downsmail.co.uk
Teenager remembered at launch of charity trust
THE parents of a teenager who died in a road accident will mark his 21st birthday by launching a charitable trust. Pete and Kate Funnell said their
liveswere “ripped apart”whentheir only son Will was killed in a car crash at the foot of Linton Hill, Mar- den, inAugust 2013. Driver John Junior Forrest (21)was
found to be almost three times the drink-drive limit and had traces of cocaine in his blood when he lost control of the car, killing himself and 19-year oldWill, a front seat passen- gerwearing a setabelt. Will (pictured)was adopted by the Funnells when hewas three months old. After leaving Angley School in Cranbrook he worked for the family landscaping business. Dad Pete, who had planned even-
tually to pass on the business to him, said he andWill enjoyed a round of golf and socialising together. Herecalled:“Willwas a character.
He was into everything and was al- ways modelling the latest clothing and hairstyles, not to mention find- ing mischief, as most boys do.
Funnell. On Saturday, June 27, the couple
will launch theWill Funnell Trust, at a black tie event at the Mercure Great Danes Hotel near Holling- bourne. The event, which features tribute
”As he became a cool young man,
he left a lasting impression on every- one he met. He was a hit with the ladies and loved the outdoors, play- ing guitar, riding motorbikes, fine wine and food.” Will and his parentswere living in Golford, near Cranbrook, at the time of the accident, but he had just bought a house in Pembroke Road, Coxheath – along the road from his grandparents – which he was plan- ning to renovate before moving in. Now, Pete and Kate have moved
into the house instead to be close to Pete’s parents, Pete Snr and Doreen
actA Vision of Elvis, a three-course dinner, auction and dancing to two bands, has been organised to pro- mote the work of the trust, bringing bereaved families together to share a common comfort. Kate said: “AfterWill’s death, we reached out for help, only to find that local bereavement councillors were overwhelmed. We sought counselling andwere finally offered an appointment – in January this year.” The trust also wants to raise
awareness of the dangers of driving while under the influence of drink or drugs and of speeding.Kate said: “If we can help save one life, thenWill’s life won’t have been in vain.” Donations of auction or raffle
prizes will be mostwelcome. For de- tails go to
www.thewillfunnell-
trust.com.
News Pre-school gets
‘good’ rating SUTTON Valence Pre-School, based at The Parish Rooms in Chart Road, has been rated good by Of- sted.
Staff were found to be welcom-
ing, kind and caring and the chil- dren’s learning was stimulated by a range of activities. Parents had good relationships
with staff and were involved in their children’s learning. Staff planned according to individual children’s needs and were able to identify their next steps in learning. The manager monitored practice effectively and had a clear plan to improve outcomes for the children. The setting could improve its rat-
ing to outstanding by considering the younger children’s various lev- els of development. Noise levels could be better managed.
Change of use
A PLANNING application has been submitted to convert a cattle shed into tourist accommodation in Bletchenden Road, Headcorn. The proposal for Bletchenden
Manor Farm received backing from members of the public. One wrote: “This building is unsightly and also has a hazardous asbestos roof. I to- tally support the re-use of derelict agricultural buildings.”
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