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Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Kristin Hawthorne
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00:28Transcription by CastingWords
00:31Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight Live on KMTV.
00:34I'm Kristen Hawthorne and here are your top stories on Friday the 12th of June.
00:38It's not enough. Kent's mother who lost her child to meningitis says new vaccine rollout won't cover everyone who needs
00:45it.
00:45There's also a huge number of people that are still not going to be vaccinated because they're not at uni
00:53or not at college.
00:54Help for Quinny, family of elderly residents in the Indian donor unsatisfied with constant response.
01:00It did frighten her because she said I'm not going up to bed at night, I'm staying downstairs because I'm
01:07frightened of people knocking on the door.
01:09Affordable art. A local artist has founded a community hub offering arts and crafts at a reasonable price.
01:14The idea is to just have a community space that people can come and enjoy.
01:33Our top story this evening.
01:34Following the death of two young people here in Kent, a new meningitis B vaccine will be rolled out across
01:39the UK.
01:40The one-off programme will be given to students in year 13 as well as those aged 18 to 25
01:46who are heading to university or further education.
01:48While parents and politicians have been campaigning for the job, some are worried that some young people will still fall
01:54through the cracks.
01:56Finn McDermott reports.
01:57It's been three months since the meningitis outbreak in Canterbury claimed the lives of two young people.
02:02And a new vaccination programme has now been introduced, specifically to protect year 13 students or those aged 18 to
02:0925 starting further education this autumn.
02:11This vaccine is something that parents of those affected, like Sue, have been campaigning for.
02:16Her son, Matthew, passed away after contracting meningitis B back in 2023.
02:20And she says while the vaccine is a step in the right direction, she's concerned about exactly who can get
02:25it.
02:26It's great that a lot of people that go to college and university will be vaccinated.
02:32But then on the flip side, there's also a huge number of people that are still not going to be
02:39vaccinated because they're not at uni or not at college.
02:44Like the government are still kind of determining who gets to be vaccinated and who doesn't, determined on where that
02:52child goes.
02:53Her views are shared by those in Canterbury who say they're happy with the fact the vaccine will be rolled
02:58out, but are worried about its scope.
02:59I think it probably should be a continuous programme.
03:02It's offered to children now, so for those early years, because they've identified they're at risk.
03:06I would imagine there'd be a lot of pressure once it's been done once.
03:10I know they're saying about the cost benefit, but essentially it's lives, isn't it?
03:13So people have died when they've come to university, which should be a safe place for them.
03:17I believe obviously it's too late, but it's never too late as well, because if people will be saved later
03:23on, we might as well just reduce the rate of death.
03:26So even though it did come at a later time, it's better for it to come then. It never comes
03:30at all.
03:31The decision to give the vaccine to those heading to further education is because of a higher risk for those
03:36who are mixing social groups and sharing accommodation.
03:38The discussion around vaccines and preventative measures also reached Parliament with some of Kent's MPs at an event with the
03:44Meningitis Research Foundation.
03:45What we saw in the outbreak in East Kent earlier this year was the sort of super spreader event was
03:51in a nightclub.
03:52And so the people in that nightclub, they weren't necessarily students in residential halls.
03:58And in fact, from the sixth form point of view, they weren't. They were living at home.
04:01So to me, I don't see the rationale for the distinction between university students who are residential and those who
04:09are living at home, so to speak.
04:11So I think it should include university students and F.E. college students who are living at home.
04:15Secretary of State for Health and Social Care James Murray said the Kent outbreak and recent clusters indicate a possible
04:21change to the way MEN-B affects people.
04:23While we assess the latest evidence, we are acting now to help protect young people at highest immediate risk as
04:28they enter university and residential colleges this autumn.
04:30The two jabs needed for the vaccine will be given in July and August on the NHS.
04:34But for those who aren't eligible for it, it can be booked through private services.
04:37Despite concerns over the range of eligibility and discussions surrounding a wider rollout, the vaccine will help reduce risk across
04:43large groups.
04:44And the government say it will give peace of mind to those in Kent and across the country.
04:49Finn McDermid for KMTV.
04:52A 17-year-old girl has died in a car crash between Headcorn and Staplehurst, with two others being seriously
04:58injured and in hospital.
05:00Police were called to Headcorn Road at 8.25pm last night when the teenage driver was pronounced dead at the
05:06scene.
05:07Megan Shaw joins me now with more.
05:09Megan, what do we know so far?
05:11Of course.
05:11So as you just said there, Kristen, the driver of the car involved in the crash, a 17-year-old
05:17girl, was pronounced dead at the scene.
05:19Her next of kin have been informed.
05:22So the police were called to Headcorn Road, and it was between Headcorn and Staplehurst at 8.25pm last night.
05:28The force said a Blue Sea at Ibiza Excellence was travelling from Headcorn towards Staplehurst, where it left the road
05:35at the junction with Sweetlands Lane and collided with a tree.
05:38You can see on the map there just about the location where the police were called to.
05:43So officers attended the scene alongside paramedics and campfire and rescue service, and it wasn't just the young teenager that
05:52was involved.
05:53There were two passengers also seriously injured.
05:55So a 19-year-old man was taken to a London hospital in a life-threatening condition, and another 17
06:02-year-old, a male, was taken to a local hospital again with serious injuries.
06:07Quite a shock to the community this, Megan.
06:09What are the police doing so far?
06:10Of course, it's still quite early days, I imagine, in the investigation.
06:15So officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit are urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident or saw the
06:22vehicle beforehand to contact them.
06:25And they have an appeal line as well as an email to get in contact if you saw anything.
06:31All right. Thanks so much, Megan.
06:41We'll see you next time.
07:05We'll see you next time.
07:10After the charity, Cutbush and Corral deemed her unable to live independently.
07:15And so her family reached out to the council for help on finding somewhere for Queenie to live, but were
07:20unsatisfied with the response.
07:22Naila Mohammed has the story.
07:24Queenie is almost 92 years old and she has dementia.
07:27And she was recently evicted from the almshouse in which she had been living for around 20 years.
07:33And Kent County councils say that Queenie can live independently with a support package.
07:37However, her family are saying this is just the council's way of trying to save cash.
07:41So let's go in and have a look at what her family have to say.
07:48I received a call on the 27th of November from a member of the staff at Cutbush and Corral saying,
07:55Sorry, Queenie's going to have to move out. The trustees have made their decision.
07:58I didn't want to tell Queenie before Christmas that she was going to lose her home of 20 years.
08:04The charity Cutbush and Corral said that it had become obvious that Queenie was unable to live independently.
08:11So in response to the family, they said that any decision regarding assessments of care needs are matters for the
08:17relevant statutory authorities.
08:19Two weeks before the family were told that Queenie was being evicted, she was a victim of financial theft.
08:26Kathleen Perry took her bank card and, alongside her daughter, spent £2,300 from Queenie's account.
08:33It did frighten her because she said, I'm not going up to bed at night, I'm staying downstairs because I'm
08:40frightened of people knocking on the door.
08:42She wouldn't allow the real carers to come in unless they rang me and said, can you ring Queenie and
08:50say we're here because we're still trying to help.
08:52The family approached Kent County Council's Adult Social Services for financial help to place Queenie in a care home.
08:59But after a care needs assessment, they said that Queenie's needs could be safely met in a general needs housing
09:05with an increased package of care.
09:08Which her family say has not been working for Queenie so far.
09:12In a statement, KCC said, in line with her needs, Mrs Watts was being supported to access extra care accommodation,
09:21a secure self-contained flat with on-site support.
09:45With help from her nephew, Queenie was able to move into a new care home in May this year.
09:50But with fears that their funding will run out in 10 months' time, the family are unsure what will happen
09:57for Queenie next and are calling on the council for help.
10:01Naila Mahamud for KMTV in Beerstead.
10:05A learner driver has been spared prison after a serious head-on collision in Sheerness that left four men seriously
10:11injured.
10:12Stephen Kelly from Queenborough was given a 26-week suspended prison sentence for two years after admitting causing serious injury
10:20by careless driving.
10:21One victim suffered multiple fractures and can no longer work as a builder.
10:25While another told the court he continues to suffer flashbacks and anxiety from the incident.
10:31Keeley has been banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to complete 15 rehabilitation sessions and must take an extended
10:37driving test before being allowed behind the wheel again.
10:41Multiple bus routes that service one of Kent's biggest shopping centre and a hospital could be reduced or cut due
10:47to bus tax changes.
10:49Transport for London has announced they are reviewing its services to Darrant Valley Hospital and Blue Water after Kent County
10:55Council asked for an increase in fees for use of the fast-track busway.
11:00TfL believes the increase in fees would impact the financial sustainability of the service and has put its future at
11:07risk.
11:08The reaction has been one of worry with Dartford Council Leader Jeremy Kite telling Kent Online that the situation is
11:14quite alarming.
11:15A violent offender who used a metal bar and his car to deliberately target a victim following a street dispute
11:22in Dartford has been imprisoned.
11:24Connor Appleton from Rochester was sentenced to five years and one month in prison after admitting a series of violent
11:31offences.
11:32In the early hours of the morning he got into an argument with a group of women, according to Kent
11:36Police.
11:37He then hit a woman over the head with a metal bar and a man with his car.
11:41Police described Appleton's actions as extensive and entirely unacceptable, adding that they hope the sentence brings some closure to his
11:48victims.
11:50That's all we have for this part of the show. We'll see you in just a few minutes for more.
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15:23TV. Within the last year, Kent County Council have spent over £155,000 on Amazon. It might
15:30be quick and convenient, but the online retailer has faced criticism for its unethical workplace
15:35practices, environmental impact, and for squeezing smaller businesses out of the market. But
15:41what do people think? Megan Shaw went to Maidstone to find out.
15:44It's the biggest online retailer in the world and headed by the fourth richest man. But Amazon
15:51is also Kent County Council's biggest supplier, according to purchase card spending data from
15:57the last year. Looking at the spreadsheets, we can see that Kent County Council have spent
16:02almost £160,000 on Amazon. That's not to say they've spent that money on themselves, but
16:09rather they've bought products for different departments. One thing we don't know is exactly
16:14what products have been bought using the online retailer, but we can see what departments have
16:20been ordering them and which departments rely on Amazon the most.
16:24Of the 5,623 items purchased using the online retailer, 1,173 of these were under the Children,
16:34Young People and Education Directorate. These might include birthday presents for children
16:39in care, for example, which might have required speedy delivery.
16:42I suppose a lot of people will say, well, why don't we support the local shops? And yes,
16:48we should, but we can. And we do have a scheme to support local businesses. But at the same
16:55time, I think many of them people will have Amazon Prime pull up outside and deliver parcels
16:59to their house while they're going to the high streets and using the shops locally.
17:03But Amazon has also come under fire for poor workplace conditions, its environmental impact
17:09and for evading paying tax in the UK. Is this something we should be supporting here in Kent?
17:15The leader of the Conservative Group, Harry Rayner, says there's an alternative.
17:20Something that I was working on was to try and actually use one of the subsidiary companies of
17:26Kent County Council. They have something called Kent County Supplies. Kent County Supplies delivers
17:32stationery and other items to all of Kent County Council's facilities, including schools, for example.
17:39And what I would do in similar circumstances is take the top 20, 25, 30 items that are used most
17:46on Amazon and actually warehouse them at Kent County Supplies facilities.
17:53Now, Kent County Council may have given their rationale, but here in a village outside Maidstone,
17:59what do residents think of where their taxpayer money is going?
18:03Funds of entity and business and, you know, if you need something quickly,
18:08Amazon's provides a service and sometimes you need something the next day, a lot of time they're cheaper.
18:13What have they got to do with our community when all their shareholders are just raking it in, not paying
18:19no tax?
18:21But is it worth supporting Kent suppliers, even if, in comparison to Amazon, they're nothing but snail mail?
18:29Megan Shaw for King TV in Maidstone.
18:34Amazon have, of course, been reached for comment.
18:37A dangerous driver who went well over the speed limits in Sevenoaks has been imprisoned
18:41after a head-on collision with another vehicle. William Hutchings travelled at excessive speed
18:46on hatch marking and the wrong side of the road and has been sentenced to 16 months in prison
18:51earlier this month. Jude Moulton has the story, but viewer discretion is advised.
18:56This is the aftermath of a shocking high-speed collision in Sevenoaks. At 8.15pm on 19 April
19:052025, officers begun pursuit of reckless driver William Hutchings, who continued to drive in
19:12an excess speed in order to avoid arrest. After driving on the wrong side of the road,
19:19Hutchings collided head-on with another driver. Police performed life-saving first aid at the scene
19:27until paramedics arrived. The occupants of the other vehicle only sustained minor injuries.
19:35Now, Hutchings has been sentenced to imprisonment for 16 months and a ban for driving for five years
19:43and six months after release. Jude Moulton for KMTV.
19:50Across the news, you've probably seen that one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century,
19:55who this year had a piece installed in a Margate gallery, has passed away aged 88. David Hockney was
20:01a painter, stage designer and photographer, who's considered one of the most important figures in
20:06the pop movement of the 1960s. Tia Conway joined me earlier to talk about the artist's life and legacy.
20:14So what should people remember about David Hockney? Well, Hockney was at the forefront
20:18of the international art world for over seven decades. He was one of the most important British
20:22artists in the 20th century. In his career, he experimented with many different forms of art,
20:28including printmaking and even using iPad drawing programmes in 2010. His work influenced
20:34generations of artists as he refused to conform to the artistic fashions of his day, which I think
20:39is really important because it reminds us to keep a sense of individuality in a time where
20:44fitting in seems to be one of the most important cultural factors. And what were some of his
20:48influences? Well, he was very influenced by the world around him, nature. He has a lot of paintings
20:53that feature swimming in them as well. A lot of his influences include like Pablo Picasso,
20:59Vincent van Gogh and even poets such as Walt Whitman. He has a piece of work that is named after
21:06a Walt
21:06Whitman poem as well. His paintings feature everyday objects like people as his subjects to give us a
21:13bit of a vibrant description of the world that we see around us. And tell us about some of his
21:18work
21:18that's here in Kent. So in 1962 following a trip from Europe, he began teaching at the Maidstone School
21:25of Art, so very local to us. He held admiration for JMW Turner and his works have been prominently
21:32showcased at the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate. You can see that there on the screen
21:36that is being shown now in Margate at the gallery. Ah, and why was some of this artwork displayed in
21:44the
21:45in the gallery in the first place? Well, his work is loved by millions. It's very recognisable. You can
21:49tell it's his a lot of the time just by looking at it. The same as him, he was a
21:54very recognisable
21:54figure himself in like his style and the way he dressed. When creating the series, the painting
22:02that is currently being shown in the gallery, it was created during lockdown and he said that he
22:07would suggest that people draw during this time. He recognised the sort of stress that the worldwide
22:12lockdown had put on the people and wanted to remind them that art can always be used as an outlet
22:17for
22:17that stress. The gallery in Margate, which will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year,
22:23will be displaying that piece of art in its sunny window until the 1st of November 2026. The window
22:29will be lit up every evening as well until 11pm so that visitors outside can view the artwork.
22:35Lovely. Thank you so much, Tia.
22:37Thank you. Art certainly is a great way to express your emotions and have some fun and be creative,
22:43as one local business has found out as they've opened their doors to help and build a community
22:49and support artists in their area. From pottery painting to needle felting, their workshops aim to
22:55bring people together. Our reporter Becky Udall has been down to check it out.
23:00In the heart of Chatham High Street lies a creative treasure trove.
23:04Today I'm visiting the Art Junction in Chatham High Street to find out more about what they do here.
23:09The purpose is to create a community space where people that are creative or want to be creative or
23:17just like crafting us to help with mental health or just to get out of the house. We do all
23:24sorts of
23:25things here, workshops, classes. The idea is to just have a community space that people can come and enjoy.
23:34Art Junction have created a vital space of community where people are able to meet and connect.
23:40They have been able to forge friendships that blossom into artistic collaborations,
23:45collaborations that potentially wouldn't have happened otherwise.
23:48I came in and I didn't really have much to say for myself, but everyone was really welcoming and lovely
23:54and I feel like I found a really nice community to be a part of.
23:58For me it's been great to give me another reason to kind of get out of bed in the morning
24:03really,
24:03because I love doing community work.
24:05It's good to see those things happening in here because you see that the space is working for its intended
24:11purpose.
24:12It's not just about building community though. It's now evolved into a central connection hub for Spectrum Arts,
24:18a creative network consisting of 50 plus local artists. It's also a place that allows for a selection of
24:25those artists to showcase and sell their artworks. It's really nice to have that base where we can come
24:30and not only continue the art shop that we started, but also where I can actually run workshops as well,
24:36because I do like kids workshops and I do adult doing things like D&D and manga art and all
24:42that stuff.
24:42So it's been giving us a bit of a base to kind of focus in.
24:48Seeing it grow gives us hope that we will be here for the foreseeable future.
24:55From affordable arts and crafts to classes and workshops to supporting local artists,
25:01Art Junction is a place that welcomes everyone to come and discover their own community.
25:05This is Becky Udall reporting for KMTV in Chatham.
25:11And now let's take a quick look at the weather to find out what it's going to look like over
25:15the weekend.
25:22Well, we have got moderate wind speeds of 10 and 13 miles per hour. We've got highs of 15 towards
25:27the east of the county.
25:28And then into tomorrow morning, we've got clear skies. Average of 16 degrees. Wind speeds slightly increasing,
25:37decreasing then into the afternoon. Clear skies remain though. We've got highs of 22 degrees in Maidstone.
25:42Lucky them. On Sunday, we have 21 degrees. 21 degrees on Monday too. Cloudy skies. Cloudy skies continuing to Tuesday,
25:4923 degrees.
26:01And just before we go with that weather on the way, hopefully we can enjoy in some outdoor pools.
26:06And we've taken a look through our Kent archives to see the Lido's through history. So let's have a quick
26:11look.
26:12Here's a newspaper clipping from 1937 showing the Strand Lido in Gilliam opening back in 1996 when it had a
26:19water polo and greasy pole competitions.
26:21This is Cliftonville Lido constructed in 1939 that later shot 50 years ago from storm damage,
26:27but was the only seaside bathing site hand dug out of chalk cliffs in the UK.
26:31And here's Ramsgate's marina pool built in 1934, measuring 250 feet by 90 feet, but unfortunately closed permanently in 1975.
26:43And you've been watching Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV. Thank you so much for watching.
26:47There's more news made just for you throughout the evening, like at 8pm when we have a roundup of everything
26:53from today.
26:54Thanks so much. Bye bye.
26:54Bye bye.
26:55Bye bye.
27:25Bye bye.
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