Help fund important community project

The UJ Community Partnership is a community-based organisation with the objective of helping local residents gain/learn new skills as well as generally seeking to reduce levels of social isolation.

From learning something new by attending training and personal development courses, or making new friends by attending social events, the UJ Community Partnership has helped many residents from across the Hoo Peninsula since it was formed in 2003.

The long-established and much loved group is run by Veronica Cordier, who works hard to ensure the group’s survival.  Funding is always at the top of Veronica’s agenda – making sure the group can afford to offer new training courses and other opportunities for residents, as well as more routine expenses, such as heating, equipment, facilities and running costs.

With everyone tightening their belts, it has become more difficult to find funding, so if you run a local business and are able to offer funding support of any amount (it all helps), please get in touch with Veronica by phoning 01634 271807, or write to Veronica Cordier, UJ Community Partnership, The Chapel/Grain Library, Chapel Road, Isle of Grain, ME3 0BZ.

Next month the UJ Community Partnership is offering residents training/familiarisation workshops on using a tablet - particularly handy if you receive one for Christmas!  Book your place by phoning 01634 271807.

  

Hoo Clean Up (Saturday 23 February)

Join the fight against litter in Hoo, by coming along and joining other residents at the next Hoo Clean Up on Saturday 23 February, at 9.30am.

This month, volunteers will meet at the raised platform area in Hoo Village Square, as The Chequers pub is currently closed for a major refurbishment. Volunteers will target ‘enemy’ litter in and around the village centre. There’ll also be free refreshments after the session.

If you’d like to find out more about the Hoo Clean Ups, or to sign up for this excellent community activity, contact Michael Pearce (Clean Up Co-Ordinator) on 07919 693 095, or send an email by clicking here.

  

Join the new Saxon Shore Way Clean Up team!

Don’t panic, volunteers aren't being asked to ‘clean up’ the full length of the Saxon Shore Way, stretching as it does from Gravesend to Hastings - a mere 160 miles from start to finish!

However, following a number of local groups expressing an interest in setting up a new ‘shore-side’ Clean Up team, other residents are now being invited to come forward and get involved in these new regular litter picks along the stretch that runs between Upnor and Hoo.

If you’re keen to get involved, please get in touch by emailing me here, or contact the Village Voices team on 07919 693 095, or email here.

  

Helping local people in Grain and beyond!

The UJ Community Partnership, based at The Chapel, Chapel Road, Isle of Grain, supports local people by providing different activities that promote social-inclusion, through organising events and learning opportunities.

The Partnership helps people learn, or improve, IT skills. They also run a variety of other useful courses, including first aid workshops and help with personal financial management.

The group was set up in 2003 and is run by a team of hardworking local volunteers. Veronica Cordier (pictured below), who manages the group, is always keen to attract new people, and funding!

The UJ Community Partnership runs courses in basic computing, through to an accredited course, along with a manual book keeping course. The group also hopes to continue their lunch and craft club for the over 50s - usually held on the second and fourth Monday’s of the month. However, Veronica is keen to find new funding to cover the running costs of these activities. The group is not government funded and they have to apply for funding to cover their activities and courses.

If you’d like to find out more about getting involved in the UJ Community Partnership, regardless of where you live on the Hoo Peninsula, or if you'd like to help fund this important group, please get in touch with Veronica Cordier on 01634 271807.
  

Volunteering at Grain Coastal Park (Sunday 20 May 2012)

The next volunteering activity day at Grain Coastal Park is this Sunday (20 May), from 10am.

Click the poster below to find out more.

To find out more about the Friends of Grain Coastal Park, or to get involved with volunteering, come along on Sunday - you’ll be made very welcome.

Let's hope it doesn't rain!

  

Hoo Clean Up - May 2012

A team of enthusiastic local residents (all volunteers) met on Saturday morning to help clear litter from around the village square.

Up until now, the Parish Council run Clean Up event has been organised every other month, but now the Clean Up activities will take place every month. And the next opportunity to get involved and help make Hoo look tidy will be on Saturday 16 June at 9.30am - meeting point to be confirmed.

So, if you have a spare 90 minutes or so - pop along next time and join in! There’s a promise of some free tea or coffee and a nice slice of cake after!

Well done to all those who gave up their time to lend a hand on Saturday and to Parish Councillor Ron Sands for motivating the troops.

If you’d like to find out more about getting involved, get in touch with Ron on 07770 747820.

  

Picking at the litter in Hoo!

The latest Hoo Clean Up took place on Saturday with a litter pick around Hoo Village Hall and the recreation ground along Pottery Road.

Despite being a very foggy morning, the Parish Council event attracted a good bunch of residents keen to help make our community a bit cleaner. Some of those who came along are pictured below - many thanks to Sheila Mudge at Village Voices for the photograph.

After all the hard work everyone headed back to the Village Hall to enjoy a nice hot cuppa and a few cakes, kindly donated by ‘Icing on the Cake’, the bakers shop in Hoo Village Square. Thanks for the cakes - they were lovely!

The next Hoo Clean Up will be on Saturday 12 May, from 9.30am until 11am. This time the meeting point will be the car park behind the Village Square. If you'd like to get involved, and for more information, contact Parish Councillor Ron Sands on 07770 747820 or send him an email here.

Look forward to see you!

  

Cleaning up the Hoo Peninsula

There was quite a bit of community activity taking place on the Hoo Peninsula a couple of weekends ago - with ‘action days’ taking place in Allhallows, High Halstow and Hoo. The main aim in each area was to clean up litter and make things look a bit better.

In Allhallows, the Parish Council organised their fourth Project Morning - attracting 20 local volunteers, who bagged 28 sacks of rubbish. They also picked up a few bulky items, including a bed frame, traffic cone, suitcase and a torso of a life size wooden soldier!!!

The next Project Morning in Allhallows is on Saturday 11 February - meeting at Allhallows Village Hall (Stoke Road) at 8.30am. For more information, get in touch with the Parish Council by emailing here.

In Hoo, residents collected 25 bags of rubbish and an oil drum - with efforts targeted around the Village Square car park.

The next Hoo Clean Up will take place on Saturday 24 March - meeting at Hoo Village Hall (Pottery Road) at 9.30am. For more information contact Tony on 01634 255694 or by email here.

And in High Halstow, the Parish Council and local volunteers carried on with their community action, which they’ve been doing for many years - with picking up litter, repairing fences, improving playgrounds and clearing wooded walks just some of the tasks they carry out. The sessions are known as Project 90 - representing the number of minutes that each volunteer gives at each session.

Here are some photographs of previous Project 90 sessions.

The next Project 90 event in High Halstow will take place on Saturday 11 February - meeting at High Halstow Village Hall at 8.30am. For more information, get in touch with the Parish Council by emailing here.

There’ll be a special report about High Halstow’s Project 90 added to this website later this week!