News
downsmail.co.uk Blue bus re-educates drinkers
PEOPLE found drunk and inca- pable in Maidstone at night are being given the opportunity to take part in a restorative process to educate them about the dangers of excessive drinking. As part of a new initiative, police officers have been taking the details of people who are found to be drunk and incapable in the town centre and in need of medical assis- tance. At a later date they have been contacted and offered the opportu- nity to work on the town’s Urban Blue Bus for a shift as a volunteer as an alternative to prosecution. The Urban Blue Bus provides respite and treatment in Maidstone
Concert donation
A CHEQUE for almost £3,000 was presented to Heart of Kent Hospice after a choir concert organised by the Maidstone Riverside Rotary Club. Caroline Brinkman, head of com-
munity engagement for the hospice, is pictured receiving a cheque from the concert organising committee after the 100 Voices Choir Concert at All Saints’ Church, Maidstone, which raised a total of £6,500.
Cost of temporary housing provision soars
THE cost of providing temporary accommodation for families in Maidstone has quadrupled in the last five years. The annual bill now stands at £440,447 – up from £111,894 in 2008-09. The figures were revealed by Maidstone Council’s head of housing, John Littlemore, in re- sponse to a Freedom of Information request. The Green Party’s Stuart Jeffery,
Conference
centre to open A £1.5M conference and events building is about to open at the Kent Event Centre, near Detling, seating up to 4,000 more people at the Kent County Showground. The building will be opened by
the Kent County Agricultural Soci- ety at the Kent Show in July. Con- struction started in October and the building should start hosting events in May. The site already offers the Clive Emson Conference Centre (1,700sqm), the John Hendry Pavil- ion (1,750sqm) and the Astor Pavil- ion (151sqm). The Kent Event Centre has been at
the Kent Showground since 1964 and has joined the Association of Event Venues in a drive to attract large-scale national exhibitions.
42 Maidstone East April 2014
prospective parliamentary candi- date for Maidstone and theWeald, who made the request, said hewas shocked by the four-fold increase. He spent a night on the street raising money for the winter shel- ter in Maidstone and carried out a couple of shifts there, adding: “This gave me an insight into how diffi- cult it can be.” He also criticised the Govern- ment decision to end the local wel-
fare assistance fund which offers emergency loans to those in crisis. He said: “Maidstone is not pro-
viding enough affordable accom- modation and the Government is cutting support for people who need it most.” Last year,KCCreceived 6,700 ap-
peals for help from the scheme. It needs to discuss the options for continuing the scheme and the cost.
Pub regulars boost charity
REGULARS at the White Horse in Otham have been making more dreams come true. The White Horse Char-
ity, which runs fundrais- ing raffles and a pram race at the pub, handed over new display boards to Macmillan Cancer Sup- port. The charity’s project co- ordinator Jane Pantony said the boards, which cost £268, would be used to promote its services, in- cluding shopping, gardening and DIY, for those inWest Kent with can- cer, in partnership with Macmillan and Voluntary Action Maidstone. Macmillan has also asked for a recliner chair for the oncology unit at Maidstone Hospital, which will be the fundraisers’ next challenge. Jane is pictured with White Horse Charity committee members Jim
and Kath Cook, landlady Cath Small and treasurer Lynda Bonner. The pram race will be part of a village fun day at 1pm on Saturday,
May 24.
town centre on Saturday nights for people who have minor injuries or who have alcohol or drug related symptoms. A police spokesman said: “The initiative is intended to help people fully understand the impact that drunken behaviour has and show them first-hand the vulnerable state that drunk people can find them- selves in.” Two women, aged 21 and 25,
who returned to see the volunteers in action said the experience had made them more aware of how al- cohol affected people, and that it was eye-opening to see how many people needed help. One said that her return visit as a
volunteer made her feel useful, to make up for the time that she had taken up when she needed treat- ment. The scheme underwent a five-
week trial before being imple- mented permanently in the town centre.
Inspector Jody Gagan-Cook from
Kent Police said: “This initiative is very much around educating peo- ple to try and change their behav- iour. The Urban Blue Bus is a fantastic facility and we have in- vited people to come and see the amount of work that is put in by both volunteers and police to keep them safe, instead of simply prose- cuting them.
“We hope this education will
help people and prevent them from finding themselves in a situation again where they need treatment.” District commander, Ch Insp
Simon Wilson, said: “People who allow themselves to get extremely drunk in the town centre leave themselves vulnerable ... and can become complacent about looking after their personal safety and valu- able property, such as mobile phones or purses. “We are not afraid to prosecute people for alcohol-related offences in the town, but if we can stop the offences occurring in the first in- stance, through education, that benefits everyone.”
Retail village made smaller
TWEAKS to the £85m plan for Newnham Court have not brought a change of heart from Maidstone Town Centre Management. Chairman Bill Moss said the
group remained vehemently op- posed to the plan, despite Land Securities’ latest move to cut the size of its independent retailing terrace by 25%. The terrace – part of the overall
Waitrose, Debenhams and garden centre development – had at- tracted criticism from the group and Boxley Parish Council. The sales area would be reduced
by 6,000sqm – down to 17,918sqm – by removing mezzanine floors But Mr Moss said the potential remained for these retail units to be extended upwards. The applicant says it has tried to respond to concerns about the ap- plication by agreeing to a “no poaching” paper preventing it from enticing high street traders out of town. It has pledged to pro- vide a bus link into town if ru- mours about the pulling of the park and ride at Eclipse Park prove true. This would be funded from the £1m it has offered to- wards town centre improvements.
Ringing up funds
RINGERS at Hollingbourne have launched a £38,000 appeal to re- store the bells and to buy two lighter ones for the church tower. They hope the extra bells will en- courage new and younger campo- nologists to take up the craft. The tower’s six bellswere last re-
paired and re-hung in 1976. Supporters say they hope to have enough money for the project within two years. Their first fund- raiser, a barn dance, raised £1,500. A summer concert at All Saints’ church will also be held on July 19.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72