Baroness backs booze campaign


BARONESS Newlove, the Government’s champion for active, safer communities, visited Snodland to support the town’s cam- paign to cut out underage alcohol drinking. We reported in the Town Talk section of


last month’s Downs Mail about the launch of the Kent Community Alcohol Partner- ship (KCAP) in Snodland. The visit started in the Co-op food store


in Snodland High Street, where the baroness met the partners in KCAP, the Mayor of Tonbridge &Malling, Dave Davis, and spoke to members of staff about under- age drinking. She then went to Ham Hill Stores, where


she met Paul and Herby Gill, who have owned the shop for 32 years. Herby said off licences and pubs got the blame for selling alcohol to young people but in many cases


Baroness Newlove with Paul and Herby Gill


it is parents who are buying the alcohol for their children. The baroness rounded off her visit at Holmesdale Technology College where she discussed aspects of youth culture, particu- larly related to underage drinking with members of the staff who live locally.


A good start for childminder ALEYBOURNE childminder has received a goodOfsted report just two months after setting up her business. Emma Hodges, of CastleWay, got Grade 2 in all categories when inspectors visited in October. Inspector JaneWakelen said children make good progress and parents are kept well informed about their child’s learning and development. Emma was not awarded an outstanding grade because resources


such as books were not stimulating or inviting enough, children washed their hands in the same bowl of water and the changing mat is not always wiped between use by different children.


Invitiation to join WI members for tea and talk


AYLESFORD and Eccles WI will meet in the Brassey Centre, Station Road, Aylesford, at 7.30pm onWednesday, January 23. There will be a talk on fire safety as well as time for a chat


over a cup of tea so come along and meet new people There will also be details of events and competitions. Call Eileen on 01622 715205


for details. David’s Driving School She was then joined by a group of stu-


dents and shared with them the reason she has spent the past few years campaigning against the binge-drink culture. The stu- dents were encouraged to speak candidly and Baroness Newlovewas gratified to find that due to awareness raising programmes in the school and their own observations of young people abusing alcohol, the students were well aware of the dangers. After the visit, she said that retailers and


the enforcement agencies must work to- gether with the wider community, includ- ing youngsters and parents to tackle the problems. Baroness Newlove launched a campaign against the country’s binge-drink culture after her husband Garry was murdered in 2007 outside their home in Cheshire.


Jobs fears as KCC shuts bus firm


JOBS in Aylesford could be at risk as KCC shuts its bus firm. The authority currently em-


ploys about 100 people at Kent Top Travel, in Beddow Way, but will gradually stop bid- ding for contracts over the next year following concerns that other operators were los- ing contracts to the KCC com- pany. Ian McPherson, managing director for commercial serv- ices at KCC, said: “This is part of a wider strategy to remain in markets in which we have a competitive advantage thus


ensuring value for the tax- payer. “Our planned exit from the transport market will be phased over the year to ensure we honour current contrac- tual commitments whilst en- suring no disruption to service users during the transition. “We are confident there will


be minimal detrimental effect to staff.” A KCC spokesman said ex-


isting staff will be transferred over to the new contractors who successfully bid for each job.


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