Town July 2014

News

downsmail.co.uk Stuck on the ‘road to nowhere’

THE county council is being called on to provide a visible sign for drivers after another lorry be- came the latest victim on the “road to nowhere” in Maidstone. The driver of the flatbed arctic

took three hours – with the help of neighbours, police and three recov- ery vehicle drivers – to manoeuvre his vehicle around the mini-round- about at the end ofWoodville Road after taking a wrong turning. Samantha Rogerson came home

from work to find the driver well and truly stuck after turning right into the no through road. He was

Duke at Kent show

THE Duke of Kent will be guest of honour at this year’s Kent County Show. The show’s patron will be there

on Friday, July 11, to celebrate the event’s 50th year at Detling show- ground.HRHThe Duke of Kent be- came patron of the Kent County Agricultural Society in 1975 and has attended the show many times – his last visit in 2011. He will officially open the Maid-

stone Exhibition Hall and tour the show with the society’s president, Lady Astor of Hever.

Musical £85 per student

£5 discount if booked before

12th July.

6-10yrs & 11yrs+ Open to all children within the age brackets. This will be an exciting fun filled 4 days of everything Musical Theatre with a

performance at the end

For more info and a booking form: E: info@directionsperformingarts.com T: 01622 737958 Or visit our website - www.directionsperformingarts.com Directions Performing

8 Maidstone Town July 2014

intending to turn into Sheals Cres- cent. She said: “It was like something

out of the Chuckle Brothers – tome, to you. “He was there from five until

about 8pm. Itwas the evening’s en- tertainment.” All joking aside, therewere fears

that a recovery vehiclewould have to intervene and lift the tail of the lorry round. However, much ma- noeuvring allowed the vehicle to fi- nally turn round – taking out a neighbour’s fence as it did so. Sam said: “I felt really sorry for

the driver because the ‘no through road’ sign is incorporated on the larger sign and despite repeated re- quests for signage, all the council has come up with is a sign facing away from traffic coming up from Upper Stone Street. To make mat- ters worse, sat navs direct drivers to take the next right, but don’t in-

dicate there is a no through road in between. Faced with that, it’s no wonder this keeps happening.” She says a clear sign needs to be

put outside Big Ben’s fish and chip shop, warning drivers that Woodville Road is a dead end. Aspokesperson for Kent County Council said: "We have to make tough decisions on where to im- prove traffic and road safety, espe- cially if the request won’t reduce casualties.We look at the sites most in need of improvement first, which have the support of the whole community.”

Confidence grows with allotment project

A MEN’S group in Maidstone has turned a bare patch of earth into an allotment for the community. The Parkwood Men’s Health Proj-

ect, which supports men who may be long-term unemployed, have mental health issues, be ex-offend- ers or suffer low-self-esteem, came up with the allotment project as a way to boost their wellbeing and help the community. Tad Taberer (54), senior commu- nity development worker at Rethink

Mental Illness Kent and Medway, said: “Men don’t tend to talk about issues. They don’t want to be seen as weak. They can have significant is- sues, which can develop into other things, like offend- ing, substance misuse and anti- social behaviour.

Tad Taberer “The group has been really good

for these men – one man has said a doctor couldn’t prescribe a pill that does what these groups do.” The land for the allotmentwas do-

nated by Christ Church inWallis Av- enue and the group has turned it into 24 plots, which can be rented by people in the community for a small fee.

The project is free and meets

every Wednesday from 5.45 – 8.45pm at Fusion Café, Parkwood Parade, ParkWood.

Madness 4 - 7th August

10am - 4pm (drop off from 9.30am) Memorial Hall Bearsted

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Home to Home Environment

01622 735094 Weavering St

Maidstone Kent ME14 5JR

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