Scam information

A message from Laura Vince, Kent Police Community Liaison Officer.

I hope that you are all staying safe.

I am trying to stay in contact with members of our community, to pass on any information and advice. Please do pass this message on or let me know of any support groups you think may benefit from this. 

Information about requesting help from the Council and offering help.

Latest Scam information

There is information on the Gov.uk website for information on staying safe in other languages. Should you have any difficulties in finding these, please do let me know.

Can I remind you of ABC message as follows:

Use the ABC of scam awareness:

A-      Never assume a caller, email or text is genuine.

B-       Never believe a caller, email or text is genuine.

C-      Always confirm by contacting a trusted number, family member, friend, your bank’s fraud department or the police to check if it’s genuine.

A downloadable guide to avoiding scams.

A guide to phone scams

Stay safe,

Kind regards

Laura

Laura Vince

Community Liaison Officer

Sevenoaks District

A word of warning about keeping safe from scammers during the coronavirus pandemic

Not wishing to scaremonger, but this is an official email, so please watch out for the more vulnerable members of our community who may fall prey to such outrageous behaviour at this time. 

Many thanks,

Marion.

Afternoon All, 

Please check out the latest messages and advice from Neighbourhood watch in response to Covid 19 here:https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/news/NW_national-news/covid-19

Covid 19 Scam Prevention Advice

Scammers and criminals are already looking for opportunities to scam people as a result of the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic. Happily, there are many more stories of kindness and generosity but we want to make people aware of the scams as they emerge – which they seem to be on a daily basis.

There have been reports received by Kent Police of people door-knocking and claiming to be from the Health Authority.

What happens:

• The criminal knocks on your door.
• They claim to be from the Health Authority.
• They offer to do COVID-19 testing on residents.
• There are also reports of the criminal offering to take the residents temperature.

THIS IS A SCAM!

What to do: 

• Do not let them in.
• Do not allow them to take any money or details from you.
• Report to Kent Police on 101.
• If you ask them to leave and they don't, contact the police on 999.

Please warn vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours.

Report
There has been a report of an elderly Kent resident who lost money when they gave their bank card to someone who offered to do some shopping for them. They received one of these cards through their door and an individual offered to help, however, they actually stole money from the resident and were not seen again.

Payment
Don’t ever give your bank or card details to anyone, even if you think you know them very well.  You could either agree to pay in cash after they have delivered the shopping or pay them online if you have the facility to do so. Or maybe you could agree another method of payment - but never give your bank or card details. 

Contacts If you are self-isolating, you could contact one of these organisations for help and support: Age UK  0800 678 1602 Asthma UK  0300 222 5800 BHF 0300 330 3311 Diabetes UK  0345 123 2399 Mind  0300 123 3393 Scope  0808 800 3333 The Silver Line 0800 470 8090

For advice and to report issues to KCC Trading Standards contact
Citizens Advice consumer helpline on0808 223 1133
Consumer Advice scams action line  on 0808 250 5050
Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Please remember you can also contact me should you need any further advice or help,

Kind regards,

PSE 59753 Adam Sackett

Volunteer & Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer

East Kent Police

Police Station, Fort Hill, Margate, Kent, CT9 1HL

Telephone: 07980683802

Email : adam.sackett@kent.police.uk

Do you need help?

DO YOU  NEED HELP during the coronavirus epidemic?

Ring the church on
07510 522292 or email sealpandp@gmail.com
 and we will do what we can to respond.
--------------------------------------

DO YOU WANT TO OFFER HELP?

The best thing you can do is to make contact (via a card popped through the door) with your immediate neighbours and those in the networks you already have. For safeguarding reasons we can't use volunteers who are unknown to us, because it involves work with with vulnerable adults, but in any case the most effective way to respond to the needs of this crisis are the hyperlocal ones, as we each help those around us, and let them help us!

February Update from Know Your Neighbours

Welcome to February's Update email for Know Your Neighbours in Seal.

Today, we held the draw for this month's 100 Club, and here are the results:-

This month we were drawing from 58 numbers, and the first number drawn was 

No 24 - L Talbot £96.66

second was

No 12 - A Lewis £48.33

If you haven't yet joined our 100 Club and wish to join, please email mail me and I will send you joining details, so you can be added from next month's draw.

Some of the monies raised from this will be used to distribute between some of our Village organisations. If you belong to a voluntary organisation or society in Seal, and wish to apply for a grant for up to £250, from the Seal Village Fund, please see the poster below, and get your application in before our AGM on March 5th, which will be held in the Village Hall at 8pm. For more details, please see the attachment at the end of this week mail.

Also, at the end of this week mail, I have added a copy of the updated Parish Plan for your perusal.

We are pleased to welcome Herman and his team, at Deniz's (formerley Birch's) Cafe, and to announce that our Monday afternoon Talking Village sessions will be back on the premises. We would also like to thank Tyna and her team of hosts at Wildernesse House Pavilion Restaurant, who have made us welcome whilst the cafe was closed. We will be meeting at the beautiful Pavilion Restaurant again on Monday 10th February from 1.45-2.45, and we are looking into the possibilities of holding a regular session there. Watch this space!

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES AT LAVENDER FIELDS

Do you have an interest or skills in the following?

Flower arranging 

Gardening 🏻‍

Sewing/cross stitch ✂️

Card making 📩

Snooker /darts   

Card and board games ♣️♥️♦️♠️

Reminiscence groups  🏾‍⚖️🏾

If you are interested in any of these, there will be opportunities to set up groups for anybody to take part in floral workshops, sewing circles, snooker games, board games and cards, and greeting card making. These groups will be open to the public, giving opportunities for residents to take part and socialise with members of the wider Seal community. Lavender Fields creates a beautiful environment, in which you could join one of these groups to develop your own talents.

All that is needed is a few volunteer leaders - one or two for each group. IT COULD BE YOU! If you, or maybe you and a friend, could spare a couple of hours each month, to help organise these activities, please contact me at

marionjgilchrist@gmail.com

Gardening volunteers will be given small tasks, organised by the gardener, and help to involve a few of the residents.

We really look forward to hearing from some of you .

Kent County Council wish to make us aware of Doorstep Criminals. We know that people are targeted on their doorsteps, by home owners being told that roof tiles are loose, chimney stacks are dangerous, trees are diseased, driveways need her washing for safety, etc. Help keep your community safe by reporting doorstep crime to your local Community Warden or the police. Our town police desk is situated in the offices of Sevenoaks District Council.

The Parish Council has shared the following link which gives full guidance on how to prevent the spread of 

2019-nCoV infection:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/novel-coronavirus-2019

Events for 2020, we are aware of so far:-

Thursday March 5th 8pm Seal Village Hall - AGM of Seal Village Fund and Seal Know Your Neighbours.

Sunday March 22nd 10 am St Peter and St Paul Church Seal - Mothering Sunday Service, followed by cake and gift stall.

THURSDAY MARCH 26th - 10.30 - 2pm LAVENDER FIELDS SPRING FAIR.

Friday March 27th Seal Village Hall - Quiz in Aid of 2020 Garden Safari set up costs. More info Frances Fish 07749 240456

Monday April 6th 7.30 PM Village Hall - Seal History Group - Talk on The History of the Darenth Valley.

Monday 4th May 7.30pm Seal Village Hall - Seal History Group - A Talk on The Battle of Britain (to be confirmed)

Sunday June 14th PM - Seal 2020 Garden Safari in Aid of Kent Air Ambulance.

Saturday July 4th - 2-4pm LAVENDER FIELDS SUMMER FAIR

Monday 6th July 7.30pm - Seal Village Hall - Seal History Group - A Talk from Bob Ogley - Kent in 19th Century.

Planning well ahead! 

Saturday November 21st and Saturday November 28th - Seal Christmas lights up.

Saturday December 5th 2.30-5pm Family Christmas Celebration and Christmas lights turn on. Seal Village Hall.

Please remember to contact me to advertise your events for your Seal organisations and societies.

Best Wishes,

Marion

On behalf of Seal Know Your Neighbours.

January update from Know Your Neighbours

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas, whatever it may have held for you. I am happy to report that our Family Christmas celebration on December 7th, went down very well, and we received many lovely comments from all sorts of people who attended. Many were old Seal friends, but it was also really good to welcome some who were fairly new to the village, or families from Seal School, who had not been to Seal events before. It was a great turnout, with fantastic entertainment from Rob Pound, who we are hoping will entertain a different Seal audience later in 2020. Watch this space for more information.

We do have a pair of small red wellies and a blue water bottle, which were left after the event. So, if you know a poor bootless, bottle-less child, who attended the party, please get in touch, and we will return them to you.

We have also received lots of great feedback regarding the lights in the High Street. As you know, we had a very generous donation from Seal Parish Council of £500 this year, which was put toward the cost of the lights and the party, so that was a considerable help, along with our own fund-raising events and a little of the revenue from our Know Your Neighbours 100 Club. If you know of anybody who might have some good photographs of the High Street in lights, please ask them to contact me if they are happy to share them.

In all, we spent approximately £1,300 this year for lighting, insurance and Christmas activities, but if you want a proper breakdown, please come along to our AGM on March 5th at 8pm. We  are hoping to use the Village Hall for this meeting, but are waiting for confirmation, but more information will be available by next month's update.

Sadly, the lights do have to come down though! We were originally intending to do this tomorrow, but so many people were still in Christmas mode, that we have now arranged to take them down on Saturday 11th January. We do have some offers of help, but as always, we are eager to encourage more of you out of your cosy homes on a cold winter's morning, to assist with the taking down, untangling, coiling up (possibly drying out) and storing safely for next year. There will, of course, be the added incentive of coffee and a bacon sandwich to warm you up.We will meet outside the Village Hall at 9am, so please come along - bring a ladder if you have one, and join the fun and frolics to start the 2020 community bonding of our great village!

We held our first 100 Club draw of 2020 this morning at Friday Group, and here are the results:-

This month we were playing with 57 numbers giving a prize fund of £142.50 and £142,50 to the Seal Village Fund.

1st prize £95 -No  52 Hilary Coffey  

2nd prize £47.50 -  no 44 Jean Puffette

If you wish to participate in our 100 Club, please email me, and I will send you the joining instructions.

You will have noticed that Birch's closed their doors before Christmas, and we are already missing Ashley and her team of happy staff, who made our Talking Village so welcome on Monday afternoons. Until we have more information about the re-opening, we won't be in a position to hold or normal Monday afternoon Talking Village sessions, but please join us in the library on Saturday mornings 10am-11am, Thursdays at Tiddlers, Seal Church Hall 10am - midday or Fridays at Friday Group, Seal Church Hall 10am - midday. There will always be a little band of people ready for a coffee, tea and a chat with you!

EVENTS WE ARE AWARE OF SO FAR FOR 2020.

Saturday 11th Jan 9am - meet outside Seal Village Hall to take down and store Seal Village Christmas lights. ALL WELCOME

Saturday January 25th - Seal Church Hall 7.30pm - A Scottish themed Beetle Drive in aid of St Peter and St Paul Church Seal- 

Wear something tartan for a nod to Robbie Burns. Bring your own drinks,glass and snacks Tickets 4pound adults, 3pound children from Jill 01732 762803

 Thursday March 5th -Know Your Neighbours and Seal Village Fund AGM at (hopefully) Seal Village Hall at 8pm.

Friday March 27th - Seal Village Hall - Quiz in aid of Seal Garden Safari 2020 set up costs - more info Frances Fish - 07749 240456

Sunday June 14th - Seal Garden Safari 2020. If you would like to open your garden, or know of somebody who should (), please contact Frances as above.

PLANNING AHEAD!!

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21st and 28th - Seal Christmas lights up! 9am

SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th - Family Christmas Celebration and lights on - Seal Village Hall -2.30-5pm

Please remember to e mail me regarding any events your organisation is putting on over the year. We are always here as Know Your Neighbours, to help promote your activities!

Meanwhile, get your new year off to a cracking start!
Best Wishes,

Marion (on behalf of Seal Know Your Neighbours).

December news from Know Your Neighbours

Hello One and All,

So - we are almost there! At the end of another year, and looking forward to welcoming the third decade of the 21st century! (Do you feel really old now)?

We will kick off with the results of this morning’s draw of our 100 Club.

We were playing with 58 numbers, giving £144 to the Seal Village Fund and a first prize of

£96 to number 26 L.Bain

£48 to number.36 J.Scarlett

As always, if you would like to join this 100 Club, please e mail me and I will get you the joining instructions, or you can pick some up from our Christmas lights Switch On Party tomorrow.

I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who turned out last Saturday, to help decorate the village with lights in the High Street, The Green, Zambra Way, Church Street and Bentleys Bungalows. It was a great turnout, and what a lovely atmosphere. So many people meeting each other, and coming together to beautify our village for Christmas!

Another massive thank you goes to Ashley, from Birch’s Cafe, who donated bacon sandwiches for all our helpers. Not a mean feat, as this year, there were at least 30 helpers! Thank you Ashley - hugely appreciated! By the way - just heard news of your future plans - we all wish you the best of luck, but you will certainly be missed in this village! 

Whilst we are talking generosity, the team of ladies co-ordinating the British Legion Poppy Appeal in Seal this year, would like to report a taking of £1335.24 this year. That is an amazing amount compared to previous years. Thank you Seal! They would like to hand over this job to someone else next year. Is there anyone in the community who would be able to take it on? 

PLEASE REMEMBER YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS TABLE DECORATION TONIGHT AT SEAL CHURCH HALL AT 7.30 WITH CHRIS AND MAGGIE, in aid of Seal Church. Please call chris on 01732 763585 to book your place. All equipment supplied, have a glass of wine and a mince pie for just £20.

TOMORROW WE HAVE OUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN THE VILLAGE HALL FROM 2.30pm - 5pm. This is a free party with a great local magician to entertain you all. Anybody of any age, who lives, works or plays in seal is welcome! The entertainer will be present from 3-4pm, then santa will pay a visit and help us to turn on the lights at 4.30 after a light tea. We just ask you to bring a small plate of food to share. We shall come back into the hall for a few traditional carols after the lights are on. There will be the opportunity to 'win the gin' by rolling any pound coins you may have about your person, and the closest after 10 minutes will 'win the gin'. Also a pound coin raffle to win half the proceeds so please bring plenty of pound coins with you if you wish to take part!


NEXT WEEKEND WE HAVE OUR CHRISTINGLE SERVICE AT ST PETER AND ST PAUL CHURCH AT 10.00 am ON SUNDAY 15th DECEMBER, followed by a cake stall and Christmas gift stall at 11.30am. All welcome,


THE CAROL SERVICE AT ST PETER AND ST PAUL TAKES PLACE AT 6.30pm on SUNDAY 22nd. Please join us for this beautiful service and stay for a glass of wine and mince pies.


THEN, AS ALWAYS, AT 4pm ON CHRISTMAS EVE, WE HAVE OUR EVER POPULAR, CRIB SERVICE. Children of all ages (1-99) love this celebration, where the nativity crib is built up throughout the service. Please join us! Midnight Mass starts at 11.30pm (with carols from the choir from 11pm), and the Christmas Day Communion service, with a story in place of a sermon, is at 10 am.

Without wishing to sound like THE GRINCH, the lights come down on Saturday January 4th. We will, of course need our willing volunteers (and anybody else we can drag along), to assist with taking them down and boxing up for next year.
There will, of course, be an incentive by way of bacon sarnies, to encourage the crowds back. Please, if you can, join us at 9.30 outside Seal Village Hall to remove and get together after for brunch and maybe a pint!

Sorry to break the magic!

That pretty much brings us to a close on 2019, but we are already hearing of planned events for 2020!

On Saturday January 25th, there will be a Scottish themed Beetle Drive in honour of Robbie Burns. BYO  DRINKS AND SNACKS. SOME NIBBLES WILL BE PROVIDED.£5 a ticket. This will take place in the Church Hall at 7.30pm. Please call Jill to book your tickets on 01732 762803. Proceeds to Seal Church.

On Saturday March 14th, Frances Fish is holding a Quiz night in the Village Hall, to raise set up costs for Seal’s next Garden Safari on June 14th! LOOK OUT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Meanwhile, have a very Happy Christmas and enjoy your New Year celebrations, and we look forward to welcoming many of you to the events above,and meeting lots of new people, both at these and throughout 2020!

Very Best Wishes,

Marion on behalf of Seal Know Your Neighbours.

Christmas Wreath and Table Decoration making evenings

Sign up soon for these Christmas Wreath and Table decoration making evenings. They are always popular, and great fun. There's a lot of laughter amidst the holly and the ivy, (probably helped along by the wine!)

Friday 29^th  Dec- Wreath making

Friday 6th  Dec - Table Decorations

7.30pm in Seal Church Hall

£20 each or £30 for both.

 Includes everything you need to make wreath/table decoration, and mince pie and glass of wine. Please bring secateurs. Please phone Chris  01732 763585 or Maggie 01732 762840 if you would like to come.