News
Ex-police offer DIY service
RETIRED police officers with a passion for home maintenance and gardening are taking up tools to give peace of mind to residents and businesses in Maidstone and the surrounding villages. The Blue Local Handymen scheme has been operating in parts of Kent for the past year and moves into the Maidstone area in Febru- ary. It is an attempt to combat the problems caused by cowboy builders and dodgy tradesmen, using the services of ex-policemen and women who have skills in DIY. Most police officers retire after 30
years service and many are still eager to continue playing an active and productive role in their com- munities. All of the Blue handymen have to
prove themselves capable and ex- perienced in home maintenance be- fore joining the network and all are interviewed and DBS (CRB) checked. Blue project MD Nick Orde-
Powlett, said: "Our vetting process is second to none. All of our handy- men are friendly retired police offi-
cers with many years working in the community under their belt – and they understand people’s con- cerns better than anyone else." Handyman Dave Hogg said: "I
was a police officer for 32 years and there was rarely a day when I did- n't deal with, or hear about, mem- bers of the local community being ripped off by rogue tradesmen. “Working with Blue gives me the opportunity to redress the balance and provide local people with a service they know they can trust.” For more details and and free
quotes go to
www.trustinblue.com. Bookings can be made by phone on 0800 2550255 or you can email
helpdesk@trustinblue.com.
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downsmail.co.uk Ride the Orient Express
THE Belmond British Pullman, sister train to the Venice-Simplon Orient- Express will be returning to Maid- stone in 2016, courtesy of Heart of Kent Hospice. The charity has exclusively char-
tered two excursions aboard the iconic Belmond British Pullman which includes a gala lunch and a Windsor day trip. Guests boarding the train for the
lunch on Saturday, May 7 will be able to relax with champagne in the 1920s art deco surroundings and enjoy a four-course lunch with wine, as they travel through the Kent countryside on a four-hour tour. On Saturday, August 27 there is a
day trip to Windsor which includes a three-course Bellini breakfast, served by liveried stewards. Guests will have four hours to ex-
plore the town and Windsor Castle followed by champagne and a four- course dinner with wine on the re- turn journey. Sarah Pugh, chief executive at
Heart of Kent Hospice said: “We are delighted to offer this experience to our community, while raising vital funds for the hospice.” Both trips depart fromMaidstone
East station, with 220 places avail- able on each. Tickets for the gala lunch are
£325 per person while the Windsor day trip costs £450. Each ticket sold will help the hospice raise vital funds to help provide care for more than 1,000 patients with a life limiting ill- ness and their families every year . Visit
www.hokh.org/events or call
the fundraising team on 01622 790195 to book your tickets.
Town looking for adventure
ANEWsurvey suggests that peo- ple from Maidstone have an ad- venturous streak. The highest number of views on day-trip website
www.intothe-
blue.co.uk from 2012 to 2015were for spa breaks (52), while tank driving came a close second with 47, followed bySegway riding (43),
a visit to the Shard (35), skydiving at 23 and walking with wolves at 22.
At fifth – prompting 24 searches
each –were driving days, gliding, photoshoots, wing-walking, and a session on a zip wire, with more sedate choices, such as afternoon tea, prompting 12.
T.01622 201078
M.07854 529434
jlb.property@
yahoo.co.uk
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