- 22 hours ago
Catch up with all your latest news from across the county with Meghan Shaw.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Dreamland and Margate has been an iconic Kent tourist destination for decades, with its
00:29distinctive scenic railway ride being one of the first to catch your eye. Opened in 1920,
00:34the ride is Grade 2 star listed, the oldest roller coaster in the UK and one of only eight
00:39scenic railways in the world. It's been through a lot though, multiple arson attacks and a
00:44derailing have been major incidents in the ride's history, but now a new threat has been
00:49made against its future, this time by the park operator themselves.
00:53While I never had the pleasure to ride the scenic railway for myself, I've seen hundreds
00:57of comments from people from Margate and from further afield who say coming here is one
01:01of their fondest memories.
01:03Made of nine, I've been going on the scenic railway, enjoying the rattles, the noises and
01:10just the general thrill of the roller coaster, it's just amazing. Not everywhere can go and
01:13ride a 102 year old roller coaster, you know, it's special, it's really is special.
01:18I always say that as a theme park, you could actually get rid of all the other rides as
01:23long as you had the scenic railway because of the heritage. And it's part and parcel of
01:28people coming on holiday, part and parcel of coastal history.
01:33The decision to retire the ride, Dreamland say, was made alongside Historic England and
01:37Flannock District Council. But councillors here told me this wasn't something they were
01:41consulted on.
01:42I've heard that people travel from abroad to go on this specific roller coaster because
01:45it's got that sort of national and international significance as such an old roller coaster.
01:50I hope that if we can get some more oversight into it, we can apply some pressure. It's really
01:55difficult because now it's privately owned, the council doesn't actually have any control
01:59over decisions that get made there. But I think the outpouring of, well, the outcry about
02:04it, hopefully we can put some pressure on for them to keep it open.
02:08They've had so much money over the years, looking back to like 2015, £15 million was spent
02:13rebuilding the railway. I think it's just part of our working class seaside heritage. We didn't
02:18want public money to go to Dreamland in 2015 to turn it into a music venue. We wanted to
02:24keep our heritage assets. We just need some honesty from Dreamland. Eddie Kemsley, where are you?
02:31Please come to Scrutiny. I know you're going to try and stop. You're going to say we're a private
02:35company. We don't need to come to Scrutiny. But in fact, public money went into Dreamland and there
02:40should be accountability because of that.
02:42A spokesperson for Dreamland said it is committed to finding a new long term plan
02:47to reinvent the ride and for it to be enjoyed by future generations in a fresh way. But for
02:52many people here, they're hoping the Scenic Railway has not yet made its final journey.
02:57Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Margate.
03:00Earlier, we were joined by the former director of the Dreamland Heritage Trust.
03:06So, John, thank you for joining us. Just first of all, can you tell us how important is it to you
03:12and also the wider culture in Margate to keep the heritage of Dreamland alive?
03:16Well, the Scenic Railway has been there for more than 100 years and it's the jewel in the crown of
03:23Dreamland really. And huge numbers of people spent a long, long time campaigning and working
03:31and fundraising and getting public funds to get this Scenic Railway up and running again. And the
03:37structure following the fire some years ago was completely rebuilt as a replica. All the original
03:43trains were destroyed and so two new ones were made. So, the structure has effectively only been
03:48operating for 11 years. And it is, I was born in Margate. I've been riding that roller coaster
03:54since I was a child. And to the people of Margate and most people who come to Dreamland,
03:59it's absolutely the centrepiece. And what was your reaction to finding out that the Scenic Railway
04:05would be closed for good? It doesn't surprise me because there was some incident the year before
04:11last where there was some damage and it was never repaired. And despite lots of us asking Dreamland
04:17operators to get it back up and running, it wasn't a tool last year. And I think really they're being
04:24very lazy and it's just inconvenient for them to do it. But people coming to Dreamland expect to be
04:30able to ride it and want to have that experience. And I suppose maybe people who aren't too familiar
04:34or don't live in Margate, they might think it's just another roller coaster. But you did mention that
04:39it's been quite a permanent fixture in your life, born and raised in Margate and something you
04:43kind of rode when you were a child. So why does this Scenic Railway mean so much for people in Margate?
04:50Well, it means a lot to people all over the country, actually, because it's the oldest roller coaster
04:55there is. And Dreamland was such a big park for decades and decades of life in Margate for day
05:01troopers, visitors, residents. And emotionally, a lot of people are very caught up with it, which is why
05:08so many people and so many millions of public funds were poured into getting this park open again.
05:15And so from our point of view, the people in the town, we just want that up and running again. And
05:21we feel that the operators of the park should put their hands in their pockets and get it up and
05:26running again. They've turned the place into a venue for very large gigs. It's a destination for people
05:31across the country now. And so they've got the resources to do it. It's almost like a lost leader.
05:37And they even call their big arena stage the Scenic Stage. So I think it's beholdens on them to keep
05:43this listed structure running. And, you know, with Margate being a seaside town, as you said, people across
05:48the country, I suppose, travel, travel to Margate, probably travel to Dreamland as well. So are you
05:53worried about maybe the effects it might have on Margate, on the economy, on tourism, if there isn't that,
06:00you know, world famous scenic course to that? Well, I think it's a bit more than that, because
06:07Margate, as we know, even with the recent publicity about Madonna and Tracy Emin, Margate's become very,
06:13very popular and very trendy now. And so people will come to Margate anyway. But I think people coming
06:19will expect and want to ride on the scenic railway. And I believe they have a duty, the park operators,
06:25just to repair it and get it running. It may be inconvenient and annoying for them,
06:29but it's a betrayal of the town and everybody who's fought for that scenic railway and Dreamland
06:35to just say, Oh, we're going to retire it.
06:36Do you think Dreamland has done enough to try to preserve this roller coaster then?
06:42I don't think they've done anything to preserve it. Up until two years ago, I was a member of the
06:50Dreamland Heritage Trust, which was a small charity set up to preserve and promote and protect the
06:55heritage of Dreamland. And I don't think the operators really care. I think they're looking
07:01for an excuse just to not bother because it's inconvenient. Next, Kent County Council is demanding
07:07support from the government over the rising costs of children's services. The reform leadership says
07:13the sheer number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children leaving care is putting pressure on the
07:18local authority. But the opposition says the demands are designed to deflect from a Paul Obstet
07:23report released today. Local democracy reporter Olly Leader was at the press conference earlier.
07:31Each of these blocks of paper represents a thousand asylum-seeking children.
07:41The signs of pressure piling up on Kent County Council's children's services as the authority's
07:47leader called for government support following an Ofsted downgrade. This increased demand is part of
07:54the reason the leader has written to Whitehall asking for additional funding.
08:00Though how much is needed isn't easy to answer.
08:05I don't have a figure to tell you. It is a lot. When I wrote to the Home Office back in the summer,
08:10we were a quarter of a million pounds down just in this financial year. By now, that's gone up,
08:15I don't know, three, four, five-fold. It's just ridiculous. Opposition councillors take a very different
08:22point of view. They say that this press conference is not about holding the government's
08:26feet to the fire, but rather about deflecting away from a Paul Obstet report, which saw several
08:34categories downgraded from outstanding to good in relation to children's services.
08:39What we saw this morning was a smoke screen for a failure and a blaming of you ask children who
08:47we've known what numbers they've been coming in at for the last 10 years. We've known that our
08:52relationship with government has been fairly fraught. The thing that's changed in the last two years from
08:56an outstanding recommendation from Ofsted is a Reform UK administration, and that is the failure.
09:02They are weak, they are poor, their quality is showing now, and you are ending up with reports
09:09like this that denigrate the service. These calls for financial support come as KCC prepares to vote
09:16on its annual budget next week, complete with a proposed lower than usual council tax.
09:22If there is not enough money to fund these services properly, why is it that this administration
09:28thinks it can get away without that £10 million that an extra 1% of council tax would raise?
09:37But the KCC leader hopes a meeting with ministers could go a long way to finding a sustainable solution.
09:45Why should the Kent council taxpayer be expected to pay for what is a national
09:51and an international emergency situation that is simply not fair?
09:57The government has been approached for comment, but there's no doubt that children's services
10:03will continue to tower over KCC without a long-term solution in sight.
10:09Oli Lieder in Maystone.
10:27All right.
10:39Thank you very much.
10:43Oh, yeah.
10:45Thanks.
10:47Ok.
10:49.
11:19.
11:49.
12:19.
12:21.
12:23.
12:25.
12:27.
12:29.
12:31.
12:33.
12:35.
12:37.
12:39.
12:41.
12:43.
12:45.
12:47.
12:49.
12:51.
12:53.
12:55.
12:57.
12:59.
13:01.
13:03.
13:05.
13:07.
13:09.
13:11.
13:13.
13:15.
13:17.
13:19.
13:21.
13:23.
13:25.
13:27.
13:29.
13:31.
13:33.
13:35.
13:37.
13:39.
13:41.
13:43.
13:45.
13:47.
13:49.
13:51.
13:53.
13:55.
13:57.
13:59.
14:01.
14:03.
14:05.
14:07.
14:09.
14:11.
14:13.
14:15.
14:17.
14:19.
14:21.
14:23.
14:25.
14:27.
14:29.
14:31.
14:32.
14:33.
14:35.
14:36.
14:37.
14:53.
14:54.
14:55.
14:56.
14:57.
14:58.
14:59.
15:00.
15:01.
15:02just a few months before a lump was found in his wife's breast in January
15:072024 Lee Miller began chemotherapy following a diagnosis of lung cancer
15:12after also undergoing radiotherapy and immunotherapy which resulted in a stroke
15:17and been admitted into intensive care the cancer spread to his lung and Lee
15:21Miller had been given eight months to live his wife Liz Miller had also been
15:25battling breast cancer and says the disease has caused havoc with their
15:29family she looks to find relief and comfort for her partner Lee's precious
15:33time left and in White Post Lane near Gravesend traveller families are facing
15:41being made homeless after Gravesham Council has rejected plans for homes
15:45Stuart Borman and his family bought a 75,000 square foot plot last year that
15:50they are currently living on the family submitted a plan application for eight
15:54homes and two day rooms for utilities but after 200 objections Gravesham
15:59council rejected the plans on the grounds that it was in greenbelt land Stuart
16:04Borman believes his family have been discriminated against or he's just
16:07trying to settle his family permanently and get his children into education next
16:14for the past five years Gravesham has been lighting up the streets every
16:17January with a festival and this year's have focused on animals allowing local
16:22artists to come together and showcase their skills from street performers to a
16:26silent disco and a giant firebird shooting fireworks from emergency exit
16:30arts there were plenty of creative ideas being hatched on the high street and
16:34Henry look was down in Gravesend to find out more for the past five years
16:40Gravesend has been lighting up the streets every January with a light show to
16:47bring happiness to the community and it's returned once again this year's theme
16:54light and life with a focus on animals allows local artists to come together and
17:02showcase their skills I like to see the the local artists and we commissioned
17:10artists to come in and we selected four to set up around the area and it's such a
17:14great opportunity for them to showcase their skills and also it's very
17:19interactive so people people can enjoy their displays and also participate as
17:24well despite it being a cold wet night in January it certainly hasn't stopped
17:31Gravesend from trying to bring some light to the community from street
17:36performers to a silent disco and a giant firebird shooting fireworks made by
17:45emergency exit arts served as some of the biggest highlights of the night it's
17:53really really fun getting to drive the firebird it's one of my favorite
17:57profits that we do I really enjoy the shared energy of a parade I love seeing
18:04everybody else coming together and joining in on a parade and having a lovely time
18:10Gravesend will no doubt be at work hatching another light show for next year and what
18:20it will be about is up in the air Henry Luck for KMTV in Gravesend
18:28and now the weather tonight we can expect a mostly cloudy evening lows of six
18:37degrees in Tunbridge Wells highs of seven in Dover tomorrow morning clouds
18:42continuing to cover the skies light showers across the county lowest at five
18:46in Dartford highest in Maidstone at six degrees into the afternoon rain clouds
18:51continue to spread over Kent highs of eight in Dover lows of six in Dartford wind at
18:56seven and for your outlook for the rest of the week sunshine on Wednesday highs of
19:00ten returning rain on Thursday and Friday temperatures peaking at ten and now
19:13let's look at today's sports news including a look at Gillingham FC's
19:17defeat by Bromley may Sun United welcoming back new is signed up after injury and
19:21Canesbury rugby team's winning streak coming to an end and Chatham Towns victory
19:26against Southend United
19:29first up Gillingham FC's captain Armani Little is looking ahead to a League 2 trip to
19:43Notts County after a 4-1 defeat by rivals Bromley
19:48Armani has said that Gillingham will have a reset ahead of their trip to Notts
19:52County only three days after the loss Little went on to say we have to dust
19:56ourselves off now we can't dwell on that and we'll reset our heads and put full
20:00focus and be confident and ready to go again during the game Gillingham was seen
20:05to not give up and kept on fighting until the final whistle we can also hear a
20:09bit now from Gillingham's manager Gareth Ainsworth after the Bromley defeat yeah
20:14listen I picked a team it's on me that one fans I am gutted for you because I know how
20:22important that one is you know two teams in Kent Bromley top of the league and they
20:27showed a lot of why they are top of the league you know took some fantastic chances but there
20:32was some unrecognisable stuff from us which again we've been so good lately you know and you
20:40know not just lately for a long time that's probably our worst home performance for quite some time
20:45next to Maidstone United summer signing Jamie Yela has been handed his debut by George Elokobi
20:52after a lengthy spell out injured Yela had been suffering a stress fracture in his back not long
20:58after joining from Chatham Elokobi says he's been working hard on getting back to the team he was
21:03named as a substitute and came on for the last few minutes of the game in a one-all draw against
21:07Tunbridge Angels Elokobi said it was absolutely fantastic to see Jamie out there it's been very
21:12frustrating for him not being a part of the first half of the season next Canterbury rugby team's
21:18eight-game winning streak has come to an unfortunate end after a 28 to 21 defeat by Havent a mixture of
21:25missed tackles poor ball retention and questionable decisions has led to a crashing defeat for Canterbury's
21:30own rugby side after eight consecutive wins in the National League to East games its mishaps led to
21:36haven't gaining a 14-point lead at the beginning of the game something Canterbury was able to slightly
21:41catch up on but didn't work out for them in the end now Canterbury are placed fourth and will return
21:46to league action on Valentine's Day against leaders old Albanians next Chatham town had an unfortunate end
21:53to their FA trophy run beat being beaten 1-0 by Southend United it was a heartbreaking way to lose
21:59Southend having their penalty saved but the ball rebounding straight to an opposing player for an easy
22:04finish the Chats thought they equalized in the dying minutes when a ball appeared to have crossed
22:08the line but the goal wasn't given the Chatham town manager Kevin Hake said I don't want the focus
22:13to be on the ref because that would just be pointless the focus should be on the boys who've
22:16taken the last who've taken the club into the last 16 of a national competition for the first time in
22:21history that's all for your sports news for now
22:28January is coming to an end so many in Kent will be breathing a sigh of relief so that's no more dry January no more blue Monday or Christmas saving I'm sure that's all for you
22:35and January's coming to an end so many in Kent would be breathing a side relief so that's no
22:54more dry January no more blue Monday or Christmas saving I'm sure that's great news for lots of you
22:59but for Kent's football clubs Finn it also marks the end of the January transfer window so for the
23:05Garden of England sides a successful transfer window could mean a midseason comeback for some
23:09or reinforcing their squads for a potential promotion battle so Finn you have to explain
23:15this all to me and break that down so let's just start tell me about the Gilles what could this
23:19mean for them well the Gilles have had quite a late run into the January transfer window it's been very
23:26very interesting to see so they only had the one deadline day transfer that was Omar Beckles who we
23:32can actually see on the screen now this is Omar Beckles so you'll notice he's wearing a Shrewsbury
23:38town kit he's the only deadline day signing he's 34 a very experienced defender over 450 appearances for
23:45some higher league sides that includes clubs like Shrewsbury but also some league two sides like
23:51Accrington crew and like I say Shrewsbury but he departs from Leighton Orient a league one side he was
23:57captain there and actually won them helped win the promotion to league one back in 2023 so a very
24:02strong signing there and a great kind of shore up of our defenses there are some gaps for instance at
24:07right back the lots of fans will think oh that's good we've got some more experience in the back
24:11line especially after losing 4-1 to Bromley at the weekend some other notable signings Ronan Hale
24:19this was sort of the the one that you wanted to come through it was a bit up in the air people
24:23weren't sure if he was going to come through we've got him from Ross County he's a striker and also
24:27a Northern Ireland international so very exciting to have an international player making up that
24:33front line there will be questions about that front line and we've now got a lot of strikers and a lot
24:36of wingers so it's really a toss-up as to who's going to be our starting front three quick mention
24:41Cameron Antwi he's a midfielder on a two and a half year deal from Newport and we've also recalled
24:47Travis Akomea from Watford he's a defender and also Cameron Antwi rejoins us oh sorry Lenny Serino
24:55rejoins us but that's pretty much it for our January transfer window perfect then thank you for running
25:00us through for that well that's what we have for for this part of the show but stay tuned after the
25:06break we'll be back with plenty more stories such as revisiting our top story see you then
25:17we'll be back with plenty more stories such as revisiting our top story see you then
25:47you
26:17.
26:47.
27:17.
27:19.
27:21.
27:23.
27:25.
27:27.
27:29.
27:31.
27:33.
27:35.
27:37.
27:39.
27:41.
27:43.
27:45.
27:47.
27:49.
27:51.
27:53.
27:55.
27:57.
27:59.
28:01.
28:03.
28:05.
28:07.
28:09.
28:11.
28:13.
28:41.
28:42.
28:44.
28:46.
28:48.
28:52.
28:54.
28:56.
28:58.
29:00.
29:02.
29:04.
29:06.
29:10Why should the Kent Council taxpayer be expected to pay for what is a national and an international emergency situation that is simply not fair?
29:23And reviving the ring.
29:25Genesis Pro Wrestling hosts family-friendly match to expand Kent's fighting community.
29:31Having a company that is basically made in Kent for Kent by Kent people.
29:36When I first started wrestling back in 1997, I lived in Felixstown and Suffolk and I had to travel all the way down to Sittingbourne to train and then the show was all based in Kent.
29:55But first, I return to our top story.
29:57It was announced last week that the UK's oldest rollercoaster in Margate was shut permanently after 105 years of operation.
30:06Dreamland's decision to retire the Scenic Railway at the theme park has been met with fierce criticism by locals who say not enough has been done to preserve the ride.
30:15But the park operator says it still has a long-term vision for the Grade 2 listed structure.
30:20And Chloe Brewster headed to Margate earlier to speak to some of those defending the railway.
30:26Dreamland and Margate has been an iconic Kent tourist destination for decades, with its distinctive Scenic Railway ride being one of the first to catch your eye.
30:34Opened in 1920, the rider's Grade 2 star listed, the oldest rollercoaster in the UK and one of only eight Scenic Railways in the world.
30:43It's been through a lot though. Multiple arson attacks and a derailing have been major incidents in the ride's history.
30:49But now a new threat has been made against its future, this time by the park operator themselves.
30:55While I never had the pleasure to ride the Scenic Railway for myself, I've seen hundreds of comments from people from Margate and from further afield who say coming here is one of their fondest memories.
31:05Made of nine, I've been going on the Scenic Railway, enjoying the rattles, the noises and just the general thrill of the rollercoasters.
31:13It's just amazing. Not everywhere can go and ride a 102 year old rollercoaster, you know, it's special. It really is special.
31:20I always say that as a theme park, you could actually get rid of all the other rides as long as you had the Scenic Railway because of the heritage.
31:28And it's part and parcel of people coming on holiday, part and parcel of coastal history.
31:35The decision to retire the ride, Dreamland say, was made alongside Historic England and Plannock District Council.
31:40But councillors here told me this wasn't something they were consulted on.
31:44I've heard that people travel from abroad to go on this specific rollercoaster because it's got that sort of national and international significance as such an old rollercoaster.
31:52I hope that if we can get some more oversight into it, we can apply some pressure.
31:56It's really difficult because now it's privately owned. The council doesn't actually have any control over decisions that get made there.
32:02But I think the outpouring of, well, the outcry about it, hopefully we can put some pressure on for them to keep it open.
32:09They've had so much money over the years. Looking back to like 2015, £15 million was spent rebuilding the railway.
32:16I think it's just part of our working class seaside heritage.
32:19We didn't want public money to go to Dreamland in 2015 to turn it into a music venue.
32:25We wanted to keep our heritage assets.
32:26We just need some honesty from Dreamland.
32:29Eddie Kemsley, where are you? Please come to Scrutiny.
32:33I know you're going to try and stop.
32:36You're going to say we're a private company. We don't need to come to Scrutiny.
32:39But in fact, public money went into Dreamland and there should be accountability because of that.
32:44A spokesperson for Dreamland said it is committed to finding a new long-term plan to reinvent the ride
32:49and for it to be enjoyed by future generations in a fresh way.
32:53But for many people here, they're hoping the Scenic Railway has not yet made its final journey.
32:58Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Margate.
33:02Next, Medway Police Sergeant Gabriel Chandler has been dismissed from police force
33:07after a campaign of harassment against driving instruction company Intensive UK.
33:12After Chandler's son was found to be eligible for a driving course booked with Intensive UK,
33:18the company cancelled the booked course but did not issue a full refund as the deposit was non-refundable.
33:23Chandler then began accusing the company of theft, threatening employees with jail
33:27and claimed the company had ties to criminal activity.
33:30Detective Chief Superintendent John Armory, head of professional standards at the force, said,
33:35Even when off duty, police officers are still held to the high standards of professional conduct
33:40and in this case, PC Chandler's behaviour fell far below what is expected of our officers and staff.
33:48Next, a security guard at Mason Hospital says she may never work again after being assaulted by a drunk patient.
33:54Lou Ricks was attacked by an intoxicated man and after examination of her injuries
33:58was found to have damage to her ligaments and spine.
34:01The aftermath has left Lou reliant on a combination of pills and the inability to complete basic tasks
34:06since she lost her independence and confidence.
34:09The General Secretary of the Security Industry Federation is calling for Parliament to change laws surrounding workplace assaults.
34:17Next, a Swale Borough Council meeting on immigration was adjourned following disruption from the public gallery,
34:22as I have been finding out.
34:24Security was tight at last week's Swale Borough Council meeting,
34:28following previous disruptions from activists, but that didn't faze those in the public gallery.
34:38This follows December's meeting chaos, with officers left vandalised and councillors targeted.
34:44Probably the worst council meeting I've ever attended, certainly it's the most unsafe I've ever felt.
34:50It's a shame, but we do have to have some protections.
34:53I think it's becoming far too common that intimidation is being used as a tactic.
34:58Certainly after the December meeting, in actual fact the very next night,
35:03I had my own personal property, my home had a swastika spray-painted on it,
35:07I had someone bashing at the door, I had two phone calls threatening myself and my family,
35:13saying if I hadn't resigned by the end of the week, they'd be back and they would be doing much worse.
35:17Consequently, there was extra protection on hand from police officers and attendants,
35:22only possible with a ticket.
35:24But despite that, outbursts from the public gallery forced the meeting to be adjourned
35:29during a motion on board emergency, put forward by KCC chairman Richard Palmer.
35:34The people...
35:35The people...
35:36The people...
35:38Councils, I am now adjourned, thank you.
35:40There was nothing like that occurred on the 10th of December meeting, which was totally disgraceful.
35:45However, it was shouting out, there was shouting out on Wednesday,
35:52there was shouting out on the last meeting in January.
35:57However, it was no different to the sort of comment you get during a planning application that is quite contentious.
36:06And this isn't the only council enforcing tough measures,
36:09with Medway Council upping their police presence at council meetings last year.
36:13I'm grateful to police in Medway for their really clear position on...
36:19They have had a very visible presence at our meetings, certainly since the first incident in Swale.
36:27But I'm staggered that this has happened again and that these people think that this is a positive way to present their ideas.
36:37And with the meeting able to resume after the gallery was cleared,
36:40some councillors worry what enhanced security measures and the intimidation of councillors could mean for local democracy.
36:47All this is doing at the moment is switching people off from politics, off from councils.
36:52Are we going to get enough candidates to come forward for the next set of elections?
36:56Who knows? If this sort of behaviour continues, I don't think we will.
36:59Megan Shaw for KMTV in Swale.
37:03Now, 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.
37:10There you'll find all our stories, including this one about a cycling park in Gravesend,
37:15which is one of many across the country are calling for more government funding.
37:19British Cycling are asking for the government to support another wave of funding for their Places to Ride scheme,
37:26after they say they've saved the NHS £13 million by making the country healthier.
37:31Cyclo Park in Gravesend was one of the 150 sites that opened in 2012 after the scheme began,
37:37and it aimed to create more safe spaces for people to learn to bike,
37:40especially young people, the elderly and those with physical or mental disabilities,
37:44all as a fun way to exercise.
37:45We are a centre for movement. It's not just cycling here, but we're very broad in the community,
37:51so we'll get young people riding here as toddlers, bounce bikes and little scooters.
37:56They'll then progress on to learn to ride programmes, which we do for five years plus,
38:01but we're all about families moving together.
38:04We've got a big fitness programme, a movement programme for youngsters,
38:09for new mums all the way up to senior generations.
38:13And now British Cycling are asking for people to write to their local MP
38:16so that the government will invest in a second wave of funding,
38:19which Cyclo Park say they would use for their disability provisions in their Cycle For All scheme.
38:25Now, here at Cyclo For All, they give those with disabilities a chance to get out on bikes like these
38:30and like some different types they've got.
38:31They've got tandems, they've got bikes you can operate just with your hands,
38:34or this kind of trike where two people can pedal at once.
38:38So to see how much it helps people and, you know, just to have a ride,
38:41David here is going to show me the ropes. Ready?
38:43Yeah.
38:44Let's go.
38:44Let's go.
38:47The team added the potential funding would likely go towards more lights for the track,
38:51meaning they could keep the sessions going on for longer.
38:53And not only just for us, but for the whole of Cyclo Park community,
38:59like the elderly, especially coming here somewhere safe to actually come and cycle
39:04away from the roads and the traffic and feel safe when they're cycling.
39:09And, yeah, so it would be a really big event to happen for us to be able to progress our
39:19sessions, even to then possibly look at is there are chances of opening classes in the
39:24evening, because if people are at work and they need the adaptive bikes, they might not
39:30want to come out when it's pitch dark and things.
39:32So being able to then see if we can progress what we offer.
39:35Of the £13 million that British Cycling estimate they've saved, this comes from reducing the
39:41risk factors to conditions like type 2 diabetes, back pain, hip fractures, as well as mental
39:46conditions like depression, psychological distress and dementia.
39:51If they do achieve their fundraising goals, they hope the money would mean they can keep
39:54their wheels turning and their tracks busy and lit, especially into the winter months for
39:59those who need it most.
40:00Finn McDermid for KMTV in Gravesend.
40:02And now it's time for our final break, but stay tuned to hear about a wrestler from Genesis
40:08Professional Wrestling.
40:09Catch you then.
40:40Barry White.
40:40.
40:40.
40:41.
41:02.
41:32.
42:02.
42:32.
42:34.
42:36.
42:38.
42:40.
42:42.
42:44.
42:46.
42:48.
42:50.
42:52.
42:54.
42:56.
42:58.
43:00.
43:02.
43:04.
43:06.
43:08.
43:10.
43:12.
43:14.
43:16.
43:18.
43:20.
43:22.
43:24.
43:26.
43:28.
43:30.
43:32.
43:34.
43:36.
43:38.
43:40.
43:42.
43:43.
43:44.
43:45.
43:46.
43:50.
43:58alongside the NHS we've reached out to them because we recognize that a lot of
44:03our people who are either homeless or residents or homeless or at risk
44:06homelessness had some medical issues some of them were mental health issues so
44:12what we've done is we recognize that if we can intervene earlier with actual
44:16expert medical trained partners it's a much more effective way of helping the
44:20people the new model brings together psychiatrists nurses and social workers
44:24to meet people where they are including street based assessments here on the
44:28streets of Gravesham it's not about curing homelessness it's about preventing
44:32homelessness for our residents and helping them rebuild their lives and getting
44:36back onto a really firm footing for the future the approach involves an
44:40outreach team to speak to people on the streets and build trust before they're
44:44passed to the relevant support worker we work with Gravesham borough council who
44:48have outreach teams and they will go out in all hours in the middle of the night
44:51in the early hours rain or shine and they will find people who may be outdoors
44:58and it's not clear why they may be outdoors and they'll have a conversation
45:01with them try to find out what's going on what they need and what they what could
45:05help people are off sleeping they need support from every angle I think not one
45:12thing will help obviously getting housing is really important but sometimes when
45:16people have been through very difficult life circumstances and they've got
45:20mental health problems it's very hard to maintain their housing in the long run
45:24and this is where addressing their mental health needs past trauma any other
45:30mental illness is so vital to maintaining their long-term recovery and
45:34that's where we step in the team here say they want to keep this as
45:37accessible as possible so no appointments only bookable by phone or too
45:42far away to travel to on foot the accessibility of the service is the best
45:47part of it it is so accessible and and our teams go out on the streets to see
45:51people where they are so lots of work has been done in the background to raise
45:55awareness that this service is available and also now that we are expanding it
45:59across the county will be certainly doing more work so that people are aware
46:02that this service exists and we'd want more and more people to come forward and
46:06receive help and support from our organization the team here believe this is
46:10the best way to stop that cycle of homelessness and hope other councils
46:14across Kent will follow suit
46:16Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Gravesham now established in 2019 Genesis
46:23Professional Wrestling was created to give the Kent community a brand of
46:26wrestling they can truly call their own but it's not just about what happens in
46:30the ring the Academy trains referees as well as wrestlers giving people the
46:35chance to develop skills across every part of the sport so from as young as eight
46:39juniors are taught in a safe supporting environment and when they're ready they
46:43get the opportunity to step into the spotlight and our reporter Maisie Walker
46:47went down last weekend to see some of the Academy's homegrown talents in action
46:56Genesis Professional Wrestling is on a mission to provide the Kent community with
47:01a brand of wrestling that they can follow and call their own having a company
47:06that is basically made in Kent for Kent by Kent people when I first started
47:10wrestling back in 1997 I lived in Phoenix and Suffolk and I'd travel all the way
47:15down to Sittingbourne to train and then the shows were all based in Kent and
47:18there's a lot of traveling around that we have to do so the idea is that we we
47:22source local talent we train them up and then we put them on our shows and they
47:26perform in front of our audiences and you're not then on the road 300 days a year
47:29we're catering to our own community their Academy is a safe place for juniors from the
47:34age of eight to learn and develop across all aspects of the wrestling scene when
47:39they are ready students are offered the opportunity to showcase their talent
47:42during the shows I went down on the weekend to see some of their homegrown
47:46stars from their very own Academy in action here at the balling in Maystone
47:51things are starting to really fire up as you can probably see from behind me
47:54people are starting to pour in and the rest is at you any second now we have a
48:07children's club and an adult's class and I know every single one of them by name
48:13it's a whole family my son is currently taking the British wrestling circuit by
48:20storm so it not only has he progressed to the Genesis main shows he's out working
48:24the British wrestling scene so yeah we definitely can see them through from the
48:29childhood dream right to achieving it and it's clear the sport is loved by adults
48:34just as much as it is
48:35my kids I watched as a kid and kind of fell out with it for several years
48:48in a sports bar one day just having a drink and it came on TV and I was like
48:51that looks like fun and I need to go to the gym more and it feels like you know
48:55taking a show up in front of a crowd of people that's a good like incentive to
48:59actually work out more I just looked for local schools found the gem pro Academy
49:03I was always a huge fan as a kid growing up just pretty much like everyone saw it
49:08on TV and got the bargain at the time when I started was in 95 so it was I've
49:14been doing it 30 years now was a lot different landscape than it is today I've
49:18always loved wrestling from the age of eight or nine grew up watching it thoroughly
49:22enjoyed it knew I'm never athletic enough to actually do it I've done one
49:25session and I can't trade myself to land whether in the ring
49:29or in the crowd for many here it's not just about the show it's about being a
49:33part of something that feels close to home
49:36Maisie Walker for KMTV
49:38Mate Stone
49:38and joining us live is Bruce Bravo from Genesis Professional Wrestling to discuss
49:51his career at the club as well as other ventures outside the profession so Bruce
49:56Bravo thank you so much for joining me of course so first of all let's just
50:01just tell us and and the viewers what what is it like being part of Genesis
50:05Professional Wrestling do you know what I'll tell you like I've been dressed just
50:08been with Genesis since I was about 19 years old 19 20 years old and just the
50:15opportunities I've been given Genesis to progress in my professional wrestling
50:20career as Bruce Bravo she's been fantastic like and just every show that we
50:26have we have some way John Moores trains up his own guys from the school and he
50:32brings them to the shows and also brings in other talent from outside on the
50:37independent scene to come wrestle these guys and it's just it's just fantastic and
50:41it's like a little community of everyone all together I will work together I'll try
50:45and get the shows as big as possible and for the fans to enjoy as much as possible
50:50absolutely there are kind of many lace this obviously there's your own kind of
50:53professional acceleration there and it also kind of boosts young people as a
50:57school as well so tell me a bit more about that aspect yeah so just at the
51:02school we have kids from ages 8 all the way up to I said whenever even adults we
51:08separate them so we have a children's class and we have adults class I'll see
51:13children's classes you'll see they will begin them and they will softly train up
51:16and then the same with adults are separate miss down in Maystone TKO we
51:22also do Academy shows so once they've progressed enough they found their
51:27character they forgot to maybe some gear they've worked out who they want to be
51:31as a professional wrestler and maybe some move sets then they might get to go on
51:35to the spotlight in a Academy show so it's not one of our main shows but
51:40Academy shows so they have a chance to see what it would feel like on a proper
51:43show where it's only only friends and family were invited so they don't have to
51:47jump straight into the deep end of the pool and then if I do well in there and if
51:51they want to they can be moved up into the main shows where they will get to face
51:56the likes of Johnny Storm as you just saying he's been around for a long long time
52:00been on TNA he's been all over all over the world wrestling so I've had the
52:05opportunity to face him myself so but yeah there's lots of good opportunities
52:10for young people to join in or like any age doesn't matter how old you are there's
52:14a place for you at Genesis professional wrestling and that you mentioned Johnny
52:18Storm there but let's also talk about your amazing professional wrestling career so I
52:23mean we need to address the ginormous awards in the studio there so you're a
52:27double champion tell us about that last night I faced another than my arch nemesis
52:33big bully Briggs for the world's title I already had the extreme title the
52:39difference between these the world title it's just like it's my it's the main
52:42title of Genesis this is the the top gold of Genesis professional wrestling the
52:46extreme title is as it's only normally only defended on the adult shows on the
52:53adult shows we have hardcore matches which is another type of wrestling
52:57basically and death matches where it includes not just wrestling but finally a
53:01lot more fun and and can include weapons the likes of barbed wire and like
53:08chairs fun tax tables and stuff like that but yeah last night I had a match with
53:13big Willie Briggs and I came out victorious and now I'm the gen pro double
53:17champ I bet they're pretty heavy as well I bet you've not worn them both at once
53:21not just yet that would wear you down and of course you mentioned those young
53:25people that kind of go through your program and I suppose find themselves
53:27through wrestling but what also do you think it means for these these young
53:31people residents across Kent to to have wrestling made for Kent in Kent do you
53:36think that's important oh yeah it's absolutely important because one one
53:39I'll see people get to come and enjoy the show so get to have a nice fun night out
53:42but also when you join the academy and stuff you're not just learning as learning
53:47all these skills and getting to live out a dream but you also get to make
53:51friendship with all the people there and social skills and stuff like that like
53:56it's I say it's like a little close community sorry community and everyone
54:02just gets on and we try our best to help each other grow as a person and in our
54:08professional careers and outside and I said like you can get so much out of it of
54:14course and maybe for any young budding wrestlers watching or maybe not young
54:18just budding wrestlers watching along at home what's your kind of advice for
54:21getting started in wrestling I forget and start wrestling I said join an academy is
54:26come down to my stone TKO this is John walls and comes out let's come down and
54:32come see what's about see if it's for you it's not for everyone there's a lot of
54:37there's a lot you have to go through but if you come down you enjoy it and you
54:41love it then and stick with it then one day you might get to face myself Bruce
54:45Bravo for the championships who knows absolutely thank you so much Bruce Bravo
54:50for taking the time to speak to us to show us your awards and the future of
54:54wrestling in Kent it's been great to chat thank you thank you for having me on well
54:57that's all we've got time for on today's show of Kent tonight hope you have a
55:02lovely evening and we'll catch you soon good night
55:09thank you
55:14you
Comments