Kent Tonight - Tuesday 1st October 2024
Catch up with all the latest news across your county with Oliver Leader de Saxe.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live on KMTV. I'm Oliver, leader of the Saks and here
00:29are your top stories on Tuesday the 1st of October.
00:33Eat or heat. Demonstrators faced with a cold winter as fuel prices hiked.
00:38It's going to hit me because it was my first year getting the windfuel allowance. I'm not
00:43going to get it now so I'm £300 by myself.
00:45My history, my heritage. As Black History Month begins, some ask should it be celebrated?
00:53It's not your one month thing. I live it every day.
00:57To fancy a brew, we head to Rochester to find out why coffee has overtaken tea as Britain's
01:04favourite cuppa.
01:05I mean, desperate times call for desperate measures, but if there is the possibility
01:10then yeah, milk.
01:20First tonight, eating or heating. That's the choice that pensioners across Kent tell us
01:25they're facing this winter.
01:28With energy prices set to rise by an average of 10 per cent within the next week, protesters
01:33have today taken to the streets of Dover to urge the government to intervene.
01:39But the government says it is committed to making sure it does everything possible to
01:44support vulnerable families.
01:46Finn McDermott was on the scene earlier today.
01:50Canterbury, Dover and Chatham might be far apart, but today they've all been together
01:55protesting against Ofgem's price cap increase on energy.
01:58The price cap sets a maximum rate that can be billed to customers for their energy usage,
02:03and it's set to increase by 10 per cent in the last quarter of 2024, which begins today.
02:09This level was £1,568 in the last quarter that started in July, but will rise to £1,717.
02:18One demonstration in Dover hoped to get enough signatures on their petition to get the government
02:22to step in and help ease the burden, especially on those most vulnerable, like pensioners.
02:27The thing is that this is going to affect the poorest amongst us much harder, because
02:32the understanding is that if you are on benefits of any form, or you are a low-paid pensioner,
02:39i.e. somebody who is entitled to the cap, that's an additional 5 per cent on your income
02:47ratio. So I don't think the government has even thought about this properly.
02:53Thanks to data from the census, we know that the average age in Dover is increasing, and
02:58plenty of people on the street are worried for themselves, their loved ones and the people
03:02they know who might not be able to cope with the change.
03:04How do you think it's going to be for you, personally?
03:08Difficult. Difficult. But, you know, it's something we cope with always, every year,
03:14actually. Every year something comes up, wherever the government is, and we get hit
03:22the hardest.
03:23It's going to hit me, because it was my first year of getting the windfuel allowance. I'm
03:26not going to get it now, so I'm £300 off. They're saying to me that the £400 are going
03:31to put the pension up. It's going to cope with it, but it's just not going to. Obviously,
03:35all the heating's going to go up. We're going to make more use of it. And it's like they
03:38said, it's eat or heat. It's a drastic decision that you've got to make, and you've got no
03:43choice but to make it.
03:46The energy office Ofgem told us that they know this rise in the price cap is going to
03:49be extremely difficult for many households, while the government's energy department say
03:54they will do everything possible to support vulnerable families this winter.
03:58The government also mentioned that the new state pension is expected to increase by £460
04:03next year, and they believe this would outstrip any loss for pensioners.
04:07To get a sense of how the most vulnerable are feeling in places like Dover, plenty of
04:11people were using the phrase eat or heat.
04:14Finn McDermid for CAME TV in Dover.
04:18Now a variety of rare fungus that was thought to be extinct in the UK has been spotted near
04:23Canterbury. It marks just one of 14 times where the variant has been spotted since 1883.
04:30That's how rare it is, and campaigners hope that the mushrooms, known as the candelabra
04:35corals, could also block a new 1800 home village being built off the A2.
04:42You can read more about this story on Kent online.
04:46Today marks the start of Black History Month across the country and the county.
04:52It's meant to be a month where those in the black community are celebrated for their
04:56achievements, but not everyone is happy, with some saying that celebrating their identity
05:02shouldn't just be a one off each year.
05:05Well, Mahima Abedin paid a visit to Diversity House in Sittingbourne to find out more.
05:16Black History Month has just kicked off in Kent, and here at CAME TV, we're looking
05:21to shine a light on members of the community.
05:24We started off by speaking to Diversity House in Sittingbourne, which supports people from
05:28all walks of life.
05:30But while people from diverse backgrounds go to them for advice, it has a different
05:34take on what this month means to them.
06:04Believe me, people will get to understand who you are, get to understand your history,
06:10and all the fears that people have and the suspicion will not be there.
06:14So after speaking to Christine, I found out that not everyone believes that there should
06:18be just one dedicated month to celebrating a specific community.
06:24Instead, she showed me around this room here, and on these shelves, there's loads of different
06:28toys.
06:29And she showed me these dolls in particular, and what these dolls are, they're all of different
06:33ethnicities.
06:34And she said that this shows that everybody should be celebrated every day, in fact, and
06:39any topics or issues that matter should be brought up in day-to-day life, not just in
06:44one particular month.
06:46But then, after speaking to her, that made me wonder, would everyone agree?
06:50Patience uses the Diversity House facilities to learn new skills.
06:54She was busy sewing an African bubble dress.
06:56It's a traditional piece of clothing.
06:58As she told me, it's also her country's Independence Day.
07:02I agree with it, because this month reminds us that we have our independence.
07:10Like today in Nigeria, it's the first of October, which is our Independence Day.
07:15So every year, in October 1st, we remember Independence Day, where we have our freedom.
07:22So here, we celebrate men and women that gave their life for the war.
07:27Whether or not you agree that there's a need of the month, October will undoubtedly shed
07:31a light on the black community, not only in Kent, but across the whole country.
07:35Mahima Abedin for KMTV in Sittingbourne.
07:44Next tonight, a chicken farmer in Canterbury says registering birds won't stop bird flu.
07:50From today, anyone with poultry has to register their birds or face a fine, maybe even imprisonment.
07:57Longland Farms says while this measure will hold pet owners more accountable,
08:01it doesn't do much for the farms facing what can be a devastating disease.
08:07Abbey Hooks spoke to Giles Campbell earlier today.
08:11Who does this actually affect the most?
08:15It really only affects people who have got less than 50 chickens,
08:19which you always have to register poultry if you own more than 50.
08:25The registering of the birds, the poultry, even if there are less than 50,
08:30even if they are pets, chickens in your garden, I suppose the point is,
08:35is that it's key to stop the spread to bigger farms like yours, for example,
08:40and stop what could be a real devastating impact on your trade.
08:47Bird flu arrives in this country by way of migratory birds.
08:55It's then spread by wild birds flying around the country.
09:03It's generally not spread by domestic poultry.
09:09Whilst they can catch it, they don't get around the place.
09:15When was the last time you saw a flock of chickens flying past?
09:18They don't tend to cause the spread of it.
09:22But it is important for the APHA to know where domestic birds are
09:28so that they can more effectively and rapidly respond
09:32in the event of an outbreak of bird flu.
09:35So what would you say needs to be done?
09:36What needs to be the focus when looking and preventing bird flu?
09:43I'm not entirely convinced that you can prevent it.
09:45We spent an enormous amount of money trying to prevent COVID
09:49and it wasn't hugely successful.
09:53Dealing with it when it happens is necessary.
09:56And owners who fail to do so, who fail to register their birds from today,
10:01they could be fined.
10:02They could even face imprisonment.
10:04Now, officials have said that it will be fair, whatever,
10:08it will be proportionate, whatever the outcome is there,
10:11whatever the punishment is.
10:12But do you think that's fair?
10:14Do you think that will have an effect?
10:19It's not hugely difficult to register.
10:23So I don't really see why people wouldn't.
10:27And just tell me a bit more about bird flu itself.
10:30Has your farm ever been impacted by it?
10:32I know there was previous outbreaks that we've reported on in the past here at KMTV.
10:37And some other farms in the Canterbury area had been impacted too.
10:41What was the situation for you and your farm?
10:45Yeah, we've been impacted by it.
10:48And the standard response from the APHA is they cull out all of the birds on the site.
10:56And what impact did that have on your business?
10:59Was that a tricky time to go through as a farm and the way you operate?
11:04Yeah, I think the big impact is psychological and emotional.
11:10That does hit you very hard.
11:14The commercial impact obviously is there and you have to deal with that.
11:19But, you know, we went through Covid and we all had to deal with that as well.
11:24So, you know, you come up against these things in life and you just have to get on with it, don't you?
11:32So what's your favourite kind of coffee?
11:35Well, it's International Coffee Day.
11:36So after the break, our reporter Bartholomew Hall will have a little bit more on that.
11:41Just a few more minutes now.
11:42We'll see you very soon.
14:42Hello and welcome back to Kentonite Live.
15:12Live here on KMTV.
15:15Next tonight, infected with maggots.
15:18That is what one family of an 80-year-old from Gillingham have said was found in her foot seven days into her stay at Medway Maritime Hospital.
15:28The Medway Foundation NHS Trust have apologised to Linda Nelson, who was admitted to hospital for kidney failures and other symptoms over the summer.
15:39An investigation into what happened is still ongoing, with the pensioner and her daughter labelling what happened appalling.
15:47I can't imagine that in 2024, my mother's had these experiences at the hospital.
15:58I just find it, I just find it unbelievable.
16:02Where the hell did they come from?
16:04Because I didn't have maggots before.
16:08Very odd, considering it's a hospital.
16:12You know what I mean?
16:13Yeah, yeah, it's meant to be a clean, sterile environment and...
16:16So where do you get maggots?
16:17Yeah.
16:20Well, there's more on that story on Kent Online.
16:22But in football now, Gillingham are looking to extend their lead at the top of the League Two table, as they take on Grimsby Town at Priestfield this evening.
16:32It comes after a convincing 2-0 win over Barrow at the weekend.
16:36The Gilles have picked up six wins in their first eight games of the season so far, while Grimsby Town are in 11th and have just won four kickoffs at 7.45 this evening.
16:51Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all your latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website, kmtv.co.uk.
17:00There you'll find all our reports, including this one about the controversial water statue in Canterbury causing a splash in the River Stour.
17:09A new underwater sculpture that arrived in the River Stour in Canterbury last week has stirred the minds of those passing by it.
17:16The statue, called the Alluvia, is a sculpture of a woman underwater.
17:20With backing from many individuals and organisations, it's set to be in the river indefinitely.
17:26While lots of residents and art lovers appreciate the work, others have commented online saying it's creepy and even looks like a real person's drowning.
17:34In the river behind me lies the art installation that with its arrival has brought a big reaction.
17:39Some people think it's disturbing, while others see the beauty and symbolism behind it.
17:43Either way, the crowds that have come here today are taking pictures and willing to share their opinion.
17:47I've noticed a lot of shocked faces, a lot of people look down into the river and they gasp.
17:53I just saw this piece a week ago and I remember it was a kind of visceral, oh what, you know, that kind of, a really strong reaction when I saw it.
18:03Yeah, I quite like it. I think it's also reading more about it and like realising it's a bit more about marine conservation and things like that.
18:10I think it looks like a corpse, a dead corpse.
18:12I think it's, um, looks rather sad. It does look like somebody's fallen in and they've got extremely white.
18:22Apparently it's illuminated at night. So I've seen pictures of that and I think it's even creepier.
18:29So was the intention for it to look like a corpse?
18:32I spoke to artist Jason Taylor to find out what he wanted to provoke with the piece.
18:36Well, all of my work, you know, is around the world in different places.
18:40It's mostly all underwater and it's all designed to actually create habitats.
18:44So it's designed for corals and sponges and all these different creatures to actually inhabit.
18:50And for me, that's what it's all about. It's about creating works of art that are living, that change over time, that reflect more of us.
18:59You know, we're evolving creatures, we're actually nature ourselves, which I think people tend to forget about.
19:07But how is a piece of art commissioned and cemented into a community?
19:11I spoke to Stuart Ross, who is responsible for organising its creation.
19:15He says this is an important piece and needs to stay.
19:19This statue has got sensors in it that serve an ecological purpose.
19:24They measure the flow of the water, they measure the quality of the water, and that information is fed back to the city council.
19:31So not just a work of art, it's also an environmental piece of scientific equipment.
19:38During the evenings, the piece is meant to glow by using the floodlights in the area, which will start within the next few days.
19:45Whether you love it or love it, the alluvia is causing a ripple of opinions across the city.
19:49Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Canterbury.
19:53From ripples to weather, let's look at the forecast for the rest of the week.
20:02Tonight, the temperatures stay mild, averaging around 12 across the county, cloudy skies all over and strong gales.
20:09Tomorrow morning, it gets slightly warmer, reaching 15 degrees in Ashford and Dover, sun peeking through as well.
20:16Into the afternoon, rain all over, but still some sunshine, 15 degrees over by Folkestone and the outlook for the rest of the week.
20:25Lots of sun, some cloud, 15 degrees on Saturday.
20:29And finally, how well do you know your macchiato from your mocha?
20:33Perhaps you're more of a tea drinker.
20:36Well, if so, you're actually in the minority.
20:38The cup of Joe from the more popular choice here in Kent and the rest of the UK, with 4% more Brits drinking it and a stereotypical cup of tea.
20:47Well, today is International Coffee Day.
20:50So if you're a tea drinker, you're in the minority.
20:53From the skinny decaf soy macchiato to the quad shot flat white or even just the plain old latte, coffee has become the go to drink here in the UK over tea.
21:03So I've come to Rochester High Street to see what people here prefer.
21:08Tea, black tea, most of the times.
21:11Black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea, black tea.
21:23Sometimes he has espresso, but mainly we have tea.
21:27Always coffee, either a tea or a chai latte.
21:30It's a regular latte, although I think just with normal milk.
21:33I mean, desperate times call for desperate measures.
21:35But if there is the possibility, then yeah, milk.
21:39Tea is my go to.
21:40For a nation of so-called tea drinkers, it seems here the debate is still hotly tied.
21:46More widely, however, the stats show that tea has been ground down, with 4% more Brits preferring the morning joe.
21:53In fact, 553 million packets of coffee compared to 287 million packets of tea were sold in the UK between March 2022 and March 2023.
22:06But for many, a cup of coffee is about more than just the morning dose of caffeine.
22:10Some would say the coffee shop experience is a treat in of itself.
22:15It's nice to have like a little community pub in a way where everyone, you kind of see how people's lives develop.
22:23Usually I learn people's coffee orders as their name.
22:26So I'll be like, oh, it's cappuccino man or something, or it's flat white with an extra shot man or something like that.
22:32And it is nice to just be able to see them coming in, already have their order down and made by the time they get some till and they're like, oh.
22:41From the cappuccino commute to the midday mocha,
22:43there's a lot you can tell about someone by their favourite.
22:46But scientists think you can go even further back, right back to when the beans are roasted.
22:52Researchers at the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago argue a light roast drinker savours life's pleasures,
23:00whereas a dark roast lover is supposedly more adventurous and willing to experiment.
23:05So whether you're a coffee drinker or a tea slurper, everyone has their go to warm drink.
23:11And at the end of the day, I'm sure we'd all agree it's less about the brew and more about the break.
23:17Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Rochester.
23:20Well, but before we go staying with the International Coffee Day theme, I'm joined by our coffee loving channel director.
23:28And we put you to the test, Andy, because you drink more coffee than anyone else I know at KMTV.
23:33So I kind of want to know, just before we do this, how much coffee do you drink a day?
23:37A lot. I would say I have two double espressos before I get to the office.
23:41And then I spend the day drinking many cups of coffee.
23:45But there are some horror stories about coffee around the KMTV newsroom.
23:49Any newsroom has a lot of coffee around it.
23:53And I was quite concerned that with this test that we're about to do, that Kristen, who's giggling behind the cameras,
24:01she didn't know how to make coffee, the cafetiere properly, the coffee.
24:04She's asking how to do it. Now, two very bright eyed interns, Harry, Pete and Keenan Webster,
24:10who are now Channel 4 and ITV journalists today, they once wanted to really impress me.
24:17So they said, we're going to make you a coffee, Andy.
24:20They did a coffee without the cafetiere.
24:22They just chubbed all the coffee grounds in, made it.
24:24And it was the worst thing I'd ever tasted.
24:26So there's several things that have gone wrong with coffee in our KMTV newsroom.
24:30And it's a big, big discussion point in the newsroom all the time.
24:33So you wouldn't say that was your best cup of coffee you've ever had?
24:35Absolutely not. Neither would it be Izzy Miller, one of our producers.
24:39She'll order stuff like decaf vanilla lattes.
24:42That's a milkshake. No, that's not coffee.
24:45Well, I quite like a flavoured coffee, you know, that's just me, you know.
24:49Anyway, so what have we got here?
24:51So we have a range of different things.
24:55We have one pre, we have like one Nespresso.
24:58We have a budget coffee as well.
25:01We have a mid-range one. And of course, we have a premium coffee.
25:04It's your job to work out which one is which.
25:08I'll slightly correct you. I know there's a decaf.
25:09There's a decaf instant, there's a premium and a budget.
25:14And I know the Nespresso, I can tell by the colour.
25:16So I won't do number two. And we're probably running out of time.
25:19So I won't do number two because I know that's Nespresso, right?
25:21I can tell by the froth in the top.
25:23You know what? You nailed that in one.
25:24I'm going to go for number one.
25:27Here we go.
25:30Kristen, you've not killed me yet.
25:33All right, I'll try three.
25:35Oh, how are you finding it so far?
25:37It's quite nicely made, you know.
25:40I think I reckon these two are the ground.
25:42Let's go for four.
25:45Before I know, I'm not even tasting.
25:47That is the decaf.
25:48Oh, go on. Give it one sip.
25:49Give it one sip of KNTV.
25:53Oh, my goodness me.
25:54Right. It's all down to this.
25:56I reckon number one is the regular, three is the premium.
26:00You know what? You almost have all three.
26:03You almost have all four of them.
26:05But it's the other way around.
26:06Number one on the far, far left for the viewers at home is the premium.
26:11And right there in between the Nespresso and the decaf is the budget.
26:15But like, it's interesting that you actually thought that was the budget one.
26:19You know, Kristen, you can make the coffee more in the newsroom.
26:23No problem.
26:24It was much nicer than I expected.
26:25What about you, Ollie? You drink lots of coffee?
26:27Oh, I drink a fair lot of coffee.
26:29I mean, like the things I don't have time in the morning to have breakfast.
26:32That's normally my journalist's breakfast.
26:35But that is everything we have time for on KNTV tonight.
26:38We'll be back tomorrow at 5.30.
26:40Drink plenty of coffee.
26:41We'll see you soon.