Town Talk alk


SINCE arriving in Snodland in 2008 the Beat Project has become more and more involved in the community. Formed in May 2002, the charity’s head


office is in Sittingbourne and there are also community development coordina- tors based in East Malling and Trench (Tonbridge). Among many Kent projects are the man-


agement of the refurbishment, fundraising and development of the St James Centre, East Malling, into a community hub fea- turing an arts café and working withMAP, the Malling Action Partnership) to de- velop business and communities in the Malling area. Nicky Delacey (pictured), community development coordinator in Snodland,


How Beat Project boosts our community


explained: “Our main strands of work are health, community develop- ment, outreach programmes, safer communities, education and training, social enterprise, schools, adult education, part- nerships and international pro- grammes. “We are specialists in the use


of music and creative arts, in- cluding film, media, drama, performance, IT and communi- cations technology.” The Beat Project, which is supported by Tonbridge and Malling Bor- ough Council, Snodland Partnership and


the town council, also runs healthy eating, and allotment programmes and other creative projects. Since joining the Snodland


team 12 months ago, Nicky’s role has been to meet local peo- ple and listen to their views and requirements. She is also joint chairman of the Snodland Goes Cleaner campaign. For more information about


the Beat Project its website is www.thebeatproject.org.uk or Nicky can be connected di-


rectly on 07824 485167 or at nicky- delacey@thebeatproject.org.uk.


Bobby leads life sentence debate


A FAMILIAR face in Snodland has been appear- ing regularly on television during the last month. Bobby Cummines, chief executive of Unlock,


the National Association of Reformed Offenders, has been involved in debates on whether life should mean life in prison sentences and whether prisoners should have a vote. “There are different types of murder,” he said. “Whether it be domestic, pre-meditated or serial killings the sentence is the same. Should a wife who is repeatedly beaten up, cracks and kills her husband be treated the same as a paedophile? “Votes for prisoners is a human rights issue


Bobby Cummines with TV personality Fred Dinenage


ONE of the aisles in All Saints’ Church, Snodland, is out of bounds and the bells cannot be rung after an inspection of the building showed it needed major repairs. Church warden John Levett


said the quinquennial (five- yearly) survey showed substan- tial work was required on the bell tower where floor timbers are rotting and in the north aisle the timber strut is sliding off the corbel (the stone support on which the timber sits ). “It is estimated this will cost


about £100,000 and there is other work which needs to be done,” he added. “We are meet- ing with the Diocese, English Heritage, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings


under European law. You cannot pick and choose what parts of the law you want to accept. Pris- oners have a right to vote.” Bobby is an ex-offender himself. He spent 13


£100,000 bill for church repairs


and our own architect and structural engineer to work out the necessary details.” It is known that a church has


stood on the site of All Saints for more than 1,000 years. Rev Hugh Broadbent, rector of Snodland, said the church is of considerable historical interest and it is beyond the ability of the congregation on its own to maintain it. “If it is to remain for future generations we need the sup- port from the wider community and charitable funds,” he con- tinued. “The Friends of All Saints was launched a number of years ago and has been re- vived and people who are not regular church goers, or even Christians, might feel it is of


Brave pair pluck up courage to raise cash for Pudsey


SOUTH East Water staff raised around £2,000 for Children in Need, which in- cluded £1,300 from the company’s Snod- land head office. Customer service team members Simon


Bye and Stephen Knell, who are based there, laughed through the pain of having their legs waxed. Their hair-raising efforts succeeded in making more than £307 for Pudsey. Other events included a bring and buy


and cake sale, a guess the number of sweets competition as well as a sponsored silence.


8 Town Talk


years in prison for bank robberies and organised crime and was asked to start Unlock by a senior probation officer 11 years ago. “There was nothing to do in prison so I started


to read books and the more I read the more I wanted to know,” he went on. “When I started applying for jobs I wasn’t getting anywhere but the prejudice and bigotry I met could have sent me back to crime.” Unlock is based in a small office in Snodland


High Street and employs five people. Bobby explained that ex-prisoners used to be excluded from having bank accounts, insurance and affordable credit which prevented them from getting work and securing a home. This has now changed. If they genuinely want to change, the associa-


tion points them to organisa- tions where they can get help. He advises many government departments about prisons and regularly meets ministers and judges. He has been to the gov- ernments in China and South Africa and assisted Tony Blair, when he was Prime Minister and former Justice Minister Jack Straw. He is often on television and


radio and appears in the na- tional press. In February he is appearing with television per- sonality Fred Dinenage in an eight-part series on ITV dis- cussing infamous killers, such as Christie and Hague. Bobby, who is married and


historical interest and impor- tance.” He asked that anybody who is interested to contact him.


lives at Walderslade, added: “We have achieved a great deal in 11 years but my biggest re- gret in life is that when I retire the problems will still be there.”


Town Talk is an eight-page supplement for the residents and business of Snodland. It appears in the Downs Mail in alternate months. However, news from Snodland will also appear in other parts of the paper and in the editions of the Downs Mail when Town Talk does not appear as a supplement. Anyone with a news item concerningthe Snodland area can contact our special correspondent Peter Rimmer on 07918 026808 or 01634 241903. Or you can contact our newsdesk on 01622 734735.


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