News News


Get your free shingles jab


Closurewill end rail crossing risk


downsmail.co.uk downsmail.co.uk


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


AFOOT crossing over the railway line at Hollingbourne is to be closed after years of service. Walkers will in future have to


walk along the track on the far side of the station and cross the line using the overhead footbridge on the platform. Kent County Council officers’


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


recommendation to refuse the re- quest by Network Rail to close the popular crossing to the west of the station, known as Snarkhurst, was rejected by its regulation committee members by three votes to nil . A KCC spokesman said: “The


Kate’s canyon trek in memory of husband


panel agreed with Network Rail’s view that it was not practicable to make the exist- ing


crossing


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


public path.”


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


AMBITIOUS plans to extend a popular wildlife landscape bymore than 100 acres at Hucking, on the outskirts ofMaidstone, have been unveiled. The Woodland Trust has bought the land ad-


joining its well-used Hucking Estate woodland. Public support has raised £750,000 for the proj-


ect – £100,000 in Kent alone – to “release 116 acres of farm land from human influence”. The project will get under way this year. Saplingswill seed themselves, allowing a young


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


100 acre addition to popular wildlife haven Clive Steward, site manager for the Woodland


wood to develop, while some areas will remain as managed chalk grassland.


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


Trust, said: “Work will begin during 2018 onmak- ing the sitemore accessible and onmanaging the site for conservation objectives.” The extension to the site takes in land that is al-


ready home to 10 threatened bird species, includ- ing the lapwing and skylark.Other species spotted include 21 different butterflies, such as the silver- washed fritillary, and three species of bat. The trust held a drop-in session at StMargaret’s


Church, Hucking, on January 17 to outline its pro- posals and to take comments.


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


The decision follows a sitemeet-


ing and a gathering of the public at Hollingbourne village hall on Jan- uary 23, where concerns were


safe for the pub- lic. It concluded that itwas in the interests of the safety of users, or likely users, to divert


the


raised about the absence of facili- ties at the station for thosewith dis- abilities to cross and the steps on the footbridge posing a greater risk to walkers than using the un- mannedwalkway. Hollingbourne parish councillor


Alan Bennett is an amputee.He be- lieves the steep steps on the foot- bridge and the lack of an alternative to get to the other side of the platform, using the level foot crossing, will give those with dis- abilities even more reason to give the rural station a “wide berth”. A spokesman for Network Rail


rates from pancreatic cancer have not improved much in the last 30 years. Nigel died on January 19, 2012. I had been thinking about what I could do to celebrate Nigel’s life and decided to join the Pancre- atic Cancer UK Grand Canyon Challenge Trek in October. I am self-funding the trip to ensure that all donations go directly to the charity.” This is the third big fundraiser


said: “We appreciate that asking walkers to take a short diversion may add a fewminutes to people’s journeys, but it completely removes the risk of being hit by a train. “Level crossings such as the one


at Hollingbourne are a hangover from the past and do not have a place on the modern railway, with fast, frequent and quiet trains. “While we cannot close every


foot crossing across Kent, it would be absolutelywrong not to take ad- vantage of the nearby footbridge to remove the risk of someone – adult or child – being killed.”


Hucking Estate is set to become bigger, thanks to TheWoodland Trust


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.


Business Focus


downsmail.co.uk Retirement Planning Expert


Themissing piece of your retirement plan?


We’d all like to make the most of our retirement, and it’s important to think about the whole of your finances when planning for the enjoyable retirement you are looking for. Funding for later life is becoming more and more of a concern, with many pensions falling short of expectations and people living longer than in previous years.


Increasing numbers of over-55s are looking towards a lifetime mortgage as a way of securing financial stability in later life.


mortgage or allow you the funds for home


holiday or help your family financially. There’s lots to consider as a lifetime mortgage would reduce


any means- tested benefits, but finding the right plan to suit your needs may provide the solution you’re looking for.


The retirement landscape has changed considerably and there’s a real challenge to build the savings needed for a comfortable retirement. A lifetime mortgage could play an important role in helping you achieve this, and it makes sense to consider the role that housing wealth could play in planning for your future.


Picture: Phil Formby


This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand the features and risks please ask for a personalised illustration. A lifetime mortgage may impact your entitlement to means tested benefits and the inheritance you may leave.


Call us on 01622 240070 or find us at www.sandringham.co.uk 11 Albion Place, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5DY


FCA registered - Sandringham Financial Partners Ltd, 5th Floor, 30 Market Street, Huddersfield, W. Yorks, HD1 2HG


Advertisement Feature


downsmail.co.uk


Antique & Fine Art Auctioneers


• Free valuations • Regular fine & general auctions • Probate & Insurance specialists • Home visits


01622 829183


www.balinea.co.uk E: sales@balinea.co.uk


12 12


Maidstone East October 2017 Maidstone East March 2018


Visit our East Farleigh showroom to view our full range of beautiful bathrooms


Unit 5 Kilnbridge Works, Off Lower Road, East Farleigh, Maidstone Kent ME15 0HD


Speak to our specialists about selling your antiques


0800 881 5691 clientservices@gorringes.co.uk


15 North Street - Lewes - BN7 2PE www.gorringes.co.uk Maidstone East March 2018 13


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