The Upnor Residents’ Association Annual General Meeting will take place at the

Medway Yacht Club at 20:00 on Tuesday 29th April 2008.

By attending you will have the opportunity to vote for ‘who you want’ to represent the Upnors'.

REMEMBER … The URA is looking for a new Chairperson & Secretary … Would you fit the Bill’?? Without filling these positions the Association may have to fold! … This is not an advantage to anyone as the Upnors' would be left without any direct representation to the Medway Council!! For further details as to what is required of these positions, please contact Ade or Jane on the Street Representatives No’s on Page 2. 

A Warm Goodbye from the Chairman
Unfortunately this is the ‘Last’ Newsletter that I will be responsibly for overseeing as my 2 Year ‘Tour of Duty’ has come to an end. So I would like to take this opportunity to thanks all those people … the URA Committee, Parish Council and Villagers alike … for the support and help during my time as Chairman ….. Thank-you!

Sandacres

A decision re planning application MC2007/1904 to build 35 houses on Sandacres has still not been made by Medway Council. We continue to monitor this application.

Lower Upnor Riverside Waterfront Project
The URA has regular meetings with Medway Council and the Parish Council regarding updates for the above project. A Planning Application for this project will be submitted shortly and drawings can be seen on the Medway Council website at - www.medway.gov.uk

Songs of Praise
Residents might like to know that this BBC Television programme comes from Rochester Cathedral on Sunday April 13th. It may well now be too late to request tickets.

News from Arethusa Venture Centre
The Arethusa Venture Centre is holding Open Days at the Venture Centre, the Water Sports Centre and at the Top Field Site over the Summer - see dates listed below.
More generally, there have been problems with dog fouling around the Venture Centre recently (we know that most people are responsible) so if you are a dog owner please ensure that you pick up and use the red bins provided in order to ensure we keep the children clean and safe ….. help us to help you keep the village clean.
If you are organizing a function, don’t forget the Venture Centre provides reasonably priced accommodation for groups (minimum 10 people); and has recently achieved a 3 Star Tourist Board rating.
The Venture Centre Climbing Wall is open to the public weekday evenings and weekends.

The Upnor Swim at the Venture Centre Pool is held every Monday morning (excluding Bank Holidays) for retired residents and starts at 09.15.
Sunday 20 July - Open Day at Arethusa Watersports Centre, Chatham Maritime (Basin 2): An opportunity to come and try dinghy sailing, kayaking and canoeing.
Saturday 9 August - Open Day at Arethusa Venture Centre, Lower Upnor: Taster sessions in Climbing, Archery, High Ropes and many more. Also river trips available.
Saturday 6 September - Open Day at Arethusa Top Field Site, Elm Avenue, Chattenden: A chance to see some of the environmental projects and to try some exciting activities - Low Ropes, Archery and High Ropes
Further details available from May onwards. No advance bookings taken.
If you want to find out any more details about the Arethusas’ Centres, call the Main Office on 01634 719933 and ask to speak to either Lesley or Benita.

Postal Collection Times
The collection time at the post box in Lower Upnor has recently changed to Mon - Fri 4pm and Saturdays 9am.
We have been advised by Royal Mail that the postal collections from Upnor and Lower Upnor are done by different collection rounds. At present, the collection times for Upper Upnor will remain at Mon - Fri 5.30 and Saturday 9.00, but these are subject to change.

Police Surgery
PCSO Sean Brooks has started a surgery at Wainscott Memorial Hall between 10am and noon on alternative Wednesdays, starting 2nd January. You can pop along and speak to Sean about any issues that you may have within the village. You can speak to PCSO Sean Brooks on 07772226118 or on line at: strood.rural@kent.pnn.police.uk

Dog Walking

You can visit www.21topdogwalks.co.uk to see what the top 21 dog walks of 2007 were and also to vote for the top 21 for 2008. [This paragraph was written by a dog-owner. Ed.]

Upnor Castle

Upnor Castle is situated at the end of the High Street in Upper Upnor. It is open daily from Easter until the end of October.

Normal Admission is £4.50 adults, £3.50 children and concessions, £12.50 family ticket. Phone 01634 718742 or visit www.medway.gov.uk/tourism for more information, English Heritage Members half price.

Much needed conservation work is being undertaken at Upnor Castle. The work is inside the two towers, and later in the year contractors will be working on the riverside to re-point some areas of the river walls. During this time the contractors will need to occupy part of the car parking area down by the river shore; your patience and understanding are requested during this period.

In the meantime, the following events will be taking place at the castle:

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June
Rebellion 1648!
Witness a clash of Roundheads and Cavaliers at the Castle - 11am to 5pm
Normal admission applies, English Heritage Members half price

Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 July
Outdoor Evening Theatre - programme to be confirmed
Changeling Theatre returns for an evening of Shakespeare. Box Office 01622 758611

Sunday 14 September
A Tudor Day Out - 11am to 5pm
Celebrate the anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth I to the throne of England. Discover arrow making, living history and enjoy a Tudor puppet show!

Advertising
If anyone has any thing they would like to sell or a service or business that they would like to advertise in the Upnor Residents’ Associations’ Quarterly Newsletter (come on you Publicans), please contact Ade Dixon, Chairman of the Association, or one of the Street Representatives - No's shown in this Newsletter .... also see 'Adverts' on the fourth page of this Newsletter.
Any Type, Size & s p a c i n g of Font, any photograph, specific info or layout requested, your choice, just contact - Ade Dixon 07885 307132

Social Events

It has finally been decided that the Annual Frindsbury Cricket Club v The Upnors' Cricket Match is to be on 28 Sep 08. Full details will be circulated closer to the date. The ‘Woodpecker’ FC, a local Youth Team located in Hoo, are holding a 5-a-Side Football Comp / Fun Day (maybe even a Boot Fair Style Sale as well) with Stalls, a Bar, Majorettes Display, etc, on Sun 13 Jul 08 at the Arethusa Top Field Site. So why not come along and have a great day out with the family …. even pit your wits and test your resolve on the infamous …. ‘Trapezium’.

URA Website

To try and keep up with technology, a URA Website was set up to firstly enable the Association to provide useful, but current information, and secondly to enable villagers (through a ‘Forum’) to be able to ask questions of the Association, whilst at the same time to be able to share their experience with others.

Unfortunately the Website became ‘Corrupted’ by unscrupulous visitors who were using the Site to advertise unwanted goods and services.

Due to lack of expertise in being able to deal with the problem, it was regrettably decide to close the Website ….. Is there anyone out there that CAN help??

However, as a temporary solution, the Parish Council have very kindly offered the Association to have a link to their Website - www.frindsburyextra-pc.gov.uk - On here you can still pick up useful info, dates, the Minutes of URA Meetings, etc.

A Little ‘Humour’

A guy walks into a restaurant, orders a drink, and asks the waiter if he'd like to hear a good Notre Dame joke.

"Listen buddy," he growled. "See those 2 big guys on your left? They were both linemen on the Notre Dame football team. And that huge fellow on your right was a world-class wrestler at Notre Dame. That guy in the corner was Notre Dame's all-time champion weight lifter. And I lettered in 3 sports at Notre Dame. Now, are you absolutely positive you want to go ahead and tell your joke here?"

"Nah, guess not," the man replied. "I wouldn't want to have to explain it 5 times."

Having Your ‘SAY’

The URA is always looking to include in its Newsletter, any interesting articles, photo’s, jokes, events, celebrations or if you have a point to make, require an answer to a local problem, or just simply want to pass on some useful information, then please do contact your Street Representative at any time so that it can be included in the next issue - The ‘Editor’.

Street Representatives

For receiving your views & ideas for the villages and your recommendations for tradesmen

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