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Hospice names new chief exec


HEARTof Kent Hospice has anew chief executive. Sarah Pugh joined the hospice in


June 2014 as its director of income generation.


She has more


than 14 years ex- perience work- ing in a range of senior manage- ment roles within the char- ity sector and previously


worked for Hospice in theWeald in the role of interim fundraising di- rector. Prior to that, she spent six years as


the head of corporate fundraising for Breast Cancer Care, where she was responsible for raising more than £4 million annually through partnership with national compa- nies. Sarah also worked for the Na- tional Autistic Society as head of corporate and events fundraising and as the senior corporate partner-


ships manager atRNID(nowAction on Hearing Loss). She said: “This is a tremendous opportunity and I feel privileged to be leading such an impressive and talented team of people who are dedicated and passionate about de- livering exceptional end-of-life care to those with a life-limiting illness.” The hospice celebrates its 25th an-


niversary next year and Sarah said: “This is a very exciting time for the hospice and I very much look for- ward to working with the team to build and strengthen our services.” Chairman of trustees Tony Mof-


fatt said: “Sarah has excellent lead- ership, management skills and experience within the charity sector that are needed aswe embark on an exciting chapter for the hospice. “I look forward to working with


Sarah aswe continue to invest in our services to meet the growing and changing needs of patients and their families who require our care, skill and compassion.”


TV farmer is guest at show


BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson will get this year’s Kent CountyShowoff toaflying start, fol- lowedbya stunning display fromthe spectacular Red Arrows. Adam


(left) will speak at the Insti- tute of Di- r e ctors’ breakfast on the first day of the show at the


Kent Showground, Detling, on Friday, July 10.


Adam’s experience as a working


farmer has given him the experience to address some of the major issues surrounding farming and food pro- duction. Other high-profile farming guests


include Lord Gardiner of Kimble, the Lords’ spokesman for the Depart- ment for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; vice-president of the


NFU Guy Smith; Henry Robinson, president of the CLA; and Richard Percy, chairman of NFU Mutual. Kevin Attwood, Kent County Agri-


cultural Society chairman said: “Farming in Kent contributes a large amount of income tothe county and having some of the most important figures in the farming world visit will give us an opportunity to highlight the hard work from our agricultural community”. Tom Hart Dyke will be the guest


speaker for the Chairman’s Official Lunch at the show on Saturday, July 11. It was under difficult circum- stances that Tom gained interna- tional prominence after being kidnapped in the Columbian jungle on a plant-hunting expedition. The show has more than 120 dif-


ferent activities, including a host of entertainment, equine competitions, livestock classes, speciality food and drink stands and specialist areas. The show starts at 8am and stays


open until 6pm, with some of the food stands staying open until later.


Woman faces murder charge


AWOMANhas been charged with murder after the death of a man in Maidstone. Allison Tomlin (48) of no fixed address, was charged with mur-


der on June 13, following the discovery of the body of 69-year old John Birney in a flat in Rocky Hill Terrace. Shewas remanded in custody until her next appearance at Maid-


stone Crown Court on September 14 when she is expected to enter a plea. Her trial has been set to start on December 7.


News


Is it good value to pay for your funeral before you die?


Yes it is, according to funeral plan adviser, Peter Camrass of Camrass Wills. The cost of funerals has gone up by more than the rate of inflation for many years and shows no signs of stopping. The average cost of a funeral was around £1,200 in 1997 and is now over £4.000 according to the Sun Life Cost of Dying Report. It is expected to increase to over £7,000 by 2024


Peter goes on to say that there are other benefits also.


Cash flow during probate. Very often, the family will not have access to your savings until well after the funeral because Probate, the legal process which takes place after a death, can take several months. This means relatives have to find the money for the funeral from their own funds. If you have a pre­paid funeral this difficulty is avoided.


Funeral wishes in your Will. Even though you have stated preferences in your Will, e.g. burial or cremation, eco­friendly coffin etc., it is up to the executors of the Will to arrange the funeral and they are not legally obliged to follow your instructions. With a pre­paid funeral, you have already instructed the funeral director and so your wishes will be honoured.


Peace of mind. Setting up your own funeral plan not only protects your loved ones from rising funeral costs, but also spares them the distress of having to make difficult decisions at an emotional time.


For a free guide to funeral plans contact Peter on 01622 720985


A warm welcome awaits you at


Maidstone Salvation Army 74-80 Union Street, Maidstone ME14 1ED


Our weekly programme of events includes: • Sunday services at both 10.15am & 6pm. All are welcome.


• SAMS Tots. A term time mother and toddler group which is held on Monday & Friday mornings. (There is a waiting list for this group).


• Home League every Tuesday from 1.30 - 2.30pm. A friendly meeting group for ladies of all ages.


• CAMEO Coffee & Crafts on Wednesdays (fortnightly) at 10am.


• Ladies Fellowship at 7.30pm, on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. This is a mixed age group with guest speakers & various activities to do.


• Over 60's group meetings each Thursday from 1.30 - 2.30pm. This group is open to all ladies and gentlemen, over the age of 60!


• Messy Church, held on the second Thursday of every month from 4-6pm. A time for primary school children & their families to have some creative fun, fellowship & share tea together.


• Youth Club for all children from Year 7 onwards. This is held on Friday evenings from 7-9pm and costs £1.50 per person.


For further information on these or any of our other events, please telephone the Community office on 01622 681808.


Maidstone Town July 2015 15


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