Heritage Tree Surveyors
As part of this 5 year Heritage Lottery
Funded Project, we are looking for volunteers to register as Heritage
Tree Surveyors (all training and equipment provided to all registered
surveyors), also we would like people to let us know about any heritage
trees in your local area/parish. This can be done via going to the Kent
Heritage Trees website (www.btcv.org/kentheritagetrees). Once we receive a tree from the public, a local Surveyor will then go out and survey the tree.
Stay Safe - Winter 2012
As Christmas approaches and nights draw in, Kent Police would like to provide residents of Tonbridge & Malling with some safety advice.
With the darker evenings and mornings it is a good opportunity to look at your home security and consider some of the following options:
Use timer switches around your home to turn lamps on and off.
Keep you rear gate secure with closed shackle padlocks.
If you have a garden shed, keep it secure and alarmed.
Don't leave any tools lying about in the garden and keep them secure.
Consider having a home alarm system fitted.
Install dusk to dawn, low powered, lights at the front of your home. This allows you to enter your home in light and not darkness.
Keep Christmas presents out of view of windows.
Do not leave packaging outside on display to show what you have got for Christmas; keep it in your bin.
Lock your garden tools away so they can not be stolen or used to break into your house.
Householders
can help themselves by installing some time switches to turn on
lights or even radios to make it look like someone is there.
I
would also suggest that they ensure they double lock their front and
back doors both at night and whenever they go out. Most thieves and
burglars are opportunist and just take advantage of an easy target.
If you still have festive shopping to do then make sure you know where your valuables are:
Keep your purse/wallet safe and not in a pocket.
Use a purse lanyard for your purse/wallet.
Keep your handbag at the front of your body.
Do not leave your bags alone on your trolley, even in the store.
Keep your bags next to you, even when stopping for a coffee.
Be aware of who is around you in the shops, a casual bump maybe an offender distracting you.
Never enter your PIN code when using a chip and pin card without covering your and when you enter it.
Avoid drawing large amounts of cash out of ATM's. Thieves would rather have cash than your credit card.
The last piece of advice is around your vehicle and these can become vulnerable in the darker months, and if you have started Christmas shopping then there can be a greater opportunity for thieves:
Park in good car parks, look for the Park Mark signs.
Avoid leaving amounts of shopping in the vehicle, even the boot.
Park with your boot towards the wall or other obstruction (this makes it harder to get into the boot).
NEVER leave anything valuable in your vehicle and where possible remove all tools if it's a work van or vehicle.
Always lock you vehicle regardless of where you park or for how long (most thefts happen when you only leave your car for a short time).
Refuse Collections
All refuse and recycling collection services have now returned to normal following last week's snow and icy road conditions.
- In w/c 27 December, collections will take place one working day later than normal, with Friday 31 December's collections taking place on Monday 3 January
- In w/c 3 January, collections will take place one day later than normal, with Friday 7 January's collections taking place on Saturday 8 January. Collections will return to normal from Monday 10 January
NU VENTURE BUS INFORMATION
* Please be aware that the Nu-Venture Bus Service 58 will continue unchanged from the start of the new school year, ie 0707 from Addington via Trottiscliffe 0710, Ryarsh 0722, Birling 0725, Leybourne 0730, E Malling 0746 to Maidstone, returning at 1605.
Operates Mondays to Fridays, school days only.
* AGED 16 TO 20? If you are a regular traveller, the new VENTURER 16-20 bus pass may be for you.
Venturer 16-20 offers unlimited travel all day any day on all Nu-Venture local bus services until 31 December 2010 for everyone aged 16 to 20. Price £150.
Download an application form from our website www.nu-venture.co.uk and post it to us with your cheque.. Please allow 14 days for delivery.
Please note carefully; all VENTURER 16-20 tickets are subject to these conditions:
* Tickets once sold cannot be replaced or refunded.
* The ticket can only be used by the person to whom it is issued and it is not transferable in any circumstances. Tickets found to be in use by a person other than the one to whom the ticket was sold will be withdrawn without replacement, and appropriate legal action may be instituted.
* Passengers are subject to Nu-Venture's conditions of travel at all times.
Memories of Tonbridge & Malling 2000 - 2010
As the first decade of the millennium draws to a close, Peter Ellis is appealing for residents to share their memories for an interactive CD.
The idea is to create a comprehensive pictorial account of Tonbridge and Mailing life over the past 10 years - through the eyes of the people.
The subject matter is completely open and can be as diverse as people want it to be.
Peter is looking for pictures and text/audio comments of events to make it an illustrative memory bank of 2000 to 2010.
By using the latest technology the CD-ROM will contain details of all 28 of the Boroughs Towns, Villages and Hamlets which can be navigated by users according to their own preference.
The final contents are very reliant on contributions from Individuals, Societies, Schools and Businesses.
Contributions can be a complete entry or just a single picture - i.e. A Public event in your area such as the Tour de France - A visit from your Twin Town - Your own families celebrations.
Short stories (in audio and text); Musical items and Poems from local groups or individuals would enhance what is expected to be a goodly variety of items for all tastes and ages.
The CD-ROM will also include elements of news of events that have affected residents without any political bias. There will be 'Headline News' such as the Big Robbery in Tonbridge - to residents winning awards for a variety of actions and talents. Plus items on House Building - Building of local Bye Passes - etc. The range only limited by contributions.
Peter was responsible for the Council's CD-ROM Recollections and Aspirations made to celebrate the Millennium and with residents' help wants to make the new one worth having as a keepsake for every family.
This is a purely voluntary project and any profits made from futures sales of the CD-ROM will be given to local charities.
It is hoped that there will be updates on the progress of the project on the Council's Web-site with the expected publication date being November 2010.
In the first instance please contact Peter at his e-mail address pafellis@hotmail.co.uk. Or Telephone 01732 503562
Other News
Your NHS ambulance service and how you can help us!
Your local ambulance service - South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust (SECAmb) - is aiming to become an NHS Foundation Trust in 2010. Foundation trusts (FTs) have been around since 2004, although ambulance trusts were only able to start to apply for foundation trust status from April 2009.
Foundation trusts are still NHS organisations, providing free care and treatment to patients. They still have to meet national targets and are regularly inspected. The main difference is that foundation trusts are run locally, and are accountable to patients, local people and staff rather than to Government, by way of the 'membership' they establish.
We believe FT status will be good for everyone because our members, and the Council of Governors they elect, can have direct influence on the way we develop. As an FT we'll be able to respond to people's needs much more immediately because we'll be working with them as members. We will also have more say over how and what we invest our money in - training, new ambulances, adopting the latest clinical technologies and techniques, etc - meaning our public, patients and staff will get the ambulance service they want and need.
Becoming a member of our NHS Trust is simple, free and it'll mean you're supporting us as well as having your say about how we can make our services even better. Membership doesn't need to take up your time, you can just receive our free quarterly newsletter, with details of the latest developments in life-saving treatments and technology, useful tips, interesting public health information - but it will also give you the chance to get more involved if you want to. Please visit our website for more information (www.secamb.nhs.uk) or go straight to where you can join us online (www.nhs-membership.co.uk/seas). For membership forms contact Izzy Allen on 01273 897840 or ftmembership@secamb.nhs.uk. Thank you very much for your support.
Cardboard Bank Removal
Please click the link below to see what you should now do with your cardboard
