Remembrance Day hope Success for


A SOLUTION to the spiralling costs of organisingRemembrance Day parades may be close after an agreement was reached with Yalding Parish Council. Parades in parishes such as Barming and Staplehurst have encountered problems in recent years due to the rising cost of implementing traffic diversions, which can cost up to £600 to put in place. Many parishes hold proces-


sions to their local warmemorial - but the gathering of crowds on the road, even for a few minutes, is now classed as a health and safety issue which requires a risk assessment. The police, in consultationwith


Kent Highway Services , have agreed to make an exception for Yalding this year and, if it proves successful, the strategy could be adopted across other parishes in the Maidstone borough. Yalding, which historically


holds a parade from the church to the cenotaph in the High Street followed by a brief Remembrance tribute, has an excellent track record of dealing with road clo- sures for events. It holds an an- nual Christmas market which


requires closure of the High Street and held a street party there for the royal wedding in 2011. The parish council had voted


to seek a road closure order and ask for a contribution towards the cost from the church, after com- plaints from several residents about passing traffic at last year’s parade. Cllr Andy Sanders felt there should be a national policy which allowed public services of remembrance to take place unfet- tered. He said: “Closing the road for half an hour once a year to show our respect for those people who gave their lives to allow us to be here is asking nothing.” The authorities have now re-


lented and Maidstone Borough Council is to be asked to use the village as a test case for future policy. Yalding Parish Council chair-


man Geraldine Brown said: “As Yalding has an excellent track record of dealing with road clo- sures for events, the police are prepared to allow us to close YaldingHigh Street andVicarage Road for a period of 15 minutes without a diversion. This will


allow us to stop all traffic legally and safely for the duration of the parade to the war memorial and the service.” The return parade to the church will, however, have to take place on the footpath and not in the road. Cllr Brown said: “This is partly


an experiment and, if we can prove it works successfully, then we and other parishes may be permitted a road closure for fu- ture Remembrance Day services.” She stressed: “It is essential


that residents clear the road im- mediately after the service to allow the barriers to be removed promptly.” The parish council expects the system to be monitored and is asking for everyone’s co-opera- tion to ensure the event runs smoothly. It is also seeking vol- unteers to marshall the barriers, whichwillbeplacedbythe church and at the entrance to Kenward Road and Vicarage Road. The outcome could have wide- reaching impact on rural parishes throughout the Maidstone bor- ough that have parades on the public highway.


young farmers MEMBERS of the Cobtree Young Farmers Club enjoyed success at the Edenbridge and Oxted agricultural show. Ivy Essex took first place in


the Pure Bred native class, and Holly Berreen took second in dairy handling and reserve champion. The Holstein Dairy cows achieved high placings and the group of three got a spe- cial mention from the judge for quality and showmanship. The club’s youngsters had


high placings against mainline farmers, with fourth place in the Pedigree Sussex class, third place in the potential show cat- tle class and second place in the Pedigree Blonde class. In the pig classes the club got


a fourth and sixth place while in the sheep classes, Cobtree YFC got second and third place in a class of 20-plus in the 11 and unders. In the 12-15 year class the club secured a first, fourth and fifth in a class of 17. Asuperb first place was also se- cured in the 16-18 year age group.


Cobtree YFC is based at the


Kent Life visitor attraction in Sandling.


Three men go up a mountain to boost charity


THREE Maidstone men are climbing Mont Blanc in a bid to raise £25,000 for local charity King’s Reach, which helps young people speak out against injustice. KingsReach chief executiveStewart


King, Dan Maudhub, managing direc- tor ofWonderful Creative Agency, and Alistair Campbell, director of clothing company Hseven, trained bywalking in the Brecon Beacons, Wales; and climbing at the Arethusa centre. To make a donation please visit the


Virgin Giving page www.virginmoney- giving.com/team/MontBlanc.


Mac Mug


causes a stir MACMILLAN Cancer Support’s flagship event – World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – was launched at The Mall Chequers in Maidstone. Macmillan mascot Mac Mug


toured The Mall Chequers and met representatives of Maid- stone Town Centre Manage- ment, Paul Alcock, Bill Moss and AndrewSimms. Town Centre Management


has chosen Macmillan as its Charity of the Year for 2012. The Mall Chequers recently


made an £800 donation to the charity, raised at their Retailer Awards Evening . The World’s Biggest Coffee


MorningisonFriday, Septem- ber 28. To host your own coffee morning event and to receive a fundraising pack, register at www.coffee.macmillan.org.uk or email Moira Mitchell at mmitchell@macmillan.org.uk


Fire brings smoke alarm warning


A WOMAN in her thirties was overcome by smoke after a blaze at a flat in Highland Road, Maidstone, in the early hours of the morning. It is thought she had been preparing a snack, but fell asleep, leading to the oven catching fire. The property’s smoke alarm had been deactivated, with a


LUKE Collins has applied to re- furbish the listed Crisbrook House in Cave Hill, Tovil. His application includes the replacement of five windows andweatherboarding, aswell as refurbishing the front door. His supporting statement says these initial restoration plans are in- tended to provide weather proofing, insulation, security and protection against further degradation of materials.


plastic bag over the sensor. Neighbours raised the alarm when they saw smoke coming from the property. Watch manager Roy Ingram


said: “The lady was incredibly lucky to have not suffered worse than breathing in smoke – it is an important example of why smoke alarms should al- ways be fitted in every home.”


It added that the aim was “to present the house in as close to original appearance as possible; to replace unsympathetic changes from before the house was listed with more appropri- ate features; and to complement the existing buildings within the Loose Valley Conservation area”. The proposal seeks to replace


five aluminium-framed win- dows with wooden softwood


New sports hall THE Valley Invicta Trust has been given planning permis- sion to build a new sports hall and changing rooms to serve both of its schools, Valley Park and Invicta Grammar. Maidstone Council granted planning consent on condition that archaeological items of in- terest are recorded during con- struction.


Application to restore listed building to family home


windows and to remove the weather boards, assess their condition and restore or replace them as required. Evidence of “previous door furniture” would be replaced with complementary simple chrome fittings. “Wewould like to use Farrow


& Ball railings,” the statement continued. Maidstone Council will deter- mine the planning application.


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