dependent and involved in life and moved to be near my fam- ily in Andover four and a half years ago.” Megan leaves Robin, grand- children Michael and Daniel and great-grandchildren Jamie, Britt, Anna, Freya and Alexandra.


John Stanford JOHN Stanford (64) lived in Hastings Road, Maidstone, his whole life and was known from his mem- bership of the Barmy Army Film Club, a local group of Dad’s Army afficionados known for making their own films based on the classic series and also fundraising for charity. John was also a keen real ale enthusiast and a member of the local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. John bought his own home, across the road from the one where he’d grown up in Hastings Road. He worked for Seeboard, but retired early to care for his mother when she be- came infirm. John’s death had a fitting ele-


ment of slapstick when police and bomb disposal experts were alerted after the discovery of his body, when a cache of arms was found in his home. A grenade found among the


items caused particular concern, until it was discovered to be a decommissioned device, used in John’s work with the Barmy Army Film Club. The club’s website has an- nounced the death of their own “Corporal Jones” and the group’s chairman, Colin Taylor, has ex- tolled his work in fundraising for charities like the Royal British Legion and RAF Benevo- lent Fund. Colin Taylor’s partner, Debo-


rah Dean, said: “John was very active in Maidstone. He loved politics and was a great fundraiser for our charitable causes.”


Choir concert FRIENDS of St Mary’s Lenham is organising its first fundrais- ing event – an evening of song performed by The Snowdown Colliery Welfare Male Voice Choir. The event takes places at the Community Centre in Groom Way on Saturday, March 16. Doors open at 7pm and tickets cost £10, which includes a glass of wine or a soft drink and a finger buffet. Ticketswillgoonsalein February and posters will give details of where to buy them.


Pub trees to go RUSKINS Aboricultural Group has been given conservation area consent to remove two Norway spruce trees at the rear boundary of the Ten Bells pub in Upper Street, Leeds.


John – who had no family of his own – leaves two cousins.


John Lightfoot JOHN Lightfoot (82) was born in Coventry, where he attended Bablake Grammar School before beginning a career as a struc- tural engineer working on air- craft design for Hawker Siddeley. He moved with his family to Maidstone in 1965, when he started working for an Ameri- can company in London. He later moved to Evans & Lang- ford consulting structural engi- neers in Maidstone, where for over 20 years he worked on a variety of assignments. John had always been a keen sportsman, playing rugby and tennis in his youth to a good standard, and he continued ten- nis and squash for many years as a founder member of Maid- stone Tennis Club. In recent years he attended the gym at Tudor Park. Since his retirement, he had completed a BSc degree through Open University and he had enjoyed planning holi- days with Myra, his wife for 55 years. They travelled widely, from Alaska to the Far East, but also enjoying meandering through France and Italy in their car. John has two sons: David,


who followed a career in elec- tronics engineering and Peter, who followed a career in fi- nance. John had two grandchil- dren, Charlotte and Jazmine.


Wey Hayward WEY Hayward (95) will be re- membered in his home village of Tovil as a former soldier and champion swimmer. Born in Brunswick Street and baptised at All Saints’ with St Phillip Church,MrHayward re- mained a member of the con- gregation for most of his life. His father died whenMr Hay-


ward was young, and his mother ran the local shop in the street where they lived. She re- married and provided a step-


brother for her first son. Mr Hayward was a pupil at


All Saints’ School and a mem- ber of All Saints’ choir as a boy and man. In his youth he was a great swimmer and was Maid- stone champion several times in the 1930s. After leaving school, Mr Hayward went to work at Reed’s, the last factory to survive from the papermak- ing empire founded in Tovil in 1894 by Albert E Reed, and he remained there until he retired from the post of buildings su- pervisor. He served with the Royal


Army Service Corps (RASC) duringWorldWar Two with the 8th Army in North Africa then up through Italy and into Berlin. In the German capital, Mr Hayward proudly swam in the pool built for the 1936 Olympics. Until about 10 years ago, Mr Hayward laid a wreath in honour of the RASC at his church every Remembrance Sunday and arranged for their standard to be on display. Mr Hayward married Doris,


who died in 1995. They had two children, Brian and Mary, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He lived in his own home until 18 months ago and, with help, managed to enjoy cooking and gardening. For his final few months Mr Hayward lived with family members. The Rev ChristopherMorgan-


Jones, of All Saints’, said: “Until about two years ago Wey was a very regular communicant at our 8am Sunday Eucharist. He was a really lovely man. He was kind, gentle, easy going and in- terested in so many things.”


Mary Holding MARY Holding (106) was one of Maidstone’s oldest resi- dents. She died at Eastfield Resi- dential Home, Sittingbourne Road, and for 33 years ran


A SERIES of public meetings were held in Leeds church last year in a bid to find new ideas – and new people to help keep the church alive. Rev Nigel Fry, who serves St Margaret’s Broomfield and All Saints’, Hollingbourne, as well as St Nicholas’s in Leeds, had hoped to encourage non-wor- shippers to support the church and its buildings to keep it at the heart of the community. However, the congregation re- mained in a state of decline and the PCC decided it had no op- tion but to amend the pattern of services. Now there is always a Sunday Eucharist service in one of the five benefice churches, although there may only be two services a month at St Nicholas’s – one of which is the


traditional Eucharist. The sec- ond service is more flexible and accommodates occasions such as Christmas, Harvest, Remem- brance Sunday or the Mother- ing Sunday service which will be on March 10, and could also be used for youth services or a Songs of Praise-style service. The church remains available for baptism, marriage and fu- neral services. One new venture, a Taizé service, which is an informal candlelit service with prayers, silence and music, will be held at 6.30pm on February 10. A PCC spokesman said: “The church needs input from the community to remain viable.” Rev Fry has also asked for suggestions for alternative use of the church building.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


Forstal Farm, in Coxheath,with husband William, and sons Frank and John. Born Mary Holding, she moved toWales as a girl, and started work as a newspaper reporter in Tony- pandy,Wales, but later returned to Kent. She met her husband,


William Holding, when he de- livered a letter misdirected to his home because his family andMary’s shared the same sur- name. Her early jobs included nurs-


ing at Keycol Hospital near Newington. She also worked in an accounts office, tax office and pram shop. Mary loved the outdoors and


had been a long-time member of the Women’s Institute and Mothers’ Union. Son Frank said: “She was very organised and mixed well socially.” When John died in 1985,Mary


and William moved to Work- house Lane, East Farleigh. William died in 1993, but Mary stayed at their home until she was 100. She leaves son Frank, four grandchildren, and seven great- grandchildren.


Carol Broughton THE death has been announced of Carol Broughton (68), who, with husband Les, ran the Black Horse Pub in Thurnham from 1986 to 1990. The couple sub- sequently lived in Portugal for 20 years, returning to the UK three years ago. Carol leaves her husband, children Fleur and Christopher and grandchildren Rhys, Sam and Keira.


Sister Kathleen


Dalton THE death was announced of Sister Kathleen Dalton who lived at Mandeville Court, Maidstone, and was formerly resident at Fintonagh Convent and Sacred Heart Convent in Boxley Road. She was well known locally from many years of teaching at St Francis' Infant School.


Church ‘needs help to face future’ He said: “It is your church


and needs your help to keep it at the centre of our village life. We want people to tell us how they would like to help us make the future of our church more optimistic.” Theatrical performances are


one suggestion that has been taken up. On Wednesday, Feb- ruary 27, the Chalkfoot Theatre Arts Group will perform The Prisoner of Zenda, a new adap- tation by Philip Dart of the Vic- torian novel by Anthony Hope. Tickets can be obtained from Brian Hardy on 01622 842915.  In last month’s Downs Mail we said there would be a meet- ing to discuss the future of Leeds Church on Saturday, March 31. However, this will not take place.


East 31


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