CCTV staff facing cut in hours after move Continued from page one


to deliver pre-existing levels. Contracts manager Vikram Sahdev confirmed that several staff were working between 56 and 58 hours a week, but claimed not all of them wanted to. He said their contracts were


for 37 hours,with provision for overtime. More staff were being re- cruited, explained Mr Sahdev, and terms and conditions were being negotiated individually.


Ofsted praises


foster agency OFSTED inspectorswho visited Maidstone-based fostering agency, Futures for Children, found a growing organisation providing a good service. The agency arranges a variety


of placements, including short and long-term illness, sibling groups and parent and child placements. Foster carers said the ap- pointment of the registered manager after the acquisition of fostering services had been very positive. The team provided them with excellent support. Children and young people


were thriving in “nurturing” households, with which they were well-matched. The number of parent and


child placements had increased and the agency was focusing on strengthening this area. To improve, the agency should ensure that each foster carer has all the information about a child’s circumstances. They should ensure that foster carers safeguard and promote the welfare of foster children.


New role for Tabernacle


Continued from page one The total cost of the scheme


is estimated at about £3m and the club hopes this will come from further grants and an en- abling residential develop- ment. There will still be two cricket and three rugby pitches. Hugh Robertson, Mid Kent


MP andMinister for Sport and Olympics and himself a keen cricketer, said: “This funding will allow The Mote to reno- vate and update an important building and, in a year when The Olympic torch comes to Maidstone, allow another gen- eration to enjoy thiswonderful ground.”


Where Lord Bearsted changed THE Tabernacle was built 100 years ago by the 1st Lord Bearsted whenMote Parkwas his country estate and he lived inMoteHouse. The founder of international giant ShellOil


played cricket and used The Tabernacle as his private changing area and for entertain- ing. He had his ownsteps to the field of play. Everyone else changed in the nearby two- storey pavilion, also built by Lord Bearsted. After his death, Mote Park was sold for £50,000 to Maidstone Council in 1929 and the cricket ground was left in a trust to The Mote CC. Lord Bearstedwas inthefamily internationalbusiness trading in or- namental sea shells. He identified the growth in transporting oil and set up his own business. Hedecided tonameit after the family busi- ness – and Shell Oilwas born.


6 Town Sporting chance for patients


YOUNGSTERS with mental health problems took part in a day of showcase activities at Maidstone YMCA, Loose. For the past three years, the


group have taken part in an ac- tivity project, run in partner- ship between Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partner- ship Trust (KMPT) and Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT), to help them on their journey to recovery. A host of activities were avail-


able, including indoor archery, film-making, football and cricket. In three years, the Early Inter- vention Wellbeing Project has engaged with over 300 service users, delivered over 1,800 hours of activity and estab- lished long-term partnerships.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk


Manager for East Kent Early Intervention in Psychosis Serv- ice, Yasmin Ishaq, said “The project has encouraged partici- pants to engage in regular activ- ity. It has created opportunities for young people to become in- cluded in a group where every- one has encountered similar mental health issues, giving them a relaxed environment to share experiences and draw upon group support.” Carl Krauhaus, disability and mental health officer, said: “It was a fantastic day and was hugely rewarding for us to be able to bring together the three groups we have delivered this project to. We like to thank all of the young people and staff who have taken part.”


He said it was likely the hourly rates would increase, so, even if hours were reduced, the staff would not feel the full financial force. However, Mr Alcock said: “Potentially, we are saying workers could lose 80 hours a month – which would be £800 for a supervisor and £600 for the others.” Mr Sahdev stressed: “We are looking at individual cases, not our workers as a group. Some


have said the long hours have affected their personal lives and they would prefer to work less.” He said: “They are all very val-


ued members of staff and we do not want to lose a single one.” But Mr Alcock maintained:


“The TCM will be accused of sour grapes, but that is not the case. It was patently clear that Medway could not deliver the same level of service for the fig- ure they provided in their bid.


We were assured the staff would not be out of pocket when they moved to Medway and that they would be reim- bursed for their travel ex- penses, but that has never happened.” Both Mr Alcock and Police Sergeant John Marshall said they had experienced difficul- ties getting a response from the control centre, although Mr Sahdey said the desk was manned at all times.


Dancer’s plea for help to realise her dreams


MAIDSTONE dancer Lauren Miller is appealing for help to allow her to study ballet at the school of her dreams. Lauren (18) has been accepted


at the prestigious Ballet West School, near Oban in the West Highlands of Scotland, to study for a HND in professional stage dance and a BA in classical bal- let and musical theatre, starting this September. However, the £7,200 a year


fees and additional living ex- penses are too much for the for- mer Invicta Grammar School pupil to find, and because the school is in Scotland, Lauren cannot apply for a loan to fund her studies. She is asking businesses to consider sponsoring her so she can realise her ambition to be a professional dancer. Lauren, who lives in Avery


Close, near Tovil, with hermum Alison and sister Kathryn (19), has been a keen dancer since she was five. She takes dance


classes five days a week. She travelled to Scotland to


take part in a tough one-and-a- half hour audition, taking a class with students. “I was very nervous and I


knew I had to try very hard and do my best,” she said. “As soon as I was there, I knew it was where I wanted to be.” Ballet West students have


goneontoworkwithmajor bal- let companies including The Royal Ballet, Scottish Ballet, English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet. Lauren learned ballet at Marlin School ofDancing and JagDance Academy in Brewers Street, Maidstone. She has funded her training byworking at the café at the YMCA in Loose and at Ha- zlitt Youth Theatre. She got 11 A* grades in her GCSEs and iswaiting for the re- sults of five A-levels. Anyone who can help Lauren should email laurenmiller- dance2012@hotmail.co.uk.


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