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Brides!Get tochurch on time and bag a refund


A VICAR has found a novel way of ensuring his brides do not keep the groom waiting at the alter steps. When newlyweds at Holy Cross


Church, Bearsted, and St Mary’s, Thurnham, near Maidstone, get handed their certificate ofmarriage, Reverend Canon John Corbyn gives thema cheque for £100. Canon Corbyn hit on the idea


MP Helen Grant gets a tour of the new electrical training centre in Maidstone withMason


MPHelengets tour of special


training centre A A DEDICATED electrical train- ing centre has opened atMid-Kent College inMaidstone. The newfacility fuses thework of


the college with JTL - one of the leading apprenticeship providers in the UK. One hundred and forty trainee


sparks are already undergoing training at the Oakwood Park cen- tre, with numbers set to grow to 200 over the next two years. Employers with apprentices at


the centre attended the opening ceremony, along with staff, Mid- KentCollege Principal SimonCook andMP Helen Grant. There, theMP forMaidstone and


the Weald met trainee electricians including Mason (pictured) who explained howthe centreworks. Speaking at the opening, Mrs


Grant, who chairs the Govern- ment’s Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network, welcomed the new centre, describing it as “more good news coming from MidKent College”. She said: “I believe in the power


of apprenticeships to drive up so- cialmobility and to transformbusi- nesses and I am committed to making sure that this chance is available to people of all back- grounds. “I knowthat this newfacilitywill


provide hundreds of such opportu- nities over the years to come.” JTL chief executive Jon Graham


called theMaidstone centre “an im- portant step forward”. The Leeds resident added:


“We’re delightedwith the response it has already had from the electri- cal sector employers and young people in this part of Kent.”


4 Maidstone East January 2018


while on sabbatical in Uganda where he read a notice at Namirembe Cathedral, Kampala, about theirmethodof ensuringwed- dings took place on time. Canon Corbyn (58) said: “I had a


chuckle at the approach. Butwhen I got back home, there had been two weddings, inquick succession, atmy church when the brides were each more than 20 minutes late, without explanation, let alone apology. “I know it’s said that it’s the


bride’s prerogative to be late but this was a bitmuch.” More than 20 people can give up


their time to assist at awedding, in- cluding the verger, organist, choir and bellringers, he explained. “These people give an hour or so


out of their day – generally at a weekend – which can turn into 90 minutes or more if the ceremony runs late,” he said. “When we have children in the


choir parents arrange their day aroundthewedding.Whenabride is late, it disrupts them, too. The reper- cussions can be quite extensive.”


Reverend Canon John Corbyn checks his watch Now, when couples book a wed-


ding at Holy Cross, they are told about a £100 element built into the fee. If the service starts within 10 minutes of the due time, £100 is re- funded – a cheque is handed over along with the certificate of mar- riage. If not, the amount is distrib- uted among the members of the teampresent. The vicar said: “Obviously, if there


are genuine extenuating circum- stances,wewill take theminto con- sideration.” Wedding guests have mixed


views on the practice. “We thought it a bit oddwhen the


vicar gave the couple a cheque as part of the service andcongratulated


them for being on time!” said Allyson Harper from Guildford, who attended a recentwedding as a friend of the bride. Clara Hubbard, one of this sum-


mer’s brides, said: “People think I amalways late, so Iwas determined to get to church on time to prove themwrong – and claimthe £100! “I was ready in time but the car


got stuck in traffic on the A249. Though Iwas aminute or two over the 10minutes, I still got the cheque. My husband and l loved the service and thewhole daywas just great.” Canon Corbyn commented: “The


systemworks verywell. This year, I have been able to give a cheque to every couple.”


Walkers and their dogs pose for a pic- ture a blus- tery afternoon in Detling


Rescue lurchers take to the hills to help charity push


THIRTY walkers and their dogs made themost of a beautiful day on the Downs and the chance to let off steamatWhite HorseWoods near Detling . They were there to raisemoney


for the Southern Lurcher Rescue charity, which cares for, and finds homes for, around 70 abandoned


lurchers every year. The walk – the first for the cause in Kent – was organised by one of the charity’s fostermums, ClaireMason-Rennie, fromDetling, who added: . “The park offers a great enclosed area where the dogs could enjoy a really good run.” Walkers and their houndsmade


the two-mile hike, returning to The Black Horse at Thurnham, to raise nearly £150 for the rescue charity, which is run by volunteers. Anyone wishing to donate or to learnmore about adopting or fostering a lurcher should send an email jenny@southernlurcherrescue.org.uk for information.


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