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Advertisement Feature downsmail.co.uk NEVER TOO OLD FOR A MORTGAGE!


MAIDSTONE and Malling resi- dents in their 70s are being urged to take up the offer of free vacci- nations against the “painful and debilitating” condition shingles. By the end of July, just over half


of all eligible older patients in Kent and Medway had been vaccinated. But theNHSis now encouraging


Kate’s canyon trek in memory of husband


Sadly, due to schemes available in the past the term “Equity Release” has got itself a bad name.


everyonewhois offered the vaccine to take it up. Local GP practices are offering patients the vaccination as part of the NHS shingles immunisation campaign for 2017/18, which began on September 1 2017. Dr John Rodriguez, Public Health Screening and Immunisa- tion lead for Kent and Medway, urged local people to take up the offer. He added: “As people get older


their immune system naturally weakens which is why those aged 70 and over are more likely to get shingles.


“Shingles can be very painful


and debilitating and lead to health problems long after the initial rash has disappeared. It can also be fatal for around one in 1,000 over-70s who develop it. “I would encourage all patients


MORTGAGES YMCA MAIDSTONE Beat the January Blues


Local adviser Sarah Ferrell speaks with many people who, through no fault of their own, are carrying debt into retirement or need to raise new finance and this can make the “Golden Years” potentially worrying.


THE widow of a popular Maid- stone GP is in training for a self- funded trek through the Grand Canyon, in aid of the charity which is battling the cancer that claimed him. Kate Minett, a staff nurse, will be


Equity Release can, for many people, offer an ideal solution…..so why does everybody think it is such a bad thing?


Sarah says, “The finance industry has had to adapt as the need for lending in retirement has grown at a staggering rate. The schemes of the past bear no resemblance to those available today however many people’s thinking and understanding of the schemes available is still stuck in the 1970's!”


travelling to America for the Trek Together Grand Canyon Challenge in October. Kate who lives in Staplehurst,


Many of Sarah’s clients need to repay a mortgage, finance some unexpected outlay or just make their retirement more comfortable. Others want to help their children with a deposit for a house, buy a new car, go on holiday or make improvements to their home.


Regardless of the reason for needing finance, there are plenty of safe and affordable solutions available and the choice of options is greater than ever.


whoare eligible to takeupthe offer from their GP surgery and get vac- cinated against the virus.”


will hike through areas of the canyon not accessible to many tourists to raise money for Pancre- atic Cancer UK. The Benenden Hospital nurse has chosen to support the charity be- cause her husband, Dr Nigel Minett (54), a GP for more than 20 years at the Marden Medical Centre, then The Orchard Surgery in Langley, succumbed to it in January 2012, just over 10 weeks after he was di- agnosed. Dr Minett (pictured) was well-known for his church work in Maidstone. She said: “This cancer is known


as a silent killer as it usually pres- ents too late for any form of treat- ment. On October 31, 2011, my


Like all financial transactions there are advantages and disadvantages which means that Equity Release may not be suitable for everyone. Equity release schemes involve borrowing against your home, and may work out more expensive in the long term than downsizing to a smaller property. Depending on the scheme chosen releasing equity may reduce the value of your estate and therefore the amount of inheritance you will leave. “I take great care and time to fully discuss all aspects of the options available so that my clients are fully aware of what may be suitable and equally what they want to avoid!” Sarah comments.


itself can often lighten the burden” charity.”


Sarah finds many of the people she speaks to are worried about their finances at a time in life when they really want to be enjoying themselves. Often a lack of information, or confusing advertising causes them concern and they are just not sure what options are really available to them. This is where Sarah can bridge the gap.


Sarah says, “I’ve been in the finance industry for over 20 years and


rates from pancreatic cancer have not improved much in the last 30 years.


most scenarios and would reassure anyone who is life and decided to join the Pancre-


2012. I had been thinking about what I could do to celebrate Nigel’s


concerned about their finances that they are atic Cancer UK Grand Canyon I am


This is the third big fundraiser


unlikely to be alone. Sometimes an initial chat is Challenge Trek in October.


as soon as people know they have options this in all donations go directly to the


Think carefully before securing other debts against your home.


Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. EQUITY RELEASE RE-MORTGAGE BUY-TO-LET


husband was admitted to hospital after developing jaundice. Until that point, his only symptoms had been a few weeks of mild gastric discomfort. He was diagnosed the same day with stage four metasta- tic pancreatic cancer, which had spread to his liver. “We knew the score - survival


M: 07789007447 T: 01622 631372


E:info@sarahferrell-equityrelease.co.uk www.sarahferrell-equityrelease.co.uk


the family has taken part in. Kate’s daughter, Laura, took part in a su- perhero fun run dressed as Super- man in 2012, raising over £2,000, and her sister Rebecca organised a dinner dance in Tenterden which raised £10,300 in 2015. In the UK, pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of the 21 most com- mon cancers. Pancreatic CancerUK supports those affected, investing in research and lobbying for recog- nition of the disease. For details visit www.justgiv- ing.com/fundraising/Kate-Minett. For more information on Pancre- atic Cancer UK, visit www.pan- creaticcancer.org.uk/fundraise.


Call Sarah on FIRST TIME BUYERS


all that is needed to put people’s mind at rest and self-funding the trip to ensure that


Sarah takes time to work out which solution may be most suitable for each individual and will visit a client at home at a time to suit them.


Nigel died on January 19, consider I have come across


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