Christmas shopping


and sing-gong MAIDSTONE Mencap is holding a Christmas bazaar on Saturday, Novem- ber 20, at Cobtree Hall, Mote Park. The event runs from 2 to 4.30pm and admission is 30p. The group is also planning a Christ-


mas concertwith the Detling Singers at Cobtree Hall on Saturday, December 4, at 7.30pm. Entertainment, mulledwine and mince pies are all on offer for £5 each, £3 for members and children, Contact Cathy Handley on 07956 332975 for concert tickets and details of both events.


John Hoff JOHN Hoff (86), who was known throughout the Maid- stone area from years of work- ing in sales, has died in Bournemouth.


He was raised in Perryfield Street, the son of Claude Adol- phus (‘CA’) Hoff, who ran a newsagent’s.


A pupil at St Paul’s, East Bor- ough and North Borough schools, and a choirboy at St Paul’s Church, John worked at Worley’s gro- cers


and


William Day’s accountants, until volun- teering for the RAF, serving from 1943 to 1947.


John returned home to work


forHeinz, travelling throughout the area selling their products to the grocery trade. He went on to work for Ayerst Laboratories as a sales manager, eventually moving away. John retired in 1987 as re- gional sales manager for the SouthWest.


Married for 60 years to Joan, John was father to Richard and Sally. Richard said: “My father valued loyalty, honesty and in- tegrity. He belonged to a gener- ation who saw sales as an honourable profession. He went on to become president of the professional organisation, Probus, in Bournemouth.”


A lover of singing and music, John became an artist in retire- ment.


500 police jobs set to go ...


ABOUR 1,500 jobs are likely to go at Kent Po- lice after the Government’s comprehensive spending review confirmed cuts of around 20% over the next four years. Kent Police Authority chairman Ann Barnes


said 500 of these jobs would have to be police officers. “There’s no alternative,” she added, “because 80% of our budget is spent on em- ploying people”. While Kent Police anticipated this level of


cuts, there is still doubt over how much less it will receive in Government grants. One of these, for Police Community Support Officers, will be stopped by May 2011, leav-


ing Kent Police with the decision of whether to continue the project through its own fund- ing. Currently, PCSOs cost £11.8m, which in- cludes partner and Government funding. Mrs Barnes said: “PCSOs are a valuable part


of the family.We have 400 of them in Kent and they do a really good job for the community. “Some police forces have alreadymade their PCSOs redundant but we have not gone down that route. We are looking at configuring our forces.” One way Kent Police has been working to


save money is by setting up a joint procure- ment unit with Essex Police.


We will remember


He leaves hiswidow, children, grandchildren Alexa, Joseph, Bethany and Harriet, and great- granddaughter Maia.


Andrew Vickers ANDREW Vickers died three days before his 23rd birthday. He was well known as a tal- ented rugby player and a mem- ber of a very successful young side who had won their age group in the Kent Cup for U16, U17 and U18. Andrew went on to study Sports Science at Exeter Uni- versity, doing well enough to be offered a place to study for a PhD. He had just started this phase of his life when he was found dead in his room.


Maidstone Rugby Club’s website has praised his skill and the contributions he made to the senior side in his time at home from


university. Andrew, who lived at


Weavering, had worked part- time for four years at Pennies Day Nursery, Newnham Court, where his mother, Sheila, also works. Staff and parents have expressed shock and sorrow, and are planning some form of memorial in consultation with his family. Andrew’s Facebook page has


EDWARD George “Ted” Wills (100) lived on Bearsted Road near the ChilternHundreds pub from 1962. The carpenter moved there


with wife of 42 years, Violet, and daughter Jackie. After Vio- let’s death, Jackie and her hus- band extended the property and moved in with Ted. Jackie said: “We remember the area when the lane past the


been swamped with tributes. One of them said: “Andrew, youwill never be alone as there will always be someone think- ing of you. To have touched so many people in such a short time is a testament to you.” Andrew leaves his parents


Steve and Sheila and brother Matt.


TedWills


pub was a dirt track and the view from Bearsted Road was onto fields. My dad used to wander across the single car- riageway to have a drink once a week in the Chiltern Hundreds. My mother worked in the pub.” Jackie said: “He stayed active


his whole life; he was up a lad- der lining the top of a shed when he was 80. His recipe for a long life included working with asbestos, he smoked ciga- rettes until he was 70 and a pipe untilhewas 80.Healso liked a fried breakfast every morning. He was very healthy until the final months of his life.” Ted leaves his daughter and son-in-law Dave.


Connie Prickett CONSTANCE Edna “Connie” Prickett (80) moved to Heath Road, Barming, in 1956 and re- mained in the area until her death. Born in Eastbourne (nee


Gray), she met her husband Ken after he had stuck a pin in a map and decided to take a motorcycle trip to Pevensey Bay.


One of six children, Connie


wasworking as a sales assistant in an ironmonger’s shop. After moving locally she worked for KCC Supplies. Connie’s daughter Alison de- scribed her mother as “lovely, very giving and warm, chatty and very well-known locally”. Connie attended St Andrew’s Church and delivered its maga- zine. She raised money for Barnardos and the NSPCC. She enjoyed sewing and was also a


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