KentOnline

In today’s podcast, a company in Ashford has been fined after a man was pulled into a large machine at a factory – leaving him with broken bones. Out reporter Alex Jee has the details.
 
Also today, there’s been a call for urgent improvements at a pub in Thanet after a fly infestation, rooting food and dirty fridges were found in the kitchen. Inspectors visited The Bell Inn, at St Nicholas at Wade near Birchington, and gave it a one star rating.
 
The Kent Online Podcast has been told there’s been a massive increase in the number of items being given out to families at a hygiene bank in Kent. We speak to the project coordinator of the hygiene bank in Tenterden.
 
Campaigners in Medway have won their fight to get CCTV installed in a park. There have been concerns about anti-social behaviour at Rainham Rec. We speak to resident’s about what they think.
 
Plus, hear about a campaign which has been launched to help children in Kent catch up with missed vaccinations.
A Strood GP says, with a sharp drop in the number of youngsters being vaccinated, more children are at an increased risk of catching deadly diseases.
 

A mural spray painted on the side of a house in Margate has been branded an ‘eyesore’.
The artwork has been created as part of a trail around the town raising awareness of plastic pollution in the oceans.
But neighbours aren’t happy.
Also in today’s podcast, the home secretary has delivered her big speech at the Tory party conference.
Suella Braverman explained how she planned to stop asylum seekers from crossing the Channel to Kent in small boats. We’ve got reaction.
A report’s warned staffing at a prison on Sheppey has reached “crisis point”.
Inspectors went to HMP Swaleside in July and found officers were exhausted, under pressure, and on the brink of resignation.
We’ve been speaking to the Howard League for Penal Reform.
The Bishop of Dover has apologised on behalf of the church after a major report into allegations of abuse was published.
There haven’t been any trains running in Kent today as another strike has been taking place.
Drivers are walking out as part of an ongoing dispute over pay.
Hear from the Aslef union.
And there was another win for Gillingham last night – this time in the EFL Trophy.
We’ve got reaction from goal scorer Lewis Walker and the assistant manager.

A further 16 charges have been brought against a man who’s in prison for murdering two women and abusing bodies in hospitals in Kent
David Fuller, 68, from Heathfield in East Sussex was given two whole life sentences in December last year for killing Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in 1987.
Also in today’s podcast, a Medway beauty expert says she’s concerned about the number of people asking to look like they do through phone filters or photo editing apps.
It’s after a survey found 70% of people were so used to seeing their face through a filter, they no longer liked to look in the mirror.
Kate Monteith-Ross is the director of La Ross Aesthetics in Strood and has started a campaign encouraging people to embrace who they are.
Children playing in one of Kent’s football leagues have been banned from deliberately heading the ball as part of a season long trial.
Under 12s in the north Kent youth league will give away a free kick if they do a header during a match.
We’ve been speaking to the Kent FA to find out why.
A Dartford entrepreneur’s told the KentOnline Podcast how he thinks crypto currency is the future of the beauty industry.
Drowze, who’s also a musician, has been accepting the payment at his barber shop, DPZ Parlour, in Gravesend since opening six months ago.
Gillingham are back in football action tonight – this time in the EFL Trophy.
And, find out which Kent side have officially put in plans to build a new stadium.

A Kent artist who’s spent the past two years decorating a Tenterden house in doodles has been showing us around the incredible living canvas.
Sam Cox is better known as Mr Doodle and already has artwork on show at the F51 skate park in Folkestone.
The 28-year-old has also revealed he’s going to make Doodle House his permanent home.
Also in today’s podcast, 100,000 people have signed a petition set up by the parents of a little boy who died after choking at a nursery in Ashford.
Zoe and Lewis Steeper are opposed to plans to relax the adult to child ratio in care settings.
They’re now hoping the issue will be debated in parliament as soon as possible.
We have analysis from our political editor Paul Francis after a massive u-turn from the government following the mini-budget.
Find out why parents and children are being encouraged to walk to school more this month.
And, you can hear from the Gillingham manager following their win over Sutton United at the weekend.

In today’s podcast, a woman who purchased puppies from a breeder says she’s devastated after one died just nine hours after he got dropped off. Our reporter, Charlotte Phillips has the details.
 
For the first time since July last year – house prices in the South East have failed to rise in monthly terms. Nationwide says they’re unchanged from August, but are still almost 10.5% higher than in September 2021. We speak to a mortgage advisor in Rochester.
 
There are calls for an alleyway near Sittingbourne to be blocked off because of antisocial behaviour.
People living near the cut-through in Murston say they’re living in fear, after reports of people deliberately starting fires and using catapults to smash windows. We speak to a resident and a councillor in the area.
 
There are more rail strikes tomorrow. There will be no southeastern train services running all day, with the advice being not to travel. However, it’s left some people concerned how they’re going to get to the London Marathon which is taking place this weekend.
We hear from John Halsall from Network Rail.
 
And in football, Gillingham are still in desperate need of a win as they welcome Sutton United to Priestfield this weekend. We speak to the Gills boss.
 

A taxi company says it’s been forced to close one of its offices early, because of abuse aimed at staff by customers.
Vokes Taxis used to keep its site on Station Road in Rainham open until midnight but now shuts at 6pm.
Hear from reporter Amy Tregenna who has been speaking to the co-owner of the business.
Also in today’s podcast, an organisation that gives grants to charities in Kent has told the podcast they’re hearing from an increasing number that are struggling.
The voluntary sector’s been hit by the cost of living crisis with more people needing support, and fewer able to make donations.
We’ve been speaking to the Kent Community Foundation.
Meantime, it’s also feared the cost of living crisis is forcing families in Kent to give up hosting Ukrainian refugees.
More than 1,600 hosts have come forward since the Homes for Ukraine scheme launched in March but the council says as many as 1,000 may need re-matching.
Hear from the Opora charity which has concerns.
Ahead of Kent getting a new chief constable, we’re being asked what we’d like them to focus on.
Alan Pughsley steps down from the role at the end of the week after eight years in the job.
Kent’s police and crime commissioner is running a survey online to find out what the new person in charge should prioritise.
And finally, hear the inspirational story of a teenager who took up wheelchair racing after suffering a spinal cord injury just two years ago – and has just won her first medal.
Ellis Kottas was a competitive swimmer before being left with life-changing injuries in 2020.

A woman has described how a rat infestation in her flat near Deal is making her life a misery.
Marilyn Nolan says the rodents are keeping her up at night and chew on the carpet.
She’s urging the council to do more. Hear what Marilyn had to say to our reporter and we’ve got a response from the local authority.
Also in today’s podcast, we’ve been told how children in parts of Thanet are having to sleep on the floor or share a bed with their parents, because they haven’t got furniture of their own.
Now a charity has been given £5,000 to provide beds for low-income families. We’ve been speaking to the chief executive of the Thanet Iceberg Project.
The people in charge of the air ambulance that covers Kent have revealed how they could use drone technology in the future to get defibrillators to patients.
There’s some positive news from the boss of Britain’s oldest brewery based in Faversham.
Figures show how Shepherd Neame have bounced back following the pandemic.
We have a warning from Kent Fire and Rescue when it comes to trying to save money but keep our homes warm this winter.
And, hear from the 86-year-old man whose life was saved thanks to newsagents in Maidstone.
The managed to get emergency services to Cyril Bailey who was suffering a heart attack – he’s now spoken to the podcast to say thank you.

New research has found nine in 10 people in Whitstable are concerned about the impact short-term holiday lets, or Airbnb properties, are having on the town.
The result of an online survey of residents carried out by the Canterbury District Green Party have been published.
We’ve been speaking to a local councillor and heard what one Airbnb owner has to say about it.
Also in today’s podcast, we’ve been hearing how small businesses in Folkestone town centre face tough choices this winter.
As the cost of living continues to bite, a number of firms in the High Street – including restaurants – have closed down.
But some have decided to launch, just as the government’s pledged to discount wholesale energy costs for non-domestic users for six months from October. Hear from the owner of a new coffee shop.
There’s more reaction in Kent after last week’s mini-budget after it was confirmed the county could become an ‘investment zone’. Find out what that would mean.
Journeys in part of Kent made by people using a wheelchair have been described as like ‘dicing with death’.
Councillor Tim Prater is able-bodied but has been out in a wheelchair in Folkestone so see what it’s like for those who need them to get around. Hear what he thought.
And in sport, Kent cricket fans have been celebrating the career or Darren Stevens.
He’s been welcomed to the pitch at Canterbury on the second day of their final match of the season.

The mum of a 10-year-old girl from Maidstone with autism says she may consider putting her into foster care if she’s unable to go to a specialist boarding school in Sussex.Liz Lindenbauer has told the podcast how she is struggling to cope with Eva’s autism.She is now desperate for something to be done and has been speaking to our reporter Megan Carr.Also in today’s podcast, a couple say they’re disappointed after being told they couldn’t pay with cash at a new cinema complex in Canterbury.Carol and Richard Riley had been out for a walk and stopped off at the cafe in the Curzon. Hear their story and what some of you think.There are calls for an eviction ban in England to be re-introduced amid the cost of living crisis.It was first brought in during the pandemic and stops landlords from forcing people to move out, without a good reason.We’ve been getting the thoughts of Canterbury based homelessness charity Porchlight.You can also hear the inspiring story on a woman from Maidstone who is now helping others, after beating a four year battle with anorexia.23-year-old Emily Hale was first diagnosed with an eating disorder when she was 18 and has decided to speak out.Former Strictly dancer Ola Jordan has been chatting about not leaving it too late to have children.And in sport, hear from the Gillingham manager following their goalless draw with Hartlepool at the weekend.Plus we want to say thank you as the KentOnline Podcast reaches a major milestone.

Dozens of people have been made redundant after a 284-year-old Kent business went into administration.
Bosses at Chartham Paper Mill are blaming tough trading conditions on things like Covid and the rising cost of living.
Hear what administrators have said.
Also on today’s podcast, we get reaction to the chancellor’s not so mini budget as he announced the biggest tax cuts since 1972.
Plans to redevelop part of Sheppey have been criticised for focusing on building a new crazy golf course – instead of upgrading a swimming pool.
Bosses have applied for £20 million of funding through the government’s levelling up scheme. But a local councillor isn’t happy with how it could be spent.
The KentOnline Podcast has been told people are too scared to use a park in Medway because of worsening anti-social behaviour.
Residents say attacks on children, broken bottles, drug use and vandalism commonly happen at Rainham Rec – hear from the local community group.
Former Strictly pro-dancer and Kent resident Ola Jordan has been chatting ahead of the launch show of the new series tonight.
And in sport, we’ve been catching up with Gillingham defender Max Ehmer ahead of their long trip north to take on Hartlepool this weekend.