Time is running out to fill in the SheppeyProud survey to say what you want for the Island.

The closing date is next Monday (November 16). Heather Thomas-Pugh, of Sheppey Matters, which is coordinating the investigation, said: “We have all been amazed by the reaction.

But we are still anxious to encourage as many people as possible to have their say.”

Focus groups have been set-up to sift through the evidence.

She added: “The excellent response has already given the groups quite a task to analyse the feedback. But it is all very exciting.”

SheppeyProud is one of 116 organisations bidding for a share of the government’s £90 million to improve coastal communities.

Each area has to prepare a detailed economic development plan by the end of January.

This month Mrs Thomas-Pugh attended a day-long national conference of the Coastal Communities Alliance in Skegness and attended workshops giving advice on how to share resources with other coastal teams and how to develop tourism.

She said: “It was extremely useful to see how other communities are experiencing the same problems as Sheppey such as low aspirations, education issues and retaining staff.”

She will be giving a report at the Sheerness Coastal Team’s next meeting on Tuesday.

Hard copies of the survey are still available at the Times Guardian offices at 44 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NL.

Paper copies of the questionnaire can be obtained from, and also be dropped off at: Castle Connections, Queenborough; Cut and Colour, Leysdown; Keeley Hairdressers, Eastchurch; the Sweet Hut on Minster Leas; Hope Street Community Cafe, Sheerness and Sheppey Matters which is in the Healthy Living Centre, Sheppey Leisure Complex, off the Broadway, Sheerness.

The survey can be completed online at https://sheppeymatters.typeform.com/to/IzRWkk.

For more details, email Mrs Thomas-Pugh at cctsheppey@hotmail.com or call 01795 585335.

Sheppey Matters has teamed up with other organisations, including the Sheerness Town Team, Swale council, Sheppey academy, Swale Community Leisure – which runs Sheppey Leisure Complex, and firms such as bus company Arriva, Medichem, Brambledown Farm Shop and the Sheerness Times Guardian. MP Gordon Henderson is also supporting it.

Follow SheppeyProud on Facebook by liking the SheppeyProud page or on Twitter by following @SheppeyProud.

What do you think of the campaign? Write to Sheerness Times Guardian, 44 High Street, Sheerness, ME12 1NL or email timesguardian@thekmgroup.co.uk