Emilia remembered at charity’s launch party


A CHARITY in memory of a brave Lenham youngster has held its official launch, with a children’s party and the chance to take part in lots of art and craft activities. The afternoon, at Lenham Community Centre, not only raised awareness for Emilia’s Little Heart Foundation, but also raised £850 for the charity. The foundation is named after EmiliaWebb,who had surgery at Evelina Children’s Hospital in London after being born with a rare heart condition, and spent her last three months there. Sadly, Emilia lost her fight


last summer at the age of just three and a half. Her devastated parents, Darren, who is head of West Malling CE Primary school, and Claire, a teacher, set up the charity in her name. The couple, who live in Ham


Lane, were so impressed with how she coped in hospital, they hope the foundation will help to foster the emotional wellbe-


‘Urgent’ building


plea ignored MAIDSTONE Council has blocked a proposed extension in Bearsted that would have solved an “urgent problem” of a home containing only a small area to eat. Applicant Steve Willis was seeking planning approval for the extension at 28 Roseacre Lane. His statement said: “This is a solution to an urgent problem. The small end-of-terraced prop- erty only enjoys a kitchen and lounge at ground floor level. Dining has to take place in the small kitchen or lounge, which is only 3.7 by 3.5m.” But Maidstone Council re-


fused the application, saying the extension would have “an awkward and unsympathetic relationship with the original listed cottage, due to its roof de- sign and its fenestration”.


Forthcoming fundraising op- portunities include the Brighton Marathon on April 15, the Lon- don Marathon on April 22 and the annual charity ball on Sat- urday, October 20. Bourne Music Classes is run-


Olivia Frawley-Bailey (4), and Bethany Shaw (7), at the party


ing of other young people who spend time in hospital. Supporters rallied round to


help raise funds, which now stand at more than £8,000. The launch party showed the


work being done with Evelina and the William Harvey Hospi- tal, Ashford. Entertainment included face painting and balloon modelling, a cake sale and a give a bear stall. For more about the charity,


visit its website, www.emil- iaslittleheart.org.uk.


A NIGHT of entertainment will be held in Bredhurst on Satur- day, June 2, to mark theQueen’s Diamond Jubilee. The evening, which will start


at 7pm and finish at midnight, includes two hours of singing, dancing, comedy and martial arts, the star act being a tribute to the songs of Rod Stewart. This will be followed by a


short firework display with pa- triotic singing and a disco. Chil- dren will be able to enjoy a


Lap dancing survey MAIDSTONE is one of four places in Britain chosen to take part in a £100,000 survey of lap dancing venues. The University of Kent proj-


ect and the online Nightlife Survey invites traders and resi- dents to share their views on a lap dancing club in their town. To take part visit: www.sur- vey.kent.ac.uk/nightlife


Dawn Riach-Brown 28 East


THE work of community war- dens has been recognised at the Safer KentAwards ceremony at Leeds Castle. Dawn Riach-Brown, who worked closely with the com- munity in Bearsted, especially the schools, the elderly and the vulnerable,was named as Com- munityWarden of the Year. Judges were told: “She alerted householders to rogue traders and ensures the elderly get food and medical supplies in bad weather. She even arranged a Christmas Day din- ner for those on their own.” Dawn also secured funding


ning a fundraising Music Mak- ing Morning in the Easter Holidays at Hollingbourne Vil- lage Hall in support of Emilia’s charity. The fun event, which runs


from 10am to noon onWednes- day, April 11, is aimed at chil- dren from three months to school age. As well as lots of music mak-


ing, it will include games and face painting. Tea, coffee and cakes will be on sale. There is no charge to attend but places must be booked in advance. All donations from the morn-


ing will go to the foundation. Email bournemusicians@hot- mail.co.uk or call 07771 784429/01622 880377 to book your place.


Village marks Diamond Jubilee


supervised bouncy castle, se- cure play area, face painting, lucky dip, tombola, raffle and dance competition. Soft drinks and snacks will be provided within the ticket price (adults £4, children £2) and there will be a licensed bar. St Peter’s Church, the parish council, village hall and The Bell pub are sponsoring the event. To book a ticket, call or- ganiser June Cox: 01634 268544 /07842 216116.


Dairy plan blocked A PROPOSAL to convert a dis- used milking parlour into a bungalow at Ashford Road, Lenham, was blocked. Maidstone Council refused


the application for The Hayloft at Old Shelve, as the building was “not considered to be of sufficient architectural or his- toric merit to justify its conver- sion to residential use.”


Wardens’ community prizes


for high visibility jackets for school children walking or cy- cling to school during the win- ter on country lanes. The Community Warden of


the Year runner-up award went to Martin Sherwood, who cov- ers Harrietsham and Lenham. Martin helped to set up a “message in a bottle” scheme, where homeowners place a bot- tle in their fridge containing health information and contact details for emergency services. Judges heard: “Martin is seen


as a policeman, a social worker, a teacher, a doctor, but most im- portantly, a friend.”


Martin Sherwood


Chaos feared as work starts


on hospital WORK was due to begin, as Downs Mail went to press, on Maidstone’s £78m private hospi- tal, near Bearsted – nearly nine months later than scheduled. Construction work was due to


start on The Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery, near Newnham Court, last summer, but problems with bank fund- ing delayed the project first to October, then to Christmas. Work commenced at the end


of March and has already brought peak-time traffic chaos to New Cut Road, Wevaering, and junction 8 of the M20. The contractors are due to set


up a dedicated website which will advise on progress and po- tential traffic problems, The hospital, which is being


built by Vinci Construction UK Ltd, is expected to provide spe- cialist procedures and care in areas such as cardiology and neurology for both privately- insured and NHS patients – in- cluding services for which pa- tients would otherwise have to travel to London. The project is expected to provide a large number of high- quality jobs in the town and the potential for other allied busi- nesses to move into the area. Completion is now scheduled


for January 2014. Although the hospital, which includes integrated green roofs and an innovative green wall – will be clearly visible during the construction phase, long- term plans include a high de- gree of landscaping. The builders hope that cre-


ation of a new roundabout to the south will alleviate some of the current traffic congestion at the junction of Bearsted Road and New Cut, while allowing efficient access to the site for hospital traffic.


TV chef takes


lives locally, al- ready runs the Hengist


at


Aylesford and The Pearson’s Arms, in Whit- stable.


Enterprise Inns, owners of the


16th century pub, confirmed they had signed a deal with the TV chef and expected to re- open in April. The Windmill, in Eyhorne Street, closed in the autumn after previous tenants said the business had been hard hit when the road was closed for the installation of a gas main. Phillips regularly appears on


TV’s Saturday Kitchen and Ready, Steady, Cook.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


over at pub CELEBRITY chef Richard Phillips has been confirmed as the new licensee of the Wind- mill, Hollingbourne. Phillips, who


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