Christmas cheer for sailing shoppers


A MAIDSTONE company has stepped in to save the Christmas shoppers' Park and Sail service. The Downs Mail reported last month that


the Kentish Lady, which operates on the River Medway between Sandling and the town centre, was unlikely to run its festive timetable after the borough council ended its subsidy. But RAP Interiors, based at Parkwood, has decided to foot the bill for the boat as well as free car parking at Kent Life. Proceeds from the ticket sales will go to a charity that


STAFF and students at NLL Academy and Cornwallis Academy have raised al- most £850 in the past two months for cancer charities. During September, a cof-


fee morning held in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and its “world's biggest cof- fee morning” raised £432.88. In addition, staff and


sixth formers at Cornwallis paid to dress in pink for Breast Cancer Campaign. They also sold cakes and pink sweets raising £402.13 in the process. Pictured here is teacher


Chloe Pearce with students from her A2 English Litera- ture and Language class who were involved with Pink Friday at Cornwallis Academy.


supports survivors of bereavement by sui- cide (SOBS). The Kentish Lady will operate on the four Saturdays before Christmas (November 27, December 4, 11 and 18) and two Sundays, December 12 and 19. The Cheeseman family, who own the


boat, face a hectic festive season as they have also taken bookings for evening Christ- mas parties. "Weekends will be 24-seven," said Sara Cheeseman, who is in business with her mum, dad and brother. The Town Centre Management’s market-


Pupils raise cash for cancer charities


ing group welcomed the news. Members also heard the Royal Star Arcade’s Christ- mas grotto, from November 20, will raise money for the Heart of Kent Hospice. The hospice itself will hold its annual


Light Up A Life event immediately after the Lights Switch-on on November 21. That morning, the Santa Fun Run will be held. Fremlin Walk is launching its Christmas activities on November 25. Maidstone Council is supplying addi-


tional lights for Bank Street and some new lights have been hired forWeek Street.


How clean is your street?


MIXED opinions have emerged from residents about street-cleaning in different parts ofMaidstone borough. Average customer satisfaction in thewards thatwere surveyed between April and September is slightly below council targets. Survey cards were distributed to 100 homes in each


of 11 wards (out of 26 wards in all), asking: "How sat- isfied are you with the cleanliness in your neighbour- hood?"


Results show that, compared with 2009-10, satisfac- Fountain restaurant plan


THE closed Fountain Inn pub in Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, could be converted into a Spice Fusion restaurant. Applicant Enamul Haque’s planning ap- plication to serve Indian and sub-continen- tal food on the site also includes an extension for a toilet block and conservatory.


Lillicos Country Store


COME AND SEE OUR GREAT NEW PET DEPARTMENT!


Beta 3kg & 15kg 25% OFF Pro Plan Dog 14kg £34.99 All Jumbones £1.15 Dentastixs 28’s 25% OFF Catsan 20 ltrs £7.99


Felix “as good as it looks” Pouches 12 x 100g £3.00 Whiskas Pouches 12 X 100g £2.50 GoCat 2kg £3.99


tion has improved in six wards - Detling & Thurnham, Shepway North, Shepway South, Loose, East and High Street - but reduced in five - Boxley, Downswood & Otham, North Downs, Fant and Coxheath & Hunton. Collection of this latest data coincided with a big change in the way street cleaning is organised. In April the council moved from a rota-based to an area-based system, the idea being that cleansing teams focus on areas in need of cleaning. In the past, areas were cleaned whether they needed it or not. In spring, a re- port said the new approach could save £120,000 a year. The latest satisfaction results are being used by the


teams to help target resources, said environment man- ager Jonathan Scott.


Lillico Country Store, Beddow Way, Aylesford, KENT ME20 7BT Tel: 01622 718062


8 Town To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


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