Litter Bug

Just as much as the problem of dog poop around the area. The amount of litter which is being left around the area is unbearable for some residences. Residences are finding that the amount of litter which is being dropped or left around the area is from the children and teenagers hanging out around the shops and around the park.
"Children are leaving sweet wrappers laying around the area after buying them from the shops. I think that we should have more bins available for them to throw their litter away." Says Mrs Reed.
However, I feel that adults can be just as much to blame for the litter issues around the area. Due to the amount of cigarette boxes outside the community centre itself. "There are no bins or well not enough bins in the area for me to throw my stuff away. It's not like I am going to leave my rubbish in my pocket I would rather chuck it and if there isn't a bin available for me, on the floor it goes. I don't see a problem with it, loads of people litter these days." Says Mr Lucus.
There should be signs for the penalties that can be occured on the residence of the area or even the children of the area to show them what they could face for littering. However, the community officer's should be knuckling down on this issue due to harmful effects on the wildlife of the area.

New Doctor In Town

The new Istead Rise Surgery is also linked with Shorne Village surgery. The new Istead Rise Surgery, "looks loads different to the old surgery" says Mrs Hudson. The new surgery has made a great impression on the residents of Istead Rise. It looks more professional inside and out. But has it changed on the way it runs? Do you still have to wait just as long as last time? How do they buzz you in?
Well I asked a few residence what they thought about the new surgery.
"Its lovely inside, its warm and there is a lot more space for children to play and a bigger sitting area." says Mrs Toy.
"It's got the plus side of looking more professional, however, I still find I have to wait well over 30 minutes for my appointment. So on that aspect it has not changed but it does look nice." Mrs Barnard.
"I like the way it comes with your name on the board, what room your in and what doctor you have." Says Miss Grimes.
Istead Rise surgery takes same day appointments if you call before 11. They also have a place if you need a repeat prescription you just post it in the box and they will sort it out for you. The Istead Rise Surgery development has made Istead Rise community look more modern and professional as a village.
What do you think of the surgery? Please leave your comments.

Noise-mobiles

A "Hairdryer on wheels", a moped, a motorbike, even the cars with big exhaust pipes on. Are all causing noise in this friendly area at stupid times in the morning. Mopeds are the "in" thing for children at the age of 16 years old, it shows that they have a little bit of freedom away from their parents. It also gives them a little bit of independance. However, how do you feel about the noise of moped's early hours of the morning? do you think they should be stopped in this area at a certain time?
I asked around the area what they thought on the matter, "I personally think they are noisy, I also think children at the age of 16 shouldn't be driving them. I would love for someone to stop them running through this area at a certain time because the noise around here is so painful to the ears, especially when i am trying to sleep. The noise during the day doesn't bother me as much but when it is during the early hours of the morning and they are continuously going up and down the hill, it becomes annoying, and quite frank I have filed a complaint about them many of times." Mrs Gibson.
"I don't think that my moped makes much noise at all. I think its great for the time being that I have left to wait till I can drive. I think the adults are just moaning cause that's all they ever do is moan." Mr Browning.
Dirt bikes have also become a found problem in the area because many years ago a teenager named Jason Gill come off his bike in the woods where they normally ride and unfortunately passed before the ambulance could get there. People have tried to stop the dirt bikes riding around in the woods of the community centre to stop anymore accidents happening. However, as the years have gone by since this accident the dirt bikes are coming back in to driving around the woods.
If you would like to make a stop to these dirt bikes or to the noise of the mopeds please leave me your comments.

ISTEAD UNITED COLTS FOOTBALL CLUB

The Istead Rise community first established their very own football team over 30 years ago.
The Istead United Colts Football Club are held for all children under the ages of 6 up to 16. I have watched a number of matches from the teams and it brings the whole community together. The new season has only just begun with the Under 12's and Under 14's first 11 a side match against the Crayford Arrows.
I spoke to one of the old managers of the Under 16's football on how he feels that this brings everyone in the community together, "I used to manager the under 16's team. I have to admit I loved those boys, they worked hard and they wanted to win. We did have our ups and our downs. But when the crowd come to watch, which wasn't just the parents, but also others of the community, it made them boys feel like superstars on the pitch." Mr Heddon
Istead United Colts, used to have an adult team as well, where the elders of the community could join in to a little bit of saturday kick about with another team, however, as the season would progress less and less people would show up. So the adult team retired.

Mushy Apple or Tasty Apple??

Istead Rise has been known for it's amount of Dwarf Apple Trees which are situated around the area.
The Dwarf Apple tress are very different to your ordinary Apple tree, they produce a lot earlier and due to their reproduction it means that they are in much less needed care then the original Apple tree. Gravesend as a whole have 100's of Apple Trees.
However, even though the Dwarf Apples show the culture of Istead Rise area they are also causing problems for the people around them. Especially the specific plants around the community centre area.
The amount of Dwarf Apples which fall down off these tree's and the amount of young children picking them up off from the floor and throwing them as toys to watch them "splat" on the floor. The rotten apples from the tree are just falling off and lying in the road and going to pulp.
The problem with these apples, pointing out more of the rotten one's, is that they attract flies which land and lay their eggs for their maggots.
"I saw a young child around about the age of 7 touching one of the fallen rotten apples then licking their fingers a short while after, the amount of germs these children could pick up from them is ridiculous." Mrs Handy
Some residents around the area of Istead Rise like to think that the apples are making the area look and smell unclean, "I find that in the summer the rotten apples smell extremely bad and they are making the area look messy. With the amount of squashed apples in the road where people have driven over them, or children stamping on them, I think someone should clean the apples up. However, when they are fresh to eat they are delicious." Mr day.

Primary Parking

Now 8 years ago at Istead Rise Primary School parking started to become a problem. See Istead Rise Primary School is situated on a busy and probably a main road. A numerous amount of people live on this road, therefore when school has finished the road becomes rather busy.
Parents would tend to park everywhere and anywhere literally anywhere such as over people's drives. Now you can see how the neighbours of Istead Rise school felt!!
The neighbours of this school united to resolve this problem and 8 years on the council granted the neighbours of the school double yellow lines on the road. Now this has prevented some parents from parking there but not many. Police have gone down a few times and the fine a few people, but the burning question is will this situation get resolved?

The New and Improved Community Centre

It was burnt down after a robbery back in 2007. Now it has taken some years to get the building back up and running again, due to speculations. However, the new and improved community centre has finally opened. I asked a few members of the community what they thought about the new community centre re-opening.
"If i'm honest it doesn't look anything like the old community centre. It looks like a cafeteria now. But it's great having my old boozer back knowing i can just walk back home, seeing as its only up the road." Mr Clark.
"It doesn't have the same atmosphere as the old community centre. People have found new pubs to go in which is a shame, because this pub was were you knew everyone." Mr Tottenham.
"I like it. I think it has a nice bigger look on it, and it doesn't seem as dark in here as it used to." Mrs Heddon.
As you can see there was a mixture of reactions to what the community thought. The community centre is more then just a pub it also holds events and groups. Such as on a Thursday Night there are dance lessons and much more. For more about what is held at the centre please go to www.isteadrisecommunity.com