News Wood attack


witness plea KENT Police are appealing for wit- nesses to a violent attack in the cen- tre of Maidstone. Officers received a report of a


man in his 30s being hit by another man carrying a piece of wood in Knightrider Street at around 8pm onWednesday,August 30. The alleged attacker is said to


have got out of an MG3 in Knightrider Court. A woman, who was in the car is believed to have shouted something across the street during the alleged assault. Police understand both left the scene in the car. The victim, who received treat-


ment for cuts and bruises on his face, is understood to have declined hospital treatment. A31-year-old man and a 45-year-


old woman, from the Maidstone area, are currently being held in po- lice custody on suspicion of assault. It is understood they are known to the victim. Anyone with information is


asked to contact Kent Police on 01622 604100, quoting reference YY/024855/17, or Kent Crimestop- pers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.


Mummy’s star of new gallery


MAIDSTONEMuseum is to open a new gallery on October 3 dedicated to the lives of the ancient Egyptians Greeks.


Exhibits will include Maidstone’s 2,700-year-old mummy Ta-Kush, including a facial reconstruction. A Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) handout of £78,000 made the gallery possible. Spokesman Lyn Palmer said she


is “thrilled” and “excited” at the new gallery and thanked the HLF for its financial assistance. HLF spokesman Stuart McLeod,


said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, the funding has engaged the community and youth groups in researching the collections and bringing to life the stories behind the artefacts.”


Charity holds


annual meet MAIDSTONECommunity Support Centre will be celebrating there decades of charitable service at its annual meeting on Tuesday, Sep- tember 26. T The charity, which is housed in Marsham Street, provides a base for more than 30 charities, voluntary organisations and community groups, and also has a café, sup- plied by its own fruit and vegetable garden. The meeting starts at 2pm.


36 Maidstone October 2017


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


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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