News


Almshouses clerkGordon ready to hand over reins


IT MAY have started as a way to give something back to his com- munity but, at the age of 81, Gor- don Sladen hopes someone will take onhis role as ‘day-to-dayman- ager’ ofAylesford’sAlmshouses. The clerk to the Hospital of the


Holy Trinity jokes: “When I started, all the residentswere intheir 80s and 90s and nowI’mthe oldest here, bar two!” The former physician at Guys


Hospitaldescribes his role of the last 17 years as interesting, varied, and the “slow introduction to retire- ment” hewas seeking. In spite of living in Chislehurst


throughout hismedical career, itwas inAylesford that he met his second wife, Brenda. The couplemarried in 1990,mov-


ing to Aylesford in 1996, and since then he remembers pledging to find a community role on his retirement. First he spent three years as a di-


rector at the Heart of Kent Hospice, and in 2000 became clerk to the board of trustees at Trinity Court. He said: “Eventhoughwe’ve lived


here some 20 years now, I’ve always wanted to feel a part of village life


downsmail.co.uk


Rayfield goes as Town chair after six years


SNODLAND Town FC has a new chairman afterMel Rayfield stood down. Mr Rayfield became club


chairmanwhen the senior and junior clubs amalgamated in 2011. But he has nowdecided it is


time tomove on. “With the dedication and


commitment of the various members of our committee,we have enjoyed an amazing few years of development both on and off the field,” he said. “It’s fair to say that nothing has come easy over these years but the club has moved fromstrength to strength.” Mr Rayfield is succeeded by


Gordon Sladen is stepping down as clerk of Aylesford’s Almshouses


and this has allowed me to do just that.” The charity’s flats have stood on


the same spot, opposite the Bush pub, since 1607 – a gift to the village from philanthropist farmer John Sedley. Much has changed since it offered


a roof and six shillings aweek to the poor. In fact, until the 1980s residents


shared washing facilities. Now, the self-contained flats offer independ-


ent living to 14 over-60s from the area. Mr Sladen said: “Itwas a very gen-


erous gift at a time when there was nowelfare safety net, and I have no doubt TrinityCourtwill continue to serve localpeople for the foreseeable future.” He hopes to step down in January


and spendmore timewith hiswife, playing golf and enjoying hismusic. Find out more by emailing sladen.g@gmail.com.


Dave Jeal,who is also assistant manager of the first team,which plays in Southern Counties East Football League First Division. “I amvery excited to be the new


chairman of a club I love,” he said. “I amextremely pleasedMelwill be stayingwith the club as a development officer. “He has driven the club forward


in somanyways due to his determination and persistence and the facilities we nowhavewill be enjoyed by the football teams for many years to come.”


6


Malling December 2017


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  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48