downsmail.co.uk


News


School trip cash finally refunded


PARENTS of children at Holmes- dale School, Snodland, whose hol- iday toKenya inJulywas cancelled after an attempted coup in Turkey have had the remainder of their costs of almost £1,000 refunded. Downs Mail reported in Septem-


ber that pupils whowere due to fly to Kenya via Turkey arrived at Heathrow only to be told the flight was off. The party of 28, plus three members of staff, had paid £1,575, and flight fees of £600 eachwere re- turned by Turkish Airlines. The school, on behalf of the par-


ents, claimed for a refund from travel firm AfricanAdventurers' in- surers. But the Southampton-based company said the cancellation was due to an act ofwar. PatrickHannaway, then executive


head at the school, and a parent governor, attended a meeting with Dan Mew,ofAfricanAdventures, to try to get a full or partial refund. He refused to give any sort of re-


fund because he said he had already paid the people in Kenya. Lee Downey, the school's head of applied learning, said: "While the negotiations with African Adven- tures were going on the head teacher told parents he would put in


Jess and Kerry Stothart


a separate claim to KCC insurers. "Fortunately, the company agreed


to settle the claim and all parents were given full refunds. It was a long and quite painful journey, with each parent standing to lose nearly £1,000, so there was a real sense of relief with the final outcome." The group of year 10, 11 and 12


pupils and three teacherswas due to fly to Istanbul on the first leg of their trip which included voluntary work in a Kenyan village. Jess Stothart (16), of Larkfield,


whosemumKerry led parents cam- paigning for the refund, said: “I worked extra hard to raise the cash. We would have gone to the kids’ schools, teaching them and playing games. It would have been a real ex- perience for us all.”


EXTR 5% OFF SLE PRICES


on LL beds and selected furniture OFFER ENDS SOON


Guy Osborne (left) and JamesWhyte (right) with Paul Stuart, director of golf, and Cllr Maria Heslop, of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council


Honours for young golfers


TWO talented young golfers have been awarded academy golf member- ships from the prestigious London Golf Club in recognition of their excep- tional achievements. James Whyte, from Maidstone, and Guy Osborne, from Tonbridge, who


are both 17, are the first young golfers to receive the covetedmemberships as part of a new partnership agreement between the club and Tonbridge and Malling council to help develop golfing talent in the borough. The pair are coached by golf professionals at PoultWood Golf Centre,


which is managed on behalf of the borough council by Tonbridge and Malling Leisure Trust. James started playing golf at the age of nine, and by the age of 11, was


regularly winning theweekly nine-hole competitions at PoultWood. In 2016, James won the PoultWood Junior Open Scratch competition. Guybegan playing at 13, andwent on to win the PoultWood Junior Open. Under the partnership, London Golf Club professionals will coach young-


sters alongside the club’s professional team. Young golfers will take part in a competition on one of the club’s courses and each year, two youngsters will receivememberships at a nationally-acclaimed facility.


www.clarkesfurnishers.co.uk 01622 753073


Sandling Road, Maidstone, ME14 2RF


UPHOL STERY | DINING | BEDS BEDROOM | CCESSORIES


Not applicable to The Lounge Co products and goods sold at clearance price. Malling February 2017 15


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