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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV. I'm Kristin Hawthorne and here are your top
00:26stories on Monday the 22nd of December. Yellow fines. Sittingbourne blue badge holders receive
00:32double yellow line parking fines that they say are unjust. I've lived in Chittanybourne 47 years
00:38and I've parked here for years, always done the same thing, always put my blue badge up. The season
00:43of hope. A Gillingham family is using the festive season to give back, raising money from Muscular
00:49Dystrophy UK. This charity has supported us a lot through this whole diagnosis. And we
00:57meet the Thera Pups, bringing joy to hospital wards across Kent and Medway. So you can definitely
01:03tell the difference it makes for the patients, especially those that have got animals at home.
01:13Our top story tonight. Dozens of Sittingbourne Pharmacy customers
01:17have been fined for parking at the entrance to an industrial estate while collecting their
01:22medication. Many of these customers are blue badge holders who are legally allowed to park
01:27on double yellow or single yellow lines for up to three hours provided. It's a public road.
01:32Camson's Pharmacy customers have parked there for decades without punishment,
01:36until between July and November, where residents suddenly started receiving penalty notices,
01:41as Megan Shaw has been finding out. A quick trip to the pharmacy and a £100 fine.
01:47Despite no signage indicating a change of policy. Sittingbourne's
01:51Camson's Pharmacy customers for decades have been stopping on double yellow lines at the entrance to
01:56an industrial estate to quickly collect medication. That's until July to October this year,
02:03when customers were hit with fines from One Parking Solution on behalf of the apartment complex next door,
02:09Springfield Place. We've been parking over in the same positions that car is now for 40 years.
02:16Going to the chemists, having been to the doctors and have never had a problem parking. In July,
02:22I parked. I was literally there for maybe one minute, 30 seconds. And during that time,
02:29they filmed me from the camera up there. I inadvertently didn't realise that there was
02:35a sign, a new sign. And in that one minute, 30, I got a £100 fine. Blue badge holders are able to park
02:42on double yellow lines for up to three hours. Yet there is no signage to indicate blue badge
02:47restrictions apply here. Now, I am stood just where people with these blue badges would have
02:52parked just for five or ten minutes to pop into the pharmacy, which I can see just over there.
02:57Without this parking option here, just how far would people with mobility issues and blue badges need
03:04to walk to be able to access the pharmacy? Well, come with me and we'll see.
03:09It might not be a substantial walk for someone able-bodied like me,
03:12but it's a significantly longer trip to park in one of the adjacent streets,
03:16providing their space in the first place. And for blue badge holders who might have mobility issues
03:22or have COPD like Mike, you can see how this could prevent them from accessing the medical care they
03:27need. I was pretty angry because I didn't see any signage at all when I come in. I've been parking,
03:34I've lived in Chittanybourne 47 years and I've parked here for years, always done the same thing,
03:39always put my blue badge up, so I didn't think I'd done anything wrong. I did appeal it,
03:46and then I got a letter back saying that the appeal was rejected. Residents described temporary signage,
03:52but when I got there I saw just the one, halfway into the estate, a while away from where residents
03:59were being fined. Campsons pharmacy explained their patients were unhappy with the situation,
04:04having received many fines, yet due to the charges being enforced by a private company,
04:09had little say in the matter. We approached one parking solution for comment,
04:14but they did not get back to us. But with no final clarity from one parking solution,
04:19residents like Mike and Ken are simply left to read between the lines. Megan Shaw for Kame TV in
04:26Sittingbourne. 61-year-old Juliet Carroll said she was treated appallingly at the William Harvey
04:33Hospital in Ashford after being taken to A&E. Miss Carroll was taken to hospital after experiencing
04:39abdominal pain at home in Ashford early on the 12th of December, but was in so much agony that she lay
04:45on the floor of the hospital. Over the next few hours, she says that staff repeatedly walked past
04:50her without checking on her condition or offering basic pain relief and left her sick bowl full to the
04:56rim. The trust's chief nursing officer said that they recognise that waiting in severe discomfort is
05:02distressing and that emergency departments prioritise patients based on clinical need after an initial
05:09assessment. Juliet spoke more about her experience earlier today. I couldn't stand being in a wheelchair,
05:16there was nowhere I could lay down, I couldn't stand up so I got something on my legs so I couldn't stand up
05:21and eventually when in A&E there's an emergency bed in the corner so I managed to get myself up there for
05:29about five minutes and then two two guys come over to me and made me get off the bed. I feel really angry
05:36because one I've paid towards my national insurance all my life you know and there was no help, there was
05:46nothing, there was not a care, not anything. Members of staff in the corners talking amongst themselves,
05:53for a patient to offer me help, not a member of staff when there was quite a lot about this, it's broken.
06:02A woman has been charged after vehicles were damaged in an arson attack which left residents
06:06fearing an explosion had gone off. Officers were called to the fire at Carton House in Chatham just
06:14after midnight on Saturday the 13th of December. According to officers a pile of rubbish was set
06:19alight which caused the damage. 40-year-old Michelle Sutcliffe was charged with arson and is due to attend
06:26a hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on the 16th of January. And next the Gillingham family is using the
06:33festive season to give back, raising money for Muscular Dystrophy UK through Christmas themed events and
06:39activities. Muscular Dystrophy is a condition marked by progressive weakening and wasting of the muscles
06:45including the heart and lungs. The charity provides support and information for people with the disease
06:51and other muscle wasting conditions. Maisie Walker has more. When the Christmas lights turn on the
06:57festivities really get going. Streets are decked out with decorations and even Santa's elves are up past
07:04their bedtime. A family in Gillingham was using the festive period to give back, raising money through
07:10various Christmas activities. Pulling it off takes the whole family with months of planning behind the
07:15scenes. They store a lot of this in garages believe it or not and it takes them over a month
07:22I believe to do this display. But it's a good reason why they do it because of her son.
07:30Are you right? I'm not just helping her little child. I'm helping millions of children out there
07:35with the same problem. A member of the family who helps with the event every year has a son who
07:40is diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy which is a condition marked by progressive weakening and
07:46wasting of the muscles including the heart and the lungs. My son got diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy
07:53last year so yeah it's a bit of a shock to the family so that's why we raise money for them.
08:01This charity has supported us a lot through his whole diagnosis and so yeah it's important
08:09charity to us. Muscular Dystrophy UK provides support and information for people with the disease
08:16and other muscle wasting conditions. There's actually more than 60 types of muscular dystrophy
08:22not just a singular condition. Duchenne being one of the most common mainly affected for young boys.
08:30It's very hard to diagnose and there's limited support for families suffering with condition
08:39which is kind of where we step in. We currently we've currently put two million pounds in 30 new
08:46studies this year. We're funding around 51 research projects so you know we're really trying to push
08:55you know early diagnosis support for the families. You know the NHS is very over encumbered so it's very
09:03it's very difficult to get those early diagnoses. And so it seems the greatest gift this year
09:09is hope. Maisie Walker for KMTV, Gillingham.
09:20And Maisie joins us now for more to tell us a little bit more about it. So can you tell me more
09:26about what is muscular dystrophy? Yeah so the muscular dystrophies are a group of rare conditions
09:32that gradually cause muscles to weaken and waste. Some signs to look out for include muscle weakness,
09:38stiffness or pain and changes in mobility such as difficulty walking, lifting things and increased
09:45occurrence of falls. And what support is available for people living with the condition? So generally
09:50speaking it's medication, physiotherapy and adapted equipment which can support symptom management and
09:58help improve the quality of life. Muscular Dystropathy UK who we heard from a little bit there
10:05fund groundbreaking research to help understand the different conditions better and lead us to new
10:10treatments. And they are actually even the leading charity for over 60 muscle wasting and weakening
10:15conditions. And I spoke to Chris Strong who works for the charity who can tell us a little bit more about the
10:20services that they offer. We are currently doing a Christmas appeal for our Seven Oscar Family Fund.
10:29The appeal invites people to give the gift of hope by donating to help support individuals and
10:35families affected by muscle wasting conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Funds raised help the
10:43charity continue its practical and emotional support services including helpline support groups,
10:50information resources and fund vital research into treatments and cures.
10:56And then going back to the fundraiser you had visited, what was the atmosphere like? We've got this lovely
11:00picture here and I mean it looks amazing. It was fantastic, you know the atmosphere was brilliant, you know
11:06they had all kinds of different uh decorations as you can probably see here inspired by a multitude of different
11:12movies and uh tv shows. Are they on the screen as well? Yeah there you go and you know there was even a glow up Minion
11:18and some gingerbread people as you can see there, Minnie Mouse um as well as two you know uh Mickey,
11:25Minnie and Mickey were there and you know what really makes this uh you know event special is that they even
11:30offer SEN uh evenings. They said on their social media platforms that the SEN days would be more calm and
11:36relaxed, the lights would be dimmed lower, creating a comfortable environment for anyone that would like to attend.
11:40All right brilliant, thank you so much Maisie. We will be back in a few minutes with more news. See you then.
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14:40hello and welcome back to kent tonight
15:10live here on KMTV. Now a trio of Tunbridge Wells siblings have starred in a music video by the
15:17Florin Street Band. The music video for the song Wonderful Things has reached over a million views
15:23on YouTube in the two weeks since it was uploaded. The trio Lola, Arlo and Noah McLeff who are six,
15:30eight and ten years old were found by the band's creator Lee Hagerwood on Instagram after coming
15:36across a video of them singing the band's first Christmas hit. My favourite time of the year.
15:41Mr Hagerwood said that he believes the siblings have a very bright future ahead.
15:45Now for a look at all the latest sports news from across the county with Finn McDermott.
15:51Let's have a look at your sports headlines and first of all Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth has said
16:06he'll be looking for a goal scoring striker in the upcoming transfer window. He added that the squad
16:11weren't threatening enough in the second half of their away clash at Fleetwood and even though Bradley Dack
16:17is back to good fitness they can't keep relying on the midfielder. He scored his sixth league goal of
16:22the season at the weekend as many as the club's four main strikers combined. Ainsworth said the team
16:27has missed golden opportunities that top strikers in this league will put them in. Let's hear more of what
16:33the manager had to say after the loss. We had enough chances in the first half to go one or two or three
16:39up but if you miss your chances you're always you know you're always prone to to getting punished and
16:46and Fleetwood's punished the second half you know they they were quite relentless in what they were
16:50doing Bradley's at the post second half but really we weren't threatening second half again
16:56yeah it's it's been a tough couple of halves you know the last two games the last two halves
17:00um but we gotta we gotta you know realize we're in a pretty tough place get out of it and uh and we
17:08got two home games and must win home games and i wanna i wanna try and be competitive in both to win
17:13both games you know six points would make a huge difference to where we are. Now to rugby and
17:18Canterbury have confidently continued their fifth straight win streak this time at Seven Oaks.
17:24The side had been dominating this Kent Derby in all areas with them maxing out the points and scoring
17:29five tries to beat out the home side. Bed Adams kicked Seven Oaks into an early lead with a penalty
17:34goal but they soon surrendered to a penalty try for illegally pulling down Canterbury's driving
17:39maul that cost them seven points and a yellow card punished further by a second Canterbury try.
17:45Canterbury sit fifth in the standings 10 points behind leaders Old Albanian. Turning towards cricket now
17:50the Sheldwich Cricket Club held their end of season celebration with awards handed out across the club.
17:55Player of the Year and Bowler of the Year went to Division 10 Shepard's top wicket taker Sam Evans
18:00who claimed more than 30 scalps across the summer. James Creed claimed Batsman of the Year having
18:05racked up two centuries and two half centuries on his way to 480 league runs at an average of 80.
18:11The Saturday side came third bottom in Kent League Division 10 Shepard but find themselves relocated to
18:16Division 11 for the 2026 season. And lastly from me from land to sea Maidstone's F1 powerboat racer
18:24finished just outside the top 10 at the F1H20 championships which concluded this weekend.
18:30Ben Jelf raced in Sharjah at the weekend bringing an end to his third season at the level. He told
18:35Kent Online the city holds a special place for him being the place he first competed in the F1H20
18:40championships. He finished seventh in the Grand Prix at Jeddah last time out.
18:44That's all from me. You can keep up with all your sports stories on Invicta Sports.
18:59Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all our latest stories across Kent by logging on to
19:03our website kmtv.co.uk. There you'll find all our reports including this one which takes a look at
19:09how our community project in Medway is creating a space for women to help them learn new practices
19:14skills build confidence and connect with others.
19:22Here in Medway this group of women meet up every week to combat social isolation. Women in Sheds offers
19:29a safe place for individual hobbies and community projects. It's a way of creating a sense of purpose
19:35and achievement as well as boosting social interaction. Women love to have conversations they
19:42they they need the friendship and that that comes from being in a women's women's only group and it
19:51differs because a lot of our it it's not so much about being only in the sheds and making tools and
20:00using the tools and making different objects and products it's more about the the health and the
20:07well-being and the positive retraining and to offer a space where women feel safe that they can build
20:17relationships with others. In this session one member taught the other women how to make paper stars
20:27as learning new skills is one of their core values. Other activities can range from gardening and woodwork
20:35to electronics and crafts. Just coming here and being part of something in a very caring way we have a
20:44whatsapp group here and when any of us are struggling you know if we're not here face to face we can
20:50whatsapp each other and people will give advice and help and just to know somebody out there that you
20:56know it's listening. Work's been um quite a thought of late so actually this has been a real godsend for me
21:04and um being able to just come and be yourself without expectation um being able to be creative
21:12i find really useful in terms of just that kind of mindfulness um that just uh encourages you to relax
21:19because sometimes it can be difficult depending on what life has thrown at you. After seeing the
21:24success and importance of men sheds on people's lives women across the county wanted their own
21:29space where they could talk create friends and gain transferable skills. But Women in Shed currently
21:36only runs in Medway and with so much eagerness across women to have more of these safe environments
21:41there are plans to enhance these spaces even further. Nayla Mahamid for KMTV.
21:49Now it's time to take a quick look at the weather in the lead up to Christmas.
21:54Cloudy start to this evening with temperatures dipping to around eight in Ashford and Tunbridge
22:02Wells and highs reaching nine degrees into tomorrow morning then turns a little cooler with lows of
22:08six degrees and highs of seven in Margate and Canterbury. The afternoon brings more of the same
22:13with plenty of cloud and temperatures peaking at around seven degrees in Maidstone and Medway. And then
22:19on Wednesday we've got five degrees cloudy skies Thursday clear skies four degrees and Friday clear
22:25skies again six degrees so maybe not a white Christmas.
22:32And speaking of a white Christmas with just now three days with Christmas now just three days away and no
22:38sign of Jack Frost just yet Kent remains snow free. Kent last saw a light snowfall in early March 2023 and
22:46heavier snow back in April 2008 if you remember. We went to Rochester High Street to ask people if they
22:52want a white Christmas this year. The last time I had a white Christmas I think it was 2000.
22:58Can't remember that ever happening. Many years. I would say in the 70s. It was either 2016 or 2011.
23:08Maybe 15 years ago. Two years ago. Oh two years ago. Oh there you go. I'd be quite happy to have some
23:13today yes. Not really because I've already quite a lot of driving on Christmas day so it would probably
23:17ruin my journey but it would be quite pretty. Oh it'd be great. I'd love it. That'd be nice I suppose you know.
23:24Better on cards though I think. On Christmas cards. Christmas day yes. Any time before that no we're
23:29too busy. I'd go I'd go out and play in the snow. It is fun isn't it. There's nothing quite as magical
23:35as snow. Oh yeah be out there throwing snowballs at my son. I do like the snow yeah. Do you know what
23:40will constitute a white Christmas? Not really. Snow. No it's going to be about three snowflakes out
23:47the sky isn't it. Three inches. One snowflake. Oh right yeah. Oh right. Oh yeah. Our reporter Naila
23:56Mohammed joins us in the studio now to talk us through whether Kent will have a white Christmas
24:01after all. So first of all what is a white Christmas? So generally speaking white Christmas
24:07is snow falling or already being on the ground on the ground sorry on Christmas day. You can imagine the
24:12scenes it's very picturesque very much like your traditional Christmas card or something you'd see in a
24:15a hallmark movie essentially but the official definition is very specific. It's just one single
24:21snowflake falling anywhere across the UK. It's not quite as much as this. No not quite so much as
24:28one tiny little speck is all you need for it to be a white Christmas and it has to be within the 24
24:33hours of Christmas day and it needs to be spotted by a weather forecast organisation as well which is
24:38surprisingly rare. I mean we've not had a white Christmas for a good well not in Kent anyway for a good
24:42couple of years now. The last one was in 2023 and even then it wasn't even that heavy of a snowfall.
24:49And will Kent see a white Christmas this year? We had a look at the weather forecast
24:54but what did you find out? Well forecasters say there's just a small chance that we will have a
24:59white Christmas. I mean especially down here in the south east the temperatures and climate is getting
25:04much colder. It's getting much drier so there is a chance we are going to see some snowfall but do not
25:09get hopes up just because it's going to be snowfall does not mean it's going to settle either. So you
25:14know much like in the boxes we heard earlier with people wanting to go out and play in the sun in the
25:18sun sorry the snow that's not going to be the case here at all no. Oh well if people see one white speck
25:24maybe they can send a picture and then we can we can say that we definitely did have a white Christmas.
25:29Would you like to see a white Christmas? Of course I would. I mean it's quite nostalgic. I mean you think
25:33for white Christmas you think back to when you're younger and you're getting days off of school and
25:36building a snowman and it's quite a nice festive thing as well but how about yourself would you
25:40like a white Christmas this year? I think maybe I mean this looks a bit traumatic this if anyone was
25:46stuck in that trying to get home that would be um that would be not not too fun um but I don't know
25:53I feel like if there's snow outside your window when it's Christmas day and you're watching you know
25:57Home Alone maybe or another film it can be quite fun to look outside and see the same thing on your screen
26:03as is out your window so it could be fun I think I would like a like a white Christmas but maybe not
26:08so much coming home so maybe it'd be a way of staying indoors yeah maybe so and thank you so
26:13much Neila thank you all right time for a quick break coming up now but we will take a look at our
26:19top story again where blue badge holders parking outside Camsons pharmacy in Sittingbourne have started
26:25receiving parking fines despite parking legally and a new art shop opened in New Romney encouraging
26:32encourages people to buy locally this Christmas all that more after the break so we will see you then bye
27:02we'll see you then bye
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30:08Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV. I'm Kristen Hawthorne and here are your top stories on Monday the 22nd of December.
30:16Yellow fines. Sitting born blue badge holders receive double yellow parking fines that they say are unjust.
30:24The season of hope a Gillingham family is using the festive season to give back raising money for muscular dystrophy UK.
30:32And we meet the TheraPups bringing joy to hospital wards across Kent and Medway.
30:38But first a look back at our top story tonight. Dozens of sitting born pharmacy customers have been fined for parking at the entrance to an industrial state while collecting their medication.
30:49Many of these customers are blue badge holders who are legally allowed to park on double or single yellow lines for up to three hours provided that it's a public road.
30:58Camsons pharmacy customers have parked there for decades without punishment until between July and November where residents suddenly started receiving penalty notices as Megan Shaw has been finding out.
31:09A quick trip to the pharmacy and a £100 fine despite no signage indicating a change of policy.
31:16Sitting born's Camsons pharmacy customers for decades have been stopping on double yellow lines at the entrance to an industrial estate to quickly collect medication.
31:26That's until July to October this year when customers were hit with fines from One Parking Solution on behalf of the apartment complex next door Springfield Place.
31:37We've been parking over in the same positions that car is now for 40 years going to the chemist having been to the doctors and have never had a problem parking.
31:47In July I parked I was literally there for maybe 1 minute 30 seconds and during that time they filmed me from the camera up there.
31:58I inadvertently didn't realise that there was a sign, a new sign and in that 1 minute 30 I got a £100 fine.
32:06Blue badge holders are able to park on double yellow lines for up to three hours yet there is no signage to indicate blue badge restrictions apply here.
32:15Now I am stood just where people with these blue badges would have parked just for 5 or 10 minutes to pop into the pharmacy which I can see just over there.
32:24Without this parking option here just how far would people with mobility issues and blue badges need to walk to be able to access the pharmacy?
32:32Well come with me and we'll see.
32:35It might not be a substantial walk for someone able bodied like me but it's a significantly longer trip to park in one of the adjacent streets providing their space in the first place.
32:45And for blue badge holders who might have mobility issues or have COPD like Mike you can see how this could prevent them from accessing the medical care they need.
32:54I was pretty angry because I didn't see any signage at all when I came in.
32:59I've been parking, I've lived in Chittanybourne 47 years and I've parked here for years, always done the same thing.
33:05Always put my blue badge up so I didn't think I'd done anything wrong.
33:10I did appeal it and then I got a letter back saying that the appeal was rejected.
33:16Residents described temporary signage but when I got there I saw just the one.
33:21Halfway into the estate, a while away from where residents were being fined.
33:26Campsons Pharmacy explained their patients were unhappy with the situation having received many fines.
33:32Yet due to the charges being enforced by a private company had little say in the matter.
33:37We approached One Parking Solution for comment but they did not get back to us.
33:42But with no final clarity from One Parking Solution, residents like Mike and Ken are simply left to read between the lines.
33:50Megan Shaw for CAME TV in Sittingbourne.
33:53And of course Megan Shaw joins me now to tell us more.
33:57So do you have an update about this?
33:58Yes, so the situation has been referred to a compliance team for investigation with the International Parking Community,
34:06which is the trade association for the private sector.
34:09Also that day I did speak to Ronald Diamond.
34:13He received his first ever parking fine which cost him £60.
34:16After picking up his prescription in October, he appealed the notice online and in writing.
34:21And he received a debt recovery notice two months later in December, still with no correspondence.
34:27So here's him here speaking about that.
34:29Neither company have had the courtesy to answer my correspondence.
34:34But the strange thing is about this, after receiving the first fine or the first notice,
34:41I went back to that site to Camptons again.
34:45I took the opportunity to go to the site.
34:47And lo and behold, all the notices and anything else to do with this particular area had vanished.
34:55They've gone completely.
34:57Now, I didn't understand.
35:00I couldn't find a sign that said what was on the parking notice as Springfield Place.
35:08So I spoke to the council and they assured me there was no such thoroughfare or road, etc.,
35:14named Springfield Place.
35:16So I'm really quite mystified as, first of all, to getting the fine and what's going on here.
35:23So, Megan, we've obviously seen there that customers that have been affected
35:26have the actual pharmacy themselves been affected as well?
35:29Absolutely.
35:30So the statement in that report kind of revolves around the customers, as you said.
35:33But the pharmacy themselves, with their deliveries and things like that,
35:36they faced £800 in fines.
35:38They didn't know this legislation had changed
35:40and that the cameras were installed until these kind of fines came through.
35:43They've also said that patients are still attending the pharmacy.
35:46So it's not effective business.
35:47But if it continues, they've said it will put people off coming to the pharmacy,
35:51which is, of course, a worry there.
35:53All right. Thank you so much, Megan.
35:55Now, a charity helping women on probation to reintegrate back into society
36:01has opened a new centre in Kent.
36:04Advance was originally set up as a domestic abuse charity more than 25 years ago in London
36:09and now supports women caught up in the criminal justice system across South England.
36:14This is the second women's centre in Kent with another one in Canterbury,
36:18as Nadia Hudges told us earlier.
36:21We managed to launch our second site in Kent in Maidstone.
36:26We launched on the 15th of October this year.
36:28And what we do is we provide emotional support to women who are on probation or coming out of prison.
36:35But we also provide practical support for those women as well to really kind of enhance their reintegration back into society
36:44and really ensure that they do work with probation in terms of compliance and completing their orders and their conditions.
36:52Often what we find is women have criminogenic needs.
36:54There are different reasons why women in particular are coming into contact with criminal justice.
36:58And often this is linked to mental health or coercive and controlling relationships and being in cycles that are really harmful to them.
37:07So providing spaces like the Women's Centre allows women to come into spaces that are non-judgmental, where women can really open up.
37:15We are an organisation that's for women by women, so we only employ women.
37:20Excellent story there.
37:21But what's your priority when you're doing your Christmas shopping?
37:25Is it price, delivery time or practicality?
37:28Well, one newly opened shop argues it should be quality, with all their stock being handmade locally.
37:35Made on the Marsh is an art store started by three artists with the aim to bring artistry back to their community.
37:42And with us doing our Christmas shopping, well, if some people are going to be doing it today or even on Christmas Eve, this might be the place to go.
37:49Carrie Bratton and Zoe Beardsley joined us earlier to talk a bit more about the store.
37:55We have 22 artists in total, including ourselves, and all of us are artists.
38:02And it's a chance for us to give back to the community and to sell our work.
38:08So it works for the artists, it works for the Romney Marsh community as well.
38:13Everything that we have in the shop is handmade.
38:16It's handmade, it's local, it's made by somebody who lives on Romney Marsh.
38:21It's very much a local focus, helping a local charity.
38:26And you only opened there on the 1st of December.
38:28How's the first month been and what has the feedback been from the community?
38:33Absolutely, absolutely amazing.
38:36Everybody's really, really positive about it, aren't they?
38:39Yeah, it's so nice when people come in that even if they don't buy something, they come in and they say something lovely.
38:46They'll leave and they'll say, oh, it's such a nice shop.
38:48It's such a nice atmosphere.
38:49Aren't there so many talented people?
38:51And that's one of the best things is we're throwing the focus on the fact that there's so much talent out there.
38:58We've got this shop three times over with artists.
39:00There's so many talented artists out there.
39:03Everything you sell at Made on the Marsh is handmade locally, as you said.
39:08What's the importance of shopping small at Christmas from local businesses as opposed to maybe online at chain businesses instead?
39:17So, if you don't use your local shops, they close.
39:23They can't afford to stay open if they're not being used.
39:25And I had a criticism given to this week online as ever.
39:30Well, if you can't afford to run a business, you shouldn't.
39:33Well, no.
39:34OK, but we can only afford to run a business if we have customers who are prepared to use that business.
39:39And especially when we are very small businesses, which each of our artists is essentially an individual small business within our shop.
39:49It's the only way for those businesses to keep going and to have things that are made in the UK.
39:56And we say we want to shop British, we want to buy British.
40:01And this is, that's the opportunity to do it.
40:04You can come.
40:05Everything that we hear is a local product.
40:08Do you think shops like yours helps to support local creatives like the ones you're supporting now?
40:13And can you tell us about the importance of that, especially maybe at this time of year?
40:17Yeah, it's basically a living for us creative people.
40:24Yeah, we, you can only create if you can afford to create.
40:29There's a limit to how much you can create in your own home, a legend in your own bedroom.
40:35It's one of those things, or a legend in your own basement even, but it's one of those things that you can only create at the sort of level that our creators are.
40:45You can sell those.
40:47You can't infinitely leave things away because it is relatively expensive if you're doing that.
40:54But you obviously you want to sell things at a reasonable price as well.
40:58So no one is here is going to become a millionaire through here.
41:03So many of the artists will say to us, I do this for my mental health.
41:07I need for my mental health or I create because it puts me in a different space.
41:13So it helps on so many different levels.
41:18And unfortunately for right now, that's all the time we have.
41:21But stay with us for more after the break, as I'll be talking about a new Scandinavian inspired sauna, which has started construction in Folkestone.
41:29And after a recent donation, Kenton Medway Pets as Therapy team has invested more into their therapy dogs attire.
41:37And we'll be taking a look back at all the sports highlights from across the year as well.
41:41So we'll be back with you shortly. Don't go anywhere. Bye bye.
42:11Bye bye.
42:41Bye bye.
43:11Bye bye.
43:41Bye bye.
44:11Bye bye.
44:41Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
45:09Now, a new seaside sauna is set to open in Folkestone in the coming year.
45:16The Folkestone Harbour Arm has partnered with local company Sea Scrub Sauna, which already has multiple locations throughout Kent, to open a Scandinavian inspired sauna spa.
45:27Work has begun on the site after recent planning permission approval.
45:32However, criticism has been lodged at the approval, citing potential flooding risks.
45:37Detractors argue that flooding risk isn't adequately addressed within the plans and that there's a lack of risk mitigation for the site.
45:44Despite this, though, the companies involved hope the attraction bolsters Folkestone's tourism economy and draws more people to the location.
45:53Now, after almost 50 years, Sally Foster will be working her last shift at Kent and Canterbury Hospital on Boxing Day.
46:01The nurse is set to retire after first stepping into the ward in November 1978.
46:09Sally Foster said the past five years have been a blast, including her current role as a healthcare assistant.
46:15She goes on to explain how things are different when she started.
46:19And she also said that it was all handwritten.
46:21They didn't have computers back when she started as well, which is quite a surprise.
46:26And Kent and Medway's Pets as Therapy team has 14 pups, all with an important role.
46:32The dogs and their volunteer owners wander the wards at hospitals around the county to bring comfort to patients staying without their furry friends.
46:40Following a generous donation by a former patient, they now own personalised vests and leads.
46:46Our reporter, Chloe Brewster, went to Sheppey to meet one of the cutest of the crew.
46:51Pets are often left at home when people went to hospital, but since Covid, the NHS has found a new way to bring patients some comfort.
46:58Sorry for those technical difficulties. Hopefully we'll be able to bring you back that in just a minute.
47:04Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all our latest stories from across Kent by logging onto our website, kmtv.co.uk.
47:11There you'll find reports, including this one, which takes a look at how vape shops across Kent are ignoring rules,
47:17requiring them to provide safe disposable services as concerns grow over batteries causing fires.
47:24Shops in Kent are ignoring rules requiring them to provide safe disposal services as concerns grow over the batteries causing fires.
47:33Inside a vape such as this one is a lithium battery, and if this is not recycled properly, it does pose the hazard of setting alight.
47:40Experts for Material Focus, a not-for-profit organisation focused on electrical waste, estimate that roughly 10 million vapes were thrown away in Kent in 2024.
47:51The whole risk kicks in when they go to the wrong place, which is into bins, the bins at home, public bins, sometimes incorrectly recycled with other recycling.
48:02So people think that they're doing the right thing.
48:04But in fact, they're putting something that ends up being dangerous because if it goes onto a waste truck or it's handled at a waste site and people aren't planning for vapes to be in there,
48:12then it's very likely that it will be compacted. And when it's compacted, it could break the shell and that's when the problems come.
48:19So when the lithium cell is sort of damaged, it comes in contact with air or water, it can flame.
48:25Across Matestone, Rochester, Gravesend, Tunbridge, Canterbury and Dartford, only five out of the 30 retailers inspected agreed to accept used batteries or vapes.
48:37Many said they did not have to take returns and when asked why, wrongly claimed they did not have to.
48:43In line with regulations, V&M Mobile and VX Exchange in Matestone were one of the few stores to accept used batteries.
48:51I spoke to some local residents to find out whether there should be more awareness around the restrictions and how often they recycle.
48:59As much as I can, yeah, you know, there is some occasions where, you know, I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere
49:05and I have to just find the nearest kind of bin or whatever, but I do as much as I can.
49:09It should just be banned. It should just be banned. It's just littering everywhere and causing hazardous things. It's just not good, not good.
49:17Because it's good to make the public aware about it so they can keep everyone safe, even those who vape above.
49:21A spokesperson from Matestone Borough Council said lithium batteries in waste bins create a serious fire and safety risk.
49:28Retailers selling vapes should have a provision for taking back used items and the Kent County Council Household Waste Recycling Centres will be able to accept these items free of charge.
49:39Like all batteries, lithium ones can be a fire risk if they're damaged or thrown away with general waste.
49:45Mark Gosselin from Kent Fire and Rescue Service said it is advised for everyone to recycle them properly at designated collection points rather than putting them in the bin.
49:55It's important to remember that once the lithium battery hits the bin, the danger doesn't disappear. It just begins somewhere else.
50:02Maisie Walker for KMTV, Matestone.
50:05And apologies for the delay, but here is the story on Kent and Medway's Pets is Therapy team. Take a look.
50:12Pets are often left at home when people enter hospital, but since Covid the NHS has found a new way to bring patients some comfort.
50:19Medway NHS Foundation Trust have 13 therapy dogs who visit the wards regularly.
50:24They say having this set of pets help to comfort patients and lend a paw towards recovery.
50:30I'm here at Sheppie Community Hospital on the Feralty Unit and I'm here with Daisy who's got an important job to do.
50:36Each dog here goes through a kind of doggy DBS, testing things like temperament and sociability before being on call for visits.
50:43Daisy is one of the smallest of the crew, joining the team at Sheppie six months ago.
50:47When I was in hospital, I had dogs come round even when I was at Medway and it does give you a lift.
50:53There's no front with a dog, what you see is what you get and that is lovely.
50:58Because she was a rescue dog anyway, it's good that she gets to see all these different people and break down any barriers or any inhibitions that she has.
51:09The Pets' Therapy team has been around since Covid with all dogs and owners joining on a voluntary basis.
51:15Many of them are retired or staff bringing in their pets outside of work hours.
51:20The pups have recently been kitted out in named bandanas and leads, courtesy of donation by the family of a former patient, Lisa Young, who took particular comfort in having the dogs by her side.
51:30I think it's really good for patients to come in and see, especially when they're missing, they've been at Medway and they've come into hospital, they're missing their loved ones, they're missing their animals.
51:39Obviously we don't get cats, but a lot of people are missing their cats, but a dog is just the same when they come along and give them a bit of affection, they really do like it.
51:48You can definitely tell the difference it makes with the patients, especially those that have got animals at home.
51:53So they will tell us about all our dogs at home, you know, or about a dog they once had, or even our patients with dementia, you know, it will take them back to their younger days when they had a dog.
52:02And you can see their faces light up, so they do enjoy most of them having the dog around.
52:07These dogs are not just here for Christmas, they're here year round to leave a positive impact on those who need them most.
52:13Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Sheppey.
52:16Certainly a very cute dog there, I have to say. And now Invictus Sports has its last episode of 2025 tonight.
52:24So rather than looking at what might have been the biggest headlines in sports in that episode,
52:29we wanted to highlight some of the other moments that we were most proud of.
52:32Whether it was a chat with a sports person who might not normally get the spotlight,
52:36or a piece that really shined a light on a specific moment, small club or some of Kent's sporting paris. Let's have a look.
52:45Well, it's been an incredible year for sports here in the country and in the county.
52:50Kicking off the year, we had Luke Littler taking the title of youngest PDC World Darts Champion in history, aged just 17.
52:58He went on to become the world ranked number one.
53:03The Nuke is also the reigning back-to-back Grand Slam champion and the reigning UK Open champion.
53:09So to celebrate here at the KMTV office, we had our own darts championship, complete with nicknames, bullseyes and some highlights that would put Ali Pali to shame.
53:21In football news, the Jills equalled their best ever unbeaten run in 132 years, going 21 games in a row without a loss.
53:33Starting with a 1-0 win against Bradford City in March, the record continued with wins and draws
53:39against Accrington Stanley, Walsall, Harrogate, Colchester Salford, Chesterfield, MK Dons, Cheltenham, Swindon, Port Vale and then a few more as it continued even into the next season.
53:49The dream of beating their record dating back to 1979 came to an end against Newport County in a 3-1 loss away from home.
53:57Next in May, Whitstable Town won the FA Vars for the first time, coming from 2-1 down to beat AFC Whiteleaf at Wembley Stadium,
54:04thanks to goals from Harvey Smith and Ronald Sithole.
54:07In sunny weather at Wembley Stadium, the Whitstable players celebrated hugging each other in relief.
54:12The Oyster men play in the Southern County's East Football League and thoroughly enjoyed their celebrations.
54:17I think it's really good to be fair, I mean I was like that as well, getting my shirt signed, getting everything signed, so yeah it's amazing, it's really amazing.
54:24It's so surreal, I mean even since Sunday, it still hasn't really sunk in what we've done, I was just talking with a fan, you know,
54:31it's not like we've won the league or we've won a cup in the league, this is the pinnacle of what it means to be non-league.
54:38Then in September, England women's managed to win the Rugby World Cup in a final against Canada
54:43and we spoke to Rosie Galligan, who's from Kent and was part of the winning squad, about what the victory was like.
54:48For sure, I think over 5.8 million people watched it on TV, let alone the 81,000 also at the game.
54:54So hopefully we've shown the nation that you can be whatever shape or size you want to be and still play rugby.
55:00There's some big girls out there, there's some small girls out there, there's some fast, there's some slower.
55:04Everyone's got their own talents and everyone's got their own superpowers and that is what's so special.
55:08So if you haven't picked up a rugby ball and you fancy it, please do because I promise you, you won't look back.
55:14Amazing. Thank you so much for your time and for joining us.
55:17And it was more success for the England women's teams as the Lionesses got revenge for the men's from last year
55:23by beating Spain on penalties and becoming the first English team to win on foreign soil back to back.
55:29They recorded wins against Italy, Sweden, Wales, France and the Netherlands to get to the final in St Jacob Park in Basel in Switzerland.
55:37And back on home soil, Kent was watching for their star player Alessia Russo,
55:41who's originally from Maidstone and played it best at FC before her moves to Chelsea, Brighton, Manchester United and Arsenal.
55:48All in all, it's been a hugely successful year for Kent's sports and the country as a whole.
55:53And that's not even mentioning any certain F1 drivers who trained at Brands Hatch and Buckmore Park.
55:57So fingers crossed that 2026 holds as many iconic sporting moments.
56:02Finn McDermott for KMTV.
56:07And Finn will be presenting Invictus Sport straight after the show this evening.
56:11So it looks like it's one to watch tonight and not be missed.
56:14But you've been watching Kent tonight live on KMTV.
56:17There's more news made just for you throughout the evening, like Invictus Sport, as I was mentioning.
56:21But don't forget and keep up to date with all our latest news across the county by logging onto our website,
56:26kmtv.co.uk.
56:28And if you think you have a white Christmas leading up to the special day,
56:31then send us a picture as well so we can officially say we've had a white Christmas.
56:35But we will see you tomorrow with more news.
56:37Bye-bye.
56:38.
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