KentOnline

A leading headteacher has launched a scathing attack on the government’s plans to help children catch-up after the pandemic.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has pledged £1.4 billion to fund 100 million hours of tutoring for disadvantaged youngsters.
But Alan Brookes, who is chair of the Kent Association of Headteachers, says it doesn’t go anywhere near far enough.
Also in today’s podcast, find out why paramedics in parts of Kent are going to start wearing body cameras.
And we hear how a support dog is helping a little girl from Sittingbourne with selective mutism.

Surge testing is underway in Canterbury following a rise in the number of cases of the Indian variant of coronavirus.
People living, studying and working in two postcode areas are being urged to get checked.
Hear from Kent’s acting public health boss.
We also have the result of a poll asking if you think all Covid restrictions should still be lifted on June 21.
Also in today’s podcast – our court reporter Sean Axtell has been at a new Nightingale court set up in Kent to help deal with a huge backlog in cases.
A Kent charity’s joining a national campaign calling on the government to rethink planned changes to immigration rules.
And we hear from an Ashford teenager who’s trying to raise awareness of cluster headaches. Jordan Rossiter has only just been diagnosed after suffering with them for the past three years.

The government’s being urged to say whether it still intends to go ahead with easing all coronavirus lockdown restrictions on June 21.
It’s as cases of the Indian variant continue to rise – including in Kent.
We’ve been speaking to the acting public health boss in the county about where increased testing is being encouraged and also to Strood GP Dr Julian Spinks about the vaccine roll-out.
Also in today’s podcast, there’s been a big increase in the number of children in Kent needing support for special educational needs.
We chat to an education specialist.
A football league encouraging men to lose weight is expanding to more parts of Kent. We catch up with one of the players from Man v Fat on the incredible impact it’s had on him.
And, a little boy is hoping to raise £5,000 for a support dog – he tells us about his new best buddy.
 

The owners of a soft play centre that has only just been able to reopen say staff are being verbally abused on a daily basis.
Adventure Kidz in Aylesford welcomed back customers last week after being closed for almost an entire year.
Hear from Andrew Moody who says he’s already fed up with how his workforce are being treated by parents.
Also in today’s podcast – there’s more reaction to Dominic Cummings claims about the government’s response to Covid.
Hear from a former special advisor who has been speaking to our political editor.
A week long operation to crack down on county lines gangs has seen a number of arrests in Kent.
And hear from the Leeds Castle swan (yes really) who is celebrating his 30th birthday.

The Tunbridge Wells MP has been questioning the Prime Minister’s former chief adviser about the government’s initial response to the coronavirus pandemic.Greg Clark chairs the science and technology which called Dominic Cummings to give evidence – hear what he had to say plus we have analysis from our political editor.Also in today’s podcast, testing has been stepped up at the University of Kent following a rise in Covid cases, including of the Indian variant – hear from students who returned to campus earlier this month.The government is being urged to step in and prevent a university campus in Medway from closing.The new owners of Curious Brewery in Ashford tell us about their plans for the future.And find out which Kent players have been included in the latest England cricket Test squad.

A law named after a little boy from Kent who needed both legs amputated after being abused by his birth parents is closer to becoming reality.
Tony Hudgell’s adopted mum Paula has been campaigning for the past three years and is being backed by Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat who’s put forward an amendment to the Policing Bill.
Also in today’s podcast, it’s a year since the murder of George Floyd in America – we find out if racial inequality is still a problem in Kent.
A rare black jaguar has been born at an animal park in Kent.
And there are calls for parkrun to return across Kent.

The landlady of a new micropub in Thanet has been hitting the headlines after saying she only wants to employ women.The Pub Ramsgate opened last week as part of the Bell & Beerling Pubs franchise – boss Max Bell has been chatting to the podcast.
Also today, walks and silences have taken place in memory of Kent PCSO Julia James. We were at an event in Aylesham not far from where she lived and was killed while out walking her dog.Exhausted NHS staff at hospitals in parts of Kent are being given the chance to take a break in new sleep pods – hear from the man who came up with the idea.And, Kent racing driver Michael Crees has apologised to fans after crashing in Monaco.

People living on a notorious estate in Maidstone are being asked what they think about multi-million pound plans to transform it.
Our reporter Liane Castle has been to Shepway to see for herself.
Also in today’s podcast, Kent’s police and crime commissioner is calling on the government to stop trials of e scooters, find out why.
Groups across the country are due to walk in memory of Kent PCSO Julia James this weekend.
We’ve been speaking to the organiser of the event.
A school in Gravesend has become the first in the country to install a reverse vending machine – we’ve been along to see it in action.
And, fans have been back at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in Canterbury for the first time since before the pandemic.
It may not be cricket weather right now, but that hasn’t put off the hardy Kent supporters.

The government has announced plans for a big shake-up of the rail industry.
We find out what it could mean for you and speak to campaigners representing commuters.
Also in the podcast, a teenager has gone on trial accused of murdering a man whose body was found in a wheelie bin in Rochester.
Levels of child poverty in Kent have been revealed in a new report – hear from the End Child Poverty Coalition who researched the data.
And in football, a player from Kent has signed for Chelsea – find out who.

The Prime Minister has attempted to clear-up any confusion over where we can travel abroad for a holiday following the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.A traffic light system was introduced on Monday putting countries in categories of red, amber or green.Hear what Boris Johnson had to say at Prime Minister’s Questions today after the government was accused of giving mixed messages.We’ve also been speaking to a Tunbridge Wells based travel agent and a mum and daughter from Canterbury and Folkestone who’re currently in Gibraltar.Also in today’s podcast, Eurostar are being urged to be more specific on when they plan to resume services from Kent after a rescue package was agreed.We tell you which rides will be reopening at Margate’s Dreamland this summer.And hear about the fascinating research that’s been carried out in Kent and reveals for the first time what happened to Anne Boleyn’s prayer book after her death. It’s currently on display at her family home, Hever Castle.