News Church income fears


A PROMINENT member of Holy Cross in Bearsted believes taxpay- ers’ money could be needed to help maintain its burial ground. John Stroud (81) has retired after more than 30 years as chairman of the fabric committee for Bearsted’s Grade I listed church. In that time, he says the congregation – as at many other com- munity churches – has grown in age and fallen in number. He fears that the country’s churches and community facilities, such as those in Bearsted, could suffer in future while collections continue to fall and costs rise. At Holy Cross, money collected


by the congregation currently cov- ers the £3,000 annual cost of mow- ing the grass in its large and growing “open” cemetery. This is just one of dozens of yearly outgo- ings, including £80,000 to the Dio- cese of Canterbury. Mr Stroud, pictured, said: “We


are lucky at Holy Cross that we have a lively congregation, with services appealing to good num- bers. But the village has grown


hugely over the past 20 years or so, with both the costs and burden of maintaining the churchyard simi- larly increasing while, at the same time, those showing responsibility for it are getting older. “Everyone in the


parish of any faith is welcome to use the churchyard – not just those who go to church on a Sunday. So it begs question: Whoshould cover the cost of maintaining this valuable church- yard? Is it the church, the parish council, the villagers, or even


Maidstone Council? The time is fast approaching when this cost will be too big to bear for the congregation alone.”


Indeed, Bearsted Parish Council


has for a number of years paid for the maintenance of the “closed” cemetery within the churchwalls. Mr Stroud added: “Funeral fees


cover the cost of the burial or in- ternment, but who is then respon-


Is your church facing financial challenges? Email our editor on stephen@downsmail.co.uk


sible for the upkeep of this area in the years to come? “As the years pass and relatives


are no longer around to look after loved-one’s graves, memorial tablets and headstones become in- secure and unkempt. We have an- nual work-ins where parishioners and others come to help tidy the graveyard but it is a long-term, thankless task. “There are other costs, too, like removing old trees and shrubs and maintainingwalls and fences.”


downsmail.co.uk Keep it Queen


RESIDENTS are being invited to ‘Clean for the Queen’ as part of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday cele- brations. A nationwide clean takes place


on theweekend of Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 6, when local groups are asked to help with lit- ter picking. Small landscape improvement


jobs in Bearsted are being co-ordi- nated by the parish council. If you have some time to spare


on that weekend, please contact the parish clerk on 01622 630165 or clerk@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk


M20 cameras catch drivers


DRIVERS need to take their feet off the gas when travelling on the M20 outside Maidstone. Speed cameras clicked a total of 3,367 motorists exceeding the 70mph limit coastbound between J4 near Leybourne and J7 near Bearsted in 2014, which helped make the borough the second most ticketed in Kent.With 1,160 tickets issued as a result of camera action southbound on theA249 Sittingbourne Road (Detling Hill), 933 south- bound on Sutton Road towards Langley and 375 from cameras on the A20 London Road, the total number of tickets issued in Maidstone during the yearwas 5,800 – 1,200 more than in the previous year. The figures are inflated for Detling Hill as the southbound safety camerawas repaired at the end of 2013, so the statistics for 2014 rep- resent a full year of operation and are not directly comparable with the previous year. Similarly, during 2013 cameras on part of theMaid- stone section of the M20 were not fully operational. Kent and Med- way Safety Camera Partnership revealed the figures. Kent’s busiest speed camerawas at the Dartford Tunnel approach, which clocked 7,637 vehicles. The M20 cameraswere second busiest.


Seasonal Staff at Leeds Castle


Leeds Castle is one of the biggest heritage attractions in England welcoming over half a million visitors each year. We are looking forward to another busy summer season and have vacancies for the following staff:


Stewards We have opportunities for stewards (working April – October) who are responsible for greeting visitors and providing a source of information and help. Working outside in all weathers the successful applicants should be cheerful, enthusiastic and ideally have experience in a customer service role. If you speak a second European language, we also have vacancies for staff to work in the Castle and act as Tour Guides.


Driver We operate a Land Train and Mobility Vehicle to transport visitors around the estate and have a vacancy for an experienced driver to join the Day Visitor Team. Previous driving experience and good customer service skills are required for this role.


10 Maidstone East February 2016


Ticket Office We are looking for smart, personable ticket office staff. Ideally you should have either cash office or cash handling experience.


Housekeeping The housekeeping staff are responsible for cleaning all B&B and holiday cottages across the estate, as well as rooms in the castle.


don’t need to have previous experience, you do need to be motivated, hardworking and enthusiastic and possess extremely high standards.


In addition to be being a beautiful place to work, we offer a competitive salary and benefits package to the right applicants. If you would like to apply for any of the above vacancies please send your CV to deborahporter@leeds-castle.co.uk.


We are holding an interview day on 11th February 2016 and if successful, you will be invited to attend on this day.


The hours of work are flexible, and whilst you


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56