Podcasts about romney marsh

It has been revealed children as young as four have been suspended from Kent schools, amid a rise in the number of exclusions across the county.The numbers follow a trend across the country after Covid, with the lockdowns that started in 2020 affecting many children's formative years.Also in today's podcast, the man who oversees the police in Kent has told us he'd be interested in becoming the county's first Mayor.But Matthew Scott has urged the government to speed up any reorganisation of local authorities.Double amputee Tony Hudgell's been gifted a signed football shirt from David Beckham.The 10-year-old from West Malling was just weeks old when he suffered appalling abuse at the hands of his birth parents.A protest walk has been held on Romney Marsh as campaigners push back over plans for solar and energy storage schemes.Possible projects include the 1,500 acre South Kent Energy Park and the 1,000 acre Shepway Energy Park.Rebecca Adlington's been in Kent to take part in an endurance swim to raise awareness of protecting our oceans.The former Olympian was joined by Happy Valley star James Norton at Joss Bay - and admitted it was pretty tough.And in sport, Bradley Dack has revealed he's got unfinished business ahead of a new season at Gillingham  The 31-year-old has signed on for another year - after only making 20 appearances during the last campaign.

En la región andina se ha fortalecido la presencia de ovinos de la raza Romney Marsh que es considerada la raza 4x4, porque se adapta fácilmente a diferentes condiciones climáticas del país.

Shop workers in a Medway village say they've been left “traumatised” after a series of “shocking” attacks on the store.Staff at the newsagent in Hoo say they're suffering regular verbal abuse and have had display stands chucked at them and have even been threatened with acid.Also in today's podcast, an abusive man who assaulted his partner for almost two years and made her life an “absolute misery” has been jailed.The offences starting shortly after the pair met in July 2022 and included belittling the victim in front of her friends and family, constantly demanding to know her whereabouts and making insults about her appearance.A nursery has been rated ‘Inadequate' after Ofsted inspectors discovered staff were giving children medicine without the “required written permissions” from parents.The site on Romney Marsh was given the lowest grading possible after being visited by the government watchdog last month.Anger is mounting in Britain's smallest town as it remains shut off so repairs can be carried out on the mayor's house - despite work grinding to a halt last week.The only road through the town - a route used by thousands of motorists a day - was closed on April 7 for more than three months, leaving many facing travel misery.And in football you can hear from the Gillingham boss ahead of their final home game of the season. They're hosting Swindon Town and will be hoping to keep their ten game unbeaten run alive. 

A child sex offender held his head in his hands and cried “my life is over” as he was exposed by paedophile ‘hunters' in a video live-streamed to thousands online.Footage of the ‘sting' was broadcast on Facebook after the Ramsgate man was caught engaging in sexually explicit chats with someone he believed to be a nine-year-old girl.Also in today's podcast, an arrest has been made over a huge fire that broke out near Canterbury Cathedral on Monday night. A teenager has been taken into custody – crews remain on the High Street today and a cordon is still in place. Tenants at a new build block of flats in Rochester have hit out after being hit with service charge hikes despite botched and non-existent repairs. Residents say the building is no longer fit for purpose and frequently has a drug user barging into their bin room at night. Neighbours of a proposed solar farm on Romney Marsh say the scale of the project is “devastating”. If approved the site will be the size of 840 football pitches leading to fears of the impact it will have on the surrounding areas. And in sport, you can hear from the Gillingham boss ahead of tonight's league two local derby. Mark Bonner is hoping the fans will drive an improved performance away from home at Bromley FC. 

It's emerged police have been called to a Medway park more than 60 times in four months to reports of nuisance vehicles - but no bikes have been seized.New rules have been put in place across the Towns to try and tackle the problem.Also on the podcast, a former Kent sub-postmaster who was wrongly convicted of stealing during the Horizon IT scandal has had his conviction overturned.Sunil Patel from Romney Marsh spent nine months in prison and was ordered to pay £48,000 pounds due to faulty accounting software. He's been speaking of his relief and what he wants to happen next.A documentary sharing the mental health struggles of a Kent artist will be in cinemas this weekend.Crews spent time following Sam Cox - who's known as Mr Doodle - as he decorated his mansion.A first of its kind toilet is set to open at Margate railway station.Southeastern have installed a Changing Places facility which is designed to make rail travel easier and more accessible. Ella Henderson's been chatting to our sister radio station kmfm about her new single.Filthy Rich is her first solo single in more than two years.Sam Lawrie has a roundup of everything going on in Kent this weekend.And in sport, Gillingham will be hoping to get their season back on track this weekend.They travel to take on Bradford City after three straight defeats.

On the first episode of Three Ravens Series 5, we are back up in England's north west, exploring the history and folklore of Cumberland!We start off chatting about a few of the long-running famous folk festivals taking place at this time of year, including the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance and Widecombe Fair, after which we cavort on up to Cumberland.After chatting through some curious historical tidbits, including the weird history of Whitehaven, the unsettling depth of Lake Windermere, and an explanation of why being called a 'Jam Eater' is considered an insult north of the Lake District, Eleanor guides us through Cumberland's cuisine for this week's County Dish - and heads up: it's heavily reliant on rum, spices and sugar. Then we get stuck into some folklore! From the absolutely ridiculous cryptid 'The Cumbrian Dregpike" to the Hob Thross, the magical armband of St Bega to the county's many 'Lucks', there's loads to chat about, plus some excerpts from next Saturday's Local Legends interview with the lovely Stephen G. Rae, the Bard of Cumberland. Then it's on to the main event: Eleanor's story "The Last Touch." And it's one of her creepy ones...We really hope you enjoy the episode, and we'll be back on Thursday with a new Magic and Medicines episode about Tarot and a Patreon Exclusive ghost tour of Romney Marsh, all before next week's episode when Martin will be taking us on an adventure through the history and folklore of Dorset!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are fears a swimming ban could be introduced in part of Kent following a rise in unsafe levels of bacteria in the sea.Reporter Oliver Leonard has been investigating this story and joins the podcast to go through the details.Also on today's podcast, a Kent mum says she's considering legal action over planned changes to council disability payments.Bernadette John's 29-year-old son Nathan lives in supported accommodation which is funded by Kent County Council.At the moment he contributes £10 pounds a week, but that's set to increase to £46. Bernadette has been describing what impact it'll have.A Kent MP has criticised the government's plans to renationalise Britain's railways.New legislation to bring train operating companies back under public ownership is being debated in Parliament today.A bridge has been installed as part of a multi-million pound road project near Sittingbourne.The Grovehurst Road scheme is designed to ease congestion around Iwade and Kemsley with new homes planned. Hear from the man in charge of the project.Robots are being used to pick fruit at a farm in Kent, because of a decline in seasonal workers.The tech moves along rows of crops, has two picking arms and even 'eyes' that can tell if a berry is ripe enough. And in sport, Gillingham are back in action tonight - this time in the EFL Trophy.They're taking on Peterborough United at Priestfield following Saturday's 1-0 win over Chesterfield in the league.

Plans to turn a Kent pub run by the the wife of celebrity baker Paul Hollywood into a home have been approved.The proposals for The Chequers Inn in Smarden were given the green light at a council meeting, despite opposition from residents.Also in today's podcast, Kent Police is being accused of failing to properly investigate abuse at a former children's home on Romney Marsh.Youngsters were allegedly subjected to daily violence at the Sandyridge site, run by Denis and Anne May.They were arrested in 1996 - but were never charged and have since died.A family have been forced to move to another home after being subjected to a campaign of harassment and abuse by their neighbour.A court heard how Michael Atkinson from East Malling threatened violence and made racist comments.The 37 year-old from Chapman's Way has been locked up for 27 weeks and given a five year restraining order.Parents in Sittingbourne say they're shocked after a blade was found in a children's play area.A group of youngsters were playing in the sandpit at Milton Creek Country Park when the discovery was made.Sam Lawrie's got details on everything going on in Kent.And in football, Bradley Dack has returned to Gillingham.He left seven years ago after scoring 31 goals during his time at Priestfield.The 30 year-old - who's married to former Love Island star Olivia Attwood - has now signed a new contract with the Gills.

In this episode, Michael and his new co-host discuss the 1964 Wonderful World of Color presentation "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh".Links:Michael's Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterSources:Video:Walt Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the ScarecrowBooks/Magazines:Walt Disney and Live Action: The Disney Studio's Live Action Features of the 1950s and 60s by John G. WestWebsites/Articles:The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh: The Strange Disappearance of Disney's Dr. Syn by Dan Greenfield for Reel Retro CinemaFrom the Jaws of Hell: The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh by Jim Fanning for D23.comThe Scarecrow of Romney Marsh by Jim Korkis for MouseplanetThe Disney Wiki: The Scarecrow of Romney MarshWalt Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh by Ben Simon for Animated ViewsWikipedia: Dr. SynThe Scarecrow of Romney Marsh on Halloween.Fandom.comThe Scarecrow of Romney Marsh: St. Clement's Church - Old Romney, England at billcotter.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of Local Legends, Martin gathers round the campfire with Kent resident and host of the Real Life Ghost Stories podcast, Emma Ozenbrook.Born in Ireland, Emma has lived in Kent for a fair old chunk of time and knows it very well, which, combined with her love for a good story, makes her a cracking ambassador for 'The Garden of England.'If you like a spooky podcast, odds are you'll already know her from Real Life Ghost Stories – one of our absolute favourites, and a definite inspiration for Three Ravens. Three times a week, Emma releases new episodes – two made up of Listener Stories, one which she writes on supernatural themes, events, or ideas from around the world. Those Sunday episodes have ranged in topic from local ghost stories and infamous hauntings to UFO sightings to cryptid cases, and all manner of other sinister things. And in this Local Legends chat, Emma offers a couple of uncanny examples of Kent strangeness, as only she can.So, settle in and join us for a good ol' chinwag which ranges from theatre to Kent's rich history, through Romney Marsh and hidden seashell grottoes to the curious case of The Hythe Mothman!It's a good one - and if you want to listen to the composition Emma mentions at the end you can find that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hMy0T_tDPo&sttick=0Likewise, check out the shell grotto here: https://www.mybestplace.com/en/article/shell-grotto-the-mysterious-cave-covered-with-shellsOtherwise, you can learn more about Real Life Ghost Stories here: https://www.reallifeghoststoriespodcast.com/And Emma's theatre company here: https://www.parrot-theatre.co.uk/The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode we're headed back to Kent, and Martin is telling a spooky story based on the life of a sinister historic Archbishop of Canterbury... We start off discussing St Nectan, his errant cows, and headless commute back home, after which we venture to Kent!In addition to chatting about Dover Castle, the oldest boat in the world, and the eerie landscape of Romney Marsh, we chew over a tonne of delicious Kent foodstuffs before assembling a tasty-sounding "Dredgerman's Breakfast!"After some folkloric chat about topics including the lost heir to the Plantagenet throne, a hidden alchemist's tower in the heart of Canterbury, and a pagan shrine buried deep in a Roman villa, plus some excerpts from this week's Local Legends interview with Kent resident and host of the Real Life Ghost Stories podcast Emma Ozenbrook, it's onto the main event: Martin's story "The Stain of Vice."Speak to you again on Thursday for our new Magic and Medicines bonus episode all about Cunning Folk!The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A complaint has been made about the arrest of a teenage boy in Margate after footage emerged of an officer appearing to knee them in the stomach.Police had been called to Dane Park following reports a group possibly had weapons.Sir Keir Starmer has been in Medway to launch Labour's general election campaign.Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that we will go to the polls on July 4th.Figures show more drivers are being caught speeding around the Dartford Crossing than anywhere else in the county.More than 64,000 notices and fixed penalties have been issued on the approach road and through the tunnels in the last five years, generating more than £1.6 million in revenue.Residents say plans to build an energy storage plant near Gravesend will destroy farmland and ruin the green belt landscape.Battery units and other equipment to hold excess electricity could be installed off Foxhounds Lane in Southfleet.And more families in Kent are being urged to consider fostering a child with additional needs, to tackle a shortage of carers.The managing director of Credo Care Disability Fostering on Romney Marsh says there are lots of youngsters who need a loving home instead of growing up in hospital or a residential home.

Seafront traders thrown into “turmoil” by do-not-swim warnings on two Kent beaches fear they could remain in place for years.The water on the Romney Marsh has been found to contain high levels of a bacterium that indicates the presence of human faeces.Also in today's podcast, a Maidstone mum has been left stunned after all her possessions were moved to a storage unit more than 60 miles away after a vehicle ploughed into her home.Allana Spencer is currently living in temporary accommodation with her young daughter after their house suffered extensive damage. A popular music festival held in memory of a murdered in Medway will be coming to an end this year.Molly McLaren was killed in June 2017 in the car park of the Dockside Outlet shopping centre by her ex-boyfriend. A family-run garden centre that was put on the market last year for £5 million has been sold to new owners with fresh plans.They'll be working  to open a mini golf course and a nursery alongside the existing complex.And in football, you can hear from the Gillingham boss after their League 2 win over the weekend. Stephen Clemence says he's pleased to see a reaction from his squad after they faced criticism.  

Lucy Worsley travels back in time to revisit the unthinkable crimes of 19th century murderesses from the UK, Australia and North America.In this episode, Lucy is joined by Dr Gwen Adshead, for many years a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist at Broadmoor Hospital.They investigate the case of Frances Kidder, a 25-year-old woman unhappily married to a much older man, who is accused of murdering her stepdaughter Louisa in Kent in 1867. We all know the stories of Cinderella and Snow White – evil stepmothers badly treating their innocent stepdaughters. So when, one evening in August 1867, Louisa Kidder fails to return from a walk with her stepmother Frances across the lonely wetlands of Romney Marsh, Frances has some explaining to do. Lucy is also joined by historian Rosalind Crone, Professor of History at the Open University. She has uncovered numerous reports from local magistrates' courts which reveal the violence and discord of the Kidder household. Lucy and Rosalind travel to Hythe in Kent where Frances married her violent husband, to Romney Marsh where Louisa disappeared, and to Maidstone Gaol where Frances awaited trial.Lucy wants to know what actually happened to Louisa on that August evening. Is Frances a wicked stepmother or herself the victim of a troubled and violent home? What does her case tell us about family breakdown in the 19th century, and how much has changed today?Produced in partnership with the Open UniversityProducer: Jane Greenwood Readers: Clare Corbett, Jonathan Keeble and Ruth Sillers Sound design: Chris Maclean Series Producer: Julia HayballA StoryHunter production for BBC Radio 4New episodes will be released on Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. But if you're in the UK, listen to the latest full series of Lady Killers first on BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley - Available Episodes: http://bbc.in/3M2pT0K

Three o'clock has struck. Up steep ladders, on the top platform of the belfry inside Rye Church, the ancient clock counts through this small night hour. Its regular sound blends with long and undulating gusts of fresh sea air. Air that's travelled, over miles of sand, shingle and marshland, from out on the open sea.  An ever changing pressure of moving air sighs between the shuttered rafters. Rattles the steel flagpole outside on the castellated parapet wall. Resonates down inside the tower to the ringing chamber below, as a soft, dark, velvety rumble. And though without any form, not least arms and hands, somehow lifts and knocks the dead weight of a loose slab of exposed stonework.  When the wind slackens, am amazing thing happens. Not only does the presence of moving air seem to disappear from this aural view, but much of the structure of the belfry too. A kind of transparency comes about, and a panoramic image appears. Of the surrounding landscape beyond. Subtle. More like the presence that a hanging silk curtain creates than any nameable sound. Fabric like, and thin. but definitely there. And you know when you're hearing it because instead of the tower, you feel all that there is around you, are the panoramic murmurings of the land that is Rye and Romney Marsh.   * Our grateful thanks again go to Revd Paul White of St Mary's church at Rye for enabling the Lento boxes to be left to capture the quiet inside. 

In this weeks episode I head to Romney Marsh in Kent to find Europes largest frog the Marsh Frog!   Buy Me a Coffee Facebook Page Twitter Instagram Youtube Channel

Every Thursday evening the Creative Centre – the old school – on New Road in Rye is filled with the sound of joyful singing. Ryecast joined the fifty or so people putting in some last-minute practice ahead of a special performance by The Marsh Choir outside The George on the High Street, as part of the Rye's late-night shopping.I listened in on rehearsals to hear some of the stories of the people in the choir, and their leader Carly Bryant. Everyone taking part has their own reasons for joining in - for some it's a chance to make friends, for others it's the joy of singing to lift spirits after a long day. And as you'll hear on the podcast, it's a much-needed sense of community for many of the singers, bringing together friends and neighbours.The Marsh Choir was set up by Carly Bryant, with branches all across the Romney Marsh and some world-famous celebrity supporters. The local groups come together for some huge performances at the Cathedral of The Marsh in Lydd, with new members always welcome to sing from a repertoire of pop and rock, as well as the classics. To find out more visit https://www.marshchoir.com and do watch them in action on Saturday evening 18th November outside The George in Rye as part of www.ryechristmasfestival.co.ukRyecast is presented and produced in Rye by James Stewart

A Romney Marsh stabbing victim says she tried to keep her eyes open and stay awake after being attacked because her children needed her. The mum-of-four suffered wounds to her abdomen, chest and arms and was flown to a London hospital.Also in today's podcast, four men have gone on trial accused of murdering a homeless man in Canterbury earlier this year.The victim was a former barrister and was attacked with a wooden gavel and a laptop. A man from Herne Bay is still shielding from covid more than three years since the pandemic hit. He says he's doing it to protect his vulnerable family members but often gets criticised over his decision to wear a mask in public. Hear the reaction from shoppers in Gillingham and from local business after it was announced there will be no Christmas lights in Medway this year. Council say it's been scrapped as they try to tackle a budget overspend of 17 million pounds. And in sport, interim manager Keith Millen says he's disappointed by the result of Gillingham's clash in the EFL trophy. They lost 5 -  1 away to Portsmouth.  

Tributes are being paid to a 20-year-old man who died in a crash on Romney Marsh at the weekend.Charlie Dwyer was due to become a dad, and has been described as "kindhearted and  a "loveable rogue".Also in today's episode, figures have revealed the scale of online grooming in Kent, with more than 1,000 cases recorded in the county since 2017.The NSPCC say most were preventable, and they are urging MPs to back the new Online Safety Bill when it finally comes back to the Commons.There has been a rise in unemployment in Kent, according to stats out today.A record increase in wages has also led to concerns about interest rates going up again.A £1.25 million pound transformation to a market square in Sandwich has been met with mixed opinions.Our reporter has been out chatting to residents and stallholders to find out what they make of the new design.And in football, Gillingham are looking to continue their winning start to the season as they travel to take on Sutton United.Gills boss Neil Harris has been telling us why he thinks they will be a tough team to beat.

A restaurant in Ashford has been served with an enforcement notice after a man reportedly found a cockroach on his plate.He had finished his meal by the time he noticed it, but the owner of Ashford Indian Diner has described the claim as "fake".Also in today's episode, hear from a cyclist who's suffered a broken collar bone after being pushed off her bike while riding through Edenbridge.Katie Good was training for a triathlon when she says she was deliberately targeted by two people in a car.16 years after the death of a man in Ashford, police are renewing their appeal for information.19-year-old Ashley Dighton was last seen near Sainsbury's before being found dead with his head missing in woodland in July 2007.A Romney Marsh mum says she'd rather not stay in her house after constantly having to deal with flooding.Vikki Storey has been telling our reporter how her garden is regularly covered in water and now cracks have appeared in the walls.And while most people find the sound of pile driving quite annoying, a drummer from Maidstone seems to be putting it to good use.We have a clip of professional Tom Mitchell playing along to the sound of a building site in Downswood.

We delve back into the world of Pirates of the Caribbean comics that were featured in the Disney Adventures Magazine! In this episode, we cover "The Duel" which involves Jack Sparrow dueling an old mate to save Elizabeth, "The Sidekick" where a young boy is eager to join Jack's crew, "Enter the Scarecrow" which is a crossover with the tales of Dr. Syn and the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, "Chain Reaction" where the Black Pearl takes on the Cursed Crew once again, "Going Overboard" which involves Jack taking advantage of a storm to seize treasure, "The Treasure of Shipwreck Island" which is a choose your own adventure style comic, and "The Trouble With Pirates" where the winner of a Disney auction joins Jack Sparrow on an adventure. Send an email: podcastsofthecaribbean@gmail.com Instagram: @podcastsofthecaribbean Twitter: @podcastpotc

We start today's podcast with health news after it was revealed an elderly man was left waiting for more than two days in A&E at a Kent hospital - as pressure on the NHS continues. 79-year-old Geoffrey Knell spent 55 hours in a chair at the QEQM in Margate after being diagnosed with pneumonia. Elsewhere, an inquest has been told how a Dover man was let down by mental health services in the months before his death. A coroner's ruled there were missed opportunities by professionals to contact 25 year-old Ben Hart before he took his own life in October last year. Hear from Medway GP Dr Julian Spinks who has been discussing the result of a major survey that reveal just 29% of people in England, Scotland and Wales say they're happy with the way the health service runs. Also in today's podcast, owners are being warned to keep a close eye on their pets as Kent is named a dog-theft hotspot. More than 177 cases were reported across the country last year -  American Bulldogs, Staffordshire Bull Terriers and French Bulldogs were the most common breeds targeted. A woman's been made commander of a Kent lifeboat for the first time in the station's 100 year history. Heather Crittenden's been part of the RNLI for 11 years and is now at the helm of the Atlantic 85 at Littlestone on Romney Marsh. And, Olly Murs has told our sister radio station, kmfm, he'd love Austin Butler to play him in a movie about his life. Hear some of his chat with Garry and Chelsea on the breakfast show.

Hey everyone, Karen from the Planet 8 Podcast is back, and I've roped her into talking with me about another Hammer film! This one isn't as highly regarded as the last one we covered, but I enjoy it quite a bit, as my favorite Hammer actor Peter Cushing is front and center, plus it hits my nostalgia button as well! There is a great cast and a lot of swashbuckling fun to be had, so pop in your earbuds and let us walk you through the Romney Marsh! As usual, if you'd like to leave any feedback for the show, you can do so through email at Magazinesandmonsters@gmail.com or to me on Twitter @Billyd_licious or on the show's FB or Tumblr pages (just search Magazines and Monsters). You can find Karen on Twitter @walker_km and on the Planet 8 Podcast! And please consider donating to the GoFundMe set up to help Larry and his family (click the link here). Thanks for listening!  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/magsnmonsters/message

People are being urged not to swim in the sea at a Kent beach because of concerns about the water quality. Checks at St Mary's Bay have been carried out by the Environment Agency - our reporter Rhys Griffiths has the full details. Also in today's podcast, a taxi driver from Chatham who helped smuggle Vietnamese people into the UK has avoided going to prison. They were brought across the Channel in lorries and driven to the West Midlands. A young Kent woman has spoken to the KentOnline Podcast about the lasting impact having explicit pictures leaked on socials has had on her life. Eleanor - which isn't her real name - was just 14 when her ex-boyfriend posted the images online without her consent. Hear her story. The man in charge of the union representing rail workers in Kent has told our colleagues at KMTV they're no closer to a deal which would end strike action. Services in Kent have been brought to a standstill over recent months by members of the RMT walking out. Hear from general secretary Mick Lynch. People living in part of Rainham say they're furious as even more rubbish is being added to the mountains of fly tipping outside their homes. Mattresses, microwaves and car parts are just some of the items dumped outside garages on Scott Avenue. A lack of lifeguards at a Kent swimming pool has led to the diving boards, rapids, slides and teaching pools being regularly closed. Visitors to Maidstone Leisure Centre at Mote Park say they're disappointed at still having to pay the same entry fee. We've got a statement from the company that runs the facility. And in sport, Gillingham midfielder Olly Lee has announced he's retiring after struggling with arthritis. The 31 year-old has thanked fans for their support, but say his body won't allow him to "perform to the levels" he's capable of.

Ryecast is back - with another series of podcasts about the people living & working in our town. This week's edition is all about Rye harbour master James Bateman. James Stewart joined him on board his launch, Rother IV, during a routine check on the condition of the navigation lights that keep sailors safe. Along the way there are seals and birds, and a chance to look at Rye's flood protection and the work on Strand Quay. It's a totally different way of seeing Rye, with a unique view of the fishing fleet and yachts moored up at the quays and marina.It's not just smaller vessels. Last year around 40 bigger ships came up the channel, each one needing help from James and his team to guide them in. Over 90,000 tonnes of cargo was unloaded at Rastrum Wharf in 2022.Back on dry land, the conversation continues at the harbour offices. On the wall a wooden board lists the Rye harbour masters going back to 1850. "I'm proud to be part of that history. I'm number 12 . It's a life choice as well as a job," he says. Brought up on Romney Marsh, James has been in charge at the harbour for 12 years, returning to the area after many years working at sea.What's your story? Get in touch @ryecastsussex on social media or ryecastsussex@gmail.comon email.  And for more about the podcast visit www.ryecast.org

A Kent farm shop owner is urging us to shop local to help British farmers survive the cost of living crisis. Amber Furnival runs a store on Romney Marsh but says she was 'disheartened' after going a whole day without a single customer. The farm store opened in 2020 and only stocks British produce which does cost a bit more. Also in today's podcast, as the World Cup gets underway in Qatar, it's feared there could be an increase in domestic abuse here in Kent. Victims are being urged to contact the police or reach out to charities to get help if they're facing violence because of the football. Hear from Emma Craigie from Whitehead Monckton solicitors in Maidstone. A government minister says as far as he knows the death of an asylum seeker was not caused by conditions at a processing centre in Manston. A man being held at the site in Thanet became ill and passed away in hospital over the weekend. A Sittingbourne woman says she fears for her family's health because of the amount of mould in their home. Vicky Norman has lived in the property in Murston for the past eight years and says it's always been a problem. Elsewhere, cars have been vandalised along a road in Strood after a party advertised on social media got out of control. Details for the 16-year-old's birthday at Kitchener Road were shared on Snapchat and as many as 150 teenagers showed up. Councillor Zoe Van Dyke, who lives on the street, has been speaking to us about what happened. It's been a year since work began on revamping the Stockbury roundabout - and bosses say good progress is being made.  The hot and dry summer allowed crews to race ahead of schedule and the flyover is expected to be in place by the middle of next year  Our reporter's been chatting with Dan Rollinson who's from National Highways. And in football, hear from a very frustrated Gillingham manager as his side drop into the League Two relegation zone after losing to Newport at the weekend.

Spirit of grace, You long to gather us beneath your wings of peace; Draw us into deeper unity, And nurture in us your gifts For the work of justice and reconciliation. Amen. For more information about Keep Praying, visit canterburydiocese.org/prayer-resources Backing music by James Bowden

Lying next to the River Avon just inside the Cotswolds, Avoncliff Wood is no ordinary wood. The site hosts one of the biggest trials in the UK to find biodegradable alternatives to plastic tree guards. As if that wasn't enough, it's also a living laboratory, revealing how ash dieback will really affect nature. Site manager Joe gives us a special behind the scenes tour to learn more. We also meet volunteer wardens Kay and James, and catch up with TV presenter Alice Beer who lives nearby. Don't forget to rate us and subscribe! Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk Transcript Voiceover: You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive. Adam: Well, I've changed trains at Bath Spa for what appears to be a very small train which is taking me to Avoncliffe. Now, in fact, the train conductor has told me the platform is so short when I get there only one door is going to open. He came through asking “Is anybody getting off?” and I'm the only one, the only one. Well, I have to tell you, the station here is straight out of a 1930s style Agatha Christie film, that's what it screams to me. Beautiful signs, beautiful flowers, the River Avon just almost next door to the station, a great looking pub and down at the end of the platform one single man who I'm assuming is Joe Middleton with the Woodland Trust, site manager here and the guy who's going to show me around. Joe: So, welcome to Avoncliffe Wood in the Avon Valley just in between Bath and Bradford-on-Avon. We just crossed over the famous Avoncliffe Aqueduct and just followed the River Avon until we hit even Avoncliffe Wood which carpets the side of the valley across this area of the Cotswolds AONB, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, right at the southern end of the Cotswold AONB. Adam: There's very little woodlands right here, so what's going on in this first field? Joe: So, we're just at the edge of our woodland creation. So we bought 20 hectares, about 40 football pitches, of ancient woodland – untouched for generations – and to buffer that, to try and expand carbon storage and fight climate change and the ecological decline we're seeing we actually bought another 10 hectares, another 20 football pitches, worth of agricultural fields essentially and meadows which were very intensively grazed and we've planted that up with over 5,000 trees to try and get the next generation of trees in here. Adam: Wow, okay so shall we go through, have a look? Thank you. Joe: So just next to us as you can hear the birds singing away, there are blackbirds, robins and blackcaps in there. There's one acre, here, just on the right-hand side, which was actually planted up 25 years ago by a neighbour. So, the very small one acre square now 25 years later is teeming with you know 30-40 foot birch trees, willows, hazels and hawthorns, full of cherry blossom and hawthorn blossom, and birds nesting, tweeting, and insects buzzing all around us! It's quite rare these days! So hopefully we think everything we planted up here, all 5,000 trees would look like that in 25 years. A proper young woodland. Adam: And you've clearly, I mean, they're not uniformly planted so there's a big patch in the middle which you've got nothing and they seem to be done in clumps, so why have you done it like that? Joe: Do you want to know what that patch in the middle is? That's a sledging lane. Right well so we carried out community consultation when we first bought the woodland. We asked all the locals, we said look there's this really lovely kind of big expanse of fields all around the wood, we want to buy it, we want it to, you know, fight climate change, we want to try and do our bit for wildlife. And they said whatever you do leave us a sledging lane because when it snows here this hill is perfect for tobogganing down. Adam: laughs you see I thought it was going to be for some really technical reason! You need to do that for a very specific reason, I didn't realise it was gonna be sledges. Joe: There are also wide rides, you know, big areas that people can walk through. We've created a really good path network in here as well in some areas and natural regeneration so there are areas unplanted and there are areas purely for tobogganing fun in the middle of snowy winters. Adam: And why not? It's very important. Now, the thing that we can see in this immediate field is a lot of tree guards and well I'm also standing by a little sign which says biodegradable tree shelter. I always call them tree guards, but this was called tree shelter. Now that is not by coincidence. The tree guards are a huge issue, aren't they? Joe: Yeah, I mean with governments pledging to plant millions if not globally billions of trees to fight climate, you know hold onto carbon, stop floods, we have to be able to do it without using oil-based plastics. For the last 35 years people have just, every tree that's gone in you know, not every one, but most trees that've gone in have been planted with a giant plastic tree guard which doesn't biodegrade, it litters, it causes microplastics, and people… Adam: And are they reusable those plastic guards? Joe: They are to a certain degree, they're not easy to recycle, there are some better recycling schemes now just starting. But actually, probably one in three are reusable. But a lot of places are too far to go and get them, people don't bother they get left and derelict and are expensive to go and collect every single one, especially when you're planting hundreds of thousands. So the biodegradable alternative is the absolute key. Find something that naturally, you know, biodegrades away back into the soil, doesn't harm anything, it doesn't use oil. Adam: Right, I'm just going to go up to… So, this is a biodegradable one? Joe: Exactly. Adam: It looks sort of yellowish and quite canvas-like but it's very it's very firm, it doesn't feel, I mean that feels a sturdy old thing this. Joe: Yeah so, we've got 5,000 trees we put in. We are using some old recycled plastic ones, so we've been given a few, but actually we've got 16 different types of biodegradable alternatives to plastic here. So, they range from cardboard, you know, made from paper or mulch to biodegradable plastics, which the jury is out on at the moment, to actually resins and oils from things like cashew nut shells and pine resin. We've got a train coming past us! Train noise Two and a half years ago, when we planted the 5,000 trees in all these biodegradable guards, we launched something called Big Climate Fightback, a big Woodland Trust campaign to bring people out to help plant trees and do their bit. And actually, we ended up with over 250 people arriving one Saturday – spades in hand – on the trains in all the train stations. And the people in Bath, and Bristol and Bradford-on-Avon must have thought “what on earth is going on?”, with over 250 people arriving with spades on the platforms. And they came in here, they planted trees en masse – school kids, families, local groups. Everyone came here to try and plant trees and with that we, you know, told people about the problem of plastics and we've basically now got one of the biggest sites in the UK for trialling an alternative to plastic – to try and protect these trees so they get to five, seven years to get to a good height where they're no longer susceptible to browsing by deer, by rabbits, by voles, which is the main reason the shelters and guards are here to protect them. Adam: And correct me if I'm wrong but there is a sort of school of thought saying well don't use any guards. I mean it's now sort of established practice that you've got to use a guard otherwise the tree won't survive, but there is this sort of vague thought we never used to use guards in the distant past, so why have we suddenly got obsessed with them? Joe: I mean deer numbers are higher than they've ever been, it's a huge amount of browsing by deer with no natural predators, so it's complicated, that is the simplest answer, but putting up a giant 6-foot fence is probably you know the other solution which is in a lot of cases, depending on size, it can be much more economic, more practical. Very small areas – probably not massive areas, but medium sized – deer fencing is probably the answer, but then you've still got rabbits and voles you've got to fence out. So, doing nothing, over-planting, natural regeneration – we've got an area if you look up to the edge of the woodland we've left the buffer zone of about 20-30 metres around lots of this woodland, all around it, with nothing, we've just fenced it off and we're just going to allow the woodland to expand – every one of those berries and those nuts and seeds that drops into the ground will hopefully just have a, you know, wild natural generation. Like Knepp with a huge rewilding – that hope of what happens there doesn't happen as easily here but can take a long time. Hopefully that will establish woodland itself, but it may take 50 years. At the moment we've got a climate emergency on us and amongst us, so we have to do something now so planting trees is a very good quick solution. Adam: A huge issue because if we are planting for ecological reasons what we don't want to do is every tree comes with its own polluting plastic. I mean that's not the future. So, the answer to that question may well lie in the thousands of experiments you're carrying out in this field we're standing in. Joe: Absolutely. Adam: Right, well I've stopped us walking. We better… I better get my steps in. So, let's carry on. Where are we heading to now? Joe: So, we're gonna go and find our two volunteer wardens in a minute. Adam: So, we've got two volunteers hard at work. I can see just up the hill a bit. Joe: So, this is James and Kay who are both our two volunteer wardens. They've been working now replacing broken, rotted, fallen biodegradable tree guards, replacing the trees as they die as well, and these two have been working hard to help keep an eye on them for the last few years for us. Adam: It's got them hard at work! Joe: They are incredibly hard at work. Hey guys how you doing? Kay and James: Alright? Hi! Hello. Adam: They do have you hard at work! So Kay and James, so first of all before we get to what you're actually doing, why have you been doing it? What's your interest? Why did you volunteer to do all of this? Kay: Well, you've been a volun… a member of the Woodland Trust for about 25 years. James: Well, it's about 35 years now. Kay: Since this is really on our doorstep, this is a perfect opportunity to get really involved with the Woodland Trust. Adam: James, I mean, you've been a Woodland Trust member for a very long time. And, ah the debate around trees has changed enormously. Hasn't it? James: It has, and I am glad that people have suddenly valued trees. I was in the military but, before that, I was out of Kent, out near Canterbury and my uncle was a farmer with orchards and basically from the earliest days I knew about the trees, the names of trees. The pollards at the end of the field as windbreaks, the various wetland trees down in the floodplains around the Romney Marsh area. But I already had a fascination for the massive oaks, the spectacular deciduous trees on the horizon I think made this this countryside look like it does, so British, and so English, with these gorgeous round shapes, compared to a lot of conifers you see in all the European places I've been to. Adam: Okay, talk me through a bit about what you're actually doing here – I mean, you know, hammer in hand I can see. Kay: Hammer in hand, we're replacing some of the tubes that haven't stood up to the wind and the rain. We found that circular rather than rectangular and… Adam: works, circular works… Kay: circular works, because otherwise if it's square they act as a flag, especially cardboard ones. When they get wet, they just disintegrate – as you can see there's lots of bare sticks around here, so yeah, we're going through and replacing them with circular ones. Adam: Fantastic, now I know that the local community were very involved with the Trust, sort of when the Trust took over and sort of designed this site. Tell me a bit about what the local community feel. Kay: That was a great day. We had two schools frog marched in, and yeah, with their teachers and staff and they planted the whole area, which was lovely – they were naming the trees as they were planting them. I know the whole village got involved with planting 5,000 trees over a progressive few weekends and subsequently James and I have been replanting the failures. Adam: And James I mean very clear how engaged you are with this sort of issue but to tell me about the feelings then of the local community and what they what they felt when Woodland Trust first came here and how involved others are apart from you two. James: So, I'm very pleased that people are actually accepting, on the whole, that their backyard has been filled with trees and shrubs which are growing up for their children's lifetime. Kay: We have had some objections to this, but they haven't given their reason why. I assume it's because it's used when we do get snow, which is very rare, it's the sledging field. The Woodland Trust have kindly left a gap for sledging but then they moan that the grass is too long so you can't please everyone all of the time. Adam: But when it was first thought about, and I think it's really interesting isn't it, that you say the community are largely behind this, but I think if others are listening to you now where they may be talking about a woodland on their doorstep created by the Woodland Trust or their own sort of organisation – I wonder what people's first reaction, what were their concerns and hesitancies that you heard about that may have been overcome? Kay: People don't like change do they? And at the moment it's, yeah, it doesn't look picture perfect with the stakes and the guards on, but you've got to envisage what it will look like in 10-15 years' time. You've only got to look at the hedgerow, which is behind us now, and at this time of year which is beginning of May, it's absolutely gorgeous. The blossom's out, the fresh burst of the leaf is so colourful and vibrant, what's not to like about having a wood on your doorstep? And we were very lucky. Adam: Okay, well brilliant, well thank you very much. Look I don't want to disturb you anymore but that's brilliant. Thank you very much. Kay: Thank you! Adam: So, we're gonna head up now to the ancient woodland. Now this is certainly unique in any of the Woodland Trust sites I've been to, because normally the Trust actively encourages people to come in, but this is the only site I've been to where the ancient woodland bit you stop people from coming. Oh, look this is… Joe: This is our nifty little fenced area which… Adam: We're going through the barbed wire so just be careful going… So, explain to me why you've unusually actually kept the public out of the ancient woodland. Joe: Ash dieback really is becoming a huge problem across a lot of woodlands I manage. I manage about 30 woods across the West Country and every one of them has large amounts of ash that really grows really well on these sort of limestone soils and in these hills around the Mendips, the Cotswolds. Gosh there's a huge Buzzard just soaring over the edge of the woodland there. So, ash dieback is killing off essentially all our ash trees. Estimates vary at the moment. You know recently it was about 95% and then people said it was around 60%. So, the latest estimate is that about 60% of our ash trees will die over the next 50 years. How fast they die is the worrying thing but when we bought the wood in 2019 ash dieback was blowing across the landscape. It is a fungal disease. It naturally spreads. It came over from Asia originally in infected stock of nursery trees being planted out. So, no one's been able to plant any ash for the last three years. It's now being reported all the way from the east of Great Britain, all the way to the west, every year, until it's spread and spread and spread now our mature ash trees – whether they're in a hedgerow, along roadsides and country lanes, whether they're in woodlands – ash trees are essentially dying en masse, and this is killing off everything that lives and breathes on those ash trees. Adam: And the reason you're keeping the public out is because the trees are dangerous, are they? They might fall? Joe: Yeah exactly, so where you have a path or road or property you have to maintain, you know, what's reasonably practical safety for people to be able to walk under it. We realise if we were to create a load of paths, allow a load of people into now what is a fantastic ancient woodland, but it has never really had any paths in, it's been undisturbed for generations – over 100 years now – we don't think anyone set foot in it. So, we didn't want to create any paths because we didn't want to fell any trees, so we've kept it shut and all the locals have seemed to have bought into that and are really pleased this is just a woodland for wildlife. They're happy enough to walk around the fields where we've created woodland. Adam: And is it also something of a laboratory to see what happens to ash dieback? If you really don't step in and try and do anything? Joe: Exactly yeah, so, in so many woodlands across Britain because of the large amount of public footpaths, people are having to fell for health and safety reasons, so there's not very many examples where if no one goes in and nothing happens, what happens to that wildlife? Does it also dramatic- dramatically decline, with the trees losing? Or are there some winners? So, are there some decay species? Some fungi species? Some insects, beetles that love decay rotting wood that increase? So we don't really know. So, this site we've turned into a living laboratory, this is a unique case of where we are monitoring the species within the wood, how they react to ash dieback over time. Adam: We're now going into the bit of ancient woodland which the public are locked out of and so we have got this big “keep out, closed due to ash dieback” (sign). Joe: You have exclusive access! Adam: Brilliant, now I gotta say, I mean I've got to take a photo of this because this is a sea of amazing plants. I'm really, I want to be careful where I tread, I don't want to disturb anything. Because I'm completely ignorant, what are these plants? Joe: Can you smell it? Adam: Yeah sure, it's extraordinary! Joe: This is wild garlic. Adam: Is that what it is? Joe: Ramsons are all in flower at the moment and now we can see for literally, well, hundreds of metres is the white snowy tops of these wild garlic flowers that are just coming up across the thick green leaves and when there's no path in sight you have to be careful where you tread. So, luckily wild garlic's quite prolific, so we'll tread carefully, but an undisturbed wood looks like this. It's like a sea, or a carpet of sort of snow. Adam: That is extraordinary, isn't it? Yes it is a sea of snow and that's the advantage of actually having undisturbed places. Is that it, I mean, yeah sea is exactly what it looks like. These sort of white foaming tops to the rolling green waves of vegetation. Quite amazing. Joe: All you can make out are the occasional tracks of foxes, badgers, stoats, weasels, that have gone through it, maybe the odd deer as well. But insects seem to be declining catastrophically. The ideal analogy is, you know, people used to drive around even in the 80s and you get windscreens splattered with bugs and insects. It just doesn't happen anymore and that massive decline of insects, it's unknown the reason, it probably doesn't help with, you know, when people are using lots of pesticide sprays across the countryside, along with climate change, but as all those insects decline so do our birds that feed on them, so are our bat species – so they're not fat enough to basically get through the hibernation and then when they come out of hibernation and the young are born there are just not enough insects so they don't make it through the summer essentially, and they don't have another generation that makes it. So, yeah, bat species are declining at the moment, so that's one of the first things we've noticed, and well ash are declining en masse. There were a lot of these species of ash that we're monitoring that are all dying en masse. Adam: I mean so that, I mean, …you're telling me all these terrible things Joe: Yes, I know. Adam: But I mean that's important it's still amazing landscape still isn't it? Joe: Absolutely. Adam: And that's always been true with woodlands. That decay brings its own new life and decaying trees are very important parts the of the ecosystem, but even given all of those challenges that you talk about are there any, are there any high points, any reasons for optimism? Joe: Well, wild garlic's obviously doing really well in this particular wood! But there will be some species that do, really, there will be some species of butterfly that you know do really successfully with the increased amount of light. But one of the best success stories, the best things you can do to feel positive about it is to go back out into those fields, plant the trees, the next generation, so that if some of these woodlands do suffer for whatever reason then we've got far more woodland habitat. We need to increase our woodland cover from about 13% to 20% fast and then if we get 20% – we've got the shrubs, we've got the tree species, got the rewilding areas – to be able to provide those homes for the species that aren't doing so well. That's the key I think is to plant the next generation, get there quickly. Our woodlands have a fantastic history and have been managed over time. This is just the next phase in the management to basically keep an eye and ensure our guardianship secures for that next generation in the next 50-100 years. Adam: Well I'm going to leave Joe to smelling his wild garlic, because TV presenter and journalist Alice Beer, who I used to work with, I know lives not that far from this woodland. Now I know she's out and about today so I'm going to call her on her mobile to discuss what the countryside around here means to her and her family. Okay, so just Alice first of all we should explain a bit about our history, so everybody… Alice: Oh must we tell everybody? Do you think we should? Adam: I think we should share a little bit. I used to open letters on Watchdog which was a massive massive programme at the time and I can't, do you remember how many people watched it? I can't Alice: Well I don't know I'd come to watchdog from That's Life and That's Life, which was before you were born Adam I'm sure, had 15 million viewers in its heyday and I think Watchdog was around 7 million viewers, which now is completely unheard of, but then you know it was just 7 million people watching it and more importantly 7 million people putting pen to paper. No emails, pen to paper, and thank God Adam Shaw was in the post room! Adam: Yes I was opening the 7 million letters with one or two other people and Alice was much more senior, so we would come to pass those stories onto Alice and of course, you are now, what's your official title? Alice: I suppose I'm actually probably daytime television presenter but I'm far too much of a snob to say that! I kind of dip in and out of various things trying to still help the little guy or pass on information. Adam: You have a regular spot on a very big programme, This Morning? Alice: Well, This Morning, yes, it's every day, it's now two and a half hours, they keep extending it! I am waiting for it to bump up against the Six O'Clock News soon! But This Morning it was, “can you do a piece on brisk walking and the health benefits”, as a result of some survey that came out, so here I am for the second time today brisk walking and broadcasting at the same time which is fantastic! Adam: Very good! Don't trip over! You've got a couple of dogs with you haven't you as well? Alice: I have, I've got Stanley who's my five-year-old schnoodle and his girlfriend Tilly and there are times when they become quite amorous in the long grass but I'm going to try and keep it clean for your sake! Adam: I knew you when we used to work in Shepherd's Bush in London, but you are now a country girl aren't you? Alice: Yeah, wellies welded to my feet! I grew up in suburbia and in North London suburbia and the countryside wasn't really important to me, but my parents took me out, took me and my sister out walking quite a lot. There was always “shall we do the walk through the woods”, “should we do the walk through the bluebell woods” which is slightly longer or “should we go up and round” which involved the hill. So, there was always a consciousness of walking in the countryside as a pleasant thing to do, but as we've got older, the countryside has become more important to me and we have been doing that thing, my partner and I have been doing that thing where we're trying to move out of London and we've settled on this beautiful village, beautiful functional village not far from Malmesbury in Wiltshire, which is where I am now, walking alongside the River Avon. So not too far from Avoncliff and the same body of water sort of flowing past me which is rather nice. Adam: How lovely. I know, I've seen you on This Morning as you're talking about wellbeing, and in terms of actually, with your consumer journalist hat on talking about the gadgets you could buy to help with wellbeing and having lights I think that show, sort of, natural light. I mean, how important do you feel it's been for you and your family during these rather difficult times to have access to nature and the outside? Alice: It's been everything to me. Everything. I've got teenage girls in fact it's their birthday today, their 19th birthday today, so for them probably it spells isolation for them because they didn't grow up in the countryside, or this this particular part of the countryside, so you know this means being away from their friends, but for myself and my husband it's been, it's been really important. For me to leave the house and walk in space because in London everything has felt very close and very claustrophobic and I'm mentally not good at that at all! So, I'm incredibly lucky to be able to breathe and give myself sort of mental and physical space away from other people. I was able to work from here, so I did sixty live broadcasts from, in effect, my back garden during lockdown. Adam: It's really interesting that you talk about your girls sort of feeling a sense of isolation because they came from the city and now are in a very rural area. I often find that it's a curious thing to get one's head round because really the nature debate about sustainability and trying to be better for the world is often very strongly led by young people. Alice: Oh it's theirs, it's completely their campaign! But I'm not sure that they associate it with, I mean, I feel like I'm treading on dangerous territory speaking, you know, putting words into their mouths because they're both very eloquent, quite passionate girls. I feel that I'm not sure that they would stand out in a field and say “we must protect this”. Probably coming from the city, they feel more that they see stuff, they see things going into bins, they see landfill, smoke, pollution. So, they see the big preservation of our world from a city perspective, probably more than standing in a field and thinking “oh this must never have, you know, thousands of houses built on it”, which is what probably makes me panic as much as anything. Adam: Do you get a sense of a change in people's attitudes in the way they behave, I mean, I think people talk about the need for ecological sustainability. I see amongst my friends and family, I have to also be careful about what I'm saying, I see less actually willingness to change personal behaviour than a willingness to say it's important, but they don't do an awful lot. Do you see that real difference? Alice: I'm a huge hypocrite, but I am now suddenly, it was probably about six months ago I was putting something in the bin, and it sounds like a strange Greta Thunberg epiphany, but it slightly was. I was putting some plastic in the bin, and I was trying to clear out a room and I was thinking this is going nowhere! This can't be recycled. This has to go underneath the ground, and this is not going to break down. I had a sort of panic about the fact that well if I was doing this and everyone was doing this and though I sort of have had that epiphany and I am changing my behaviour, and nothing particular triggered that, apart from me clearing out a bedroom and realising I had too much stuff. You know, which is odd, but you know, in terms of the big picture in the world I think it's very hard to make individuals feel responsible when we see big companies not taking responsibility. It's that sort of, well what difference is little me gonna make? And I've sort of had that, well I'm going to make a difference, so I will. I've had that moment and I think we have to all have that moment and I'm just about to fall into the River Avon, which could be interesting! I'm trying to encourage the dogs to have a drink. There you go guys, come on, look Tilly have a drink! Yeah well they're sort of having a drink, but I'm the one that's most likely to go in here. Adam: Well look, Alice, I feel split because I quite like the sound effect of you going in to end this, it'd be a great end wouldn't it! But on the other hand not a great way of re meeting after all these years. Look I will let you get on with your walk but thank you very much, thanks a lot. Alice: Thank you, thank you. Adam: Well, let's leave Alice Beer there and indeed all our friends at Avoncliff Woods. I do hope you enjoyed that and if you want to find a wood near you, you can go to the Woodland Trust website, woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood and you can find a wood that's local to you. So that's woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood. I do recommend you do that. Until next time happy wandering! Voiceover: Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Join us next month when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners and volunteers. And don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes or wherever you're listening to us and do give us a review and a rating. Why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast. Keep it to a maximum of 5 minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walk special, or send us an email with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to podcast@woodlandtrust.org.uk and we look forward to hearing from you.

Colleen Thirkell and her husband Richard have been walking stretches of the Saxon Shore Way with their friends Bev and John. In autumn 2020 Colleen fell seriously ill with a rare reaction to a flu jab. She was unable to walk and spent months in hospital. But she has slowly recovered and part of her rehabilitation has been to get out walking with her friends again. They invited Clare to walk one of the final stages of the 168 mile route they have been walking together when time has allowed. The ramble takes them from the village of Hamstreet to Appledore on the edge or Romney Marsh. Along the way they talk about their love of walking together as a group and how Colleen's recovery was aided by the thought of being outdoors with friends and family again. Producer: Maggie Ayre

On February 9, 1964, Ed Sullivan introduced a band from Liverpool, England formerly known as The Quarrymen to an estimated 73 million viewers of his primetime CBS variety show. And down the dial on NBC, the anthology series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color drew an audience of something less than 73 million for the first installment of its three-part The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, an adaptation of Russell Thorndike and William Buchanan's novel Christopher Syn starring our man Patty McG as an 18th century man of the cloth* by day/masked-smuggler-by-night who helps the common people by... paying their taxes, we think? Using the funds he earns from smuggling brandy and tobacco. He also helps them elude the pressgangs who roam the marsh looking for reasonably able-bodied youngish men to abduct into King George III's Royal Navy. *Specifically, a "fuckable vicar" in the estimation of our generously oversharing special guest Margaret H. "Hula Hoop" Willison, whose effervescent personality really ties the room together. (Dang. That's the wrong Coen Bros. reference.)  The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh Teleplay by Robert Westerby, from the novel Christopher Syn by Russell Thorndike and William Buchanan Directed by James Neilson Original airdates February 9, 16, and 23, 1964 Write to the Citizens Advice Bureau at adegreeabsolute dot gmail! Leave us a five-star review with your hottest Prisoner take on Apple Podcasts! Follow @NotaNumberPod! Our song: "A Degree Absolute!" Music and Lyrics by Chris Klimek Arranged by Casey Erin Clark and Jonathan Clark Vocals and Keyboards by Casey Erin Clark Guitar, Percussion, Mixing by Jonathan Clark Bass by Marcus Newstead  

On today's podcast, Storm Eunice has been causing chaos in Kent, with lorries blown over, public transport closures and trees toppling. We speak to Southeastern Railway and EuroTunnel about how they're coping. We also chat to the RNLI and Kent Fire and Rescue Service about the work that is going into keeping people safe.   Also today, an inquest has heard how a trainee pilot crashed a plane on purpose in Romney Marsh, after finding out he had terminal cancer. Our reporter, Alex Jee, has been at the hearing.   And, Gillingham will be hoping to get back to winning ways tomorrow, as they try to keep up their bid for League One survival.     

In today's podcast, thousands of people in Kent have been urged to boil their tap water after supplies were contaminated with E. coli. Our reporter, Oliver Kemp, has the details. Also today, we hear from campaigners who have held a protest against plans for thousands of new homes in Medway. A Kent homelessness charity has told the Kent Online podcast that thousands of households in the county are in danger of becoming homeless this winter. A new cinema is opening in Romney Marsh later. And hear from Gillingham Captain Kyle Dempsey ahead of their game against Wycombe Wanderers tomorrow.

Fear (feer) noun 1 a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. 2 a specific instance of or propensity for such a feeling.   The demarcation of the aforementioned is the selected substratum for this week's episode as Doctor Velvet and Blackout self-immerse and wallow in an ambience of foreboding and trepidation. The inaugural tentative steps begin amidst the bleak and exposed tableau of Romney Marsh following the supposedly-innocent day of schoolboy Peter in Dramarama's ‘Snap' before adopting a more global and ambulatory line of enquiry, throwing them headlong into the incongruous and skeptical climate of Arthur C Clarke's Mysterious World.   Are we being watched? What is the socially accepted sine qua non for a 'too-wet mouth'? Could a Smogule™, worn with sky-blue slacks, become the sartorial de rigueur for Summer? Grab a polaroid camera, a crystal Mitchell-Hedges skull and stride on to find out…     The Peggy Mount Calamity Hour is a free podcast from iPorle Media, which holds production copyright. Opinions and recollections expressed are not to be taken as fact. The title and credit music is by Doctor Velvet. Audio segments from television programmes are presented for review and informational purposes only under fair use, and no ownership of these is claimed or implied by this show. For more information, email PeggyMountPod@gmail.com

In this episode our local duo get stuck into news about how to keep busy and bright on dark evenings, whether it’s hiding out with a boxset, cooking suppers with cauliflower, darning socks or making soapwort shampoo… Not to mention the shocking local revelation a body found in a ditch on Halloween and the encroaching travesty of what will happen with the extraordinary light show if the local Heritage centre shuts? Live From Rye; a little slice of big life from that small rock sticking out of the Romney Marsh. Live From Rye is an ad hoc conversation ewcorded over a cuppa by Timberlina and Justina. Music by Tim Redfern & Phil Law in an arrangement by Phil Law. Timberlina.co.uk @mstimberlina @justinarye

In this episode Timberlina and Justina are joined by their first guest, local activist Jane. They get stick into discussing Janes recent adventures joining Extinction Rebellion in London and the emotions around the events during the two weeks from the 7th October. Live From Rye; a little slice of big life from that small rock sticking out of the Romney Marsh. Live From Rye is an ad hoc conversation ewcorded over a cuppa by Timberlina and Justina. Music by Tim Redfern & Phil Law in an arrangement by Phil Law. Timberlina.co.uk@mstimberlina @justinarye timberlina.co.uk

In this episode, managing feelings of fear and frustration, from elbows at dawn queuing at the local farmers market to dubious big fishing ships lurking in the Channel, Justina & Timberlina tackle their mixed emotions on managing compassion and activism revisiting a parable. Also, eco friendly firelighters… what?? Live From Rye; a little slice of big life from that small rock sticking out of the Romney Marsh. Live From Rye is an ad hoc conversation ewcorded over a cuppa by Timberlina and Justina. Music by Tim Redfern & Phil Law in an arrangement by Phil Law. Timberlina.co.uk @mstimberlina @justinarye

Clean-ups have been taking place in parts of Kent following flooding overnight. Alerts and warnings have been in force along the River Medway, River Thames, The Swale and round the coast from Ramsgate to Romney Marsh. The Environment Agency sent staff out to man defences and are closely monitoring the situation. Also in today's podcast: 10 months of roadworks start on a busy stretch of the A2, Kent's Dina Asher-Smith claims silver at the World Athletics Championships and reaction from Gillingham's defeat to Oxford United at the weekend.

Episode 13: With a brand spanking new microphone, Timberlina & Justina present their weekly sauce, chatting live in the kitchen from a rock sticking out of the Romney Marsh. This week; local highlights, mirky mists, beached whitebait and more about their abiding love of their locale. Music by Tim Redfern & Phil Law in a piano arrangement by Phil Law. www.timberlina.co.uk. @mstimberlina @justinarye

Fireworks Display Special - In this episode your host, Frank, answers questions from our Instagram followers and discusses his favourite 'Intelligent Flight Modes' whilst showing footage of his own in order to demonstrate the practical uses of the flight modes in operation. We also visit a few places in South East England, such as Romney Marsh and showcase some of our Drone Footage from Kent. Stay tuned at the end of the show for an extended episode with extra drone footage which was filmed at the Chislehurst Fireworks Display in November last year.

A blend of slow radio, gardening advice and conversation, and readings from the best garden and wildlife writing.     Garden soundtrack     October reflections     A micro review of Monty Don's The Ivington Diaries, published 2009 by Bloomsbury. Criminally, this now appears to be out of print, but I’m sure you can track a second hand copy down. https://amzn.to/2yd3SFE       Gardening in the landscape. How we impose ourselves on the landscape with our gardens (as well as our towns and cities and all the built infrastructure of modern life) – which might sound a little overcooked but, really – hear me out here.      An interview with the splendid Celia Hart, whose illustrations you may well know from Gardens Illustrated Magazine and now the new Almanac for 2019. Celia's website is here. www.celiahart.co.uk   Gardens Illustrated Magazine. https://www.gardensillustrated.com/   A review of The Almanac: a seasonal guide for 2019 by Lia Leendertz with illustrations by Celia Hart on the blog at http://www.gardensweedsandwords.com/gwwblog/almanac-2019   An interesting article on green corridors for wildlife in urban environments. The role of green corridors for wildlife conservation in urban landscape: a literature review. H A Aziz and M H Rasidi, 2014 http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/18/1/012093     Derek Jarman at Prospect Cottage.   Modern Nature: The journals of Derek Jarman 1989-1990, which details the creation of the garden at Prospect Cottage https://amzn.to/2yz3Nvk   Derek Jarman’s Garden, a hardback volume dedicated to the garden, including Jarman’s own handwritten notes.  https://amzn.to/2NDs4pE     Dungeness links   Dungeness Old Lighthouse https://dungenesslighthouse.com/   RSPB Dungeness http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dungeness/index.aspx   Dungeness page of the Romney Marsh website https://theromneymarsh.net/dungeness   Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway http://www.rhdr.org.uk/     Beth Pinkerton, our charming reader for this episode's book review. Twitter https://twitter.com/MissPinks Instagram instagram.com/misspinks     

October 16 - 22, 199 Today Ken welcomes TV writer and creator of the new Vertigo comic "Hex Wives", Ben Blacker BACK to the show. Ken and Ben discuss the bizarre and insane level of Ken's guests, the Computer museum, weird AirBnBs, taking the bus to New York, being treated first class, San Diego Comic Con, the con formerly known as Boston Comic Con, Boston being unrecognizable, the rise of UPN and the WB, Felicy, Ben or Noel?, Ken's Dad, The 50 Greatest Characters in Television, Savannah, Dawson's Creek, Urban nights, Homeboys from Outerspace, Nowhere Man, Netflix, USA Network, Knight Rider, Kramer, Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Taxi, Louie Depalma, Phil Silvers, Behind the Music, E! True Hollywood Stories, Mr. T, Bill Macy, Ladies' Man, "It's an all new Ladies Man", breakfast with Phil Rosenthal, Just Shoot Me, Suddenly Susan, Veronica's Closet, Angelica Huston in The Witches, Spaced Invaders, Halloween specials, The Halloween that Almost Wasn't, Judd Hersh as Dracula, voice actors, Swamp Thing, Len Wein, Night Force, Ghost Rider, comic books, Hex Wives, Vertigo Comics, westerns, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh, The Worst Witch and why Millennial love magic.

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We review Walt Disney's 1963 classic 'The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh'. podcast@themortis.com twitter.com/@themortis

Tales of smuggling and 'lookers huts' unfold as Helen Mark explores Romney Marsh in Kent. Historically, this great coastal marshland was the result of reclamation of land from the sea, and is the site of an on-going battle to drain it and keep the sea from taking it back. Throughout the centuries life on the Marsh had been difficult, but by the 19th century the economy and the landscape was dominated by sheep; the Romney Marsh sheep. Today, alongside the sheep the area boasts a Nuclear power station at Dungeness, sitting in stark contrast to the shingle landscape of the National Nature Reserve it neighbours. This, along with the 14 medieval churches which dot the landscape, is what gives Romney Marsh it's unique character. Produced by Perminder Khatkar.