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layouts, are still lanes whichwere designed for the horse and cart, not heavy goods vehicles, unwanted articulated lorries or thousands of car movements. Our councils persist in building programmeswithout any view as to the consequences for the other infrastructure elements. By theway, I believe this has nothing to do with immigration. It has more to dowith the expanding population, people living longer and couples not staying together. PWarren, via email
Clear benefit to tourism
REGARDING the proposal for a £5m five- star spa hotel scheme in Maidstone, has the planning committee met to discuss the tourism aspect of the proposed hotel? Surely it must be obvious itwould be an asset
to the town, which has so many unused and boarded up properties. Ciaran O’Quigley is willing to build this
hotel and is being prevented from doing so be- cause of Maidstone’s conservation officer Mike Parkinson, who suggests it would cause harm to a listed building – Grove House – of which, I understand, only the porch is listed. The Catholic school Mr Parkinson refers to is literally an unusable and unstable building. The windows have been boarded up by the priests because of being vandalised, so the only way in is through the roof unless the door is un- locked. It would be interesting to know if the council
or its officers have actually seen the property he wants to save, which is not listed, and is an eyesore. If not, Mr O’Quigley, who has 24 years’ experience running Mu Mu’s in Week Street, is going to pay for the demolition of the building, which is falling down anyway. That the council is not accepting with open
arms the proposition, in the words of Victor Meldrew, I would say: “I don’t believe it!”. Marie Shandley, via email
Rachel’s brave cancer battle I HAVE been reading about the brave battle
A SHED at a home in Ashford Road, Bearsted,was broken into. Nothing appears to have been taken. The artificial grasswas taken from the garden of a home in Grove Green Road, Boxley. A wooden ornamental bridge was stolen
from a garden at a home in Buon Lane, Bearsted. The driver's side windowwas smashed
on a Renault Clio parked in Lenham High Street. Nothing appeared to have been taken. Itemswere stolen from the garden of a
home in Spot Lane, Bearsted. A Mitsubishi L200, parked in a driveway
in The Street, Boxley,was entered and a mobile phonewas stolen. An Apple computer, hairdressing equipment, Sony DVD player, Dyson vacuum cleaner, riding clothing and a bridlewere among items stolen from a property in YewTree Close, Bearsted. Power toolswere taken from the garage
of a property inAutumn Glade, Boxley. Copper lightning conductor and various
itemswere stolen from the Church in Church Road, Otham. A ToyotaAuris parked in Grampian Way, Downswoodwas broken into.
that Rachel Curley has been fighting against cancer and wanted to say what an inspira- tion I feel she is to other sufferers. Like many people, I suspect,my life has been touched by this horrible disease, having lost more friends and family members than I dare to count. Rachel’s never-say-die (literally) ap- proach to taking on her illnesswith always one eye on the future, rather than allowing the can- cer to defeat her, is amazing. People react to cancer in so many different
ways. Some prefer to take it on in private, sur- rounded by family, while others get out there and raise awareness. It takes a lot of nerve and steel to do what
Rachel has done and I hope that she makes a full and speedy recovery. Lee Davis, via email
Claire Turner and Stanley Trek to help Demelza
MY FAMILY has been privileged to be able to use the services of Demelza Hospice Care for Children for the past few years as my son Stanley has Crouzon syndrome. This condition is a fusion of the skull
which prevents it from growing normally. It means my lile boy has had to have more than 25 operations and has been on life support when hewas only two months old.
Stanley is very unsteady on his feet, he’s partially blind in one eye and he has been diagnosed with global development delay. He has a suction machine which he
needs with him at all times to keep his airways clear. He needs to be checked all the time, even at night from anything from every half an hour to every 10 minutes so we sleep very lightly. I have three other children, so being able
to come to Demelza Kent in Siingbourne for a break means a lot to me and my husband, Clint. Stanley loves the art room, he loves
music, he loves the computer room. It is a place for making special memories. Demelzawas the first placewewere able to go swimming together as a family.
That’s a really big achievement. It’s a place for our eldest daughter, Harriet to go. She ha’s made some lovely friends there, she loves it. Last year I trekked up Ben Nevis as part
of the Demelza 101 challenge as myway of doing something for Demelza. I lovewalking, so itwas right up my
street. Itwas fantastic – more than I hoped it
would be. I met some great people and I loved every minute of it. Everybody supported each other – itwas a real team effort.We had never met each other before but we all had something in common. Demelza is now looking for people to
take on a triathlon or a trek in the Lake District as part of its next Demelza 101 challenge next May (2017) and I’d like to urge you to sign up and do something amazing for them. It will be an experience you will never
forget and you will be helping families like mine make things a lile bit easier. You can find out more at
www.demelza.org.uk/challenges-and- events or by contacting Emma Cox on
emma.cox@
demelza.org.uk or 01795 845249 Claire Turner, Demelza mum
NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police
Several personal items and cashwere stolen. Parts were removed from vehicles in Maidstone Road, Lenham. A vehicle parked in Brewer Street, Maidstone,was damaged. Therewas an aempt to break into the
cricket club pavilion in Honey Lane, Otham, damaging several doors. No access gained and nothing appeared to have been taken. A BMX bicyclewas stolen from a garden
inWaterlow Road, Maidstone. Eight bags of cement and other building materialswere stolen from the building site in Coldblow Lane, Thurnham. Therewas an aempt to break into a
house in Hedley Street, Maidstone, but no accesswas gained. A vehiclewas damaged in a car park in Maidstone Road, Lenham. A vehiclewas taken without the owner’s consent in Brewer Street, Maidstone.
Parts were removed from a vehicle in Chartway Street, Broomfield and Kingswood. A red Honda lawn mower, a hedge trimmer and a strimmerwere among items stolen from a garage inWest Street, Lenham. A school playground was damaged in Cayser Drive, Broomfield and Kingswood. A vehiclewas broken into in Back Street,
Leeds. A container on the drive of a home in
Flint Lane, Lenham,was broken into and itemswere stolen.
PROTECT YOUR HOME
ALARMS FROM £495
+VAT Maidstone East August 2016 39
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