Catch up with all the news across the county with Abby Hook.
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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kentonite live on KMTV. I'm Abbey Hook. Here are your
00:26top stories on Monday 2nd December.
00:29Shutting up shop in Strood. Charity forced to close after rent hike leaves them thousands
00:36in debt.
00:37It's been six years of hard work that's just gone down the drain.
00:41Farming for votes. Conservatives hit Kent ahead of plan to overturn tax.
00:47There is just no way that families are going to be able to deal with this.
00:51Medway magic. Shoppers in Rochester gathered for an Afro-Caribbean Christmas market.
00:57Medway does diversity absolutely better than most places in Kent.
01:13First tonight, a beloved community shop in Strood was forced to close after the landlord
01:17increased the rent but backdated it for five years.
01:21The store, which helps those with autism and additional needs gain employment skills, had
01:26paid their rent on time for the 12 years of business but now found themselves in £20,000
01:32worth of debt.
01:33Finn McDermott went to the store to find out more.
01:36Strood Community Shop has been helping people who struggle to afford clothes, toys and other
01:40items since 2012, all while raising money for good causes.
01:44But when their landlord, Bampton Property, chose to increase their rent but backdate
01:48the change to 2019, it left the shop with £23,000 of rent arrears to pay.
01:55Although they managed to pay the increased rent earlier this week, they were served papers
01:58telling them they had to clear the remaining £20,000 in 21 days.
02:03Unable to do that, they decided they'd have to close up shop.
02:07I just really want to thank all the people that have supported us over the years.
02:14You know, it's been six years of hard work that's just gone down the drain.
02:22Six years of really hard work that is just going to evaporate for no reason other than,
02:27you know, that's what makes me so angry, is that we've paid our rent on time every time,
02:34we've worked with the landlord and if they just gave us time we'd be able to pay it all.
02:39They're like a family to me.
02:41Those are the words of just one volunteer here at the Strood Community Shop, which is
02:45closing its doors for the very last time.
02:47The shop also helps support those with learning disabilities, giving them jobs to do so that
02:51they become more employable.
02:54I've been helping at the Cuneal Shop since March 2023 and they're lovely in here and
03:01it's been like a family to me because I've got autism and they've really treated me well.
03:07I really appreciate what they've done, they've really helped me on my way and they're brilliant.
03:13And plus, well, it's difficult being autistic but, you know, but it really has helped.
03:19I mean, I was really scared when I came here.
03:22It's not only the staff that the store helps, having run baby banks, school uniform banks
03:26and raising funds for charity, meaning its closure could hurt the community, especially
03:31during the cost of living crisis.
03:33I'm not an expert in the kind of legal commercial rent, but that does seem somewhat excessive
03:39for what is a much-loved charity shop in Medway.
03:43We contacted the Freshwater Group, the parent company of Bampton Property, for a statement
03:47but they did not get back to us.
03:50The shop may be running discounts on their items, but many will feel that there's no
03:53way to reduce the loss for the community.
03:56Finn McDermott, for CAME TV, in Strood.
04:01Next tonight, a 13-year-old boy who stabbed a teenage girl in the street in Sittingbourne
04:05has avoided prison.
04:06The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, left the 15-year-old victim
04:11needing emergency surgery after they were stabbed with a kitchen knife back in March.
04:15Maystone Crown Court heard that the boy, who was aged 12 at the time, had crouched behind
04:20a car in Adelaide Drive before attacking the victim shortly before 4pm.
04:24The boy was given a 21-month youth rehabilitation order with multiple conditions.
04:29More on that story on Kent Online as well.
04:34Greg Wallace, a well-known BBC TV presenter from Binningdon, has announced he's taking
04:39a step back from his role.
04:41This decision has been made after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct in the workplace
04:45have been revealed, starting back in 2012.
04:49Kristen Hawthorne joins me now for more.
04:51Kristen, what can you tell us?
04:52The latest is that he's actually come out and apologised on social media.
04:56Yes, so yesterday I believe he came out and he said that it was, you know, he said that
05:06the middle class women of a certain age were the ones that were posting these accusations
05:12or the ones that were revealing these accusations.
05:15The day after, after the Downing Street spokesman said that these accusations were being made
05:19against him and his response to it was quite misogynistic and inappropriate.
05:24He then today has apologised for any offence or upset he caused with the remarks made and
05:30says he's going to take some time out.
05:32He also added that he wasn't in a good headspace when he posted it and he's been under a huge
05:36amount of stress and emotion.
05:38Let's hear that now.
05:40I want to apologise for any offence that I caused with my post yesterday and any upset
05:48I may have caused to a lot of people.
05:51I wasn't in a good headspace when I posted it.
05:54I've been under a huge amount of stress, a lot of emotion.
06:00I felt very alone under siege yesterday when I posted it.
06:04It's obvious to me I need to take some time out now while this investigation is underway.
06:11I hope you understand and I do hope that you will accept this apology.
06:17So that's what some of Greg Wallace has had to say about it, in that apology there.
06:21But what are some of the accusations?
06:22Yeah, well like you said at the beginning, the accusations stretch back to 2012 with
06:28a woman, an actor and an author, Emma Kennedy.
06:31She complained to Masterchef Production after he allegedly touched another woman inappropriately.
06:37She said that they knew then, they knew before then and they've known since.
06:41After that there's been multiple other accusations.
06:44Georgia Harding, who worked with Wallace on multiple occasions, alleged that the presenter
06:49undressed in front of colleagues and guests and made inappropriate jokes.
06:53We've been actually out speaking to people in public as well to see what they have to
06:57say and what they think of the situation, let's have a listen.
07:00Sort of getting the confidence of the public in that programme and stuff and all the time
07:04allegedly behind the scenes making stupid comments to women and offensive comments to
07:09women regardless of their sexuality and stuff is just unacceptable.
07:14I kind of think, I don't know, it sounds bad but I kind of expected it.
07:18I have no doubt that he is probably guilty as charged.
07:25What I don't like is the fact that the whole of the media has come out against him with
07:30the allegations and proved him guilty without actually hearing all the evidence.
07:36I'm 62, okay, and for me I grew up probably a bit earlier even than he did and a lot of
07:44things were said when I was working as a young 20 year old that I will never forget my whole life.
07:50I mean once the first accusation started it should have been a thing.
07:53Definitely call out behaviour when you see it, don't just let it slide because if it
07:57does slide it just becomes a problem and now it's in the media and I reckon if they'd
08:00nipped it in the bud then maybe he wouldn't be facing such criticism.
08:05A range of opinions there and of course Greg Wallace has apologised online now we're following
08:10the story closely.
08:11Now, the shadow farming minister has been out in Kent today ahead of a vote to overturn
08:15a controversial inheritance tax that would hit farmers hardest.
08:18The Conservatives say the changes would kill family farming but Labour says it's only a
08:23small number who will pay the price for closing an agricultural tax loophole.
08:28Oliver Leader de Sacks has more.
08:30I'm not sure this government ever had my trust when it came to farming if you look
08:34at who's on the front bench.
08:36A feeling not uncommon in Kent's farming communities, particularly here in the Weald of Kent where
08:44nearly 40% supported the Conservative Party at the last election and recent changes to
08:51how inheritance tax works has done little to change their minds.
08:57There are farmers who, maybe multi-generational farmers, who thought they had this tax relief
09:02in place who are now looking at enormous tax bills.
09:07That's why farmers are so upset, lack of consultation, the way it was delivered.
09:12Shukin's hops aren't alone in their deep mistrust of Labour and the handling of rural affairs.
09:18Thousands of farmers from across the UK descended on Westminster just a few weeks ago in relation
09:26to changes to inheritance tax and national insurance and it's something Conservatives
09:32hope to capitalise on here in Kent, a county where they lost plenty of seats in the election
09:39but somewhere they hope to rebuild based around their commitment to farmers.
09:46When you hear examples of farms that on paper are worth a very great deal of money, we all
09:51know how popular Kent is as an area to live in, you can imagine the price of land around
09:57here and to hear that these asset-rich farms that may in fact be cash poor, so an annual
10:04profit of perhaps £20,000, they're then expected to face tax bills of millions of pounds as
10:11I've been hearing in my meeting this morning with farmers.
10:14There is just no way that families are going to be able to deal with this.
10:18Now the Conservative party are set to force a vote to overturn inheritance tax measures
10:23this Wednesday as part of an opposition day debate.
10:28I think there are two really important reasons to put this forward to Labour MPs and to the
10:32whole house for a vote on Wednesday.
10:34Firstly, I think we want to see whether these rural Labour MPs, they've now got about 100
10:39Labour MPs in rural seats, will put their money where their mouth is and vote for their
10:43communities and not for their party and just fall in line with their leader.
10:49And secondly, I think it's really important that the voice of the countryside is heard.
10:52For better or worse, we've got a very urban government, we've got a very urban cabinet
10:56and this rural way of life deserves to be heard.
10:59But with the sheer number of Labour MPs sitting on the government benches, any opposition
11:04day motion is likely to be defeated.
11:09And Labour also say they are steadfast in their support for rural communities, claiming
11:15only the wealthier and more valuable estates will be forced to pay their fair share.
11:21But visits like this one show that despite a bitter election defeat earlier this year,
11:28the Conservative party have the garden of England firmly in their sights as they regroup
11:34for the next five years.
11:36Oliver, Leader of the South for KNTV in Bibbinden.
11:41Time for a short break now, I'll see you in a few minutes.
14:36Thanks for joining us, we'll see you in a few minutes.
15:07Hello and welcome back to Kentonite live on KMTV.
15:10Now, Medway's African and Caribbean Association arranged a diverse Christmas market for those
15:15who fancied buying something a little bit different this year.
15:19Dr Carol Stewart set up the event a couple of years ago to create a space for BME products.
15:24Several black businesses held food and fashion stalls and some local politicians dropped
15:28by to show their support.
15:30Xena Nakvi went along too.
15:34Medway's African and Caribbean Association marked the start of the festive season with
15:38a Christmas market at the Corn Exchange in Rochester.
15:43Vendors were flogging all sorts of stalls ranging from traditional food to stocking
15:47filler.
15:48I think it's important for us to have our products out because they represent us.
15:53It's a good opportunity for people to buy something a little bit different.
15:57The market showcased vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture and encouraged locals from BME origin
16:02and beyond to see what was on offer.
16:05I grew up in a very, very diverse area and so when I moved here I didn't see many people
16:11that looked like me and looked like my children as well.
16:14There wasn't many things that they could get that represented who they were in terms of
16:20books or food or anything like that.
16:23So we wanted people, not just African and Caribbean people, but anybody to experience
16:29African and Caribbean culture.
16:31It's only 1.30 and I've been here for about an hour or so and I've already seen about
16:3550 people walk through the door.
16:37It's clear that this is a great space for Medway's diverse community to showcase their
16:41talents.
16:42But it wasn't just locals who got stuck into the festive spirit.
16:47Appearances were made by the mayor of Medway, his deputy and the leader of the council.
16:53All stalls here are represented by local businesses.
16:57They all work very hard to get noticed.
17:01So this is an incredible event for them.
17:04People come and see something different.
17:06Something that you won't be able to see at the Christmas market outside.
17:10Medway does diversity absolutely better than most places in Kent.
17:16Just look at the surroundings that we have.
17:18We have the Corn Exchange.
17:20People are engaging in different parts of the community, different voices, different
17:24stories are being shared and all around sharing their love for produce.
17:29I didn't know you could come to a market stall to sell a book.
17:31So it's really great that I've had this opportunity.
17:34And, you know, it's a great way to be able to, you don't have to always go into London
17:38to be able to get great things that you can get locally.
17:42You know, there's small businesses here and as a council we want to help those small businesses
17:46It's great to be, you know, here supporting Macca doing their part of that economic growth
17:51as well as, frankly, having fun on a Sunday.
17:53That's a good thing too.
17:55Xenia Nakvi for KMTV in Rochester.
18:00Now don't forget, as well as watching us live every weekday at 5.30 here,
18:04you can keep up to date with all the latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website.
18:08It's KMTV.co.uk
18:10We find all our reports, including this one, about one of the busiest warehouses in Kent this time of year.
18:16It's not quite Santa's workshop, but in the shadow of the Dartford Crossing,
18:21the busiest Amazon warehouse in Europe is gearing up to make the Christmas magic happen.
18:28Two and a half thousand workers, some hired just for the festive season,
18:33are working day and night to distribute deliveries across the South East.
18:39But with countless items being stocked, stacked and sent off,
18:44the global delivery giant has swapped the elves for something a little more futuristic.
18:51AI is in everything we do.
18:53Everywhere you look, AI is involved in our process.
18:57Amazon's been working with machine learning for over 25 years now,
19:00whether it's the optimization of a parcel coming in or on the road.
19:05And that journey starts months before a package will be even delivered to the door.
19:09And we're investing heavily in gendered AI as we believe it's going to be something
19:13that's going to transform every application of our personal, professional lives.
19:17Amazon couldn't do what they do without one of these.
19:20The Hercules Drive robot.
19:22There's thousands of these giant Roomba-style machines scuttling around the warehouse.
19:28And they can carry around 800 kilograms, the weight of a grand piano.
19:33And they make sure the goods that you need get to your doorstep
19:36by delivering them to the right place in storage.
19:39So basically our robots move the shelves with the products to our stores and pickers.
19:45So stores and pickers, they can put or remove the items.
19:49Every day we make sure everything is running smoothly,
19:52if the motor is working, if they are clean and the wheels are working properly.
19:58But artificial intelligence is energy intensive.
20:02One UN report suggests that the number of data centers required for machine learning worldwide
20:10has surged to over 8 million, with energy consumption doubling every four years
20:17in no small part due to our reliance on AI.
20:22And while Amazon's overall emissions fell by 3% last year,
20:27emissions as a result of direct operations, like delivering packages and data services,
20:35rose to more than 14 million tons, according to Amazon's own sustainability report.
20:43So with 30,000 robots and miles of conveyor belts in just this warehouse alone,
20:50is Amazon boxing us in to a high emission future?
20:54Amazon signed the climate pledge in 2019 and with that made two commitments.
20:59Number one, by the year 2030, all of our data centers, warehouses, grocery stores
21:03would be using 100% renewable energy, which I'm happy to say by last year alone
21:08we were able to reach that, so seven years ahead of plan.
21:11By the year 2040, to be carbon net neutral, which involves tons of things.
21:15As you see, like with our packaging, we're reducing our packaging every day.
21:19But with Amazon promising to invest even more into their robots in the coming years,
21:25some here in Kent may be left wondering what's next for the people behind the presents.
21:32Oliver, leader of the Sats for KNTV in Dartford.
21:37Now it's time to take a quick look at the weather.
21:40Cloudy skies this evening across Kent, an average temperature of 8 degrees.
21:49Winds up to 10 miles an hour in parts.
21:51Going into tomorrow morning, the clouds start to clear as the temperatures drop ever so slightly
21:55between 5 and 6 across Kent. There's some 7 by the coast.
21:59But we head into a chillier Tuesday afternoon with clouds shifting west
22:03and low temperatures of 4, highs of 7.
22:06And here's your outlook for Kent, warming up towards Thursday, highs of 14 degrees.
22:10A little bit of sunshine by Friday, some cloud.
22:19Now straight after the break we have a brand new episode of Invicta Sport, as always, on a Monday.
22:24So to find out what's to come and some of the sports headlines from right across Kent,
22:28here's Finn McDermott.
22:37Good evening. Now, Gillingham didn't have a game this weekend,
22:41as you'll find out in our football round-up later.
22:44But the pressure is still on to perform against Bromley this week
22:47after they lost at home against Harrogate Town.
22:52According to defender Conor Masterson, the brief break has meant the team has had meetings
22:56with defenders, midfielders and forwards where they can improve and develop.
22:59This comes after they were booed off the Priestfield pitch.
23:03In slightly lighter news for the Gills, 19-year-old striker Joe Gabode could go out on loan in January
23:08as the youth product has only played 17 games for the senior team
23:11and was an unused sub in the last three games.
23:14Bonner says he's the only homegrown player that isn't out on loan or a scholar.
23:19Next, the Invicta Dynamos have had an up-and-down weekend.
23:23They managed to beat Milton Keynes Thunder, 16 points to 2,
23:27but have lost to the Chelmsford Chieftains, 8 to 2.
23:31The Moes coach Carl Lennon said it was a comfortable win
23:34and that he hoped the side would carry some momentum and confidence into their next game the following day
23:38but admitted it might have just made them complacent.
23:41They now have a two-week break off the ice to give their squad a breather
23:44as many are carrying injuries.
23:46Now, before they return, they'll be back Saturday, December 14th, at home to Cardiff Fire.
23:52And it's yet more heartbreak for Medway teams this week
23:55as Medway Rugby Club suffered a third loss in this season at Beckenham.
24:00It wasn't just the points they missed.
24:01The Jim Kennedy Memorial Trophy was another prize.
24:04But after a mostly even start with seven points each,
24:07Beckenham managed to squeeze their way onto a two-point lead just before the break.
24:11It was a physical second stint with yellow cards shown across both ends.
24:15But a third try and a conversion left them with a nine-point hill to climb.
24:20They did manage to gain some ground with a penalty
24:22and Max Bullock's try meant they were in sight of a win.
24:26But after more seesawing, a Beckenham conversion meant defeat for Medway.
24:30But, Abby, that's not all the sport.
24:32Lots more to come on Invicta Sport right after this.
24:34Including American football. You've even been playing yourself.
24:37I have. I know where this is going.
24:39I did give it a go. I have to preface this with saying
24:41when I normally play, I do wear studs.
24:43In this instance, I was in fact wearing trainers.
24:45We can have a look at the footage, my game footage now.
24:48Let's have a look at that. Right.
24:50So he's kicked the ball over to you.
24:52You've not even tried to catch it and you've fallen over.
24:54Pretty much. It was very muddy.
24:55Have we got a slo-mo of it?
24:56We do have a slo-mo replay.
24:57Ah, excellent.
24:58That's the professional quality.
24:59That's action replay for the foreseeable future done for us.
25:01Oh, yeah. Oh, definitely.
25:02I think I even said to you as you left the office,
25:03don't get too muddy as you were filming another story for us that day as well.
25:07Yeah, but right before that I managed to sneak away and change my trousers.
25:10I had mud streaks all the way up here.
25:13Well, you've got to get involved, haven't you, Finn?
25:15Absolutely.
25:16Not just that, not just American football.
25:17You've had some guests on the show from Invicta Sport this evening.
25:20Tell us what's to come.
25:21We did.
25:22Brendan, who you saw in that clip there, kicking towards me,
25:25he's going to be on our show.
25:26He is a local Medway student and when he came here from the States,
25:31he was surprised to learn we didn't do much for Thanksgiving.
25:34So in order to really get that sport and family feel,
25:37he started organising an American football game every Thanksgiving.
25:41He calls it the Turkey Bowl.
25:43And it's not just a place for a good bit of American football.
25:47It's also somewhere that international students who might be missing home
25:50can really sort of feel welcome and part of the community.
25:53It's nice to have a bit of home from home, isn't it?
25:55It is.
25:56Playing American football, for sure.
25:57But he's not your only guest,
25:58not the only sport we've been talking about as well.
26:01We've had a really emotional story from one of your guests tonight.
26:05Tell us about that.
26:06That's right.
26:07I was joined by Curtis, who belongs to the campaign
26:09Have You Got the Balls?,
26:10which is all to raise awareness for testicular cancer.
26:14He and his best friend, Niall, pledged to run,
26:16I think it was 150 kilometres in the month of November,
26:19significant because of Movember, obviously.
26:21And he not only met this, they both managed to run past this.
26:25I think they completed 175 kilometres in the end
26:28and broke £1,000.
26:30Very impressive.
26:31And even more impressive, they're spreading that message,
26:32getting rid of that stigma, and he's only 28 years old.
26:35So we'll hear from him in Evicta Sport and all that
26:37and more coming up shortly.
26:38See you then.
26:39Bye-bye for now.
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