News Garden show


record entries JUDGES took the entire afternoon to choose the winners of awell-sup- ported Garden Show in Lenham. The show, which is open to any-


one living in the Len Valley, drew a record 350 entries. The village event was proof that interest in growing, arts and crafts and baking is as strong as ever in rural communities. Keith Varney, one of the organis-


ers of the event at Lenham Com- munity Centre on August 12, declared the show a “huge suc- cess”, with the record number of entries proving a welcome chal- lenge for the judges. He said: “Thiswas a record entry


in a village contest open to anyone, not just club members. The better weather this summer and our growing reputation all worked to- gether to fill the hall with produce.” Among the exhibits was a 12.5kg marrow and a 45cm runner bean.


More cash to


rewire church ANOTHER £275 has been raised to re-wire Chart Sutton Church, fol- lowing an appeal in Downs Mail. Anne Davies allowed her garden


to be the venue once again for a cof- fee morning to raise the money. Brilliant sunshine saw most opt


for chairs in the shade, surrounded by the beautiful flower borders. Anne said: “I’d like to thank all


those who helped on the day and by baking wonderful cakes for the event.” The community needs to raise £20,000 for re-wiring and new light fittings at the church following its Quinquennial Review. Honorary church treasurer Mr


Chris Webb said: “We’ve had a wonderfully generous response from many people andwe are now well on our way to funding the money needed.”


Drink driver’s


three-year ban A 26-YEAR-old caught drink driv- ing in Hollingbourne has been banned from the road for three years.


Aston Crook pleaded guilty to


being over the limit on July 1 on the Ashford Road, where he gave a breath test of 73mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35.


Crook, fromHowardAvenue, Sit- tingbourne, was driving a Peugeot 206.


Mid Kent magistrates sentenced


him on July 21, issuing him with a 36-month driving ban, a £300 fine, £30 victim surcharge and a bill for costs of £85.


8


FOOTBALL legends rolled back the years when Maidstone United’s Gallagher Stadium hosted a charity game on Sunday, August 20. Nearly £1,000 was raised for the


Limbcare charity which supports amputees and the limb impaired. A team of ex-professionals managed by and including Stuart Bell (formerly of Fulham and AFC


Soccer stars turn out to raise cash for charity The game and a raffle raised


Rushden) took on local semi-pros assembled by and featuring former Dover Athletic centre-back Dave Scott, from Bearsted. They included Maidstone United


favourites such as manager Jay Saunders, as well as Gillingham legend and pundit Andy Hessenthaler and ex-Bolton and Gills star Nicky Southall.


Man charged with sex assault


AMANhas been charged follow- ing an alleged sex assault on a 16- year-old girl in Maidstone. Forty-five-year-old Gurname


Singh Sandhu was arrested in Gillingham on Monday, August 21.


He has been charged with the sexual assault of the teenager in the rooftop car park of The Mall


Maidstone Weald September 2017


on Monday, August 14, and of a woman in Gillingham 10 days earlier on Friday,August 4. Sandhu, from Linden Road in Gillingham, appeared before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court, when he was remanded in cus- tody to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on a date to be con- firmed.


almost £1,000. The former professionals sealed an 8-5 win when they scored with the final kick of the game. Dave Scott decided to raise


money for the charity after his nephew had part of a leg amputated following a road accident.


Caravan fire


FIREFIGHTERSwere called to a caravan fire on Emmet Hill Lane, Laddingford, Maidstone. A high-pressure hose was needed to put out the blaze in a small derelict caravan, which had spread to rubbish at the side of road.


downsmail.co.uk


Leeds Castle calls for help from volunteers


LEEDS Castle has started to recruit volunteers to supplement the work of their full-time staff. The treasure house has decided to


adopt a path taken by the National Trust some years ago to take on un- paid staff willing to lend their ex- pertise free. So far, 24 volunteers have come


forward to help out at one of the south east’s most popular tourist at- tractions. Boss of the tourist attraction –


which boasts 600,000 visitors a year – Sir David Steel revealed the new strategy in his monthly column in the Leeds & Broomfield parish newsletter. He writes: “As we get busier, we


have decided to follow a course adopted many years ago by the Na- tional Trust and offer opportunities for volunteers to join our team. “I will be honest – as a charitywe


do not make a lot of money, and what money we do make we re- invest fully in maintaining and de- veloping the estate. “Our annual salary costs are sig- nificant and, as our number of visi-


tors continues to grow, we have asked for volunteers to assist our full-time members of staff, to pro- vide a little headroom. “As such, we will be able to ad-


dress bigger projects as well as the more routine maintenance. I could not have been more delighted with the response.We now have 24 vol- unteers, working in nearly every area across the estate. “They are wonderful additions to


the Leeds Castle team and they are hugely proud to be part of the team


and to contribute to this wonderful heritage estate.” A volunteering role can also en-


hance a job-seeker’s chances of land- ing full-time employment, he said. Sir David adds: “While they (vol- unteers) may not be paid they re- ceivemany of the additional benefits of a full-time member of staff and, for some, this is a superbway to de- velop their specialist expertise, espe- cially if they are searching for a new form of employment or skillset.” A spokesman for the National


Trust said: “We have been operating a volunteering scheme for quite some time, andwe are always look- ing for people to join us. “We have 62,000 volunteers across


the country with the National Trust. We are always looking for more, in- cluding at places in Kent like the White Cliffs of Dover.” Conservation charity the Royal So-


ciety for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has 12,000 volunteers who contribute almost a million hours each year to the cause. Like Leeds Castle, the RSPB aims to harness the skills its volunteers bring.


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