Mum of autistic lad
slams ramp thieves THE mother of an autistic boy has criticised the criminals who stole a skateboard ramp outside her home in Cross Keys, Bearsted. Sue Cakebread was on holi-
day when one ramp was stolen and another was damaged be- yond repair. Her autistic son Max (13) regularly skated up and down the ramps, which each cost £700. Sue said: “Police think it
might have been people steal- ing for scrap metal. They knew what they were doing because a ramp was stolen before and found on Bearsted Woodland Trust land. “After that we bolted the
ramp with a big metal bar, so they have obviously come with tools and maybe even a flat-bed truck to take it away.” Sue said the money is not the
over-riding issue. “It costs a lot of money to replace, that we don’t have, but even if we did, the point is that autistic chil- dren often become very fixated on one particular thing, and this was it.We wouldn’t just be able to replace it because it wouldn’t be the same. “It’s like when a child has a favourite teddy and someone takes it away. A new teddy just isn’t the same. The ramps were handy because I knew Max was safe and was getting exercise.”
Rolls arrival for royal honour
A VOLUNTARY action group will this month re- ceive a royal endorsement of its outstanding vol- untary work in the borough. Brighter Futures for Older People, in Marsham Street, Maidstone, has been selected, along with three dozen other organisations in the South East, for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The group helps
more then 600 elderly people in the borough and will collect a cer- tificate, signed by the Queen, and an exclusive com- memorative crys- tal.
Four represen-
tatives have been invited to the royal garden party at Bucking- ham Palace on July 19. Local manager Peter Way has arranged for the volunteers to travel there in a Rolls-Royce, be- cause “they absolutely deserve it”.
THEWeald of Kent Golf Club hosted the first ever combined networking meeting for two business associations, Lenham Valley and South Maidstone. Both associations were set
up to help make networking for new business an easier and more friendly experience, especially for first timers – and there were more than ever at this event.
Mr Way said: “We would love to expand to
other areas, like Staplehurst, Marden and Head- corn, so we can benefit even more people.” The public nominated more than 400 voluntary services for the award. Brighter Futures’ 86 volunteers, some of whom
Elderly users enjoy a meal cooked by volunteers
give up 40 hours a week of their time, try to im- prove the quality of life for people over 70 by taking them out on shop- ping trips, organ- ising exercise classes and pam- pering days, as well as other ac- tivities such as providing coun- selling services. The Queen’s
Award was estab- lished in 2002 for
the Golden Jubilee and is given to those who con- tribute their time selflessly to benefit others. It is the highest honour that can be bestowed on groups and is equivalent in status to an MBE.
Firm success from working together Speakers were Chris Gar-
land, leader of Maidstone Bor- ough Council, and Karen Burns from HMRC. Founder Alan Reading said: “These are thoughtfully run and carefully organised net- working events. “The two associations were
created with boosting the rural economy very much in mind. There’s a strong feeling of caring and sharing in most villages and so far Lenham Valley, especially, has greatly benefited from the existence of a properly run local busi- ness association, with far reaching results.” Mr Reading added: “South Maidstone is relatively new but it is moving forward.”
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