News

Action Fraud has received reports from members of the public who have been sent text messages claiming to be from the NHS, offering them the opportunity to sign up for the vaccine. The texts ask the recipient to click on a link which takes them to an online form where they are prompted to input personal and financial details. In some cases the online form has looked very similar to the real NHS website.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/coronavirus-vaccine-scams-warning

How to protect yourself:

In the UK, coronavirus vaccines will only be available via the National Health Services of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. You can be contacted by the NHS, your employer, a GP surgery or pharmacy local to you, to receive your vaccine. Remember, the vaccine is free of charge. At no point will you be asked to pay.

– The NHS will never ask you for your bank account or card details.

– The NHS will never ask you for your PIN or banking password.

– The NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the vaccine.

– The NHS will never ask you to prove your identity by sending copies of personal documents such as your passport, driving licence, bills or pay slips.  

If you receive a call you believe to be fraudulent, hang up. If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.

If you believe you are the victim of a fraud, please report this to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

Folkestone Civic Centre has been confirmed as the Covid-19 Vaccination Centre for Folkestone and Sandgate’s The New Surgery, Guildhall Street Surgery, Sandgate Road Surgery & Manor Clinic.

Vaccinations will start week commencing 11 January.

There is more information at http://www.kentandmedwayccg.nhs.uk/your-health/coronavirus/covid19vaccine

This location does not offer a drop-in vaccination service. All vaccinations are arranged in advance through invitation based on the national priority groups. Please wait to be contacted for when you can get the vaccine.

This is the GP led vaccination service centre. There are also plans to set up mass vaccination sites across the County, each offering up to 3,000 vaccinations a day, and announcements on the sites for them will follow as soon as the locations are confirmed.

Thank you to all those local businesses and residents that have taken the time to add a little more sparkle to Sandgate this Christmas!

Our judging panel visited every road in Sandgate on 18th December, and saw hundreds of fantastic decorations. However, in their completely subjective opinion, they awarded prizes too:

The Dog House and the Providence Inne on Sandgate High Street for best business decorations, and a “Commended” to Acula Creations for their window display.

Houses in Highland Close and The Crescent for their residential decorations, and a commended in Wilberforce Road.

And a big well done to Enbrook Valley and Bybrook Field for the joint efforts in both!

Again – thanks to all that have decorated their place in any way, and a very Happy Christmas. You can see more on the Light Up Sandgate for Christmas Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/LightUpSandgate

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I’ve been blown away by our community in 2020. Families shopping for neighbours, people volunteering at Community Hubs, collecting for charity, bringing a little light into people’s life. Local businesses that have adapted so fast to find new ways to survive and serve.

It takes pressure to make diamonds. There’s been such huge pressure, and Sandgate has shone. Thank you all.

I was honoured to be elected as Sandgate Council Chairman in May, succeeding Robert Bliss. We expected he’d be around to give us guidance, and to gently tell me off, for years. Tragically that wasn’t to be, and Robert passed away in August. We all miss him.

Despite the challenges Sandgate has still got things done.

Being the only “locally run” Kent Library allowed us to reopen Sandgate Library in September where many others could not. Although Lockdown 2, and Tier 3, have added challenges, we remain open for click and collect services.

We’ve taken management of Fremantle / Enbrook Valley Park from the District Council, enhanced the maintenance and facilities and shown that bit more TLC.

Our new Sandgate CCTV system, covering our shopping areas and Sandgate Park, is now operational. It should make our already safe area feel even safer.

And through the year, I’ve been humbled that so many people took some time to remember on VE Day, VJ Day and Remembrance Sunday. We did not, and will not, forget.

Thanks to Leonie Wootton and the Sandgate Community Garden team who’ve delivered projects including the Community Garden in Saga’s grounds and planters in Sandgate High Street, Golden Valley parade, Fremantle Park and the Esplanade. I was delighted to deliver to Leonie the KALC Community Award 2020 that she so deserved.

Finally all best wishes for Christmas. Here’s hoping that 2021 brings health, happiness, vaccinations, and time with those we love.

Tim Prater, Chair, Sandgate Parish Council

Interim Stronger Kent Communities CEO, Claire Haffenden, is running the below fundraising sessions. Marketing sessions are run by a variety of Kent-based professionals.

Fundraising

SKC Introduction to Grant Making Trusts: Aimed at beginners; this interactive webinar will introduce you to the theory behind writing a good funding application. Thursday 21 January. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/2HzqRmk

SKC Getting Started with Fundraising Planning: This online session looks at how to create a fundraising plan. Thursday 4 February. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/2VesNUN

SKC Demonstrating Impact: This online fundraising session will give you the tools to measure your impact more effectively. Thursday 11 February. £15. Book your Place: https://bit.ly/33cQd0Y

Feedback:

“I found the course very informative and have recommended it to others”

“It has taken years for me to have this subject explained so clearly”

“Very informative at an easy to follow pace :)”

Marketing

NEW: SKC Introduction to Social Media: This interactive online session will look at what platforms to use, how to use them and why / what they are good for. It will cover the basics such as hashtags and tagging. It will also look at how to speak to different audiences on your social media platforms, such as funders and beneficiaries. It will focus on facebook, twitter and linked in, but also look at instagram and youtube. Tuesday 9 February. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/3722h7w

NEW: Getting Your Stories in The Media online WORKSHOP: Faye Smith is running a follow up to her popular taster training session. During this two-hour workshop, attendees will have a chance to develop story ideas and media pitches for their own organisation and to share ideas. There’s some homework in advance to get the most out of this session. Tuesday 16 February. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/3l69wzg

NEW: Taking Photographs to Promote your Organisation: Kent-based photographer, Ed Thompson, will show you practical tips on image capture, thinking about style and branding and permissions – all key elements of promoting your organisation on social media, websites and in the press. A good image sells a story. Photography tips will work for those capturing images on a smart phone, so its something that can be done with minimal equipment. Ed is used to working with the voluntary sector and everyone from staff to volunteers will be encouraged to think about taking photographs to promote their organisation. Tuesday 23 February. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/2KwHpwm

NEW: SKC Tips and Tools for Editing and Archiving Promotional Photographs: This interactive webinar will cover editing and archiving photographs so you have promotional images at your fingertips. Editing tips and tools will work for those working with minimal equipment such as a smartphone. Everyone from staff to volunteers will be encouraged to contribute to your archive of photos, images will be easily uploaded and stored – and accessible by those with permission. Tuesday 9 March. £15. Book your place: https://bit.ly/3pZZ3ci

Please note:

If the £15 training fee is prohibitive, then please get in touch and we may be able to help.

Let us know if you were interested in our SOLD OUT free sessions SKC Marketing for Small Organisations, SKC Introduction to Fundraising, SKC Digital Fundraising Forum and we may be able to run them again.
Find out more

Free Coaching

Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund, we are delighted to provide up to 5 hours of free one-to-one advice from our professional partners to small groups and organisations. This service will be available until the end of March 2021.

Our professional partners are experts on charity registration, business and financial planning, marketing, fundraising and much more. If there is something that you need help with, we will try to match you with an expert who can provide you with the advice and support you require.

Find out more.

The Stronger Kent Communities website has been refreshed and includes information on specialist volunteering, coaching, training and web resources so do take a look https://strongerkentcommunities.org.uk/

As a part of “Light Up Sandgate for Christmas”, two local pubs had kindly volunteered to be a drop-off point for Sandgate donations to the Shepway Foodbank in December. Sadly, Tier 3 restrictions have rather ended that plan – at minimum for another ten days,

However, the Foodbank, and those that need its help, is still in urgent need of donations. To make it easier to donate, we’ve put in place the following alternatives:

• There will be a Shepway Foodbank “bin” in the entrance to Sandgate Library (James Morris Court, Sandgate High Street, Sandgate, Folkestone CT20 3RR) from 9am-12pm on Tuesday and Thursdays mornings (8/12, 10/12, 15/12, 17/12, 22/12). All donations dropped to there by Tuesday 22nd December will be delivered to the foodbank in time for Christmas.
• If you have a large amount of food to collect (and we know a couple of places already have – thank you!) and can’t get it to the Library at that time, we can get it collected for you – call 01303 248563 or email clerk@sandgatepc.org.uk

This Christmas let’s help those having a hard time coping.

Shepway Foodbank supports those who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. Donations to the Foodbank will be gratefully received and passed to them by Christmas.

Learn more at shepway.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/ about ways to help, and also the things that the Foodbank currently most urgently needs.