FremlinWalk cafes plan revealed


FURTHER initiatives to improve Fremlin Walk Shopping Centre in Maidstone have been un- veiled. Legal & General has been


given permission to establish two roofed areas, a multimedia screen and a stencilled entrance feature on the junction with Week Street. The owner now wants to re-


place the “bandstand” conical roof, stairs and planter beds at the St Faith’s Street entrance with a two-storey building con-


MAIDSTONE and Weald Samari- tans, based at 48 Grecian Street, Maidstone, has opened a clothing bin at the SittingbourneRoadPark and Ride site, its third in town, to help raise much-needed funds. The charity receives money from Sittingbourne-based clothes recy- cler LW Sait for all used clothes that are dropped there. Will Merrifield, Samaritans


branch director, said: “We are a local charity affiliated to the Samaritans network nationwide, butwe have to raise our own funds to keep going. “We are hoping that these dis-


tinctivebins,whichwealsohaveat ourbranchinGrecianStreet andat


Careers help for


forces leavers SERVICEMEN and women leaving the Armed Forces can get career advice at an event at the British Legion Village, Hall Road, Aylesford. Exhibitors at the Military to Civilian Transition Event on May 16 will include employers, franchise opportunities, train- ing organisations and housing, finance and legal advice. There are also workshops covering topics from starting a business to getting employers interested in your CV. The free event is being held


by the British Forces Resettle- ment Services. Anybody wish- ing to attend can register at www.bfrsevents.co.uk. . Organisations wishing to ex-


hibit should call 0845 308 2406 or email info@bfrss.org.uk


Scouts’ record quest MORE than 800 young people from Malling District Scouts will be taking part in a range of fun activities over the May Bank Holiday at Quest 6. The weekend event at White


Hill, Wrotham, for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts includes ac- tivities such as microlighting, raft racing, driving, caving, clay pigeon shooting and abseiling. On Sunday, the campers will


be joined by more Scouts for an attempt on the GuinnessWorld Record for the world’s biggest breakfast.


12 Malling


Westree Court, will add to our fundraising efforts. By using the bins, we can ensure that donors can be safe in the knowledge that their donations go where they in- tended. “We are grateful for the help from Maidstone Council and from


taining two restaurant/café units, new landscaping and a commemorative civic square ad- joining the Royal Albion pub. The planning statement said:


“The design will integrate with the historic setting of the Maid- stone Museum and conservation area, and create opportunities to enjoy the views of one of Maid- stone’s landmark buildings. “Our design aims to provide


an enhanced environment with quality restaurant operators, which will encourage customers


to stay a bit longer in the town.” A plaque will commemorate


the Battle of Maidstone in 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when parliamentarian troops defeated royalist forces. “The key goals are to draw in customers, to improve the per- formance of the centre, which in turn will attract higher-end re- tailers and improved rents,” added the planning statement. “The pavilion should also benefit the museum by drawing more people to this area.


Samaritans open clothing bank in bid for funds


Samaritans branch director Will Merrifield and volunteer help fill up the charity’s clothing bank in Grecian Street


our partners in this, L W Sait and Sons, in arranging the bins and the sites. “We hope to add to our sites as


suitable ones arise but if you are thinking of getting rid of clothing, fabrics or shoes you no longer need, please think of us.”


“Increasing leisure attractions should be a boost to visitor num- bers.” The other application, which


has been approved, is for a roofed area hosting seasonally changing events to the west end of Fremlin Walk, near House of Fraser. There would also be a large


LED screen showing centre events, this year’s Olympics, in- formation and advertising. Maidstone Council will de- cide on the latest scheme.


Every month the Maidstone and Weald Samaritans answer 9,000 calls, emails, texts or visits from people in distress, or who need someone to talk to in confidence. Callers do not need to be suicidal to make contact and there is al- ways somebody onduty,24hours a day, throughout the year. The Samaritans do not claim to


be able to solve people’s prob- lems but provide a safe opportu- nity to talk things through without judgment,and in total confidence. If you want to talk, you can call Samaritanson01622674444, or 08457 90 90 90, email jo@samaritans.org.uk, text07725 90 90 90 or come in to Grecian Street, where somebody will be happy to talk to you face to face.


Ambulance answers ‘chaos’ claim


THE ambulance service has re- sponded to complaints of “chaos” by aMaidstone family (Mail, March) when Claire Whittall needed an urgent transfer from the birthing unit in Maidstone Hospital to Pem- bury Hospital. The family says the ambu-


lance took 55 minutes to arrive from as far away as Dover, the driver did not know hisway to Maidstone and Pembury hos- pitals and got lost on both the Maidstone and Pembury sites. Pressed by Downs Mail, the


South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) said it had to prioritise emergency 999 calls based on clinical need as it received 600,000 emergency calls per year. The 999-call triage system al-


lows call takers to determine the level of response after ques- tions have been asked about a patient’s condition. SECAmb says it is nowmeasured against two performance standards: CATEGORY A – where a pa-


tient’s condition is life-threat- ening. The government target


Claire Whitall with Madison


is to respond to 75% of these cases in eight minutes and 95%in19minutes. Itclaims to be beating these targets. CATEGORY C – where the patient’s condition is not life- threatening. The agreement with local commissioners is to respond in 30 minutes or 60 minutes, depending on clinical need. It is beating both targets. SECAmb uses historical 999


data to decide where to locate ambulance bases so crews can reach patients quickly. It says since theMake Ready Centre in Paddock Wood went operational last October, it has created permanent facilities in:


Packaging firm gets rival company in bag SNODLAND-based Fleet Promotional Packaging has bagged itself a larger share of the market after acquiring a rival. The firm, which lists Ben Sherman, Reiss, Mulberry, Agent Provocateur and Karen Millen among its clients, has taken over Thomas Norman (UK) Limited of Swanley. The move increases FPP’s hold on the retail bags, boxes and cards market by adding Thomas Norman’s areas of expertise – predominantly paper bags.


Maidstone North (Springfield), Maidstone South (site of for- mer ambulance station in Loose Road) and Leybourne. “Staff in our emergency dis-


patch centres constantly move ambulance crews around our areas, to ensure crews respond to incidents as quickly as pos- sible based on clinical need,” SECAamb added. “The situation changes each


time an ambulance becomes unavailable dealing with other incidents. There is no maxi- mum mileage for an ambu- lance to respond to an incident – the closest vehicle is sent. “Crews are given training on


the ambulance satnav equip- ment to guide them to the scene of emergency calls.”


MASH website CAMPAIGN group MASH (Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital) now has a website: www.mashmaidstone.co.uk The site includes a section


for residents to report com- plaints and compliments about hospital services.


RSPCA dog show A FUN day and dog show will be held at the RSPCA’s animal centre in Castle Way, Ley- bourne on June 9. Entrance is £2 for adults, and


£1 for children. Details from www.rspcaleybourne.com.


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