VillageVoice Newington Parish Council March 2021

Again, for reasons you will understand, we are unable to deliver the Village Voice to homes around the village.

Children’s Playground Work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday 6 April (the day after the Easter Monday Bank Holiday) and will last about five weeks. This means that the playground will be closed until early May. All existing equipment is being retained (except the see-saw, which has seen better days). We are enlarging the play area to include: a replacement see-saw; a ‘Nursery Rymes’ Multiplay; a ‘Holly Hedgehog’ springer; a multiplay unit for older children; a 4m high Activity Net; a ‘Crusader’ rope end swing; a ‘Running for Gold’ fantasy funrun; a ground level roundabout which is designed to facilitate disabled access; and a ‘Freestyle’ designed to give the fun of the skate park. The full plans will be displayed in Newington School from Tuesday 9 March and will be placed on the parish council website the next day. We are runnng for a competition to find children to ‘formally open’ the play area in the summer – Covid restrictions permitting. Of course all the equipment will be available to everyone as soon as the installation team have finished their work.

Recreation Ground Car Park Our car park has been expanded and re-surfaced. This is intended for those using the community woodland, allotments or recreation ground (including Sunday football when this resumes). Please re- member that the gate on Orchard Drive is locked at 5pm each day.

Introduction to the local plan review Current Consultation 8th February 2021 to 30th April 2021 The Government requires all Councils to revisit their Local Plans every five years. We are now consulting on the Local Plan Review (Regulation 19) For more information go to: https://swale.gov.uk/planning-and-regeneration/local-plans/local-plan-review/local-plan-review

Highways Improvement Plan Following a survey your Parish Council has put together a list of items that the village would like to see in the village. Some of these could be expensive and achievable over the long term while others are achievable in the short term. Should you have other suggestions for improving the highways please let the Clerk know? You can contact the clerk via email [email protected]

Keep in the Loop The Council wants to keep villagers in the loop via e-mail. To register your e-mail address and be added to our database. e-mail the Parish Clerk [email protected] Planning Only two new planning applications in February: Application: 21/500013/FULL Trimsaran, Keycol Hill, Kent ME9 8NA Proposal: Replace cladding and addition of render to all sides of the property. Partial demolition of the front boundary wall with a new driveway and extension to the existing dropped kerb.(Part retrospective) Application: 21/500284/FULL Snakesbury, Iwade Road, Newington ME9 7JY Proposal: Conversion of garage to a workshop and home office, including addition of render to exter- nal walls, replacement of roof, door and windows and insertion of 3no. windows to side and 2no. roof- lights. Partial demolition of existing stable building, replacement of front boundary fence and erection of access stairs to garden. We still await the decision on two larger planning applications in our village: Application: 20/505059/FULL: Willow Trees, 111 High Street, Newington ME9 7JJ Proposal: Demolition of existing chalet bungalow and erection of 20 dwellings (4 x two bedrooms and 14 x three-bedrooms and 2 x four-bedrooms) with associated access, parking, amenity and landscaping. Application: 20/501475/FULL Land Rear Of Eden Meadow, High Street Newington ME9 7JH Revised Proposal: Erection of 35 No. residential dwellings including affordable housing and associated car parking, hardstanding, landscaping and open spaces, infrastructure including SuDs and earthworks accessed from the existing junction serving Eden Meadow from the A2 High Street. As ever, you can see the full details (and send your own comments) on the Swale planning portal: https://pa.midkent.gov.uk/online-applications/search.do?action=simple&searchType=Application (put the application number into the search box); and you can read the parish council comments on each on our website: https://www.newington-pc.gov.uk/community/newington-parish-council-15445/home/ Also - please see the article on the Local Plan Review which sets the framework across Swale for the next 15 years

The next census is planned for Sunday 21st March 2021 Moving the census online Census 2021 will be the first digital census. It’s easy to do and can be done on any device. You’ll get an access code from us at the Office for National Statistics. Simply go online and enter the code into our secure website to get started. We’ll be in contact nearer the time to let you know what you need to do. Help available We’re aiming to make it easy for everyone to take part in Census 2021. But, if you need help, we’ve got it covered. We’ll have an online help area and offer help by phone, webchat, email, social media or text message. If you can’t get online or need help completing the census online, there’ll be Census Support Centres across England and Wales. We’ll also have guidance in a range of languages and accessible formats. Our changing needs To make sure we collect the information needed to plan and fund services we’ve made a few changes to the questions we ask in Census 2021. We also want everyone to be able to identify as they wish. In 2021, it’ll be even easier as we are developing ‘search-as-you-type’ functionality. Vacancy for Parish Councillor Would you like to assist in making decisions that affect your community? If so why not apply to become a Parish Councillor. Expressions of interest must be received in writing to the Clerk by 26th March. To find out what’s involved and for any other information please contact: The Clerk, Mrs Wendy Licence, 14 Trapfield Close, Bearsted, ME14 4HT or email: [email protected]

Other numbers Report on line – www.kent.police.uk/services/report-online/ Community Warden – Georgina Springall 07969 583921 Police Community Support – Officer John Cork 07772226217 Crimestoppers – Call 0800 555 111 Call your local Police 101 – in an emergency always call 999

Parish Council meetings The Parish Council continues to operate and Councillors continue to work hard on behalf of residents. The next meeting is the Amenities committee on Tuesday 23rd of March at 7.00pm and the next full council meeting is on Tuesday 30th of March both via zoom. Members of the public are welcome to attend and ask questions during our ten minute agenda slot. For details on how to attend please contact: The Clerk, Mrs Wendy Licence, email: [email protected]

Parish Council Website http://www.newington-pc.gov.uk The Parish Council website contains information about the Council and its meetings. There is a planning tracker which gives up to date information on planning applications in the village. The site is full of useful information and you can also sign up for email alerts. Details of village organisations are available and if you would like details of your group to be included please contact the Clerk. Get updates on the gas main roadworks on the A2 whenever the Parish Council receives new information

Reporting antisocial behaviour Does it feel like the situation could get heated or violent very soon? Is someone in immediate danger? Do you need support right away? If so, please call 999 now. Antisocial behaviour can have a lasting impact on neighbourhoods and communities as it often leads to an increase in crime, particularly violence and criminal damage. If you’ve witnessed antisocial behaviour of any kind, Call 101: for ASB, including drug dealing (if drug dealing is happening outside of a school or playground, call 999) Call 999 only in an emergency, if there is a crime occuring, someone is injured, being threatened or threat to life.

If you cannot access the internet and need to speak with the NHS Coronavirus Testing Service dial 119 from any phone Help Available: For updates from Government and local services see the Parish Council website Http://www.newington-pc.gov.uk 111 NHS or 111.nhs.uk/ (111.nhs.uk/covid-19) 101 for Police non-emergency or www.kent.police.uk Georgina Springall, Community Warden 07969 583921 John Cork Police Community Support Officer 07772 226217 How do I report Fly Tipping If you witness someone fly tipping, call the police on 999. Give as much information as possible but do not put yourself in danger. If you would like to report rubbish that has already been tipped and needs investigating or clearing up: l Report online l Contact Swale Borough Council by telephone. l Contact us by telephone or in person People responsible for fly tipping are committing a serious criminal offence and can be fined up to £50,000 if found guilty and even receive a prison sentence.

How do I ensure I do not fly tip? There are a number of options available to dispose of your waste: l Have your large furniture removed with Swale Boprough Council’s bulky item collection service l Take items to your nearest household tips and recycling sites l Remove garden waste with Swale Borough Council’s brown bin service l Donate it If you are having work done to your house, ensure that your builder or plumber holds a waste carriers permit demonstrat- ing that they are aware of how to dispose of any waste appropriately. If they don’t hold this permit and they fly tip, then you could also face a court appearance. Please be particularly mindful of anyone who knocks on your door and offers to take any waste away for money. If you choose to use these services, you must ensure that you are clear on who took your waste away and how you can locate them again if your waste ends up being dumped. More Information The National Fly-tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG) is a group of organisations working together to tackle fly-tipping. You can find out more information about fly-tipping, including viewing the latest fly-tipping prevention guides for house- holders, businesses and landowners. Dog Theft Awareness Dog thefts are massively on the rise! Please do not leave your dog unattended at any time! Thieves are: l Watching public area waiting for the opportunity to steal your dog. l Stealing dogs left outside shops and left in cars. l Stealing dogs from gardens, front drives and kennels. l Watching you walk your dog, they may follow you home. l Snatching dogs while they are being walked! Every dog has a value whether it be for resale, ransom, breeding or baiting Remenber: l Never leave your dog outside alone, even on your own property. l Do not let young children walk your dog. l If you know an elderly person who has a dog please try to walk with them. l Make sure your dog is microchipped and the details are up to date, however a microchip will not guarantee your dog’s safe return if stolen, so theft prevention is key! We need to fight back against these thieves and make dog theft as difficult as possible for them. Please do not let it be your beloved pet that gets taken. Our dogs put all their trust in us and it is our duty to protect them. Please be vigilant!

Deadline for articles 20th of each month, please contact Tony Mould e-mail [email protected] Test and Trace support payment You may be entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment if you are receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit and you: l Are employed or self-employed l Have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace l Are on a low income, you can’t work from home and you will lose income as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak You could be paid £500 for the 10 days you self-isolate. https://swale.gov.uk/news-and-your-council/coronavirus/payments-for-those-on-a-low-income-who-have- to-self-isolate Telephone 01795 471850

Get support If you are vulnerable and need urgent support that cannot be met through existing support networks, get in touch. You can find answers to common questions about Kent Together on our questions answered page. We can help with: l Making sure you have enough food and supplies. l School holidays, if your child is eligible for free school meals. l You can receive one £15 voucher per child. (Apply for holiday food vouchers). l Picking up prescriptions. l Making sure you have someone to talk to by phone, Skype or Facetime. l In some districts we can also help with: https://www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/health/coronavirus/kent-together If you’re unable to use our online form, call our helpline on 03000 41 92 92 (text relay 18001 03000 41 92 92). Deaf British Sign Language users can text our Sensory Services team on 07920 154 315 for help making a request. Clean it up Dog mess is the most unacceptable and offensive type of litter on our streets. Our research tells us that dog fouling is the issue the public are most concerned about. Dog fouling is not only deeply unpleasant, it is dangerous. Whilst rare, contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis – a nasty infection that can lead to dizziness, nausea, asthma and even blindness or seizures. It’s no wonder dog fouling is such a problem – there are estimated to be more than 8 million dogs producing more than 1,000 tonnes of mess every day in the UK alone. While most dog owners are caring, responsible individuals, there are still some people who do not clean up after their pets. Anyone who fails to clear up after their dog can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100. If the case goes to court this could cost the owner or person in charge of the animal up to £1,000. The law states that being unaware a dog has fouled or not having a suitable bag is not a reasonable excuse. If someone does fail to clean up after their pet, it falls to the Swale Borough Council to get rid of it. Swale has Dog Wardens who can take enforcement action against owners.” Coping with Covid-19 by Richard Thompstone A year ago, we were becoming aware of a new virus that had arrived in northern Italy from China. Known as Covid-19, there was little hint here of the havoc it was to unleash. Within 100 days of it emerging, the virus spread around the world, infecting more than 1.5 million people. It ended international travel, closed shops and businesses and left more than a third of the planet’s people confined to their homes. And, as we now know, that was just the start. The first official UK death from Covid-19 – a woman in her 70s from Berkshire with underlying health conditions – was announced on March 6 as Newington held the spring Wine and Wisdom in the village hall. It’s the last community social event there’s been in the village. By then, according to the British Medical Journal, more than 20,000 people had been tested for Covid-19 in the UK and 163 had been found positive. Of those, 147 cases were in England, 24 of them in the South-East. Another five people had died in the UK by March 10. And the death toll across the world exceeded 3,300. By mid-April, that figure had risen to 143,000 people, 16,000 in the UK. Newington has not escaped. This article records how Newington has reacted to the pandemic so far and I thank the many villagers who have assisted me by completing the Newington History Group (NHG) survey on the subject. Clapping for the NHS The responses commonly mention that the most difficult thing they’ve had to cope with throughout the year is being unable to socialise with family and friends. On the other hand, they feel that, generally, people are being friendlier and more helpful than before. There’s an overwhelming desire to meet family members who live away from the village and for speedy progress with the vaccine programme. Isolation is a big problem and people are missing the village’s community activities such as the scouts, sports, leisure groups and social clubs. The importance of the Anglican and Methodist churches in people’s lives is also highlighted. More people are taking walks and exploring the countryside around the village. NHG has put several walks online that people can download or follow on a mobile phone. It’s brought a greater realisation that Newington has some lovely areas. There are other positives to be found. Zoom and social media have kept people of all ages in contact. The commute to work is not missed even though work “banter” might be. Children [and parents] are finding it difficult keeping themselves occupied at home and in coping with home schooling. While, undoubtedly, groups of friends have been meeting up, many youngsters are missing seeing their mates, particularly when the schools have been closed. Newington primary school has been open throughout to about 10 pupils – children of key workers. The other pupils are remote learning from home. People said the village appears to have developed a closer community feel with more people out walk- ing and being more considerate. One person commented: “I think Newington has really tried to remain supportive and upbeat.” Spirits were lifted by the weekly ‘Clap for Our Carers’ and the VE Day 75th anniversary in May when people celebrated in their gardens and at socially-distanced street parties. Many villagers have become more health conscious. Eating better and exercising at home and outdoors appears to have increased. Social interaction has moved online. Thelma and Graham Dudley, of Station Road, said there was “noticeably more sharing, chatting and helping one another online”. Village volunteers This community spirit and the willingness to help others was highlighted by the recognition that many elderly villagers and those with existing health issues were being isolated during lockdown. It led to the setting up of a community help scheme – Newington (Sittingbourne) Covid-19 Mutual Aid. The hub – co-ordinated by Richard Palmer, Jennie Steer and Jayne Venables – uses a network of volun- teers who are paired with villagers who are unable to go out. The volunteers get food, medical supplies and other essentials for their “buddy” and provide support through regular telephone calls. In December, the hub offered assistance after being alerted to the plight of a widow who is in her late 70s. She said: “At the start of the outbreak I was unable to work in my front garden because I was too frightened. I’ve not felt at all optimistic or happy, just depressed and lonely. I’m apprehensive about this year. I’ve suffered with depression but I don’t tell people.” The hub has given her a lifeline of support. It’s easy to understand the loneliness. She’s missing the lunch club, church coffee mornings and other social groups that she used to attend. She said: “I’ve heard of several people who have had Covid but, fortunately, have recovered. It makes me very worried. People living alone will understand, especially if they have no relatives.” However, she’s noticed people in the village are more friendly and chatty – “maybe because I’m old!” – and people have begun calling her – “before, I had very few phone calls”. First death outside China After the start of the outbreak, the effects of Covid-19 were quickly noticed locally. On March 19, it was said that a 64-year-old man from Medway, who had underlying health problems, had become the first person diagnosed with Covid-19 to die at Medway Maritime Hospital. The Medway NHS Trust includes Newington. However, it has now emerged that Medway had the first Covid-19 death outside China, according to the Office for .National Statistics (ONS) Peter Attwood, 84, from Chatham, died on January 30 last year after being admitted on January 7. He fell sick on December 15, 2019 – two weeks before China told the World Health Organisation about the virus – and may have caught it from his daughter, Jane Buckland, from Walderslade, who showed symptoms but recovered. She thought she had a bad case of ‘flu. Mr Attwood’s death was not registered until September following an August 27 inquest where Bina Patel, the Mid-Kent and Medway coroner, recorded the cause as “Covid-19 infection and bronchopneumonia”. In May, a Medway inquest heard that Reace Lathwell-Fisher, 33, from Minster, may have had symptoms for “six or seven weeks” before he died on April 8. It registered the cause of death as pleurisy and probable Covid-19. Home-learning and panic buying On March 20, schools were closed and remote learning introduced. The Prime Minister, Boris John- son, announced an immediate three-week national lockdown from March 23 which was extended for a further three weeks on April 16. He said people should “stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives”. Pubs, entertainment venues, non-essential stores and businesses were forced to close, weddings were cancelled and public transport ran reduced services. People were told to work from home where possible. Lengthy queues formed at supermarkets where people were urged to keep two metres apart (socially distance). Panic buying increased with shelves emptied of, in particular, toilet rolls, flour and pasta. The Co-op in Newington remained open with a restricted number of customers in the store at any one time and a one-way system was introduced along with social distance markers on the floor. The pharmacy also remained open but only one customer was allowed in at a time. While Ming’s Chinese takeaway was shut, the Massala Indian takeaway continued trading and the Bull’s garden was open but people were not allowed in the bar. Also shut was the A2 in the middle of the village – for a scheduled gas pipe replacement. There was very little road and rail traffic during March and April because people were staying at home and the roadwork diversions meant Newington High Street became pedestrianised for several weeks. The parish council closed the play areas at the recreation ground and Playstool Road, while St Mary’s and the Methodist church moved to live-streamed services. In November, NHG would live-stream the Remembrance service from the churchyard. Many places were permitted to re-open at the end of the first lockdown, but hospitality, travel and some business restrictions remained in place throughout the long hot summer. Fortunately, the number of virus cases in Kent was low compared to the rest of the country. By mid-June, Swale had recorded 106 deaths – including one in Newing- ton at the end of April. The neighbouring wards of Borden and The Meads recorded one death in March, six in April and one in May. A few Newington residents caught Covid-19 but most recovered fairly quickly. They included Richard Palmer, a Parish and ward councillor from Station Road, who got the virus in early April and self-isolated at home. He said: “I can’t remember much, it’s like five days missing from my life. Since recovering I feel fine, but my wife says I’ve lost drive and energy. “In October, I applied to donate convalescent plasma after an anti-body test showed I had high levels of anti-bodies. I’m still donating convales- cent plasma.” A furlough scheme, grants and other financial packages were provided by the government and local authorities to workers placed on leave from their jobs or to people suffering hardships. Richard said: “Swale Borough Council’s drive has been towards community support and reacting to the many issues people face such as increasing domestic abuse, job losses, financial hardships and mental illness. “I think 2021 will be a very hard year as people start to see and feel the economic damage and the hid- den issue of abuse and mental health. I fear the future – the cure may have killed ‘the patient’.” Along with many other villagers, he misses social activities – meeting people face-to-face, being with his children and grandchildren and he has been hit by a reduction in work. Lockdown enabled families to spend more time together and, as Jayne Venables, of Church Lane, com- mented: “With growing teenagers this doesn’t happen usually, so it was mostly good for us.” A medical condition means that Covid-19 is more likely to be fatal for her, so the family decided to “shield”. “This was harder for the children but I think we have a better understanding of each other’s needs. Being in a confined space (home) has made us all think about how we deal with each other and respect each other’s privacy. “For the first few months I did not leave the house or back garden. However, we’ve had fabulous times at home, as a family, and made some amazing memories.” She made use of the time by helping to establish the village’s Covid-19 Mutual Aid scheme. She knows several people who have been infected by the virus; “all but one during the second wave”. “I’m still amazed that, this far on, there are still Covid-deniers and people who refuse to wear masks and socially distance. Once the vaccination becomes available hopefully life can be more relaxed.” Back to school The re-opening of schools and universities for the autumn term coincided with a second wave in Covid-19 cases across Swale. The cause of the virus’s spread was given variously as: children travelling to schools across the borough, mixing and taking the virus home; the close concentration of 2,500 inmates and staff in Sheppey’s three prisons; holidaymakers bringing the virus into the area; people flouting social distancing and mask-wearing rules; lower-paid workers who couldn’t afford to stay at home; and the high number of people employed in factories or supermarkets who were unable to work from home. In reality, it was probably a mixture of all these. Cases that had been concentrated mainly across northern England began to rise in the South-East and, on October 29, the PM announced a second national lockdown to last four weeks beginning on November 4. The wearing of face coverings over mouths and noses became compulsory in shops. It came too late to stop a massive surge in cases across north Kent, among them Natasha Armstrong, a secondary school teacher, of School Lane, who tested positive for Covid-19 on November 16. “I brought it home from school, then my husband and daughter contracted it from me. We were very unwell for 10 days and our sense of smell is taking a long time to return to normal. “At work I’ve had to adapt to a whole new way of teaching – virtual and restricted face-to-face – and the need to police things such as mask wearing. My youngest child started school and didn’t have the nor- mal transition. He has missed out on so much, nevertheless he’s settled in really well and his teachers have been amazing.” She said the virus has denied her children all sorts of fun and milestones with their friends (such as birthdays) and they’ve missed time with relatives and friends. “Not being able to hug my parents who are vulnerable or, for the first year, not being able to travel to Cornwall where my grandparents’ ashes are scattered have been difficult.” By November 20, according to ONS figures, Swale had registered 156 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, 15 of them in the previous week. Swale remained at the top of the country’s infection rate table in the week ending December 7 with 476.4 cases per 100,000 people and a further 21 deaths – taking its total number of deaths to 187 [ONS]. Medway was running a close second and the average rate across England was 122.7 per 100,000 people. Fifty per cent of the beds at Medway Hospital were said to be occupied by Covid-19 patients and non- urgent surgeries were cancelled. Elderly care It put frontline health workers particularly at risk and the village’s community warden, Georgina Springall, said her future daughter-in-law, a paramedic, and two of her colleagues have had the virus. She highlighted the difficulties faced by older people. “Elderly residents have become lonely and lost their self-confidence regarding going out. They miss their clubs. I think there has been an increase in dementia. “During lockdown, I’ve been unable to enter elderly/vulnerable residents in their homes to spend time with them regarding welfare and company. “I think the virus has brought out the best and, unfortunately, the worst in some people, but most have been respecting the regulations of wearing masks and social distancing. A few have been really supportive towards others in need by delivering food and prescriptions, which has been so lovely to see. “With shops and businesses having to close, mass unemployment, people losing their homes and Brexit, I don’t think 2021 will be easy. Hopefully, life will become more stable because of the new vaccines.” Tom Ledger, of Wormdale Farm, his wife, mother-in-law and the farm’s only full-time employee were all infected towards the end of the year. He said having Covid-19 was a bad experience and his recovery is protracted. His daughter offered to work with the cattle. Tom is among many who say they miss attending church and eating out. Eve Lee, 93, of Church Lane, said the year’s events gave her time to become better acquainted with God. However, the joy of the birth of her great-granddaughter was tempered by being unable to visit the baby even though the family is only in Iwade. She added: “My grandson had Covid-19 and his experience was distressing but he recovered.” She’s missing having visitors and shopping, but has made more internet contact with people and views 2021 with “great optimism”. St Mary’s had to close Mike Whiting, the village’s county councillor, said: “Families have contacted me, devastated because they cannot see their loved ones in care homes. This is a dreadful situation, but adherence to the guid- ance and the excellent work of care home staff has meant local care homes and their residents have been less affected by the virus than in many other parts of the country.” Developing a vaccine It emerged that the sharp increase in cases during November and December was likely to have been caused by a new, more infectious, variant of the virus that, scientists said, had mutated “near Canter- bury” in September. It spread throughout north Kent, going on to infect the whole county, London, Essex and then the country. Scientists around the world had been working on developing a vaccine since the start of the pandemic and, at the start of December, the UK became the first country to approve a vaccine developed by Pfizer/ BioNTech. At 6.31am on December 8, Maggie Keenan, a grandmother from Coventry, became the first person to receive it, just seven days before her 91st birthday. At the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, later that day, Kenneth Lamb, 80, a great-grandfather from New Romney, was the first Kent person to be vaccinated. Christmas in Tier 4 It was not enough to ‘save Christmas’. Days before the festivities, the PM imposed Tier 4 restrictions on the South-East, retracting the relaxation of isolation rules he’d announced only a few weeks earlier. Meanwhile, the mutant virus had taken hold – it had quickly spread to more than 10 countries – and, as a precaution, France closed its borders with Kent for several days before Christmas creating traffic chaos. Thousands of lorries queued on the M20 or were directed to an emergency car park at the former Manston airport. Jeannie Milburn, who lives off Keycol Hill, was among several people who spent part of their Christmas Day handing out food par- cels to lorry drivers stuck on roads and motorways in Credit: Sky Newa the county.

She gave hot food and drinks to drivers parked on the side of the A249 between Key Street and Stock- bury roundabout. “They were all foreigners and most didn’t speak any English, but they appeared very grateful,” she said. With the church closed, Christmas services, including the carol service and midnight communion, were streamed online. The village’s two takeaways remained open, though the Indian took a ‘holiday break’ during January. Rob Golding at the Bull started selling Friday fish and chip takeaways although the pub had to stay closed. Swale reported 965 new cases in the final week of the year, though the infection rate of 643 per 1,000 represented a fall of 28 per cent compared to the previous week. In Medway during the same period there were 2,434 new cases and an infection rate of 874, a fall of 22.5 per cent. However, the numbers were putting extreme pressure on the NHS and critical care beds were said to be at capacity. Third national lockdown With restrictions showing little sign of reducing the spread of infections across the country, the prime minister announced a tougher package of rules on January 4 and a third national lockdown was im- posed. The government said this was likely to be in place until the end of March. But additional hope that a national vaccine programme could be rolled out quickly came that same day as Brian Pinker, 82, from Oxford, became the first person to receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. On January 5, it was announced that across the country 1-in-50 people were suffering from the virus. The figure in London was 1-in-30. An estimated 70 per cent of those infected had contracted the new variant. The figures suggest that between 50 and 85 people in Newington were infected at that time. The success of the latest lockdown locally was revealed in statistics that showed the infection rate in Swale between the week ending December 15 and the week ending January 12 went from 883 per 1,000 to 478.5, a fall of 43.5 per cent. By January 17, just six weeks after Swale was the most infectious area of the country, it was down to 151st place. The ONS announced on January 26 that the UK death toll had passed a chilling 100,000. But infection rates in Swale continued to drop and, by February 3, fell below 200 (190 per 1,000, down 39 per cent on the previous week). Medway’s rate was 245 and the England average 260. Although tens of villagers have suffered from Covid-19 during the year, fortunately most have recovered. Our thoughts are with those who have lost a loved one during this time. After a long and worrying year and the virus is still in our community, but we are starting to see some rays of hope as people receive the vaccines and local infection rates continue to fall. It’s been a historic 12 months in Newington, the type of which none of us has ever experienced. Hope- fully, it won’t be too long before it’s safe enough for us to resume socialising.

Newington High Street, May 2020