Highest accolade for the community centre heroes Eddie and Angie Ward of Greenhithe

 By  Lizzy Massey lmassey@thekmgroup.co.uk

Knockhall Community Centre

A husband and wife team have been honoured for their tireless work transforming a community space.

The Greenhithe Community Centre in Alexander Road was draughty and cold, the toilets and kitchen were not fit for purpose and parking was a problem.

Cue Angie Ward, who began volunteering as the centre’s secretary in 2010 after illness forced her to give up her job as a secretary and payroll manager.

The 55-year-old convinced her husband Eddie to volunteer as the booking clerk, and he took over as chairman in 2011.

Straight away the couple, of Hasted Close, Greenhithe, began to turn the centre around.

Eddie, 76, said: “I hadn’t appreciated how much local charities struggle to get volunteers. I was shocked to see the state of the facilities.

“It has been a challenge but we now have a community centre to be proud of.”

The couple accumulated grants from Dartford council and Kent County Council totalling £32,000.

The centre now has double glazing as well as a new overflow car park, toilets, kitchen and energy efficient lighting.

It was reopened in all its glory on Saturday and Angie and Eddie were presented with Dartfordian Award – the borough’s highest accolade – at the same time. Angie said: “I have gained so much from the experience, from the challenge of learning how to fill in grant applications to the joy of seeing the transformation of the centre.

“These improvements have only been made possible by the support of our fellow trustees and local councillors.”

They were the first Dartfordian Awards presented this year.

Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite (Con) and the town’s mayor Cllr Avtar Sandhu and Mayor of Swanscombe and Greenhithe Cllr Susan Butterfill all gathered for the ribbon cutting.

NO EGRESS IN SIGHT AT INGRESS PARK...

No light in sight at end of road-works tunnel in Ingress Park, Greenhithe

02 July 2014

by Alex Matthews almatthews@thekmgroup.co.uk

Roadworks in Greenhithe are taking so long that even vandals in the area are sick of the delay.

A well-used road that runs under The Avenue overpass near the Ingress Park estate in Greenhithe has been out of action since February.

It was closed after Kent County Council decided it was not safe due to “significant subsidence” caused by “extraordinary rainfall” in December of last year and February of this year.

Ingress Park, London Road, Greenhithe.

Ingress Park, London Road, Greenhithe

The unnamed road leads to Greenhithe station and it is solely for the use of pedestrians and a Fastrack bus service run by Arriva.

A cordoned-off area of the road has a sign that reads: “Apologies for any inconvenience caused by the works”, to which people have added “no hurry chaps” and “what works?”

Ellie Wakefield, 23, said: “Even the kids writing the graffiti are getting the hump with it.”

Miss Wakefield, of London Road, Greenhithe, said the road closure meant she had to take a longer journey just to pop out to get some shopping. She would usually take a quick walk down the road with her three-year-old son Joseph-Jones to get to the supermarket.

Ellie Wakefield with her son Joseph-James Robinson  by the underpass

She said: “It’s really frustrating. I don’t really mind walking places when it’s nice outside but that’s not always practical when I want to get to Asda in a rush.” She said a lot of people were getting annoyed, especially those who use the bus to get to work. Miss Wakefield said: “[KCC] could have done this work before. Our council tax has gone up and they’re supposed to be supporting our town.”

A spokesman for KCC said a temporary bus route was now running along London Road through Ingress Park to get to Greenhithe Station.

People could also access the station through a signed pedestrian route in The Dell nearby.

KCC has been discussing plans with Crest Nicholson, the developer of Ingress Park, and work on the road will begin in autumn.

He said: “Revised plans for a solution to the problems at Ingress Park have been submitted.

“They are now being reviewed by the authority’s structures team, who need to ensure that they are robust enough to provide a long-term solution.

“Once agreed, the project needs to be put out to tender, and we expect work to start in the early autumn.”

Devastating weather wreaks havoc at Ingress Park Greenhithe

Wind rips open the top of a new build flat in Greenhithe

By Heloise Wood

The weekend's tempestuous weather wreaked havoc in Greenhithe as winds ripped a huge hole in a new build apartment complex. 

A gap is clearly visible under the roof of the building in Ingress Park, London Road, following extreme weather on Friday evening (FEB 14). 

The incredible pictures, showing gaping gaps where bricks should be, were captured by resident Tom Harris. 

The devastating weather is continuing this week with 16 severe flood warnings in place for southern England and the Met Office has issued a yellow (“be aware”) weather warning for certain parts of the UK.

Justice for Claire? Former milkman Colin Ash-Smith has been found guilty of murdering schoolgirl Claire Tiltman in a "frenzied attack" in 1993

Former milkman Colin Ash-Smith has been found guilty of murdering schoolgirl Claire Tiltman in a "frenzied attack" in 1993.

The 46-year-old stabbed Claire Tiltman from behind as she took a short cut through an alleyway to a friend's house in 1993, four days after her 16th birthday.

More follows...

Tragic loss: Claire Tiltman

Read the full story here: News Claire Tiltman Daily Mirror

DIGNITY & GRACE... EVEN WHEN THERE'S NO LOVE LOST...

Dear GMRA members and readers,

Following the recent Kent County Council Elections we received a lot of emails from members who were concerned that by endorsing a political candidate, as we did, meant that we, the residents association would no longer be seen as a non-political group.

The Greenhithe Conservative Councilors have recently published and hand delivered their newsletter throughout Greenhithe and at the risk of further wrath from members we have copied it into this post below: This newsletter tell us that we endorsed the right man in Cllr Keith Kelly, who following his election defeat, didn't throw his toys out of the pram, no instead, he showed dignity and grace in accepting his fate.

We also admire the fact that both Cllr Kelly and Cllr Mote have openly opposed the proposed Lower Thames Crossing at the Swanscombe Peninsula which is of course a view we share as it is not only the correct decision its the right decision for Swanscombe & Greenhithe as well as for the whole of Kent Thameside and the Tames Gateway.

Apologies if this is political, but we need more local representation and thank goodness for people like Cllr Mote & Cllr Kelly who are not afraid to speak up for local residents.

UKIP Slams Tory Election 'Smear Campaign'

Sky News reported that UKIP has accused the Tories of running a "morally reprehensible" smear campaign by trawling through would-be councilors' Twitter and Facebook posts.

John Sullivan

The party claims it is a victim of a co-ordinated smear campaign by the Conservatives to undermine its local election prospects.

The row comes as one of the party's council candidates faces criticism for allegedly posting a series of anti-gay comments on Facebook. 

Gloucestershire County Council hopeful John Sullivan is accused of writing that regular physical exercise in schools can prevent homosexuality and congratulating Russia for banning gay pride.

At least two Sunday newspapers ran negative UKIP stories. To read the full story as reported by Sky News click on the following link: UKIP Slams Tory Election 'Smear Campaign.

We decided to do some scrolling of our own to see if we could find any evidence to support claims of smear campaign closer to home...

UKIP Cllr Chris Browne is thought to have been the subject of smear campaigns in Surrey that he isn't going to take up his job as a borough Councillor. What nonsense! It just shows how desperate the other parties have become that they stoop to this. 

However we found no evidence to support UKIP claims, in fact locally we found evidence to support quite the opposite where it is clear UKIP and their supporters are attacking fellow candidates; claiming Conservatives Candidate Keith Kelly is weak and, The Swanscombe & Greenhithe Residents Association have been torn apart following the decision not to allow the current KCC Councillor Richard Lees to contest his seat. Instead they put forward a proven deviate... We need people in politics who can make a difference vote UKIP.

At the time of writing this piece Mr Peter Harman was unavailable for comment. However former Councillor David West who recently resigned his seat on the Swanscombe & Greenhithe Town Council and who was somewhat controversially replaced by none other-than Josephine Harman had this to say:

"As an ex S&GRA Councillor, this interests me. Richard is a very motivated Councillor, he does far more than most. There was an election, unfair in my opinion, which i took part in. Richard lost to one of the "old school" Councillors. The winning Councillor's wife was later shoe horned into the vacancy left by me, there was no election. I'm afraid S&GRA lives in the past. Dominated by old men (mainly) that are more interested in free cups of tea and biscuits than they are in "ruffling feathers". The council does very little to support the old part of Greenhithe, it may as well be called the Swanscombe and Ingress Park Town Council. Having said all this, I'd rather eat my own eyes than vote for UKIP".

What do you think ?
Should ordinary hard working men and women who want to serve their communities be subjected to a political lynch mob. A Conservative party source told Sky News that..."UKIP should be held to account about the candidates they want to hold public office." We are inclined to agree provided the same can be said of the candidates standing for the Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents Association Party, The Conservative, Liberal Democrats  and The Labour Party and others.

 

Development Update: Meeting set for 7pm Wednesday 28 November 2012

Paramount Pictures development

on the Swanscombe Peninsula

As we understand it there is to be a joint meeting of the Northfleet/Gravesend West and Gravesham East Neighbourhood Forums next Wednesday 28 November 2012. The meeting is scheduled to start at 7pm and is being held in the Council Chamber of Gravesham Borough Council. Doors will open at 6.45pm.

The subject of the meeting is the proposed Paramount Pictures development on the Swanscombe Peninsula. There will also be a discussion on other local regeneration initiatives and recent changes in planning.

However what we are not sure about is whether or not this meeting is open to members of the public not living within Gravesham. We appreciate this will be of interest to our members and in particular, Greenhithe & Swanscombe residents and although we applaud Gravesham Council for its proactive stance we feel a similar meeting in Dartford would be really valuable and Helpful.

Please contact your local Councillor if you agree and would like more information about the proposed Paramount Pictures development on the Swanscombe Peninsula.