Cricket club applies for more days


LOOSE Cricket Club has ap- plied to convert a storage barn into changing facilities and in- stall practice nets. The club also wants to inten-


sify the use of its facilities in Old Drive. In July 2007, when Maidstone Council permitted the continued use of the site, it was on condition that cricket could only be played there 40 days of the year due to the im- pact on local residents and un-


suitability of the access road. Applicant Cyril Davey has


now applied to extend this to 60 days. The supporting statement also mentions an aspiration to convert a barn, currently used for storage, into a changing areawith additional facilities, as well as moving the cricket square 60 feet towards the pavilion and relo- cating the football pitch. Andy Griffiths, cricket devel- opment manager for Kent


PLANS to sell alcohol at a busy petrol station have been approved, despite furious opposition from residents in Loose. The Shell Tamarisk filling station, in Linton


Road (pictured), had hoped to sell alcohol around the clock, but Maidstone’s licensing sub- committee decided the premises’ primary use was not as a garage and agreed to grant a licence with hours restricted to 5am – 10pm. Loose Parish Council, the Loose Amenities As- sociation and the Future Schools’ Trust, which runs nearby Cornwallis Academy, as well as dozens of residents were opposed to the appli- cation from Lockett and Co., the licensing agents for Shell. However, the committee accepted the appli-


cants’ argument that the premises were not pri- marily used as a garage, backed up by evidence from till data, but as a shop used by the com- munity and students at Cornwallis Academy. Theywere satisfied that there was no evidence


of current crime and disorder or public nuisance at the premises or that therewas any risk to pub-


A SERVICE to help with demen- tia and their carers has been set up by TheAlzheimer’s Society in Maidstone. The service, which will also encompass the rural areas, offers independence and enablement as well as choice to clients living with the devastating disease, while also providing vital respite for partners and carers. A team of home support work-


ers have been recruited to help sufferers with daily living. This can be anything from helping the patient to go shopping, assistance


Cricket Board, wrote: “We be- lieve the design to incorporate changing rooms, showers, toi- lets, a tea-making area and a machinery storage room are all key for a village club to encour- age new members and to main- tain participation levels. “They need support from the council to allow them to fill the demand for junior cricket in the area and thus, in the future, de- liver many more hours of


Petrol station shop ‘can sell alcohol’


coaching, where it is needed.” Peter Robinson, director of


KCB, added that Loose had in- troduced cricket to groups of disabled and disadvantaged people at Maidstone YMCA in the autumn and winter. “They now aspire to provide similar opportunities at their own ground over the playing sea- son,” he said. Maidstone Council will de- cide on the application.


Football dream A YOUNG footballer from Maidstone, who says he is now “living his dream”, has urged other youngsters not to give up on their ambitions. Cameron Croucher told The


Vibe magazine how he was scouted by Charlton Athletic at the age of eight, while playing for Vinters Green. He has been playing for the league one team ever since. Cameron trains three times a


lic safety which would arise from selling alco- hol during the hours proposed. Conditions include the use of CCTV, compre- hensive staff training and insistence on spirits being kept behind the till. Committee chairman Cllr Peter Parvin pointed


out that anyone could ask the subcommittee to review the licence should problems arise and said: “Although a licence has been granted, it will not be effective if the primary use of the premises is as a garage.”


New service offers help to dementia sufferers


with cooking a favourite dish or “sitting in” to allow the regular carer to take a break. A similar service has been op- erating successfully inTunbridge Wells for the past five years, and support worker Sally Austin ex- plained: “The aim is to help peo- ple lead an independent life. It’s quite flexible and can be tailored to suit an individual’s need.” Care slots are allocated for a minimum period of two hours, during which time a whole range of activities could be undertaken. Sally said: “In very severe cases,


TO mark the end of her chairmanship of Kent County Council, Paulina Stockell has presented cheques to two popular charities. For the past year, Cllr Stockell, who represents Maidstone Rural West, has helped raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support and The Children’s Society. Both organisations received more than £2,000. Macmillan is hoping to appoint a volun-


teer coordinator for West Kent, who will recruit and supervise a team of at least 20 local volunteers. The volunteers will be available to provide cancer patients with practical help such as shopping, driving them to appointments, light housework, and befriending. This service will be repli- cated in East Kent later in the year. Cllr Stockell said: “I was delighted to support these two charities. Both do fan- tastic work and we have had a good time raising money for them and raising


28 Town


Paulina Stockell with Barbara D’Avino, of The Children’s Society


awareness of them.” Cllr Paulina Stock- ell, from Hawkenbury, has fond memo- ries of her past 12 months in the chair. She said: “It has been a busy but enor- mously enjoyable year. “I have met somany people and visited


a huge number of organisations and char- ities that are doing massively good work across Kent, for Kent.”


where people are unfit to leave the house, we could be asked to offer a sit-in service, which would allow the main carer to take a break.” Sally, who worked in domicil-


lary care before joining the Alzheimer’s Society, believes that not enough is known about the services available to the elderly and infirm locally. She said: “I know that there are a lot of peo- ple out therewhogo untouched.” For further information about


the new service, telephone Ellie Poiter on 01892 559410.


Paulina cheques out of role


week for the Sunday game, and also watches what he eats. His hard work has meant he has played at grounds such as Craven Cottage, home to Ful- ham, and Charlton’s home ground, The Valley. To read more about Cameron,


go to The Vibe’s website, www.thevibemag.co.uk. The Vibe is produced by students for students in the Maidstone area.


Cannabis haul OFFICERS stopped a van in Woollett Street and then searched a property in the street, where they seized 20kg of cannabis, believed to be worth in the region of £80,000. A 43-year-old man and a 22-


year-old man – both from Cran- brook – and a 38-year-old man from Maidstone were arrested on suspicion of supplying con- trolled substances. They were taken to Maidstone police sta- tion where they were ques- tioned by detectives, and released on bail until late June.


New heads of council CLLR Eric Hotson, who represents Maidstone Rural South, has been elected vice-chairman of Kent County Council. Cllr Richard King,


who is a former director of Maidstone Chamber of Commerce and chair- man of Maidstone En- terprise Agency and Business Point, has been elected chairman. Cllr King is champi-


oning young people and volunteers during his chairmanship. A retired broadcasting executive, Cllr King


Cllr Eric Hotson


spent 20 years with the Independent Broadcast- ing Authority. He has nominated two charities that work to protect Kent’s environment – CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England) Kent and the KentWildlife Trust.


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