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How sensory dog Pal gave Claire her life back


Notice board


back in use ANEGLECTED notice board at the heart of Senacre has been restored to its former glory and full use. Parishioners at St Hilary’s Church in Senacre have agreed to take responsibility for the commu- nity notice board in Senacre Square.


Maidstone Council said it was


not responsible for what is possibly the largest community board in Maidstone – nor did anyone else claim ownership. The board had been unused for a number of years as the keys had gone missing. Parishioner Len Bond cleaned it


up and Senacre Co-operative Hous- ing Association paid to replace the locks. Mr Bond will now manage the


board and any organisation or in- dividual in Shepway wanting to post a community notice can con- tact him on 01622 205452 or email office@stmartinsmaidstone.org.uk. Theresa Lyons, chair of Senacre Co-operative Housing Association, is pictured handing over the keys to Mr Bond and Rev Joyce Addison (right), vicar of St Martin with St Hilary’s.


WHEN it comes to special dogs, you could say Pal has a nose for trouble. The black Labrador is no ordinary


pet, but a life-saver to mum-of-two Claire Pearson, clocking up an in- credible 10,000 alerts that have pre- vented her from falling into a coma. Claire was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of six. Now 47, she recalls losing the ability to detect her falling blood sugar levels; it meant losing her driving licence and the confidence to venture out alone. It also put a huge strain on her fam- ily, especially her two sons, who would often return from school to find their mother needing medical attention. Claire said: “Jake was about to


take his 11-plus, Jed had just started at Hollingbourne School and my husband worked, so for them to re- turn home and find me in a heap on the floor, needing professional help, was very stressful. “I found help from Crossroads


Young Carers for the boys and then noticed a story online about sensory dogs providing new freedom to those with diseases like mine.” In August 2012, after meeting the


team from the Medical Detection Dogs’ charity, Pal joined the family in Bicknor – one of three working partnerships in Kent and 67 across the country for the fledgling charity


AFRENCH bulldog, fawn in colour with a black face, was taken from the garden of a home in White Hill Road, Bredhurst. A custom bicycle with a grey and yellow


floral pattern was stolen from a home in Ashford Road, Bearsted. Avehiclewas stolen from a hotel car park


in Lock Lane, Sandling. Agarage doorwas damaged at a property


in Lenside Drive, Bearsted. The cover was stolen from a motorhome parked on a drive in Forstal Road, Sandling. The tyres were damaged on a vehicle parked outside a home in Merton Road, Bearsted. Cash was taken from a premises in Chatham Road, Sandling. A vehicle was stolen from a garage in a


block in Birch Drive, Lordswood. Electrical equipment was stolen from a garage in Tyland Lane, Sandling. Various items were stolen in a break-in at


a property in Dunn Street Road, Bredhurst. However, the intruder set off an alarm which alerted a passing police officer. A mobile phone was stolen from a van parked on a drive in Woodlands, Walder- slade. Items were stolen in a break-in at a prop-


erty in Friningham, near Thurnham. Machinery was taken from a yard at a premises in Hockers Lane, Detling. Itemswere stolen from an outbuilding at a farm in Thurnham Lane, Thurnham.


40 Maidstone East April 2016


me until I have eaten something or taken some insulin,” says Claire. “He’s also just learned to press a


panic alarm at the house in case I lose consciousness. “Ontop of that, his tail never stops


wagging and he loves to play ball like any other dog.” Among the six-year-old’s many


fans were the judges in last year’s Friends for Life contest at Crufts, who put him through to the finals. Claire spends much of her free


time raisingawareness of the charity and its work. She says: “There are huge strides


thatwas formed in 2008. “Before he arrived I had to send


breath samples, taken when my sugar levelswere at both ends of the scale, to fine tune Pal’s nose to my scent changes. It’s a process that takes 18 months to two years, and costs about £12,000.” Claire, who needs dialysis three


days aweek – to which she takes Pal – says her friend has given back both her confidence and freedom. It also means her children and husband Steve know she is in safe hands. “He lets me know if my glucose


levels are falling or rising danger- ously by licking my hands or paw- ing my leg. He’ll then bring me my testing machine and sits in front of


being made by the charity in terms of non-invasive detection of cancers using dogs’ sensitive sense of smell. “People have been talking about


their stories of recovery thanks to their pets, but the charity is taking this a step further with trials to de- tect breast cancer and using tiny samples of urine to detect prostate cancer, which is showing a 98% suc- cess rate.” Claire will be among the charity’s representatives at the Kent County Show this year and will be at the steam days at Bredgar Railway from 11am on the first Sunday of the month from May to October. She is willing to give group talks about her partnership with Pal. For more in- formation visit www.medicaldetec- tiondogs.org.uk.


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police A gate was damaged at a home in Holly


Farm Road, Otham. A man was seen tampering with the door


of a property in PennineWay, Downswood but no entry was gained. Items were stolen after a vehicle was bro-


ken into in Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone. Plant pots were taken from a garden in Church Road, Downswood and found dam- aged further down the road. A washing machine was stolen from the


drive of a property in Curzon Road, Maid- stone. A fence was damaged and a kiosk was broken into inWarren Street, Lenham. A radio was taken from the communal


area of a property in Holland Road, Maid- stone. The door of a home inHamLane, Lenham


was damaged by three youths. Fencing was damaged at a property in Cayser Drive, Kingswood. There was an attempt to remove parts


from a car in Old Ham Lane, Lenham. A wheel trim was stolen from a van in QuestedWay, Harrietsham. Agatewas damaged at a property inHam


Lane, Lenham. Items were stolen from the garage of a


home in BellWay, Kingswood. A vehicle was damaged in an attempt to


break into it in Warren Street, Lenham. Nothing was reported stolen. Avehiclewas stolen from a business park


in Gravelly Bottom Road, Kingswood. The door of a property in Chiddingstone


Close, Senacre was damaged but no entry was gained. Itemwere stolen in a break-in at a building


site in Faversham Road, Lenham. Solar panels were damaged at a property


inWildwood Close, Kingswood. Items were stolen in a break-in at an out- building in Wormshill.


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