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News


80s acts back on the stage


TWO1980s groupswill be shar- ing the same stage for the first time since Live Aid this sum- mer – and Maidstone is on the list for their blockbuster tour. Simple Minds and The Pre-


tenders will be playing at the Kent Event Centre on Saturday August 4. When the two last performed


together, their singers were a married couple – SimpleMinds’ Jim Kerr and the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde divorced in 1990. SimpleMinds are about to re-


lease their 17th album, but their set will be full of the hits that made them famous, such as Don’t You (Forget About Me) andAlive and Kicking. The Pretenders released their


tenth albumAlone in 2016, and are best known for their epic I’ll Stand By You. The 80s starswill be joined on


their tour by KT Tunstall, the Scottish singer who won the Ivor Novello Award for best song in 2006 with Suddenly I See.


Kent Show’s trade chance


NEW businesses will have a chance to showcase their wares for the first time at the Kent Showin Detling. Ten start-up firms from the


county are invited to apply for free exhibition space in a new enterprise zone at the show in July. Applicants have until April 9 to apply for space at the three-day show, which attracts 80,000 visitors. Find the application form at


www.kentshowground.co.uk, under exhibit. Trade stand co-ordinator


Rosie Gouldsworthy is avail- able to give advice to any start- ups that wish to apply on rosie@kentshowground.co.uk The show will be on July 6, 7 and 8 in 2018.


Girl band at


showground GIRL band Little Mix will be visiting Maidstone as part of their Summer Hits Tour. The quartet will be bringing


their high-energy show to the Kent Events Centre at the Detling showground on Sun- day, July 22. The band are visiting 15


towns and cities across the country as part of their tour, fol- lowing the success of their new albumGlory Days.


26 Maidstone Weald January 2018


CarolMcGiffen with Volunteer of the year Daphne Springett and Trust chairman David Highton


downsmail.co.uk


Riverside castle gem is set towowvisitors


THE chance to visit a hidden gem in Maidstone has been widely welcomed. Allington Castle, owned by Sir


Robert Worcester, is to open its doors once a week in the summer season to passengers on the Ken- tish Lady river cruise. The castle, which was once vis-


ited by Ann Boleyn, boasts fantas- tic gardens and a notable history. Sir Robert has owned Allington


Castle for almost 22 years, and ad- mits it was a “love affair” for him when he first sawit. “It’s everyAmerican schoolboy’s


dream,” said the founder of polling company Ipsos Mori. “I’m a histo- rian by nature; one ofmy academic appointments is at the Institute of Contemporary BritishHistory and, to me, this is contemporary British history. “I’d been in Tenterden for 25


yearswhen, one Saturdaymorning in July, I opened the Financial Times and sawthis listed. I thought it was wonderful, so my late wife and I came to see it. “Itwas a love affair as far as Iwas


concerned. I made an offer, it was accepted, and herewe are.” Built in the 12th century and set


in 42 acres of land next to the River Medway, Sir Robert has spared no expense inmaintaining the original


FORMER ‘LooseWomen’ host Carol McGiffin presented achievement awards to staff and volunteers from Maidstone Hospital on Friday. The annual Staff Stars Awards


features of the castle. EstatemanagerCraig Bruun said:


“We’re really excited about this venture. Not many people get to see these gardens. Come spring it’s full of colour. “People that live on Castle Road


don’t know there’s a castle at the end of the road! It is a hidden gem and to open it up tomore people is very exciting.” Tours, which are scheduled to


take place on Tuesday afternoons, can be tailored to the interests of the group, and Nick Kennedy, owner and captain of the Kentish Lady, is thrilled to add Allington Castle to his schedule. “Sir Robert has put a lot of trust


in us.Whenwe firstmet itwas ten- tative but nowthere seems to be the right amount of trust there. “The river really is the gem of


Maidstone and not enough is done to shout about it. Hopefully this will help to raise the profile.” The tourwas previewed to digni-


taries and among those (pictured on board) was Deputy Mayor David Naghi, who could barely contain his excitement at the new venture. “Sir Robert and Lady Worcester


tying up with the Kentish Lady is probably themost exciting thing in my lifetime that’s happened along the river,” he said. “It’s an historic day forMaidstone.”


Staff and volunteers are stars of hospital


recognise those who ‘go above and beyond’ in their roles at the hospi- talsmanaged by theMaidstone and TunbridgeWells NHS Trust. Carol joined Trust chief executive


JimLusby and chairmanDavidHigh- ton, at Oakwood House in Maid- stone to present the awards. Taking the awards forMaidstone in


categories including excellence, inno- vation and respect were: Stephanie McKinley, clinical research team;Amy Duncan, reception, Maidstone; com- munity midwifery support workers; Pye Oliver Ward; Maidstone or- thopaedic unit; Debbie Cay, theatre practitioner, Maidstone; Chaucer Ward; the Trust’s finance team; Julia Martin (Reed), pharmacist, Maid- stone;DrConn Sugihara, cardiologist, Maidstone; John Day Ward, Maid- stone; ITU Maidstone; Jackie Tyler, paediatricmatron; LeighannMitchell, sister,Maidstone stroke unit;Danielle Tolley, therapeutic radiotherapy sup- port worker; Daphne Springett, neu- rology,Maidstone; Valerie Blackman, chaplaincy;Maidstone short stay sur- gical unit and the League of Friends, Maidstone; Kate Holmes, A&E and SakheleniMakena, actingwardman- ager, stroke. A charity raffle on the night raised


more than £1,000 for blood cancer charity Bloodwise, which was nomi- nated by Carol.


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