Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Oliver Leader de Saxe.
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00:00Good evening and welcome to The Last Kent tonight of 2024.
00:29Live here on KMTV, I'm Oliver, leader of the sacks and here are your top stories on Tuesday
00:36the 31st of December.
00:38Avoid the waters, RL and I advise people to stay in on New Year's Day after yellow weather
00:45warnings delay charity swim.
00:48During a storm and during heavy weather, our advice is not to enter the water unless you've
00:51got specific training and skill and are really, really capable.
00:56Dover deputy leader calls for Kent County Council to subsidise bus routes as fares rise.
01:02They should be doing as much as they can to protect these people from isolation.
01:08And decades of dedication.
01:10Meet the Kent community heroes on 2025's New Year's honours list.
01:15I read the first couple of nights and I burst into tears and I said to myself, oh my parents
01:22would have been so proud of me.
01:34First tonight, people have been advised to avoid the waters this New Year's Day as yellow
01:40weather warnings for strong winds have been issued across Kent.
01:44With predicted high winds, a fundraising water dip has been left with no choice but to move
01:49the date for people's safety.
01:51Katie Page was in Ramsgate earlier today.
01:54On New Year's Day, Ramsgate Beach usually sees an array of people in fancy dress ready
01:58to dip into the cold waters in celebration of the New Year.
02:02But with harsh winds predicted across Kent, this event has been moved.
02:06Fortunately this year we've had to cancel it because of the forecasted bad weather recommended
02:11by the RNLI that it's too dangerous to go in really and we don't want any injuries.
02:15Cancel it and rearrange it for the Sunday the 5th, same thing, midday, we're all going
02:18to meet at the Queen's Head, 11 o'clock and then come down here for midday on the Sunday
02:23and hopefully there will be just as many people and we'll all have a nice safe time in the
02:27sea.
02:28But for tomorrow, people should rethink their water dipping plans.
02:32A yellow weather warning for strong winds has been issued across Kent for New Year's
02:36Day and with gusts of wind expected to reach up to 40 miles per hour, people have been
02:40advised to avoid the waters.
02:42During a storm and during heavy weather, our advice is not to enter the water unless you've
02:46got specific training and skill and are really, really capable.
02:51Swimming in stormy water really isn't a good idea, so my advice is to wait until conditions
02:56settle down before taking a dip.
02:59There's nothing wrong with going out for a stroll, going out for a walk, but remember
03:02that storm-driven sea can be really hazardous, so stay back from the edges and that's edges
03:07of promenades, piers, any sort of man-made structure and indeed the beach because it
03:12is possible for waves to knock people off their feet, to get swept into the water.
03:17Although the event has been moved, there is hope for better weather at the weekend and
03:21for Ramsgate New Year's Dip to fill the sea with people in costumes and for them to finish
03:25proudly wearing their medals.
03:27But it's not just the achievement of taking part in the cold plunge.
03:31This event has been raising money and awareness for a charity over the last decade.
03:35It started 12 years ago, we lost a little boy, a week old, we were looked after by the
03:41Ronald McDonald House at St Thomas', so we promised then and there that we'd do something
03:45to raise the money for them.
03:47The dip was meant to be a one-off, I think there was eight of us the first year and instead
03:52of being a one-off it's just grown and grown.
03:54Last year I think there was over 430 dippers and over a thousand people watching and it's
03:58a really good local event.
04:00We're getting more and more local businesses involved, we're just going to keep on going
04:03and see how big it can get, but it's just a real good feel-good factor about it.
04:10We keep our little boy's name, it's a positive thing and raise money for a great charity.
04:15With the Sea Swim event moved, make sure you too are checking the weather ahead of your
04:19New Year's plans to stay safe.
04:22Daisy Page for KMTV.
04:25And if you want to hear more about the impacts of extreme weather in the county and along
04:29the coast, our brand new Kent Tonight special, Kent's Climate Future, is available to watch
04:34on our website at kntv.co.uk, under the documentaries tab and after the break at 5.45.
04:42There we'll look at what Kent will look like in 100 years' time.
04:46Here's a sneak peek.
04:47Around the world, the effects of climate change are ever-developing.
04:52Over the past century, so much has already changed in our environment and the pace of
04:56change is worrying climate activists.
04:59And it has real impact on the way we will lead our lives, not just now, but forever
05:04on as we get it right.
05:05Well, as I say, I think climate change is such a huge issue for the whole of humanity.
05:10What we can't defend against is these severe heat waves.
05:14In this documentary, we explore how these changes are already shaping the county and
05:19ask what could the next 100 years hold for Kent's future?
05:27Goosebumps.
05:28And while we're looking ahead on Kent's climate, here's the forecast for the next few days.
05:34Cloudy skies tonight, yellow weather warnings for wind coming to force just after midnight.
05:42Speeds around 22mph, picking up to 25mph as we go into Wednesday morning.
05:47Temperatures still staying around 11 degrees.
05:49Some rain in Dartford.
05:51That rain a downpour by the afternoon, dropping to around 7 degrees, loads of sticks near
05:56Tunbridge Wells.
05:57But the outlook for the rest of the week, partly cloudy on Thursday and Friday, a bit
06:01of sun peeking through much sunnier on Saturday, with temperatures staying pretty chilly for
06:05the rest of the week.
06:06Highs of four degrees into the weekend.
06:13Now from tomorrow, the government's bus fare price cap increase will take effect across
06:18the country, with bus companies across Kent changing ticket prices and scrapping multiple
06:23money saving offers, with Stagecoach, which serves Canterbury and Dover, making the biggest
06:28changes.
06:29But local councillors believe Canterbury Council could step in to help, including the deputy
06:34leader of Dover District Council.
06:36Frustratingly, Kent County Council, who are the local transform authority, don't seem
06:41to have a plan.
06:42They need to get a grip on this.
06:44You know, they jumped in in a 67 bus route to plug the gap in Whitfield, in Dover.
06:51They don't seem to have a long term vision.
06:53And ultimately, the people that pay the price are young families, are disabled people, are
06:58the older generation who really rely on these buses.
07:01They're really struggling day to day, who aren't going to be able to go to their towns.
07:05And, you know, our local transport authority, Kent County Council, seem to be silent on
07:09this issue.
07:15Kent are tough, but essential to ensure that bus travel remains affordable and commercially
07:20viable.
07:21Well, Kent County Council have told us they have no comment to make.
07:25Now, 2025's New Year's Honours list has been released, and a total of 26 people that have
07:30been provided services to Kent are in it.
07:33From OBEs to BEMs, the list shows that all those in Kent have had a profound impact on
07:39the community.
07:40Wilhelmina Cooper has dedicated her time to charitable causes across the county, as Kristen
07:45Hawthorne has been finding out.
07:47I ripped open and I read the first couple of lines and I burst into tears.
07:53And I said to myself, oh, my parents would have been so proud of me.
07:57A British Empire Medal is awarded to individuals who have had a positive impact to their local
08:02community through providing exceptional service.
08:06And Wilhelmina Cooper from Canterbury has done just that.
08:09You are to be recommended to His Majesty the King for the honour of British Empire Medal
08:15in the New Year's Honours List 2025.
08:18The short citation for the award would read, for services to charitable fundraising and
08:23to the community in Kent.
08:25Wilhelmina has contributed her time across many different sectors, from helping hundreds
08:29of disadvantaged children have access to music making, to being the director of the Samaritans.
08:35From the Samaritans, I was headhunted by Relate, marriage guidance.
08:39I went to work with them and I helped raise money to buy them a new building.
08:43I've always bought new buildings, you know.
08:46And then I worked with the Cyrenians, which was a homeless charity in Canterbury.
08:50And again, we bought a house for people who were homeless.
08:55And since then, I've been doing other work.
08:58I'm now permanently, I'm the general manager of the Deal Music and Arts, where we do a
09:03lot of work with young children and the community, which is great.
09:07For more than 50 years, she has given her time to a number of different causes and has
09:11not, until now, realised the worth of her contributions.
09:16It's a great shock, really.
09:17You never think, when something like that happens, you never think you deserve it, of
09:20course.
09:21You know, you say, oh golly, it can't be for me, but it was, and that's great.
09:27From looking around her office, the contributions she has made to the community are clear.
09:31But she is not the only person from Kent who's being recognised for their hard work.
09:37David Ward is getting an MBA.
09:39He's a founder and CEO for Abigail's Footsteps, a charity supporting bereaved parents.
09:44We always talk about the importance of fundraising, but the raising awareness is equally as important.
09:50And any recognition we can give towards the tragic situation that still goes on in this
09:55country with stillbirth and the poor facilities that exist in many hospitals still.
09:59So the more we can do, and if this award helps recognise that, and the more we can challenge
10:04hospitals to improve their bereavement care, then fantastic.
10:08Another is the longest-serving Doctor Who actor, Tom Baker, who is being awarded with
10:13an MBE for his services to television.
10:17Don't you mean the infirmary?
10:18No, I do not mean the infirmary.
10:20I mean the sickbay.
10:21You're not fit yet.
10:22Not fit?
10:23I'm the doctor.
10:24No, Doctor, I'm the doctor, and I say that you're not fit.
10:25You may be a doctor, but I'm the doctor.
10:28A total of 26 people were on this year's list for their services to Kent for making a positive
10:34impact to those in the county.
10:36Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV.
10:39But it's not just those on the New Year's Honours list who will be celebrating tonight
10:43as we've been finding out on the streets of Rochester.
10:46I got a box of oysters delivered this morning, and I'm going to have a couple of the girls
10:53over.
10:54I'm going to be celebrating it with my best friend, having a few drinks, and then, yeah,
10:59just looking forward to seeing what the next year brings, really.
11:02No traditions, but we're going to a comedy club, which actually I probably have done
11:05a few years in a row now, because it's not as crowded, because you have to sell tickets
11:10to an auditorium, so that's always nicer than having to cram yourself into a pub or
11:14a nightclub.
11:15We don't have any traditions, but this year we're actually looking after my nephew, so
11:18we're going to put him to bed, and then so our sister and her partner can have a nice
11:24night off.
11:25And then we're just going to have a cosy one.
11:27I think maybe the tradition could be celebrating with friends, doesn't matter where.
11:32Yeah, Christmas is for family, and New Year's Eve is for friends, maybe.
11:36Yeah.
11:37What are you celebrating?
11:38Let us know on social media.
11:40But that's all from us tonight on KMTV.
11:42I'll see you in the new year.
11:44See you soon.
11:45Good night.