Podcasts about Maidstone

Following reports that a man had been seen streaking in a park in Maidstone, Kent, police officers were sent to the home of a notorious self-described naturist. The man had a reputation in the area for wearing see-through clothing, if any at all. When confronted by the police in the past, he had done nothing more than laugh, so the attending officers felt the situation would be resolved quickly. It wasn't the case this time. The confrontation took a darker turn…*** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED *** This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane.Edited by Joel Porter at Dot Dot Dot Productions.Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna FittonNarration, additional audio editing and mixing, script editing by Benjamin Fitton.To get early ad-free access, including Season 1, sign up for They Walk Among PLUS, available from Patreon or Apple Podcasts.More information and episode references can be found on our website https://theywalkamonguspodcast.comMUSIC: Nuclear Conception by Alice in Winter Just A Dream by CJ0 Handmaids Escape by CJ Oliver The Last Straw by CJ Oliver Arcadia by Cody Martin Artisan Craft by Cody Martin Every Life Matters by Cody Martin Far From Home by Cody Martin Forbidden Wing by Cody Martin Forsaken Ritual by Cody Martin Kalahari by Cody Martin Loaves & Fish by Cody Martin Peril Preparation by Cody Martin Stone Table by Cody Martin The Fall by Cody Martin Negative Thoughts by Craig Allen Fravel Ripley by Falls SoothingDrones by Lincoln Davis Undernight by Lincoln Davis Night Watch by Third Age Distances by Salon Dijon Mystery by Third Age A Most Unusual Discovery by Wicked Cinema Crooked Man by Wicked Cinema SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/TheyWalkAmongUsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/theywalkamongus. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An Englishwoman, an Irishwoman, a Greek and an Australian walk into a DJ booth... No, it's not the start of a joke, it's the latest episode of the Scummy Mummies Podcast! Our guests are the hilarious comedians Riona O'Connor and Olga Thompson. Due to an administrative error, we find ourselves crammed into an unpleasantly warm enclosed space. We get up close and personal about pretty much everything - body confidence, the menopause, Jedward, friendship, school WhatsApp groups, ageing, the Crowded House origins story, raising teens, mental breakdown, and what to do if your tortoise has a prolapsed anus. Plus we play a revealing round of I Have Never: Menopausal Old Slags' Edition.For more brilliant stuff from these legends, plus details of their upcoming tour dates, follow @rionaoconnor_ and @big_fat_greekmother. And check out Olga's fantastic book about growing up in a Greek hair salon, Split Ends. WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Wellingborough, Maidstone, Dorchester, Brighton, Henley-on-Thames, Nottingham, Taunton, Bristol, Poole, Buxton, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. *WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on X, Instagram, and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Dover woman has ended up in court after finding out the dog she rescued was an XL Bully.The 55-year-old thought she'd adopted a Staffordshire bull terrier, but called police for advice when a neighbour raised concerns.Also on today's podcast, the sea at 29 beaches in Kent is going to be tested to make sure it's safe for us to swim in.KentOnline's been told how experts will regularly monitor the water during the summer season which runs until the end of September.More than 40,000 young people in Kent have signed a Commitment Pledge to not carry a knife, and report someone they know is.It's something set up by the Violence Reduction Unit in the county and police team that visits schools. Hear from crime commissioner Matthew Scott as we mark knife crime awareness week.The owner of a new takeaway near Maidstone is urging people to give him a chance, after a backlash over the serving of halal meat.Zam Haidari is the director at Coxheath Pizza and Chicken, but he's come under fire for using halal-certified meat which some animal welfare groups have called unnecessarily cruel. Zam has been speaking to reporter Elli Hodgson.More than £10,000 has been donated to a Sittingbourne family so they can convert their home to accommodate their poorly son.Six-year-old Reuben Whitehead has to be connected to a feeding tube up to 16 hours a day after being born early and developing complications. We've been chatting to the friends who set up the fundraiser.A swimming club chairman's warned they may have to pull out of a national competition this summer following the closure of their normal training facility.Competitors haven't been able to use Folkestone sports centre after it suddenly shut last summer.It's been confirmed the site has been taken over - but it's unclear when it might re-open.

A former cage fighter from Folkestone has been locked away indefinitely after he attacked a stranger in the street.Kiane Trotman, 38, from Foord Road South, was experiencing paranoid schizophrenia when he punched and kicked his victim near the Canterbury Road Recreation Ground in 2023.Also in today's podcast, the new Reform UK leader of Kent County Council has appeared to backtrack on the party's plans to stop staff working from home.Party leader Nigel Farage said he wanted to get people back in the office, after their success in the recent local elections. Hear what Linden Kemkaran has now had to say.Our campaign calling for reforms to who's eligible for a Blue Badge has been raised in the Commons by one of Medway's MPs.We want the system changed after hearing from cancer patients who've been denied one.The route for this year's Baton of Hope relay through Kent and Medway has been revealed,The Olympic-torch style baton will be passed to volunteers as it makes its way through Gillingham, Rochester, Maidstone, Canterbury and Margate.It's to raise awareness of suicide prevention by encouraging everyone to talk openly about mental health struggles. We've been speaking to one of the baton bearers.There are fears a hike in parking charges in Sandwich and Deal could impact the number of people visiting the towns.The council say the decision's been made following a comprehensive review - looking at supply and demand and planning for the future. Our reporter Sam Lennon has been to Sandwich to get reaction.In sport, Maidstone United have missed out on a chance of promotion to the National League.They were beaten 1-0 away at Boreham Wood in yesterday's play-off final.Elsewhere, Whitstable Town's players have been on an open top bus parade through the town to celebrate their historic FA Vase win.They were joined by staff and all important trophy as they travelled through the streets on Saturday.

Ooh, look at us, sifting through evidence and sipping on fizz with the excellent Drunk Women Solving Crime! Listen in as we join Taylor and Hannah to discuss parenting fails, suppository etiquette, and what happens when nuns go wrong. If you enjoyed this episode you can find many more DWS bangers wherever you get your podcasts! And why not go and see them live?Also, WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Wellingborough, Maidstone, Dorchester, Brighton, Henley-on-Thames, Nottingham, Taunton, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. *WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on X, Instagram, and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cockroaches have been discovered at one of Kent's top hotels during a food hygiene inspection.The insects were found in several traps in the basement and floating in a pool of water in the kitchen of the luxury hotel in Canterbury.Also in today's podcast, a prolific thief who stole two bottles of wine says he “went off the rails” after his cousin died in a motorbike accident.He went into a Co-op in Maidstone to steal the alcohol in March despite a court order banning him from entering certain stores in the town.You can also hear from Kent business owners who say their trade more than halved after a sinkhole appeared nearby. There are fears it could happen again, with water already seen leaking from the repaired carriageway. Disappointed parents say their children with special needs are being “failed” as funding for a “lifeline” service is slashed.It's after Kent County Council withdrew part of its budget for the National Autistic Society's Kent day centre, known as SAND, last month – we spoken to families who have been affected. And plans for a new petrol station and shop on Sheppey have been revealed to help deal with a population boom. Operators are eyeing up land in Minster to meet the demands of the 17-thousand homes planned for the area. 

A Kent Police Inspector is due to face a misconduct hearing after being found guilty of assaulting a woman.James Beautridge was suspended from duty after the attack in Maidstone in September 2023.Also in today's podcast, a refugee charity's calling on the Prime Minister to apologise for language he used in a speech about immigration.Sir Keir Starmer was laying out plans yesterday to reduce the number of people coming to the UK, and said without new rules we risk becoming an 'island of strangers'. We've been speaking to the CEO of Care4Calais.Businesses in Maidstone have been left clearing up after a number of windows were smashed with a fire extinguisher.Footage at KentOnline shows a topless man targeting a number of buildings on King Street on Sunday night and causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.We've been hearing from Southeastern about what they plan to do to improve the reliability of services across Kent.It's as new data shows trains from Higham, Greenhithe, Northfleet and Swanscombe railway stations are the most likely to be cancelled.They are part of the Thameslink line which is one of the most complex in the country. As mental health awareness week continues, the head of a Kent secondary school has been telling us about their initiative to help improve students' mental health.The Skinners' Academy, in Tunbridge Wells, have created the EkoZona - an outdoor learning environment with an eco-toilet, fire bowl and solar panels.And, for the first time in 800 years - a building in Dover has permanently opened to the public after a multimillion pound refurb.The Maison Dieu now has interactive displays and audio points telling its history.

A Kent mum fears she could be left homeless with her elderly, ill nan if the council can't find her a property.Nina Darbey has been privately renting her home for six years but the landlord wants to sell up. The 46-year-old has been telling the podcast how she's been unable to find another home she can afford, and is struggling to bid for a council house.In other news, police, firefighters and paramedics have been called after a blaze broke out at a former school in Chatham.Part of the old St John Fisher Catholic School in Ordnance Street was taped off last night. Hear from reporter Brad Harper who was at the scene.Today marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day - the end of the second world war in Europe and events are taking place across Kent to mark the occasion.We've been speaking to teachers at Bradfields Academy in Chatham, a 90-year-old man from Dartford who remembers VE Day in 1945, they Mayor of Broadstairs where a beacon will be lit tonight, and the RBLI who're encouraging us to get active to mark the anniversary.And in sport, Whitstable Town fans are being warned of travel disruption ahead of the FA Vase final this weekend.Around 7,000 supporters will be heading to Wembley from Kent for the match against AFC Whyteleafe.

Play-off highs and lows take centre stage as there's promotion joy for two of our sides, coupled with heartbreak for two others. Dover lead the way after securing an instant return to National League South, and we hear from keeper Mitch Walker and chairman Jim Parmenter. VCD are also celebrating after their SCEFL play-off glory, and joint bosses Ross Baker and Danny Joy revel in their success. We also discuss Maidstone, SIttingbourne and Dartford, and then look forward to the biggest day in the history of Whitstable Town as they head to Wembley - player-manager Jamie Coyle looks head to the big game with AFC Whyteleafe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's it like to headline a stage at Glastonbury? Who is more fun to hang out with, Mickey Rourke or Alan Titchmarsh? What item you could buy from a Robert Dyas does Mariah Carey insist on having at her parties? Answering all these questions is DJ Nikki Beatnik! She tells us about Mums That Rave and how her amazing daytime parties are taking over the world. There's a bit of serious chat as we discuss sexism in the music and theatre industries. And we talk about the trials of accepting a prestigious award while simultaneously trying to sort out your son's Roblox login. Plus, we play an amazing round of True or False, and find out how Nikki managed to offend Jordan from New Kids on the Block. We bloody LOVE Mums That Rave and strongly suggest you get yourself down there - this week's event is sold out, but tickets are available for Birmingham on 7 June and London on 12 July. Go to mumsthatrave.com and follow Nikki @djnikkibeatnik and @mumsthatrave.WE ARE BACK ON THE ROAD! Our new show Hot Mess is coming to theatres all over the country in 2025 and beyond. Many shows are SOLD OUT already so get your tickets NOW for Chelmsford, Worthing, Cardiff, Worcester, Trowbridge, Wellingborough, Maidstone, Dorchester, Brighton, Henley-on-Thames, Nottingham, Taunton, and many more... Visit scummymummies.com for dates and tickets. *WE HAVE A SHOP!* Visit scummymummiesshop.com for our ace t-shirts, mugs, washbags, sweatshirts and beach towels. FREE UK DELIVERY! We're on X, Instagram, and Facebook @scummymummies. If you like the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. Thank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A homeowner has issued a stark warning after he says his life was “destroyed completely” by having an HMO next door.The resident in Sittingbourne was stunned to wake up and find scaffolding and the roof missing on the adjoining property in the terraced street.Also in today's podcast, a mum has branded Medway council “clueless” after it wrongly refused her 17-year-old daughter a parking permit — and then asked for hers back as well.She'd applied on behalf of the learner driver for an additional pass to park outside the family's terraced home in Gillingham but the authority insisted they aren't living within a controlled parking zone. People living at an retirement complex fear “every day will become a nightmare” if a live music venue opens directly opposite.Those living in Folkestone town centre say the prospect of late-night music and “people drinking on the street” is making them “incredibly anxious”.Plans have resurfaced to convert a pub into a place of worship - just six months after they were refused.Charity Al-Haqq Academy initially wanted to transform the ground floor of the now-closed public house into an academy with community and religious services, including a prayer hall, a food bank, a youth club, and a mosque.And there's been plenty of football action across the long weekend – with Gillingham FC, Maidstone United and Dover Athletic all having reason to celebrate. We've spoken to their managers about unbeaten streaks, league finals and promotion. 

Rob and Joe look back at the North and South playoff semi finals as Scunthorpe, Chester, Boreham Wood and Maidstone all progress. Christian gives us his take on the North semis and the final of the Northern Premier Division and one of regulars was left feeling triumphant in the Southern Playoff It was the last week of the regular season in the National League and it was one season too many for Maidenhead as they and Dagenham go down but Wealdstone stay up. Rob gets the thoughts of Aldershot boss, Tommy Widdrington with the FA Trophy on the horizon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The plan was for the Fantastic Four to go on a short little trip. That was all. Just a short trip and then boom....back to the old nine to five grind. But we ran into a little problem, didn't we. Well, hi there! Welcome to our wonderful treaty on pools, tubs, water holes, and puddles. Hopefully you will learn something. If you do not, please do not sue us. The "Great Bath" at the site of Mohenjo-Daro in modern-day Pakistan was most likely the first swimming pool, dug during the 3rd millennium BC. This pool is 12 by 7 metres (39 by 23 feet), is lined with bricks, and was covered with a tar-based sealant. Swimming pools became popular in Britain in the mid-19th century. As early as 1837, six indoor pools with diving boards existed in London, England. The Maidstone Swimming Club in Maidstone, Kent is believed to be the oldest surviving swimming club in Britain. It was formed in 1844, in response to concerns over drownings in the River Medway, especially since would-be rescuers would often drown because they themselves could not swim to safety. he modern Olympic Games started in 1896 and included swimming races, after which the popularity of swimming pools began to spread. In the US, the Racquet Club of Philadelphia clubhouse (1907) boasts one of the world's first modern above-ground swimming pools. The first swimming pool to go to sea on an ocean liner was installed on the White Star Line's Adriatic in 1906. he Amateur Swimming Association was founded in 1869 in England, and the Oxford Swimming Club in 1909. The presence of indoor baths in the cobbled area of Merton Street might have persuaded the less hardy of the aquatic brigade to join. So, bathers gradually became swimmers, and bathing pools became swimming pools. According to the Guinness World Records, the largest swimming pool in the world is San Alfonso del Mar Seawater pool in Algarrobo, Chile. It is 1,013 m (3,323 ft) long and has an area of 8 ha (20 acres). At its deepest, it is 3.5 m (11 ft) deep. It was completed in December 2006. In 2021, Deep Dive Dubai, located in Dubai, UAE, was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's deepest swimming pool reaching 60 metres (200 ft). The Y-40 swimming pool at the Hotel Terme Millepini in Padua, Italy, previously held the record, 42.15 m (138.3 ft), from 2014 until 2021. The Fleishhacker Pool in San Francisco was the largest heated outdoor swimming pool in the United States. Opened on 23 April 1925, it measured 1,000 by 150 ft (300 by 50 m) and was so large that the lifeguards required kayaks for patrol. It was closed in 1971 due to low patronage.   To check out some wet art, go to: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2025/04/14/ff-9-last-splash/   We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u   You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube!  Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need.  http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Shake Your Leg by Sascha Ende Cinematic Suspense Series Episode 001 by Sascha Ende

Avenue Red welcomes back Glasgow DJ & producer Chris Curtis AKA Theta Waves (moniker for his deep & moody production works). Here we have an immaculate and expansive 2+ hour mix session whose centre of gravity is firmly in the sphere of planet deep techno. And here's some related news... We are hosting an Avenue Red event @ OverDraught in Levenshulme, Manchester on Saturday 10th May from 3pm-1am, where you can catch Chris playing alongside Dubrovnik (UK) (also travelling down from Glasgow for the occasion), Tomas Bexton heading up from Maidstone in Kent and Avenue Red boss Alec Pritchard all commandeering the decks. Get involved! "Electronic music hasn't just always been a love of mine but playing a set has always been a great way to de-stress and focus on nothing but music for a few hours. Last year was a busy year as I kicked off a new night in Glasgow (Trace) which ran for 6 months, plus preparing the monthly subSine Sessions show takes some time, although it's something I love putting together. A short while ago I had an opportunity to spend an evening putting a mix together with no reason other than getting into the music and seeing where the journey took me. As opposed to playing live, putting a mix together gives you a great opportunity to plan a set list that really evolves and puts thought to deep transitions. Unlike most of my other mixes this one was totally unplanned. The only thing I had in mind was capturing the essence of a Trace night into a compressed set of around 2 hours, feeling the vibe as I went, so I guess this is more like a live set in some ways. When I'd finished the mix I thought this would be a good contender for Avenue Red, I'm glad Alec agreed. I use Traktor with timecode vinyl on 1210s. Although a pain sometimes in a club it's great for the home setup as it allows me to switch between digital tracks and vinyl without anyone noticing. This also lets me play loads of unreleased material on the monthly subSine show. The Pioneer DJM800 is my weapon of choice mixer-wise. Delighted to be providing another instalment of Avenue Red. Thanks Alec. Full track list to follow. Thanks for listening." Chris Curtis, April 2025 https://soundcloud.com/theta_waves subSine | Sessions https://buenavida.co.uk/subsine-sessions/ Club Sounds Live https://www.mixcloud.com/clubsoundslive https://www.facebook.com/groups/clubsoundslive See Also: https://soundcloud.com/avenue-red/podcast-188-chris-curtis

There are fears horror stories from the county's A&E departments have left many patients afraid to seek urgent hospital treatment.Reports of sick people stranded for hours on trolleys in crowded corridors are having a knock-on effect on local surgeries.Also in today podcast, a drink driver was warned she could be facing jail after admitting to getting behind the wheel while over the legal limit for at least the third time.She was spotted by police at the wheel of her car in Maidstone in February “driving at excess speed” and going in a bus lane.Dozens of Evri couriers are being chased by debt collectors after their depot decided to install private parking cameras.Early time slot drivers at the depot in Strood were told ANPR cameras were going live in November to stop unauthorised parking – but more than 20 have received penalty notices. Ambitious plans for a new four-storey HMO building in the rear yard of an existing property in Maidstone town centre have been submitted.Housing bosses want to build a 10-bed house of multiple occupation in Week Street despite concerns over a lack of vehicle access. And in football, it was a big weekend for the Gillingham boss after he notched up his first win since joining the club. You can hear from Gareth Ainsworth and goal scorer Bradley Dack following their 1 – nil win over MK Dons at the weekend. 

Controversial plans for a 2,500-home estate near Sittingbourne are back on the agenda more than six years after they were first suggested.Developers want to put properties on farmland off the Sheppey way in Bobbing and say they've addressed concerns over open space, sports provisions and road links.Also in today's episode, an inquest into the death of a young girl at a music festival in Margate has heard more than 80 people were found with drugs at the event.17-year-old Emily Stokes suffered a cardiac arrest after taking MDMA at the drum and bass festival at Dreamland in June last year.A Kent MP is urging the government to do more to clear the backlog of crown court cases in Kent.Tris Osborne's told a debate in Westminster Hall more than 2,300 are waiting to be heard in Maidstone, with almost 900 due to be heard in Canterbury.A protester's been thrown out of a meeting as plans were discussed for new homes near Canterbury.Developers wanted to put 17 properties on land in Wingham, but it got heated during talk about a pedestrian crossing on Preston Hill near the busy A257 - the main road through the village.And in sport, it was another draw for Gillingham in league two last night as it finished 1-1 at Chesterfield.Elliott Nevitt scored for the Gills before the home side equalised on 77 minutes.

A Kent nurse has backed calls for more education among healthcare workers on a condition that left her in extreme pain.Nicole Scott from St Mary's Island was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2023 following years of being told the problem was 'in her head'.Also in today's podcast, a group who trafficked women to the UK before getting them to work at brothels in Kent have been jailed.Some of the victims were forced to work at sites in Canterbury, Chatham, Dartford, Gillingham, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells.The MP for Dover and Deal is urging the Conservatives and Reform UK to drop their "posturing" over asylum issues.Mike Tapp says Labour is taking action by using counter-terror powers to disrupt people smuggling networks.The brother of a Medway woman is hoping to continue her legacy of helping others to detect breast cancer early.29 year-old Leonie Botten passed away last June following a 16-month battle with the disease which spread to her liver.Jamie Botten says her campaign to raise awareness should continue.A charity that supports the work of a special care baby unit in Kent has launched it's biggest ever campaign to raise a quarter of a million pounds.The Oliver Fisher Trust is also marking its 40th birthday this year.A Kent man who was held for 10 months after being captured by a guerrilla group in Colombia says the experience is still an inspiration.Tom Hart Dyke was travelling with a friend near the border with Panama while hunting for rare orchids.Despite being threatened with death, Tom managed to come up with the idea of a World Garden at his home of Lullingstone Castle in Eynsford.He even sketched it in his diary.

A Maidstone mum who punched her neighbour 20 times following a row about loud music has avoided prison...Amie Bray, 31, was living in shared accommodation on Randall Street when she carried out the attack on another woman in November 2023.The man who oversees the police in Kent has published his four year plan.Crime commissioner Matthew Scott says he wants to cut crime, support victims and build trust.Kent tourism bosses have told us their campaign to get international trains stopping in the county isn't over.That's despite news Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group have been given the green light to run services through the Channel Tunnel. We've been speaking to Jim Dawson from Visit Kent.A hard hitting campaign urging us not to stray onto railway lines in Kent has been launched.Network Rail have teamed up with British Transport Police as stats show more than half of us in the south east don't know about the electric rail.The boss of a Kent animal sanctuary is urging people to think twice before getting a rabbit - as she's overrun with abandoned ones.20 are currently being looked after at the Lord Whisky charity near Canterbury - hear from Margaret Todd who founded it.And in sport,  it was another draw for Gillingham last night in their game against Colchester United.The match at Priestfield ended 1-1 after Max Clark levelled from the penalty spot in the second half.

The daughter of a terminally ill Maidstone woman whose pain medication was stolen by a carer has spoken out after her sentencing.Lisa Cook's mother was undergoing treatment for breast cancer when she noticed tablets were going missing.Owners of a family-run restaurant in Staplehurst say they are frustrated and disheartened after allegedly falling victim to a large 'dine and dash'.A family of eight have been accused of leaving just £30 for a meal which should have cost almost £300 - we've been speaking to the restaurants regional manager.A reporter for KentOnline has shared her story following a cancer diagnosis that she says came out of the blue.Megan Carr found a lump on her neck while on holiday at the age of 23, which turned out to be thyroid cancer.A pensioner who successfully sued a Kent bus company after one of their vehicles drive past him and his wife has finally received his compensation.Arriva were ordered to pay David Poole £84 after a bus left the couple as they waited for the number 6 to take them from Maidstone to East Peckham.And in sport, the new Gillingham manager got a point in his first game in charge.It finished 1-1 at Harrogate on Saturday with both sides scoring from the penalty spot.

A small town goes viral, Ryder finds out what's happening in Maidstone, Recorder Camp, Lisa finds weird stories on the internet, Napster is a thing again, Nostalgia-Off (do YOU slap rice bags in the grocery store?) & more! Ryder and Lisa are brought to you by Always Plumbing & Heating at www.alwaysplumbing.ca

The only road through Britain's smallest town near Canterbury is set to shut for six months.It's so repairs can be carried out on a £1 million Grade II listed house in Fordwich, but there are fears the 6,000 drivers who use the route will be forced onto the A28 Sturry Road instead, causing congestion.Also on today's episode, a new road link between Kent and Essex is a step closer to being built.The government's given planning permission to the Lower Thames Crossing which will connect the A2 with the A13 and includes a new tunnel under the River Thames.Hear from Dartford MP Jim Dickson, Natalie Chapman from Logistics UK and Chris Todd from Transport Action Network.A Kent restaurant owner is calling for an urgent reform to business rates as the chancellor makes her Spring Statement today.Rachel Reeves is giving an update on the economy, as many employers still reel from the measures announced in her Autumn budget. We've been chatting to Clare Tierney who runs Smoqe in Rochester High Street.Almost two years after a cliff collapse closed a road in north Kent, two repair options have been put forward.The A226 Galley Hill Road in Swanscombe has been shut off to traffic since April 2023 an residents have been updated at a public meeting.A KentOnline campaign calling for changes to rules around who can get a blue badge has received support from a number of MPs.We've started Blue Badge Battle after a number of cancer patients revealed they were turned down. Maidstone rep Helen Grant is backing it and has shared her own personal story.And in sport, Gillingham have confirmed the arrival of Gareth Ainsworth as their new first team manager.He's left Shrewsbury Town to replace John Coleman who left the club yesterday.

My Story   Talk 11 Brasenose College, Oxford (1959-1962) Part 2 Welcome to Talk 11 in our series where I am reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life. Last time I finished by sharing with you how God powerfully spoke to me after a Philosophy tutorial through a verse in Psalm 119. Today I'll be talking in more detail about my spiritual experience at Oxford, which, looking back on it, was to be far more significant for my future life and ministry than the academic programme I was following. The most important thing a young Christian can do when going up to university is to make sure right from the start that they find, and have regular fellowship with, other Christians. There are two main ways of doing this, either by joining the Christian Union or by attending a local church – or preferably both, which is what I did. Christian Union and Local Church The CU at Brasenose was part of the OICCU – Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union. Each college CU would have its own weekly meeting for prayer and Bible study, but there was also a regular Saturday night Bible Study held at the Northgate Hall, situated close to the Oxford Union building. This was well attended by Christians from across the whole university, and I became a regular attender at both these gatherings. I appreciated the opportunity to meet Christians from different denominational backgrounds, and, bearing in mind my experience of the Anglican chaplain at Brentwood School, was particularly pleased to discover that some Anglicans actually did profess the believe the Bible! However, much as I enjoyed fellowship with these good people, having been only recently baptised in the Spirit, and having begun to appreciate Pentecostal worship, I was very aware that something very important was lacking in their meetings – the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. Of course, things are very different today, but in those days the Charismatic Renewal had not yet begun and most Anglicans, who in my experience tended to view other denominations as somewhat inferior, were highly suspicious of, if not totally unaware of, the rapidly growing worldwide Pentecostal Movement. And, of course, I was eager to enlighten them! But first a word about the local Pentecostal church. At the time, the only Pentecostal church in Oxford was the Elim Church situated on the Botley Road just beyond Oxford Railway Station. I was keen to attend there because, however valuable membership of a Christian union may be, there really is no substitute for the life and fellowship of a local church. So throughout my time at Oxford I regularly attended on Sundays both the morning and evening services, which meant incidentally that I missed both lunch and dinner in college because the mealtimes clashed with the times of the services. More importantly, on my very first Sunday in Oxford, it was there that I met three other students who were from Pentecostal churches, which led to our meeting regularly for prayer and to the formation of the Students' Pentecostal Fellowship.     Students' Pentecostal Fellowship The students I met after church that first Sunday morning in Oxford were, Michael Collins who came from Dorchester AoG and was in his second year at St. Peter's Hall reading Engineering, and Gladys Bland and John Miles who, like me, were in their first year. Gladys was from East Ham AoG and was doing postgraduate work in English Literature at Somerville College, and John was from Gloucester AoG and was reading English at Regents Park College. We were all delighted to meet each other because up to then there had been relatively few Pentecostals attending university. We soon became firm friends and agreed to meet regularly together for fellowship and prayer, particularly for spiritual gifts and for Christian students from a different denominational background to be baptised in the Spirit. Michael had a friend called Philip who was already Spirit filled, and he joined our prayer group too. I will never forget the day, early in our first year, when there was a prophecy in one of those meetings that people of all denominations, including professors and university lecturers, would be baptised in the Spirit. As I've already mentioned, the Charismatic Renewal had not yet begun or, if it had, we had not heard of it, and to be honest, I really wondered if that could possibly happen. But it did, and in our own small way we were to be a part of it. What we didn't know then was that similar groups were forming in other universities. There were students from a Pentecostal background at Cambridge and London Universities too, and once we heard about this we naturally wanted to get in touch with them. And a key person to help us do that was Richard Bolt. Richard had been an Anglican ordinand but after he was baptised in the Spirit in an AoG church in Durham his course at Clifton Theological College was terminated because he was laying hands on other students and praying for them to speak in tongues. Shortly after this he was welcomed by AoG and became an Assemblies of God minister based in a small assembly in Colchester. However, as the Lord was using him in healing and in leading others into the baptism in the Spirit, Richard's ministry extended well beyond Colchester as he took time to travel to universities and colleges to encourage Pentecostal students and to pray for others who wanted to be filled with the Spirit. He was certainly a great encouragement to me and my family. My mother was baptised in the Spirit under his ministry. But before I knew anything about how the Lord was using Richard, the thought had already crossed my mind that we ought to form, at least in Oxford, a university society for Pentecostal students. The Baptists had what was known as The John Bunyan Society which met every Sunday afternoon in Regents Park College where John Miles was a student. He and I attended this quite often and I mentioned to him that I thought it might be good to have something similar for Pentecostals. As a result of this, John wrote to Aaron Linford, the editor of Redemption Tidings, the AoG weekly magazine, and asked for advice. And it was at this point that Richard Bolt told us about the Pentecostal students at Cambridge and London. All this led to a gathering in London early in 1961 when the Students' Pentecostal Fellowship (SPF) was formed. Richard Bolt was recognised as its Travelling Secretary and Donald Underwood, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, as General Secretary. We organised annual weekend house-parties where students were exposed to the ministry of Pentecostal leaders, and evangelistic missions where students would sing, testify, and preach during the summer vacations. We also published a magazine known as The Pentecostal and developed a postal library service where students could borrow books by Pentecostal authors. At Oxford our group grew in numbers during our second year, partly due to an influx of students from Culham College led by Andrew Parfitt, the son of the AoG pastor at Maidstone, but also because our prayers were being answered and students from other denominations were getting baptised in the Spirit. But that leads me to how I personally started to be used in leading others into the baptism. Leading others into the baptism It all began a few weeks after I had started at Oxford when, after one of those Saturday night Bible Studies in the Northgate Hall, I was looking at a book on the bookstall which was about a revival that had broken out somewhere in Africa. Chris, one of my Anglican friends from Brasenose, saw what I was looking at and asked me if I had any personal experience of revival. So I began to tell him about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. As a result, Chris started to seek the baptism and came along to the Elim church where the pastor laid hands on him and prayed for him. But nothing happened and after a few weeks Chris came to me and said, I want you to pray for me. I'm coming to your room tomorrow and I want you to lay hands on me and pray for me. I was frankly unsure how to respond to this. I was very new to all this myself and I did not know if I had the authority to lay hands on him. I didn't know if such things were the responsibility of pastors, and I wasn't a pastor. But Chris was very insistent and so I agreed. The next day was Saturday and there were no lectures or tutorials for me to attend, so I decided to spend the night in prayer. This was something I had never done before, and have not done very often since, but I realised the seriousness of what Chris had asked me to do and I wanted to get it right. When Chris came the next day, we chatted for a bit, and then he said, Well, are you going to pray for me or not? I think he may have sensed that I was putting it off because, despite my night of prayer, I was nervous about it. He knelt down in front of me, and I plucked up courage and, quietly speaking in tongues, gently placed my hands on his shoulders. But nothing seemed to happen, and I didn't know what to do, when I remembered that in the Authorised Version (which most of us were still using in those days) Acts 19:6 says that it was when Paul had laid his hands upon the Ephesians that the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. In other words, the Spirit came on them after Paul laid his hands on them.  And I found myself prophesying over Chris that he would receive, and that he would receive that very day. At which, Chris got up, said thank you, and left me. And I was left wondering if I had done the right thing. I had my answer at eight the following morning. I was still asleep, having had no sleep the previous night, when I was woken by something digging me in my ribs. It was Chris with his umbrella. What was he doing here?             Oh, it's you Chris. What on earth are you doing here? And then it occurred to me that he might have come to tell me what had happened, so I added,             You haven't received the baptism, have you? To which he responded as he continued to dig me in the ribs,             O ye of little faith! He had, of course, received, and he told me how it had happened. After he had left me he had returned to his room and had been reading a book by, or about, the famous missionary to China, Hudson Taylor. The book emphasised that in addition to faith we need courage in our Christian lives, and Chris realised that that was just what he needed. He looked up from the book intending to say, Yes, Lord. Give me courage. But instead of doing so, he found himself speaking in tongues! Little did I know it then, but Chris was to be the first among hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have begun to speak in tongues through the ministry the Lord has given me. But that's closely related to the subject of spiritual gifts and how I began to exercise them. Beginning to exercise spiritual gifts Shortly after I was baptised in the Spirit I visited the bookshop at the AoG National Offices at 51 Newington Causeway, London. I bought every book they had on the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts. As a young Baptist I had received little teaching about the Spirit and none whatsoever on spiritual gifts. And I was eager to learn. I devoured books like Harold Horton's The Gifts of the Spirit and Donald Gee's Concerning Spiritual Gifts, and I learnt that the baptism in the Spirit is not an end in itself, but a gateway to supernatural gifts like tongues,  interpretation, prophecy, and healing. And I was longing to receive and be used in whatever gifts the Lord might have for me. As it happened, I didn't have long to wait. I was still in my first year at Oxford when I was confronted with a situation at the church I was attending. The Elim church in Oxford was a well-attended lively church where the gifts of the Spirit were regularly in operation. On a Sunday morning there were often prophecies, tongues and interpretation. Some of my Christian friends from Brasenose came along to experience Pentecostal worship and so far I had not been embarrassed in any way by what went on in the meetings. However, one Sunday morning, when fortunately none of my friends was present, somebody spoke in tongues but there was no interpretation. No explanation was given for this and, although I was still new to these things, I knew that the Bible was very clear that speaking in tongues in church should be interpreted. I probably should have asked the pastor about this, but he was a busy man and I did not know him very well. Consequently I kept quiet about the matter, but was still concerned that everything was not quite as it should be. Shortly after that, when Richard Bolt was visiting, I told him about this and asked him what I should do. He said, The answer is very simple David. You interpret. To which I replied, But I don't have the gift. He then said, Then ask for it. But, bearing in mind that 1 Corinthians 12:11 tells us that these gifts are given as the Holy Spirit determines, I asked, But I know God wants me to have it? His answer to this was along the following lines. The very fact that I was concerned about it might well indicate that God wanted me to have it. And, anyway, we know from God's word that it is his will that tongues in church should be interpreted. So I would be in God's will if I went ahead and interpreted it. I should pray about it and next time it happened I should ask God for the interpretation and then speak out in faith. Our heavenly Father gives good gifts to his children when they ask him. Although I still had questions, I decided to do what he said and over the next few weeks kept asking the Lord about the matter. Then, one Sunday morning it happened. Someone spoke in tongues and I waited, hoping that someone else would interpret it. But when no one did, I asked the Lord to give me the right words to say and immediately a few words came into my mind which I began to speak out in faith. I say in faith, but I have to confess that my faith was mingled with doubt. I was half expecting the pastor to intervene and say that this was not the right interpretation! But to my intense relief he said nothing, and after the meeting people came and thanked me for my interpretation. So from time to time, I continued to interpret tongues, but still with the occasional doubt if what I said could really be the interpretation. And later in the series I will tell you how God wonderfully confirmed the genuineness of my gift when I interpreted a tongue that was identified as a language spoken in Africa. God certainly did some wonderful things while I was at Oxford, and I realise now that I was already exercising a ministry while I was there. I was leading our SPF prayer group, teaching others about spiritual gifts, as well as preaching in churches from time to time. It seems that others were recognising this before I did, and I was soon asked to share my testimony at the AoG National Youth Rally held in the Birmingham Town Hall and to contribute an article in Redemption Tidings entitled Pentecost in Oxford University. The Lord was clearly preparing the way for my future ministry. Next time, I'll tell you about my developing relationship with Eileen which led to our marriage immediately after I graduated and how I ultimately decided not to go to Bible College as originally planned, but to accept the pastorate of the Assemblies of God Church in Colchester.

It's been revealed more than £4 million worth of taxpayers' money was spent on plans for a new development near Folkestone which never materialised.Bosses in the previous administration wanted to build 150 homes and a leisure centre at Princes Parade in Hythe, but the proposals were later scrapped. Hear from Jim Martin who is the current leader of the council.A Kent homelessness charity's revealed a 21% increase in demand for their services in the space of a year.Footfall at Catching Lives in Canterbury has gone up from around 11,000 in 2023, to more than 13,300 last year. We've been chatting to chief executive Tasmin Maitland.A Kent woman who lost her baby at 22 and a half weeks pregnant is welcoming a change in the law which will see bereaved parents get paid leave from work.Keeley Lengthorne has been campaigning since George was born in March 2022. She's told us how the announcement came on a very poignant day.For the first time in a generation, NHS patients have begun receiving blood plasma from donors from Kent.Donations had been paused in 1998 due to fears about the spread of mad cow disease - but a ban has now been lifted. We've been speaking to Denise Dowsing from Maidstone who has Common Variable Immune Deficiency and relies on medication made from plasma.In sport, Kent's Emma Raducanu's due in action at Indian Wells later.It's her first tournament back since spotting a stalker in the crown at the Dubai Championships last month.

Traders in a shopping centre in Ashford say a decision to demolish the site is "brutal"...The council have announced the closure-hit Park Mall centre will be temporarily replaced with a car park, while plans are considered for its redevelopment.Also in today's podcast, campaigners against a new road tunnel linking Kent and Essex have suggested a rail route instead.They have been setting out alternatives to the Lower Thames Crossing which they say will be smarter and cheaper.A coroner's ruled the death of a 22 year-old Ashford man who was hit by a train in Australia was a tragic accident.Luke Beaufils had been partying with friends before falling onto the tracks at a railway station on the outskirts of Sydney last March.Volunteers at a soup kitchen in Maidstone are asking the council for help, after being told they'll have to start paying for parking.Hungry Hearts for the Homeless have been serving rough sleepers in the College Road car park for the last seven years.A Kent MP is urging Sir Keir Starmer to make sure the government's tackling health inequalities in deprived areas.Polly Billington's spoken during PMQs in the Commons.Elsewhere, the MP for the Weald of Kent has spoken on the cost of granting asylum seekers indefinite leave to remain.

The family of a sub-postmistress “shunned in the street” after being convicted of stealing thousands from the branch she ran hope to finally prove her innocence 27 years on.Pat Owen was found guilty of theft from the post office near Canterbury in 1998 despite denying she had anything to do with a £6,000 shortfall in its accounts.Also in today's podcast, council bosses have confirmed a closure-hit shopping centre and neighbouring multi-storey car park are to be knocked down.Traders at the site in Ashford have been told they need to vacate the site by August 31 ahead of demolition work.A man has been banned from keeping animals after two horses he owned were found almost emaciated and riddled with lice.The owner from Maidstone said he only took them from a member of the Travelling community because they were not being cared for properly.You can also hear from a young woman  who is “allergic to herself” who says a cruel and undiagnosed disease has robbed her of her life.The 21-year-old's skin and body react violently to everything from laughing too much to the tears when she cries, which she says “feels like acid” is being poured over her face.And in football, a loss for Gillingham at Priestfield last night extends their winless run to 13 matches.You can hear from manager John Coleman who says his team looked scared to win.

Bacbeat is a diverse house DJ who although in the early stages of his journey has already captivated crowds in London, Ibiza and Africa. After recently playing in Studio 338 for Forward Motion and supporting Groove Armada at Ministry of Sound for their 33rd birthday weekender, Bacbeat is commanding dance floors with growing popularity. Joining Bacbeat for a 2 hour B2B is the Maidstone based DJ and Producer, FENN. Fenn is creating big waves with his production and crafting his sound at such a young age has already seen him support the likes of Ben Hensley and LF System as well as playing for respected brands such as Cafe Mambo, Foreverland and Lovejuice. Fenn's track 'MR DJ' has just hit 1M streams on Soundcloud and his 90's inspired sound has just secured him with his D4 D4NCE debut at O Beach in Ibiza in the coming season. With a promising future ahead, if you haven't heard of Fenn before, 2025 will certainly be the year you do. ⚡️Like the Show? Click the [Repost] ↻ button so more people can hear it!

This episode is for all the golf course design junkies and enthusiasts as we sat down with golf course designer Tyler Rae. He joined Gary Williams for a deep dive on his career in golf, some of his creative influences, top courses around the world, periods of time in course architecture and much more. He touched on his work at Lookout Mountain and Old Sawmill and talked in depth about Pinehurst No. 2, Seminole and Pine Valley.Rae has played the top 100 courses in the U.S. and 98 of top 100 in the world so his knowledge of great golf courses is amongst the elite and he loves the hidden gem courses of the world. He also listed his top courses in New England from Eastward Ho, Myopia Hunt Club and the Country Club; from Westchester, NY with Winged Foot, Somerset Hills and Mountain Ridge; Long Island with Shinnecock, Maidstone and National Golf Links; the Chicago area with Chicago Golf Club, Shoreacres and Beverly; and finally in the greater Philadelphia area with Pine Valley, Merion and Lancaster.

A look at the now closed, once former great Maidstone Granada cinema.

A nurse who called black members of staff monkeys and sent a topless picture of himself in fishnet tights to a junior colleague has been struck-off.Details of Alan Prew's behaviour at Medway Maritime Hospital have been revealed at a Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing.Also in today's podcast, volunteers looking after an ancient woodland near Maidstone say they're in desperate need of funding to continue to secure its future.Mangravat Wood in Loose was saved from a proposed Tesco development 25 years ago.Reform UK have won two seats on Medway Council after residents voted in by-elections.Candidates for the party have been elected in Rochester East and Warren Wood, meantime, Labour won the seat in Gillingham South.There are fears plans for new homes in Deal could cause a smell in the area to get even worse.People living in Northwall Road say there's already a bit of a stench. They reckon the new builds will aggravate sewer and drainage systems.Work on a £20 million revival project on Sheppey is under way..Contractors have moved in to start expansion work at Sheppey College in Sheerness - which will soon offer places to students aged 16 to 19 in creative, engineering and logistics subjects. In sport, Gillingham make the long trip to Barrow in league two this weekend.The Gills are currently 18th in the table - while tomorrow's opposition are just one place below them.John Coleman is still without a win after taking over from Mark Bonner as Gillingham manager.And, a non-league striker from Kent is hoping he can hold on to be the top goal scorer in this year's FA Cup  Ashford United's Gary Lockyer has ten goals in the competition which continues this evening.

A property management company has frozen the accounts of residents in Folkestone after complaints about an increase in service charges.Some people living on the new Shorncliffe Heights development have seen their fees double, with others being asked to pay hundreds more annually.The town's MP is backing their concerns and we've been getting reaction from Green party councillor Mike Blakemore.Also in today's podcast, a Maidstone man who stabbed a police officer with scissors is starting 30 years in prison.Robert Jenner, 50, attacked the PC who'd gone to his home in Albion Place with a colleague following reports of someone exposing themselves in a nearby park.A Kent charity boss has been telling the podcast how easy it was for him to get weight loss jabs online.Neil Charlick runs Gillingham Street Angels and has been speaking after it was revealed those wanting to buy the injections will face more stringent checks.The MP for East Thanet is urging the government to consider social tariffs to help people with high energy bills.Labour rep Polly Billington says too many families are struggling to afford increasing gas and electricity prices.A Maidstone man who's just completed what's known as the world's toughest row has told the podcast it certainly lives up to its name.Andy Purvis and his team mate spent 49 days at sea travelling 3,000 miles across the Atlantic from the Canary Islands to Antigua. Andy did it to raise money for Medway baby loss charity Abigail's Footsteps.And in sport, Sam Gale has signed a new contract at Gillingham.The deal will keep the 20-year-old at Priestfield until the summer of 2027.

Luke Edwards is in the hotseat and is joined by Christian James, Dickie Worton and special guest Maidstone midfielder Ben Brookes. Ben talks through his sides victory over Torquay the tightness at the top of the division and his former club Chelmsford City. Plus an FA Trophy round up as Sittingbourne pull off a big shock as they see off Southend, Spennymoor leave Christian glum. In the league Barnet pull clear at the top of the National League as they see off Tamworth and York leave it late And in the North a managerial departure after a victory and missed opportunities at the top Subscribe and leave a review Produced by Leo Audio Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Kent mum whose daughter was hit by a driver on a zebra crossing has spoken to the podcast about her anger that he's been spared jail.11-year-old Dollie Giglia was knocked down on Tram Road in Folkestone in January last year. She suffered multiple fractures and a brain injury.Also in today's episode, five members of a crime group have been sentenced after police uncovered a cocaine network in Thanet.Footage at KentOnline shows the moment the ringleader was arrested at his home on Highfield Road in Ramsgate.Campaigners fighting to save two children's centres in Kent say they've won another battle, but not the war just yet.There's been anger at the idea of closing Seashells in Sheerness and Millmead in Margate.Now a scrutiny committee's decided to put the decision to shut them on hold.Concerns have been raised after a report found what's been called a 'Boy's Club' culture within the ambulance service that covers Kent.The GMB union surveyed almost 900 staff members, however, a source close to SECAmb has questioned the credibility of the research.Two festivals are happening in Kent this weekend, to help us shake off the winter blues.Community arts organisation Cohesion Plus is putting on Lunar New Year celebrations in Maidstone and a Magical Winter Festival in Ebbsfleet's Platinum Jubilee Park.And in sport, promotion chasing Notts County are the visitors to take on Gillingham this weekend.The home side have gone seven games without a win and dropped to 17th in league two. Tomorrow's opponents are up in third.

A Faversham woman who was caught stealing from her bosses, says she acted out of desperation after being hounded by bailiffs. Paula Gray, 61, of Lower Road stole more than £1,300 from solicitors David Simmonds and Donaghey in Gillingham after falling into debt following the death of her husband.Also in today's podcast, wildlife groups say there will continue to challenge the building of the Lower Thames Crossing, after the government gave the project its support.Rachel Reeves confirmed in a speech on growth yesterday they will be looking to the private sector to help fund the £9 billion road link between Kent and Essex.Hear from the Kent Wildlife Trust and chief exec of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.A victim of a rogue salesman has told the KentOnline Podcast how she was conned by the 'very friendly and pleasant' man - before his lies began.Lewis Blake, 43, from Whitstable is now in jail after claiming to be a window shutter installer - but using clients' cash on gambling and adult websites.Eight years after it closed, work's started on restoring the famous Leas Lift in Folkestone.More than £6 million is going to be spent on the Grade 2 star listed structure.And, a Kent man has completed an epic challenge to row the Atlantic.Andy Purvis from Maidstone has reached Antigua, with team mate Tim Cox, after 49 days, 8 hours and 53 minutes at sea.The pair set off before Christmas and have travelled 3,000 miles to raise money for charity.

Video footage at KentOnline shows the moment other drivers intervened to stop a drunk driver on the M25.The 42-year-old from Maidstone was almost four times the limit when he was spotted at Leatherhead - and police discovered a bottle of Jack Daniels on the passenger seat.Also in today's podcast, the man in charge at the Port of Dover has revealed the EU's new Entry Exit system has been delayed, again.It'll use biometric data like finger prints and facial scans and was initially supposed to come in in 2022. The KentOnline Podcast understands a phased roll-out will happened from the end of this year instead.The issue of family hubs has been raised in the Commons following concerns some mums and dads in part of Kent aren't getting the support they need.Blossoms in Deal was one of a number of sites that closed last year in a bid to save Kent County Council millions of pounds.Two sites in Kent have been added to this year's Theatres at Risk Register.There are concerns about the Theatre Royal in Margate and Roundhouse Theatre in Dover.There's anger today as a Parish Council in Kent prepares to knock down a toilet block described as 'iconic' by the local community.People in Meopham say the facility opposite Pitfield Green is 'vital' for locals and visitors.But the Parish Council claims the toilets aren't fit for purpose and need a £50,000 facelift.And in football, the Gillingham manager is still hoping for his first win with the side tonight.They're travelling to take on Grimsby Town after drawing 1-1 at Tranmere Rovers at the weekend.

Russ and Pete saw Everton were heading for the coast and thought “sod that!”, electing to follow The Mighty Rebels' fixture over in Kent, in an important promotion six-pointer. Surprise, surprise, the Everton game turned out to be a typically turgid, anti-footballing affair while The Stones v Rebels clash was entertaining and fun. R&P obviously took the opportunity to sample some of the local quaffables pre and post match and had the pleasure to sit down for a chat with some local fans, including Paul, who kindly agreed to have us record our conversation. All in all a good day out and a terrible PL abomination of a game cunningly avoided! Stand or fall!   UTA!  Rebels on a roll!!! @BrightonRockPod on BlueSky (and Twatter) brightonrockpodcast@gmail.com Part of the Sport Social Podcast Network that can be found in all their glory at this rather suitable address: www.sport-social.co.uk  Please follow us for automatic downloads of new episodes and if you want to make us really happy please rate us five stars on Apple and any other platforms that provide the opportunity to do so! Why not write a review while you are at it?! ;0).  All this helps our rankings and improves our chances of getting exciting guests onto the show. Also we are now on Patreon, so if you happen to be inclined to extreme acts of generosity we'd greatly appreciate any monthly donations, great or small, to help us run the pod as well as we can. Go to www.patreon.com/BrightonRockPod for details and to sign up. NB Our content will remain freely accessible to all listeners regardless. Humble thanks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New figures seen by the Kent Online Podcast show there's been a significant drop in the number of children wanting to go to some schools in Kent after they received poor Ofsted reports.The figures highlight the impact a 'poor' grading given to a school by the watchdog can have on admission numbers.Also in today's podcast, three Kent men who were involved in a so-called 'clocking' scam involving second-hand cars and vans have avoided jail sentences.The group from Broadstairs and Chartham wiped two million miles off 23 vehicles before selling them online.Signs are going to be put up outside play areas and schools in parts of Kent to try and encourage people not to smoke.Areas including Ashford, Thanet and Maidstone have been awarded funding for the scheme.Plans to close a Kent leisure centre for a £20 million revamp are going to be reviewed at a meeting later.Tides in Deal is set to shut this April before reopening under a new operator in January 2026.East Kent Acro Gymnastics club uses the sports hall for their training sessions.Football, and Gillingham's run of games without a win has continued.They came from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Tranmere Rovers at the weekend.And, congratulations to everyone who took part in the Canterbury 10-mile road race over the weekend.The winner crossed the line in 51 minutes and 10 seconds.

A warning letter's been sent out by a school in Margate as a number of pupils have fallen ill.There's been an outbreak of respiratory and gastrointestinal sickness at Hartsdown Academy.Also on today's podcast, plans for a major transformation of Folkestone harbour have been rejected.The shock decision came at a meeting last night with councillors on the planning committee raising concerns about the proposals for new homes and commercial units on the seafront.The ideas had been submitted by Sir Roger De Haan's Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company.People living on an estate near Maidstone say they've had to pay out £50,000 of their own money to try and sort a sewage issue.Blockages, leaks and overspills have been affecting Castor Park in Allington over the past year.Southern Water bosses have been grilled by MPs after deciding to bills by more than any other firm in the UK.Customers in Kent will be among those paying 53% more over the next five years.A Gravesend mum who's been diagnosed with stage four brain cancer is calling for better access to scans.Kelly Heather had initially been told she had a non-spreadable melanoma in 2017.And, Firefighters in Kent have unveiled their latest piece of kit, a robot.It's one of the first of its kind in the UK and will help keep crews safe as well as reduce the amount of time spent at incidents.

A Tenterden family have been left with a hefty bill after vandals armed with a catapult smashed a window of their home.It happened at Matt Sendall-King's home in Rogersmead earlier this month. Hear from reporter Louis Walker who has been following the story.A Maidstone dad has been telling the KentOnline Podcast what it was like to find a World War Two hand grenade while magnet fishing with his son.Chris Homden and 10-year-old Leyton made the discovery in the River Medway at Aylesford and took it back to their home in Allington before realising what it was.There are concerns elderly and vulnerable people in Kent could face isolation when landline telephones are axed.More than half of households still use their home phone, with a fifth of people living in rural areas always using it. But in January 2027, the old copper network's being switched off and it's moving to Digital Voice technology.The man who heads up Medway Council has been explaining how AI could be used by the authority.Earlier this week the Prime Minister revealed how he wants the country to be at the forefront of developing artificial intelligence.Richard Hicks is the chief exec of the unitary authority covering the Towns and has been on the latest episode of the Kent Politics Podcast.Football, and new boss John Coleman should finally get to take charge of Gillingham for the first time this weekend.They welcome Doncaster Rovers to Priestfield in league two.The Gills are currently 14th in the table with tomorrow's visitors in 7th.

HMS Maidstone, an ex-Royal Navy Ship, was used in the early 1970s to hold internees. In January 1972, a group of IRA prisoners swam 270 meters through an ice-cold Belfast Lough in a bid to escape, greasing themselves in butter to squeeze out of the ship's portholes. They then hijacked a double-decker bus before slipping across the border, humiliating the authorities. Ciarán Dunbar is joined by James Durney, author of ‘Jailbreak: Great Irish Republican escapes'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A secondary school in Maidstone has been unable to use its new £700k sports pitch – after falling foul of a ban on noise from referees' whistles.Cornwallis Academy has a brand new 3G artificial grass pitch which it has been forbidden from using since August.Also in today's podcast, there's been an increase in the number of reports of online child grooming in Kent. The NSPCC say 264 cases were recorded last year - we've spoken to Kent Police about what they're doing, and what we can do, to keep children safe. The co-owner of a burger van says he was left “shocked” after it was broken into just a week before opening.The Sheerness men had spent more than £1,500 on their new business venture, which was ransacked earlier this month. Work on a controversial one-way system branded “absolutely ridiculous” could finally start this year, having been delayed twice already.The £3 million transformation of the A28 in Wincheap is seen as a way of “considerably easing congestion” and improving “quality of life in the area”.And a Kent animal park has given a new lease of life to a pair of big cats previously living under the care of a man dubbed the “UK Tiger King”.You can hear from The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden who have taken on two of the rescues, including the UK's only Asian Golden Cat. 

A disabled pensioner has had to abandon his housing association home for the over 55s after a large chunk of the ceiling in his living room collapsed.The KentOnline podcast has heard the disaster is only the latest in a long line of maintenance failures at his flat near Maidstone by his social housing landlord, Anchor Hanover Housing.Also in today's podcast, a screw head, a throat pack and swabs are some of the 37 items reportedly left behind in patients after surgery at Kent's hospitals.The new data reveals the number of clinical claims and incidents at the county's hospitals relating to a “retained instrument post-operation” or a “foreign body left in situ”.A hygiene inspector who discovered a “completely dry” hand basin at an all-you-can-eat buffet told staff they must wash their hands after using the toilet.The environmental health expert also found unsealed raw meat in a fridge, mouldy walls, and a grease build-up during an inspection at the Ashford restaurant. You can also hear about a loft insulation surveyor who stole highly valuable jewellery from the homes of elderly and vulnerable customers out of "heartless greed".The thief's been branded a "disgrace" by a judge for his "mean and callous" crimes committed over three months last year.And it's crunch time for the most significant transformation of a Kent town in decades with a planning decision set to be made next week.Councillors will determine whether controversial plans for Folkestone harbour can go ahead.

A carer who, along with a colleague, stole £12,000 from an elderly couple in Sittingbourne has been ordered to pay back just £1.Money was withdrawn from the victims' bank account over a four month period.Also in today's podcast, huge changes to the way local councils in Kent run are set to take a big step forward today.Bosses at County Hall in Maidstone are going to decide if we should be in the first step of the process - known as the Devolution Priority Programme.It's likely to see smaller councils scrapped and replaced with fewer unitary authorities, with a mayor overseeing them.Hear from the leader of Maidstone Borough Council and from a protest outside County Hall.The MP for Ashford is calling on Sir Keir Starmer to help get Eurostar trains to stop in Kent again.Services from the county to mainland Europe started 29 years ago but haven't run since the pandemic. Sojan Joseph raised the issue at Prime Minister's Questions.A Kent expert's played down the chances of another pandemic despite a surge in cases of HMPV in China.The virus was first discovered in 2001. It can cause a cough, fever and runny nose, but more vulnerable people could get bronchitis or pneumonia.A Herne Bay man has decided to speak to the podcast about his frustration at not receiving any post since before Christmas.Roger White claims he hasn't had important letters about health appointments or festive cards and gifts from family. Hear from Roger and the response from Royal Mail.And, a Kent woman who launched a hotel service for hens is set to appear on the new series of Dragon's Den tonight.Katriona Shovlin launched her business in Upchurch after noticing an increase in the number of chicken owners needing help during holidays.

The owner of Kent's first cat café says she's determined to keep it open despite rising costs and falling customer numbers.Cosy Cat Café in Herne Bay opened in 2018 and is home to 13 rescues. Reporter Millie Bowles who's been covering the story joins the podcast to explain more.Also on today's episode, we're being urged to check on our older neighbours and relatives after temperatures dropped well below freezing in Kent overnight.An amber cold health alert is in force until next Wednesday and there are concerns about wintry conditions putting more pressure on the NHS. A weather warning for snow and ice is also due to come into place this weekend.Hear from a worker at an ambulance control room in Medway, Kent's director of public health and a forecaster from the Met Office.A Maidstone man says he's been 'humiliated' after being told to leave a swimming pool because he was using a snorkel.Kiril Georgiev from Bearsted had major back surgery just over 10 years ago and can't twist in the pool to breathe. He's been speaking about the situation and we've got a statement from the operators of the leisure centre.A Kent business expert has been telling us how 2025 looks set to be a difficult one for our retailers.It follows figures which show 13,000 shops on UK High Streets closed last year, costing nearly £170,000 jobs. Hear from Tudor Price who's from the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.A Gravesend woman has returned to her former school to try and inspire more girls to get into fitness and PE.Megan Branch has taken a group of students at St John's Catholic Comprehensive through strength training which aims to help them feel confident in their bodies and abilities.And in football, Gillingham's poor run of form has continued with a defeat to Bromley.They lost 3-0 at Priestfield last night. Hear from a very disappointed manager Mark Bonner.

Bill Bailey stars as Guy Starling, a middle aged man who, after 45 years, and for reasons quite unknown to him, is suddenly revisited by his imaginary childhood friend, Hennikay.When Guy's great business idea – developing a phone-based app designed to stop people using phone based apps – unsurprisingly fails, he needs to find a job. And so he attends a sales seminar with Shining Path, who are apparently, "the number one providers of after-life finance packages in the UK".However, his attention is constantly derailed by the constant chatter of Hennikay, his imaginary childhood friend, who is still determinedly living in his head. And if that wasn't enough, he also has to cope with Tony, his old boss, who is also there, competing with him to land a job.But try as he might, Guy really can't get enthused by the idea of a career selling pre-paid funeral plans to the people of Maidstone. Was this what he thought his life was going to be, when he and Hennikay were young together, way back in 1976?Acclaimed comedian - and Strictly Come Dancing champion - Bill Bailey leads a series cast which includes Tony Gardner and Elizabeth Carling in this warm, funny look at childhood, adulthood and some of the follies of modern life, where a man with a confused child in his head might just be the sanest person in the room.Written by David SpicerGuy: Bill Bailey Hennikay: Max Lester Tony: Tony Gardner Stacia: Rebecca BoeyProducer: Liz Anstee A CPL production for BBC Radio 4

A Canterbury man involved in a brutal gang attack which left a German student with life-changing brain damage has once again been spared jail for a violent assault.Despite being warned three years ago by a judge that he was being given a "last and final chance", the 22-year-old has since racked up numerous convictions, but the courts have decided not to put him behind bars.Also in today's podcast, you can hear from a Kent MP who is demanding the government take action after it was revealed some restaurants and takeaways aren't displaying the correct food hygiene ratings. Tris Osborne has described the revelations as shocking, and wants it to be made mandatory across the country. Parking at two major hospitals should become easier and congestion on surrounding routes reduced as new transport measures are brought in.The NHS Trust which runs both sites is introducing a free park-and-ride service for patients, visitors and staff.A disabled man is fed-up with bin men leaving his gate open - as it bangs in the wind and rubbish blows into his garden.He says he's even caught refuse workers failing to shut it on CCTV and council bosses are now investigating.We've spoken to the Gillingham boss after their Friday night fixture ended in a draw. Mark Bonner admits it was a missed opportunity and it was a good performance that ended in a disappointing result. 

Bacbeat is a diverse house DJ who although in the early stages of his journey has already captivated crowds in London, Ibiza and Africa. After recently playing in Studio 338 for Forward Motion and supporting Groove Armada at Ministry of Sound for their 33rd birthday weekender, Bacbeat is commanding dance floors with growing popularity. Joining Bacbeat for Preheat's XMAS SPECIAL is the Maidstone based DJ and Producer, FENN. Fenn is creating big waves with his production and crafting his sound at such a young age has already seen him support the likes of Ben Hensley and LF System as well as playing for respected brands such as Cafe Mambo, Foreverland and Lovejuice. With a promising future ahead, if you haven't heard of Fenn before, 2025 will certainly be the year you do. ⚡️Like the Show? Click the [Repost] ↻ button so more people can hear it!

Danny Baker, the act you've known for all these years, is kicking his legs up again in 2025 on a thundering new theatre tour, ‘Aye Aye! Ahoy Hoy!' “Dead men tell no tales,” he points out, “so we might might as well get ‘em all told now.” This will be another barnstorming one-man circus - as, naturally, is this barrelling conversation with the two of us which collides with the following … … being shot, Welsh cake, an olive green Humber, goldfish, when videos were the size of a loaf of bread, why half his Maidstone audience got up and left, stolen gear being hustled over Waterloo Bridge, bad things done by Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland, ELP, the Average White Band, Max Miller, Kenneth Williams' loathing for Michael Aspel, when records become like furniture, getting £4k for a Ziggy Stardust white label, why he doesn't miss the 14,000 albums he sold, and the record that came out the same day as Sgt Pepper and Bowie's first album but is better than both. The podcast includes an extract from Ronnie Barker's “A Pint Of Old And Filthy” and Terry Thomas reading PG Wodehouse. Order tickets for Danny's 2025 tour here:https://www.dannybakerstore.com/Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Baker, the act you've known for all these years, is kicking his legs up again in 2025 on a thundering new theatre tour, ‘Aye Aye! Ahoy Hoy!' “Dead men tell no tales,” he points out, “so we might might as well get ‘em all told now.” This will be another barnstorming one-man circus - as, naturally, is this barrelling conversation with the two of us which collides with the following … … being shot, Welsh cake, an olive green Humber, goldfish, when videos were the size of a loaf of bread, why half his Maidstone audience got up and left, stolen gear being hustled over Waterloo Bridge, bad things done by Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland, ELP, the Average White Band, Max Miller, Kenneth Williams' loathing for Michael Aspel, when records become like furniture, getting £4k for a Ziggy Stardust white label, why he doesn't miss the 14,000 albums he sold, and the record that came out the same day as Sgt Pepper and Bowie's first album but is better than both. The podcast includes an extract from Ronnie Barker's “A Pint Of Old And Filthy” and Terry Thomas reading PG Wodehouse. Order tickets for Danny's 2025 tour here:https://www.dannybakerstore.com/Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Danny Baker, the act you've known for all these years, is kicking his legs up again in 2025 on a thundering new theatre tour, ‘Aye Aye! Ahoy Hoy!' “Dead men tell no tales,” he points out, “so we might might as well get ‘em all told now.” This will be another barnstorming one-man circus - as, naturally, is this barrelling conversation with the two of us which collides with the following … … being shot, Welsh cake, an olive green Humber, goldfish, when videos were the size of a loaf of bread, why half his Maidstone audience got up and left, stolen gear being hustled over Waterloo Bridge, bad things done by Rod Stewart and Britt Ekland, ELP, the Average White Band, Max Miller, Kenneth Williams' loathing for Michael Aspel, when records become like furniture, getting £4k for a Ziggy Stardust white label, why he doesn't miss the 14,000 albums he sold, and the record that came out the same day as Sgt Pepper and Bowie's first album but is better than both. The podcast includes an extract from Ronnie Barker's “A Pint Of Old And Filthy” and Terry Thomas reading PG Wodehouse. Order tickets for Danny's 2025 tour here:https://www.dannybakerstore.com/Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Raised for much of his childhood in Connecticut before moving to New York as a teenager, John Meadow developed a love for hospitality at a young age. He got his start as a dishwasher and sandwich maker at Au Bon Pain before attending Cornell's hotel school. By 24, he opened his first restaurant, and in 2008, launched Scarpetta, which won accolades for its refined yet unpretentious take on Italian dining. As president and founder of LDV Hospitality, Meadow has built an empire that spans multiple countries and cities. His portfolio now includes the forthcoming Barlume, slated to open next month in New York, and his first foray into hotels with LDV at the Maidstone, which opened this summer in the Hamptons.Thank you for listening! For more of our great interviews, find us at hospitalitydesign.com.