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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:28I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Friday the 10th of October.
00:33Brick attack on Labour Medway office sparks police probe.
00:36Clearly any political office being attacked in this nature is unacceptable.
00:41I'm sure everybody would agree with that.
00:58Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
01:16I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Friday the 10th of October.
01:21Brick attack on Labour Medway office sparks police probe.
01:24Clearly any political office being attacked in this nature is unacceptable.
01:29I'm sure everybody would agree with that.
01:31Call for Carers, Kent County Council joins national campaign to encourage more foster parents.
01:36Please take that step because you could be the person that makes that difference to the next child that's coming into our care.
01:44And finally, loop-de-learn. Thousands of Kent school children have a roller coaster of a lesson in STEM.
01:50We are working with almost 60 providers that have come in.
01:54That's universities, charities, organisations and they're all hosting educational activities.
01:59Hello. Sorry about those technical difficulties.
02:11We thought we'd tease you with twice as much Vince Maple as per usual.
02:15But first tonight, there's shock amongst Labour and co-op supporters in Medway.
02:19This has all come from a police investigation where a brick was thrown through the window of the party's Rochester office.
02:25Local members believe the windows being smashed is linked to the council's starts on flats.
02:30However, Kent police say investigations are still ongoing.
02:34Local democracy reporter Olly Leder has the story.
02:38A usually busy Labour Party office now partially boarded up.
02:43The aftermath of an attack on Thursday night that led to Kent police being called to Maidstone Rose at 10am on Friday.
02:52And while no one knows exactly what happened to the windows here, party members claim the incident was politically motivated.
03:01I think it would be an extraordinary coincidence if this was not linked in some way to some of the rhetoric that we've seen recently.
03:09And frankly, that is disgusting.
03:12We live in a democracy and the idea that anyone should become the victim of violence or be intimidated because of their political beliefs is entirely abhorrent and should be to any law abiding Medway resident.
03:31The investigation is still ongoing.
03:34It's our understanding police are going door to door along Maidstone Road to try and get ring doorbell footage or any information that can insist the ongoing investigation.
03:45Clearly any political office being attacked in this nature is unacceptable.
03:50I'm sure everybody would agree with that.
03:52I know that colleagues at the Rochester Institute constituency Labour Party have reported the incident to the police.
03:57And obviously we'll wait to hear more while that's been investigated.
04:00The building is insured, but the damage is expected to cost hundreds of pounds.
04:07The anxiety this has created for Labour Party members here in Medway, though, is harder to measure.
04:14Oli Lieder in Rochester.
04:18And Oli joins us live from the scene now.
04:21I suppose, Oli, my first question is, how has the Labour Party responded?
04:26Well, Finn, you heard it there from Alex Patterson.
04:28There is alarm in the Medway Labour and Co-operative Group.
04:32Fears that this is a politically motivated attack.
04:36Links, potentially, to the Operation Race of Colours and flag raising we've seen across the five towns.
04:43Now, Medway Council have an enforcement position that will see some of these flags being taken down from road infrastructure,
04:50those Union Jacks, those St George's crosses.
04:53There are fears that this is part of political backlash against that.
04:58Now, we cannot confirm that.
05:00That is speculation from the Labour and Co-operative Group here in Medway.
05:05What we do know is that our fears towards party activists behind closed doors,
05:10the building behind me, it is a key part of Rochester and Strewd Labour's campaigning efforts.
05:17Leafleting tends to be based out of there.
05:19Campaigning tends to be based out of there.
05:22So, it is a key thing for Labour activists and it is a moment of concern, really, that this attack potentially could be targeted towards them.
05:31I see. Well, thank you so much for your time, Oli. We'll keep with this story as we get more details.
05:38Next, around two-thirds of Kent adults have to choose between food and toiletries.
05:45That's according to research from the national charity, The Hygiene Bank.
05:49It has been lit up yellow to raise awareness around the issue of hygiene poverty,
05:54where people are unable to afford basic hygiene and personal grooming products like toothpaste and toilet paper.
06:00Food banks, in particular, are on the front line of what's been described as a national crisis.
06:06We spoke to Roy Sill, a volunteer at Sevenoaks' community cupboard.
06:11We buy toothbrushes and that goes out in some of the bags.
06:15Toothpaste goes out in bags. Deodorant goes out in bags.
06:18Depending on what donations come in, at times people donate a box full of deodorant.
06:26So that gets separated out and sent out to people.
06:30We get soap goes out in most of the packages.
06:33Washing up liquid goes out in most of the packages and soap powder.
06:38There are articles that go out for young ladies and for the female population.
06:46And sometimes there's separate bits that go out for the men.
06:49Next, Kent County Council has joined forces of more than 90 local authorities all across the UK
06:55all to call for more foster carers.
06:58They've done so through a new short film called The Run,
07:01which they hope will inspire more people to give foster children a home and a future.
07:06According to the organisation Kent Fostering,
07:08there's currently a shortage of more than 800 foster carers in the South East.
07:13Earlier on, I spoke to Caroline Smith.
07:15She's the Assistant Director of Corporate Parenting,
07:17all about the film, the current climate of foster care,
07:20and what it all means for the climate.
07:23Tell us a bit about the current climate within foster caring.
07:27How urgent is the need for more foster parents?
07:29So the urgency is great at the moment, both nationally and locally in Kent.
07:38We have a national shortage of foster carers,
07:41and we're asking people to come forward and foster for their local authority.
07:47So in Kent specifically, we currently have 600 foster families
07:51that look after our children and young people that are in our care,
07:55but we urgently need more.
07:57So the campaign that was launched yesterday, The Run,
08:01is a project with 90 other local authorities,
08:05where we're asking people to come forward and really make a difference to a child's life.
08:11I see. And I suppose the fact that 90 other councils and groups have backed this
08:15shows there is that national need, as you mentioned.
08:18Why do you think there is this lack of foster parents?
08:21I think there's a change nationally and locally about people having accommodation
08:30and a spare bedroom to be able to offer the care to another child.
08:35We saw a big decline after the COVID period,
08:41where people had different generations returning into their family homes.
08:47So they may have grandparents or adult children returning to their homes,
08:51which means that they don't always have a bedroom available for fostering.
08:56So that's why we're asking now, particularly at this time of year,
09:00where maybe adult children have gone off to university,
09:03we're asking people to come forward, whether they're a couple or single applicants.
09:08We welcome applications from all across the community.
09:12I see. And I'm sure a lot of people out there might be thinking,
09:15do I have what it takes to be a foster parent?
09:18Can you talk us a little bit through the screening process
09:21and the kind of things that you look for within the eligibility of people wanting to be foster?
09:25Foster parents.
09:26Okay. Yeah. So we welcome applications from a diverse range of the community.
09:32You can be single. You can be part of a married couple.
09:35You might have children or not already have had your own children.
09:40What we're looking for in people to become foster carers is a real desire to make a difference to children's lives.
09:48So you'd be supporting children within their education to get them to school or for our younger children.
09:55It may be nursery provision and you'd be helping children to keep links with their local communities.
10:01So stay in touch with their birth families and also their friendship group.
10:06That's really important.
10:07You've been meeting the health needs of children.
10:10But most importantly, it's whether you have the ability to offer them a stable, loving family home.
10:17That's what we're looking for, a real family environment for our children in care.
10:21Do you think there are people out there who maybe have that desire to be a foster parent, but they doubt themselves and they doubt their own ability?
10:28What would you say to anyone who might be feeling that way?
10:31So please come along to one of our information events.
10:35They're online.
10:36We have one next week.
10:38If you go onto our website, kentfostering.co.uk, it will tell you all about the process, what to expect.
10:46We're just encouraging people, please take that step because you could be the person that makes that difference to the next child that's coming into our care.
10:55Don't be afraid.
10:57We have an initial inquiries number that you can contact.
11:01All the details, again, are on our website.
11:03You can find out, you can look, you can ask as many questions as you like.
11:09And this is really what we're asking people to do.
11:12Just take that first step.
11:14Find out a bit more about being a foster carer.
11:17But most importantly, find out what it means to foster for your local authority in Kent.
11:23Every area of Kent, if you could please come forward.
11:26We need carers for all ages of children.
11:30Amazing.
11:31Thank you so much for your time today, Caroline.
11:33Well, that's all we have time for on this part of the show.
11:36But coming up after the break, we'll be speaking with Bupinder Sandhu from Gravesend about his walk from London to Cardiff,
11:42all to raise awareness around mental health.
11:45Maisie Walker will be bringing us all the latest sport as well.
11:48We'll see you after this short break.
11:53Let's begin with the conversation.
11:54We'll see you next time.
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18:03very simple I teach people to live in the present in 21st century or in all the ages
18:10our mind is trained to live in either in the past or the future but where's life happening
18:17life is happening right here right now so and when we are living in the present there's no
18:23stress there's no anxiety because the thought of the future disappears all the memories of the
18:29past are not there in the present when we start living without judgment living without judgment
18:36is the big part of mental of mindfulness so this is what I teach day in day out to people
18:44so they can have a better life stress-free lives so the main objective of my teaching is to help
18:52people reduce stress in their life and increase focus time I see and let's go back to the walk
19:00for a moment you've walked to Brighton you've walked to Scotland as you mentioned and now you're doing
19:05this walk to Cardiff which you have done before tell us how do you prepare for something like that
19:10and how long does it actually take you to walk there prepare is just simply walking and bit of
19:16strength training as well because I need to work on the strength as well so last time I did it in
19:22eight days and this time I'm planning to do finish it in seven days so that's it really because there's
19:31no training for these things because environment can be different weather can be different temperature
19:36is very so and if you get an injury in between then it's a different scenario so it's just I think more
19:44like a mental preparation rather than a physical physical is important but I think mental preparation
19:51for these sort of event is more important as well I see and you mentioned living in the present and
19:58that's something you try and teach while you're on these walks what do you think about and do you
20:03think about mental health do you think about living in the present what sort of give us a view into your
20:07mind while you're doing this you know walking is my sanctuary and there's nothing going on I walk with
20:14without any headphones I don't call anybody there's no social media on the way it's just me and
20:21myself and just this way of me going in deep with myself they are thoughts and then it gives me the
20:29space to sit with those thoughts and analyze and when you sit with your thoughts and then you
20:35understand the value of the thought you keep what is valuable and you try to get rid of what's not
20:42helpful so it clears your mind up as well I see thank you so much for your time Bupinder
20:49now here's Maisie Walker with the county sports headlines
20:51first in football jinder manager gareth ainsworth will help shape the team for saturday's clash with
21:07cheltenham despite recovering from heart surgery after being discharged from hospital he is now
21:12recovering at home while he won't be at priestfield on saturday he's eager to stay involved for the build
21:18up to the game assistant manager richard dobson has been leading the team in ainsworth's absence
21:25and provided an update during thursday's pre-match press conference he said it's good news i spoke
21:31with him wednesday morning and he sounded really upbeat he is back and involved now head coach matt
21:38corker is confident canterbury rugby club can work through their injury issues they are missing more
21:44than a dozen players combined across the club's first and second team squads the club's first squad
21:50suffered a 31 7 loss at dorking last weekend and the second with four straight losses since promotion
21:58while the odds will be stacked against them manager jamie coil said we have got real belief in the in the
22:04group we have as well as belief in our technical and tactical understanding as a management team
22:10all-rounder grant stewart has signed a new kent deal stewart who was out of contract at the end of
22:17this summer has penned fresh terms for a further two years the right armor joined in 2017 and has made 179
22:26appearances for the county in which he has scored over 3 000 runs and taking 216 wickets stewart has
22:34said he is extremely delighted to extend his time as a kent cricketer and finally mate stone united
22:41midfielder teo curtian is determined to bring some more join joy to mate stone fans after his wing at
22:49win at dagnum teo carries the ball to victory in a strike 25 yards off the post the stones picking up a
22:57two to one victory it was the perfect way to mark his first national league south start and his first
23:04experience of seeing mate stone supporters celebrating a win he said i want to impress them i want to bring
23:10joy to them i want us to win for them most importantly and now that's all for your sport
23:16now let's have a look at the weather
23:32well tonight it's getting colder with lows of 12 down in tunbridge wells highs of 14 in margate in
23:36the southeast with some slow wind speeds then tomorrow morning the weekend we'll start with not
23:41much change gray and overcast with similar temperatures all around then into tomorrow evening
23:47highs of 16 degrees in maystone still a little chilly canterbury with 15 and here's your outlook for
23:54the coming day some sun peeking through the clouds on sunday back to overcast on monday then re-emerging
23:59for tuesday 17 degrees throughout
24:09and finally school can be a bit of a roller coaster but for thousands of students from across kent this
24:14week the classroom turned into an actual roller coaster thorpe park opened its gate to students from
24:19across the county and the region all to boost young people's participation sorry in stem
24:26subjects megan shaw has the story science maths engineering and roller coasters seems to have
24:35been the initiative behind an educational event hosted at thorpe park yesterday thanks to acs
24:41international schools the event was to boost children's interest and participation in steam
24:47an acronym representing the disciplines science technology engineering arts and mathematics with
24:5410 000 children across the south and south east invited so we have done something a little crazy i
25:01will admit and we have taken over the whole of thorpe park for esteem day so we are working with
25:06almost 60 providers that have come in so that's universities charities organizations and they're all
25:12hosting educational activities so we've invited 10 000 students and their teachers to come along
25:18completely free of charge to this event students have to do the education activities to earn stamps and then
25:23stamps gives you access to the ride but it's not just another school day children have the opportunity
25:29to go and rise like this one behind me but i'm glad it's them and not me
25:36for many children across kent where there is no major theme park this will have been the first opportunity
25:42to experience such an attraction i took my engineer in year 11 to talk park in order to for them to
25:48have different careers within the steps and it's been a really great day for uh the year 11 to find
25:55out different for especially so close to which again yeah it's opened up lots of different opportunities
26:00i didn't know existed until today yeah we've got information books we've got emails out by universities so
26:06we get open days so yeah it's been it's been good time uplifting kent's young talent is a response to
26:13recent polling that found that almost half of engineering and technology businesses in the uk are
26:19struggling with recruitment for kent and its quarter of a million school-aged children could this event be
26:25enough to open up steam doors for the leaders of tomorrow hopefully more widening access opportunities are on
26:32the horizon endeavoring to allow children to reach new heights megan shaw for kmtv in surrey you've been
26:42watching kent tonight live on kmtv that's all we have for now good night
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