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An artist’s impression of the new homes planned for Glebe Pond


Work starts on Lenham homes


WORKto build 10 houses on land earmarked for development in Lenham for more than 25 years is expected to start before Christmas. This week, contractors from Pe- nenden Heath Developments began removing trees around Glebe Pond, which will be given to the village as part of the development of four and five-bedroom detached homes, off Glebe Gardens. Developer Tim Vince, who ac-


quired the site with outline permis- sion, hopes the development will be complete by the end of next year.He told Downs Mail: “We have moved away from the 1970s houses in Glebe Gardens in favour of a more traditional brick and shiplap design, to reflect that these homes will back on to open farmland. “The parish council has been sup-


portive of our plans and we are happy to be able to improve the pond and gift it to the community.” LenhamParish Council expects to


be able to apply for grants for benches around the pond, on an area that extends to just over an acre. Access will be off the old Ash- ford Road. The contractors will also shore up the banks, dredge the pond and upgrade the sluice gate. Margo McFarlane, the parish council clerk, said: “We hope this will become a pleasant place to be and will help us in our mission to create a green buffer of open spaces within and around the village.” The newly-formed Lenham MeadowsTrust, which will help de- liver this, met for the first time on July 18 and is working closely with the parish council and the Neigh- bourhood Plan team to prevent the coalescence of Lenham with Harri- etsham and Charing and provide a “breathing lung” for villagers. The group has four trustees and is looking to take that number to 12. Details are available from the parish council.


Charity provides £60k to help young readers


THE number of children getting help with their reading in Kent is set to double next year, thanks to a £60,000 donation. Beanstalk, which provides one-


to-one help for 1,000 primary- school youngsters struggling with their reading, has received the cash from the Kent Community Foun- dation charity, which links gener- ous people and businesses with local causes. Beanstalk now aims to double


the number of youngsters it helps in Kent schools by the end of the academic year. In Kent, 39% of children did not reach the standard in reading expected in the new SATS exams. The money will specifically fund Beanstalk’s Read and Achieve proj- ect, which will identify and work with primary schools where read- ing levels are at their lowest. The ambition is to recruit another 360 volunteer reading helpers to do


this. Malou Bengtsson-Wheeler, Beanstalk’s South East area man- ager, said: “Without intervention, the outlook for children struggling with reading is very worrying. It can lead to behavioural problems and affect their future prospects. “Our challenge is to ensure that


every child leaves school with the skills and confidence to reach their true potential.” Josephine McCartney, chief exec-


utive at Kent Community Founda- tion, said: “It is of great concern that child illiteracy levels in Kent are so high. We fully expect this project to deliver a significant change, which will help provide these children with a real educa- tional boost as they go on to sec- ondary schools.” To get involved in the Read and Achieve project, as a reading helper or a Beanstalk partner school, call 01622 662026 or apply at www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk.


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