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Village awards take winners by surprise
IT was a night of full of unexpected delights for Bearsted residents who found themselves recipients of this year’s Mynn Awards.
The Villager Case of hobbit
in the fountain THE parish council is investigating the curious case of a Hobbit on the Green.
If a letter from South East Water is to be believed, someone – or some- thing – has taken up residence in the disused drinking fountain. A letter found its way to the parish office after failing to be delivered to The Drinking Fountain, The Green, Bearsted. ME15 8LH.
Detailing the property reference, it
went on to say: “Welcome to your new home. South East Water supplies water to your property and our records show that it is empty. If you are now occupying this property ... we should like to update our records. Please fill in the enclosed registration form and return it.” Fortunately, the Downs Mail can put the council out of its misery. A spokesman for South East Water
said: “Although no longer in use, the drinking fountain in Bearsted still has a connection to our pipe network so this is how the mistake occurred with the automated letter we sent. We have now amended our records.”
Fireworks success
BEARSTED fireworks made a surplus for the first time in its history – and local organisations could benefit. The annual display, which took place in November on the Elizabeth Harvie field, made a surplus, al- though ticket prices were higher this year, and Cllr Geoff Licence paid tribute to all those who had helped to make it a success, including mem- bers of the Jubilee Church for acting as stewards on the night and clear- ing up litter. Cllr Licence proposed dividing the
profit between Bearsted Woodland Trust and the Dorothy Goodman Alzheimer’s Centre. However, chair- man Cllr Richard Ash was successful in proposing a motion that further consideration be given to the distri- bution of profits when the final fig- ure was known.
The annual awards, founded in 2004 by former parish council chair- man Patrick Walton and named after the legendary cricketer Alfred Mynn, are bestowed on villagers deemed to have made an outstanding contribu- tion to the community.
Sharon and Gary Clarke, from Cross Keys, thought they had been in- vited to see their daughters Sarah and Heather receive an award – only to find they had been nominated! The couple were enlisted by former community warden Dawn Riach- Brown to help keep an eye on elderly and vulnerable residents in the area. Following Dawn’s transfer from the village, the couple continue to visit residents, helping with odd jobs and housework, going shopping for their neighbours and generally befriending the elderly and lonely. June Wilkins, who nominated them, told members of the parish council and guests at the awards cer- emony: “They work quietly behind the scenes, helping the elderly, pro- viding them with a fantastic service and someone to talk to.” There was another surprise for parish council chairman and former Mayor of Maidstone Richard Ash. Cllr Ash, a parish councillor since 1991, and chairman twice, was com- mended by Rosemary Pearce. She said: “No one would suggest that such service is without its prob- lems and Bearsted has had its share of these in recent times. Richard has shown an essential determination while still remaining open to listen to residents and take on board their problems.” Cllr Ash is a governor of Madgin-
Winners of the Mynn awards with those who nominated them
ford Infant School, as well as a mem- ber of Madginford Hall Committee. Mrs Pearce said: “He can be seen cleaning up the green after the annual fayre and other functions, as well as cleaning up the surgery car park and other public areas. His example is ex- emplary and his lead is followed by many of our councillors.” A third award was presented to Helen Judges, an executive assistant at the offices of Christian Aid. Nominating her, Angela Legood said: “Her work is relevant to her in- volvement in this community because it informs much of the charity efforts in which she is involved. “It would be difficult to find a per- son so aware that giant steps interna- tionally start with small steps at home.” Helen organises the house-to house collection for the charity, Chris- tian Aid events in the Bearsted area, including the Advent Hope meeting in Holy Cross Church at the begin- ning of December.
She is secretary of the ministry leadership team for Classic Holy Cross and secretary of the Parochial Church Council, organises Carols on
the Green and the Big Top Service on Palm Sunday. The final award was conferred posthumously on David Johnson, a former chair of Bearsted Tennis Club and its president from 2010 – 2013. David was a keen member of Bearsted Woodland Trust from 2006 until his death in 2013. He was a member of the management commit- tee and project manager for several major projects. He recruited and man- aged a team of some 20 volunteers . He was a tournament and team ten- nis player and led the tennis club’s New Year’s Day walk for 15 years. He was a member of the management committee, responsible for mainte- nance from 2000 to 2004 and was club president from 2010 to 2013. He was commended jointly by David Ward and Alan Wilkins. Alan said: “This award is made to someone who sadly is no longer with us, other than in spirit, but for whom we consider the award is uniquely ap- propriate.”
His wife Pauline accepted the
award, saying: “David would have been very proud.”
Call to veto junction development
A DEVELOPMENT six times the size of Waterside Park planned for land near the motorway at Bearsted must be vetoed at all costs, the parish council was told.
Planning chairman Cllr Dennis Spooner said the development, on land near J8, which was the basis of the KIG application, if granted, would be the “first toe in the door”. He said the council needed to start forming its alliances to fight the plans, proposed by developers Roxhill. He said it was vital to work with
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Bearsted Parish Council
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18 Maidstone East Edition January 2014
the Joint Parishes Group to fight any applications to develop land, whether at Waterside Park or on land at Woodcut Farm, adding: “We must make sure our opposition is as strong as it was against KIG.”
Mary Richards, secretary of the Bearsted and Thurnham Society, urged the council to renew its mem- bership of the JPG, but Cllr Spooner did not believe this was necessary. “Whether we are members or not, we need to work with them,” he said. But Cllr Les Ethridge said: “Not
everyone is opposed to new develop- ment. Maidstone Council has to find room for 19,000 houses and we need to have industrial development some- where. The NIMBYs cannot keep say- ing ‘it has to go to Park Wood’. Cllr Geoff Licence said the council also needed to monitor proposals for development near J7 of the motorway and this would have massive traffic implications for Bearsted. Borough Cllr Val Springett said she
was pushing for Detling Airfield as an alternative site for warehousing.
Council Office: Madginford Hall, Bearsted Telephone: E-Mail:
01622 630165 Chairman:
clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk Richard Ash
MEETINGS HELD SECOND TUESDAY OFMONTH (7.30PM) AND THE PUBLIC IS VERY WELCOME
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