Sign up to make Kent net quicker
KENT’S residents, particularly those in rural areas, are being urged to get switched on to a cam- paign to “Make Kent Quicker”. The county has a £43m plan to upgrade the broadband network in Kent and Medway, but before providers will invest in improv- ing the network, they need evi- dence that people want it. By bringing together public funding and provider invest- ment, at least 90% of Kent’s properties could have superfast broadband by 2015 and the re- maining 10% have basic access of at least 2mb.
Home help for
air ambulances SUPPORTERS ofMarden-based Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance can now raise funds for the life-saving charity from home. People can put their spare
coins into branded home col- lection boxes to help keep both helicopters flying. The boxes areeasytouse andgivein- structions on what to do when they are full. Last year, more than £100,000
was raised from collection tins in shops, pubs, cafes and other public venues. Just £1 will pay for a sheet of life-saving bub- blewrap, which is used to keep each patient warm. To order a home collection
box call 01622 833833, or email
shirleyb@kaat.org.uk. Cheques should be made payable to Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, Pattenden Lane,Marden, Kent, TN12 9QJ
Fishing lakes plan A PLAN has been submitted to retain two lakes and create three more for fishing at Monks Lakes, Staplehurst Road,Marden. The proposal, which follows enforcement action by Maid- stone Council, includes a club- house. A supporting statement said: “The works will have a beneficial impact on the flood risk for nearby properties, by providing compensatory flood storage capacity.”
The £10m that Kent County Council is investing in this up- grade has already beenmatched by £9.87 million from the gov- ernment. It is anticipated the network operator who wins the contract will fund the rest. Kevin Lynes, KCC cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, said: “I want to encourage anyone who does not have broadband, or who wants better broadband, to register with us. The greater the demand, the more broadband providers will be prepared to invest in Kent.
“Like all other parts of the
UK, Kent andMedway are keen to upgrade their broadband in- frastructure. Achieving this will still require substantive invest- ment from the private sector, andwewant to ensure that Kent and Medway are seen as an at- tractive investment proposition. “If we are not able to demon-
strate high levels of demand to potential suppliers, it is un- likely that we will secure the necessary private sector funding to take this project forward.” The council also thinks that areas able to demonstrate a high
level of demand may be priori- tised by suppliers. Cllr Lynes said: “It only takes
five minutes to register your de- mand at
makekentquicker.com and it could make a great differ- ence, so please register now and encourage your neighbours to get involved as well.” KCC is working with Action
with Communities in Rural Kent to set up a network of local community and business cham- pions to extend the reach of this campaign. If you would like to get involved, please contact 01303 813790.
Players’ performance raises over £500 for church
ADRAMATIC and entertaining production of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” has helped raise funds to preserve Yalding’s historic church. A talented local cast, including Yalding
Richard Field,
Andrew Thurston and Joy Virden in
Rebecca, staged at Parsonage Farmhouse
vicar’s daughter Vicky Lawford and cho- risters Andrew Thurston and Richard Young, performed the adaptation of the novel in the drawing room at Parsonage Farmhouse, home to Rob and Jane Bird. Retired GP Joy Virden raised a smile or
two as Beatrice Lacy, while Victoria Field was a suitably scaryMrs Danvers. Parish councillor Michael Stewart was a con- vincingMaxim de Winter. The production, directedbyRachelWest raisedmorethan £500 for Yalding Church Preservation So- ciety.
Dickens visit marks birthday THE great great grandson of Charles Dickens paid a visit to Sut- ton Valence School to mark the bicentenary of the great author’s birthday. Actor and storyteller Gerald Dickens drew on his acting skills to enter- tain and educate the first and second form pupils with the colourful life story of his ancestor. There was a Dickens
book stall in the library so pupils could buy books and have them signed by Gerald as a memento of the occasion. Pupils were asked to invent their own Dickensian character, complete with name and description, and Gerald presented the winners with Dickens books and Easter eggs. First prize went to Harry MacLeod, from Biddenden, for his character Mr Darkgrim, and second prize went to Annabelle Blake, from Birling, for Lavendula Blossom-Heart.
Faster broadband
Broomfield and Kingswood Council
COUNTY Cllr Jenny Whittle praised the super fast broad- band bid submitted with Leeds and Hollingbourne councils. It waswell supported by residents and was likely to be successful. Broomfield and Kingswood project manager Peter Corfield was praised for a job well done. The crime report included the
theft of a gate from Gravelly Bot- tom Road and a theft in Lenham
DownsMail In touch with your parish Road.
Assistant clerk Mrs Gail Gos-
den was appointed as parish clerk, following the resignation of Mrs SueWotton. A committee meeting was
being arranged to discuss the setting up of an affordable housing register for the parish. It was reported that a rented
unit in Peter Pease Close was now unoccupied and the bor- ough council had requested a further meeting with the parish council and Orbit about the set- ting up of a parish register to
ensure the housing was allo- cated to people having the req- uisite local connection. Cllr Mike Evans had sug- gested several local sites for in- clusion in the borough’s Heritage Open Days in 2012. These included Barrack Cot- tages (Napoleonic Wars), St Margaret’s Church (11th century and earlier), Church Farm, Roses Manor Farm and the World War II Spitfires and Dornier crash sites. Members agreed and asked the clerk to li- aise with Cllr Evans before sub-
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk Miles of money
for Sport Relief BIG-hearted locals at the Che- quers, Laddingford, raised al- most £800 in a two-hour sports mile stunt for Sports Relief. The pub asked villagers to
make the one-mile charity trek. More than 70 adults and 40 children, aged from six months to over 80 years, jogged, ran, cy- cled and dog-walked the course around the village, netting the cause more than £700. Three hardy souls spent the
entire two hours running non- stop, while the largest single donation came from 81-year old Anne Ervin, of Cleavesland, who, with her West Highland terrier Max, raised £100 in sponsorship.
mission of suggested sites. Funding for a replacement plaque for St Margaret’s Well had been approved. Cllr Justin West offered to obtain three quotes and to undertake the work at no cost. It was also sug- gested that thewell be included in the Heritage Open Day sites. Repairs to the bus shelter in Cayser Drive had been com- pleted almost a year to the day after it was damaged. Cllr Mike O’Neill had pre-
pared a report on the poor pro- vision of salt bins in the P42
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