Catch up with all the latest news from across the county with Finn Macdiarmid.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMT.
00:30I'm Finn McDermid and here are your top stories on Monday the 7th of April.
00:37Unplugged and unbearable, Stansted locals are worried they could lose their internet after the village provider said they'd have to shut the service by December.
00:46Seated Stagecraft, a sitting-born theatre, are set to put on a show performed in wheelchairs to raise money for charity.
00:52And Whitstable to Wembley. Whitstable Town FC are through to the final of the FAVs and we'll be hearing from the team's head coach later.
01:00Now, residents of Stansted Village near Sevenoaks were shocked when they were told they would be without a broadband provider by December.
01:09Many of the locals were worried about how the change would affect their work, hobbies and education,
01:15with one resident writing to his local MP, Tom Tugendhat, about the issue.
01:20I went down to the village to find out more.
01:23It would make my life unbearable, to be frank.
01:26Last month, residents of Stansted got an email from their broadband provider Truly that because of OpenReach stopping their wholesale line rental product,
01:34they would stop their service to the area by December 2025.
01:38Stansted is a village deep in the Kent countryside, so for locals, connection to the rest of the county and the country is vital.
01:44And without a good Wi-Fi network set up, it could affect people's work, how often they check in on family and friends, or even their businesses.
01:52Steve Bassie was so worried for the potential lack of broadband that he wrote to his local MP, Tom Tugendhat, who ended up speaking to Truly.
01:58To be frank, I don't know what I expected. I was just a desperate person trying to cling on to my broadband.
02:07We live in the country, we're very remote, our telephone signals are pooling, and the loss of broadband would,
02:14especially after losing the pub, would probably be the final straw.
02:18Now, if you're like me, you might just think of Wi-Fi as being something intangible,
02:22but it's actually a utility like water or energy that requires cables to be laid and maintained.
02:26Now, most of the houses here in Stansted use Truly, which means that they have an internet speed of 80 megabytes per second.
02:33But if it gets to December and no changes are made, then instead they'll have to rely on ASDL,
02:38which will only give them an internet speed of 5 megabytes per second.
02:42Being without broadband wouldn't just impact the present, but Stansted's past as well.
02:47Well, I'm the chair of the local history society, and we've just spent four, maybe five years,
02:53turning the paper archive into a digital one.
02:56And it's all stored online on Google Drive.
03:00So we access the historical society archive via Wi-Fi.
03:06And the previous service via BT Openreach was one megabit per second, if on a good day,
03:13which is barely broadband.
03:14So one of the ways it would affect us is not being able to do our historical society work at all, unless we go somewhere else.
03:23Truly say we have been in touch with a small number of customers whose broadband service is a threat from Openreach's wholesale line rental switch-off.
03:31Whilst we have had no part in Openreach's decision to switch off wholesale line rental,
03:35if it goes ahead as planned, it will no longer be possible for us to provide these properties with a broadband connection.
03:41While Truly doesn't serve all the houses and buildings in the area,
03:44there are enough that locals are severely worried, not just for the impact on their lives,
03:47but for the entire village as a whole.
03:50Finn McDermid for Kame TV in Stansted.
03:52Now a family park has become a hotspot for trouble for local police,
03:59who reportedly fight daily battles with street drinkers.
04:03Pencester Gardens in Dover has become the scene of street drinking, petty crime and disorder.
04:08Recently, the park was the site of a mass brawl,
04:10which left three people requiring medical assistance and one person even arrested.
04:15In a letter to Dover District Council, PC James Chenery highlighted the scale of the trouble in the park,
04:21describing how police have fought daily battles with approximately 20 to 30 street drinkers.
04:29Now an innovation in theatre is coming to the stage in Sittingbourne this June,
04:33with the concert performed entirely seated.
04:36With a cast of both wheelchair and non-wheelchair users,
04:40the carefully crafted choreography aims at making the industry both more inclusive
04:45while also raising money for a children's charity.
04:47Now it's worth mentioning three members of the cast all have a genetic disorder
04:52called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and they use wheelchairs on a daily basis
04:56and they say the right equipment is crucial for a much better quality of life.
05:01Well, on our Kent Morning, sorry, The Kent Morning Show,
05:05joining us earlier was Kay Wright, who told us all about the show
05:09and what processes are currently going on to make it their best one yet.
05:13Boom Hush Theatre Productions is a theatre company
05:17and we raise awareness for childhood causes and undiscussed illnesses.
05:23And this year we're supporting Whiz Kids, which is a charity for children's wheelchairs.
05:28And we are creating a show that is entirely seated to help raise awareness of limited mobility
05:35and to help provide equality within our theatre.
05:42And the cast is, as we said, it's a mix of wheelchair users, non-wheelchair users.
05:47Tell us about that dynamic and how everybody's working together
05:50because it's something we've explored here kind of on the channel before
05:53with wheelchair rugby, for example.
05:55I went and had a go and there's lots of people who are wheelchair users
05:59in their day-to-day lives and people who aren't.
06:01But they're able to all come together just the same
06:03and play the sport, you know, in exactly the same way.
06:06I would imagine it has a similar translation in theatre.
06:11Yeah, so basically we make sure the choreography is tailored for seating.
06:16So obviously there are lots of big arm movements
06:18and we work together with the wheelchair users
06:22and actually our choreographer is one of the wheelchair users.
06:25So we work together to help create things that everybody can do
06:30within everybody's ability
06:32and also make it visually interesting for the audience
06:36because we want to create a good show as well
06:38as create inclusivity for everybody.
06:42And we can see some pictures.
06:43I presume that's from a rehearsal there on the screen.
06:46So from that already, what impact do you think this is going to have?
06:50It's going to be quite big, isn't it?
06:51Honestly, we have learnt so much just from doing the rehearsals.
06:58Bethany is a new member of the group
07:00and she is actually a recipient of WizKids Help
07:03who helped her find the right wheelchair
07:05and also helped her get the skills that she needed,
07:08learn the skills she needed to manoeuvre the wheelchair.
07:10Recently, a lot of us have had a wheelchair relay
07:15where we, as non-wheelchair users, had a going one
07:19trying to manoeuvre and actually it's harder than you would think.
07:23So we've learnt so much
07:25and I know that Bethany has really, really enjoyed this experience.
07:30She's actually commented how much she's missed being on stage
07:32since she has been in a wheelchair.
07:34So it's been rewarding already.
07:36I'm hoping it will have the same impact to the audience as well.
07:39And how far do you think the concept could go?
07:43Do you think it's something that you'll implement
07:44in the future, future productions?
07:48Obviously, yes.
07:49I mean, our choreographer is a wheelchair user,
07:53our director is a wheelchair user.
07:55So going forward, we will be using this concept even more
07:59and using wheelchairs on stage
08:02or using walking aids on stage
08:04because they are amplitude wheelchair users,
08:06which means they can walk, but they can't walk very far
08:09and they can't walk for very long.
08:11So this concept has changed, I think, how we perceive theatre
08:16and I'm hoping it will change how other companies perceive theatre as well
08:20and how we can all include everybody in an art form that we all love.
08:27Let's go up on that a little bit.
08:28Are people in wheelchairs often overlooked?
08:31And I mean, I guess with that, should there be more representation
08:34when it comes to the stage?
08:37Yeah, I think so.
08:39I think people are kind of restricted as to what they can do.
08:45Recently, actually, the theatre, we are rehearsing in,
08:48we've just been raising money for that as well,
08:51for a wheelchair lift to help that be more accessible
08:53for not only the theatre goers, but the people performing.
08:58Honestly, sometimes it's the venues, bless them,
09:01they are trying to be more inclusive and be more accessible,
09:07but it can be tricky for the smaller venues,
09:09but we're working on it.
09:11So, yeah, it's just trying really hard
09:13to make it more inclusive for everybody
09:15and wheelchair users who just want to be,
09:20have the freedom to be like everybody else
09:22and do the things that they can do.
09:24I suppose that's the thing, isn't it?
09:25Because it's not just those people
09:27that are on the stage performing,
09:29it's for audiences as well,
09:30and theatre has always been a place for inclusivity
09:33and making it accessible for all.
09:35Right, tell us then, what can somebody expect
09:38if they were hoping to come along
09:39and see everything that's going on?
09:42Oh, it's going to be a fantastic show.
09:44So, it's all the songs from the movies.
09:46We've got songs from Top Gun,
09:47we've got songs from Shrek.
09:49It's a family show,
09:52so bring your kids,
09:53it's going to be so much fun,
09:55and the choreography is honestly
09:57so innovative and creative.
10:01It's been a challenge,
10:03but I think Jessica's risen to the challenge.
10:06It's going to be amazing and fun,
10:08so please come and see it
10:09because we're going to try and raise
10:10as much money for WizKids as possible.
10:13And where does that money go?
10:17You say WizKids.
10:18What does WizKids do?
10:20How useful is this money going to be?
10:22Where is it going to go?
10:24So, WizKids is a children's wheelchair charity,
10:27so they provide wheelchairs
10:29for young people who need them.
10:32But it's not just about providing a wheelchair,
10:34it's providing the right wheelchair
10:36for that person
10:37because there are so many different types
10:39and so many different needs that people have.
10:41And actually,
10:42one of our members who's a wheelchair user
10:45said to me that the wrong wheelchair
10:46can actually feel more disabling.
10:48So they provide those wheelchairs.
10:50And also,
10:51Bethany,
10:53who went to some classes
10:54that provided the teaching of the skills
10:56to be able to use the wheelchair,
10:58manoeuvre up curbs,
11:00and to actually how to steer
11:03because it's actually really tricky.
11:04And they're also campaigning
11:06for more equality
11:07and more inclusivity
11:09in the world in general,
11:12so more awareness.
11:15Well, we've hit the halfway mark now,
11:17so it's time for a very short break.
11:19But don't worry,
11:20coming up after this break,
11:21we'll be hearing more
11:22about the growing issue of dog waste
11:25all across the county,
11:26with apparently 4.4 tonnes of it
11:29being left behind every single day.
11:32We'll also take a very quick look
11:34back at the Kent Primary School,
11:36I believe in Snodland,
11:37who won a national F1 competition
11:39where they had to build
11:40their own small model F1 car.
11:43And we'll also meet the coach
11:44of Whitstable Town FC,
11:45who've made it all the way to Wembley.
11:47All that and more after the break.
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19:55Three-inci closing.
19:57We're sponsors on the sides.
19:59We designed our logo based on our target because we're always striking for the fastest car.
20:03You can look at F1 quite a fair bit and I take a lot of inspiration from it, so taking
20:08streamlined design and taking as much inspiration as the good stuff.
20:15When put to the test, the car clocked an impressive 1.832 seconds on the 20 metre track, making
20:22it the fastest on the grid.
20:23It was probably one of the most amazing experiences ever, I mean everyone was so happy and it
20:29was just a great day for everyone.
20:31And of course a big part of the design process was studying the car's aerodynamics to make
20:35small fine tuning adjustments to get extra speed on the car.
20:40Now I'm going to be given a demonstration of how the wind tunnel works, which in fact they
20:45built themselves.
20:46So there's a smoke generator connected to this remote here, there's a pipe going into
20:52the disperser which disperses the smoke evenly, and then there's the fan that's sucking the
20:59air through the wind tunnel, and then there's this part that just supplies everything with
21:06air so that the smoke can travel fast.
21:11The group all came together thanks to their keen love for Formula One, I'm told all Lewis
21:16Hamilton fans by the way.
21:17Their teacher, Mr Smith, noticed that the school was in need of an F1 club.
21:22The F1 club has really brought in children from different areas around the school, it's
21:26given them a chance to really build on those personal social skills, public talking, speaking
21:32amongst their peers, presenting in front of others, so it's a great chance for them to
21:35really build those skills.
21:36Although after nine months of developing their winning formula, it's clear these youngsters
21:41have set themselves up for a future of success.
21:44Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Snodland.
21:49Now it's time to take a look at the weather.
21:57Now tonight looks rather mild with clear night skies and temperatures around five degrees, seven
22:01up there in Margate.
22:03Then tomorrow morning, warming up to around 10 degrees with nice sunny skies and low wind
22:08speeds.
22:09These speeds picking up in the afternoon along with the warmth reaching 15 in Tunbridge,
22:13Wales, an average of 13 around the county.
22:17Now here's your outlook.
22:18Some clouds on Wednesday with highs of 12 rising to 13 as the clouds clear on Thursday and Friday
22:24bringing incredible highs of 20.
22:33And finally, Whitstable Town Football Club fans are waking up celebrating today after their
22:37side secured a place at a Wembley final for the very first time.
22:40They're known as the Oyster Men and they're now through to the final of the FA Vars after
22:44playing out a goalless draw in their semi-final second leg at Hartbury University.
22:48But thanks to a 2-0 aggregate, Whitstable have booked their place at the home of English football.
22:53We were joined earlier by the team's assistant manager.
22:55Individually, for obviously all of us, it's kind of boy of dream stuff.
23:02Just unbelievable.
23:03You can't even really comprehend it quite yet that we're going to play at the National
23:07Stadium.
23:08Just even obviously for myself, just being able to walk out of the stadium with my little
23:12boy and just share that experience with him.
23:15It's just unbelievable.
23:16And as for obviously all the players, even obviously the manager, he's 42 and what a pinnacle
23:23for his career as well, being able to hopefully hang his boots up at Wembley Stadium for the
23:28last time.
23:29Our kit man retires at the end of the season as well, which he'd already announced.
23:33So it's his last game and what a place to be able to put your kit out.
23:36So yeah, it's just brilliant.
23:38Like I say, it hasn't quite sunk in as yet.
23:42What's been the response from the community?
23:43I was in Whitstable yesterday in the town and it was absolutely packed.
23:46I know Whitstable can be anyway, but I feel a lot of people would get heading into pubs,
23:50try and watch the game, watch it along together.
23:53But what's been the response from the community?
23:55They really have backed the team, even people who haven't followed football.
23:58The quarterfinal, there was two and a half thousand people in the stadium.
24:02Then the semifinal first leg, we had nearly 3000 people.
24:05Plus all the local pubs have packed.
24:07I mean, yesterday we, you could just sense the whole thing around it.
24:11We stayed up in a hotel overnight, but we were getting loads of feedback about
24:15what was going on in the town.
24:17The clubhouse was absolutely rammed yesterday with people watching the game,
24:20obviously with the live stream, people's families, et cetera, et cetera.
24:24So now the local community's really got behind us.
24:27And we're just looking at sort of a project 10,000, should we say,
24:31just to try and see how many people we really can get into Wembley
24:34and obviously get behind us because we've got so many youth teams, parents, coaches.
24:39And like I say, I mean, I think there was eight pubs yesterday showing the game,
24:44all of which were packed and there's already people putting out,
24:46they're going to run coaches from the, from their pub.
24:49They're going to have breakfast put on and they're selling the tickets.
24:51And yeah, it's just absolutely fantastic.
24:54I mean, it's a, it's a brilliant area.
24:56It's a lovely place.
24:57I've got close links to it.
24:59You yourself know the importance of a competition like this for non-league football.
25:03You've worked in many clubs in the sort of non-league scene in Kent
25:07and the FA Vals as well.
25:08It's a competition that rewards skill.
25:10It rewards the skill that you have at the club.
25:13It's not, it's not sort of similar to the FA Cup where you can have a good run.
25:16You might get a, you know, lucky and a penalty shootout or something like that.
25:20You've got here on merit.
25:21We've been up and down the country.
25:22One of our coaching staff, Taylor's been up and down the country watching these teams
25:26and we've put together a real strategic plan of how to win these games.
25:30And tactically, we've been on the money and the players have then delivered on task.
25:35Even yesterday at halftime, we had to change some stuff tactically.
25:39They were really good yesterday.
25:41Heartbury, they changed the way that they, they played slightly to the first leg.
25:45And we adapted at halftime.
25:46And again, like I say, credit goes to the players, but it's been, yeah,
25:50it's been a fantastic journey.
25:51We've had some real, we seem to have played all the favorites all the way along.
25:54We played Jersey balls right at the start that were the favorites.
25:57Wilshimley, Willows and Fleet Town were one of the favorites.
26:00These guys, I think, along with Whiteleaf were the favorites prior to the semifinals.
26:04So, you see, it was, it was really important.
26:06The Kent Cup final was a real sort of galvanization of our season.
26:09And it's given everybody sort of something to grab hold of.
26:13And we've got a lot of players that can play in this competition.
26:15Some that can't play in the Sunday one, some that can't play in this one.
26:19And we've got a real big squad.
26:21And again, we took all of those players up with us yesterday.
26:24Some players weren't even involved yesterday.
26:25There was four players that were left out of the 16 that were actually available.
26:29So that's tough news to deliver to young players that can't be involved in such a big game.
26:34But credit to all of them, like they've been fantastic as a group.
26:37And like I say, it's been a great journey.
26:40Well, that's all we have time for.
26:42Have a very good evening.
26:43See you soon.
26:44We'll see you soon.