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Help charity to bridge shortfall


MAIDSTONE Mencap is hoping locals will dig deep to help the charity keep its historic base in the town’s Mote Park. The charity, founded 47 years


ago, runs a popular playgroup, as well as holiday and youth clubs, at its base in the park’s Cobtree Hall. But the former church is falling


into disrepair and now needs £160,000 spending on the roof, gut- tering and stonework to ensure its survival.


Maidstone Mencap is £52,000


short of funds for the first phase and would need an extra £30,000 to complete the second. At a time when the charity is al-


ready struggling to stay solvent, the news has come as a bitter blow. The group is loathe to relinquish


the historic building in a pictur- esque setting where the children can play safely both inside and out. Consequently, it has launched a campaign to raise funds and secure any appropriate grants and dona-


tions toward the cost of the work. Maidstone Mencap caters for children and young people with both learning and physical disabil- ities. Many of them also have addi- tional medical needs, are autistic and have difficulty communicating or challenging behaviour, any of which may mean they are excluded from other clubs. The playschool runs each Tues-


day and Thursday in term time, from 10am to 2pm, catering for up to 25 children aged two to five from Maidstone, Malling and theWeald. A team of volunteers means the children get one-to-one care. The charity gets no Government funding so is entirely dependent on donations. For more information on how to


help, donate or volunteer, visit www.maidstonemencap.org


Healthy look at activities Formore local news


tail parks organised by the Crown Estate, owner of the shop- ping centre. Guests included Aylesford MP


and Minister for Sport Tracey Crouch, Tonbridge and Malling Council leader Nicolas Heslop and KCC Cllr Peter Homewood. Hundreds of visitors were put


through their paces by sports and activities clubs including British Military Fitness, Zumba Maidstone, Stagecoach Maid- stone and Freedom Fitness. Free Bikeability Level 1 courses


were on offer from national cy- cling charity CTC. There was also a one-minute


Jack Cheese (3) tries his hand at the healthy eating plate activity at Thrive


bike challenge with the winning distance clocked by Edward Halford-Nye who cycled 0.33 miles. He was awarded a garden furniture set from Homebase.


Ancient hall is re-opened


A 12TH-century hall in Maidstone, mothballed for 15 years, is to open to the public after a renovation. The Corpus Christi Hall in Earl Street is now available for private hire. It was home to Maidstone Grammar School for 300 years, from 1549, and housed the Whitbread brewery. Part of the building was most recently used as the reception for Avis Rent-a-car, while the rest lay empty for 15 years.


The hall still has original features


including two crown posts with chamfered tie beams, a passage with five stone arches, and traces of a wooden partition that originally di- vided the hall in two. The renovation has restored the building, with its original sprung floor and vaulted ceiling. Now, the hall boasts a bar and kitchen. The public were recently invited to view the premises as part of Maidstone Council’s Heritage Open Days.


www.downsmail.co.uk


SHOPPERS at South Aylesford Retail Park had the chance to try sports and dance activities that they can get involved with locally. The event was part of the Thrive Summer Series national tour of 10 re-


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01622 675000 Malling September 2015 11


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