Carrying the flame for town


ROTARIAN and retired fire- fighter Clive Bradburn is one of the 8,000 people nationwide chosen to carry the Olympic Flame on its journey around the UK to London. Clive will carry the torch at Redhill, Surrey, at 2.15pm on Friday, July 20. His wife Sue, who nominated


him for the honour, said “Clive has always been keen on raising money for charities, often com- ing up withwacky ideas.” Clive once organised a volley-


ball match between firefighters from Scotland and England in blizzard conditions on the sum- mit of BenNevis, for Children in Need. The following year he or- ganised a world record pole-slid- ing attempt in Maidstone Studios during ITV’s Telethon charity show. He has swum in a cross-chan-


nel relay, run marathons, com- peted in the World Masters swimming championships and run in a relay from John O’Groats to Land’s End. After his grand- daughter died in 2007 he and his sons cycled from London to Paris to help the paediatric ITC unit in St Mary’s Hospital, London. A founder member and past president of The Rotary Club of Maidstone Riverside, Clive, wife Sue and other Rotarians, have just returned from India where they took part in the national


Concert welcome THE Olympic Torch will be welcomed to Maidstone with a free community concert at Mote Park on July 19. It will start at 5pm with live screening of the celebrations as the flame arrives at Leeds Cas- tle. The town’s school choirs will sing “Traditional Values”, a piece written specially for the occasion by Orlando Gough. The winners of the “Maid-


stone’s Got Talent” competition will take to the stage, followed by local star ShaunWilliamson, alias Barry from EastEnders. The evening finishes with a performance from 70s rock star Alvin Stardust and a firework finale.


Christian books BEARSTED author Margaret Doak has published two books for Christians. Mrs Doak is the founder and former director of Shalom cen- tre for Christian healing and counselling. “The Dance of Life” (£12.99)


is described as an ideal way to discover the secrets of God’s creation. It has a foreword by The Archbishop of Canterbury. “The Wedding Feast” (£8.99)


is said to take the reader through Jesus’ teaching on the nature of The Kingdom. The books are available from Amazon or from Margaret on 01622 738508.


28 East


Clive Bradburn and, right, gymnast Courtney Tulloch


polio immunisation project. India is nowon the brink of erad- icating polio. He is also involved with Ro-


mania Connect and the Maid- stone Swimming Club for the Disabled. Other local people who will


carry the torch include Julia Chilcott, from Allington, who was selected for her commitment to foster caring. Julia (55), has provided a loving environment for more than 80 children. She said: “It’s an honour to


have been picked.” Melwyn Moore (47), from


Fant, will also carry the flame. He has been a detective sergeant for Kent Police for 18 years and has run 21 London Marathons.


TWOmembers of staff at a Maid- stone hospital are celebrating after being chosen to be volun- teer “Games Makers” at this summer’s Olympic and Para- lympic Games in London. Mike Kennaird (50), a princi-


pal operating department prac- titioner and Lacie Midgley (21), an administrator, work at BMI The Somerfield Hospital in London Road. Mike, from Maidstone, will be working with St John Ambu- lance in theOlympic Park, while Lacie will take athletes and dig- nitaries around the volleyball venue at London’s Earls Court. Mike said: “This will be one


A LENHAM recycling com- pany was fined after a teenager with a promising career in mo- tocross had his foot broken by a 16-tonne machine. The Health and Safety Exec-


utive (HSE) prosecuted Coun- trystyle Recycling Limited, of Ashford Road, for failing to op- erate a safe system of working at its site in Folkestone. Maidstone Magistrates’ Court


heard that Daniel Brown, 19, was sorting waste at the recy- cling plant onFebruary 22when a 16-tonne shovel ran over his right foot, breaking 16 bones. Pain and arthritis mean he has


of life’s achievements. I’m really looking forward to being part of the games. It’s going to be hard work, but something I’ll be able tell the grandchildren.” The hospital’s executive di-


rector Connie Stocker said: “We’re very proud of both of them.”


Firm fined after work accident


had to give up motocross, can- not drive or work. The HSE investigation found


there was no system to ensure moving vehicles and pedestri- ans were segregated. At the time of the incident it


was raining, and the wind- screen wipers were broken. The heater in the cab was bro- ken so the windows steamed up. The shovel had a broken wing mirror, and no reversing lights. Countrystyle Recycling Limited admitted breaching health and safety law and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £6,221 costs.


He said: “It’s a great opportunity and it’s all about the involve- ment.” NLL Academy Year 10 student


and talented gymnast, Courtney Tulloch, has also been selected. Courtney, an artistic gymnast who trains with Pegasus Gym- nastics Club in Bearsted six days a week, recently returned from the Youth Olympics in Turkey with two gold and two silver medals and was part of the GB U18s team that finished second. He said: “It’s my ambition to


win a gold medal at the Olympics one day.” The young gymnast has been preparing for the European Championships before compet- ing in the Olympic Trials.


Invitation to torchbearers


MORE than a dozen Maidstone people have been selected to carry the torch at some step of its journey – but only a couple of them will run inMaidstone. So Clive Bradburn, who is carrying the flame in Redhill, Surrey, is hoping to get all local torchbearers to sign up for the MaidstoneMile, on July 20 The event has been organised


by Maidstone Council to get local people involved in the celebra- tions, by running a mile at 6pm. Clive said: “My intention is


to keep the celebrations going by getting the torchbearers to run in a group, in our official suits, with our torches.” Clive said: “I don’t mind where I’m running, as it’s an honour to be chosen, but it would be nice to do something in Maidstone.” Clive has asked the Downs


Mail to help him track down the other Maidstone torchbear- ers. If you are one of them, call Clive on 01622 747819 or email clive@clivebradburn.com. For details of the Maidstone mile, go towww.maidstonemile.com. Clive’s run is between 2 and


3pm in Redhill on July 20, after which he aims to dash back to Maistone to run the Maidstone Mile, then don his wetsuit to swim the Maidstone River Mile.


Hospital staff are ‘Games Makers’ Kent ragstone


for 2012 venues RAGSTONE from Hermitage Quarry in Maidstone is to be used at two Olympic and Para- lympic venues. Gallagher Group, which owns


the quarry, has been appointed to deliver two schemes for ISG plc, the principal contractor on behalf of LOCOG. The schemes are the white


water rafting centre, at Lee Val- ley, and Hadleigh Farm, the venue for the Olympic moun- tain bike course. Gallagher Group has also re-


stored the walls of the River Lee, which runs through the Olympic Park in south London.


Faster internet THREE more parishes are hope- ful of seeing superfast broad- band speed into their villages. Hollingbourne Parish Coun-


cil, together with parish coun- cils from Leeds and Broomfield & Kingswood, are hoping to get a DEFRA grant to help fund the technical installation. Of the 349 residents who ex- pressed interest on the website set up by Kent County Council, 201 were from Hollingbourne. DEFRA has accepted the ini-


tial expression of interest so the three councils need to develop a business case. If successful, the villages could have super- fast broadband by October.


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


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