medway

There will be Christmas lights in Medway this year - despite the council saying they can not afford to fund them.

The authority announced last week it was having to cut back on festive decorations in the Towns which would have cost £75,000.

A crowdfunding campaign set up over the weekend for lights in Rochester has raised almost £24,000 and three companies have announced they will make sure Strood, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham are lit up.

We've got reaction from Rochester's conservative MP and a local Labour councillor.

Also in today's podcast, a coach company has announced it's closing a depot in Kent after 55 years.

National Express Transport Solutions have started a consultation to shut the Kings Ferry site in Gillingham.

We're being urged to learn how to save a life as part of Restart a Heart Day.

The charity that runs the air ambulance in Kent is holding free sessions for schools, businesses and community groups to learn how to do CPR.

Traders in Gravesend have welcomed news the council is bringing in an external company to manage Gravesham Borough Market.

It is hoped outside expertise will help to increase footfall to the market, which is one of the oldest surviving in the country.

Congratulations to a tattoo parlour in Tunbridge Wells that's been named the best in Kent.

Black and Even opened eight years ago and has even inked celebs including Kerry Katona and Tamara Ecclestone. We hear from the owner.

And, it wasn't a good weekend for Gillingham as they suffered a 4-1 defeat on the road at Walsall.

Macauley Bonne got the only goal for the Gills who've dropped to seventh in league two.

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. 

A boxer from Ashford is starting more than two years in prison for dealing cocaine.

Welterweight Jack Ewbank was pulled over by police while driving in Folkestone - find out what details were revealed in court.

Also in today's podcast, a Chatham dad's issued a warning after a fire at his house which was caused by leaving electrical items on charge.

A bedroom at the property on St Mary's Island was badly damaged - but crews say the flames didn't spread further because the door had been closed.

We've got reaction to news the number of NHS appointments moved or cancelled because of strikes in England has passed one million.

Almost 130,000 were affected just last week when junior doctors and consultants walked out at the same time. Hear from Medway GP, Dr Julian Spinks.

The KentOnline Podcast can reveal councils in Kent have failed to publish annual accounts detailing how they've spent hundreds of millions of pounds of public money.

Analysis by our political editor Paul Francis shows most authorities are yet to comply with their legal requirement.

The Freedom of Medway has been given to two charities to recognise the work they do in the Towns.

Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and the Chatham Branch of the Royal Naval Association have been awarded the honour at a special ceremony.

And, the founders of a Kent football club have been nominated for an unsung heroes in football award.

Steve Bowers and Bob Chivington have been running Cinque Ports FC, in Deal, for over ten years

People living on an estate in Ashford say they feel trapped in their own homes after a bus service was suddenly scrapped.

Stagecoach says it's made the decision not to serve the Little Burton estate because of a fall in passenger numbers. Hear from one resident who relied on the bus, and we've got a response from the company.

Also in today's podcast, the home secretary's urging tech companies to improve online safety, following a visit to Kent Police.

Suella Braverman's been to the digital forensics lab in Maidstone.

A financial report's revealed Medway Council is 'very likely' to go bankrupt.

The Labour group, who have been in charge since May, have been told the authority could be in serious trouble if action isn't taken. Hear from leader Vince Maple and former leader Alan Jarrett. You can also watch a report on KMTV.

A Kent dad has been explaining how a kidney transplant changed his life, as we mark Organ Donation Week.

Steve Eames from Sandwich was diagnosed with kidney disease 16 years ago.

A building in Dover that was used by Banksy for one of his most famous works is being demolished.

And,  Kent's Zak Crawley is leading a new look England team for the first time today.

They are taking on Ireland in three one-day games.

The family of a Margate mum who died just a month after giving birth claim she was "fat-shamed" by staff. 

An inquest has heard how the 38-year-old was “tormented” by comments  - hospital bosses say a thorough investigation has taken place. 

Also in today's podcast, there are calls for police to be tougher on boy racers gathering on an industrial estate in Medway

Business owners want police to start getting tough after buildings were vandalised and staff were abused. 

An ex-soldier has been sent to prison after assaulting a pensioner and killing his dog in a Folkestone bedsit.

The 56-year-old was high on cocaine at the time of the attacks. 

A pub near Westerham that is more than 700 years old is set to be demolished to make room for a care home. 

The Grasshopper Inn has been closed since 2019 when it shut for renovation but never reopened. 

And in sport, hear the reaction from Gillingham manager Neil Harris after their latest League 2 win. 

Their victory over Morcambe puts them back at the top of the table. 

Tributes have been paid to a dad-of-two who has died in hospital more that seven months after a crash.

Emmanuel Gotora was seriously injured when the car he was driving hit a tree on Dane Valley Road in January.

Also in today's podcast, two schools in Kent have been forced to close as the crumbling concrete crisis continues.

Palmarsh Primary in Hythe is shut completely - while some students at  St James Church of England Primary in Tunbridge Wells won't be able to attend classes.

Hear from the man in charge of education at the county council.

If you live in Medway you're going to be asked where thousands of homes could be built.

They've been set a target of more than 28,000 by 2040 - which will see the authority come up with what's known as a local plan.

The deputy leader of the local of the local authority has been explaining more.

It's 10 years since more than 100 vehicles were involved in a crash on the Sheppey Crossing.

The collision happened in thick fog - but miraculously no one was killed.

Reporter Megan Carr has been speaking to those involved in the collision and emergency crews who were called to help.

And in sport, Gillingham boss Neil Harris has been nominated for the League Two manager of the month award from August.

The Gills won five of their seven games last month.

Furious residents in Ashford say their lives have been turned into a "total nightmare" as boy racers sound their horns and rev their engines through the night. 

Terrified neighbours have also complained of loud music and screeching tyres and say not enough is being done to tackle it. 

Also in today's podcast,  a warning for people living in a Kent village after a fire broke out in a barn. 

Fire crews are still on the scene of the blaze in High Halden to make sure it's fully extinguished. 

Parents have been left outraged after a school in Medway told pupils to remove nose studs as part of a clampdown on uniform . 

Strood Academy has come under fire - after students with piercings were reportedly being held in isolation or sent home. 

The new owners of a pub near Canterbury say they have no intention of rolling back a controversial "cashless" system. 

The scheme will stay in place despite objections because it's considered safer for staff. 

And in sport, heartbreak for Kent in the T20 blast. 

Yesterday the Spitfires lost to Somerset, missing out on a place in the quarter finals. 

A Herne Bay family are desperate for a new council home after a young boy contracted lead poisoning. 

Three-year-old Elijah has a rare condition that causes him pick off and eat the paint from the walls of their home. Council say they're doing all they can to get the family moved. 

Also in today's podcast, a large chunk of woodland near Dover's gone up for sale - sparking concerns it could eventually be built on.

Residents are concerned the area at Gorse Hill could be snapped up by developers.

There are calls to improve safety at a roundabout near Bluewater amid claims drivers are taking their lives in their hands.

Despite a recent redesign, those travelling from Bean onto the London-bound A2 say there have been a number of recent near misses. 

A Medway man says he's struggling to pick up after his dogs because of overgrown grass at a park outside his house.

He says he's complained to council three times about the site in Strood

And in sport,  bowler Arafat Bhuiyan has signed for Kent for the rest of the season.

The 26 year-old goes straight into the squad for the county championship game at Surrey. 

Episode 13 - 'Sofas, Scandals and Zombie Survival'

Episode 13 has all of the best bits of kmfm Breakfast with Garry and Chelsea.

The people of Kent were superstars this week, carrying on the legacy of You've Been Framed and adding culture to the Breakfast show with a beautiful poem entitled 'An Ode to a Blue Chair.'

Chelsea was inspired by the love of her life, Harry Styles, to take part in a cheese based local custom PLUS this week...stationery scandals, hiding in Hythe, a dog biscuit disaster, endless turnip movies, and a heated game of "Star or No Star."

Want more to feast on? Head to our socials @kmfmofficial on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok for more behind the scenes bloopers. Or even better, catch us live on the radio, DAB, FM, Smart Speaker or on kmfm.co.uk , Monday - Friday, 6am - 10 am, on kmfm.

S03E33

Folktales, Place, Megaliths, Bluebells, Homeless Children, Angels, Demons, La Llorona, Bad Streets and Landscape.

You can now support the show at https://thejaymo.net/support/

Links:
Medway Megaliths: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medway_Megaliths
Myths Over Miami: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/myths-over-miami-6393117
Bonus Link: The Last of the Monsters with Iron Teeth: https://carcinisation.com/2014/10/04/the-last-of-the-monsters-with-iron-teeth/

Permanently moved is a personal podcast 301 seconds in length, written and recorded in one hour by @thejaymo

Website: https://www.thejaymo.net/
Podcast: http://permanentlymoved.online
Zine: http://startselectreset.com
Support: https://thejaymo.net/support/