News
Student Ma declared dead after Nepal quake
THE family of Bearsted student Matt Carapietwhowas killed in the Nepal earthquake have launched an appeal fund in memory of their “kind, happy and caring son”. As a “lasting legacy”, they plan
to continue his work in Cambodia where he helped to lay the founda- tions of a school which supports disadvantaged children. Matt (23), of Peverel Drive, Bearsted Park, was trekking in the remote Langtang valley when the 7.8 quake struck, triggering a large avalanche. His anxious parents set up a ded-
icated Facebook page, “Bring Matt Carapiet Home”, to help trace him when nothingwas heard from him after the area was devastated on April 25. After an agonisingwait for news,
they released a statement through the Foreign Office on May 9 con- firming that he had died. It read: “It is with great sadness
that we can confirm the death of our son Matthew following the earthquake in Nepal.” Matt, a former St Simon Stock
school pupil, was touring Asia in a gap year before planning to con- tinue his architecture studies in the autumn. The statement said: “He spoke to
Quake help
RESIDENTS in Maidstone joined the Nepalese community in a day of prayer in Jubilee Square. Dried food, blankets and other essential supplies were collected by volunteers in the Square, where there was also a book of condolence for residents to sign in memory of the thousands who were killed during the tragic earthquake. Later in the evening, candles
were lit outside the town hall. Details of how residents can
help are regularly updated on the Facebook page for the Maidstone Nepalese community.
Trees to stay
A PLAN to fell 13 protected oak trees in Ulcombe has been refused. Maidstone Council felt therewas insufficient reason to allow the felling at Little Jubilee Farm in Stickfast Lane. The parish council had objected, saying it was “outraged that this ancient oak woodland has been mismanaged thus far. “Maidstone Council should insist
on the replanting of the open areas with oak trees.”
20 Maidstone East June 2015 Matt Carapiet
us regularly about how much he was enjoying his travels and we know hewas doing something that he loved. He had been trekking in Nepal for two weeks before the earthquake. “Matt is loved by his family and friends who all have countless memories of how kind, happy and caring hewas. He made a huge im- pression on the lives of everyone he met.” A fellow backpacker who saw
him two days before the earth- quake contacted the family to tell them that Matt had been heading for Langtang village. The area,
which is about 30km from the cap- ital Kathmandu, was so badly hit that almost every buildingwas de- stroyed. About 8,000 people are now known to have died in the first earthquake, which was followed by a second major tremor on May 11, after which more than 50 deaths were recorded. Matt’s father Greg travelled to
Nepal to bring his son’s body home to the UK. Mattwas on the final stage of his
Asian tour before returning to start a Masters in architecture. During his travels, he had volunteered with the Self Help Community Centre charity, working on the foundations of the Siem Reap school in Cambodia which helps disadvantaged children. His family have appealed for do- nations in his memory and have set up a Just Giving page. As the Downs Mailwent to press, pledges had topped £6,000. His sister Christina said Matt
was “an architecture student who dreamed of raising the quality of life in poor countries”. She added: “We will be raising money to finish the job that he started, as a lasting legacy of his journey.”
Group tackles fear of dogs
PARENTS with children frightened of dogs are invited to take them along to a new class to overcome their fears. The Kent Cynophobia Assistance Group uses experienced assistance
dogs to build trusting relationships. The classes – the first of their kind in Kent – are being held at Kingswood
and Broomfield vil- lage hall on Monday evenings. The group’s Janet from
Tandy,
Kingswood, has been training dogs for 20 years and is a Kennel Club accredited in- structor. She said: “This is
only the second group in Europe help- ing children to over- come their fear of dogs, which can af- fect not only their lives, but those of their families. “Children with such fear often resist going on holiday, have to travel to
school in blacked-out cars and can put themselves in danger to avoid a dog, such as jumping into the road.” At the group’s first class, seven youngsters amazed parents by walking, petting and grooming the cynophobic assistance dogs within an hour. Parents interested in taking their children along are asked to contact
Janet on 01622 842209 or email
janet@goodog.co.uk. The free sessions are sponsored by Arkas Industrial Doors.
downsmail.co.uk
Quota swap idea to cut housing
“QUOTAswaps” could be away of getting Maidstone’s future housing figures down, saidKCC leader Paul Carter. Cllr Carter is furious at the way Maidstone is progressing its local plan with scant regard, he claims, for the infrastructure needs. He wants to see all the local au- thorities in Kent andMedway com- municating to see if quotaswaps can be negotiated. With opponents of commercial
development at M20 Junction 8 looking at potential industrial land atAylesford, along with the author- ities seeking an alternative to Oper- ation Stack, Cllr Carter said it was important Maidstone consulted with its neighbours. He said: “Maidstone needs to talk
to Ashford and to Tonbridge and Malling councils.” The county council has commis-
sioned consultants to look at the projected housing need across the whole of Kent andMedway, the re- sults of which are broadly in line with the numbers demanded by the DCLG (Department of Communi- ties and Local Government).
Aggressive Cllr Carter said:“We are doing all
we can to bring the housing num- bers down to a sensible level. “When you pull together the re- quirements of the emerging plans across all 12 boroughs in Kent, plus Medway, it is pleasing to note we come outwith a development num- ber that the DCLGwants!” Speaking at the annual meeting of Bearsted Parish Council, Cllr Carter said: “I hopewe can help Maidstone borough councillors stand up to the chief executive officer and chief planning officer to get a sensible number. The [former] leader of Maidstone Council [Annabelle Blackmore] is doing her best to stand up to some very aggressive tactics by its senior planning officers. “I have never seen anyone look at
a local plan in the way this is being done.We have established all the ev- idencewe need to objectnowif they come up with inappropriate num- bers in inappropriate locations.” Cllr Carterwarned that therewas
a “massive” funding gap between future developers’ contributions and the sums needed to improve infra- structure. He added: “Ministers seem to think that developers’ con- tributions are going to fund it all.” When it was suggested the com-
panies keen to relocate to land near J8 of the M20 could go toAylesford, Cllr Val Springett said: “Unfortu- nately,we cannot ‘volunteer’ some- one else’s land – this is exactly why we need a county-wide approach.”
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