News


Measles cases: vaccine advice


PEOPLE are being urged to check they are up to date with their vac- cinations after five cases of measleswere reported in the area. The outbreak in Kent, which


began with a single case in Med- way, began to rise on April 10 within hours, demonstrating the contagious nature of the virus, which is spread easily among chil- dren and adults by coughs and sneezes. Early symptoms are very much like a cold, and include fever, watery eyes, coughing and a runny nose. WestMallingGroup Practicewas


among the first to offer advice on its website, saying: “You may be aware that there have been recent outbreaks of measles in Surrey, Liverpool, Leeds and the West Midlands. “The PHE Health Protection


Team in Kent has been notified of the first confirmed measles case in Kent since 2016.Whilst thismay be an isolated case the source of infec- tion is unclear and therefore


healthcare staff are reminded to consider measles in any patient who presents with fever and rash. If measles is suspected please no- tify the case to PHE immediately, advise exclusion for four days from the onset of the rash and ask about any vulnerable contacts.” Some doctors have said as vacci-


nations against measles have slipped below 95% there is always a danger of the virus spreading. Public Health England South


East has urged people to check they are up to datewith two doses of MMR vaccine, particularly the most vulnerable with immune problems, pregnantwomen, and in babies younger than one year. Angeline Walker, PHE South


East Health Protection consultant, said: “Measles is extremely infec- tious. “It is really important that any-


one, even adults, who hasn’t al- ready had two doses of the MMR vaccine contacts their GP surgery to get vaccinated.”


downsmail.co.uk Ashleigh off to America


ASHLEIGH McPherson was only two years old when she started dancing to themusic on the television and radio - now has been chosen to repre- sent England in a competition in America. Nowaged 17, she is amember of Brooks Academy ofDance,whichwas


based in Snodland, and has now moved to Tovil, nearMaidstone. Mum Leanne said: “She was


rocking in her pushchair and al- ways dancing in front of the tel- evision so we were very happy when Susan Brooks took her on.” Ashleigh (right) was eight


when she joined the cheerlead- ing group in the academy called Starlight and has been taking part in competitions all over the country. In Bournemouth last July, she was approached by a coach for Team England Hip Hop and POM who asked her if she would like to audition for TeamEngland. Ashleigh is due to fly to


Florida later this month to bat- tle against teams from all over the world. She attended St Katherine’s Primary School and TheHolmesdale School in Snod- land and now works as a wait- ress at The Bull, East Farleigh, and is studying performing arts and dance at Mid Kent College, Gilling- ham. Brooks Academy of Dance started in Snodland 24 years ago and moved to the Pegasus gyminMaidstone two years ago.


Town Talk


Come along to churches for a


bit of a sing REHEARSALS are due to start for two concerts that have been arranged on the back of a choir’s visit last year. A Bit of a Sing is a collaboration


between Snodland andWatering- bury, building on the success of a visit by a choir fromtheWatering- bury Players for a fundraising event in Snodland. The concerts will be held at


Christ Church, Snodland, at 7.30pm on Saturday, June 9, and St John The Baptist Church, Wa- teringbury at 7.30pmon Saturday, June 23. Jonathan Overell said re-


hearsals would start in both places in April. The programme will include selections from Fid- dler on the Roof, Godspell, Joseph and his Amazing Techni- color Dreamcoat, with a few other items. “The audience will be provided


with lyrics for some of the espe- cially well-known songs, and en- couraged to sing along whenever they wish,” he added. Tickets for the concerts will be


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on 01634 244872 or email jjoverell@btinternet.com.


A SNODLANDmumwhose three- year-old son drowned in a swim- ming pool when the family was on holiday has raised £700 in a sky dive for a charity. Elinor Jones,


from Oxford


Street, is an office administrator at Snodland Town Council. She was born in Cardiff and


worked as a secretary at the Na- tional Audit Office in the Welsh capital. Elinor married her “long-term


sweetheart’ Francis.” She said: "We were soon blessed with a beautiful little boy, Joseph, and life was great.When he was three and a half we decided to take a holiday with some friends and their children and stayed at a villa in Majorca. "It was there that our life turned


upside down.One fatefulmorning the children crept out of the villa to the outside pool, while all the adults were asleep. My little Joe fell in and we were unable to re- vive him. He would have been 21 this year." A few years later, Elinor and


Francis broke up "due to the huge void that was left in our life". She moved to Hartley in Kent in 2003, and met her second love, and had a son, Alfie (11). He attends the Holmesdale School and is a


Survivor’s crop for charity


A WOMAN who was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and lost all her hair through her treatment vowed that when her hair grew she would have it cut off to raise money for charity. Alison Hawkett, of Church


Field, Snodland, organised a Cancer Research disco at Snod- land Working Men's Club when she would have her hair cut, hoping to raise £500. In fact, she raised £2,038.42


for Cancer Research UK, and donated her hair to the Princess Trust, whichmakes wigs for chil- dren who have lost their hair through cancer treatment. Alison’s hair was cut off by


Alexandra Oswald, of Pout Road, Snodland, who works for Rosco’s in Malling Road. Alison also thanked Curt Bromley, the DJ at the disco, who did not


charge for his services. Alison said: “I grew my hair


long enough to put it in a tiny pony tail. It then took me an- other two-and-a-half years to grow it long enough to be cut.” Alison works for Kent County


Council as an Early Help and Preventative Services worker. She has three children, Kassie, Callum and Michael.


budding footballer playing for Snodland Nomads. Elinor worked at Gravesham


Borough Council for eight years before joining Snodland council in June 2016. She said: “I reached the grand


old age of 50 and decided to do a sponsored tandem sky dive at Headcorn in memory of Joe. “It was an amazing experience


and I raised £700 for Cruse Be- reavement Care, and they pro- vided enormous support to me


through my darkest days.” Cruse is a national charity ded-


icated to supporting people strug- gling to deal with bereavement. It offers advice and information through a helpline and website. Locally, the service is managed


by volunteers who give telephone and face-to-face support to clients and raise funds for the service. Elinor is pictured (right) pre-


senting her cheque to Judith Hig- gins, chief executive ofMaidstone & Medway Cruse.


THE chairman of Snodland Town Council PeterMisy has died, aged 59.


andwas taken toMaidstoneHos- pital from his home in Roberts Road, and died soon after. He leaves his wife, Elaine,


daughter and son, Nicola and David, and four grandchildren; Alesha, Alana,Chloe and Jessica. Hewas co-opted on to the town


council in November 2009, was vice-chairman fromMay 2011.He was elected chairman in May 2015. He owned his company, Peter David Associates, planning and design consultants. The chief executive of the coun-


cil, Karen Sowten, said: "Peter had a very in-depth knowledge of Snodland, having grown up and worked in the town. The council


will miss him greatly. His knowl- edge and advice was invaluable. "He was a helpful, kind, caring


and thoughtful man with a great sense of humour. He was always willing to help others. "Our thoughts and prayers are


with hiswife and family at this very sad time."


Tribute to chairman Peter He was suffering from cancer


Local news for Snodland and Halling


A Downs Mail supplement produced in conjunction with the Snodland Chamber of Commerce.


Mum’s skydive raises £700 in son’s memory


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