lot of it even now.
09:17But it's like a lot of things.
09:19COVID seems to exaggerate the effects of other diseases, particularly things like heart disease and respiratory disease.
09:26And we're learning more and more as we go along with it.
09:29But it is still a little bit of a mystery what it is.
09:32Yeah, I mean, 400 million people around the world have or used to have long COVID.
09:38So, do you think we're actually close to finding out what's happening?
09:42I mean, what else does it even affect in terms of the human body?
09:46Well, we're learning more and more effects.
09:48And that's part of the problem.
09:49We don't fully understand the condition.
09:51And when it comes to it, we know that COVID is the background to it.
09:54But the way it actually developed after that and why some people got it and some people didn't is a bit of a mystery.
10:00And generally, if you don't understand the disease, it's much more difficult to treat it.
10:04We're getting better in some aspects, particularly things like respiratory problems and so on.
10:09We found ways around that.
10:10But we don't have a nice drug we can give to people which will fix the whole problem.
10:14And what other parts of the body can it even affect or has been known to affect?
10:19Well, the brain is a particular one.
10:21And people talk about sort of just being fuzzy headed and not really being able to concentrate as well as they should.
10:28Some people have suggested changes in mental health as well.
10:31Really, I don't think there's an organ in the body that it cannot affect.
10:35And it varies from person to person what mix you get.
10:38And we're going to move on to posture now.
10:41So, children back at school, students back at university, many people at work sitting at their desk.
10:46What's your advice in regards to posture?
10:48Should people be sitting up straight or is that actually bad idea now?
10:51I noticed both of us are sitting up nice and straight to try and show what we should be doing.
10:55Absolutely, posture is really important.
10:58In the workplace, obviously, it's part of the assessment for a workstation.
11:02If you're sitting working on a computer, actually getting that posture makes a difference.
11:06It reduces your chances of having back pain.
11:08And the same thing applies in schools.
11:10One of the problems is that students will actually sit for long hours.
11:14School chairs are not necessarily the best chairs to be sitting on.
11:21They're often quite uncomfortable.
11:23And of course, famously, students tend to tip them backwards as well.
11:26But we want to encourage that better posture because it helps maintain their back muscles,
11:30makes them less likely to actually injure them as it goes.
11:34Yes. And, you know, I've heard that sitting up straight is not good,
11:37but also slouching isn't good.
11:38So maybe somewhere in between is maybe the best way.
11:42The spine has got a natural curvature.
11:44And chairs that actually give you some lumbar support are a really good idea.
11:48But yes, bolt upright is not good.
11:50And just in time for the break, I'll relax my back.
11:52See you after the break.
11:56I'll see you next time.
12:26Bye.
12:27Bye.
12:28Bye.
12:56Bye.
12:57Bye.
13:26Bye.
13:27Bye.
13:56Bye.
13:57Bye.
14:26Bye.
14:27Bye.
14:56Bye.
14:57Bye.
14:58Bye.
14:59Bye.
15:00Bye.
15:01Bye.
15:03Bye.
15:07Bye.
15:13Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV
15:18from Tunbridge Wells have raised thousands of pounds to help her after losing her eldest son
15:23in a car accident. Ed Burrows who died at only 26 in South Australia along with one other passenger
15:32around seven and a half miles away from the Sea Dragon Lodge where he'd been working. The driver
15:38of the incident survived with minor injuries but has been arrested and charged with two counts
15:44of causing death by careless use of a motor vehicle. Friends and colleagues launched a
15:50fundraiser for his mother Fleur Sainsbury and raised nearly £7,000. Next a man from Kent has been
15:57arrested after videos and images of US President Donald Trump and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein
16:03were projected onto Windsor Castle. The 37 year old was one of four to be detained on suspicion of
16:10malicious communications and remains in custody. The projection was stopped not long before Trump
16:16and King Charles met during the first full day of his state visit. There were also news headlines about
16:22Epstein's charges that were also projected onto the castle. Trump and Epstein were reportedly friends
16:28at the time of his offences but the US President has never been officially accused of wrongdoing
16:34in connection with him. The Chief Superintendent commented that they take any unauthorised activity
16:41around Windsor Castle extremely seriously and that officers swiftly stopped the projection.
16:47A world famous pygmy hippo is moving to Kent from Edinburgh Zoo.
16:52Haggis appeared on Saturday Night Live, one of America's biggest television shows.
16:58The rare pygmy hippo will arrive at Wingham Wildlife Park near Canterbury at the end of October.
17:03She was born at a similar time to a TikTok famous Thai pygmy hippo called Moodeng who the two of a rivalry
17:11which went viral on social media. A spokesperson for Wingham Wildlife Park said that they are excited
17:17to welcome their first pygmy hippo and that the public won't be able to visit her for a little while
17:22but they'll give regular updates when possible.
17:26Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website
17:31KMTV.co.uk. There you'll find all our reports including this one about Loud Women, an internationally recognised festival community
17:38focusing on female and LGBT plus musicians.
17:41Founded in 2015 when her all-female band struggled to find gigs or lineups where they were not singled out
17:52as the token Women Act, Cassie Fox wanted to create a space where not only her own band
17:58but fellow underrepresented musicians could come together to play music.
18:02That one gig has grown over the last 10 years to levels of international recognition.
18:06Last year we also put on a festival in Melbourne, Australia and this year, our anniversary year,
18:14we kind of pulled out all the stops and we've been collaborating with kind of different bands
18:18and partners around the world. We've got Larry underscore 73 as well, kind of really cool local band
18:24as well as these really cool Canadian and American and Ukrainian bands in town.
18:30It's just turned into this kind of global movement.
18:33But how do the bands feel about being included in a festival holding such a unique place within the circuit?
18:40It's been incredible. We've never played outside of Canada until last night.
18:44So last night and tonight are our first international shows ever.
18:47And those shows, being Loud Women, is incredible to know that there's a space being created for us,
18:54specifically women, trans women, non-binary folks, that this is like a space cultivated for us.
19:00To like know about this collective that is also trying to like highlight like femme and queer musicians
19:06and then to be recognized by said collective was really special and like felt as a musician like very validating.
19:13Well, I think it's an honor to be part of Loud Women in general.
19:17Like I think the whole organization, like uplifting women and queer people is really awesome.
19:22And being a part of that is like, we feel honored.
19:25And then playing smaller venues is like, that's a lot of what we do in New York City.
19:29And like our favorite shows are the DIY shows that just like, everyone is there for the love of music.
19:34And getting to play a show like that here is also amazing for us.
19:37I find representation really important.
19:40And I see like the more we do to support representation, it just helps boost people's, other people's self-esteem.
19:50And so I think being a part of something like this, it's really important in terms of that.
19:55I've always grown up being told I can't do stuff because I'm a girl.
19:59So I did car mechanics, I've done karate, I've done cadets, I've done marching bands.
20:03Now I get to do it playing music, so it seems to be well with me.
20:07So why did Loud Women choose to mark their 10 years here in Canterbury?
20:12We've partnered with the Lady Luck a lot in the past.
20:17Emma, who runs the venue, you know, it's fantastic to work with a female-owned venue.
20:22And the Lady Luck is such a unique venue as well for having this kind of really dedicated local crowd
20:30that kind of turn up for travelling bands, for touring bands, as well as the local talent as well.
20:36And yeah, it's a kind of a really great grassroots venue that we're really proud to partner with for this.
20:44And what should we expect to see from Loud Women in the future?
20:47It sounds odd to say, but it would be great in a way if in 10 years' time Loud Women didn't exist
20:52or didn't have to exist if kind of all festivals were diverse
20:58and, you know, the kind of needing to look at gender as an issue on festival line-ups
21:05didn't have to be a thing.
21:11Ronnie Glastow for KMTV in Canterbury.
21:15Now it's time to look at the weather.
21:22Tonight is looking windy with clouds overhead and temperatures of 17 degrees, 18 by the coast
21:29into tomorrow morning, similar temperatures and wind speeds of 13 and 14 miles per hour,
21:34more clouds to be expected, and in the afternoon a little windier
21:37and some sun peaking through the clouds as temperatures hit the low 20s.
21:42Now, for your outlook, highs of 25 on Friday, some sun and showers as we head into the weekend
21:48dropping to 21 degrees and that rain is set to clear by Sunday.
21:52Two friends who are both more than 100 years old met in Folkestone yesterday
22:04after not seeing each other for a decade.
22:07105-year-old Lulu lives at St Helia's care home
22:10and her friend Kathleen, who's 106, travelled from Rochester to visit her.
22:16They'd been friends for 70 years
22:18and their reunion was a special moment that showed just how strong their bond still is.
22:22Maisie Walker has more.
22:27There's a lot to think about when it comes to the meaning of life.
22:30Some see it in memories, others in the legacy they leave behind.
22:34But for many, it's found in the joy of friendship and shared laughter.
22:38For the first time in 10 years, two old friends over 100 years old
22:44are meeting up in Folkestone to celebrate their friendship.
22:48Kathleen is 106 years old and Lulu, 105.
22:53They met during what Kathleen described as services
22:55and even though they hadn't seen each other in a decade,
22:59their 70-year friendship remained strong.
23:01I spoke with Lulu to find out more about her past.
23:04I read the BBC on dispatches from frontline troops.
23:12OK.
23:13So on VJ Day and VE Day,
23:18we were two days a night right through taking dispatches from frontline.
23:27And was you based in London?
23:29Oh, secret.
23:32The secret?
23:33Cavalier Park.
23:35OK.
23:36Their reunion was made possible by a charity
23:38that provides transport for military veterans.
23:41The organisation is funded by donations and driven by volunteers,
23:45receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2021.
23:50Well, we were contacted by Ian and Heather,
23:52which is Kathleen's son and daughter-in-law.
23:56And obviously, the London Black Taxi,
23:58we're designed to take all people with all sorts of disabilities.
24:02That's what we have.
24:03We have a ramp that's designed to come out of the taxi for the wheelchairs.
24:06We also can take motorised little scooters in there.
24:09And I contacted her and I said,
24:10would you be able to help her mother?
24:11She's 106.
24:12She's in the wheelchair.
24:14And we had a chat about it.
24:16The committee had a chat about it.
24:17We said, yes, we can do this.
24:18If we can make Kathleen's wish come true
24:21where she can meet her best friend,
24:22we said, yes, we'll do it.
24:2370 years on, their friendship is still full of laughter, love and life.
24:29In a world that moves so fast,
24:31Kathleen and Lulu remind us that true friendship doesn't fade with time.
24:35It only grows stronger.
24:37Maisie Walker for KMTV, Oakston.
24:42Well, Maisie is here to tell us a little bit more.
24:44So can you talk a little bit about the charity that helped make this happen?
24:48Yeah, so the taxi charity for military veterans is run by volunteer London Black Taxi Drivers
24:56and has been supporting thousands of veterans since 1948.
25:01They arrange free events for veterans, including trips to the Netherlands and France for acts of commemoration
25:09and days out to museums, concerts or social outings across the UK.
25:15In fact, I did speak to Paul Cook yesterday, who can tell us a little bit more about it.
25:22Well, our charity started in 1948 and it was a group of black cab drivers like myself
25:27that were sitting in a pub in Fulham.
25:29And after the war, they decided that they needed to do something to help their colleagues
25:34that served during the Second World War.
25:36They served during the war as well and they were surrounded by their colleagues
25:39and they were looking at them and they said they need help
25:41and they need to help with physical help and mental help.
25:45So they started doing trips to the seaside.
25:48So they took their friends out to the seaside in 1948
25:50and that's how it started.
25:52Our charity evolved from then.
25:53And then over the years, we've now progressed and we do trips abroad,
25:57we do special days out yesterday and we do everything we can for our veterans.
26:04And so what was the atmosphere like there?
26:07Yeah, well, I mean, you know, being in that room,
26:09seeing 70 years of friendship in front of me, it was just so beautiful.
26:14You know, you could tell by the way that they wouldn't let go of each other's hands
26:17that they truly did really care about each other.
26:20I even heard Kathleen say a few times that she couldn't believe that it was happening,
26:24that she couldn't believe that it was real.
26:27And it's, you know, it's just things like that that really make you take a step back
26:31and really appreciate things a little bit more,
26:34especially, you know, for things that we take for granted,
26:36like seeing your friends every weekend.
26:38It just makes you think, like, you know what,
26:40this is actually a really important factor of my life.
26:43Yes, keep your friends close.
26:45Absolutely.
26:46And that is it for this part of Kent tonight.
26:49We'll see you after the break.
29:46Hello and welcome back to Kent tonight,
30:14live on KMTV.
30:16I'm Isabel Miller.
30:17Here are your top stories on Wednesday, the 17th of September.
30:22It doesn't make me feel safe.
30:25Words of a student after school denies measuring length of skirts.
30:29By foot or be fined,
30:31residents react to School Street scheme expansion in Medway.
30:35And friends for life.
30:37100-year-olds reunite after a decade apart.
30:40A mother from WHO has said her daughter felt humiliated
30:46after reportedly being removed from class due to her school uniform.
30:5112-year-old Pearl has been left with a feeling of not wanting to return to school
30:55after her and many students say staff measured the length of their skirts.
31:00Hundreds of WHO secondary school deny this
31:02and say their expectations around uniforms are there to promote a positive learning environment.
31:08Our reporter Daisy Page has more.
31:10She rang me from the toilet crying hysterically down the phone.
31:15This was the reality for Cola Glenny.
31:17When she found out her daughter was one student amongst dozens of those pulled out of class
31:22and placed into the school hall.
31:24The reason?
31:25Her skirt was said to be too short
31:27after staff allegedly measured how high the girls' skirts were above the knee.
31:32School doesn't seem like a safe place to me.
31:35I can't do nothing there.
31:37It don't make me feel like I'm a human being.
31:40Like I feel like I'm just a robot when I'm there.
31:43Like I would walk into school and my whole appearance would have to change
31:46otherwise it wouldn't be good enough and I'd be sitting in isolation basically every day.
31:49Like most of my friends that have went there today have literally been sent home again
31:53because of their skirts and because their mum picked them up
31:55because they were sitting in isolation.
31:57I don't want it to carry on because I don't want to go back to that school
31:59because it doesn't make me feel safe
32:01and I just don't want to feel like a robot no more
32:02and I don't feel like I can be myself.
32:05The school refuted the suggestions that the staff have been measuring skirts
32:10and said that the standards apply to all students
32:13and die in place to promote fairness, consistency and a positive learning environment.
32:18But the uniform Pearl's mum brought was from a shop advised by Hundreds of Whos Secondary School.
32:23I don't think that I'm going to send her back to the school.
32:26I think mental health is more important than a uniform
32:30so I don't, she doesn't feel safe going back
32:33and I don't want to put my child in an environment where she doesn't feel safe
32:36so I will probably make the decision not to send her back if I'm honest.
32:40And Pearl wasn't the only student put into isolation
32:43for the hemline of her skirt being too short.
32:46Other parents who have spoken to us have said that their children have been left upset and humiliated.
32:52Other parents said despite buying the correct skirt
32:55they did not meet the requirements due to each child having different bodies.
32:59The school have said to help families they change their policies
33:02so parents can purchase skirts from a wide range of high street shops
33:06meaning that suitable skirts are more accessible and available in different variety of fits
33:11saying in this specific case
33:13they will be contacting parents directly to offer support
33:16and help source an appropriate skirt which meets their requirements.
33:19But with fears still lingering around students being put into isolation
33:23a more uniform approach to the rules may be needed to win back the parents' trust.
33:29Daisy Page for KMTV in Who.
33:32Residents in Herne Bay gathered to protest Canterbury City Council's proposal
33:37for 32 homes on a neglected sports field.
33:41The site at Beacon Road has become overgrown
33:44and is classed as a brownfield site
33:46and the council is under pressure to build after changes to national policy
33:50raised its housing target to 1,215 a year.
33:55Residents said the land could be a valuable resource for young people.
33:59Councillor Charlotte Cornell said it's what we can stomach and all live with
34:04and if we get all of the new brownfield sites we've identified in
34:08they'll represent one third of the new housing target.
34:11You can find out more about this on Kent Online.
34:16Medway Council are set to expand their controversial school street scheme
34:20at the end of the month.
34:22The scheme aims to stop cars driving along certain roads
34:26around morning and afternoon pick-ups.
34:28The council hopes that the new restrictions across Medway
34:31will keep school children safe.
34:33Our local democracy reporter Olly Lieder
34:35has been getting local reaction in Frinsbury.
34:38It may look quiet now but come pick up time and drop off.
34:44Hilltop Road is rammed with parents parking outside the primary school.
34:50But that's all about to change.
34:52From the 29th of September the road will become pedestrianised
34:57at set periods during the school term
35:00with number plate recognition cameras being used
35:04to enforce the new restrictions.
35:07Hilltop Road is just one of four new school streets
35:10being rolled out at the end of the month
35:12and the hope is it will make the school drop-off
35:14that little bit safer.
35:15It's really important that we tackle this issue
35:18before we are dealing with casualties
35:21so I'm not prepared to wait for a child to be knocked down
35:26or killed outside a school before we act.
35:28That's not what this scheme is all about.
35:31The statistics are horrifying.
35:33There's 1,000 children injured within 500 metres of school
35:38every month on their journey to and from school.
35:42That's completely unacceptable.
35:44That's an epidemic.
35:45There's already seven school streets in Medway
35:48with another one set for High House though in November.
35:52But despite exemptions for those living along these roads
35:55and blue badge holders, some parents have previously slammed the scheme
36:00as making things worse.
36:03Do residents living here share those concerns?
36:06It's very reasonable.
36:07It should have been done a long time ago.
36:09I would have thought outside schools.
36:10I think it's a good idea for all schools, not just this one.
36:13I've been here 60 years
36:15and it's always been the same up here with the cars.
36:20When I take my son to school, people will be parking in front of my drive.
36:24There will be a problem out here with other schools,
36:27mum and dad, with the parking.
36:29So the parking is really bad around here.
36:31So we can't wait for this thing to roll in any time now.
36:35I mean, any car is dangerous, isn't it, obviously?
36:38You know what I mean?
36:39So, no.
36:40Hopefully it will make a difference.
36:42But who knows?
36:43We have to wait and see, won't we?
36:45Hilltop Primary School have welcomed the scheme's expansion.
36:49And with several location proposals still being considered,
36:54a school street could be coming to your neighbourhood sooner rather than later.
37:00Olly Lieder in Rochester.
37:03Now, weight loss jabs and drugs have become increasingly common
37:07with many getting them prescribed
37:09and some turning to more drastic measures to get them.
37:12To talk more about this,
37:14I'm once again joined by our health expert, Dr Julian Spinks.
37:17Well, weight loss drugs seem to be on the rise recently
37:29as more weightless drugs are prescribed and sold.
37:33So on my notes here, my trusty notes,
37:35senior doctors have warned there's severe inequality for patients,
37:41even being compared to a postcode lottery
37:42when it comes to who does and doesn't get them.
37:44What can you say about this from a GP's perspective?
37:49Yeah, there are relatively strict criteria
37:52to actually prescribe these drugs.
37:55It's a different situation with diabetes
37:56because these drugs like Montgiro and so on
37:59were invented originally to deal with diabetes.
38:02But for weight loss, you have to fulfill certain criteria.
38:05And for Montgiro, it is very tough.
38:07You have to have a body mass index of over 40,
38:09which is pretty big.
38:10And you have to have four out of five chronic medical conditions.
38:14So you have all of that before you use it on the NHS.
38:17So not surprisingly,
38:18people are actually trying to get it through other routes.
38:21And then they're realizing quite how expensive these drugs are.
38:24So they're tempted then to go for less reputable sites.
38:28And the two risks there are,
38:30number one is,
38:30are you actually getting the drug
38:32or you're getting something else packaged as it?
38:35The other one is,
38:36that is anybody actually genuinely checking
38:38that it's safe for you to have it?
38:40Because these drugs do need to be looked at
38:42as something which has a risk
38:44as well as a big benefit.
38:46And what does this rise in people getting them mean
38:49for people who need them
38:50and maybe can't have as much access to them
38:53because they're being taken by other people?
38:55Well, there was a problem a few months ago
38:58with diabetics getting these drugs
39:00because so many people were getting them elsewhere.
39:02That seems to have done better.
39:04But one of the things the manufacturers have done to do that
39:06is put the price up enormously
39:08to try and drive down demand.
39:11And so, again,
39:11it's even more so that you have to have a significant income
39:14to be able to afford to use these drugs every month.
39:17We've got to try and get it settled down
39:19because I see some people who really don't need them
39:21who are taking them
39:22and there's other people who would really benefit
39:24who can't get them.
39:26And why do you think this situation of using
39:30and maybe some people relying on these jabs
39:33is so common these days?
39:34Is it as obesity figures rise?
39:37Well, we've got a bigger population in multiple ways
39:40and so a lot of people are looking to find a way to lose weight.
39:44As long as I've been a GP,
39:45people have looked at different medications to try and help.
39:48None of them have been brilliant.
39:49These are much better,
39:50but there's evidence that when you stop using the drug,
39:53if you haven't adapted,
39:55then your weight will start to go up again.
39:57So we need to teach people about what to do
39:59whilst they're on the drug
40:01so that when they come off it,
40:02then they're not going to go straight back
40:04to where they were before.
40:05And when would a doctor recommend this?
40:08Is this kind of like a last resort?
40:10Is it something that, you know,
40:11is quite an early-on suggestion,
40:14depending on what people have?
40:16I think it's a medium resort.
40:18It's not something that should start at the beginning.
40:21We want people to look at ordinary diets first
40:23and have help that way.
40:25But it's not something we should be waiting till the bitter end.
40:28It's a safer alternative to things like bariatric surgery,
40:31which are big operations and carry significant risks.
40:34Yes, and I'm just reading about this one,
40:37which I'm going to give the name a go.
40:41Orthoglipron.
40:42Yep.
40:42All these new drugs, so difficult to say.
40:44Quite.
40:45So it says that one in five people who took it
40:48once a day lost a fifth or more of their weight as a result.
40:53These are based on people taking it once a day for 72 weeks.
40:57Is that a long enough amount of time to lose weight healthily,
41:01would you say?
41:01I think it's a reasonable weight loss, sort of,
41:04and over that length of time,
41:06it probably means it's not a dramatic one.
41:07We don't want people to lose weight too quickly
41:09because that can be bad for you as well.
41:11This is another drug in that same group with Mount Jaro.
41:14The difference is it's tablets.
41:17And the result they got there was with the highest dose
41:19that they're using.
41:21I haven't seen all the safety data on it yet,
41:24but as it's in the same group,
41:26there will be the same things that some people
41:28won't be able to take it
41:29and they'll have to be warned about potential side effects
41:32from taking these drugs.
41:34But really, every time we come up with something new
41:36to help people lose weight,
41:37we're in a situation where we're taking away
41:39a really major cause of ill health these days.
41:42Yes.
41:43And I guess we've all got to be careful what we take
41:45and just follow the advice of our doctors.
41:47Thank you very much, Julian.
41:48And that is it for this part of Kent tonight.
41:50We will see you after the break.
41:52We'll see you after the break.
42:22We'll see you after the break.
42:52We'll see you after the break.
43:22We'll see you after the break.
43:52We'll see you after break.
43:53We'll see you after the break.
43:55.
44:25.
44:55Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
45:16The county has seen its second royal visit in recent weeks as the Princess Royal visited
45:21HMP Swellside in East Church, Sheppey.
45:24Princess Anne has been a patron of the Butler Trust since 1985.
45:31The independent charity promotes excellence in UK prisons, probation and youth justice
45:36by recognising and celebrating outstanding practice.
45:40During her visit she also opened the Millbrook affordable housing development in Edenbridge.
45:45The chief executive of English Rural said these homes will allow local people to remain in
45:51the area they know and love, strengthening the fabric of rural life in Kent.
45:57The independent special school in Minster has received a good Ofsted rating just months
46:02after opening.
46:04Elmley Dray started welcoming students in January this year after replacing Elliott Park primary
46:10schools.
46:16The school was rated good for quality of education and outstanding for behaviour and attitudes.
46:21Head teacher Emily Hollis MBE said this result is a huge achievement for everyone involved,
46:27our pupils, our staff, our families and our wider community.
46:31She added that in just six months they've created a school where students feel safe and valued.
46:37A grandfather has been reunited with the paramedics who gave him life again at the Great
46:43Lions Park in Gillingham.
46:46Steve was walking with his wife last month when he experienced symptoms he thought were asthma.
46:53His wife then called 999, however his condition quickly deteriorated and several ambulances were
46:59called to the scene.
47:00It was discovered that the grandfather was suffering from a heart attack.
47:05Now exactly one month later Steve has thanked the team who saved his life in person.
47:11Those involved said knowing we played a part in saving his life is something we'll never forget.
47:18Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to
47:23our website kmtv.co.uk.
47:25There you'll find all our reports including this one about the Eulers border expansion and with it
47:31an increase to the Dartford crossing charge.
47:34It's been two years since the controversial Eulers border expanded to all London boroughs,
47:39meaning anyone passing into the capital with a vehicle that doesn't meet emission standards
47:43would have to pay a charge. And for motorists travelling between Kent and London,
47:47the Dartford crossing adds more costs, which this week is increased by £1 per trip.
47:52Now for people living here in Dartford, they might not necessarily be affected by the price change,
47:58and that's because they can apply for a local residence discount. But businesses can't apply
48:02for that discount. So for those trading in and around the town, they might struggle with the increase.
48:07We don't have our food delivered. We get someone to pick it up for us and them having to travel across
48:15to get our own supplies for the business really add up, especially with the increase overall on food
48:22as it is. The bills of crossing it on and off really add up and it affects also delivery drivers
48:29too that have to travel across and just everyday normal people.
48:32For a standard driver, the fee has gone from £2.50 to £3.50, while buses, coaches and vans with two
48:39axles change from £3 to £4.20, and any with more than two axles, which were £6, are now costing £8.40 per trip.
48:47While those living in Dartford can use the residence scheme, some think the increase is unfair on
48:52commuters and businesses. Well, I don't think it's fair really for people who've got to go across there
48:57to work. You know, it's coming at their wages, isn't it? You know, I personally don't drive now,
49:03so I don't go over that way now. I used to, but I don't now. Well, putting the price up, well, people
49:10are still going to use it. I mean, so, it's like when you've got a big car and they want to put the
49:16tax, people are still going to pay it. You know, that won't stop it. It makes me think a lot of what
49:22we're actually doing with our money in terms of paying taxes and stuff. Priorities, for example,
49:29do we actually have this as a priority? Is the Dartford Bridge being an expense priority?
49:38Yeah, that would be my thought really, making sure that we actually understand
49:42that if it's a charge that we should be paying or not. The Department for Transport and MP Lillian
49:47Greenwood say they're aware that these necessary changes to the charges will be unwelcome news for
49:52users of the crossing. However, we will continue to support local people through the local resident
49:57discount scheme and have been determined to keep the nominal fee paid by local people as low as
50:02possible, as many rely on the crossing to get around their local area. Drivers who live in
50:06Dartford or Thurrock and who have signed up to the scheme will pay £25 for their unlimited annual
50:11crossings from 1 September 2025, a small increase from the current annual fee. Many will hope that the
50:17charges increase might reduce congestion rather than impact local businesses in Kent that get their
50:23supplies from across the river. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.
50:29Now it's time to take a look at the weather.
50:37Tonight is looking windy with clouds overhead and temperatures of 17 degrees, 18 by the coast.
50:42Into tomorrow morning, similar temperatures and wind speeds of 13 and 14 miles per hour,
50:47more clouds to be expected and in the afternoon a little windier and some sun peeking through the
50:53clouds as temperatures hit the low 20s. Now for your outlook, highs of 25 on Friday,
50:59some sun and showers as we head into the weekend dropping to 21 degrees,
51:03that rain is set to clear on Sunday, highs drop to 16 degrees.
51:06Two friends who are both more than 100 years old met in Folkestone yesterday after not seeing each
51:19other for a decade. 105-year-old Lulu lives at St Helia's care home and her friend Kathleen,
51:25who's 106, travelled from Rochester to visit her. They'd been friends for 70 years and their reunion
51:32was a special moment that showed just how strong their bond still is. Maisie Walker has more.
51:40There's a lot to think about when it comes to the meaning of life.
51:44Some see it in memories, others in the legacy they leave behind. But for many,
51:48it's found in the joy of friendship and shared laughter. For the first time in 10 years, two old
51:55friends over 100 years old are meeting up in Folkestone to celebrate their friendship.
52:01Kathleen is 106 years old and Lulu 105. They met during what Kathleen described as services
52:09and even though they hadn't seen each other in a decade,
52:12their 70-year friendship remains strong. I spoke with Lulu to find out more about her past.
52:17The BBC on dispatches from frontline troops. So on VJ Day and VE Day, we were two days a night
52:35right through taking dispatches from frontline. And were you based in London?
52:42Oh, secret. The secret. Cavalier Park. Oh, okay.
52:50Their reunion was made possible by a charity that provides transport for military veterans.
52:55The organisation is funded by donations and driven by volunteers,
52:59receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2021.
53:03Well, we were contacted by Ian and Heather, which is Kathleen's son and daughter-in-law.
53:09And obviously, the London Black Taxi, we're designed to take all people with all sorts of disabilities.
53:15That's what we have. We have a ramp that's designed to come out of the taxi through the wheelchairs.
53:19We also can take motorised little scooters in there. And I contacted her and I said,
53:24would you be able to help her mother? She's 106. She's in the wheelchair.
53:27And we had a chat about it. The committee had a chat about it. We said, yes, we can do this.
53:31If we can make Kathleen's wish come true when she can meet her best friend, we think, yes, we'll do it.
53:3870 years on, their friendship is still full of laughter, love and life.
53:42In a world that moves so fast, Kathleen and Lulu remind us that true friendship doesn't fade with time.
53:48It only grows stronger.
53:51Maisie Walker for KMTV, Folkston.
53:53And Maisie joins me down to talk more about the visit. So full of life and full of cake, it seems.
54:02Yes, exactly. So full of life, so happy and talkative.
54:08In fact, when I was speaking with Lulu, she showed me a picture of herself from when she was younger.
54:14And she made a joke about it. And her sense of humour is so quick. She's so incredibly sharp.
54:20In fact, I did actually get this moment on camera.
54:43It feels like the video didn't play, but you can see what they said.
54:46Yeah. So she showed me the picture and she was like, oh, like, look at me.
54:51And I was like, beautiful. And she went, oh, I look a little bit different, don't I?
54:54And it was just a moment where it was just so quick and so sharp tongues.
55:00It was just it really just made my day so, so funny and so remarkable.
55:06But in regards to their reunion, you know, the taxi charity for the military veterans helped them so,
55:13so much. So that charity is run by volunteers, London black taxi drivers, and they've been supporting
55:22thousands of veterans since 1948. And they arrange free events for veterans, including trips to the
55:30Netherlands and France for acts of commemoration and even days out to museums, concerts or social
55:37outings across the UK. I did speak to Paul Cook yesterday, who could probably tell a little bit
55:44more about this. Well, our charity started in 1948. And it was a group of black cab drivers like myself
55:51that were sitting in a pub in Fulham. And after the war, they decided that they needed to do something
55:56to help their colleagues that served during the Second World War. They served during the war as well,
56:01and they were surrounded by their colleagues, and they were looking at them and said they need help,
56:05and they need to help with physical help and mental help. So they started doing trips to the seaside.
56:11So they took their friends out to the seaside in 1948, and that's how it started. Our charity evolved
56:16from then. And then over the years, we've now progressed and we do trips abroad, we do special data,
56:22yesterday, and we do everything we can for our veterans. It's lovely what they're doing. And
56:30it just shows that friendships, it's very important. So keep them all young, and then you can have 70
56:34years worth of friends. Yeah, exactly. Cool. Thank you very much for watching Kent tonight. That is all
56:40for now, but you can join us again tomorrow at half past five. See you then.
57:10Bye.
Comments