Local News

Kent Police have confirmed that a shop has been visited following concerns raised with the local beat officer in Milton Regis.

Earlier today (Friday 30th August) Kent Police conducted a joint visit, with Kent County Council Trading Standards, to a retail premises on Milton Regis High Street where a large quantity of illegal vapes and tobacco was seized.

The seizure of illegal vapes in the county has soared in the past three years according to recent figures, mainly due to illicit e-cigarette smuggling through the Port of Dover.

The UKVIA (UK Vaping Industry Association) is calling for fines to be raised to at least £10,000, which they believe "would be a real deterrent to the illegal trade in the UK".

Milton Creek Country Park have won Silver at this year’s Wilder Kent Awards for their hard work in helping to create a Wilder Kent.

The awards, supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust, saw 87 organisations shortlisted and their efforts resulted in a staggering 120,000 people in the county receiving the nature benefits from the actions taken by the entrants. The finalists covered four categories, businesses, community groups, schools and villages, towns and cities. 18 received the highest accolade of gold, 23 silver, 27 bronze and 19 awarded commendations.

They received their award at a special ceremony at Canterbury University on Saturday 20th July, hosted by TV presenter and producer of 'Talk on the Wild Side' Podcast, Rob Smith. The Wilder Kent Awards were set up by Kent Wildlife Trust in 2020 as a way of recognising and rewarding the positive actions that groups across Kent are taking in order to protect wildlife and safeguard nature for future generations.

Kent Wildlife Trust’s Tom White, told SFM News: "We were absolutely bowled away by both the quantity and quality of this year's entries. The work that is going on in the county to create a wilder Kent is outstanding. When we are constantly faced with negativity about the nature and climate emergencies, it can be overwhelming, but here are 87 projects that are making a signifi cant diff erence to the people living in Kent from which around 120,000 would have benefi tted. From community gardens to schemes to tackle food waste and other harnessing renewable energy, these awards empower people, and demonstrate that we all have it in us to do something special that makes a difference."

One of the volunteer's from the Friends of Milton Creek Country Park told SFM News: "We are absolutely thrilled to receive the Wilder Kent Silver Award from Kent Wildlife Trust! The achievement is a collective endeavor involving all volunteers, from marketing to maintaining the park's cleanliness, tidiness, and accessibility for local residents. Across the Swale area, several other parks have also been recognised, highlighting the shared passion and dedication of everyone towards wildlife conservation".

Kent Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity with more than 31,000 members and over 1000 registered volunteers. They manage and protect over 9000 acres of land across more than 80 different sites and nature reserves, alongside 3 visitor centres and they work closely with local communities, landowners and partners to protect and improve habitats in the countryside, coast and town for the benefi t of the wildlife and people of Kent.

Secondary school pupils across Sittingbourne were able to pick up their GCSE Results from 8am this morning (Thursday 22nd August).

Nationally the pass rate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland has fallen for the third year running – with 67.6% of all grades at 4/C and above. Since 2017 scores have been used in a numerical scale with grades being ranked from 1 (which is the lowest) to 9 (the highest). A standard pass is considered to be a 4 and a strong pass as a 5.

The Sittingbourne School (TSS) have had "a range of excellent GCSE and BTEC results". One standout student was Dami, she achieved nine GCSEs, including a Grade 9 in both Maths and History along with three grade 8s in Biology, Chemistry and Computing and Physics.

Headteacher Nick Smith told SFM News: “This year we have seen some fantastic GCSE and Vocational results for students across the subjects. We are proud of all of our students who have consistently demonstrated dedication, resilience and hard work; today's results are a testament to their commitment. We wish them every success as they embark on the exciting next chapter of their lives."

Fulston Manor School were also celebrating today telling SFM News there was "an improvement in the number of students achieving a grade 4 or above in both English and Maths". Top performers there included Bethany who achieved three Grade 9s, two Grade 8s, one Grade 7 and one Grade 6.

Headteacher Susie Burden told SFM News: “I would like to praise all our students for their efforts and our staff for all of the support they have given them throughout their time here.”

At Borden Grammar fifty of their Year 11 students achieved five or more top grades (7-9) with 20 of these achieving 9 or more GCSE top grades (7-9). Grade 9 is only achieved by less than 2% nationally and this year, 2 Borden students achieved 6 Grade 9s, one achieved 8 Grade 9s and one student unbelievably achieved all 11 GCSEs at Grade 9.

At Highsted Grammar 15 pupils gained a clean sweep of top grades across 10 or more subjects: Angelique B, Kamilla B, Lucy B, Victoria B, Hope D, Olivia H, Chloe L, Isobel M, Summer McK, Adedolapo O, Ruby P, Matilda P, Yolla S, Katie S and Angelina T.

A mother of three young children from Sittingbourne was recently able to reunite with the ambulance service colleagues who helped to save her life last year.

Gemma Ledger, now aged 39, suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in the early hours of the morning on Monday 23rd January 2023, while her three children now aged two, five and 13 were asleep next door.

Gemma’s partner of 18 years, Richard, woke to what sounded like Gemma snoring, but when he tried to wake her, he found her gasping for air. Gemma became unconscious moments later and Richard immediately called 999, where he was instructed on how to perform effective CPR prior to the arrival of ambulance teams.

Arriving on scene was Operational Team Leader, Paul Ellis, Trainee Associate Ambulance Practitioner, Graham Seal, Ambulance Paramedic, Tobias Hiller-Wood, and Critical Care Paramedic, Kieren Pugh.

Crews administered an astonishing 10 shocks with a defibrillator before achieving a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and stabilising Gemma before taking her to Kings College Hospital in London.

Richard told SFM News: “The drive to Kings was one of the scariest of my life. It felt like it took forever. We were told that Gemma had a five per cent chance of survival for an out of hospital cardiac arrest, so I went through a range of emotions while travelling up to London. I can’t thank Graham enough for trying to keep my mind occupied while driving as quick as he could to Kings.”

Gemma spent a week in intensive care, before being moved to a general ward for a further two weeks recovery.

Both Gemma and Richard were recently able to visit South East Coast Ambulance’s Medway Make Ready Centre in Gillingham where they were reunited with the ambulance service colleagues who responded to Gemma, as well as being given a tour of the facility, including the Emergency Operations Centre.

Gemma told SFM News: “I have no memory of the event itself, until I woke up in hospital days later, so it was an eye-opener for me to meet those who helped me. I am so appreciative of their efforts and truly wouldn’t be here today without them.”

Richard went on to say: “Originally, we thought that Gemma had a low chance of survival, so it is truly a miracle that she’s here today. A big thank you to the team, they all do a great job every day and are lovely people. Many thanks from the bottom of our hearts.”

Graham told SFM News: “It’s rare that we ever get to meet a cardiac arrest survivor, and so I am so pleased that Gemma and Richard wanted to meet us. Richard’s good quality CPR played a huge factor as to why Gemma is still here today, and we can’t thank him enough for starting the process before our arrival.”

Gemma is on a long road to recovery and is taking every day as it comes. She suffers with a number of side-effects including tiredness, and since the incident has successfully been fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).