Veteran helps to Timebank project quids in


catch conmen WAR veteran John Gale (93), of Ringlestone, Maidstone, has been given a Trading Standards Institute hero award for helping to gather evidence to convict two conmen. Mr Gale, aWorldWar II pris-


oner of war in Germany, was conned out of money for un- necessary guttering and fascia work to his house. John Hanley and John Brien,


from Surrey, pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to a charge under consumer protec- tion from unfair trading regula- tions. The case included some fingerprint evidence obtained by Mr Gale. He had paid the men £3,300


for the work, but trading stan- dards stepped in to prevent the next payment he was to have made. Mr Gale was happy to help them bring the rogue traders to justice by helping with a witness statement and court appearances. Hanley and Brien each re- ceived a 12-month prison sen- tence suspended for two years, a two-month curfew, 275 hours community service, costs of £1,250 each and were ordered to payMr Gale £3,300. Trading standards say poten-


tial scams should be reported to the Citizen’s Advice helpline on 0845 40 0506.


Police canopy plan THE installation of a rainwater canopy to be used as a dry viewing area has been proposed for the Kent Police Training Centre in Coverdale Avenue, Maidstone. A supporting statement said


it would be used to observe driver training. “The proposed canopy would provide police staff and external agencies an area to safely view the vehicu- lar skidpanwhile in a sheltered area.” The canopy would be 5m wide, 3.9m long and 3.5m high.


A PIONEERING Timebank proj- ect which has been trialled in Park Wood is to be rolled out across the rest of Maidstone – and possibly Kent. The Timebank involves par- ticipants exchanging goods and services for voluntary work, manualwork and unpaid skills, and has proved a huge hit in ParkWood. More than 1,000 credit “dol-


lars” are in circulation, which recipients use to pay for serv-


ices including child-minding, sports and hairdressing. In re- turn, they give their time clean- ing, dog-walking, book-keeping and gardening, plus a range of household and business tasks. Project manager Vicky Butler


said: “It’s like going back to the old system of bartering, where people give and takereciprocal services at a rate which can be negotiated.” The project, supported by Maidstone Borough Council,


Mayor is guest at busy forum THE Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Rodd Nelson-Gracie was a guest at a packed Older Persons Forum. Sixteen charities and organisations


came to the special information event, which was attended by 140 members andabout30exhibitors. BillMossof the Town Centre Management gave an up- beat talk on how the town was coping during the downturn, and Simon Lace spokeabout thenewmuseumextension and its awards. Therewerealso talks fromTheSamar-


itans and Hi-Kent, a charity helping the deaf and hard of hearing. The mayor spoke to some of the ex-


hibitors, including the Lowland Search Dog team. He is pictured with Yvette Chruchill and her dogWillow. He also chatted with staff from Hous-


ing 21, which runs the flats next to the new library and to Claire Trumper, the KCC Libraries Community Devel- opment Librarian about the library and archive building. Young people from Tomorrow’s People helped to run the Forum, and the foodwas supplied by the staff at the Youth Switch Cafe.


Kent County Council, the po- lice, fire and health services, plus the Chamber of Commerce and Voluntary Action Maid- stone, has its own newsletter which promotes participants’ businesses free of charge. “It’s a good way of cinemas, restaurants and other leisure premises increasing their foot- fall at quiet times, but also of engaging with the community,” explained Vicky. The scheme has been mod-


elled on a similar Timebank in Camden, but is self-funded and manned entirely by volunteers. However, members had first


aid and food hygiene certifi- cates where required and CRB checks when dealing with chil- dren, the Town Centre Manage- ment Business Forum was told. MBC’s Zena Cooke told the meeting the system was self- policing. She said: “We are now look-


ing for volunteers from across Maidstone who have talents and services to offer, as well as businesses who want to become involved.” Retired teachers could offer literacy and numeracy help, she said, while those with IT skills, letter-writing and form-filling talents, driving, ironing, and gardening would be welcome. Zena said: “We believe this


will reconnect people to the local community.”


Pupils have faith in new academy


STUDENTS from the former Astor of Hever School say there has been a positive new attitude to learning and teaching since it became St Augustine Academy in September 2011. The school has risen from an unsatisfactory Ofsted rating to good with outstanding features since it came under the control of charitable organisation Woodard Schools. According to The Vibe maga-


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


shoppers around Jubilee Square tripping over the new, expensive paving. We could easily reach double figures in the time it took to share a sandwich and now it has been spoilt by some clumsily-painted yel- low lines! We also witnessed several elderly unfor- tunates trying to get up on to the kerb by the junction of King Street and Week Street, only to realise itwas far too high at one end. For Maidstone’s economic development manager John Foster to say: “There have only been a small number of trips and falls,” can only mean he inhabits a parallel uni- verse, one where “emergency” works by UK Power networks dig up the new paving and then leave it for weeks, without actually doing anything and still allowing traffic through the new area. Canterbury manages to be a very success- ful city with a bus station at one end and no


zine, written by secondary school pupils throughout Maid- stone, it is now benefiting from a mixture of faith and financial investment. Anew uniform,with students


being distinguished by the colour of their ties, has con- tributed to the new ethos and has been popular with students. The academy has also intro-


duced a new specialism in busi- ness and enterprise, which has


meant students have resources such as Ipads and Ipods, to keep the school innovative. Another new feature is resi-


dent chaplain Reverend Kez, a trained counsellor, who is there to help students in times of need. The change from a sports col-


lege to academy specialising in business and enterprise has been a positive one for all mem- bers of the school community.


You can write to us at: Downs Mail, 2 Forge House, Bearsted Green Business Park, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4DT or e-mail: info@downsmail.co.uk


through traffic, so why can’t Maidstone? I am also saddened on another issue, that several of Bearsted’s forward thinking and independent parish councillors have felt they had no alternative but to resign. Fabienne Hughes is quite correct that the parish council is supposed to be non-polit- ical, but with themajority ofmembers being Conservative, this was never going to be a reality. Mrs Hughes and her husband, Jon, have worked tirelesslywith events such as Music On The Green and, with others, provided a sensible,measured approach to community affairs in the village they clearly love. It seems that the protocols of running the parish council only apply when it suits some members, but can be set aside when inconvenient and, as such, is no wonder that new prospective councillors are reluc- tant to come forward.


Thank you again for supplying us allwith


such an excellent publication Jeanne Gibson, Birling Avenue, Bearsted


New supermarket needed Dear Editor – I read in the Downs Mail’s let- ters page about the need for a new super- market on the Sutton Road. I think the writer or yourselves should


start a petition for a new supermarket. Mor- risons is just to small to serve the area, the shelves are out of stock, the parking is busy and more competition would be a great thing for all the people who have to use the store. Not another Tesco,maybe Asda? They do food, clothes, and electrical items, which would be great. There are plans to build more houses near


the golf driving range on the Sutton Road, so maybe that area would be good? Rob Taylor, by email


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk Town 37


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