News


downsmail.co.uk Gold for Ben at transplant games


ASUTTON Valence student is returning to school triumphant, after winning a goldmedal in the British Transplant Games in Bolton – and a bronze medal in tennis.


Ben Stuart (15) received a living transplant from his father James three years ago, after being diag- nosed with kidney failure at the age of eight. His vulnerability has meant he


has been unable to take part in most contact sports and team games but at SuttonValence, he has developed a skill for archery, which brought him acclaim aswell as his glorious gold in the July games. For Ben, who took part in the Games as part of the Evelina Lon- don VIPs (from Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital, where he un- derwent the life-saving surgery), it was his first shot at the Transplant Games – but he is already planning a return in 2015. He said: “I was competing against hundreds of other people from all over the UK, but I wasn’t particularly nervous. Itwas a great experience – and good to meet up with some of the children I had met


Rail tragedy


AWOMAN who died from multi- ple injuries when she was hit by a train at Staplehurst station has been named as Sharon Burnham. The 47-year-old, from Butcher


Close, Staplehurst, was pro- nounced dead at the scene on Wednesday, August 6. The train, whichwas heading for London at about 1.35pm, was not in service and there were no pas- sengers on board. An inquest has been opened in Maidstone and adjourned.


Road closure


TRAFFIC disruption is likely to be caused by the two-week closure of a main road in Sutton Valence. Warmlake Road will be closed


from the A274 Maidstone Road to outside Relic House from Septem- ber 8-22, whileKCCHighways car- ries out drainage work and road repairs. Traffic will be diverted along the


A274, PloughWents Road, Norton Road andWarmlake Road.


No to log cabins


ROB Schroeder has been told he cannot extend The Finches touring caravan and camping park in Chartway Street, Kingswood. Maidstone Council refused his planning application to add 20 log cabins to the north of the site be- cause it would involve the loss of ancient woodland. A similar scheme was refused in December 2012.


12


wewere thrilled.” Ben, who is just embarking on


year 11 and his GCSE exams at Sut- ton Valence, fell ill with leukaemia at the age of three and underwent years of rigorous chemotherapy so, when his kidney failure was diag- nosed some five years later, the family thought the two were re- lated. However, as Ben’s sister Amie


(11) has now also been diagnosed with kidney failure, medics realise there is a genetic element to their illness. Mrs Stuart said: “The school has


occasionally at the London clinics.” Proud mum Vicki said: “We had already booked a family holiday to Cornwall which coincided with the Games, so Ben headed off on the train with the team andwewent in the opposite direction. I don’t sup- pose we had thought seriously about the prospect of him winning a medal, let alone a gold! Naturally,


been fantastic with Ben before and during his treatment. They have been very supportive and the pas- toral care has been excellent.” Amie’s kidney function is just


14% and she too will go on the transplant waiting list when she reaches the age of 12. When the children’s father James


was found to be a perfect match, he donated one of his kidneys to Ben,


who functioned with three kidneys for a short time, before having one of his own failing ones removed at the end of 2011 and the other early in 2012. Left with only one, Mr Stuart and


the rest of the family now hope a suitable match can be found for Amie, who also attends Sutton Va- lence, along with middle sibling Jemma (14), a sports and academic scholar.


Meantime, Ben is doingwell and enjoying his new life. The British Transplant Games


have been in existence for over 30 years, since the first Transplant Olympics took place in Portsmouth in 1978. Then, the Games were an inter- national event and included teams from France, Greece and the USA. Since these early beginnings, the Games have grown and are held every year in different cities throughout the UK. They took place in Medway, Kent, in 2012.


Proposal for 250 homes considered


AN outline planning application has been submitted for 250 homes at a site in Staplehurst. The proposal by Gleeson and


Miller Homes is for agricultural land at Hen and Duckhurst Farm, in Marden Road, earmarked for 370 homes in Maidstone Council’s draft local plan. The developer says the scheme includes rear amenity garden space, play areas, allotments, eco- logical zones and more than 4.5 hectares of open space, which in- cludes areas of natural space. There would be a mixture of one-bedroom houses/flats (16.4%),


two-bedroom houses/flats (28.4%), three-bedroom houses (30.4%) and four/five-bedroom houses (24.8%). Forty per cent of the homeswould be affordable. A supporting statement said:


“The appearance of the scheme is intended to draw upon neigh- bouring residential development located immediately east of the site, north of Marden Road.” One consultee gave a warning


about the traffic arrangements. Peter Langmaid wrote: “A single exit from the new estate onto the Marden Road, to the traffic lights on the A229 is not viable due to


volume of traffic. “Consideration for traffic levels should be undertaken as the new estate at the top of Oliver Road will also exit onto the Marden Road. Traffic-calming measures are required in Oliver Road as it will be used as a rat run.” A questionnaire filled in by 50 people at a consultation event in December last year raised con- cerns that included traffic, ecology, infrastructure, drainage and den- sity.


Staplehurst Parish Council was


due to decide its response as Downs Mail went to press.


Vicar’s Picnic a great village day out


IT wasn’t much of a picnic for the organisers – and there wasn’t a vicar in sight – but the 2014 Vicar’s Picnic has left an indelible mark on the Kent countryside calendar. Bigger and better than last year’s inaugural event, the Yalding mini rock fest was an all-round winner. With bands, barbecues and a bar,


as well as a feast of food and drink, the picnic was a chance for locals to let their hair down while a supervised play area and clearly visible security staff meant it was a safe place for all the family. After word spread about the success of last year’s event – which raised more than £1,600 for the Hospice in theWeald – the 700 tickets for this year’s gig sold out


Maidstone South September 2014


The main stage was a big attraction at the Vicar’s Picnic in Yalding


well in advance, with nine bands, plus up-and-coming acts on a busker’s stage. The all-day extravaganza at


Cheveney Farm pulled in many village residents and visitors from further afield.


Closing band The Hiwatts lived up


to their name, with an ear-splitting set which paid tribute to some of The Who’s best-known rock anthems while other bands included The Wildflowers, The Skatonics, The Parkas and The November 5.


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