LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from page 32


This was inaccurate as the tree was actually felled on Sunday, September 26. Nobody from the council bothered tomake


any form of contact with us until the tempo- rary TPO was placed on the tree in July 2011. Cllr Harwood also stated that the tree was hacked down in a haphazard way. My hus- band resents this remark as he has over 40 years of experience felling trees and would do nothing to jeopardise the safety of his family. In a democratic society, I would have thought that we should have been given the opportunity to redress these inaccuracies at the planning committee meeting, but as we spoke first, thatwas not the case. In fact, none of the points I raised, including government TPO guidelines on the definition of a tree, were addressed in any of the ensuing com- ments from local councillors. We have been left feeling harassed and harangued by the whole experience when we have done noth- ing wrong. Iwould urge anyone with an interest in this


issue to watch the webcast of the committee meeting (November 3 2011). Is this really a democratic process and dowereally want our council to waste our money protecting a tree stump after the tree has been cut down?


Kim Frazer, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone


Thanks for friendly care Dear Sir -OnFriday, January 13, Iwas taken ill in Wilkinsons, Maidstone. I would like to thank a lady ina white and black checked coat whofirst came tomyhelp, also three members of staff, one of whom had medical knowledge and suspected I had a heart attack and called for an ambulance. The ambulance crew were very friendly and


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


professional, as was the paramedic. I was taken to Maidstone A&E and immediately given all tests in a very efficient, professional and caring friendly way with checks well into the night. I was allowed home during Satur- day afternoon, with more checks scheduled as an outpatient for possible angina. Iwould like to say thank you to all the people who at- tended tomeand for the fewtastymeals Ihad. I am very grateful for being taken to Maid-


stone Hospital, which is within easy walking distance from home, rather than Pembury, which is not. Many thanks from a 79-year-old male.


Nameand address supplied


Trolleyed off by Sainsbury’s Dear Sir -Are all those without cars now to be treated as ‘chavs’? Our local Sainsbury’s supermarket, close to Maidstone’s poor excuse for a bus station, is gradually adding to the difficulties for car-less shoppers. The rot set in a few years ago when the store closed the entrance/exit door nearest the bus station, yet left all the shopping trol- leys at the farthest point away, at the car park end. This door closure, an official claimed, was for security purposes. We the elderly, and the disabled, accepted


this explanation and proceeded to help each other with many a smile and “thank you” by wheeling our shopping-laden trolleys along to near the steep and narrow iron steps leading down to the buses. This enabled those carry- ing other goods to use these trolleys on their way to the far entrance, near the car park. Granted, the odd trolley would need to be collected, but with young men employed in trolley collection from car park locations dur- ing opening hours, thiswould surely cause lit- tle problem. The predominance of


middle-aged and elderly customers at this gro- cery store, would seem tomerit extra care for such loyal customers. Not a bit of it. After introducing self-service check-out tills – little-used and causing longer queues (and longer dole queues?) – the store hasnowintroduced, as elsewhere, a £1 trolley fee while keeping the trolley point farthest from the bus station. We now have to return the trolleys to this


point, or forego the £1 return if we need the little help we formerly enjoyed. A sign of worse to come?


AudreyDGardner, Willington Street, Maidstone


Pembury is sad for children Dear Sir –As two ex staff members of the for- mer children’s (Monckton)Ward at Maidstone Hospital, we are shocked by the sterile and clinical atmosphere for children at the new Pembury Hospital. Onour visit therewere 23 child patients but


we neither heard nor saw any as theywere in virtual isolation behind closed doors. There was little to illustrate that the Hedge-


hogWard was for children – no pictures, mo- biles, sound of children’s chatter and laughter. Monckton Ward was bright, colourful and


lively to help children and parents copewith a hospital environment. Children need the company of other children even when sick – not shut away by themselves. Parents also need to meet and share thoughts and emotions with other parents and to help each other. This is difficult if itmeans leaving your child alone in a room. I amvery sad paediatrics has come to this. Name and address supplied, Maidstone


More letters - page 34


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