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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 onlyway in is through the roof unless the door is unlocked. It would be interesting to know if the coun-


cil or its officers have actually seen the prop- erty hewants 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 any- way.


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


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 lile 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 Siingbourne 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.


FRUIT was stolen from a farm field in Kenward Road, Yalding. A vehiclewas damaged whilst parked in


the road in Vicarage Road, Yalding. A shedwas broken in to at allotments in


High Street, Yalding. A barnwas set alight in Darman Lane,


Yalding, damaging furniture and other items. A shedwas broken into at a house in


Vicarage Road, Yalding. Nothing appeared to have been taken. A stone donkey garden ornament containing flowerswas taken from the garden of a property in Lees Road, Yalding. A home in Collier Streetwas broken


into. A garagewas broken into at a home in


Cliff Hall, Boughton Monchelsea, and a set of golf clubswas stolen. Toolswere stolen in a break-in at a shed


in Boughton Lane, Boughton Monchelsea. Power toolswere stolen from the shed of


a house in Vanity Lane, Linton. A small trailerwas stolen from a commercial premises in Heath Road,West Farleigh. A large, heavy statuewas stolen from a


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 lile 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


Learn to enjoy traffic jams


IWALKED passed the lights at the junction of the A20 and Hermitage Lane at about 10am one morning and the traffic was flowing fine. I returned at about 5pm and the congestionwas terrible. However, without these lights, no one would ever get in or out of the “McDonalds Estate”. The reasons for the congestion are that there is only one person per car, everyone arrives at work or school at the same time and everyone leaves work or school at the same time. Are drivers not capable of making their journey earlier or later? Cllr Dan Daley says traffic flows in and


out of Barming station without the need for traffic lights. Wrong. The traffic cannot get out of Barming station between 4pm and 5.30pm because Hermitage Lane is gridlocked. However, thiswas happening before the McDonald’s estatewas built. So drivers: if you can't be bothered to


walk, bike or bus – or think your journey through – learn to enjoy your traffic jams. Alan Nevill, via email


Toughen up on inmates


I READ with interest your article about the prevalence of drugs in Maidstone Prison. The means of smuggling illicit goods into modern prisons are sophisticated these days, with the use of drones a particular favourite. To be honest, with their colour TVs and


mod cons to keep them occupied, it is a wonder Her Majesty’s guests require further stimulation. Perhaps if prison regimeswere harsher –


ie no privileges – and sentences adhered to in full, there might be a deterrent factor. At present, there is none. Modern prisons


are holiday camps, often run by profit- driven companies who cut corners to make a beer boom line. There is nothing wrong with running businesseswell, but there is something wrong with businesses running prisons. B McGann, via email


NeighbourhoodWatch Working to reduce crime. Call Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or local police


garden in Linton Hill, Linton. A vehiclewas broken into in Heath


Road, Coxheath. Statues of Pandora and Venus were


stolen from the garden of a home in Georgian Drive, Coxheath. Cash, jewellery and a camera has been


stolen from a house in Heath Road, Coxheath. Therewas an aempt to break into a


shed in Forge Lane, East Farleigh. A vehiclewas damaged in Holmesdale


Close, Loose. A vehiclewas stolen from Summerhill


Road, Marden. Itemswere stolen from a garden in Hunton Road, Marden. A shedwas broken into at a house in Albion Road, Marden, but nothing appeared to have been taken. AnMGZRwas damaged in North Street, Headcorn.


A windowwas smashed on a Range


Rover parked on a driveway in Marden Road, Staplehurst. A fork lift truck was stolen from a building site in Bell Lane, Staplehurst, and later recovered nearby. A homewas broken into in Iden Crescent, Staplehurst, but nothing appeared to have been taken. A garage was broken into at a home in Poyntell Road, Staplehurst.


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