This week got off to a great start as on Monday I joined Sevenoaks District Council leader Peter Fleming and local district and parish councillors Roddy Hogarth, John Edwards-Winser, Carol Bent and Simon Featherstone to greet one of the new fast line trains at Otford Station.
The new line is a result of our long fought – but successful - campaign, and it was fantastic to see commuters already benefitting from the direct line to London Bridge. Obviously, we’ve had a difficult start because of strikes, and diversions - which I’m following up on - but by working together we have achieved a real and meaningful change for residents.
This is a huge step forward and while I am monitoring its performance closely, I will keep pushing for more rush hour trains to be provided in order to make it an even more user-friendly service.
I also wanted to use my column this week to reflect on our local Ukrainians refugees. Following the appalling invasion of Ukraine, I have spoken many times about how proud I am of the response across Sevenoaks, Swanley and surrounding villages. The kindness and generosity shown has been truly inspiring, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated their time, money, and home to help Ukrainian people fleeing the war.
However, sadly, the conflict shows no signs of ending soon. And, as a result, families are still unable to safely return to their homes in Ukraine and will be staying with us for a while longer. This means that the challenge to provide accommodation in our community remains – including for those whose original sponsor is no longer able to support them.
So, if you have a spare room, or even a spare property, please do consider whether you could host an individual or small family. Each month, for one guest, you will receive a £400 support payment, plus £100 for each additional guest (up to a maximum of £1000), as a thank you for opening your home. This includes a top up from Kent County Council to the funding provided by central government to share their own thanks.
Sevenoaks District Council are hosting two host events this month if you would like to find out more. On Wednesday 18th January, there is a session at Swanley Link, BR8 7AE, and on Thursday 19th January, there is an event at The Vine Evangelical Church, Sevenoaks, TN13 3AT. Both meetings are between 6.30pm and 8.30pm.
For further details, you can email SDC directly at [email protected] or please do reach out to me at [email protected], and I will do my best to point you in the right direction.
Finally, a massive thank you to everyone who has already been involved with the UK’s response to the war, whether that be through donating items and money, hosting a family, or welcoming our new arrivals into the community. I am confident we will all continue to do our bit to help those in need.
