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00:00Hello, good evening and welcome to Kentonite live on KMTV. I'm Abbey Hooke, here are your
00:27top stories on Monday the 27th of January. Turning the tides, council to decide Deel
00:33Leisure Centre's fate as community clash over closure. And I'll be here outside of Dover
00:38District Council ahead of the debate that will determine the futures of many of Deel's
00:43local community groups. A vital skill, Medway's self-defence coach says everyone should learn
00:49the basics. Krav Maga gives people confidence, confidence that if anything occurs in life
00:56you'll be able to protect your family, you'll be able to react. And art with a heart, TikTok
01:02star Sophie T's surprise visit to Margate charity shop boosts business. What we're hoping is that
01:09when the people do come down for holiday making that lot they'll say,
01:12oh that's that shop Sophie T art went in and done a bit of art for.
01:26First this evening, dozens are expected to be gathering tonight for a meeting which could
01:31decide the future of Tides Leisure Centre in Deel. A £20 million refurbishment could mean
01:37months of closures with sport community groups feeling they would have no choice but to
01:42permanently close. Finn McDermott's been following the story. After Dover District Council decided
01:48to close Tides Leisure Centre in Deel for nine months for refurbishment to its gym and pool
01:52facilities, there was a public backlash. Here we get free parking and obviously we're on, it's
01:59for the over 55s, it's for the older group of people. We obviously don't want to have to spend
02:04money on car parking. It's good for rehabilitation here. Unfortunately there's no other rehab
02:13at all. I wouldn't come if there wasn't a swimming pool. I like to swim, I need to do exercise,
02:18I can't walk very well. Many different sports clubs would have to find other venues to practice
02:22in but some, like East Kent Acrobatics Club, said there were no other options in the local area for
02:26them and they'd have to close despite using the hall for more than 20 years. Well it's not even
02:32just the fact of like not being able to do it, it's not just about the fact that it's a hobby for
02:36them, it's a physical education, it's the fact that they've got so much hope and excitement and
02:44it also improves their social skills and their communication. This all led to tonight,
02:53where a council review meeting would be held to decide whether the 20 million pound refurbishment
02:58and closure, which would start from April 1st and last until January 2026, would go ahead. The
03:03decision also has political implications since it was made by Dover Labour and the Conservative
03:08group took action to delay the move with a call-in, leading to the meeting tonight, which will decide
03:13the fate of many of Deel's community sports groups. Well Finn joins us live now from Dover
03:19District Council. Finn, of course we heard there how much it means to those sports groups at the
03:25centre, but tell me a bit about what we can expect this evening from this crucial meeting.
03:32Well as you might be able to hear it's certainly a windy night down here in Dover and many of these
03:36community groups will be hoping the winds might turn in their favour. It follows a lot of
03:42frustration they've been telling me after a lack of consultation that they claim from the council
03:46and this kind of slow build-up. There was more than 1,000 strong petition by these local groups
03:52towards the council changing their minds and that's what you say all led to tonight,
03:57where during this meeting the public will be in attendance to hear Dover Council debate on the
04:03matter. However it was announced recently that while the public are admitted into the meeting
04:09they will not be able to share their opinion automatically according to the council and this
04:13has created some more backlash. Some people are frustrated with the fact that they might not be
04:18able to share their opinion on what to them is a really crucial matter, not just for them,
04:23not just for the people that use these community groups, but for the community as a whole really.
04:28Finn, thank you very much for joining us live there. Finn McDermott from Dover District Council.
04:33More on the result of that meeting tomorrow.
04:37Now next this evening, education is power. Members of the Jewish community in Kent are
04:42highlighting the importance of remembering the Holocaust, 80 years since the liberation of
04:46Auschwitz. The concentration camp in Poland is widely known as one of the worst during the
04:51Nazi's regime. Historians estimate that 1.1 million people lost their lives there, the majority were
04:58Jewish. Survivors were liberated by the Soviet Union on the 27th of January 1945 and today,
05:0480 years on, the message stays the same, it can't happen again. I spoke to Dahlia Halpern-Matthews
05:10from the Chatham Memorial Synagogue earlier. Today obviously is the 80th anniversary of
05:17Auschwitz being liberated but it's symbolic of all of the people, so more than six million Jews
05:26that were murdered and we're not talking about any, you know, there are so many dreadful
05:33genocides and it's really important always that we do remember the other genocides that have
05:38happened and remember that it shouldn't happen again. But we're talking here in the Holocaust
05:44of a systematic, you know, factory operation of murdering people. Six million Jews but actually
05:52millions of others as well, just because they were Roma or they had different political views
05:57or because they were gay or because they had a disability. Rounded up for no good reason
06:04and murdered. So it's so important that we remember that. And a key part of that as well
06:10is the education surrounding this. Now the survivors that share their touching stories
06:16even 80 years on and share those with schools. I know that there's an event in Clifford School
06:22tomorrow. They're sharing, they're remembering, they're educating people but I suppose that
06:28then relies on us as time goes on. It becomes our responsibility to educate people.
06:34It is absolutely our responsibility. We are very lucky to have recordings of those testimonials
06:44from people who survived the camps or people whose family were taken away.
06:50I myself have multiple members of my family that died in the camps and in fact most Jewish people
07:00I would say have some fairly close personal connection to someone who died. In fact one of
07:09the other people within our community who I was talking to this morning, all of his
07:14grandparents survived the camps. So we're talking you know vast numbers of people and stories like
07:23Anne Frank's were not unusual. I have cousins of mine where the parents got the children onto the
07:32Kindertransport and they managed to get as far as Belgium where they thought they would be safe.
07:38But then they weren't. And then in particular looking at today, looking at 80 years on from
07:44this particular event that we're remembering, what's the lasting message? What's the key
07:50thing that people need to take away? That's a really really good question actually and I think
07:59the lasting point that we need to remember is that we need to make sure that this cannot happen
08:10again. Which means that we mustn't stick our heads in the sand and ignore it when groups of people
08:18are marginalised. Extremism, whether it's far right, whether it's far left, is where this
08:28potential happens and unfortunately the position that we find ourselves in, across the world
08:36actually, is that there is so much more extremism and we must absolutely stop genocide from happening
08:46in this way ever again. Next this evening, a nationwide farming day of unity saw farmers
08:55parked up in car parks and supermarkets in Kent, highlighting their concerns for new inheritance
09:00tax policies. Last year saw thousands of farmers protest up in Westminster after the government
09:05said farms worth more than 1 million will be subject to 20% inheritance tax. Our reporter
09:11Henry Luck went down to meet some farmers standing outside the Sainsbury's in Aylesford.
09:16It's not every day you see two giant tractors parked outside your local Sainsbury's, but being
09:23the NFU's farming day of unity, they're making sure their campaign against changes to inheritance tax
09:31stays on track. Many will remember how thousands of farmers across the country came to Westminster
09:40to protest the controversial introduction of a 20% inheritance tax to farms worth more than
09:481 million pounds and the farming day of unity gives them the chance to thank the public for
09:56their support and voice their opinions on a local level. Speaking to the farmers just now,
10:03here's what they've had to say to me about the importance of why they're outside supermarkets
10:10and the importance of bringing farmer related issues to the public. We are not getting anywhere
10:16with trying to convince the government they've made a mistake, they're not listening to us,
10:22we can't get any interview with the treasury or with Rachel Rees and so we can't put our
10:28case across that although we understand the target they were trying to hit, they've completely missed
10:35the target and all they're going to do is attack the family farms that produce the food that this
10:41country so desperately needs and that is just madness. We already have a number of tax planning
10:49things in place but we're still going to have to look very hard at how we pass on
10:58the agricultural assets to the next generation who are looking to take it on. However,
11:04a statement from the department for environment food and rural affairs says the government is
11:11still devoted to farmers and their produce. They'll also be introducing larger budgets
11:18and reforms which will help farmers financially for at least the next decade. As farmers worry
11:26for their future they hope the farming day of unity has planted a seed in the hearts and minds
11:33of the public which will give them food for thought. Henry Lark in Aylesford for Kane TV.
11:41Now it's time for a very quick break but coming up we've been looking into what
11:45communities in Kent are doing to try and tackle knife crime. See you in a few minutes.
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15:10Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight live on KMTV. Now a 21 year old man has been charged on
15:15suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing at a home in Gillingham. This was the scene on
15:204th Avenue over the weekend where a teenager was airlifted to hospital following a serious assault
15:25with residents spotting around 15 officers on the scene. The suspect Jamie Goodedge was remanded in
15:31custody shortly after the attack and was due to appear in Medway Magistrates Court earlier today.
15:42Next this evening following a national jump in the numbers of knife crimes recorded by the police
15:48a self-defense class in Medway is calling for people to take up the art of Krav Maga. Originating
15:54in the Middle East the self-defense system is a mixture of martial arts designed to make the user
15:58more able to defuse an attacker. Well Bartholomew Hall has been down to have a go himself but a
16:04warning the action you're about to see was supervised by professionals of course and to
16:08not try this at home. When I came along to a self-defense class I didn't realize knowing
16:16what to do in a knife attack was going to be the first lesson. Krav Maga or contact combat when
16:23translated from Hebrew is a self-defense system developed in the Middle East using martial arts
16:28techniques which encourages students to avoid physical confrontation. But according to the
16:33founder of Medway's Krav Maga Academy the discipline is all about preparing people for
16:37the unexpected in everyday life. Krav Maga gives people confidence, confidence that if anything
16:43occurs in life you'll be able to protect your family, you'll be able to react, you'll be able
16:49to recognize the threat and remove yourself and your family from it. I mean as you can see today's
16:55news and the last week news, edged weapons is a big problem in the UK, knife crime obviously.
17:02All of the advice is less on the martial arts side of it, it's more of a practical side of
17:09how to react to keep yourself and the loved ones safe. In the year to last June there were more than
17:1550,000 knife crime offenses recorded by police across the country. That represents a four percent
17:21rise on the previous year, an uptick of almost 2,000. Former nightclub bouncer Tristan took to
17:28Krav Maga as a way to make himself feel safer. He says self-defense should be mandatory. I would say
17:34it's vital to be honest with you, mandatory if possible. As you said like knife crime is on the
17:40rise especially in places like London, unfortunately it's leaking into the Kent areas and such
17:44and there's nothing in life that really equips you to be able to deal with such scenarios.
17:49So to be able to teach that and see students you know use techniques that we teach to defend
17:53themselves if necessary is you know is amazing. I would definitely spend more time having looking
17:59at looking at my phone on the train or walking the street and now I don't just because
18:03I'm trying to be more aware of my surroundings. I mean if I'm honest I feel like it's changed me
18:08like I've I've lost I've lost three stone, three and a half stone. I've become much more confident,
18:15I've met people. During my session I was taught to engage only as a way to move the
18:28blade away and disable the attacker before making a run for it to protect myself.
18:39Okay well I don't know if I mastered it a hundred percent but I definitely know
18:43the first steps of what to do if I was ever in the unfortunate position of being attacked
18:47with a knife. But yeah I think I need a bit more practice. But even if I'm not sure how
18:52well prepared I'd be after the one session for those who train here weekly it's clear
18:56they're not afraid about getting into confrontation. Bartholomew Hall for KMTV in Medway.
19:04Well Bartholomew joins me now safe and sound as well. What was it like? Was it what you expected
19:09going in? No definitely not. All I thought is I wanted to try something new for Invictus Sport
19:13and we'll be talking more about this after the break. But I came across self-defence Krav Maga,
19:18something I hadn't heard of before. Going along I had no idea that that would be what would be
19:23happening within the first 10 minutes of me getting there but that's what it's all about.
19:26Krav Maga is about real world situations that none of us would ever imagine us finding ourselves in
19:32but of course I mean we hear in the headlines it does happen. And it was quite straightforward to
19:36pick up as well. You were able to understand how you would defend yourself quickly and it's a really
19:41vital skill. Yeah and it's all about defusing situations. It's all about if you do find
19:45yourself in a... In the case where you have an attacker in front of you it's about knowing
19:50how to get that blade away from you, how to protect yourself and ultimately be more aware
19:54of your surroundings. And of course as you say lots more coming up on Invictus Sport and more
19:59in depth on Krav Maga and exactly what it is and what they're looking to do here in Medway as well.
20:03Bartholomew, thank you. Now next tonight don't forget you can keep up to date with all your
20:08latest stories across Kent by logging on to our website. It's kmtv.co.uk. There you'll find all
20:13our reports including this one about a dog rescue in Greenhive looking for a lot of money to try
20:18and stay open. After five years at the same location, South East Dog Rescue are at risk
20:29of losing their kennels and must find a new home to take care of their dogs. Kim, the founder,
20:34has been running the rescue for more than 16 years. I was fostering a dog for another rescue
20:40who was struggling to find the dog a home so I found her a home and then felt like I could take
20:46in another dog from the pound so I went back to the same pound, took a dog and then just it sort
20:53of grew from there really. It was only ever supposed to be one dog at a time and that
20:58kind of grew as I became more involved in the rescue world and saw how many dogs were being
21:03put to sleep and so it sort of expanded over the 16 years and we've helped thousands of dogs along
21:11the way. Every contribution they've received has gone towards the welfare of the dogs so the rescue
21:16is solely run on volunteers. We're a no-kill rescue so that means that once we take a dog in
21:22we will not be putting them to sleep for aggressive issues or behavioural issues. If they're not ready
21:28to be re-homed they will remain in our care and as a sanctuary dog. We've never had a permanent
21:34place, we do have to keep moving, we've only been renting so I think the aim this time is to find
21:40somewhere permanently for us to live and for the dogs as well. This is Merlin, he was going to be
21:46put down at just six months old at the pound he was in until he was taken in by South East Dog
21:51Rescue but his future remains uncertain along with all the other dogs here as the owners are
21:56scrambling to find the funds to find a permanent home for them. Really we just want to secure
22:02somewhere that is our own so that we've got the security going forward not only for our
22:08sanctuary dogs but for the dogs that haven't even come to us for help yet and will do in the future.
22:14I mean this is my entire life, this is everything and not just myself but all the volunteers have
22:20worked so hard to help create and continue. I'm devastated, I'm literally heartbroken.
22:28They have only half a year left to raise enough money for a permanent shelter
22:32and yet still above all else prioritise finding a home for the dogs under their care.
22:38Kai Wei for KMTV.
22:45Very sweet, well now let's take a look at the weather.
22:50Tonight there's a yellow weather warning for wind with speeds reaching over 20 miles per hour,
22:59a lot of rain to pair with that too and so tomorrow weather warning is still in place,
23:03lots of sun and showers but that wind dropping down just slightly and to the afternoon temperatures
23:09of nine degrees across the board, eight over in Tunbridge Wells and that rain will continue on
23:13that side of the county. Looking much of the same, Wednesday, Thursday should be drying up,
23:18Friday we might even get a little bit of sunshine, highs of eight degrees.
23:30And finally this evening a TikToker with more than a million followers has visited a charity
23:34shop in Margate on the hunt for her next masterpiece. Sophie T visited Pilgrim's
23:40Hospice on Friday buying a hand-painted ceramic horse to then paint and share with her followers.
23:46She likes to sell her pieces of art to her followers through a raffle and the proceeds
23:50go back to charities and it's a little bit different to what she usually does and her
23:54artwork can go for absolutely thousands but it's part of her new campaign to help out local
23:59charities. Our reporter Kristin Hawthorne has been speaking to the manager of the shop to find out
24:03what it's done for them. It was so busy that one of the customers went that's so Sophie T art and
24:10we was like oh my god yes it actually is Sophie T art and then she was like surprise. I need to
24:17find a good item though. What do you need? I just want the most random things as possible.
24:23Usually this artist's work sells for thousands but on Friday she sold this painted horse for
24:29just £12 in a local Margate charity shop. A horse in the window is kind of a vibe. It's got my name
24:34on it. All right cool. See you later. She said right so what I'm going to do is I'm going to
24:40go buy this horse. I've got two hours. The Margate School of Art have let us have the room so she can
24:45go down there and decorate it. What I'll do is then I'll then bring it back. I'll post all over
24:49my social media that I'm going to be here. You post as many people as you can get into the shop
24:55and then at quarter past three she'd come up and there was just loads of people in the shop.
25:00This is Sophie T, a well-known artist on social media and across the UK. Every Friday she surprise
25:06visits a charity shop to buy a random item to paint. Thank you so much for coming. Hi. Okay I've made a
25:11biscuit jar and I put some bourbons in it so. I drove all the way from Cambridge 45 minutes my
25:17baby's asleep in the car. Oh my god go and get your baby. My son's in there. My son's in there. I haven't left there.
25:23Can we get a quick picture? Sorry for everyone. Lovely to meet you.
25:26But this initiative is more than just an art project as the owners of Pilgrims Hospice in
25:31Margate found out. This charity does amazing, amazing work for the south east. It really does
25:38do amazing work and the extra bit of money this brings to us is only a positive, absolutely
25:44positive. If anything, if it's brought the charity to the forefront and made people in Kent
25:49and all across the country think, yeah there's this local hospice shop in Margate, you know this
25:54artist has been down there and done. Let's go and see what this is about. If it gets that extra
25:59penny for the charity then so be it. That's, this is what it's all about. We are going to actually
26:04smash it this year with that new influence coming in. On Friday the shop had a 30% boost in ceramic
26:11seals, lots of new customers and with 22,000 likes on Sophie's post, the Pilgrims Hospice team are
26:18looking forward to what they can do with the money for people here in Kent. Whether or not
26:22she'll come back to Kent to do this again is unknown, so best to keep a lookout. Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV.
26:31Amazing stuff. We'd absolutely love Sophie to come back and hopefully we can go on down with her.
26:35That's it for us here on Kent Tonight. Join the Invicta Sport team in just a few minutes time.
26:40I'll see you then. Bye bye.