Local News

Alex Whitmey, the Managing Director of local company William Whitmey Independent Funeral Directors, has been elected as President for the Kent area of the National Association of Funeral Directors.

The company has it's head office in Chalkwell Road, Sittingbourne which opened in April 2014 and also has another office on London Road in Teynham.

Alex has been elected for the next two years and will represent funeral directors throughout Kent, at a regional level, going forward.

Alex told SFM News: "I am extremely honoured to have been elected and will continue to attain the highest standards of service and care across the industry and across the county".

Swale Borough Council is organising this year’s civic Service of Remembrance in Sittingbourne on Sunday 10th November.  

The council’s Remembrance Sunday service begins at 10am at St Michael’s church on the High Street and will be followed by a procession through the high street ending at the War Memorial on Central Avenue. 

The procession, led by the Royal British Legion Riders, will arrive at the Cenotaph at 11am where the remembrance and the laying of wreaths will take place until 12pm. 

They are also offering, one off, free parking in all their car parks across the borough - except for Bourne Place Multi-Storey Car Park - on Sunday 10th November between 8am and 2pm. 

Remembrance Sunday can be used as a day to appreciate the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, who defended our freedoms and protected us and our way of life. 

Central Avenue, from the Police Station to the High Street, and Central Avenue car park will be closed from 9am until 12pm to facilitate the Service of Remembrance and procession. 

Cllr Ben J Martin, Mayor of Swale, told SFM News: “We are very proud to be hosting this years’ civic Service of Remembrance in Sittingbourne, alongside community groups and organisations in the borough. Services like this are a reminder of the sacrifices people made to keep us safe and protect our way of life and gives us an opportunity to show our appreciation for the Armed Forces. I would like to offer a personal thank you to all the people who have, and are, serving in our Armed Forces and to their families who help support them.”  

Cllr Richard Palmer, Chair of the Community and Leisure Committee at the council, told SFM News: “To support the attendance at Remembrance Sunday services across the borough we will also be offering free parking at our car parks between 8am and 2pm. Sadly, government cuts and increasing costs have put a strain on our budget, making offering free parking difficult, but we have worked hard to make it possible this year. Anybody who wants to attend a local service on Remembrance Sunday can park for free, take part in the service and spend time with their friends and family without having to worry about paying for parking between 8am and 2pm.” 

What is Remembrance Sunday? 

Originally Remembrance Day was held on 11th November each year, as First World War hostilities ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In 1956 the date was fixed as the second Sunday of November. Each year Remembrance Sunday remembers all those who fought and died in any conflict, as well as veterans and soldiers who are still serving for their country. 

Why Poppies? 

The most recognisable symbol of Remembrance Sunday is the red poppy, which became associated with World War I memorials after scores of the flowers bloomed on the former battlefields of Belgium and northern France. (The phenomenon was depicted in the popular 1915 poem “In Flanders Fields,” by Canadian soldier John McCrae.) In 1921 the newly formed British Legion (now the Royal British Legion), a charitable organisation for veterans, began selling red paper poppies for Armistice Day, and its annual Poppy Appeal has been enormously successful. 

Why Two Minutes Silence? 

This silent pause gives us an opportunity so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on remembering those who have sacrificed so much. The first minute represents all those who have died; and the second minute is for those who survived. 

Where can you park? 

To find a car park in borough you can visit https://swale.gov.uk/find-a-car-park

Three suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with a phone shop robbery in Sittingbourne earlier this week.

The two men and a teenage boy are alleged to have stolen thousands of pounds of stock after forcing their way into a Vodafone store in the High Street.

The incident happened at around 5.20pm on Thursday (17th October) afternoon. By 7pm, responding patrols had made arrests in a park near Canterbury Street, Gillingham. Several devices suspected to be stolen were seized.

Enquiries to locate a silver Audi A3 are ongoing, and anyone with information that may assist the investigation is urged to call Kent Police on 01634 792209, quoting reference 46/176454/24. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or complete their online form.

Ionut Calin, 22, of Milton Road in Gillingham; Valentin Ciuraru, 24, of Central Park Road, E6 and a 17-year-old boy also from East London were all charged with robbery.

They are set to appear before Medway Magistrates’ Court later today (Saturday 19th October).

Swale Borough Council are working with the East Kent Baby Memorial Garden Charity to create a very special memorial here in Sittingbourne.  

The council will be installing a baby memorial board in King George's Playing Field, where residents touched by pregnancy and baby loss can have a place to remember them.  

The board is being provided by the charity and will display personalised terracotta tiles, featuring a name and significant date, in a beautiful garden.  

The charity, which hosts events, spreads awareness and offers support to families, currently have nearly 500 baby names recorded across their locations in Ashford, Faversham and Canterbury.

This announcement comes during Baby Loss Awareness Week (9th - 15th October), which aims to give families who have experienced baby loss a safe and supportive space to share their experiences and feel that they are not alone. 

The council has also been lighting the Sheerness Clock Tower in pink and blue as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week Alliance’s 'Turning Pink and Blue' campaign which aims to “raise awareness one building at a time.”  

Baby Loss Awareness Week ends with the global ‘Wave of Light’ on Tuesday 15th October, where everyone is invited to light a candle at 7pm as a special mark of support and remembrance.  

For more information, support, self-care advice and to find out ways you can get involved during the week, visit www.babyloss-awareness.org.  

Cllr Sarah Stephen, Woodstock ward councillor, told SFM News:  “I was a midwife for 30 years, the last 10 of which I specialised in early pregnancy loss running one of the UK’s first Early Pregnancy Units, so this project is very close to my heart. I have seen the devastation and heartache that losing a baby causes, and how important it is for families to have somewhere to go where they can remember their little ones, and know they are not alone in their grief. Some people may have memorials at a cemetery or crematorium, but these are usually extremely expensive and often unaffordable for many bereaved families, so having this public space dedicated to their special babies can hopefully bring some solace to them. The fee helps the charity continue operating and enables the creation of more memorials like this one, but of course if you are struggling financially there are ways they can help you remember your special baby with a name tile.”  

Cllr Richard Palmer, Chair of the Community and Leisure Committee at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News:  “We are proud to be working with this charity as our new memorial is a small, but meaningful way for us to show support to people going through pregnancy and baby loss. We are also supporting Baby Loss Awareness Week by lighting the Sheerness Clock Tower pink and blue, I would like to encourage everyone to be kind and thoughtful this week, and beyond, as this topic can be very upsetting. If you are dealing with baby loss please reach out to friends, family and support, like this charity, you aren’t alone and there is help out there.” 

Chris Twydell, Volunteer Treasurer for East Kent Baby Memorial Garden charity, told SFM News: “It is wonderful that we are able to announce these meaningful plans during Baby Loss Awareness Week and we are grateful to Swale Council for helping to make it happen. Our charity aims to create a safe environment where people can talk to us about their own baby loss, over the years we have chatted to hundreds of bereaved parents, many of whom have rarely - or never - talked about their special babies. Through speaking with us these families realise they were not as alone as they thought, and that there is support available.”  

The tiles for the new Sittingbourne memorial board can be ordered for £40, with payment plans available depending on people’s circumstances, from the charities’ website:- www.eastkentbabymemorialgardens.org.uk/babymemorialgardens. The money raised supports the charity to continue their work, and they hope to be able to have the first plaques in before Christmas.