With just four days until Christmas Day, the last thing you want to see is a ‘closed’ sign. It’s always best to be prepared, so people in Medway are being urged to plan ahead for the changes in opening times and dates this festive season.

Dr James Thallon, medical director for NHS England South East, said: “If you or someone you care for takes medicines regularly, don’t forget to make sure you collect repeat prescriptions in plenty of time to ensure you have enough medicine to cover the festive season.

“When you are in the pharmacy it is also the ideal opportunity to stock up on self care treatments for conditions like coughs, colds and upset stomachs.”

Only a few pharmacies in Medway will be open on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.

Boots in Chatham and Hempstead Valley will be open from 10am-4pm on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Karsons in Chatham and Rochester will be open on Christmas Day from 10:30am-2:30pm, with the Rochester branch also open 10am-6pm on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Lloyds Pharmacy inside Hempstead Valley’s Sainsbury’s will also remain open on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day from 10am-4pm.

Medway Pharmacy on Canterbury Street in Gillingham will open for two hours from 8am on all three days.

The Morrisons Pharmacy in Walderslade will also be open from 10am-4pm on the Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

People can find details of their nearest pharmacy on the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk

The community hubs and contact points at Chatham, Rainham, Strood, Gillingham, Rochester, Twydall and Kingsley House are all closed between from December 24-27 and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Kingsley House is also closed on December 30.

Medway’s libraries will be shut from December 24-27 and on New Year’s Day.

Medway Council’s contact centre will not open from December 24 -27 and December 30 -January 1, but will open on December 28 and 29 from 9am-6pm.

Kerbside rubbish collection days will be one day later than usual between December 25 and January 5, with the exception of Christmas Day, which will change to Wednesday, December 27. This includes the collection on Friday, December 29, which will move to the Saturday.

All sports centres will be closed between December 24
and December 27, as well as on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Medway Park is open from 6.30am-8pm on December 22 and from 6.30am-2pm on December 23, 28, 29 and 30.

Deangate Ridge and Splashes and Hoo are also both open on these same days from 7.30am and will shut at 8pm on the 22nd. Deangate Ridge will close at 5pm on other days, with Splashes and Hoo shutting at 3pm.

The Medway Archives Centre in Strood will be shut December 24-27 and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

A lot of Medway’s tourist attractions will also be shut over Christmas, with Rochester Castle, Eastgate House and the Medway Visitor Information Centre all closed December 24-26 and New Year’s Day. The information centre will also close December 27 and 31, and Eastgate House additionally will not open on January 2.

The Guildhall Museum is closed December 25-27 and New Year’s Day, and will open on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve 10am-4pm.

When it comes to Medway’s markets, Gillingham Market is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and Strood is shut on Boxing Day.

Gillingham will open 9am-4pm on December 23 and January 8, and 9am-3pm on December 30.

Strood is open 9am-3pm on December 19, 23 and January 2, and shuts an hour earlier on December 30.