On tonight's show, Abby Hall is joined by Sevenoaks Dad Alex Shrimpton as he prepares to run the length of the UK for charity.
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00:00Hello and welcome along to Invictus Sport, the only show on your TV dedicated to wrapping
00:20up all of Kent's sporting action. I'm Abbey Hook, here's what to expect on this Monday
00:24the 3rd February. Gary's dream, we talk with FA Cup Golden Ball champion-elect as he faces
00:31the likes of Salah and Haaland for silverware. Doing it for him, Sevenoaks dad, to run the
00:37length of the UK for bereavement charity. And action replay, another chance to see the
00:43pictures and videos of you, the KMTV audience, getting active.
00:46First this evening, a round-up of the headlines and Platz Heath racing driver Jake Hill has
00:51become National Driver of the Year at this year's Autosport Awards. The 30-year-old British
00:56touring car champion won his first title after claiming eight wins last season. He became
01:01the first Kent driver to claim the series crown in the county since 1960. Accepting
01:09the award, Hill said it's something he's always hoped to have taken home in his 15 years of
01:13racing.
01:15Pupils at Simon Langton Grammar in Canterbury have been given the chance to use Kent Cricket
01:21Club's indoor facilities for training during the winter months. In a bid to help create
01:25a pathway for future Kent cricketers, the youngsters have also been given training and
01:29mentoring from Kent Cricket pros Jaden Denley and Mickey Cohen.
01:35And a 90-year-old man from Margate has raised more than £20,000 as he completes a nine-day
01:41hiking challenge. Derek Downes set off from Dover on his 90th birthday and on the 22nd
01:47with the goal of walking a whopping 90 miles in total. The money, totalled at £20,900,
01:53is set to be given to domestic abuse charity Oasis.
01:56Now let's take a look back at this weekend's football results. For his fourth game in charge
02:02at Priestfield, New Gillingham manager John Coleman was in search for his first win. Meanwhile,
02:07Ismian League side Sittingbourne were gearing up for the biggest night in the club's history.
02:11Here's Bartholomew with your results.
02:16Sittingbourne's dream FA Trophy run took another step towards Wembley this weekend as an injury
02:21time winner meant the Brickies' biggest ever upset against National League side Southend.
02:26The match was in the sixth minute of added time when debutant Anthony Church found the
02:29back of the net and sent the away fans into raptures.
02:37In League 2, Gillingham's poor run of form continued with a home loss to Notts County.
02:46The visitors scored twice inside four first half minutes, whilst Gilles' youngster Joe
02:50Gabode headed home a consolation in the final ten minutes.
02:53After we scored we were telling and there's no excuse for that. We lost heart, we lost
03:00passion, we lost drive. And I think we've got a bit of that in the dressing room but
03:07certainly nowhere near enough of it. And we've got to get that and we've got to put that
03:10into the players. We've got to put that drive and fight into the players or we've got to
03:14bring the other players in.
03:16It was a similar story for National League basement boys Ebbsfleet who were beaten 2-0
03:20by Halifax thanks to a goal in either half. Meanwhile, Sunbridge were on the road against
03:24Eastbourne where a late strike from the hosts sent the Angels home pointless. And Maidstone
03:28United took a big win at Torquay on Saturday, taking them to second in the table.
03:33And finally, in the Izmian Premier, Dartford went top of the table with a 3-1 win over
03:37Bowers and Pitsy. Chatham are left 12th after their loss to Canby Island. Dover missed out
03:42on a win to Carshalton. And ninth place Folkestone took their win streak to three, beating Hendon
03:482-0.
03:49Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest football news by reading Kent
03:53Online where you can also sign up for email alerts directly into your inbox.
03:59So a huge congratulations to Sittingbourne for that FA Trophy win, taking them further
04:04than ever in a National Cup competition. Excellent stuff. Following the result of the quarter-final
04:09draw today, the Brickies are set to play Aldershot Town on the 1st March, setting up yet another
04:14underdog clash for the mid-Kent side. Elsewhere, attention has turned to the FA Cup again this
04:19weekend, as the competition moves towards the tail end. But for one Kent non-league
04:23player, he'll be watching extra closely as there could be some silverware with his name
04:27on it. Come the final whistle at Wembley this summer, Ashford United's Gary Allocchia still
04:32tops the rankings for the Golden Ball in partnership with Mita. Bartholomew caught up with him
04:37earlier.
04:38Gary, thank you very much for joining us today. First of all, let's talk about the Golden
04:42Boot. We spoke to you when you guys at Ashford were still in the competition all those months
04:47ago, but you're still at the top of the table now. How does it feel to still see yourself
04:51up there?
04:53Yeah, very well, to be fair. Obviously, it was touch and go. A couple of gentlemen below
05:01me as well, and I think they went a little bit further than myself in the competition.
05:05I think obviously it's quite hard for our sort of standard to progress in the later
05:11stages with the elite teams. But yeah, no, it feels good. I feel confident as well.
05:20Fantastic. I mean, I know you're quite the humble guy when it comes to stats and records
05:24and things like that. But have you been keeping an eye on the table as the competition's been
05:28progressing? I know obviously we've got the Premier League sides in the FA Cup now.
05:34Yeah, I'd be lying if I say I wasn't checking. I think it'd be an unbelievable personal achievement
05:41for myself to be top goalscorer in one of the oldest and best competitions you know
05:48around. I think it's watched all over the world. Even though Astrid United themselves
05:54have done very well this year, I think it was our best achievement, our best round to
05:59get to. So yeah, I do check it. I do like to check it. I do like to check if I know
06:07that a player's going to get close or potentially overtake. And you never know with the pro
06:13clubs coming in.
06:14Absolutely, of course. I mean, you allude to it, but you are up against the likes of
06:17some of the top scorers in the country. We think of Mo Salah playing for Liverpool or
06:20even Erling Haaland. I know that Manchester City haven't had quite the season that they've
06:24had in previous years, but those are the names that yourself are up against. I mean, do you
06:29have any early predictions for the FA Cup this year? Liverpool have obviously been very
06:33strong so far.
06:36Well, I'm a Man United fan, so I would like obviously Man United to win it again like
06:42they did last year. And if I win it and go to Wembley to receive the golden ball, it
06:51would be even better to watch Man United again. These elite players that you sort of put my
06:56name against is a bit surreal. They're by far better than myself. They train in day
07:05in, day out. They have the mindset of the elite athletes and anything's possible with
07:11them. So that's why I sort of stay a bit grounded on myself winning the competition.
07:17I do check it, obviously, you know, the draws that they get, etc. So yeah, it's nice to
07:25be put into that bracket, but I wouldn't say I'm on sort of their level.
07:30Well, let's talk about the level that you are at. Obviously, your team, Ashford United,
07:35currently in the Idsmeen South East. How do you feel the season's been going? Because
07:39you actually returned to the club not too long ago.
07:43Yeah, so I'm a local boy. I live about a mile and a half away from the ground, so it's pretty
07:51good. I also run an Ashland district under-12s boys team, which my daughter plays in. Ashford
07:59United is a big part of me. I've played sort of nearly 130 games. So I'm sort of around
08:0760 appearances from all-time appearances, and I'm 14 goals away from all-time goal scorers.
08:13So that was part of the reason to return this year. It's got new owners this year as well
08:19that are trying to progress the club even further, and it's something that I wanted
08:23to be a part of. So yeah, moving forward, that's exactly what I'd like to do. You know,
08:3132 now, so I'd probably like to see sort of my career out there and, you know, potentially
08:36become a legend.
08:38A devoted guy. Gary Lockyer, top of the golden boot standings, as it is at the moment. Thank
08:43you very much for joining us. Really good to speak with you today.
08:45Thank you very much. See you later.
08:49Fingers crossed for him then. Next this evening, the Angel Centre in Townbridge is on the move,
08:53but councillors say the town will have a public leisure centre whilst it's built. Officials
08:57behind the new facility say the plans aim to make it more modern and eco-friendly as
09:01part of a wider multi-million pound project. Kristen Hawthorne has more.
09:06The busy and well-used Angel Centre in Townbridge will gain its wings when it's demolished,
09:11but only after its more modern, eco-friendly replacement is finished. This announcement
09:16from the council is part of a larger multi-million pound plan to redevelop the area.
09:21So the community will gain a new state-of-the-art carbon neutral leisure centre, which will
09:26be so much more efficient than the current building that we've got behind us. That will
09:30ensure that you've got the best quality facilities that a town like Townbridge deserves. It will
09:35also save taxpayers an awful lot of money through simply not having to bear the costs
09:40that we currently have to bear on the Angel Centre at the moment. It also frees up a really
09:45important parcel of land right here just next door to the river for other wider redevelopment
09:50opportunities, because the key thing that does there is really bringing the river to
09:54life in this part of town. Really look at how we can make this as exciting as possible
09:59and something that people of Townbridge can be really proud of.
10:02The location of the new Angel Centre has not yet been decided. However, it aims to be quite
10:06close by, either in this car park or the one just further down the path. But, with the
10:11addition of new homes, shops and facilities in the area, what do residents think of the
10:16change? Yeah, I know parking is an issue anyway here because we have to pay for car
10:22parks. So, again, if that's something that they're factoring into their new location,
10:25that's going to be a benefit. Particularly in the town, there's not much going on, if
10:30that makes sense. So, I'm quite excited for it, I think, as long as it doesn't disrupt
10:35too much. It's great because I shall continue to use it, and if it's more modern, up-to-date,
10:41it'll be better, yeah. I mean, it'll be a new addition to the town that probably needs
10:46a lot more money spent on it to bring it back into the modern day. I'm not sure if there's
10:50I'm not sure if this building was originally designed for gym or something, but looks like
10:55not really. The development area compromises council-owned car parks, the Sainsbury supermarket,
11:01a petrol station and the Angel Centre. But with many people coming in and out of the
11:06building, many of them told me and seem like they're happy with how it is now. So, why
11:11fix something that's not broken? Unfortunately, the Angel Centre is breaking at the moment.
11:17We see that in terms of some of the issues around its energy efficiency. In particular,
11:22we know that we need to look at new boilers, new roofs, new floors, and actually, you can't
11:27do that amount of work and expect the facilities to be of a modern standard, particularly when
11:32you're competing against so many other modern facilities in and around our local area.
11:36The council have been saving for this project and hope that it brings more people to the
11:40area and improves the overall location. The council has also launched a public survey
11:45to give residents and businesses their say. Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Tunbridge.
11:53Time for a short break now, I'll see you in a few minutes.
12:16You don't need to do it by hand.
12:41It comes in dirty now.
12:46Is this the one?
12:48Yes, we've been on KMTV before when we did a 250 mile challenge.
12:53When was this?
12:54Louisa was presenting.
12:55Okay, so a few years ago you joined us and you did 250 miles.
12:59Yes, so this is more than double that.
13:01You delete the questions.
13:02Yes, so this is more than double that. We've got a GoFundMe page, we've got one short clip of him.
13:15GoFundMe.
13:45GoFundMe.
14:15GoFundMe.
14:17GoFundMe.
14:45GoFundMe.
14:47GoFundMe.
14:49GoFundMe.
14:51GoFundMe.
14:53GoFundMe.
14:55GoFundMe.
14:57GoFundMe.
14:59GoFundMe.
15:01GoFundMe.
15:03GoFundMe.
15:05GoFundMe.
15:07GoFundMe.
15:09Hello and welcome back to Invicta Sport live on KMTV.
15:13Now, a former Gurkha from Canterbury is helping design new prosthetic feet
15:17so other amputees can climb to the heights he has.
15:28Hari Buddha Magar became the first double above the knee amputee
15:32to climb Mount Everest back in 2023.
15:35He's now looking to break another record
15:37by climbing the seven highest summits on the seven continents
15:41including Everest, Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc.
15:44Mr Magar says he wants to prove people with disabilities can do anything
15:49and he's been campaigning with that message
15:51ever since he lost both of his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan 15 years ago.
15:57Well, he starts this next feat this month in Argentina.
16:05Now, next this evening, it's time to remind you that you can keep up to date
16:09with all the latest sports news, interviews and features from here on Invicta Sport
16:12by heading to our website kmtv.co.uk and of course click on the sports tab.
16:17There you'll see videos like this one about a roller dance club in Medway
16:20campaigning for a bigger space to practice in.
16:25One of the oldest of its kind in Kent,
16:28Medway Roller Dance Club have been skating since 1949.
16:33Groups of all abilities and ages are currently in training,
16:37some for the 2025 national competitions and some for the British Championships.
16:42But a battle with Medway Council about space to practice in has taken centre stage.
16:49Medway Park has got fantastic facilities there,
16:52which we have used their smaller hall before, which they've now re-coated,
16:56but it's not suitable for us because it's too sticky.
17:00But their larger hall, which I know they have some fantastic events on in there,
17:04we've tried to use since 2012 but we've never been able to use it,
17:09unfortunately, and without really a reason.
17:12This is only four courts and we really struggle to get everything on,
17:17especially for championships because they have huge floors they have to skate on.
17:21In a statement Medway Council said,
17:23unfortunately the large hall at Medway Park is not suitable for skating,
17:27which the club have been advised of.
17:29We have discussed the possibility of the club using the smaller hall,
17:33which has recently been upgraded and can be used for skating.
17:36However, the club did not find the surface suitable.
17:40They feel that we're damaging it, but they haven't actually seen the skates
17:44and that they wouldn't actually damage the floor at all.
17:48I mean, this equipment is £500 plus they spend on these skates.
17:54They just wouldn't ruin the floor.
17:57While the search for a bigger hall continues,
17:59the skaters have another challenge to face too,
18:02in getting their sport more widely recognised by authorities here in the UK.
18:07Ice skating is so big and it is the equivalent,
18:10like we are just doing the same thing and so many of the rules align as well now.
18:14Post-COVID we've seen a real increase in skaters all the way through,
18:18like people just coming in and just trying it one day and staying with us.
18:21So I think there's definitely a space for it to grow,
18:24but it's quite big in this part of the country,
18:26so we're just a small part of that, but quite a big club.
18:30So do they have any room for one more?
18:36So I managed to find these at the back of the cupboard, blown off the dust.
18:40I've skated a few times in my life, but not quite to the level that these guys are at.
18:45So Sam and Nathan are going to give me a bit of a lesson. Wish me luck.
18:51So the instructors would have put me around a level one, even with that performance,
18:55but when you compare my work to that of the competitors...
18:58Elegance, elegance.
19:00...you can see why they train for months.
19:06I spoke too soon.
19:08So no medals for me, but this club will continue to keep their eyes on the prize
19:13and on a bigger haul.
19:16Abbey Hook for KMTV in Gillingham.
19:20Hello, hello, hello.
19:24Now, time to meet our next guest this evening.
19:26Seven Oaks dad Alex Shrimpton is about to take on his biggest running challenge yet
19:30as he prepares to run the entire length of the UK,
19:33a huge 630 miles in just under 30 days.
19:37Alex is doing it all to raise money for bereavement charity Daddies With Angels
19:41after he and his partner sadly suffered tooth miscarriages last year.
19:44Well, I'm pleased to say that Alex and the gorgeous Eli join me in the studio now.
19:48He's been very well behaved. It's an excellent TV debut.
19:51He's very excited, bless him.
19:53Thank you so much for joining us, Alex.
19:55It's not the first time here on the sofa with us,
19:57and we'll get into that in just a moment,
19:59but tell us exactly what it means to have Eli with you here.
20:03Of course, we heard in my introduction there
20:05he sadly lost two babies last year.
20:07Yeah, so it was a couple of years ago that me and my wife, when we were trying,
20:12we lost two babies during the pregnancy stages.
20:18Which obviously were extremely difficult,
20:21and we actually decided to put a pause on things
20:25just because of the trauma that we sort of suffered.
20:29Eli had other ideas and sort of came along
20:32and is otherwise known as what's called a rainbow baby,
20:35so a baby after loss.
20:38And, yeah, we're super happy that he's with us here, obviously.
20:42And now, of course, for the charity for Daddies With Angels,
20:46you're doing this incredible run of 630 miles.
20:50What sort of brought that idea on?
20:52So, yeah, like you said before, I've been on the show before,
20:55and I'm one that loves to raise money for charities and things.
21:00When me and my wife went through the trauma of losing
21:05our two miscarriages and babies,
21:09I think we found that there was a real lack of support,
21:12particularly for fathers.
21:14Understandably, there's quite a lot of support for mothers.
21:17And when I was sort of grieving, I was told several things
21:22which weren't particularly helpful,
21:24because I think there's a real lack of, you know,
21:28understanding of how people can support fathers
21:31that have gone through that loss.
21:33So I sort of found out about Daddies With Angels,
21:36you know, thinking about what to do next,
21:39and it really touched, you know, my heart
21:41and was like, this is amazing.
21:43This needs to be out there on people's lips.
21:45People need to know about this charity
21:47and how they can support, you know,
21:49people that have gone through that loss.
21:51I think he's in agreement as well.
21:53Yeah.
21:54Very, very sweet.
21:55And, of course, we mentioned you've been here before
21:57when you were running 250 miles,
21:59which at the time we would have thought was absolutely crazy.
22:02Yeah.
22:03Now you're doubling it, plus a bit more, 630.
22:05What's that training like,
22:07and how are you going to do that in just a month?
22:10So, yeah, so my work has been really amazing,
22:14and I've been able to sort of work around annual leave and things
22:18to allow me the time off,
22:21and obviously it's about having sort of like rest days
22:24as well as trying to sort of average it out with a plan.
22:28There are some days that he'll be at nursery,
22:31so those will be my days of running, if you will,
22:34and then there'll be other days where he'll be with me.
22:37Doesn't like the sound of nursery.
22:38No.
22:39That one.
22:40But there'll be other days where he'll sort of be with me running,
22:43and then my wife is super supportive as well,
22:45so I might have to go for a few midnight runs
22:48to just get the miles in there, but we'll do it one way or another.
22:50What about sort of in a push chair alongside you?
22:53Yeah.
22:54Could you both get him off to sleep nicely?
22:56Yeah, possibly, possibly.
22:58I think one of the challenges with this one
23:01opposed to the last one I did
23:03was I may have slightly underestimated how difficult it is.
23:07With a 10-month-old and work, trying to get the training in,
23:10I think I've sort of gone into work a few times
23:13and people are like, are you OK?
23:15Because I'm so rigid.
23:17But no, I'm doing really well sort of like mentally and physically.
23:20But that's the next part to it is the mental challenge as well,
23:24to go mile after mile and be able to sort of keep to that.
23:28How do you prepare for something like that?
23:30Obviously, I suppose, as you said,
23:32you've taken a lot from the 250 and learnt from that.
23:34Yeah, so I'm lucky to have a really supportive wife at home.
23:38I'm also a mental health nurse,
23:40so I've got a bit of understanding around, you know,
23:44ways I can sort of put myself in that sort of frame of mind each day.
23:49Motivation is a real big factor when it's raining outside
23:53and so it's about sort of learning, you know,
23:56your body physically and mentally.
23:58Thankfully, I've got a really supportive family at home.
24:01And this one, he's got a lot to say about it as well.
24:03I think he's enjoyed his TV debut.
24:05Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hello.
24:07Excellent. When does it start?
24:09So it starts around about the 26th of February
24:12and obviously it's about listening to my body,
24:15so, you know, we'll see how it goes.
24:17But yeah, it starts on the 26th of February
24:20and ends hopefully on the 6th of April.
24:23Amazing. OK, well, congratulations on the beautiful Eli here
24:28joining us in the studio.
24:30I've got a lot to say. It's been insightful as well.
24:32And thank you so much, Alex, for sharing your story again.
24:34No problem.
24:35And hopefully we'll join you after the 630 miles
24:37if you can add a few more on and get to us back in the studio.
24:39Yeah, that'd be amazing.
24:41Amazing stuff. Congratulations and best of luck as well.
24:44We'll be watching on.
24:45Thank you. Thanks.
24:47Now we've reached full time on today's episode
24:49but there's just a few minutes of extra time
24:51to take a look at this week's Action Replay.
24:54First up on tonight's Action Replay,
24:57Chloe Crocker, a University of Kent student,
25:00travelled to Edinburgh to compete in a 5K run
25:03for Parkinson's UK.
25:05Crocker is usually seen in the rehearsals
25:07for the Theatre Society
25:09but instead traded the boards of the stage
25:11for the hills of Edinburgh.
25:13She ran the race alongside dozens
25:16all with the goal of raising money
25:18for research into the disease.
25:20A big well done to Chloe on her achievement.
25:24Next up, the University of Kent women's handball team
25:28had a fantastic weekend at their second round of Bucks.
25:32Travelling over to Leighton,
25:34the team played matches against King's College and Oxford.
25:37The girls won their first match 12-9
25:40then their second match 14-5.
25:43A massive congratulations to the team on their victory.
25:47And finally, the Canterbury 10 mile road race
25:51took place on Sunday the 26th
25:53with an impressive turnout of over 1,250 finishers.
25:59The runners were encouraged by a mix of local residents,
26:02friends and family who were stood all along the route.
26:05Overall, there was a great atmosphere
26:07from the registration to the finish line.
26:10We want to wish a congratulations to everyone who competed.
26:14That's it for this week's Action Replay.
26:17But don't forget, it could be you in next week's edition.
26:20Just send in your pictures or videos to our social media
26:23or to sport at kmtv.co.uk.
26:27That really is full time on today's episode of Invicta Sport.
26:30But if you want more from KMTV,
26:32you can head over to our website, kmtv.co.uk,
26:35where all of our special shows are available to watch back on demand.
26:38But from me, Alex and Eli still here with me in the studio,
26:41chatting away, and that's all from us this evening.
26:44Bye-bye.
26:50www.kmtv.co.uk