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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Isabelle Miller.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live on KMTV.
00:27I'm Isabel Miller and here are your top stories on Thursday the 18th of September.
00:32Climate clash. Council meeting heats up after controversial debate.
00:38People voted for Reform UK in overwhelmingly large numbers in May because they wanted an administration to do things differently from the past administration that was here for nearly 30 years.
00:50Safer streets. Can an app help combat violence against women and girls in Maidstone?
00:56I think it's important for everywhere. So part of Kent Police's control strategy is violence against women and girls.
01:03So we're always trying to look to improve the local area, local community and safety initiatives.
01:08Frontline for the first time medical school students graduate amid chronic doctor shortages.
01:14By feeding that workforce pipeline in Kent and Medway we really hope that we'll make a difference to the medical workforce here in the county.
01:51Local democracy reporter Olly Leder was there earlier.
01:55Save Kent's coast. Save Kent's climate.
01:59The doors of Session House surrounded by protesters led by the Green Party.
02:05As furious at counter demonstrators as they were at Reform UK's motion to retract Kent County Council's climate emergency declaration.
02:15This element, this element, net zero, actually works for the council, we save money because we've got fewer energy costs, we work on more efficient buildings now, we've got two solar farms which power the whole of Kent's street lights.
02:34Temperatures continue to rise inside the council chamber as the leader outlined a draft strategy for how KCC may tackle the challenges of the next three years
03:04For instance, on transport, it has nothing to say particularly about buses or trains or walking or cycling.
03:10They seem to think people only get anywhere by car.
03:13There's nothing about higher or further education, colleges and universities.
03:17We desperately need higher skills if our economy is going to go and people will enjoy more enjoyable lives.
03:23It's quite a disappointing offer and a disappointing lack of vision.
03:26But despite wide-ranging debates on everything from vaccines to transport, the new administration still feels confident the public are on side.
03:36People voted for Reform UK in overwhelmingly large numbers in May because they wanted an administration to do things differently from the past administration that was here for nearly 30 years.
03:47So we came in on a mandate to do things differently, to tear up the old rule book, start again and see if we can offer better value for money for the taxpayer,
03:56to see if we can still protect the environment and do all the sensible things but not be hysterical about it, you know, be sensible, be the grown-ups in the room.
04:04Politicians will begin looking ahead to Reform's first budget in the coming months.
04:09But with placards and protests on the steps of County Hall, it's clear the political climate here has changed since May.
04:18Olly Lieder in Maidstone.
04:21Now, an app launched in Maidstone hopes to make people feel safer when they're walking home.
04:26The collaboration between Kent Police, Maidstone One Business Improvement District and Switch Youth Services are urging people to download Walk Safe.
04:36The personal safety app allows users to spotlight safe spaces, plan the safest route while travelling through the area and send automatic alerts to friends and family should the user not arrive home.
04:49Our reporter Megan Shaw has more.
04:51Ever felt unsafe walking home or even through a built-up area?
04:55A new app from the One Maidstone Business Improvement District might be able to fix that.
05:00Walk Safe, a joint collaboration between One Maidstone, Kent Police and Switch Youth Services, is trying to make Maidstone a safer environment for all.
05:11The Walk Safe app was predominantly made to tackle violence against women and girls, but the app is for everyone to download.
05:18Anyone using the town centre, whether that's walking to and from school, commuting or using it as part of our night-time economy venue.
05:25The app is straightforward and easy to use. Open up the map and it will show you safe spaces from banks to independent businesses all along your journey home.
05:35A safe space scheme has already been in operation across Kent, but utilising the app Walk Safe, which covers many areas across the UK, now allows these places in Maidstone to be seen and easily accessed by the wider public.
05:49So we're always trying to look to improve the local area, local community and safety initiatives, and it all spiralled from introducing safe spaces in the Maidstone Town Centre.
05:59And my big question was, well, if we have safe spaces, how do people know about them?
06:04And that's when I found the Walk Safe app, and therefore we've introduced it to make it easier for people to access safe spaces, as well as have a safe journey home.
06:13One Maidstone represents the businesses of Maidstone, so we're a business improvement district.
06:17So everything that we deliver is fundamentally financed and on behalf of the businesses of Maidstone.
06:24So walking the Walk Safe app, for example, with Kent Police is an initiative and an example of one of our partnership pieces of work.
06:33We work consistently with Kent Police on a number of initiatives.
06:37Personal safety, particularly for women, remains a pertinent issue, with many young girls feeling unsafe walking home at night.
06:45I try to avoid going out at night if I can, and if I do, then I go out with a group of people, or there's definitely more than just me going out at night.
06:54Every time I walk by myself at night, I always look behind me to make sure, like, if it's dark, like, if it's dark, and I look behind me, I make sure no one is there.
07:04I think it's fine, it's safe here, walking alone home, but sometimes when you are with friends, it's better, like, you feel more safe.
07:14In July 2025 alone, Kent Police reported 3,691 incidents of antisocial behaviour and 6,500 counts of violence and sexual offences in the wider Maidstone area.
07:29We can only hope that the new Walk Safe app in Maidstone can start to reduce some of these figures.
07:35This is Megan Shaw for KMTV in Maidstone.
07:40Now, Megan joins us now. Can you tell me about the features that are on the app?
07:45So there are quite a few. So, as mentioned in the report, it can give you a quite safe route home.
07:50It can also kind of spotlight what are known as safe spaces, which has kind of been done before by the policing Maidstone and the one Maidstone.
08:01So they can encompass a wide range of things.
08:04So on the app, you can see different places.
08:06So even things like charging points are highlighted to charge your phone.
08:10It will say if somebody's been trained as an active bystander, it will mention if places are, like, LGBTQ plus safe.
08:17There are lots of different ways in which a place can be labelled a safe space.
08:21And there are a huge wide range of these kind of safe spaces, even things like banks or independent shops that before I went down today,
08:28I kind of associated those kind of things with, like, the Ask for Angela thing in cafes and bars.
08:32So there's quite a wide range.
08:34It can also have, like, an emergency button, which can get you in contact with the police quite quickly.
08:38And again, as mentioned, like, if you don't arrive home at the destination that you said you would,
08:43it alerts automatically your family and friends, which is really helpful.
08:47Yeah, and it's not just Maidstone where this app operates, is it?
08:51No, you can get it all across Kent.
08:53Like, Maidstone at the moment is quite recent.
08:55There's a lot of participating places.
08:58But there are participating places across Medway, Seven Oaks, down to Canterbury and nationwide.
09:04London, Leeds, a lot of councils and business districts are wanting to take part with this app
09:09because it does have a wide range of uses.
09:10And it is used for women and young girls as well.
09:16But there are other people it can help.
09:18Absolutely.
09:18So anyone, really.
09:19As mentioned before, like, things like knowing where you can charge your phone is helpful for anyone
09:24if you just want to take a quick look at the app, if you're, you know, a stranger to Maidstone.
09:28Knowing that a venue has security can be helped for a lot of people.
09:34And, again, it mentions if places are, like, queer safe spaces or safe spaces with, like,
09:41someone who's got active bystander training.
09:43Alongside the app, all participating venues also have, like, a sign on the window.
09:49So, again, it's not just people with phones.
09:51Like, when I was speaking to PC Lauren, she was also, like, really passionate about there being, like,
09:57an actual physical reminder.
09:59So people who don't have phones, maybe they're elderly.
10:02So everyone is able to access these services if they want or need them.
10:05Yes.
10:05And Kent Police, did they say this is enough to make a difference?
10:10They were quite confident that it might be a factor in combating violence against women and girls.
10:16They were really passionate about that and confident that it needed to be tackled.
10:22They didn't explain to what extent it would be able to remedy that.
10:26They definitely didn't use words fix or remedy.
10:29But I do think it is a step in the right direction to start with making sure people are aware
10:34and these spaces are accessible for them.
10:38Thank you very much, Megan.
10:39I'll be sure to check it out.
11:11And it's clear she has a very special place in the hearts of both our guests and her colleagues.
11:17A snodling couple have invested £30,000 of their life savings to help vulnerable people in Kent.
11:23The Meals on Wheels service, called Appetite UK, delivers hot food to those who need it.
11:28John and Naomi Baker were inspired to start the business after Appetite UK ended its delivery
11:34service in July 2022, leaving more than 700 vulnerable people potentially affected.
11:41Operating from their new base in Parkwood Industry Estate, John prepares the meals while
11:46Naomi handles the deliveries.
11:48And they work all over Kent.
11:49But that is it for now.
11:51We'll see you after this break.
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15:20The decision will cost taxpayers £67 million, a warning from the Green Party as they call it,
15:28a financially reckless vanity project.
15:32The opposition councillors say.
15:34The previous conservative-led administration wanted to sell Kent County Council Session
15:38house and move it to Invicta house next door, but the new Reform UK leadership believes staying
15:44believes staying at County Hall for another four years will be cheaper
15:47and wants to sell the modern Invicta House.
15:50Instead, Green Party councillor Mark Hood said
15:52it would cost £20 million to keep County Hall warm, dry and safe,
15:58with full refurbishment reaching £67 million,
16:01while the same refurbishment at Invicta House would cost only £14 million.
16:08And the Kent and Medway Medical Schools saw its first cohort of students
16:12graduate after being open for just five years.
16:16It became the region's first medical school
16:18and aims to support the recruitment and retention
16:21of a skilled professional medical workforce for the region.
16:25Now, nearly half of these students will continue to work
16:28as healthcare professionals in the South East.
16:31Edleigh Reynolds has more.
16:33Every year, Canterbury Cathedral sees thousands of students graduate,
16:37but there's something quite special about this particular ceremony.
16:40The students at the Kent and Medway Medical School
16:43will be the first group to graduate,
16:45since the joint partnership between the University of Kent
16:48and Canterbury Christchurch University began back in 2020.
16:53In September 2020, Kent and Medway Medical School officially opened,
16:58making it the only medical school in the UK
17:00to open during a global pandemic.
17:03For many students, this unique opportunity
17:05was something that drew them to study here in Kent.
17:08Yeah, well, for me, it was very much the selling point
17:11of coming to this medical school.
17:13They sold it as having the opportunity
17:14to be a part of shaping the school and what it would become.
17:19And that was very much why I wanted to come here.
17:21I wanted to be a part of the school and the process
17:25and what the training would be like
17:26to help mould it for the future years.
17:28And that is what it has felt like throughout my time here.
17:31Today, there are over 500 students across the five years
17:35studying to become future healthcare workers here in the county,
17:39aiming to address what the school are calling
17:42a chronic shortage of doctors within the region.
17:45Why are we here in Kent and Medway is well-grounded
17:49in the experience of lots of other countries
17:51and lots of other healthcare systems
17:52where we know that medical students and medical graduates
17:55tend to stay closer to their own medical school.
17:59And so by feeding that workforce pipeline in Kent and Medway,
18:03we really hope that we'll make a difference
18:04to the medical workforce here in the county.
18:07And for many students, they look forward to joining the workforce
18:10in an area they've already taken on placements.
18:13Yeah, I think it's really good to be on the other side of things
18:17and be the doctor now.
18:20So I'm part of East Kent Hospitals Trust,
18:22which includes Ashford, Margate and Kent to Canterbury.
18:25My placements are mostly going to be
18:27between Kent to Canterbury and William Harvey.
18:29So my first placement is only five minutes away from where I live,
18:33which is excellent.
18:34And then I'll be doing some commuting to William Harvey.
18:37But yeah, it's been really good.
18:38It's been quite good to see very familiar faces
18:41because I've done placements there before as well.
18:43So a lot of support.
18:45So yeah, it's been good.
18:46It's clear to see that the students have not only studied locally,
18:50but are also joining the local workforces as well.
18:54Despite only being five years old,
18:57the Kent and Medway Medical School is offering opportunities
19:00to those who may have not even considered
19:02a profession in healthcare initially.
19:05Etterley Reynolds for KMTV in Canterbury.
19:09Next, the KM group have released a video
19:11to encourage users to subscribe to their premium website,
19:15but it does come with concerns
19:16that it could exclude those who need quality journalism.
19:19They say, though, that holding people to account needs to be funded.
19:23This is their video,
19:25and I spoke to Matt Ramsden, senior editor, afterwards.
19:37There really is nothing more important to us
19:39than serving the people of Kent and Medway
19:41with the best coverage we can.
19:43Each month, three million visitors choose Kent Online
19:45for their latest news, sport, leisure and opinion.
19:47In the last year alone, we've published more than 10,000 stories.
19:51Every single day of the year,
19:52our experienced and dedicated journalists work tirelessly
19:55to bring readers insightful, enlightening and comprehensive journalism.
19:58With this in mind, last October, we launched Kent Online Premium
20:01as we continue to build on our work and prepare for the future.
20:06Public interest journalism is hugely important to us
20:09at Kent Online and the KM group
20:11because it's all about holding authorities to account.
20:14We've cutbacks in local journalism across the board in the country
20:18and also in Kent.
20:19We're one of the few places that hold those authorities to account
20:23and spend the hours and hours talking to councillors,
20:26talking to our sources, talking to authorities,
20:30sifting through thousands of documents
20:32to find out where our taxpayer money is being spent.
20:41And Matt Ramson is here to talk a bit more about the subscription.
20:45So tell us a bit about it and why you decided to actually bring it in.
20:49Yes, so we brought it in a year ago, last October,
20:52and the thinking behind it is, as a lot of people know,
20:56the media landscape has changed quite a lot over the years.
21:00And where we used to rely on revenue from newspapers,
21:04in the future that's not going to be there
21:05because people's reading habits have changed.
21:07So we took the decision to introduce a very soft paywall on Kent Online,
21:11which means that we're asking people who use the website the most
21:16to pay a little towards it,
21:17which could be as little as 7p a day for great access.
21:20And what do they get if they do pay?
21:22What do they get if they don't?
21:23So if they pay and they are subscribing to Kent Online Premium,
21:27they get a faster loading website with fewer adverts on it.
21:33They get exclusive content.
21:35Some of the stuff that we put on the homepage of the normal Kent Online,
21:38you'll see it says Premium on there,
21:40which doesn't allow people to read the whole thing.
21:43But on the paid site, people can read everything.
21:45They get special features.
21:47And we're also introducing some reader offers starting tomorrow.
21:51And do you think that maybe introducing these kind of things
21:54are actually excluding a demographic that might face digital poverty,
21:58for example, and their access to quality journalism and truth?
22:02Yeah, it's something that we thought about long and hard
22:04before we actually introduced the paywall.
22:06But I want to sort of stress that the paywall is a soft one.
22:09You have to read a lot of stories before you get to the paywall on Kent Online.
22:14So we are very concerned about excluding people.
22:19So there's a lot of stories you can read before you get to the paywall.
22:23But also things like council reporting and things like that,
22:26important information we don't put behind the paywall.
22:29How can you balance that kind of need to fund journalism
22:32with that need to give people access to the truth
22:36in a time where I think it's probably very much needed?
22:39It is. I mean, it is a balancing act.
22:41We've got to recognise that some people need access to all sorts of information,
22:45which we're happy to do.
22:47But equally, we've got to realise that we're a business.
22:49And in the 21st century, our business needs to be funded by subscriptions.
22:53It's not just the Kent Messenger group that's doing this.
22:58Everyone's going down this path.
23:00And if people want a sustainable local journalism,
23:04they're going to have to help support us.
23:06And I think that's obviously very true.
23:09We do a similar thing at KMTV,
23:11trying to give access to local people, especially in Kent.
23:14In terms of Kent as a demographic,
23:17why is it important to give them that access despite this?
23:21Yeah. Well, we're very, very proud
23:24to be the number one media source in Kent.
23:27I mean, our roots go back 300 years
23:28to the first Canterbury paper, the Kentish Gazette.
23:31So, you know, we are Kent's media organisation.
23:34So we're very aware that we have to provide a great service,
23:39which we do on a normal Kent Online website.
23:42But as I say, the Kent Online Premium site
23:44is massively important to us
23:46because we need to plan for the future.
23:49We need people to help support us
23:51to make sure that those people in Kent
23:53get the best journalism that we can provide.
23:55Yeah. And you say you're planning for the future.
23:57And the future of Kent is young people.
24:00And there's a lot of information out there
24:03that might not be trusted.
24:05So how important is it to make sure
24:06that they have access to this future you're talking about?
24:09Yeah. It's a very, very good question
24:10because there's so much disinformation out there.
24:13There's so much nonsense on social media
24:15that people take us gospel.
24:17Without people like us, Izzy,
24:20and all my colleagues back at the KM group,
24:23it's going to be really difficult
24:25to discern what is true and what isn't.
24:28What we bring is professional journalism
24:30where we fact-check properly
24:32and we make sure that we're fair, balanced and accurate.
24:35I mean, there's nothing more important
24:36to the KM group than representing our readers
24:39and our residents.
24:41And over the last year,
24:43we've been running something called the Blue Badge Campaign,
24:45which is fighting for fairness
24:48for people who need a blue badge to park
24:51but haven't got the requisite conditioned.
24:55So there's some people who are ill,
24:57but because they're not ill long-term,
24:59they won't be eligible for a blue badge.
25:02We've joined forces with all the MPs in Kent
25:04to try and change the law on this
25:06because you might have somebody who has cancer now
25:08but may not have it in four years,
25:11but they need help now.
25:12And we think it's really important.
25:14And again, by supporting us, by subscribing,
25:16you're helping to fund this kind of journalism,
25:19this campaigning journalism,
25:20where we can help the community.
25:21So is this comparable to, say,
25:24the TV licence fee that people often complain about, actually?
25:28Yeah, possibly.
25:29I'm not sure I'd make that comparison myself.
25:32But it does fund us to do the journalism correctly,
25:38as well as all the things I've outlined,
25:39which you get for subscribing.
25:42There's also a great deal
25:43where you get access to digital editions
25:46of all the Kent Messenger papers going back a long way.
25:49So if you're interested in the community
25:51going back several years,
25:53you can actually go on the website
25:55and look at the digital editions,
25:57just page turn,
25:59and see what was going on in your community way back when.
26:02Now it's time to look at the weather.
26:09Cloudy skies this evening
26:10with lows of 16 down in Tunbridge, Wales.
26:12Highs of 17 everywhere else.
26:14A sunny start tomorrow morning
26:16with wind speeds dropping to 8 in the west.
26:18Highs of 19 in Canterbury.
26:19And into tomorrow afternoon.
26:21Lows of 23 in Dover
26:23with highs in the 26th in Medway.
26:26Wind speeds picking up to 12.
26:28For the rest of the week,
26:29a cloudy weekend with highs of 23 on Saturday
26:32dropping to 16 by the start of next week.
26:34We'll see you after the break.
26:47We'll see you after the break.
27:04We'll see you after the break.
27:05We'll see you after the break.
27:06We'll see you after the break.
27:06We'll see you after the break.
27:07We'll see you after the break.
27:07We'll see you after the break.
27:08We'll see you after the break.
27:09We'll see you after the break.
27:09We'll see you after the break.
27:10We'll see you after the break.
27:10We'll see you after the break.
27:11We'll see you after the break.
27:11We'll see you after the break.
27:11We'll see you after the break.
30:12Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
30:16I'm Isabel Miller and here are your top stories on Thursday the 18th of September.
30:21Climate clash.
30:25Council meeting heats up after climate emergency debate.
30:29And safer streets can an app help combat violence against women and girls in Maidstone.
30:36And frontline for the first time medical students graduate amid chronic doctor shortages.
30:43Protesters took to the steps of county hall today ahead of what was a controversial decision.
30:50Kent County councillors voted to rescind the climate emergency declaration made by the former cabinet in 2019.
30:58The motion brought forward by Reform UK councillors was slammed by the opposition.
31:03But the KCC leader is still confident the public is on their side.
31:07Local democracy reporter Oli Leder was there earlier.
31:11Save Kent Coast.
31:13Save Kent climate.
31:14The doors of Session House surrounded by protesters led by the Green party as furious at counter demonstrators as they were at Reform UK's motion to retract Kent County Council's climate emergency declaration.
31:31This element, net zero, actually works for the council.
31:34We save money because we've got fewer energy costs, we work with more efficient buildings now, we've got two solar farms which power the whole of Kent's street lights.
31:50This is a nonsense and a distraction and it's not supported by the science.
31:55Temperatures continued to rise inside the council chamber as the leader outlined a draft strategy for how KCC may tackle the challenges of the next three years, which will be finalised by November.
32:17It's a really poor document, a lot missing from it.
32:20For instance, on transport, it has nothing to say particularly about buses or trains or walking or cycling.
32:26They seem to think people only get anywhere by car.
32:29There's nothing about higher or further education, colleges and universities.
32:33We desperately need higher skills if our economy is going to go and people will enjoy more enjoyable lives.
32:39It's quite a disappointing offer and a disappointing lack of vision.
32:42But despite wide-ranging debates on everything from vaccines to transport, the new administration still feels confident the public are on side.
32:52People voted for Reform UK in overwhelmingly large numbers in May because they wanted an administration to do things differently from the past administration that was here for nearly 30 years.
33:03So we came in on a mandate to do things differently, to tear up the old rulebook, start again and see if we can offer better value for money for the taxpayer, to see if we can still protect the environment and do all the sensible things, but not be hysterical about it, you know, be sensible, be the grown-ups in the room.
33:20Politicians will begin looking ahead to Reform's first budget in the coming months.
33:25But with placards and protests on the steps of County Hall, it's clear the political climate here has changed since May.
33:34Olly Lieder in Maidstone.
33:36An app launched in Maidstone hopes to make people feel safer when they're walking home.
33:42The collaboration between Kent Police, Maidstone One Business Improvement District and Switch Youth Services are urging people to download Walk Safe.
33:50The personal safety app allows users to spotlight safe spaces, plan the safest route while travelling through the area and send automatic alerts to friends and family should the user not arrive home.
34:03Our reporter Megan Shaw has more.
34:05Ever felt unsafe walking home or even through a built-up area?
34:10A new app from the One Maidstone Business Improvement District might be able to fix that.
34:15Walk Safe, a joint collaboration between One Maidstone, Kent Police and Switch Youth Services, is trying to make Maidstone a safe environment for all.
34:25The Walk Safe app was predominantly made to tackle violence against women and girls, but the app is for everyone to download.
34:32Anyone using the town centre, whether that's walking to and from school, commuting or using it as part of our night time economy venue.
34:39The app is straightforward and easy to use. Open up the map and it will show you safe spaces from banks to independent businesses all along your journey home.
34:49A safe space scheme has already been in operation across Kent, but utilising the app Walk Safe, which covers many areas across the UK, now allows these places in Maidstone to be seen and easily accessed by the wider public.
35:03So we're always trying to look to improve the local area, local community and safety initiatives, and it all spiralled from introducing safe spaces in the Maidstone Town Centre.
35:13And my big question was, well, if we have safe spaces, how do people know about them?
35:18And that's when I found the Walk Safe app, and therefore we've introduced it to make it easier for people to access safe spaces, as well as have a safe journey home.
35:27One Maidstone represents the businesses of Maidstone.
35:30So we're a business improvement district, so everything that we deliver is fundamentally financed and on behalf of the businesses of Maidstone.
35:39So walking the Walk Safe app, for example, with Kent Police is an initiative and an example of one of our partnership pieces of work.
35:47We work consistently with Kent Police on a number of initiatives.
35:51Personal safety, particularly for women, remains a pertinent issue, with many young girls feeling unsafe walking home at night.
35:59I try to avoid going out at night if I can, and if I do, then I go out with a group of people, or there's definitely more than just me going out at night.
36:08Every time I walk by myself at night, I always look behind me to make sure, like, if it's dark, like, if it's dark, and I look behind me, I make sure no one is there.
36:18I think it's fine, it's safe here, walking alone home, but sometimes when you are with friends, it's better, like, you feel more safe.
36:29In July 2025 alone, Kent Police reported 3,691 incidents of antisocial behaviour and 6,500 counts of violence and sexual offences in the wider Maidstone area.
36:43We can only hope that the new Walksafe app in Maidstone can start to reduce some of these figures.
36:50This is Megan Shaw for KMTV in Maidstone.
36:54Our reporter Megan Shaw joins us on the sofa to tell us more.
36:57So, can you talk about the features of the app?
37:00So, I gave a bit of a whistle-stop tour in the report, but there are quite a few.
37:04So, not only does it kind of give you a more safe route home, it also kind of spotlights what the Kent are calling safer spaces.
37:13So, that can be for a number of reasons that a venue might have been flagged as a safe space.
37:18So, some venues have, like, an active bystander present.
37:22Some spaces have security on-site.
37:25Some spaces just, like, you're able to charge your phone, which is sometimes so helpful.
37:29Some spaces are kind of, like, flagged as, like, queer safe spaces.
37:32So, if you go onto that map, you can see all the different types of spaces.
37:37If they're kind of restaurants, if they're banks open during the day, if they're more of, like, the nighttime economy kind of stuff, you can see what's open.
37:44You can see what kind of services they can offer, like some bars are kind of offering the Ask for Angela scheme and things like that.
37:51You can also emergency, like, really quickly contact the police if you need to.
37:56And also, as I said before, you can have it set up so that if you don't arrive at your destination in the time that you said you would, automatically it sends alerts out to your friends and family, which can be so helpful if, you know, if you're travelling on your own at night and you want to give friends and family that peace of mind.
38:14Yes, and if you look at the map, you'll find that actually Maidstone isn't the only area where it operates.
38:20Where else does it go?
38:21Absolutely.
38:22The app is in operation up and down the country and Kent too.
38:26So, there are participating venues in Medway, in Seven Oaks, in Canterbury.
38:32Maidstone, like, has a huge kind of selection of different venues.
38:36It really has quite a network outside of Kent, London, Leeds, lots of different councils and kind of business districts, like, choose to participate.
38:45So, there are lots of kind of places across Kent where you can download the app and you can see kind of what kind of services are on offer.
38:53And I, myself, didn't actually know about the app, so I'll take a look and see if it operates in the area that I live.
39:00And lots of different businesses being involved is quite good because, I guess, if you didn't know necessarily that you can walk into a bank and they can help you, for example.
39:07So, it's actually quite nice to have that community support in a time when you feel quite vulnerable, I guess.
39:13Absolutely.
39:14And aside from the app, the kind of participating venues in Maidstone have a sticker on their window, which is even more helpful.
39:20It's more accessible to people that might not have access to a smartphone, maybe people who are elderly.
39:25Sometimes your phone might be out of battery and you can't kind of access that digital map.
39:30So, it is helpful, like, as an accompaniment, there is kind of a visual cue in Windows.
39:35And like you said, banks really surprised me.
39:37I kind of, when it said save space, I thought it would be cafes and pubs, but it was nice to see quite a nice selection of kind of participating venues.
39:45Yeah, and it helps women and girls, as you said in the report, but it can help other people too, of course.
39:50Absolutely.
39:52Like, I think the intention was kind of like as a movement against, you know, violence against women and girls.
39:58And it was to make the streets safer for women and girls.
40:01But, of course, safer streets for women and girls are safer streets for everyone.
40:04Like, everyone can use the app.
40:05Anyone can download the app.
40:07There are, like, there are particular, like, categories that might be really helpful, like LGBTQ plus safe spaces and those kind of things.
40:17So, of course, it can help a wide range of people.
40:21And can this app make enough of a difference considering the amount of crime in Kent and in Maidstone where this has launched recently?
40:30Absolutely.
40:30Well, it's a difficult one.
40:32Like, both the police and Michelle were really confident in the app.
40:37They really did encourage lots of people to kind of download it and use it.
40:41And it is a great initiative in Maidstone, but Maidstone in particular, been looking at some statistics from Kent Police.
40:48Just in July 2025, Maidstone has 3,691 reported cases of antisocial behaviour, 6,500 reported cases of violence and sexual offences.
41:00These are quite high figures, especially compared to places like Ashford, 199 cases of reported antisocial behaviour, Canterbury, 356 reported cases of antisocial behaviour, Dover, 230.
41:14So, Maidstone really, like, I mean, the app being particularly prolific in Maidstone is really important.
41:20That of all the areas to focus on, I think Maidstone is a great one to focus on.
41:23But clearly there is a bit of a problem there with crime and hopefully the app will be able to be able to remedy that.
41:31But I do think with problems like these kind of, while protecting people is important, it's also about kind of preventing people from committing those crimes in the first place, too.
41:39Yes.
41:40And I will make sure to check the app out.
41:43Very much needed, I'm sure.
41:46Now it's time for a quick break.
41:48Don't go away.
41:48We'll be speaking to Kent Film Club's very own Chris Deasy.
41:52See you then.
45:36Every year,
45:37Canterbury Cathedral sees thousands of students graduate.
45:39But there's something quite special about this particular ceremony.
45:43The students at the Kent and Medway Medical School will be the first group to graduate,
45:48since the joint partnership between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christchurch University
45:53began back in 2020.
45:55In September 2020, Kent and Medway Medical School officially opened, making it the only medical school in the UK to open during a global pandemic.
46:06For many students, this unique opportunity was something that drew them to study here in Kent.
46:12Yeah, well, for me, it was very much the selling point of coming to this medical school.
46:16They sold it as having the opportunity to be a part of shaping the school and what it would become.
46:22And that was very much why I wanted to come here.
46:24I wanted to be a part of the school and the process and what the training would be like to help mould it for the future years.
46:31And that is what it has felt like throughout my time here.
46:34Today, there are over 500 students across the five years studying to become future healthcare workers here in the county,
46:42aiming to address what the school are calling a chronic shortage of doctors within the region.
46:48Why are we here in Kent and Medway is well-grounded in the experience of lots of other countries and lots of other healthcare systems
46:55where we know that medical students and medical graduates tend to stay closer to their own medical school.
47:02And so by feeding that workforce pipeline in Kent and Medway, we really hope that we'll make a difference to the medical workforce here in the county.
47:09And for many students, they look forward to joining the workforce in an area they've already taken on placements.
47:16Yeah, I think it's really good to be on the other side of things and be the doctor now.
47:22So I'm part of East Kent Hospitals Trust, which includes Ashford, Margate and Kent to Canterbury.
47:28My placements are mostly going to be between Kent to Canterbury and William Harvey.
47:32So my first placement is only five minutes away from where I live, which is excellent.
47:37And then I'll be doing some commuting to William Harvey.
47:39But yeah, it's been really good.
47:41It's been quite good to see very familiar faces because I've done placements there before as well.
47:46So a lot of support. So yeah, it's been good.
47:49It's clear to see that the students have not only studied locally, but are also joining the local workforces as well.
47:57Despite only being five years old, the Kent and Medway Medical School is offering opportunities to those who may have not even considered a profession in healthcare initially.
48:07Etterley Reynolds for KMTV in Canterbury.
48:12Now, don't forget you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
48:19There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about a boating club in Swanscombe, which are battling for survival after an eviction notice was given to them by the site's landowner.
48:33Bob is a grandfather, boat enthusiast and DIY expert. But most of all, he enjoys solitude.
48:39He lives at the tip of the Swanscombe Peninsula at Broadness Cruising Club, but he might only have a month left of the life he's come to enjoy.
48:47Anyone that turned up at the gate to come down here, any of the members, they were given a bit of paper telling them that they've got no access now unless they want to pick something up, in which case they would have to be escorted down and escorted out by security.
49:06Whatever's left here will be considered abandoned and removed, and we'll get a £150,000 bill.
49:18It all started in mid-July, when the members of the club noticed a fence being put up around the dock, along with a notice of access to the site being revoked.
49:26All because the owners of the site, Land Logical, said the area was dangerous.
49:31Now, as you can see, there's a lot of boats moored here at the site, and many are in fact owned by quite elderly members of the club.
49:37And for them, it's becoming harder and harder for them to be able to actually fix their boats.
49:41The only way they can get access to the site is through a 20-minute walk, parts of which are particularly overgrown, making it practically impossible for them to come and fix their boats.
49:51Dave is one of those members, and because of the revoked access, has to make a longer walk up to the club to make his repairs, despite having two knee replacements.
50:00It's just got unbearable, really. We have to walk down here. I've got two knee replacements, so I can't walk very far anyway. I'm lucky to be here today, really. It's only because I'll get Bob to grab me now and again.
50:22According to Land Logical, Swanscombe Development LLP has a duty of care to ensure the safety of all individuals accessing its sites.
50:29Following a detailed H&S review, access to the Broadness Cruising Club's site on Swanscombe Peninsula was withdrawn on health and safety grounds.
50:36We recognise the long-standing presence of the Broadness Cruising Club, and in light of that history, we extended the original deadline for members to remove boats and personal belongings beyond August 31st as a gesture of goodwill.
50:49Despite this, many members feel as though they're in a catch-22, with the restricted access meaning it can be difficult to actually make any repairs or move the boats.
50:58I just don't understand it. I don't understand how people can come along and just wreck people's lives, and that's what they're doing. There's a lot of good people here, and there's a lot of older people, and it shattered them. It's absolutely shattering them. It really is. It's upsetting them.
51:15Many of the structures at the dock are handmade by the club, which has been there for 34 years, and the members say they want some kind of compromise or discussion before the door is closed on them forever.
51:27Finn McDermid for KMTV in Swanscombe.
51:30Now, ahead of Kent Film Club after the break this evening, the show's presenter Chris Deesey joins me to discuss his views on some of the newest trailers and releases September has to offer.
51:41Now, we're going to talk about book adaptations first. I feel like I'm a fan. I feel like, if I'm being completely honest, I should read more books to then understand the adaptation, because I hear a lot of people say,
51:54no, the book's better, or they didn't, you know, use the source material. I mean, Netflix, looking at Pride and Prejudice, for example, one of my favourite films when I was on the show.
52:02Yes, you did.
52:03Wuthering Heights, Stephen King's Long Walk. What do you think?
52:07Yeah, well, I saw The Long Walk about a week ago, and it's a curious one, because Stephen King wrote it, actually under a pseudonym, back in the 70s, before he was famous.
52:16And now, of course, they're looking at his back catalogue and saying, can we turn it into a film? And it's quite a gripping film.
52:22But it also, I think, stands the test of time, because you don't know when it's set. You're sort of watching it thinking, oh, they look like World War II German military vehicles.
52:31But somebody's got a digital watch. And you think, oh, it looks like very 1960s Vietnam. But yeah, it is an interesting study of fascism. And it sort of has a lot to say about the relationship between the individual and the state.
52:44And this idea that, you know, 50 people can be whittled down to one, there's one prize winner, but what happens to the other 49 on the route?
52:51So it's a very allegorical work, but based on a source novel, things like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, not necessarily horror films, but they're all Stephen King adaptations.
53:01So is it the case that, you know, these kind of films apply to any timeline? Is it history repeating itself kind of thing?
53:09Well, you mentioned Pride and Prejudice, and I'm thinking also of Sense and Sensibility. I mean, Emma Thompson won an Oscar for that.
53:16But what she did, which is clever, is update that story. And there have been so many attempts with Charles Dickens as well as Jane Austen to say, well, this is a story that we've known for decades, for centuries.
53:27But is there a new spin that you can put on those classic works? And sometimes it can be by giving them a more contemporary sensibility or actually saying, from the point of view of today, let's look back on that period with a different understanding of race or class or gender and inverting some of the roles.
53:45So you're both making them period dramas, but also infusing them with something that couldn't be anything other than a 2020s outlook.
53:52So there are very clever ways of re-spinning all these classic works.
53:57Yes. And one that looks like it may be re-spun next year when it comes out is Wuthering Heights.
54:02I know the trailer came out. A lot of people weren't so sure about it.
54:06But is this a case that actually maybe it's modernising the adaptation and it may actually be good? People shouldn't fret?
54:12Well, the lead actor, Jacob Elordi, has played Elvis. And so I think, you know, he could be a really good Heathcliff, actually, very brooding.
54:22And you see, again, I remember I read the novel, I think about 2007, so a long time ago.
54:29And I've been to Scarborough and I've seen, you know, the part of the world where the Brontes, you know, work their magic.
54:35So there is a sense in which this, I think, really does work.
54:38It's a sense of, you know, the sort of relationships.
54:41Maybe the language that was used in the era when a lot of these novels were written wouldn't be the same sort of language that we'd use today.
54:48But anything to do with manipulation or gaslighting, it's very easy to find new way or controlling relationships.
54:54It's very easy to find a new lens to which to look at those classic works.
54:59Yeah. And in a way, I guess you wouldn't want a complete step by step, shot by shot remake of a film that's already been made.
55:05Maybe it's nice to just keep moving forward with it, perhaps?
55:09Yeah, I think that's right, because I think the worst thing sometimes, and you've seen this with biblical epics as well,
55:14is this idea that you can do almost like line by line, point by point.
55:18I remember reading The Da Vinci Code and being gripped. It's a real page turner.
55:21When I saw the film, I thought it was almost too literal an adaptation.
55:24It was almost like chapter one, chapter two.
55:27And it was almost like everything that I read in the book was being put onto film.
55:30But it felt that it was a very formulaic by the numbers approach.
55:35And I think there are times when a book can work its own magic and it can't simply be adapted into film.
55:41So you've got clever ways of doing it.
55:43Sometimes I remember actually the film called Adaptation, which won an Oscar, when the film author, the screenwriter, thought, I can't do this.
55:51And he said, you know, I have to return this classic novel into something cinematic.
55:55And he ended up putting himself in the story. And it was about him with writer's block.
56:00So again, there are quite crafty ways of finding a work and trying to say, how does it speak to us?
56:06How does it resonate? Why, in other words, should we go and watch it?
56:10Yeah. And something else that's come out. So the new Conjuring film, The Last Right.
56:15What are your thoughts on that? Maybe, you know, is this too many?
56:19Well, because you have the first one in 2013. And then, yeah, see, the trouble is, and it's the same with Downton Abbey,
56:24which of course is called the grand finale. So you've got the, you know, again, is it though?
56:27Because I thought the last one was, but The Conjuring, it's the same thing all over again.
56:31But you see, also, I went to see it with a huge, you know, packed audience.
56:35And so there's something there that really does connect. So people will come back for those sequels.
56:39And that applies to Downton as well.
56:41Yes, I must say, I'm probably going to be one of those people. But that's it for today. See you next time.
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