Dartford Living May 2020

INSIDE THE MAGAZINE NORTH KENT LOCAL NKC ACTOR BACK PRODUCES 3D FACE FOR ROUND 2 PPE FOR KEY SHIELDS WORKERS PAGE 6

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THANK YOU TO THE NHS AND ALL KEY WORKERS MAY 2020 - ISSUE 167 - FREE

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- RESPONSIVE WEBSITE DESIGN - MAGAZINE & PROGRAMME DESIGN

(CURRENT DESIGNERS OF THE OFFICIAL DARTFORD FC MATCH DAY PROGRAMME AND DARTFORD LIVING MAGAZINE)

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BY THE COMMUNITY,

BY THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE COMMUNITY

Dear Readers, Welcome to the May magazine, this month only available online.

CONTENTS

We live in strange times, but as usual the magazine is jam packed with lots of local information and local businesses. Please support as many as you can - use them or lose them! Like no time before your community needs you.

6 North Kent 3D face shields 8-9 The Art of the community 12 Local actor back for round 2 14-15 Wildlife in your garden 16-17 20 reasons why you should consider switching your mortgage now 18 Free careers advice available online and by phone 20-21 North Kent College produces essential PPE for Key workers 22 Kent NHS choir raises the roof with ‘stay at home’ 24 Travel advice 25 Fitness blog 27 Keeping your dog entertained during lockdown 28 Hospice Chief executive praises staff during the Covid19 pandemic 29 Sports roundup 30-33 Businesses offering services during the pandemic 35 Westgate Dartford 36 DBC grant over £10million to Dartford Businesses 37 Children don’t learn when they are anxious 39 Give your mind a little TLC this May 40 Life under the stairs 43 A poem for Spring 47 Coronavirus advice 48 Online Theatre roundup 49 Healthy Yacon flapjacks 51 Car News

In case you weren’t aware, we run Dartford Living alongside volunteer members of the local community FOR the local community.

It’s the only independently run magazine serving the local area with information, fun, good news and positive local stories!

Please get in touch if you would like to write an article for the magazine. If writing is not for you then perhaps you could volunteer to deliver 100 or so magazines to your local roads, when things are back to normal, you will guarantee your copy of the magazine and get a little exercise as well!

If you email editor@dartfordliving.com we will add you to our e-newsletter and you will join 7,000 others who receive a copy of the magazine by email once a month.

Until next time, stay safe, Vijay - Editor, Dartford Living (and the rest of the fantastic Dartford Living volunteer team)

55 Club Hub UK ONLINE

www.dartfordliving.com www.dartfordlivinglive.co.uk www.dartfordbusinessdirectory.co.uk

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Everyone understands that the Coronavirus outbreak is bound to cause concern but please be reassured that Dartford Borough Council and an army of volunteers, groups and great organisations are able to support you.

We’re here for everything from advice on business grants to matching vulnerable people with volunteers to help with shopping or provide a friendly voice on the phone. It’s likely all the advice you need can be found online at

www.dartford.gov.uk but if you, or someone you know, is not on the internet and need help as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak please call

01322 34 32 44

For all other routine council issues please call our usual number

01322 34 34 34 At evening and weekends, please call our partners at Kent Together

03000 41 92 92 Dartford is a great community and now, more than ever, we are here for each other.

Jeremy Kite, Leader of the Council

DARTFORD

together

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By B e t h a n y Gra n g e r

NORTH KENT 3D FACE SHIELDS

By Bethany Granger

Having raised a fantastic £9,000 via gofundme and launching their own website, www.3dfaceshields.co.uk, to communicate their mission, the team aim to continue for as long as funds are available. With the current demand, materials alone cost around £1,000 per week; each shield is made at a cost of around 70p.

Alongside contributions of materials and time by everyone involved, Luke Granger, a local businessman, donated £1,600 to initially fund the project as well as bankrolling the project as it takes up to 3 weeks to withdraw funds from gofundme. Dartford and Gravesham Borough councils have also collectively donated £3000 to support the mission, making it clear that this project is appreciated by so many, especially as the shields are free of charge to those that need them.

In recent weeks, since COVID-19 disrupted all our lives, many people have come forward volunteering their support to others within the community. We wanted to share a fantastic project, formed by local residents called North Kent 3D Face Shields.

The 6 founding members of North Kent 3D Face shields, Cllr Kelly Grehan, Trish & James Clinch, Richard Leachman and Luke & Bethany Granger joined forces on the 2nd April to provide PPE for NHS workers on the frontline.

It became apparent early on that the demand for this valuable PPE was far greater than they could have imagined, many non NHS keyworkers within the community came forward to make requests; care homes, surgeries, local shops and even bus drivers all needing protection and peace of mind.

Over 20 makers are now on board with many younger family members getting involved too. Richard’s three children, Max, Ben & Scarlett are keen to support the project whilst off school, as is Tom Clinch, who at just 11 is doing a fantastic job. Each volunteer is seeing it as an opportunity to give back to the community and play a small part in fighting the Coronavirus.

Many of the team have multiple printers running constantly to keep up with demand. The Granger’s are currently running 5 printers from their home in Northfleet, whilst in Dartford, The Leachman Family have 3. In total, 4 printers will be donated to local schools once the mission is over. Two were purchased using initial funds from the gofundme campaign, and the others each donated by Luke Granger Photography and the Social Workers of North Kent. Although not all have been allocated to schools yet, it is certainly a fantastic way to influence and encourage the next generation to learn a new skill.

The shortage of PPE supplies across the country has been widely documented, many companies If you would like to get involved with the project or place a have inflated their prices to profit from the demand request for your workplace, visit www.3dfaceshields.co.uk however by combining their skills and resources the team are distributing these shields free of charge.

Just 3 weeks into the project the team have supplied 5000 face shields to over 200 local organisations.

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TAKEAWAY AVAILABLE TO ORDER USE ONE OF THE DELIVERY SERVICES BELOW

WWW.EFESDARTFORD.CO.UK

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By B e t h a n y Gra n g e r

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By B e t h a n y Gra n g e r

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By B e t h a n y Gra n g e r

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By B e t h a n y Gra n g e r

11

LOCAL ACTO R BAC K FO R ROUND 2

LOCAL ACTOR BACK FOR ROUND 2

By Louis Findlay Louis Findlay is an Award winning actor from Dartford. In 2016 Louis wrote, directed and starred in his first short film called Days To Come which focused on mental health. The film won several awards in Europe for best picture, story and received 3rd jury prize. The film was also submitted to The Actor Awards L.A where he was awarded “Best Actor” award in Los Angeles.

Almost three years later, Louis set his sights to a bigger challenge. In 2018, Louis began writing his first feature film called No Mercy. No Mercy tells the story of a young boxer called Reece “No Mercy” Mercy, leading up to his first professional fight and following in his father’s footsteps as champ.

However, tragedy strikes along the way which sends Reece on a rampant path of self destruction. With just a few months to go, his partner Vicky and best friend Georgie are determined to get him back into shape and on the right track with the help of a new trainer, all whilst rekindling his relationship with his estranged mother.

Leonardo Di’Caprio.

“It was a huge honour to have these amazingly talented actors in my film. I’ve learned so much from them and I can’t wait for you to see them shine” Louis continued by mentioning that some of the cast had never set foot on a film set before, nor had any intention of ever being in a movie. He stated that Richie Lamb, who plays his onscreen father, told him to “jog on” when he was first approached for the role. So how did he convince him to accept the lead role?

“Richie and I met one another when we used to work at UPS in Dartford and we have kept in touch since. When I was writing this film, I wanted the audience to believe that this was a real family, a family that not only loves one another and bickers but knows each other inside and out and could finish one another’s sentences. I could’ve gone down the easy route and cast an actor but I knew Once again Louis called upon his friends Brandon no actor would portray this role like Richie, it was Baily, Dan Brooks and Marcus O’Brien. They not made for him. I asked him again, told him I’d buy only helped shoot the film but Marcus also has a starring role in the film as Georgie. Louis contacted him a coffee in Costa, show him the script and that was it. He said yes and I’m so glad he did because Gerrard Scott who runs Tree Estate Community Amateur Boxing Club in Dartford who opened their I have to say he is the star of this film. Richie’s doors and allowed the crew to film inside the gym. performance is so natural I wouldn’t be surprised if Not only that but Louis said “Not only did they open he was in Eastenders one day. I think where Richie and I worked together and knew one another their doors to us but they also helped me get in inside out, it gave us the ability to improvise and better shape and taught me a thing or two” . we captured some really beautiful moments in the film.”

Louis describes the cast of the film as a tight - knit friendship that has really come together during production.

The film was due to wrap at the end of March but due to the Government issuing a state of emergency Lockdown, it has been put on hold until it is safe to “This film is all about family, its very family orientated and that’s exactly how it felt during continue filming once again. filming. I’m really going to miss filming with everyone, they all did an excellent job and did For now, you can view the trailer by clicking the link exactly what I asked. I couldn’t be happier.” below. https://youtu.be/IeHTXwExCUc The film also stars Sharon Lawrence and Scott Wickes who have previously starred in Eastenders, Bromley Boys and Blood Diamond starring

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LOCAL ACTO R BAC K FO R ROUND 2

Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

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13

W i l d l i f e i n yo u r ga r d e n

WILDLIFE IN YOUR GARDEN

By Local resident Howard Vaughan

I would imagine, like me, you have been having a bit of cupboard stock take over the last week, digging out all those ancient and forgotten tins of oddities like pink grapefruit slices and marrow fat peas that you inexplicably bought in the distant past.

But do not throw the cans in your recycling bin!

Upcycle them into homes for wildlife.

Bee or bug house: • Use the contents of the elderly tinned product (or not as the case may be!)

• Thoroughly clean the tin can and remove the label if you wish or you can keep it as natural decoration!

• If you want to place the tin onto a fence or shed or even the side of your house attached it at this point by drilling and screwing through the base but of course get help with this if you are of younger years!

• Alternatively you can secure it with wire or string to the side of a post or under a branch or even just poke it into a bush. These all work just fine.

• So what to fill it with? There are natural and manmade options here. For Bees: Either find some bamboo canes and cut then into 15cm (6in) pieces ensuring that a hollow end is visible or you can even use last year’s Nettle or Teasel The holes do not need to be all the same size either. The other option is a chance to use up any of those nasty plastic straws that you may have lurking in your top draw or ancient Cocktail Cabinet.

Do not go out and buy them for this purpose but give the ones you have the the opportunity to be put to a better use than a milkshake or strawberry daiquiri.

Mix them with the natural tubes.

Teasels from my garden

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Nice hollow stems of different sizes once cut

Some bigger ‘tubes’ are sealed with a now dried leaf and contain a dormant Leaf-cutter Bee larvae while the smaller ones are sealed with tree sap by Large Headed Resin Bees which are tiny!

Leafcutter sealing the tube with a circular piece with the egg and some food safely inside.

By Lo ca l r e s i d e n t H o wa r d Vau g h a n

Nearly done - having lined it with ovoid leaf pieces It takes the Large Headed Resin Bee longer to seal the chamber!

• For other bugs: Even easier; you are trying to make nooks and crannies so stuff the can with some dead leaves on the bottom, perhaps some pine cones if you have any to hand. In fact anything that will fit.

It does not have to last forever so even a rolled up piece or corrugated cardboard will be great!

their eggs. You may have heard of things called Rat Tailed Maggots – well these are actually hoverfly larvae and the ‘tail’ is in fact their breathing tube that they poke through the surface meniscus to take in oxygen. It also just happens to be their bum... but that is another story.

• So, after cleaning you can either attach vertically them to trees or fences and such like or just stand them up around the garden.

• Pop in a little bit of soil and top up with water. I always add a stick or something so that any emerging Hoverflies can clamber out and pump up their wings in the same way that a Dragonfly would.

• Oh and you can also use old plastic milk or drink bottles cut in half for this.

• Remember to keep them topped up, preferably with rain water What could be easier?

Myathropa florea - a cool And Helophilus pendulus species that will say Hoverfly recognised by the another thank you by pollinating your Batman mark on the back! garden flowers

And my plastic bottle versions are now in their third year!

A multi-purpose home with fircones jammed in for spiders and other invertbrates. This version actually has a standard sized tin can attached inside a large catering size bean tin from work.

Hoverfly Home: • This is even easier...

Some Hoverfly species (and many other insects) develop in water and other than a pond (if you are lucky enough to have one) they often find it difficult to find still water in which to lay

So there you have it; a little something that you can do to help the smaller denizens of your own wild space. If you do not have a garden, bee and hoverfly homes live quite happily on the outside of a building so give it a go!

Enjoy and good luck!

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Br e a d p u d d i n g

BREAD PUDDING

By Debbie Dickinson I’m hoping everyone is coping with the lockdown – I’m loving seeing how many people are baking to pass the time – I’ve seen some great creations!

What to do: Break the bread up into small pieces and pop into a large bowl.

With the VE Day 75th Anniversary coming up this Add the fruit and spices. month - and flour in short supply - it seemed a good Pour in the milk and stir (or squeeze with your time to share my Bread Pudding recipe. fingers) until all is combined thoroughly.

It’s also a great one to do with the kids as it’s very squelchy and mixed with your hands!

You’ll need: 400g Bread – white or wholemeal will work equally well, whatever you have available.

Add the eggs and sugar and stir with a fork to combine.

Leave for about 20 minutes to give the milk time to completely soak in.

Heat the oven to 180° (160° Fan) and grease/line a 20cm square cake tin.

500g mixed dried fruit

Pour the mix into the tin and sprinkle with the remaining 1tbsp sugar.

2tbsp mixed spice (or make up your own mix of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg)

Bake for approx. 1.5 hours until firm to the touch and golden.

500ml milk 2 eggs, beaten

Bread Pudding is delicious served warm or cold.

150g brown sugar plus another 1tbsp to sprinkle on top

Enjoy!

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I s yo u r b u s i n e ss st i l l t ra d i n g d u r i n g t h e pa n d e m i c ?

20 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER SWITCHING MORTGAGES RIGHT NOW! In 2020 we’ll have been in business for 20 years!

To celebrate, each month we’re sharing 20 top tips about topics that are closest to our heart. Our aim is always to provide you with the best possible information so you can make informed financial decisions. This month we’re talking about how you can save money by switching mortgages.

20 Reasons Why You Should Consider Switching Mortgages RIGHT NOW! When your mortgage comes to an end, many people end up on a Standard Variable Rate (SVR) either because they don’t realise there’s a better option, or because they have become a mortgage prisoner – trapped in their current mortgage due to circumstances that might well be beyond their control.

But the situation has changed. In this article, we’ll outline how switching mortgages can save you money, why the process is much easier than you think and how we can help you find a mortgage that best suits your changing circumstances.

Mortgage Holidays Before we get into the details about switching mortgages – an important note about mortgage holidays.

Lenders are currently offering a 3-month mortgage holiday because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It’s a difficult time right now, especially if you’re coping with a fall in income or the loss of your job.

We know for many people this scheme is a lifeline but it’s important to do it right, so it won’t affect your credit rating.

arrangements as they relate to your mortgage lender.

Email us on mortgageholidayhelp@downtonandali.co.uk Save Money 1. Avoid going onto a Standard Variable Rate (SVR) - When your mortgage comes to an end, if you do nothing you’ll simply move to your lender’s Standard Variable Rate (SVR). SVRs tend to be much higher than other types of mortgage – in some cases the rate is double. In January 2019 the average SVR was 4.9%, compared to 2.52% for a typical 2-year fixed-rate mortgage. If you don’t switch away from the SVR, over the lifetime of your mortgage you’re likely to end up paying thousands more in interest than you need to.

2. Get advice on the right mortgages - As a member of Openwork Ltd, one of the UK’s largest financial adviser networks, we have access to competitive rates from some of the UK’s best-known lenders. You could approach mortgage lenders directly, and they will advise you about the mortgages they offer, but you won’t necessarily know how their deals to compare to others on the market. In fact, as a member of Openwork, we get access to some mortgages that aren’t available on the high street.

3. Mortgage Prisoners - It’s even more important you act quickly if you’re a mortgage prisoner. Whether you ended up in this situation as a result of negative equity, or because you were adversely affected by the changes in affordability rules in 2014 or because of changes in your circumstances such as a job move or credit issue, there might well be good news for you. If you’re up to date with payments and not looking to borrow additional money, we can help you get a more appropriate assessment with We’d love to help. Contact us for fee free advice your current lender which will make it easier for you to and we’ll talk you through the specifics of the find a mortgage to meet your needs.

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I s yo u r b u s i n e ss st i l l t ra d i n g d u r i n g t h e pa n d e m i c ?

If you’d like to find out more information about saving money by switching your mortgage, please click here to download your free guide.

Switching Mortgages Is Easier Than You Think 4. Finding a new mortgage is easier than getting your first one - This time around you don’t have the stress of moving! So, no estate agents, negotiating contracts or worrying about the chain!

5. Currently, there are no on-site evaluations - Because of the Corona virus pandemic, you can switch mortgages without having to go through an on-site valuation as valuers are not visiting homes right now.

This can save you money.

6. You might not even have to switch lenders - When you undertake a Mortgage Review, your lender might offer you a tempting deal to entice you to stay with them...

7. … but take advice about how their offer compares to other mortgages on the market. As a member of Openwork, we have access to competitive rates from most of the UK’s biggest lenders.

8. A mortgage review is a straightforward process that can be completed online.

9. We can even complete your mortgage application on your behalf...

14. Using all this information, we’ll use our knowledge and expertise to advise you which sort of mortgage - tracker rate, variable rate, fixed-rate, discounted rate flexible, or off-set mortgage - might suit you, or if it would be better for you to take advantage of a government scheme.

15. We can also talk through the advantages and disadvantages of a capital - capital and interest/ repayment method investment or interest-only repayment methods.

16. As you get older, you might focus on paying off your mortgage early. We can check if your current deal has exit fees or early repayment charges.

17. Or you may need a mortgage with lower monthly repayments if, for example, you’ve changed jobs or had a baby.

18. You might need to raise extra money to create more space or improve your home, so you don’t have to move as your family circumstances change.

19. And don’t put your dreams on hold because of the Corona virus. We advise starting to plan now as all the preparation can be done virtually, so you’re ready to press GO! when we’re all allowed to move freely again.

10. ...and do all the legwork for you, including liaising with solicitors, valuers, and surveyors (if necessary)*.

20. you might even be able to take advantage of our Design. Finance. Build. Service, where we work with a builder and interior designer to deliver a full renovation*.

11. We can advise you about all the costs involved - so there are no surprises, you know exactly what you are getting into before you start.

If you’d like to find out more information about mortgages that suit your changing circumstances, please contact us.

12. We can also advise you about financial protection – including critical illness insurance and serious illness cover, income protection, life insurance, and mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI).

If you’d like to find out more information about Mortgage Reviews please click here to download your free guide Changes in Circumstances Impact The Mortgage You Need

You might be able to save money if you switch your mortgage to a better deal. And right now, while there are no on-site valuations of properties taking place, the process is even easier. Don’t leave it too late and end up paying more in interest than you need to. Contact us for more information tailored to your circumstances.

13. As you get older, your circumstances change and so do the sorts of mortgages that suit you best.

We will make sure we are fully informed about your circumstances and overall financial position, so we’re in the best place to work out which sort of mortgage suits you best.

*The services promoted here are not part of the Openwork offering and are offered in our own right.

Openwork Limited accept no responsibility for this aspect of our business. These services are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. www.downtonandali.co.uk

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Fr e e Ca r e e r s A dv i c e Ava i l a b l e O n l i n e a n d O v e r t h e P h o n e

FREE CAREERS ADVICE AVAILABLE ONLINE AND OVER THE PHONE The National Careers Service has announced that it is adapting the way it delivers its offering to ensure it can continue to provide an uninterrupted service to thousands of citizens across the South East.

to explore online learning. Our advisers are best placed to help individuals identify the right learning opportunity and have access to thousands of courses and training providers.”

The National Careers Service provides free, professional and impartial advice on getting a new job, changing careers, training, education and the labour market; support which is available to anyone aged 13+ and living in England. Whilst the face-to-face service is currently unavailable, individuals can now access that support using a multitude of alternative channels, including webchat, over the telephone, via video call, and through social media.

Our free service can support individuals to: - Build confidence - Complete a skills assessment - Review/ update their CV - Develop online interview skills - Identify online training opportunities - Get new qualifications - Plan the next steps of their career

The National Careers Service is completely free of Debbie Lloyd, Assistant Director of National Careers charge, and accessible to anyone aged 13+ and Service South East, said; “Whether someone is needing living in England. To access the service, call 0800 100 900. support to find a short-term job, looking for a new career, or looking to build confidence and assess their skills, we have qualified advisers here to support them.

“At this time, there is also a great deal of opportunity

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N o rt h K e n t Co l l e g e p ro d u c e s e ss e n t i a l PPE to h e l p p rot e c t k e y w o rk e r s !

NORTH KENT COLLEGE PRODUCES ESSENTIAL PPE TO HELP PROTECT KEY WORKERS! North Kent College have begun the production of vital PPE, face visors, for local NHS Trusts during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The College put out an appeal to employers who they have been working with to see if they could either source materials or donate supplies and the response has been outstanding. PPE is in high demand worldwide and ensures the protection of our key workers whilst we tackle the fight against COVID-19. Many schools, colleges and places of work are coming together to manufacture the equipment and North Kent College are no exception!

Within one day the College received over 10,000 cable ties which were delivered to the Gravesend Campus by AES Smart Metering and H & Askhams Ltd. In addition, Tesco’s Sidcup branch ordered and donated £1,000 worth of PVC. Subsequently, North Kent College have set up a “Go Fund Me” donation page where their £2,000 target was reached within the space of just 4 days!

Paul Marsh, Technical Manager at AES Smart Metering Enfield &

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Dartford said “We are happy to help the NHS in anyway we can at this trying time.

Whilst the College and workshops are closed, North Kent College set up a production line with staff volunteering to help and worked closely with Chatham & Clarendon Grammar School in Ramsgate who kindly shared their visor designs.

Lara Pool, Business Development Manager, North Kent College said “We are extremely grateful to all donors, in particular DS Smith Paper and Tesco Sidcup for helping us find the materials we need and for the funding they have given us – this has allowed us to start production. Without the generosity of all our wonderful donors we would not be able to start this

N o rt h K e n t Co l l e g e p ro d u c e s e ss e n t i a l PPE to h e l p p rot e c t k e y w o rk e r s !

project to protect NHS staff and patients at this extremely worrying and difficult time.”

Robin Williamson of Tesco’s Sidcup branch said “I just wanted to say it is our pleasure to be able to support in these unchartered times and myself and my team, including Dave Smaller and Jemma Mewett are proud to be able to help.”

Gary Brand at CGR Polythene said “We were happy to help in our small way towards this fantastic initiative by North Kent College and we would like to congratulate them on a very professional job.”

North Kent College would also like to thank the following people and companies: • DS Smith Paper • Balfour Beatty • Villacourt Rovers FC • CGR Polythene • Dartford Working Men’s Club • Mark Lindop • PLP Fire • Swanley Rugby Club • Jewels Tours • Cllr Diane Marsh • Monique and colleagues at “The Plastic Shop” for staying open to process orders and providing the plastic sheets at a discounted rate.

• And for all the donations made by individuals too.

Production started on Thursday 23rd April with 57 visors being made and 50 distributed the same day to: the Peter Gidney Centre, Darenth; Devon Road Surgery, South Darenth; The Oaks Surgery Swanley; Oakfield Health Centre, Lawsat Pharmacy, Wainscott. The next batch are due to go to Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust and Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust next week.

The Lawsat Pharmacy on receiving the essential PPE commented “North Kent College, we cannot thank you enough for helping our teams stay safe while we continue to provide a service to the community during this fight against COVID-19.”

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KENT NHS CHOIR RAISES THE ROOF WITH ‘STAY AT HOME’ Kent NHS choir raises the roof with ‘Stay at home’ The song’s key message is about how the NHS is supporting our communities and how our communities can and racks up 54,000 views on social media support the NHS by staying at home. You can view the It’s possibly the biggest challenge the NHS has ever video here - https://vimeo.com/403657372 faced, but despite the daily pressures of COVID-19, staff at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) found a little time to virtually record a song to motivate colleagues and encourage the public to stay at home.

KCHFT, one of the biggest community trusts in the country, employs nearly 5,000 people and provides a range of community services in Kent, Medway, London and East Sussex.

The special version of ‘This is me’ - one of the most We, like trusts around the UK, stand with our NHS colwell-known songs from the film The Greatest Show- leagues – we are #oneNHS. man – was recorded in the trust’s choir members For more information, or if you are interested in interown time and is aptly titled ‘Stay at home’. viewing choir members who took part, please contact us.

In just four days, the choir’s effort has been viewed more than 54,000 times on social media, and reached more than 100,000 people, including a ‘like’ from Keala Settle from The Greatest Showman.

The trust’s choir is made up of a variety of colleagues including nurses, healthcare assistants, support service colleagues, directors and many more.

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UPDATE FROM HARDEN HOLIDAYS - YOUR LOCAL INDEPENDENT TRAVEL AGENT

By Harden Holidays

We hope you are all keeping safe and well in these uncertain times.

The current situation in the travel industry is unprecedented and agents, tour operators and airlines have been faced with the mammoth task of bringing people home and making amendments to those travelling in the next few weeks.

We are currently prioritising all bookings that are due to depart until the end of June and we are working on a rolling 2-week period. If you haven’t heard from us yet please do not worry, when we have an update on your trip, we will contact you.

From the 24th March 2020 as requested by the UK Government the shop premises in the town centre will be shut however Harden Holidays will remain open and contactable at all times by: email – info@hardenholidays.co.uk phone – 0800 023 8974 or via Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn Messenger Our home office is all set up so please feel free to seek our advice, whether your existing travel plans were booked through us or not, we’re always here to help.

We are certain that the world will open up to travel again and we will be able to explore its wonders, in the meantime, please know that we remain at your service through these challenging times.

Stay safe, stay positive, and let’s look after each other.

With best wishes, Tim Harden & the Harden Holidays team.

FITNESS - MAY

FITNESS - MAY

By Mark Broadbent With gyms closed and people being asked to stay at home, working-out may have become difficult for many people.

and having the kids questioning you all day, and every other stress in your life, all adds up.

You may be feeling a bit lost without the familiar gym equipment to work on and not know what to do to either keep your current fitness and strength levels up, or even improve on them.

It’s important for your health to make sure you take time to relax and de-stress. This is probably the most important thing you can do right now.

If you usually train heavy, you may also be worried about losing your gains without weights to train with.

Don’t worry. Bodyweight training can yield great results just as much as training in the gym can – if you do it right.

It can also actually be even more beneficial as you’re learning to use your own body and move it the way it’s supposed to be moved, also without the strain on the joints that lifting weights can cause.

So, what can you do to maintain or even improve your fitness levels whilst training at home?

Aside from eating well – which is always essential, and never more so than now when you need your immune system to be on top form – you need to focus on 3 things: 1 – Meeting your daily energy expenditure – this is basically ensuring that you keep moving. Aim for your 10,000 steps a day whether that’s outdoors going for a walk, keeping the garden maintained, or around the house doing housework.

3 – Exercise. Beyond your 10,000 steps a day, it’s important to strengthen and move your body with a bit more intensity. Especially if you’re looking to change the shape of your body for the better.

There’s a reason push-ups, pull-ups, squats and lunges feature in so many training plans (even ones in the gym!). It’s because they’re effective and accessible to everyone.

Whatever level you’re at, you can start to work on these basic movements, and aim to progress/ improve on them continually. As long as you are continually progressing with the exercises, your strength will be going up.

I don’t have space here for a full workout plan, but you can get the idea of what you need to work on, and if you need more ideas, head over to my Instagram (@markbroadbentpt) or Facebook (Mark Broadbent Online PT) pages for home exercise routines, exercise videos and more.

You can also download the free 5-day Kickstart plan from www.MBonlinePT.com

2 – Ensuring you take time to relax and de-stress. A combination of training stress, work stress, coronavirus stress, boredom and feeling trapped, home-schooling

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KEEPING YOUR DOG ENTERTAINED DURING LOCKDOWN With pet owners across Kent in isolation, Battersea has released some tips and tricks to keep dogs entertained and active – using everyday items like cardboard boxes and blankets.

Scatter feeding and search games Instead of using a bowl to feed your dog, try scattering their biscuits over the floor, around the house or in the garden.

While people are permitted to leave the house once a day for exercise, there are many dogs who may be used to more physical exercise than one walk a day – so owners need to turn their attention to enrichment in the home.

Scatter feeding will encourage your dog to use their sense of smell to find their food. As your dog starts to get better at using their nose you can scatter their food over a larger area to make it even more challenging for them.

Once your dog has mastered this, you can start hiding small piles of food for them to find. Pick places you don’t mind them rummaging, and where there’s no danger of anything getting damaged.

As they grow in confidence you can make the hiding places harder to find, or even hide the food underneath something like an empty plant pot.

If your dog is finding it too hard to find the food and starts to get frustrated, you can help them by taking them closer to the food or throwing treats near to them.

Anna Hemmings, Centre Manager at Battersea Brands Hatch says: “These are definitely challenging times for everyone. Thankfully, there are plenty of activities that you can do indoors, or in your garden, with your dog to keep them occupied. Brain games are a great activity and for some dogs will tire them out just as much as a walk would. Mental and physical stimulation are both equally as important so ensure you fit both into your daily routines.”

To keep animals in the Kent rehoming centre entertained, Battersea staff have been getting inventive - dogs are now enjoying one-on-one picnics with staff and playing food games and search games in their outdoor paddocks. Many of these techniques people can do in their own homes to keep their own dogs entertained.

Anna continues: “At Battersea we’re very lucky to have a team of dedicated staff who are continuing to ensure that every one of our animals receive the care and stimulation they need.”

Activity feeders There are lots of activity feeders available to buy, but you can also make your own from everyday materials you have at home.

A toy that you can quickly make yourself is a destruction box. Simply fill an old cardboard box with scrunched up balls of paper, old toilet rolls, anything that’s safe for your dog to tear up and then scatter their dry food and some of their favourite toys in and around the box.

Some examples of brain games that you can do with your dog can be found below, or by visiting Battersea’s website.

Whatever you choose, make sure you start off at an easy level (so it’s easy for them to get to the treats) If your dog is finding it too hard to get their food, they might lose interest and give up.

The best way people can support Battersea currently is by making a donation to help us continue to be here for every dog and cat. For more information or to support Battersea with a donation, please visit www.donate/battersea.org. uk.

If you’re feeling crafty, you could even make a treat mat – visit Battersea’s YouTube channel for more informationhttps://www.youtube.com/user/ battersea

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HOSPICE CHIEF E X ECUTIVE P RAISES STAFF FO R THEI R DEDICATION TO PATIENT CA R E DU R ING COVID-19

HOSPICE CHIEF EXECUTIVE PRAISES STAFF FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO PATIENT CARE DURING COVID-19 ellenor’s Chief Executive praises numbers due to Coronavirus. staff for their dedication to patients living with life-limiting or terminal “As a nurse with over 36 years’ illness in Kent. experience of caring for patients and their families myself, I know ellenor provides specialised hospice how lucky I am to lead a large team care for patients of all ages at its of passionate, dedicated healthcare hospice in Gravesend, through its professionals, support staff and community palliative care teams and volunteers, all of whom share one within the home. As an independent goal. This is to give every child or local charity, ellenor is reliant on adult patient and their families the community support to deliver its expert care and support we would work, having to reach an annual want for our own loved ones, and, target of £7 million every year to when the time comes, an end-of-life provide care. Only a quarter of our journey that is peaceful, comfortable funding is from the NHS. and dignified. I would stress that the Vikki Harding, ellenor’s Chief Executive said, “We have never experienced anything like the Coronavirus. We have accelerated our work to help people stay safe, informed and connected. We are of course urging everyone – staff, patients and their families – to do all that is needed to look after themselves and their loved ones and to follow all the government instructions regarding protection.

“In these unprecedented moment times, we are making significant changes to our care services, to cope with a significant rise in patient

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Coronavirus crisis in no way changes that goal, even though we know we will be asked to care for many more vulnerable people over the next few months. Our responsibility is to re-think and adapt the way we care for and support local people in our community, so we can still be there to provide the expert care they need.

“Our patients, old and young, are the very people who are most vulnerable to this virus – and our nursing and clinical teams are at the front line of their care. The action

s p o rts ro u n d u p

we took just a few days ago is profound. We made plans to increase our in-patient beds from seven to fifteen – and to have those new beds open and ready for patients as soon as they are needed. Our staff are adapting work shifts and patterns and we are all now permanently on call – myself included – to lend a hand. Our expanded In-Patient Unit will continue to provide end-of-life care for local adults and we will continue to support adult patients in their own homes through our Community Nursing service.

“Children needing end-of-life care in our community will continue to be supported in their homes – but again this will increase substantially as hospital beds close. We provide chemotherapy at home to many children already – many more will need our support for this over the coming weeks. These changes will mean these exceptionally vulnerable children continue to receive the vital nursing care they need – while also again relieving pressure on our NHS colleagues.

“While our Day Therapy centre has been closed for the time being to avoid any possible spread of infection, our teams continue to communicate with patients and families in different ways to continue to provide the support they need.

“We have had to close our shops and cancel the majority of our fundraising activities, which means a loss of income. There’s already been a huge drop in the fundraising income that pays for the lion’s share of our work. We have closed all our shops (except the one inside Darent Valley Hospital itself – the staff there have asked us to keep that open for them). We rely on the money our shops and events raise to pay for our essential care services. This sudden extra burden on our care teams places an even greater burden on our funds. We are updating our Facebook page regularly on changes to fundraising events.

“In this unprecedented time of uncertainty our dedicated team of healthcare professionals, support staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to support all our patients, and families during this difficult time and are working closely with our NHS colleagues to support the local community at this critical time. We remain committed to providing the best possible care and support to adults who come to the hospice – and to the children we will reach at home. I am immensely proud of our whole team’s commitment to their work and of how they are adapting to this ever-evolving situation. Together we will continue to support our community. “

SPORTS ROUND UP We are all dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic in similar but different ways. One story from the Danish club FC Midtjylland stands out for me… they may have found a solution to have fans present at football matches after the coronavirus shutdown: drive-in football.

The Danish Super League leaders announced plans that will allow around 2,000 cars to park around their stadium and watch matches from two big screens, with the possibility of 10,000 fans present. They even have the possibility to scaled up to a maximum of 12,000 cars. The club said it hopes to duplicate the audio from the TV commentary and make it available in cars through a specified frequency.

Football in Denmark has been suspended indefinitely, along with the vast majority of European football leagues, so I can understand if this is an interesting proposition. However, I wonder how they plan to accommodate toilet breaks whilst social distancing? …just asking!!

31

BUSINESSES OFFERING SERVICES DURING COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Weareofferinganocontactgardening&housemaintenanceservice,anythingfromaoneoffgrasscuttoafullgardenmakeover&muchmore.

We are offering a no contact gardening & house maintenance service, anything from a one off grass cut to a full garden makeover & much

YMCA Thames Gateway is opening their Temple Hill Nursery from 8am – 6pm, Monday-Friday for children of key workers.

This is also during the Easter holidays. An after school service for those still attending their regular school setting may also be available on request. Enquiries can be made via emmamiddleton@ymcatg.org In addition, we are offering a weekly telephone call to over 18s who would like someone to speak to. This could be someone who lives on their own, someone who just needs someone to talk to throughout this situation, a single parent or even checking on someone whose main carer has gone to work in a key worker capacity. We recognise that many carers may be working extended hours and might not be able to see parents or others that they care for during this time, we will happily give them a regular call and check in with them and let the key worker know how they’re doing. We’d ask for the person’s name, contact number, best time to receive a call (Mon-Fri daytime) and confirmation that they are over 18 to be emailed to emmamiddleton@ymcatg.org and we can set this up – we will let them know who will be calling and what number they will call from so they know it’s us.

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Tra i n w i t h Day n e s

ALCORN’S FRUIT AND VEG We are fifth generation greengrocers with a year round stall on Woolwich Market.

We have just started delivering fresh fruit and vegetable boxes in the local area to those who are Elderly, shielding, isolating or those who are struggling to shopincluding NHS Staff and Key workers. We are now also able to supply bread and eggs with our boxes. Please contact through the Facebook page Alcorn’s Fruit and Veg.

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v’pIeuto tgethec arontacfrtedeevliersyervc ifo efresh fo l werw s hc ips h riovd in ig o ja ynd connectn ig o l vo ekn I eo s.w sin tiat’n e‘ssenbtaiu o lj’tc yertan ia siylnd thm eessageo so lfm ’vIw e rtn ig on thesc eard u jsis hteartw - armn m i’Iag s lo .abouto tputo tgethc e‘arelebraftreom hom g ebf’tiofo xw r eddn ig couplew s ho havh ead to postponth eeri

I’ve put together a contact free delivery service for fresh flowers which is providing joy and connecting love ones.

I know it isn’t an ‘essential’ but joy certainly is and the messages of love I’m writing on these cards is just heartwarming. I’m also about to put together a ‘celebrate from home’ gift box for wedding couples who have had to postpone their weddings so they can mark the occasion at home. https://www.ivyandgoldstudio.co.uk/

BROADWAY FLOWERS Free delivery on flowers and plants, all non contact, and keeping within the government guidelines.

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WESTGATE DARTFORD v’pIeuto tgethec arontacfrtedeevliersyervc ifo efresh fo l werw s hc ips h riovd in ig o ja ynd connectn ig o l vo ekn I eo s.w sin tiat’n e‘ssenbtaiu o lj’tc yertan ia siylnd thm eessageo so lfm ’vIw e rtn ig on thesc eard u jsis hteartw - armn m i’Iag s lo .abouto tputo tgethc e‘arelebraftreom hom g ebf’tiofo xw r eddn ig couplew s ho havh ead to postponth eeri

Cinema

A new public square

High-quality homes

New bars and restaurants

Provision for health and wellbeing

Hotel Multi-storey car park

Muse Developments has submitted plans to deliver a mixed-use regeneration of the Westgate site in Dartford town centre.

Join our webinar at 5pm, Tuesday 12th May Visit our website for more details

westgatedartford.com 36

w e stgat e da rt fo r d p l a n s s u b m i t t e d

WESTGATE DARTFORD PLANS SUBMITTED in the Summer of 2018, with 69% supporting the plans. Over 1,000 people attended local events and hundreds more submitted comments online.

Muse Developments has submitted plans to deliver a mixed-use regeneration of the Westgate site in Dartford town centre.

The plans will transform and re-purpose this area, bringing forward much needed homes, a new cinema, with family-friendly restaurants and bars, a vibrant public realm, along with a striking new hotel behind the façade of the former Co-op building.

The new cinema will be built a short distance from the Orchard Theatre to create a new cultural quarter in the town. The scheme will also provide a new car park, as well as provisions for health and well-being services.

James Stockdale, development director at Muse Developments, said: “We understand there are more important issues across the country at present, with regards to Coronavirus.

However, as a responsible business, we want to make sure the community has every opportunity for their views on the proposals to be heard. Given the current situation, we will be organising online sessions for local residents, so they can be kept up to date with the Westgate project, while making sure the public and our team are safe and well.”

The scheme includes: • A new cinema • New bars and restaurants • Up to 120 high-quality homes, including affordable housing • A hotel with up to 85 beds • A multi-storey car park • A new public square • Provisions for health and well-being service The application will be available to view on Dartford Council’s planning portal.

Residents can also visit the project website to learn more about the scheme by going to www. westgatedartford.com.

Muse Developments will be organising a webinar for residents, details of which will be announced shortly. Residents can contact the team by emailing info@westgatedartford.co.uk

Hundreds of Dartford’s residents submitted comments and ideas during the consultation on the scheme back

37

DA RTFO R D BO ROUGH COUNCIL G RANT OVE R £10 MILLION TO DA RTFO R D BUSINESSES

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL GRANT OVER £10 MILLION TO DARTFORD BUSINESSES Dartford Borough Council has now paid out over £10Million in Government grants to hundreds of businesses affected by Coronavirus. Nearly 75% of eligible businesses in the Borough have now received their grant and Government figures reveal that the Council is performing well in processing applications and paying grants to the businesses that need them.

Councillor Avtar Sandhu said: “This is money that can make the difference between extinction and survival for some businesses and I have asked that applications are processed without delay. I am delighted that we seem to be ahead of many local authority areas when it comes to getting money to local businesses but it seems that some firms have not yet applied and others have yet to respond with Following the Government’s launch of financial measures the details we need to transfer the money. I urge them to support local businesses, Dartford Borough Council to contact the business rates team on 01322 343008. says that around 1,100 local enterprises qualify for a share of nearly £14Million. It’s not too late to apply “We know this is a very worrying time for everyone and and the Council is urging any business owner who that it is having an impact on businesses, employers thinks they may be entitled to help to come forward. and employees. These grants are aimed at helping keep companies in business during the current crisis, The Council welcomes applications for three main with the intention to protect jobs, prevent business closure and promote economic recovery.” grant schemes: Scheme 1 - £10,000 for small businesses who receive Small Business Rate Relief Scheme 2 - £10,000 for qualifying businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with rateable values of £15,000 or less Scheme 3 - £25,000 for qualifying businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with rateable values over £15,000 but under £51,000 In addition to the three grant schemes, Dartford has implemented the Extended Retail Discount Scheme, applying discounts totalling £58.5Million to qualifying businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors.

So far 701 qualifying businesses have benefitted from this discount, having no business rates to pay for 2020/2021.

If you have not already applied for the grant, then you can submit your grant application via the Council’s website at https://www.dartford.gov.uk/by-category/ business2/business-support-and-advice/coronavirus-covid-19-business-advice If eligible applicants make sure all necessary supporting information is provided promptly Dartford Borough Council says it will process applications quickly and release funding.

In partnership with the Kent and Medway Growth Hub, Dartford Borough Council are providing a dedicated support line 0333 360 2300 for businesses in Dartford - Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm - where they can speak to someone who will assist them with accessing support and provide advice on HMG measures (including the HMRC). Sound guidance and So far Dartford Borough Council has made 828 grant advice around key topics such as crisis management, payments to the value to £10.3 Million making it one cash flow / debt management and staff retention strategies is also available. of the best performing Councils in the area.

Making sure the grants reach the bank accounts For more information please contact of Dartford businesses promptly and accurately is press@dartford.gov.uk or call 01322 343225. something the Council’s Lead Member for Business and Enterprise feels strongly about.

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Children Don’t Learn When They’re Anxious

CHILDREN DON’T LEARN WHEN THEY’RE ANXIOUS I suspect, like me, your first thought about your children at the moment is managing their personal safety and keeping them away from any kind of contact with Covid-19 or anyone that may be carrying it. Afterall, that’s why they are home from school and we’re all shut away.

But we can’t ignore their education. They need to keep learning to avoid becoming a lost generation. However, before you do that, please consider their mental wellbeing. They won’t learn if they are anxious.

It has been impossible to escape the news about Coronavirus for weeks now. Anxiety already appears to be widespread, but we can take steps to ensure our children don’t suffer at a time when questions are numerous but answers are hard to come by.

As the mum of a nine-year-old, I’m conscious to make sure my daughter doesn’t consume news about the virus to the extent that I am. It is almost impossible to avoid the news completely, so our children have inevitably picked up some of it.

That means it probably isn’t a good idea to tell them untruths or try to placate them with ‘don’t worry’ when they clearly are. That will teach them to distrust you and worse of all, their own feelings.

Equally, we need to be calm. If we appear to be worrying, they will pick up on that and it could amplify those feelings. We need to communicate calmly and with confidence.

Other practical steps we should try to take are limiting access to the media and to be careful about what we say around them. Talk directly to them about their concerns and answer honestly.

And when you’re ready to crack homeschooling, take time to check out the guide on my website https://www.mybluewatertutor.co.uk/coronavirus-home-study-plan

So how do we manage our children’s anxiety?

In my experience, it starts with talking to them directly about whatever is making them anxious. I try to give them time to explain what is bothering them before I jump to giving answers. They need space to articulate what is really bothering them, rather than me being just another adult jumping in and dismissing their genuine concerns.

They are learning how to think, feel and behave in the world that frankly, most of still struggle to come to terms with.

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g i v e yo u r m i n d a l i t t l e t l c t h i s m ay

GIVE YOUR MIND A LITTLE TLC THIS MAY May usually brings lots of opportunities to get out of the house and do something, whether that’s going for a run, taking the kids to play in the park or planning a trip out somewhere during the May bank holidays. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the world we’re used to suddenly looks very different. At times like these, it’s vital that we take care of our mental health and wellbeing.

Get a good night’s sleep The theme for this May’s Mental Health Awareness Week is how to sleep better.

Sleepless nights can be a common experience, whether that’s due to being a parent or having a snoring partner, and sometimes it can be due to anxiety. If we are anxious about anything including health or money worries, the lack of sleep can affect our mental health – it’s a vicious cycle. Take a look at mentalhealth.org.uk/blog/ten-toptips-good-sleep for tips for getting a good night’s sleep.

Seek help with problem finances At Christians Against Poverty (CAP), we know all too well the link between financial struggles and mental ill-health. If you have money worries, seek help sooner rather than later. There are lots of free debt counselling charities who can help and just taking this

first step can feel like a weight has been lifted. Have a look at moneysavingexpert.com/loans/ debt-help-plan for advice.

Make time to get outside Sometimes being stuck indoors can make us feel tired and worn out with little energy. Advice from the NHS and mental health charity Mind says that being outside and having a chance to breathe fresh air can increase our energy levels and improve our mental health and wellbeing. Both the NHS and Mind websites have tons of great ideas for getting off the sofa, exercising and enjoying the health benefits of the outdoors. Find out more at nhs. uk and mind.org.uk/informationsupport/tips-for-everyday-living.

Create your own little garden haven Gardening is an ideal way to get out in the fresh air, give your mind a little TLC and maybe even save some money if you choose to grow your own fruit and veg.

Short on space? You can still create your own little garden spot. There are all sorts of vegetables that can be grown in small spaces – all you need is a tub, some soil and seeds.

See gardenersworld.com/plants/ vegetable-seeds-to-sow-in-may for some ideas.

Get the kids involved in the garden You’ll find lots of resources online to encourage the kids to go outdoors, gain a sense of achievement and boost their mental wellbeing too.

Check out childrensgardeningweek.co.uk/ fun-things-to-do and make the most of National Children’s Gardening Week during the last week of May. Be kind to yourself With nationwide lockdowns, enforced social distancing and of course serious health concerns, the last few months have been a challenge across the world. Any emotions you may be feeling are valid and you’re not alone. So be kind to yourself – each step you take towards a more positive outlook will be worth it for your personal wellbeing and that of your family.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is a UK charity with hundreds of services across the country delivering debt counselling, money management, job clubs, life skills groups, and support for people breaking habitual dependencies.

Visit capuk.org to find out more.

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LIFE UNDE R THE STAI R S

I’ve discovered Spotify and spent far too many hours making up my own personal play list. I also have a button on my new laptop marked Cortana – might press it to see what happens.

LIFE UNDER THE STAIRS

BY LOCAL RESIDENT, JANE STEVENSON Firstly, thank you to all medical staff, carers, delivery people and all the other key workers, braving the outside world while we stay safe. Clapping on a Thursday night seems such a trivial way of supporting you, but it is heartfelt and makes us realise how lucky we are, in the safety of our own homes.

These are strange times; many of us bewildered, scared and unsure, while a minority still haven’t grasped the enormity of the situation.

At Stevenson Towers, the Other Half and I are missing our kids – Eldest calls in with our shopping once a week, and we chat from a distance of about 2 meters.

Youngest is stuck in Bristol, existing on furlough wages. We are blessed in that they keep in touch. We video call them and try to maintain a degree of normality. However, a small phone screen is no substitute for a hug. All of you missing loved ones, just know you are keeping them safe by not physically contacting them.

This enforced isolation is an odd time. TV is full of repeats and virus updates - boring. You can have too much information sometimes.

What we’ve done is made use of technology in a way which would have scared me a few weeks ago.

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I’ve downloaded some colouring by number apps, and a couple of word games. I’ve mastered the Whatsapp video calling function and kept in touch with the BBC news, rather than the excessive scaremongering on Facebook. Never thought I’d make much use of my smart phone, but it has been a very useful tool recently.

I’ve braved the attic space and dragged out a load of jigsaws, some never opened, some old favourites. I’ve gone through my library and begun to read all the books I’d bought and stuck on the shelf. I’m learning again, which always combats my boredom. Thank goodness for Future Learn!

The weather is good thankfully. Other Half and I have cleared out the garage, dug over the rockery, and replanted it. We’ve planted basic crops such as potatoes, tomatoes and beans.

I’m experimenting with pear and melon seeds and am giving herbs another try (I cannot grow them for love nor money).

All those jobs we put off have been done and we’ve surprised ourselves at our dexterity and skills. We have orderly cupboards and drawers, neat wardrobes and charity bags to go when we can get out and about again.

What I have discovered, in this situation, is that I take life at a slower pace. I sit in the garden and just listen – the traffic is light and barely a hum in the background. Next door’s pool pump provides a gently splashing background to my morning coffee. I refuse to dwell on anything that upsets me or generates unease. It is a defence against completely breaking down with the enormity of the circumstances we now live in.

I take walks with Other Half over the field near us. It’s a gentle exercise for both of us and brings with it opportunities to meet (at a safe distance) with others in our small enclave.

It also brings humour; as when we stood on the motorway bridge last week and waved at the few vehicles on the road.

Almost all either flashed their lights, hooted or waved out of the window. We felt good, and I hope it brought a smile to the drivers. It was noticeable, that most vehicles were supermarket delivery vans, police cars and lorries bring supplies to our shops.

And so we wait. No one knows when the lockdown will end, or how life will resume. My own feeling is that nothing will be the same again. Normal wasn’t working, so I wonder how we will change. We should be proud of ourselves – we’re coping.

Take care all Dartford Living readers and stay safe.

LIFE UNDE R THE STAI R S

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LIFE UNDE R THE STAI R S

44

A POEM FO R SP R ING BY LOCAL R ESIDENT - CLAI R E JEEVES

A POEM FOR SPRING BY LOCAL RESIDENT - CLAIRE JEEVES 45

7 To p T i ps To G o o d H a n d & N a i l H e a lt h

7 TOP TIPS TO GOOD HAND & NAIL HEALTH

By Sue @ Gorgeous Nail & Beauty Emporium

We are currently going through an extreme situation and are unable to go about or normal day to day lives and so our appointments for all things nails and beauty are on hold.

We’re now in the fifth week of staying home and although this means that the intense handwashing has lessened as we are out in the infection zones much, much less, we are still touching things entering our homes and for many of us we are still heading to shops and running essential errands thus meaning more hand-washing than normal. Others of us have taken up the sandpaper and paint brushes or cleaning products and dusters and are tackling jobs in our homes that we’ve not had time to do for years!

All this activity causes a reduction in the oils in the skin covering your hands and fingers. Whilst we’re living our alternative lives under the threat of Coronavirus or COVID-19, here’s our TOP 7 TIPS FOR HAND CARE to ensure your hands stay as well looked-after as possible.

1. When you have washed your hands make sure you rinse well. Many of the anti-bacterial soaps we are currently using can have ingredients in that add to the drying effects on the skin. Rinse that stuff and the virus away and down the sink!

creating hangnails. Regular oiling with cuticle oil will help keep it in good condition and recover from the impacts of drying products, overwork and picking or biting (I’m guilty of this – old habits are hard to kick especially with no acrylics on to stop me). Apply oil at least once a day and preferably at night so that your body can work its magic overnight. What everyone refers to as cuticle is really the lateral nail fold and is a seal to protect the internal gubbins of your nail growth area called the matrix. The real cuticle is the very thin stuff that grows out underneath this area (science lesson over). Over time it’s become known as cuticle as an easier description and even some professionals don’t realise the difference. Whatever you want to call it make sure you oil it!

5. File your nails. This sounds like obvious advice, but for many clients filing has become something they don’t do and something that we do for you. Regular filing once or twice a week will keep your nails in trim and keep them from getting too long and breaking.

Natural nail wooden files provide a great smooth feeling that is intended to protect your nail rather than using heavy grit emery boards. Remember don’t see-saw on your nails and file in one direction. We would recommend from side to centre on one side, then side to centre on the other side finally neatening the centre gently in one direction.

2. Dry thoroughly. So that you can keep your hands 6. The optimum time for cream or oil absorption is as nourished as possible, dry well with a soft towel. overnight and if you apply your cuticle oil and hand lotion at this time you can increase the absorption rate while the body rests from its day’s work. You can 3. Apply a quality hand lotion to your hands whenever increase this further by adding a thicker layer of lotion you wash or at least 2-3 times a day to help restore and popping a pair of cotton gloves on overnight. the oils or lipids in your hands. Lipids keep your skin plumped and help maintain that youthful look. If you do the pinch test on the back of your hand and your 7. Finally, to give your nails a little extra protection skin stays where you pinched it, then you need more whilst you can’t get your gels or acrylics done, try oils in your skin! We recommend Dadi-Lotion Hand using a brush on nail treatment or a regular clear polish & Body Lotion by Famous Names or Tranquillity Hand just for a layer of protection unless you want to push the boat out and get all those bottles of polish out!

Cream by [comfort zone].

4. Cuticles, cuticles, cuticles! Oil, oil, oil! This tiny area Most of all have some fun with doing your nails and look of the finger and nail is the first to show signs of the after them until you can visit your favourite salon again. stresses the hands are put under by splitting and even

46

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By S u e @ G o r g e o u s N a i l & B e au t y E m p o r i u m

A BAINES & SON ROOFING • New Roofs • Repairs • Tiles • Slates • Flat Roofs • All Lead Work • UPVC Fascias & Soffits • All Guttering • All Work Guaranteed • Insurance Work Undertaken

TEL: 01322 271693 MOBILE: 07971 792463

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By S u e @ G o r g e o u s N a i l & B e au t y E m p o r i u m

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By S u e @ G o r g e o u s N a i l & B e au t y E m p o r i u m

WE STAY HERE FOR YOU, PLEASE STAY HOME FOR US Staff across Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust are gearing up for the biggest challenge the NHS has ever faced - the fight against COVID-19.

With over 4000 staff at our NHS Trust, they are all playing their part. Whilst they remain dedicated to providing exceptional and compassionate care for our sickest patients, Valley Hospital Charity is committed to doing everything that we can to support our NHS heroes in these unprecedented times.

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity we have already seen from local businesses and the community, and we know that you care deeply about our incredible staff too. With your support, we can fund emotional and well-being initiatives, provide vital additional equipment, and much more so they can keep going to keep us all safe.

Every donation will make a difference. If you would like to support your local NHS staff please visit this link www.valleyhospitalcharity.org.uk/appeal/supporting-your-nhs-staff Any donation big or small will make such a difference to our staff.

Thank you for your support.

Valley Hospital Charity

49

o n l i n e THEAT R E Ro u n d u p

ONLINE THEATRE ROUNDUP

By Liz Dyer Missing the theatre during lockdown?

Me too. But don’t despair – the internet is a wonderful thing, and it brings us numerous ways to keep enjoying great shows from our sofas.

It may not be quite the same as watching a live performance, but on the plus side, no need to queue to pay for the car park afterwards, and you can sing along as loud as you like ;) So, where can we get this much-needed theatre fix?

London’s National Theatre was one of the first to announce online content; every Thursday they’re releasing one of their previous productions on YouTube for seven days. These are free to watch, although the theatre welcomes donations.

So far in April we’ve enjoyed the likes of One Man Two Guvnors, Jane Eyre and Treasure Island, with more shows to be announced for May. Search for National Theatre at Home for full details.

Not to be outdone, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has launched his own free series

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on YouTube, The Shows Must Go On! Each Sunday he’ll be releasing one of his best-loved shows to watch online – again, donations are welcomed to a variety of worthy arts organisations. Go to YouTube and search for The Shows Must Go On to see what’s coming up, but don’t delay as each show is only available for a couple of days.

For Shakespeare fans, the Globe Theatre will be making six productions available for free on YouTube, and many more for a small fee via Globe Player. Visit the Globe website at shakespearesglobe.com for details. And the Royal Shakespeare Company are following suit, offering a 30-day free trial on Marquee TV, a performing arts streaming service with a catalogue of over 400 dance, opera and theatre productions. You can sign up at marquee.tv.

(After the free trial it costs just £8.99 a month for a full subscription.)

If that’s not enough, you can also subscribe to two fantastic sites – digitaltheatre.com (£9.99 a month) and broadwayhd.com ($8.99 per month with a seven-day free trial). The former is a great place to catch UK shows you may have missed, like Much Ado About Nothing with David Tennant and Catherine Tate, or Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith, while the latter is an excellent opportunity to experience some

of Broadway’s finest productions (and also London’s own rather fabulous performance of Kinky Boots), for a fraction of the cost of a plane ticket.

Other venues are also offering free online content, among them the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Opera House, Hampstead Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre, and you can also catch all your favourite musical theatre stars in Leave A Light On, a series of online concerts streamed via London’s Theatre Café – tickets cost £7.50, which I think we can all agree is a bargain to see some of the West End’s hottest talent do what they do best.

There’s a lot more online theatre out there, and more being announced every day, so do keep an eye on sites like WhatsonStage. comfor updates. It’s a difficult time for the arts at the moment, so any support we can offer will be really appreciated. Let’s hope we’re all back together in a theatre again soon – but for now let’s make the most of the opportunities we have to keep enjoying what we can, while staying home and keeping safe.

HEALTHY YACON FLAPJAC KS

HEALTHY YACON FLAPJACKS Our feelgood YaconViva flapjacks are the perfect flattened. It’s important that the oats are pressed healthy snack for you and the family. well, so that they stay firm enough to cut when baked.

Use the back of a metal spoon to make sure they are fully compressed.

Made with natural and organic YaconViva Yacon Syrup, and packed with pumpkin seeds, these chewy flapjacks are bound to get everyone’s mouths watering.

• Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden and lightly browned around the edges.

YaconViva is the perfect natural alternative to sugar and is incredibly versatile, making it the ideal swap. • Mark the flapjack into 12 pieces without cutting all the way through, this will make it easier to cut the flapjack when it’s cool. Leave until cold then cut the Healthy YaconViva Flapjacks: flapjack with a sharp knife.

Makes: 12 flapjacks Ingredients: 100g butter, cubed plus extra for greasing 150g YaconViva Yacon Syrup 50g pumpkin seeds 50g dried cranberries 50g raisins 50g almonds 250g porridge oats 1 large free-range egg, beaten

YaconViva Yacon Syrup and Yacon sweetened Cacao Nibs are available now from Amazon UK, good health stores and from yaconviva.co.uk

Method: • Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Lightly oil a shallow 20cm/8in loose-based square cake tin and line the base and sides of the tin with baking parchment.

• Melt the butter and syrup together in a large saucepan over a low heat, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon.

• Take off the heat and stir in the seeds, cranberries, raisins, almonds and oats. Stir in the egg.

• Spoon into the prepared tin and press until well

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Rock Painting in Dartford.

DARTFORD PAINTED ROCKS

Local people from Dartford Painted Rocks on Facebook have been busy this month painting and hiding them around town. The rocks can also be exchanged at Stephen Oliver: Studio and Gallery YACON locatedFLAPJAC in the Orchard Shopping Centre.

HEALTHY KS

By Maria Kingsford

Here are some great photos of their painted rocks.

Local people from ‘Dartford painted rocks’ on Facebook have been busy this month painting and hiding them around the town.

The rocks can be exchanged at Stephen Oliver: Studio and Gallery located at the Orchards Shopping Centre (once the gallery is open again).

Here are some of the photos of their latest painted rocks.

CLAREMONT DECORATIVE SERVICES • ALL TYPES OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DECORATING • AROUND THE HOUSE MAINTENANCE JOBS • FREE ESTIMATES • REFERENCES AVAILABLE • RELIABLE, INEXPENSIVE AND QUALITY WORK BY LOCAL TRADESMEN CAN WE HELP YOU?

Please call Mike or John on: Tel 01322 406439 / 01322 525708 Mobile: 07742 085333 Email: mikeperry5001@aol.com Partners: Mike Perry and John Petherick

52

CA R NEWS

CAR NEWS MAY 2020

By Dhiren Ganesh

IN THIS MONTH’S ARTICLE WE LOOK AT NEW VERSIONS FROM M A N U FACT U R E RS , T W O A REFRESHED VERSION OF CLASSIC CAR AND ONE A NEW SUV.

2020 Audi A3 saloon – this is based on the recently launched A3 with a swoopier roofline and an extended tail to create the executive saloon car. It will provide 2cm more headroom in the front and more elbow room. On the dashboard many of the buttons have been replaced with a comes a 10.1in touchscreen. Standard equipment includes a wi-fi hotspot, online traffic information and a voice control system that understands natural speech. On the outside you get digital daytime running lights, made up of 15 LEDs. At launch there will be a 148bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol, which is available with mild hybrid technology to improve efficiency and 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel auto.

First UK deliveries are expected in July, with prices starting at £26,870.

2020 Skoda Octavia family car – this is the allnew, fourth-generation version of the Octavia.

It includes even more interior space, a bigger boot, new technology and better connectivity.

Plus, there will be a plug-in hybrid model to sit alongside the petrols and diesels. The new Octavia is longer and wider than its predecessor, it has a lower roofline in an effort to give it a more coupé-like side profile. The plug-in hybrid model, which is called the Octavia iV, uses a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to deliver a combined output of 201bhp and provide an official electric-only range of 34 miles. New interior features includes a two-spoke steering wheel and a free-standing central infotainment touchscreen. Prices are expected to be around £22,000 when launched in June 2020.

2021 Toyota Yaris Cross – the new Toyota Yaris Cross will be the brand’s smallest and most affordable SUV. This car gets its own distinct look however if derived from the fourth-generation Yaris model. It will have an hybrid engine with the only engine option a 1.5-litre petrol that works in conjunction with an electric motor to produce a combined 114bhp.

This will be one of the few small SUV cars to be a four-wheel drive. On the inside you get a gloss black plastic look and similar features to the Yaris such as the air vents and the metallic strip running across the upper dashboard. You can also have a powered tailgate that opens automatically when you aim a kick beneath the rear bumper – useful for shopping. To be launched in early 2021 prices are expected to be around the £21,000 mark.

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HELPLINES YOU MAY FIND USEFUL DU R ING THE COVID 19 OUTB R EA K

HELPLINES YOU MAY FIND USEFUL DURING THE COVID 19 OUTBREAK Government Helplines

Website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk

Government Business Support Helpline: 0300 456 3565 https://www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline

Mental Health Foundation Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.

Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

HMRC Coronavirus Tax Helpline: 0800 015 9559 https://www.gov.uk/difficulties-paying-hmrc Universal Credit Helpline: 0800 328 5644 https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/ School Closures Coronavirus Helpline: 0800 046 8687

Mental Health Anxiety UK Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.

Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm) Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk Bipolar UK A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.

Website: www.bipolaruk.org.uk CALM CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35.

Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight) Website: www.thecalmzone.net Men’s Health Forum 24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.

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Mind Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.

Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm) Website: www.mind.org.uk No Panic Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Offers a course to help overcome your phobia or OCD. Phone: 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am to 10pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge Website: www.nopanic.org.uk OCD Action Support for people with OCD. Includes information on treatment and online resources.

Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge Website: www.ocdaction.org.uk OCD UK A charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD. Includes facts, news and treatments.

Phone: 0333 212 7890 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) Website: www.ocduk.org PAPYRUS Young suicide prevention society.

Phone: HOPELINEUK 0800 068 4141 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 10pm, and 2pm to 10pm on

weekends T h a n k yo u toand Co ubank n c i L loholidays) r K e l ly Gr e h a n fo r co l l at i n g t h i s i n fo r mat i o n Debtorsanonymous.org.uk Website: www.papyrus-uk.org Rethink Mental Illness Support and advice for people living with mental illness.

Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm) Website: www.rethink.org Samaritans Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.

Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) Website: www.samaritans.org.uk SANE Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.

SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (daily, 4.30pm to 10.30pm) Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/ textcare Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum Website: www.sane.org.uk/support YoungMinds Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.

Phone: Parents’ helpline 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm) Website: www.youngminds.org.uk Debts Step Change FreeHelpline: 0800 138 1111 stepchange.org National Debtline Free Helpline: 0808 808 4000 nationaldebtline.co.uk Business Debtline Free Helpline: 0800 197 6026 bdl.org.uk

Turn2us Helpline: 0808 802 2000 Turn2us.org.uk Older People Age UK Helpline: 0800 169 6565 ageuk.org.uk How to overcome loneliness Independent Age (Advice and Support for Older Age) Advice line: 0800 319 6789 Independentage.org RVS (Royal Voluntary Service) Call: 0845 608 0122 Domestic Abuse National domestic abuse helpline 0808 200 0247 Domestic Violence Assist 0800 195 8699 - specialises in providing assistance to obtain emergency injunctions Women’s Aid Domestic Violence 0808 2000 247 Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 0327 National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 999 5428 National Centre for Domestic Violence 0800 970 2070 National Stalking Helpline 0808 802 0300 Victim Support 08 08 16 89 111

Debtors Anonymous THANK YOU TO COUNCILLOR KELLY GREHAN FOR COLLATING THIS INFORMATION

55

WHERE TO GO LOCALLY PARENT AND TODDLER GROUPS - TERM TIME ONLY WHE R E TO GO LOCALLY

MONDAYS 9:15am - 11:00am - A&J Toddlers - St Anselms Church Community Centre, Dartford. £2.00 per one adult and child and 50p for any extra children or adults each. Tea/coffee biscuits, small snack for children with juice. Toast 20p per slice Craft table and singing and dancing at end of session Contact Julie on 01322 291092.

TUESDAYS Session 1: 9.15-10.45am, and Session 2: 11-12.30pm. Christchurch, Crossroad, Dartford. Contact Catherine on 01322 220036.

9.30am -11.30am. The Salvation Army, 66 Hythe Street, Dartford. Please call us on (01322) 288434 for further information.

9.30am-11.30am Sticky Fingers - £1.50 per adult includes tea ,biscuits and healthy snack time for the children For pre school children up to 4 years St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall London Road Greenhithe Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe. com 9:30-10:30am at Fleetdown Utd FC (near Dunelm). £5 per session if you sign up for the term, siblings go free.Contact 07770860450 or Facebook.com/musicandrhymetime WEDNESDAYS 10am -12pm - Little Angels Net Church, (Formerly Gala Bingo Hall) Dartford, £2.50 per family including all snacks and drinks.

Catherine 07878658685 11.15am - SLADE GREEN AND HOWBURY COMMUNITY LIBRARY BABY AND TODDLER ACTION RHYME TIME GROUP 12:45pm -2.45pm - Fleetdown Open House - Fleetdown Community Centre, Swaledale Road, Dartford, DA2 6JZ £2.50 per Adult THURSDAYS 9:30am - 11:30am. St Paulinus Church Hall, Manor Road, Crayford.

9.30am-11am Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers - facebook.com/ToeRags 1pm-2.30pm Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers - facebook.com/ToeRags 10:30-11:30am, at Fleetdown Utd FC (near Dunelm). £5 per session if you sign up for the term, siblings go free.Contact 07770860450 or Facebook.com/musicandrhymetime FRIDAYS 9.30am-11am Baby and me for expectant mothers and mothers / carers of chidren up to 2. £1 per adult St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall, London Road Greenhithe. Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe.com 9.30am-11am Toerags Toddler Group - Adult education centre, Dartford £3 per Child - £1 Non Walkers facebook.com/ToeRags 9.30am-11.30am Carer & Toddler Group, St Mary’s Church Hall, Stone Place Rd, Greenhithe. Jeanne 01322 380322 jeannehoadley@ yahoo.co.uk 1-3pm Gigglekidz, Tree Estate Community Centre on Cedar Road - £2 Per Child SATURDAYS 9.30am-11.30am Daddy and Me - A group for dads and male carers of children up to 5years. £1.50 includes healthy snack time for the children. St Mary Greenhithe Church Hall, London Road Greenhithe. Contact 01322 382031 or see www.stmarygreenhithe.com 2-3pm - Lego Club- ages 5 and over - Chrome Road Slade Green DA8 2EL Tel: 01322 333602

Toddler Music & Rhyme Sessions at Dartford Libraries - Monday 10:30am - 11am 2:15pm – 2:45pm Friday Thursday 10:30pm -11:00am Story Time Fleetdown - Tuesday 10:30am -11am Greenhithe - Thursday 2.15pm – 2.45pm - Thursday 10:45am -11:15am Longfield Summerhouse - Tuesday 10:30am – 11am Sutton-at-Hone -Monday. 2pm – 2:30pm Temple Hill - Wednesday 10.30am -11am Dartford

Come along and join in the fun! Term time only For more information please call

Advertise in the magazine for as little as £40 for a month Contact: sales@dartfordliving.com

CHECK WITH THE PROVIDERS TO SEE IF THEY ARE STILL OPEN 56 DURING LOCKDOWN

CLUB HUB UK SUPPORTING PARENTS AND CLUB OWNERS DURING LOCKDOWN CLUB HUB U K SUPPO RTING PA R ENTS AND CLUB OWNE R S DU R ING LOC K DOWN

Club Hub UK, the kids activities directory, is using its website and social media to support parents and club owners during the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown.

Looking for virtual classes to educate your kids and keep them entertained? Club Hub has created a new category on their website, specifically to help families find the right online class for them.

Visit the Club Hub website, type in your location, child’s age and select the ‘Online Classes and Activity Boxes’ category and you will be provided with a list of kids activity providers to connect with. Many club providers are offering free taster sessions and bookable classes online, so it’s a great opportunity to try new activities or revisit old preschool favourites.

website now at www. clubhubuk.co.uk and join the Facebook Group ‘Online Classes for Kids’ which already has over 4,000 members sharing online activities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Tessa Robinson, Founder and Director tessarobinson@clubhub-app.co.uk

Not found what you’re looking for? A multi award winning directory, now in its fifth year, Club Hub has over 22,000 listings. To find more results, try searching in different categories such as cooking, dance, sports and computing. You can then contact the owner to see if they are offering any online classes that you can get involved with.

Organising your routine? There is an ‘Online Classes for Kids Weekly Timetable’ where you will find a list of times and days of virtual classes taking place.

“In these hugely difficult times I am thinking everyday of ways Club Hub can adjust to help families, kids activity providers and small businesses. My team and I want to do our bit to bring laughter and fun into people’s lives and it’s great to see all the amazing ideas appearing on the Club Hub website and app everyday. It’s a horrible and scary time but it is effecting everyone so please do get in touch if you would like to connect with us” Tessa Robinson, Founder and Director, Club Hub UK Club Hub is also sharing fantastic articles on their news page to help children with learning at home. This includes, indoor activities to keep them occupied for longer periods of time and a wide range of kids activity boxes such as cooking, science and arts and crafts. Look out for discounts in many of the articles too. Visit the Club Hub

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WHERE TO GO LOCALLY -

FOR WHEN THINGS RETURN TO NORMAL c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

CARE & SUPPORT

stroke survivors for stroke survivors. It provides excise classes, art sessions, outings, events and meetings. It meets at the YMCA, Dartford, DA1 1UP at 11.00 am on Tuesdays. Please contact Theo Hodges at Theo.

Hodges@stroke.org.uk or 0743 7100 404, for more details

charity. If you are missing the contact with other business men since you retired, why not come and join us on the last Thursday of every month.

For more details contact Phil Burt on 01322 274541 or look at our website www.waprobus.com

THE NORTH WEST KENT BRANCH OF THE MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION meets on various date at Birchwood Country Club For more information contact Alexon 01322 228169.

THE WELLBEING LINK The Wellbeing Link meets on Friday mornings from 10-1pm in the St. Anselm’s Parish Centre, 89 West Hill, Dartford A friendly and informative group - call Julie On 07775875585

THE NATIONAL WOMEN’S REGISTER The National Women’s Register (NWR) is a national organisation that meets in the Dartford area. The NWR is a discussion group for ‘lively minded women’. Contact can be made via www.nwr.org.uk or call 01603406767 and ask about the Dartford group.

DARTFORD OSTOMY GROUP SUPPORT (DOGS) meet every third Wednesday in the month at St Anselm’s Parish Centre, West Hill, Dartford DA1 2HJ from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm. It is for anyone who has an Ileostomy, Colostomy, Urostomy, IBS and pouch, their carers, family and friends.

SOCIAL GROUPS

ALL DIRECTIONS is a community learning organisation for adults and young people aged 16+ with physical, learning and mental health difficulties. For more information, attend a taster session or visit our community lunch club, contact Caroline on 01322 440482 or 07570 347612

JUST FOR GROWN UPS GROUP We are a small friendly group who meet at the Meeting Place in the Orchards Shopping Centre on the first Tuesday of the month. Join us any time between 11am and 1pm for a social chat, coffee and biscuits or a fun quiz. For more information contact mikeansell.dt@hotmail.co.uk

THE STROKE ASSOCIATION has 2 groups for stroke survivors with Communication difficulties; one in Dartford and one in Gravesend. Please contact Michele at Dartford@stroke. org.uk or on 01622 3251 962.

WILMINGTON AND AXSTANE PROBUS CLUB We are a group of retired men who meet monthly for a lunch and a speaker at the Swanley Bowls Centre.

We also have a monthly walk and occasional coffee mornings and as a side line we raise money for a local

HEALTHCARE RETIREMENT GROUP Dartford & Gravesham Branch.

Meets the first Wednesday of every month at the Masonic Hall, West Hill, Dartford from 10-12pm.Activities include guest speakers, outings, lunches, holidays and quizzes. For more information contact Marion on 01322 402967

OVER 55’S CLUB - We meet every Wednesday 2pm to 4.30pm at Tree Community Centre, Cedar Road. We play bingo, tea and biscuits, and socialise. We also run regular coach trips to the coast throughout the year.

Our club is open to anyone over 55 AGE UK, CRAYFORD LIBRARY POP IN 20S 30S DARTFORD BEXLEYHEATH wherever you live and costs just 60p PARLOUR COFFEE MORNING every SURROUNDING AREAS SOCIAL GROUP to come along and join in. So why not Friday morning 10.30 - 12.30 Tea, more information visit: come and join our friendly welcoming Coffee, Biscuits and a chat - Just £1 www.meetup.com/20s-30s-Dartford- social club? For further information Bexleyheath-surrounding-areasplease call either John Letchford on BEXLEY AND DARTFORD BRANCH social-group/ 01322 270732 or Pam Carr on 01322 PARKINSONS UK 222195.

For people with Parkinsons and their DARTFORD U3A (UNIVERSITY OF JOYDENS WOOD WOMEN’S INSTITUTE carers.

THE THIRD AGE) meet on the third Tuesday of every Dartford: 2nd Wednesday of each meets on the first Tuesday of every month, with meetings beginning at month, Mick Jagger Centre, 7.30month (except August) at St Anselm’s 7.45pm. We meet at the Community 9.30pm. Information support workers Church Hall, West Hill, Dartford at Centre, Birchwood Drive, Wilmington, available, guest speakers and quizzes. 2pm, For information about meetings DA2 7NE. More information can be Contact Wendy Leach. Tel: and interest groups call 01474-709068 found at joydenswoodresidents.co.uk 02083065973 or visit our website. (under Local Clubs and Societies).

Also, there is a social group, run by

BLUEWATER WRITERS’ GROUP We meet each week on Wednesday evenings 7pm - 9pm at Starbucks’ Coffee Shop , Bluewater Upper Guildhall, opposite Waterstones. No fees to pay, just purchase your drink or food in Starbucks and join us. All genres and writing styles are welcome

58 CHECK WITH THE PROVIDERS TO SEE IF THEY ARE STILL OPEN DURING LOCKDOWN

including adult fiction, young adult/ opportunities that Round Table does. teen, children’s, non-fiction, writing for stage and screen and poetry. See Check out the locally famous club h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n us oncFacebook “Bluewater Writers’ www.dartfordroundtable.co.uk Group” Facebook search: For further info email Tony at: * Dartford Round Table tonyjan@talktalk.net * Round Table * Dartford Egg Hunt CRAYFORD AND DISTRICT PROBUS You will receive a very warm CLUB welcome. meet on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at the Falcon Wood Club, 1 Falcon Wood THE ROTARY CLUB OF DARTFORD Avenue, Welling at 10am. Contact We meet at lunchtime at The Royal Tony Maun 0208 306 1075 or Victoria and Bull Hotel on 1st, 2nd email Crayford.Probus@gmail.com. and 3rd Tuesdays. Time 12.45 for 1 pm FAIRFIELD (DARTFORD) WI A warm welcome awaits you on the 2nd Tuesday of For further details phone: 07706 every month at Dartford Girls Grammar 103706 School, Shepherds Lane, DA1 2NT at 7.30pm. For more information please THE RENDEZVOUS CLUB (50+) contact Judith on 01322 278703 or Every Monday Time: 8pm - 10pm email FairfieldDartford@wkfwi.org.uk Location: Close to Bexleyheath Town Centre CRAYFORD WOMEN’S INSTITUTE 1st Description: We are a (non-profit Thursday of every month at 1.30pm. making) friendly social group open to Baker Trust Hall. Maxim Road, anyone over fifty.

Crayford (near Sainsburys). Contact We enjoy socialising, making new Secretary, Linda Lewis 01322 557229 friends and activities including Quizzes, Meals Out, Trips to the DARTFORD LADIES PROBUS CLUB Theatre, Cinema, Coach Trips, Gentle A group of retired ladies meet locally Walks and Short Breaks Away. for lunch on the 4th Wednesday of Admission: Subs £2.50 per week. each month,. They raise funds for Annual membership £6 charity and usually invite a speaker. If you would like to join us or Join them and enjoy meeting and require further information please making new friends. If you would like telephone: more information please contact Iris Tel: 01322 287356 or 020 8304 6414 (Secretary) on 01474 703448 TALK TIME MALE? AGED 18 - 45?

TUESDAY 2.00 - 3.00PM (TERM TIME Round Table is for the guys ONLY) with Ladies Circle for the Ladies Fleetdown Library (ladiescircle.co.uk) Everybody welcome, join us for a Dartford RT meets every 2nd and 4th friendly chat Thursday. and light refreshments.

Often called the original young man’s social club, Round Table has over 400 clubs in the UK and is in 50+ countries worldwide. We have an emphasis on having a lot of FUN. We guarantee that involvement with Round Table will enhance your social life, your personal abilities, your network and best of all it is not expensive.

For your chance to become involved in something very special, you need to experience it because no other organisation offers you the

HAVEN (LGBT) SOCIAL GROUP. London / Kent area. Every Friday - a safe Place to Meet.

For more information please contact 01322 287356 or 07503 306467 or email - havenx35@gmail.com WILMINGTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE is a friendly group who meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall, High Road, Wilmington. For more information on our activities please call Ann Hambridge on 01322 228082

DARTFORD ACTIVE RETIREMENT GROUP [DARTARA] We are a group that meets on second Thursday once a month 2 - 4pm at Fleetdown community centre. At the meeting we have a guest entertainer or speaker, we also organise holidays and day trips out as well as activities including theatre trips, curling, short mat bowls, indoor games, coffee and cake afternoons and an art group.

Just turn up on the day or phone Maureen Dixon-Jones 01322 383337 or Glenys Theobald 01322 273108 for more information THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE NORTH DOWNS Our club, which is one of 35,000 around the World, was set up 40 years ago and has members with a wide range of interests and backgrounds.

The club actively supports a number of charities locally, nationally and internationally and we continue to raise funds for Ellenor Hospices, Demelza Hospices for Children, Darent Valley Hospital and many others. We are very keen to maintain these traditions and welcome new members from the area. We also organise numerous social activities both for members and the wider community. For more information about the club’s activities and membership please contact Bob Phillips on 07815 807520 or John Smeeth on 07889 137951 THE ASSOCIATION OF BEXLEY CHARITIES ’78 will hold its Grand Autumn Fair at the United Reformed Church, Geddes Place, Bexleyheath DA6 7DJ (near the Broadway Shopping Centre) on Saturday 26th October 2019 from 9.45 am - 1.00 pm.

There will be a variety of charity stalls selling Christmas Gifts and Cards; CDs and DVDs; Collectables; Jewellery; Chutneys, Jams, Cakes; Books; Children’s Toys and Games; Model Railway accessories.

REFRESHMENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE ENTRANCE 50P (ACCOMPANIED CHILDREN FREE) WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

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CLUBS AND SOCIETIES TONI MOUNT HISTORY CLASSES The group meet every week at Towncentric in Gravesend and this year we are looking at Everyday Life in Medieval London. We meet every Thursday from 10.30-12.30 at £6.00 per week customers can phone me on 01474 355676 for more information or look at my website www.tonimount. co.uk DSTC ALUMNI Hi all, if you went to DSTC, DTC, Dartford West Girls or any other name that the school has been known as we would love to hear from you! The school is looking to make links with former students to help raise the profile of the school but also as a way of getting back in touch with people.

There will be an event later on in the academic year and we are planning some exciting things for the group so get joining and let’s get reminiscing!! www.facebook.com/groups/ DSTCAlumni

SCRAPPY DAYS! A SCRAPBOOKING GROUP is being held at Hawley Pavilion, Hawley Road, Dartford, DA2 7RB on the 2nd Sunday of the month between 2pm and 6:30pm. It costs £6 which includes refreshments, nibbles and the use of a cricut (cutting machine for those that don’t know). Beginners are very welcome. Contact Michelle on 07910 488428 or email scrappydays@ hotmail.co.uk

DARTFORD BRIDGE CLUB meets every Tuesday evening at 7.00 pm at Wilmington Christian Fellowship Church Hall, Broad Lane, Wilmington DA2 7AQ. We are seeking new members at all levels to play Duplicate Bridge -cost £2 per session.

Enquiries: contact John Davies on 01474 832221 or e-mail carolandjohnd@tiscali.co.uk

PAVILION PLAYERS Is an amateur dramatics group based at the Joydens Wood Community Centre, Wilmington, Kent. We meet every Tuesday from 8-10pm. For more information please visit www. facebook.com/pavilionplayers or call us on 07505 006539. Alternatively just pop down on a Tuesday night!

Everyone welcome!

DARTFORD FLORAL CLUB The club meet on the 3rd Friday of the month at Hawley Pavilion, Hawley Rd.(opp Papermakers Arms) at 7.30 Come along for an evening of beautiful flowers, fun and friendship. Entrance £6.00, refreshments and a raffle with the chance to take home a beautiful floral arrangement. Contact Carol 01322 220802

DARTFORD BELLRINGERS Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Wednesdays 8.00-9.30p.m. Free tuition with a very friendly, sociable group.

The ideal way to make new friends.

Contact deryck.w.jones@gmail.com, phone 01322 586937

DARTFORD BOOKS AND CULTURE CLUB meets once a month on Saturday mornings at Dartford Library. For more information, find us at www.meetup. com/West-Kent-Book-Club/

NORTH WEST KENT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY THE MANOR HALL VARIETY GROUP The Dartford Branch meet the 1st We meet every Tuesday at 8.00 in Saturday of each month from 10amthe Community hall (opp St Paulinus 12:30pm at the Dartford Science and church) Crayford. We are looking for anyone who could help us with sound, Technology College, Heath Lane, For lights, scenery or singing/acting on the more information see www.nwkfhs. org.uk or ring Janet 01322384836 stage - everyone welcome. Email me (Carolyn) for more details at ERITH MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY has c_sawyers@hotmail.com. been in existence for over 50 years and has well over 50 active members.

CRAYFORD TOWN ARCHIVE As the club continues to grow new incorporating Barnehurst and Slade members are always welcome.

Green. Meet every Monday (except the third Monday) of the month at The club meets on Wednesday Crayford Library hall - 2pm-4pm. Call evenings from around 7.00pm until in for a chat about old Crayford and around 9.30pm at our new clubrooms to view the large collection of local in Invicta House (aka Belvedere images, or bring your own for us to Workingmen’s Club), 66 Gilbert Road, copy.

Belvedere DA17 5DA.

THE DARTFORD CHESS CLUB The club meets every Thursday evening from 7.30pm at St Anselms Parish Hall, West Hill and was founded 100 years ago in 1914. All queries to Mike Wiltshire at 01322 272152 or visit www.dartfordchessclub.co.uk COLUMBINE CHINA PAINTERS CLUB This small friendly club meets each month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday afternoon in Sutton-at-Hone Village Hall. From 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Price is £3.00 to include Tea & biscuits.

Occasionally we meet on a Saturday when we have a tutor with us, from 10am until 4pm Contact - Maureen Beckham 01322 287214. Marie Blake 01474 704581.

Doreen Goddard 01474 707357.

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Would you like to promote a local activity on the “Where to go locally...” page?

If so, email your suggestions to editor@dartfordliving.com c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

WEST HILL MORRIS Come and join your local Morris side, dancing and performing in Dartford, Gravesend and Bexley areas and throughout Kent in the Summer. We are a mixed and very sociable side, and can always find room for new dancers and musicians. It’s a great way of keeping fit and you’ll be helping to conserve a great English tradition. We practice alternate Tuesday evenings at Bexley, from September to April, then dancing out at pubs, clubs and fetes, throughout Kent, from May to August. Private Bookings taken. Contact Alison on 01322 862298, e-mail alisondukes@btinternet.com STIMUL8 ACTIVITY SERVICE I provide all the equipment, materials and refreshments with just a small all inclusive, pay as you go, fee of £10.00 per person per session.

Those who come have the opportunity to learn painting with watercolours, acrylics, inks and how to draw with pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, charcoals, watercolour pencils, fabric pens, plus basics of sculpting and have the opportunity to sign up to additional floral workshops I offer too. www.stimul8-activityservice.co.uk EXTRAORDINARY YOUTH GROUP’ - calling all 11-18 year olds who want more than an ordinary life, come hang out with other young people and discover their ultimate purpose. Every Friday in term time, 7pm-9:30pm at Net Church Dartford, near McDonalds and next to Weatherspoons.

For more information email andrew@ thenetchurch.co.uk or call 01322 272649.

SHORNE FLOWER ARRANGERS Our Club presents a programme of workshops and demonstrations in a very informal and friendly atmosphere. We meet on the last Thursday of each month except December. Shorne Village Hall, The Street, Shorne. DA12 3EA. Visitors are always made very welcome, entry £3. We have 30 members and look forward to welcoming anyone who loves flowers. The Club provides an opportunity for people to be creative, make friends.

For further information please phone Angela Hurd Telephone: 01322 407556 SWANLEY HISTORY GROUP Meets 1st Tuesday of every month.

Presentations on local social history.

Venue Alexandra Suite St Mary’s Road Swanley BR8 7BU. Doors open 7.15 for 7.30 p.m. Members £1 Visitors £2. Everyone welcome. Email swanleyhistorygroup@ hotmail.co.uk for more details or visit our website https://swanleyhistorygroup. weebly.com or Facebook page. Annual membership £5 includes a monthly newsletter.

NORTH KENT EMBROIDERERS’ GROUP Meets on the third Saturday of every month (except August) from 2pm - 4pm in the The Community Room, Asda Gravesend Superstore, Thames Way, Gravesend DA11 0DQ. The programme of activities is varied with workshops, talks and sit and stitch sessions. Visitors are very welcome. More information can be found on our website www. northkentembroiderers.co.uk or phone 01474324734.

MODERN LINEDANCING CLASSES St Michael & All Angels Church Hall, DA2 7EG Wednesdays 1pm - 2pm. Fun, social class learning routines from differing genres to popular music providing exercise for body and brain. No dance experience or partners necessary. Contact Kay 01322 276528 BEXLEY PHILATELIC SOCIETY Meetings first and third Friday of the month at Freemantle Hall, Bexley village, 7:30 for 7:45 start. Covering stamps and postal history, meetings offer displays, auctions, competitions, and convivial atmosphere. More information on www. bexleyps.org.uk

new topics, new skills and new ways for girls to broaden their horizons.

There are lots of flexible ways to volunteer so no matter how much time you have you can #inspiregirls too.

If you would like to find out more please register your interest www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested DARTFORD HISTORICAL AND ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY www.historicaldartford.org.uk Our talks in 2020 continue with the following: Friday 21 February - Toni Mount. “Richard III King of Controversy”.

Friday 20 March - Bob Ogley. “Biggin on the Bump”.

Friday 17 April - Wilf Lower. “Under Billowing Sails - the Romance and Reality of Tall Ships”.

Friday 15 May - Ian Porter. “Jack the Ripper”.

These events will be held at the Mick Jagger Centre, Shepherds Lane, Dartford, at 7.30 for 7.45pm and all are welcome.

A small charge of £2.00 is made for nonmembers.

Membership of the Society is currently £10.00 per annum and this includes a copy of the annual magazine which contains interesting articles on the history of Dartford and surrounds. Telephone 01322 221702 for further information.

MAKE A NOISE CHOIR Singing songs from the shows and having fun! We meet every Tuesday from 7.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. at St Anselm’s Church, West Hill, Dartford DA1 2HJ www.makeanoisechoir.com

We meet every third Thursday of each month, between 19:30 & 21:30 at the following local hall:

GIRLGUIDING – DARTFORD DIVISION Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women aged 5-18 in the UK.

Pheonix Place Community Hall Pheonix Place, Dartford, DA1 2XG

There are more than 30 groups in the Dartford area run by our amazing volunteers who inspire girls every week.

Please use the following options:

If you have any questions, please contact our Club Secretary Tony Pringle who will be only too happy to help.

Email: tp.1971@outlook.com Our new programme delivers the fun and 07738 698284 varied range of activities that you expect from guiding, and of course, there’s still plenty of badges to earn. We’ve introduced

Tel:

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HAWLEY AND SUTTON AT HONE Swanscombe Leisure Centre.

ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION Call Saj on 07903 513104 (HASARA) We meet on the 2nd Thursday in the scout hut Sutton at Hone at 2pm.

Other social activities include pub lunches, art and craft, short mat bowls, petanque, walks, coach outings, etc.

We are a friendly and young at heart club. Do join us. Ring Jim on 01322 221736 or Carol on 07912564710 or just turn up.

DARTFORD GYMNASTICS is the only British Gymnastics Club in Dartford to hold the”GymMark” Award for 6 years.

Based in Heath Lane, we are a friendly club with super equipment, great ORCHARDS JUNIOR SCALE MODEL coaches and high standards. We do lots of competitions and we do CLUB. We welcome everyone from age 8 and upwards. We meet not close through the holidays! on a Tuesday evening from 6pm Visit our website www.dartonwards in The Meeting Place in fordgymnastics.co.uk for full the Orchards Shopping Centre. details or contact Linda on 01322 We deal with all sorts of scale 409312 or email dartfordgymmodels from Airfix and similar, club@yahoo.co.uk Warhammer, model railways etc. We charge £1 per week per LEARN KARATE person and any under 16’s need to be accompanied by an adult.

Learn karate with Yamato We have a small number of Damashii – for adults & children kits available to purchase at a Every Wednesday evening at the reasonable rate.

Leigh Academy & every Saturday morning at Becket Sport Centre, first lesson free. https://www.facebook.com/OrchardsJuniorScaleModelClub/ For more info, visit www.ydma. club or find us on Facebook, search for Yamato Damashii Martial Arts.

SPORTS GROUPS

AND CLUBS

Yoga with Emma “YOGA WITH EMMA WHEELCHAIR EPEE FENCING Europa Gymnastics Centre: Wheelchair epee fencing in - Wednesdays: Hatha Yoga – Dartford and Gravesham, we are 9.30am to 10.30am delighted to announce that New - Fridays: Hatha Yoga – 9.30am to Ash Green Epee club, can now 10.30am introduce wheelchair fencing. If - Fridays: Yin Yoga – 10.45am to interested in taking up this para sport please contact us on 01474 11.45am 871484 or alternatively look at our Becket Sports Centre: website www.nagfencing.eu - Fridays: Hatha Yoga – 7.00pm to 8.00pm ERITH YOUTH RUGBY Sunday 10:45-12:00, Sussex Road Please see www.samadhi-yoga.

Erith. Ages 4-16 welcome 07903 co.uk for more information or 590515 email Emma at emma@samadhi-yoga.co.uk“ LITTLE TIGERS - KARATE FOR 3, 4 & 5 YEAR OLDS KENT EXILES AMERICAN Sundays 62 10:15-10:45 at

FOOTBALL CLUB www.kentexiles.co.uk.

Coach Martin - 07944 730634.

All ages from 7 years to adult welcome ENERGY FITNESS AND NUTRITION I run group fitness classes as well as 1-1 and semi private personal training sessions in Darenth at Dimples Day Nursery DA2 7HT. ENERGY Fitness & Nutrition: we offer a wide variety of group classes such as strength & conditioning, boot camps, Boxercise, mum and baby classes, inside and outside classes with great equipment and suitable for all abilities.

The website is www.energyfitnut.co.uk HARTLEY SWIMCLUB AT WHITE OAK POOL, SWANLEY We are a friendly group of adults who meet for a social swim every Thursday at 9pm. We’re looking for new members. Why not give us a try?

Contact Diane on 01689 871846 or join us one Thursday.

DARTFORD JU JITSU CLUB Mondays 7-8pm for 7-16s at the Dartford Girls Grammar, Shepherds Lane Dartford DA1 2NT in the Dance Studio.

We have an adult class 8-10pm too.

We’ve been running for 20 years, building confidence, teaching self-defence, hardening the target, developing skills and always welcome new members.

DARTFORD ORIENTEERING CLUB For more details see www.dfok. co.uk HOP LIKE IT’S HOT A fun (different) circuit based workout with space hoppers that

challenges core stabilty, balance and Club in Dartford and we share strength. It is suitable for all levels our headquarters at Hesketh with and abilities. Classes are held every Dartford Cricket Club. We cater for Wednesday stone abilities have c h e c k wevening i t h t h e p roat v i dthe e r s to s e e i f t h e y a rmost e st i l l o p e n d u r i nand g lo c k d o wansocial ride pavilion starting at 8:15 until 9:00 most Saturday mornings. For info on costing £5 per person. joining us please visit our website www.seedscycling.co.uk THE HIGHLY STRUNG BADMINTON CLUB, DARTFORD AND WHITE OAK Friendly club seeking new members. TRIATHLON CLUB Abilities mixed.

We are the local British Triathlon Would suit players with some prior Federation Club covering Bexley, experience.

Dartford and Swanley. We offer coached swimming sessions 3 Thursdays at 7.45-9.45pm, Dartford times per week at White oak pool Girls’ Grammar School, DA1 2NT in Swanley and Fairfield pool in For further information please email: Dartford. Our members compete in many local Triathlons plus many highlystrungbc@gmail.com members are training towards Iron Man distance. We also have our own Triathlon in June every year which has been running since 1989. If you are interested in joining us then WAR GAMES AND MODEL CLUB please visit our website Based in Erith we have a wide number of members from across SE http://www.dartfordandwhiteoaktri. co.uk London and Kent. A great place to come and have a game, make, paint and hobby! Or, if you prefer, come DARTFORD ROAD RUNNERS grab a cup of tea and chat about all Dartford Road Runners are based things hobby and some things not! at Princes Park Stadium and are For more info visit - https://emperone of the biggest road running ors10th.wixsite.com/home clubs in Kent. We currently have about 200 members of all abilities including a beginners group. DRR DARTFORD PARKRUN Dartford parkrun is a free to enter 5k teams compete in the Kent League, run every Saturday morning starting the Assembly League and the Kent Fitness League. To see what we offer by the Dartford harriers track in Central Park at 9am. All participants and how to join us please visit our website – anyone is welcome to join get a time a position emailed and us with all abilities. texted after the event. To register http://dartfordroadrunners.co.uk/ go to node/440 www.parkrun.org.uk. Remember to bring your printed Barcode.

DARTFORD HARRIERS ATHLETICS Every Sunday Morning in the Park CLUB there is a Junior parkrun over 2k – registration is the same.

Dartford Harriers is among the leading athletics clubs in Kent, with a history stretching back to the 1920′s, DARTFORD HEATH PARKRUN making it one of the oldest clubs in Dartford’s 2nd parkrun event is now the country. If you are interested in live. The run starts behind the Heath seeing how we can help you advance Lane car park and is a free 5k run your Athletics then please visit our every Saturday morning at 9am. website Parking is restricted in the area so http://www.dartfordharriersac.co.uk please do not park in Heathclose Road and wherever possible please CENTRAL PARK ATHLETICS CLUB walk.

We are situated in Dartford’s outstanding Central Park and can FOOTSCRAY MEADOW PARKRUN provide access to a state of the A new Parkrun event with parking at art running track (re-laid in 2015) Crazy Barn and the full range of track and field facilities for just £4.50 per session (we offer discounted annual SEEDS CYCLING CLUB DARTFORD memberships). Refreshments and Seeds is a long-established cycling changing facilities are also available.

For no extra charge, we hold coached track sessions on Wednesday evenings for runners of all abilities.

This is a tough but very popular way to increase your stamina and running technique, and you’ll be in the company of qualified coaches and some of the friendliest runners around. For more information please visit our website centralparkathletics.co.uk Every Sunday 10-11am – Child friendly coached sessions – Come and join the CPA Swifts – As a fledgling club we would like to give children of all ages and abilities the chance to experience training and coaching within a club environment – come and be part of the team Free first session with this advert SO LET’S GO RUNNING (SLGR) SLGR is a local running club with structured training sessions designed to improve runners speed and stamina.

There are currently four runs available with more starting soon; see below for more details.

The Run leaders for each group are as follows; Dartford Cricket Club, Dartford Dawn & Brian Cyclopark, Gravesend - Dawn & Brian New runners are always welcome, and you can contact Brian if you would like more information; see contact details and e-mail link on Our Group page.

YOGA & MEDITATION CLASSES Every Tuesday from 6-7pm &Thursday from 10.30am to 12.00pm at Peppercorns, 3 Orchard Street, Dartford, Kent, DA1 2DF. For more information please call The Hope Group on 07580 615206.

THE ASHES BADMINTON CLUB Mondays, Dartford Technology College, Heath Lane. 8-9.30. Jacqui 07764 182854.

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ADVERTISERS INDEX DIRECTORY OF LOCAL BUSINESSES ADVERTISING IN DARTFORD LIVING

ACCOUNTANTS, FINANCE & LEGAL Downton Ali Associates.........................................65 Urban Sticks...........................................................13 BUILDERS, DECORATORS, ROOFING, BATHROOMS, HEATING, KITCHENS, WINDOWS & DOORS Claremont Decorative Services.............................36 Home & Garden......................................................31 Steve Cook - Double Glazing..................................22 The Double Glazing Repair Man..............................4 Westgate Dartford..................................................34 CAR CARE ChipsAway..............................................................10 CHILDREN Bip Bop Shop.........................................................26 COUNCIL Dartford Borough Council ......................................5 ESTATE/ LETTING AGENTS Fox Estates ............................................................11 Wisdom Estates......................................................23 FARM SHOP H&M Foods.............................................................38 FLORIST Dartford Florist......................................................19 FOOD AND DRINK Kemsing Gin..........................................................41 64

GARAGES & VEHICLE SERVICES Orchard Garage......................................................60 Shenley Road Garage............................................26 GARDENING Bow Arrow Gardening............................................38 HEALTH Home Instead...........................................................4 JEWELLERY Bradleys..................................................................23 NURSERY Holy Trinity Church Pre School.............................46 MUSIC/DANCE & FITNESS On Pointe Pilates....................................................19 OPTICIANS Linklater Opticians.................................................43 PICTURE FRAMING Craft Frames............................................................38 RESTAURANT/ TEA ROOMS/CAFE EFES.........................................................................7 SECURITY Excel Security Systems..........................................26 WILL WRITING SMN Will Writing .................................................21 WEBSITE DESIGN Dartford Living Design.............................................2

SIZE AND RATES

c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

ALL ADVERTISING CURRENTLY HALF MARKED PRICE (ONLY VALID WHEN MAGAZINE IS ONLINE ONLY) THINKING OF ADVERTISING?

We offer amazing value advertising with adverts starting from just £40 for a month. We don’t just take your money and add you to the magazine.

We want to work with you to promote your businesses as much as we can using our website and social media channels for maximum exposure. We can also provide advertising options solely online on your website and/ or social media channels. We feel we have every base covered.

To book in an advert call 01322 507817 or email sales@dartfordliving.com David Shafford

Magazine/ Website Design and Sales

FULL PAGE

HALF PAGE

210mm by 148mm

96mm by 148mm

£180

£120

QUARTER PAGE

FRONT PAGE

96mm by 69mm

54mm by 128mm

£150 £60

+Free Full Page (only May and Sept left)

*All prices are at the discounted rate when taking out advertising over a period of a year. Full rates can be found at www.dartfordliving.com/advertise

01322 507817

sales@dartfordliving.com www.dartfordliving.com

YOUR NEXT DEADLINE IS 20TH APRIL 2020

Dartford Living does not certify, endorse or verify the contents of any communication within the magazine/our online presence or make warranty of any kind, express or implied, with regard to the information contained therein. Dartford Living and its owners cannot be held responsible for any errors, omissions or claims made by advertisers or endorse companies, products or services that appear in any Dartford Living publication or media outlet. Dartford Living is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

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c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

USEFUL NUMBERS LOCAL AND NATIONAL

KEY NUMBERS Police 01622 690690 NON EMERGENCY ONLY Fire Safety Advice & FREE Home Fire Safety Check 0800 169 1125 Dartford Borough Council 01322 343434 Gas Leaks (24 hour) 0800 111 999 EDF Energy Networks Emergencies/ Powercuts Helpline 105 Flooding 03459881180 Highways Kent 03000 41 41 41 Social Services 03000 41 41 41 Water Burst 0800 820 999 (Southern) 0800 714614 (Thames) HEALTH Darent Valley Hospital 01322 428100 Dartford East Health Centre 01322 421480 Boots Chemist Bluewater 01322 624780 (Late Night) ASDA Greenhithe Chemist 01322 374100 (Late Night) The National Pandemic Flu Service 0800 1513 100 West Kent NHS helpline 0800 0 850850 TRAVEL Heathrow Airport Enquires 08700 000123 Gatwick Airport Enquires 08700 002468 National Rail Enquires 08456 484950 Highways England Info Line 0300 123 5000 HELPLINES 24 Hour Kent Dementia Helpline: 0800 500 3014

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Alcoholics Anonymous: 08457 697 555 Citizens Advice Bureau: 01322 472 979 Debt Councilling (CAP) 0800 328 0006 Information About Drugs - FRANK: 0800 776600 Kent Homophobic Incident Reporting Line: 0800 328 9162 Kent Racial Incident Reporting Line: 0800 138 1624 Local Breastfeeding Counsellors Judianne/Paula 01322 224072 National Domestic Violence Helpline (24 hour) 0808 2000 247 NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000 RSPCA Kent, North West Branch Helpline 01322 286720 Samaritans: 116 123 LOCAL MP Gareth Johnson 020 7219 7047 LOCAL SPORTS CLUBS Bexley Rugby Club 01322 550142 or www.pitchero.com/clubs/bexleyrfc/ Dartford Ladies Hockey Club Dawn Hall (Secretary) 07793 777250 Dartford Ju Jitsu Club Mondays, Dartford Girls Grammar School, Shepherds Lane. 6.30-8.00 Juniors, 8.00-10.00 Seniors www.

Call 999 in an Emergency Fire, Police, Ambulance and Coastguard 101 Non Emergency Number for Kent Police Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 111 NHS Non Emergency Number

dartfordjujitsu.co.uk Dartford Sharks Basketball Club Tim Dickson - 07855 692527.

Dartford Volleyball Club Graham - 01322 275290 or 07984 106134.

Stone Lodge Indoor Bowling Club 01322 274111.

VCD Table Tennis Club Eric Jenkins - 0208 3038312.

‘Play & pay’, 9 hole, par 3 golf course on Dartford Football Club’s Princes ParkContact: 01322 299990 www.dartfordfc.com Dartford Valley RFC www.pitchero.com/clubs/ darenthvalleyrfc/ USEFUL FACEBOOK GROUPS Dartford Living Dartford Today and Tomorrow Dartford Remembered Dartford Gossip Dartford Living Community Group

c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

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Make your car the coolest place to be this summer! c h e c k w i t h t h e p ro v i d e r s to s e e i f t h e y a r e st i l l o p e n d u r i n g lo c k d o w n

A/C re-gas just

ÂŁ50

+VAT

Call us now to book in on

01322 271000 Price valid for R134A. New gas R1234YF is from ÂŁ100+VAT.

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