Cobtree awards boost charities
THREE charities are to benefit from a cash windfall from the Cobtree Charity Trust. The charity, which distributes around £150,000 each year, sup- porting more than 60 local or- ganisations with their running costs, makes a special annual award of £25,000. The trust launched its award
– this year dubbed the Cobtree Jubilee Prize, to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – ear- lier in the summer, via the Downs Mail. A wide range of organisations submitted their applications, from which the trustees selected three winners – Kent Scouts, Voluntary Action Maidstone and Cross Roads Care. The Scouts are to get the lion’s
share, with £17,000 to help im- prove facilities at their new county headquarters.
New bins for
garden waste MAIDSTONE Borough Council is changing its garden waste collection service, and encour- aging neighbours to share bins. Gardeners are being asked to change to garden waste bins and the council is offering two sizes – a 240-litre wheelie bin costing £30 a year or a 140-litre wheelie bin costing £27 a year. The council has offered green garden waste bins for some time, but is now phasing out com- postable bags which were also offered and gradually replacing green bins with brown ones. Gardeners who feel they can-
not fill a bin to themselves will be able to share with neighbours. Cllr Marion Ring, cabinet member for the environment, shares her bin with neighbour Alan Purvis, and they take it in turns to pay each year. Cllr Ring said: “We don’t cre-
ate enough garden waste to fill a bin each. This way we both benefit from the service, butwe halve the cost of the service.” The council is asking residents
who have compostable bags to use them by the endof June 2013. However, those properties which are unsuitable for wheelie bins can still use the bags, at a cost of £30 a year for up to 52 bags. The council introduced the
bags, made from potato starch, in 2010 to replace plastic sacks. If you would like to order a garden waste bin or subscribe to garden sack collections please call 01622 602600 or visit
www.maidstone.gov.uk
Garage replacement A PLAN has been accepted to demolish two garages, replac- ing them with two one-bed- room flats at 1C King Edward Road, Maidstone. The garages were originally part of a larger block of six.
8 Town
Robert Kemsley, of VAM’s transport scheme
Kent Scouts operate from
Lower Grange Farm at Sandling, a traditional Kent barn they bought in 2009, along with other farm buildings and four acres of land. The prize will go towards converting an area into
a residential unit to allow young people to stay and take part in training and Scouting ac- tivity. Voluntary Action Maidstone, which will receive £5,000, op- erates a number of projects for vulnerable and socially isolated people. Their voluntary trans- port scheme provides much needed transport for doctor’s appointments and other urgent matters. About 10,000 trips were organised last year. The prize will go towards a much needed software system. Cross Roads Care, based at
Wateringbury, which receives the remaining £3,000, gives sup- port for young carers who look after parents struggling with their own issues whether through illness or disability. Help comes in the form of sup- port with regular group ses-
sions, where young carers can meet one another and get advice and gain confidence. The Mayor of Maidstone Cllr
Rodd Nelson-Gracie was due to present cheques to the winners at the Town Hall on October 15. Cobtree Trust chairman Richard Corben said: “The prize is aimed at those organisations who have a charitable purpose, help the community or have ur- gent repair work to the historic buildings within their care. “The selection of the winners
was a very hard job for the trustees, as so many organisa- tions are doing such fantastic work in the area, and many of them struggling for cash.” The Cobtree Trust funds come
from a trust set up in 1951 by Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake, 12 times Mayor of Maidstone, who lived at Cobtree Manor.
Roland and Heather Novak, Jo James and Mark Dance, of Nova IT, with their award
IT company wins service award A MAIDSTONE company is celebrating its success in the British Cham- bers of Commerce National 2012 Regional Awards. Nova IT Solutions, which has offices in Hart Street, Maidstone, offers
tailored IT solutions to customers. It won the Excellence In Customer Service award, and will go on to theNational Awards Final nextmonth.
More floodlights ‘will reduce glare’ MAIDSTONE Hockey Club has applied to install replacement flood- light bulbs and heads at its base in Armstrong Road, Maidstone. A planning consent dating back to 1995 places a condition that
the lighting “does not give rise to glare and light intrusion”. The club wants to increase the number of bulbs from 20 to 28 and
raise the level of illuminance from 300 to 500 lux. A supporting statement said: “The national governing body guideline on light- ing now states that the 300 lux level is only fit for non-competitive hockey and physical training. A minimum 500 lux is required for the standard that Maidstone plays at. The new floodlight headswill reduce the amount of light spillage onto the surrounding land and also significantly reduce glare light.” Maidstone Council will determine the planning application.
THE Priory Group has applied to convert the Vine Medical Centre at 166 Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, into a residential care home for autistic patients. In October last year, planning permission was granted for a new medical centre at the for- mer borough council offices half a mile away, at 13 Ton- bridge Road. This will serve more than the 8,500 patients who use the Vine. “By virtue of the planning permission, the relocation is clearly acceptable to the coun- cil. Therefore there will be no significant loss ofmedical facil- ities, as better facilities will be
provided within the same pa- tient catchment area,” said the applicant’s supporting state- ment. The proposed use of the prop-
erty is for 10 people with learn- ing disabilities and additional support needs associated with autism-specific conditions. The statement added: “The for-
mat of the use is that the resi- dents live together as a social group to the extent that they are able, whilst being offered a de- gree of guidance by the carers, al- lowing them a degree of independence. “The level of care is essentially supervisory in nature, including
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
Drivers needed TWO new minibuses have been introduced in Maidstone by Brighter Futures. Part ofVoluntary Action Maid-
stone, the group and its 110 vol- unteers supports almost 700 older people across the borough with shopping, befriending, day trips and falls prevention classes. Danny Hewis, the Brighter Futures manager, said: “We have such fantastic support from volunteers all over the borough, butwe need people to drive our minibuses for us.” If you would like to volunteer
or donate to Brighter Futures, call 01622 762403 or email
danny.hewis@vam-online.org.uk
Football sponsors MAIDSTONE United has se- cured sponsorship from the Plumbase plumbing and heat- ing store in Armstrong Road, Maidstone. The club plays at the new Gallagher stadium and has an extensive youth and junior pro- gramme.
Plumbase is providing the
under-11s team with a new kit for the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons.
Medical centre could become care home
taking them out occasionally and does not include any medical care (other than making sure they take any medicines provided by doctors). “During the day shifts there
will be approximately seven members of staff present who provide any necessary support to the residents and two staff members covering nights. The property is therefore staffed over a 24-hour period divided as day and night staff duties.” The planning application, which will be determined by Maidstone Council, adds that the scale of the building will re- main largely unaltered.
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