Air ambulance rescues toddler


THE family of a Weavering toddler crushed beneath a wardrobe have paid tribute to Kent Air Ambulance for a “miracle rescue” that helped to save their son’s life. Pilots and paramedics flew to the rescue


when they heard how little Louis Parvin (2) was trapped beneath a wardrobe that he had somehowman- aged to pull over on top of himself at a house in the Fant area of Maidstone. Louis’ gran Lesley Vine, from Col-


lier Street,was cleaning a rental prop- erty she lets out in Roseholme and only turned her back for a moment. “The next thing she knew, he had somehow pulled the wardrobe over and his head was stuck underneath,” said Louis’ dad Peter, as he relived the nightmare scene. The air ambulance arrived within minutes, having landed at nearby Fant Farm, and, after giving Louis emergency treatment at the scene, whisked him off to King’s College Hospital, London – a journey of under 20 minutes by helicopter. Louis had suffered a severe fractured skull


and his brain was swollen with a small bleed, and he spent four days in intensive care before being transferred to a high de- pendency unit. Dad Peter and mum Kaylie, who live in Crownfields,Weavering, kept a bedside vigil at the London hospital, praying for their son’s recovery – but could never have be- lieved the outcome. After seven days in King’s, Louis was transferred to Pembury –


and discharged a day later. “Itwas nothing short of amiracle,” said Mr Parvin, the grandson of Maidstone borough councillors Peter and Daphne Parvin. “We took him back to London to thank the


given a clean bill of health. The biggest problem is making sure he doesn’t get too energetic and bang his head in the next couple of months until his skull has fully healed. Peter said: “It’s a bit of a


DOCTOR Malcolm Tunnicliff, from Kent Air Ambulance, said: “When we arrived at Louis’ side it was clear he had sustained a very se- vere head injury.


“In these injuries it is imperative to get to a neurosurgeon and fast. Our pilot, captain Kevin Goddard was then able to fly Louis, his mother and the air ambulance team to the major trauma centre at King’s College Hospi- tal in London where hewas furthermanaged.


“He was given a general anaesthetic to


allowus toprotect hisairwayandtakecontrol of his breathing in an effort to maintain the correct pressure in his brain.”


KAA is hoping to invite Louis and his family Peter and Kaylie Parvin with son Louis


consultants and staff and they could barely believe it when he walked in and handed them a box of chocolates. “We knew that there was no long-term neurological damage, but none of them could believe how much he had progressed. So much could have gone wrong. We have been really blessed.” The lively little lad will still need some speech therapy before he is back to being his old chatterbox self, but has otherwise been


Grammar school is outstanding


STAFFatMaidstoneGrammarSchoolare jubilanthaving receivedasec- ond consecutivemark of ‘outstanding’ from Ofsted. A team of five inspectors spent two days at the boys’ school in Barton


Road at the end of September, observing lessons and speaking to stu- dents, staff and governors in a bid to understand and judge the school’s culture and ethos and to establish howsuccessful itwas. A total of 55 lessons were observed, with 95% being judged good or


better and just under 50% being judged outstanding. Headmaster Mark Tomkins said he was extremely proud of the final judgement and praised the school community for the way it pulled to- gether during the inspection. Hesaid: “Itwasahumblingexperience listening to the inspection team


give feedback at the end of the two days”. Chair of governors Mrs Lindsey Evans said shewas delighted that the


school hadachievedasecond consecutiveoutstanding judgement from Ofsted. “Thiswas a testament to all the hardwork carried out by the students,


staff and governors at Maidstone Grammar School. The Ofsted judge- ment confirms thatMGScontinues to provide a first class education for all its students,” she said.


Lib Dems open town office


THE Lib Dem group has opened an office in Maidstone town centre. The office is one of several at 23 Union Street


being used by entrepreneur Jonnie Jensen to offer ‘hot desking’ to small businesses and start- ups.


Maidstone and the Weald Lib Dem members


have their own private office but other rooms in the large Victorian building will become co- working spaces to help companies who do not need – or cannot afford – larger premises. “Hopefully this will act as a focus for eco- nomic regeneration in the town centre,” said parliamentary campaigner Jasper Gerard. Office manager is Maidstone Cllr and JP Sue


Grigg. It is also the base for Kent’s Lib Dem or- ganiser Sam Roach. Mr Gerard and local Lib Dem councillors will


be available on Saturday mornings as well as at other times during the week. Mr Gerard paid particular tribute to Cllr Derek Mortimer for his help in making it possible to have the office.


16 South


to itsMarden headquarters soon forareunion with the crewwho saved his life.


nightmare, as he’s into everything and want- ing to run about, jump and climb! He’s a typ- ical little lad and trying to restrain him isn’t going to be easy.” Peter Parvin, who is a business manager


for Barclays Bank, said: “You hear so much about the air ambulance but it’s only when something like this affects you personally you realise that they are a charity and need as much help as they can get. “They savedmy son’s life without doubt.”


UKIP launches its Maidstone bid


THE UK Independence Party (UKIP) is attempting tomake its mark on Maidstone, announcing it has selected seven candidates to fight seats up for grabs in nextMay’s borough election. The party has set up a branch in the Faversham and Mid-Kent con- stituency, where Conservative minister Hugh Robertson is the sit- tingMP, and elected candidates for all seven of thewards which fall within its boundary. They are Bearsted, Boxley, Harrietsham and Lenham, ParkWood, Shepway North, Shepway South and Headcorn. UKIP rose rapidly through the ranks from nowhere to become the second largest party sitting on Kent County Council in this year’s elections, where they are now the opposing party to the ruling Con- servatives. The Tories up for re-election next May in the seven Maidstone


wards are Mike Cuming, Derek Butler, John Barned, David Burton, Michael Yates, Adrian Brindle and Jenefer Gibson. Afurther 11 seats, which fall within theMaidstone andWeald con- stituency, held by Helen Grant MP, will also be up for re-election. UKIP says it hopes to have a candidate for every seat by the time nominations close.


warms charity team DANDELIONTime,acharityworkingwith vul- nerable children and families, hashad an en- vironmentally-friendly boiler installed at its West Farleigh base. The biomass boiler burns wood pellets


from renewable sources and is in keeping with Dandelion Time’senvironmentally sound ways ofworking. Chief executive Graham Carpenter said:


“The new boiler will ensure a comfortable temperature all year andwe do look forward to dispensing with hot water bottles, gloves and scarves indoors.” Consultants Sinclair Knight Merz helped


with theproject and the CommunitySustain- able Energy Programme (CSEP) funded a large proportion of the costs. Dandelion Time works with children expe- riencing behavioural, emotional and social


Dr Caroline Jessel and Graham Carpenter, of Dandelion Time, with the new boiler


difficulties. Based at Elmscroft inWest Farleigh, Dan-


delion delivers therapeutic and educational programmes to help childrenwith a range of difficulties, often linkedto complexhomecir- cumstances, sometimesandcompoundedby withdrawal or exclusion from school.


Visit Downs Mail’s website — downsmail.co.uk New biomass boiler


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