search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
News


downsmail.co.uk Fears for racer injured at TT


AMAIDSTONE bike racer is facing an uncertain future after being seriously injured in a crash at the Isle ofMan TT.


Steve Mercer, pictured, was hurt


in a head-on collision with a safety car during qualifying for the event onMay 30, and had to be airlifted to hospital. Afundraising page has nowbeen


set up for the 36-year-old father-of- two,who is in the critical careward atAintreeHospital in Liverpool. The page had an initial target of


£5,000, but exceeded that in double- quick time. His wife Caroline said: “No-one


can predict what the future holds for Steve. We just have to give it time, but I want to be able to give him everything I can that he needs to aid his recovery or make him


more comfortable. In addition to fundraising online, we will also be auctioning some items off.” Mercer was driving back to the


pits at reduced speed after the ses- sion had been red flagged when he was in collisionwith the car. An investigation is ongoing as to


how the incident happened, but Mercer suffered a fractured larynx and pelvis, has 5cm of femur miss- ing, a broken ankle and a broken heel. He has also damaged his back


and suffered a brain injury, the ex- tent ofwhich is not yet known. The accident happened on the same night that fellow rider Dan


Kneen died in a crash at the annual TT event on the Isle ofMan. There have been a number of


messages of support for theMercer family andCaroline added: “Thank you all somuch for yourmessages. “I haven’t been able to reply to


themall, but please knowI’mwork- ing my way through them and reading them to Steve when he’s awake. “Itmeans a great deal to all of us


to knowthat somany people care so deeply about Steve’s progress and recovery.” The


fundraising page


www.justgiving.com/crowdfund- ing/stevemercerofficial.


Monique shines at Herbalist launch


THE county town’s newest place to meet and eat, The Herbalist, was officially opened by a celebrated actor, theMaidstoneMayor and an even bigger star – the owner’s mum! French-born Monique Chaussy is


Hydration help


in newbooklet A MAIDSTONE couple have pro- duced a booklet on the need to en- sure hospital patients are properly hydrated. John and Catherine Ashenfelter


decided to act after Mrs Ashenfel- ter’smumHazel Turner died at the age of 86. She died at the William Harvey


Hospital in September 2015 andfail- ings in her medication and nutri- tional carewere later uncovered. Mrs Ashenfelter said: “I believe


thatmore failings should have been found, especially with hydration. My mother, who was diabetic, was unnecessarily denied a drink for a week andhadIVfluidreducedafter blood tests came back as dehy- drated.” Thepairproducedthe booklet,No


Hydration No Life, which includes photos of foodanddrink for hungry andthirstypatients topoint to. It has been illustrated by Mr Ashenfelter, who is head of art at Maidstone Grammar School for 17 years, and has been endorsed by formerMaid- stoneMPAnnWiddecombe. The booklet can be obtained by


writing to 20DickensClose,Langley ME17 1TB or available to freely download atwww.thegracecharity- forme.org/hazel-and-the-lcp


22 Maidstone July 2018


pictured here cutting the ribbon at the Pudding Lane venue alongside former EastEnders and Extras star Barry Williamson and Cllr David Naghi onMay 25. Mme Chaussy’s son, Martial, has


built up a portfolio of successful restaurant businesseswhich include the recently-opened Potting Shed in Langley. A spokesman for The Herbalist,


which offers a wide range of food and drinks encapsulating a variety of influences, said: “It was a very special opening. Not only did we have Shaun and David here to help launch the venture,we also had the owner’s mum Monique, which made it very special.”


is


The spokesman said that the new


restaurant – which also aims to be a coffee house for afternoon cus-


tomers – had received “very positive feedback” from customers and the business “is doing very well”.


Your views invited on rural transport


THE public are invited to give their views on radical plans to re-shape theway rural public transport is de- livered in the area. The provision, management and


funding of this vital link will all go under the microscope at 11 public meetings across Kent. Over the last 30 years, KCC has


funded some rural routes which, while not commercially viable, have been considered important to meet the needs of communities and pas- sengers. KCC cabinet member for trans-


port, Mike Whiting, says the county council’s objective is to maintain and, where possible, im- prove rural accessibility for those without othermeans of transport. It has launched its Big Conversa-


tionprogramme to explorepotential opportunities for rural transport services; the possible integration of existing transportwith the commer- cial network; and using technology to transformaccess to the service. CllrWhiting said: “Wewant to ex-


plore how we can improve connec- tivity for our rural residents and


assess the viability of offeringdiffer- ent kinds of services. “We would like residents, parish


councils, andoperators to offer ideas and feedback.” CllrWhiting added: “We’ll then


beworkingwith transport andtech- nology providers to look at howwe can develop newways of delivering rural transport.” The public meeting in our region


will be at County Hall, in the Lec- ture Theatre at Sessions House, CountyRoad,Maidstone, onThurs- day, July 19 from7-9pm.


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  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48