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00:00Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:29I'm Oli Leder and here are your top stories on Thursday 26th June.
00:36The end for Medway Industry, Council signs up for a controversial plan on future housing.
00:44More than a marketplace, Kent's newest indoor market hopes to bring some life back to Folkestone
00:49High Street.
00:51We're peddling for purpose, Ambition Hero leads veteran ride from Aylesford to Belgium.
01:00Now first tonight, campaigners warn the writing is on the wall for industry in Medway as the
01:07Council approved a plan to determine housing for the coming decades.
01:12The local plan helps the Council allocate where housing will be built, with thousands of
01:16homes expected to be built everywhere from Hu to the Capstone Valley.
01:21The Labour leader says the plan is a necessity, even as opposition councillors warn of strained
01:27infrastructure.
01:28I was there last night for the local democracy reporting service.
01:36anger at a special council meeting to determine the future of Medway's housing.
01:43With councillors fiercely debating the draft local plan, designed to allocate where housing
01:50will be built and guide council planning decisions.
01:56With many voicing fears for the future of industry in the five towns.
02:02We started this campaign back in 2017.
02:06And everyone that I was talking to then said, no, there's no way Chatham Docks would be shut.
02:11It's too vital an economic importance to Medway towns that it's not going to shut.
02:16And here we are now, under threat of it closing.
02:19And all these people behind me and their families losing their jobs.
02:23Our housing targets mean Medway Council is required to provide more than 1,600 homes a year until
02:312041.
02:34That's more than 24,000 homes in the next 15 years.
02:40The question is whether Medway can cope.
02:43A critical concern for us is infrastructure.
02:45We're concerned about those critical road junctions.
02:48We're concerned about the lack of investment into infrastructure around our medical facilities.
02:53And of course, thirdly, we've got those really sort of wide concerns as we laid out about
02:57our railway services and about providing the infrastructure that we need for the long term
03:01to cope with an additional 50,000 residents coming into Medway.
03:06But despite opposition anger, for the Labour leader, the plan is a necessity to meet local
03:13needs.
03:14Tonight, one of the things I was thinking about throughout the whole evening actually, we've
03:18got nearly 1,000 children in temporary accommodation in Medway tonight.
03:23That's not acceptable.
03:24So having a plan in place, how we will get the infrastructure in place, the key things
03:29like education, but also of course, the homes that are so desperately needed for Medway residents.
03:34That's what I think everyone's been thinking about tonight.
03:37Having been voted through, the plan will now be put to public consultation before going
03:44to the planning inspectorate for the final decision.
03:48Only then will Medway's housing future be set in stone.
03:54Olly Leader in Chatham.
03:57Now a mum from Ashford says she's relieved after the government scrapped plans to overhaul
04:02disability benefits.
04:04Vicky Adams feared her son Lucas would lose nearly £6,000 a year on the changes to personal independence
04:11payments.
04:12Lucas, 17, has a rare condition, autism and uses a prosthetic leg.
04:17He relies on PIP to live independently.
04:20But a number 10 spokesperson said they've listened to concerns and the move will protect those
04:26already in the system, but strict rules can still apply to new claimants.
04:31I don't believe I should have to not live without it because that's just not fair.
04:38Just how am I supposed to do my basic day stuff when I struggle doing it, even with the PIP.
04:44It's going to be even worse without it.
04:47Also one of the other things is it helps me get new clothes because my clothes with my leg,
04:53I can go through multiple pairs of clothes just because of the way my leg rubs against my
04:59clothes and it rips them.
05:01So without that PIP there.
05:04Now five guinea pigs have been found dumped in a cardboard box on a street in Ashford suffering
05:10from a range of untreated health issues.
05:13Discovered by residents in Adams Drive, they were taken to the RSPCA where vets found parasites,
05:19overgrown nails and teeth and serious injuries including an abscess and eye condition requiring
05:25surgery.
05:26They're now receiving urgent treatment, but the charity is appealing for anyone who recognises
05:31them to please get in touch.
05:34Now it's been nearly two years since Wilco stores left our high streets across Kent, leaving
05:39empty units across the county.
05:41Although some stores may have been taken over by other household names, a more unique option
05:47has emerged in Folkestone, as Finn McDermott reports.
05:51When you think of a modern high street, you might think of barbers, vape shops and chain
05:54fast food.
05:55But one new shop is hoping to add some colour to the community and help small, local businesses
06:00at the same time.
06:01We've already got a Ramsgate Petticoat Landing for him and it's out of town, it's been
06:05very successful, it's been running 10 years, very proud of that.
06:09But when the opportunity came to do one in a high street, and of course the high streets
06:14are suffering massively, and we're all guilty, we're all guilty of that because we shop online,
06:22but people still want somewhere to go, they want somewhere to go out.
06:25Folkestone was very much on our target, because it seems to be an up and coming town, it's
06:31very artisan, a lot of creativeness, a lot of positivity.
06:36The Emporium houses many small stalls, operated by businesses from Folkestone and across the country,
06:42which were selected based on their creativity and individuality.
06:45Now each of the stalls are only about as big as my wingspan, but there's plenty of them
06:49packed here into the old Wilkos, and there's almost a statement to be made, a closed shop
06:53now housing something different and new.
06:56This includes a local couple from Folkestone who share a stall selling their quite different
07:01products.
07:02Derek photographs folks and I kill people there, it's just kind of how we roll.
07:05I think it's the fact that you had this great big empty Wilkos building, which has been
07:12for the last year or so, it's great that they've actually managed to use it for something creative
07:16and give all the people here in Folkestone an outlet.
07:19High streets are dying, you know, and while we will always be at the market, we wanted
07:24to be in the town centre as well, because it's important to regenerate, as far as I'm concerned,
07:27the town centre.
07:28So it's really important to us, you know, to live in the town, to give something back.
07:32And they aren't the only ones.
07:33Lizzie paused her illustration business after getting married and having children, but says the Emporium
07:38meant she could easily pick up where she left off.
07:40I decided to join the Emporium here because I just like the vibe, there's lots of artists,
07:45lots of creatives and I'm just giving it a go, so I'm jumping feet first, being brave
07:50and being bold and showcasing my work.
07:52I think what is really good is small businesses supporting small businesses, so just meeting
07:57my neighbours in this pitch here has been really cool.
08:00We've got artists and people who sell antiques and vintage and I absolutely love it.
08:05It's inspiring.
08:06It gives life to an old building.
08:08Rather than making a profit, the Emporium says it wants to support local businesses and
08:12show that Folkestone's culture is just as colourful as its seafront.
08:16Finn McDermid for KMTV in Folkestone.
08:19Now, temperatures are set to soar over the weekend, with Darfur said it hit a scorching 33
08:25degrees by Monday.
08:27Blimey!
08:28In response, officials have issued amber heat health alerts, which came to effect today
08:33and will remain in place until 6pm on Tuesday.
08:36The second alert to hit Kent in just two weeks.
08:40And here to tell us a little bit more about the weather and how to stay safe is Kristen Hawthorne.
08:46Kristen, for some, the weather will be lovely, but it can pose some risks.
08:51Break down what this health alert means and what people can do to stay safe at home.
08:55So, to give you a bit of a rundown initially, something that I found quite interesting was
09:00the first heat health alert that was announced on June 19th.
09:04That was the first time it had been used since September 2023.
09:07So, we're certainly having a huge heat wave.
09:10But on Monday, it's expected to reach to 33 degrees.
09:13Canterbury is predicted to hit 32 degrees on the same day, so that's Monday.
09:18The heat health alert basically says that there is a risk to humans.
09:23There could be a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.
09:29Another thing that I found was quite interesting that I didn't know was the National Pharmacy Association
09:35has advised patients to store their medicines away from heat zones and direct sunlight,
09:40warning that they could lose effectiveness or cause unwanted side effects.
09:43So, I've got to the shots, I've bought myself a bunch of eyes for it to keep cool, but is that what we should be doing to prepare at home?
09:50Is there anything a bit more scientific we've been doing to keep ourselves safe in the sunshine?
09:54Well, of course, if the sun, if you're south-facing and the sun is blasting through your window,
09:59close your curtains throughout the day just so that you don't have that heat building up.
10:03You can get a fan, get a fan.
10:06You could even spray yourself exposed skin with a little bit of water, stand in front of the fan.
10:11That's quite good.
10:12Get things like ice lollies, plants as well.
10:15Inside the home we're supposed to cool it.
10:17Any shade, any coolness that you can feel, certainly go for it.
10:21Because obviously, the big advice would probably be to stay indoors if you're feeling a bit too hot,
10:26cool down in your living room, maybe put a movie or something on.
10:29But for some people, they want to go out and enjoy the sun.
10:31How can people stay safe out and about on the beaches of Kent, in the parks, what can they do?
10:37Well, so if you are in those sort of vulnerable categories, you stay inside, stay cool from 11 to 3pm.
10:45Outside those times, you could go to the beach in the morning, have a nice time, walk around, have a dip in the ocean.
10:51And then after that time, you can do the same thing.
10:54Check on your friends and family who are maybe also vulnerable.
10:57But yeah, like I said, just have ice lollies, keep yourself cool, spray yourself down with water and drink lots of water in general,
11:03and cut down alcohol consumption.
11:05And how important is a bit of sun cream as well?
11:07Because I know I always get a bit of sunburn when I'm out and about.
11:11Of course, sunscreen is very, very important.
11:13SPF 30 plus if you can, but anything, any sort of sunscreen should be good.
11:19Perfect, Kristen. We're using all of that advice to keep myself cool on the beach this weekend and about the house as well.
11:25Thank you so much for all of those details.
11:27Well, still to come after the break, with over 50,000 veterans living in Kent,
11:33we explore why so many face mental health battles in silence.
11:37How Truman can offer real hope.
11:39We'll speak to the CEO of Combat Stress in just a few minutes.
11:43Until then, enjoy a break.
11:55We'll see you next time.
12:25Bye.
12:27Bye.
12:55Bye.
15:55And can you walk us through what this research uncovered?
16:00So, thank you.
16:01Good evening.
16:01We found when we did the research that a few veterans and the general public generally understood how long it took to get help for combat stress.
16:14It takes, as you've said, up to about 13 years to come to combat stress for help, which is a really long time during which veterans' lives suffer very greatly from the impacts of PTSD.
16:29It can cause family relationship breakdown. It can cause difficulty holding down a job. So, it's a very serious illness. And it's really sad that people wait so long to get diagnosed.
16:43I had to ask, why do so many of our veterans wait over a decade before reaching out for help?
16:49I think it's a couple of reasons. So, firstly, the symptoms aren't always obvious. It's not always obvious that what's going on is PTSD. We think about the classic nightmares and flashbacks that PTSD can cause, and those are probably quite well understood.
17:06But there can be symptoms that are much more akin to other mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. And there can be issues just with anger and sleep that people don't necessarily know are down to their mental health at all.
17:20And I think a second factor that plays into that is the culture of the armed forces and the ability of those who've served in the armed forces to cope with adversity and to carry on despite the fact that they are suffering.
17:34So, that probably elongates the amount of time before people come forward for treatment.
17:41It's terrible. And I do want to know, because obviously you mentioned some of the symptoms there, but are there any lesser known telltale signs of PTSD that veterans at home might be experiencing that might be a signal for them to get support?
17:55I mean, I think the difficulty with relationships, feeling difficulty being close to people.
18:05I think the difficulty with crowds is quite a key issue.
18:13And sometimes we have, so we have one veteran who came to us and he wasn't able to go to his children's sports day because of the difficulty with being in a crowd.
18:25And that sort of difficulty can really lead to family breakdown.
18:29So, if there are things in life that a veteran notices or their partner, their family notices and friends notice, then reach out to Combat Stress.
18:41We're here, we have a team of mental health professionals who are expert in assessing when what's going on is down to PTSD.
18:50It's good to know that people can get help for this, Chloe.
18:54Thank you for joining us on our programme. It's a really important issue.
18:57And hopefully people do reach out to you.
19:00Thank you, Oli.
19:02Now, don't forget to keep up to date with all your latest stories from across Kent by logging on to our website.
19:08That's kmtv.co.uk.
19:10There you'll find all our reports, including this one, at the Pride festivities in Canterbury.
19:15June marked the start of Pride Month, a month taken to celebrate everyone in the LGBTQIA plus community.
19:26And here in Kent, there aren't a short of celebrations.
19:33Now, despite the gloomy weather, it seems nothing is going to rain down on this parade.
19:38As you can see, hundreds are lining the streets to celebrate Canterbury Pride.
19:42Canterbury Pride is one of the county's biggest celebrations for this month, and this year will be their 10th one,
19:48although it looks quite different to the others, as this year they've had to move due to construction.
19:53We've got a temporary home over here in the Westgate Gardens, but it's still as busy.
19:57We're seeing thousands of people coming.
19:58It's more of a festival kind of feel, so we're actually in two parts of the Westgate Gardens.
20:02We've got Bit and Toddler's Cove, which is a lot of our family stalls,
20:05we've got Bouncing Castles, people like Kemp Fire and Rescue and the police.
20:09We've got a wedding chapel where people can come and get unofficially married.
20:17We've got everywhere you can write a note to yourself and we'll send it back to you in the future.
20:23And so it's just a really lovely, calm, friendly vibe today.
20:27While I was there, I also asked people at the event what pride means to them.
20:31What does pride mean to you?
20:34Everything.
20:35It's showing up for yourself and it's showing up for your community.
20:38Pride is like inclusivity, everybody's welcome, you know, no one's judged, it's a judge-free zone.
20:45It's a protest, it's really important that we keep pride like a positive, welcoming space for everybody
20:52because it's the sort of thing that a lot of people here don't get that a lot of the year round.
20:57Acceptance, visibility and kind of being who you are.
21:02For someone to come where they feel comfortable and appreciate love is love at the end of the day.
21:08Pride is really important to us because we're an inclusive organisation.
21:12I feel like I'm with people that know kind of what I'm going through in a way and how proud it is to be different.
21:20That you don't have to hide yourself.
21:21In a time when politically and socially it's a bit tenuous at the moment, it's nice that we can be visible.
21:30It's about putting on a bit of colour, coming out and reminding people that we still need to carry on.
21:34Whilst we've come so far and a lot of people are very grateful, we still have to keep those rights
21:39and keep pushing for the rights of those who don't have as many as we do.
21:44It's clear that this festival was more than just a rainbow of colours, as Canterbury stands together with pride.
21:50Kai Wei for KMTV in Canterbury.
21:54Now stunning drone footage reveals the crumbly remains of Charing Palace.
21:59Once fit for royalty, now in ruins.
22:02The Grade 1 listed site near Ashford, visited by King Henry VIII, is undergoing a major £300,000 restoration work
22:12backed by historic England.
22:15Scaffolding props up the weather bomb, parts of the roof are missing and warning signs mark the danger inside.
22:21It's been on the Heritage at Risk Register for years.
22:24But our pain is hope this work will help bring it back to life.
22:27We wish them all the best.
22:28Now, a month of Folkestone was left terrified after spotting what she thought was a tornado outside her window.
22:38Sarah Jade was watching EastEnders when she saw the funnel cloud moving across the sky near Capel Laferne.
22:45Her daughter Emma said she was absolutely terrified.
22:48But experts believe it was a harmless funnel cloud, not a tornado.
22:53Well, did you see it?
22:54If so, let us know and send your video to us at kmtv.co.uk.
22:59You might even feature them next week.
23:02So, will we be seeing any wacky weather this weekend?
23:05Let's take a look, shall we?
23:06Now, a mix of cloudy and clear skies this evening.
23:15Temperatures around 17 in Canterbury and Dover.
23:18Going into tomorrow, lots of cloud and sunshine across the county.
23:2222 degrees up in Margate.
23:25Going into the afternoon, it's really heating up.
23:2727 degrees in Maidstone.
23:30Get that sun cream on, people.
23:32And for the beginning of next week, those temperatures are going to be climbing 34 degrees on Monday.
23:39That is going to be a warm beginning to next week.
23:41And finally, a former Gurkha and double-above-the-knee amputee, Harry Bouda-Margar from Kent,
23:55has set off on a 150-mile ride to Belgium.
23:59Hands cycling along to his fellow veterans to honour the fallen
24:02and raise funds for those still living with the scars of service.
24:06The Tommy Ride has been taking place for eight years now.
24:09And its journey peddles a powerful message for remembrance of resilience
24:12and support for veterans past and present, as Gabriel Morris has been finding out.
24:18You might mistake it for a start of a race,
24:21but these riders aren't chasing medals.
24:23They're riding with memory.
24:25In the eighth annual Tommy Ride,
24:27more than 40 cyclists are setting off from Ellsford to Belgium.
24:31Leading the pack is Harry Bouda-Margar,
24:33a former Gurkha and the first double-above-the-knee amputee
24:37to summit Mount Everest.
24:39That's handbrake.
24:41That's a brick as well.
24:44And there's a gear on here.
24:46Unlike the others,
24:48Harry powers his trike by hand,
24:50and it's his first time taking part.
24:52Last year I came to start this event.
24:56And this year I think I should get involved
25:00and support to RBLI for whatever they do.
25:06They do an amazing job to support our veterans.
25:08So I come here to support RBLI,
25:12and RBLI can support our veterans.
25:14He's joined by three former colleagues,
25:17all four losing limbs to IEDs
25:19in the same week in Afghanistan 15 years ago.
25:23I got injured in the second operation on tour.
25:27I almost completed like half,
25:30almost two and a half months during the tour,
25:33and I got injured.
25:36I understand you and Harry both lost your legs
25:39in the same operation.
25:40Is that right?
25:41Yes.
25:41Yeah.
25:42Me and Harry injured before me,
25:45and I injured later on around half of my tour.
25:50Some of today's riders work at the RBLI factory.
25:54While many are veterans,
25:55others are simply here to support and raise vital funds.
25:59We're hoping to raise over £80,000,
26:02and the money raised will go to supporting
26:04what you see here on the village,
26:06so that's homes, support, and work opportunities
26:10for some of our veterans who need it the most.
26:13And that's really important, isn't it?
26:15Absolutely important.
26:16Here at the village,
26:17we look after around 300 veterans and their families,
26:20and we provide work opportunities.
26:22We provide the support that they need
26:24to get back on their feet and where they need to be.
26:28The group left at breakfast time,
26:30heading to Dover and across the Channel to Calais,
26:33where they'll spend the night.
26:34Tomorrow, they'll complete the journey
26:36through World War I battlefields,
26:38ending with a remembrance service.
26:41Gabriel Morris for KNTV in Ellsford.
26:43Lovely news to end on there.
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