News
downsmail.co.uk ‘Our brightest star has gone’
AHEARTBROKENdad has paid tribute to his five-year-old son,whowas found dead alongwith hismother at Beachy Head, a notorious suicide spot. Cheryl Tompsett (42) and her son
Cheryl had also specialised in be-
Leo, both from Loose, were found by emergency crews early onMon- day, June 18. Leo’s bodywas found on a ledge
half way down the cliff near East- bourne, East Sussex, while his mother, who worked as a wellbe- ing and bereavement counsellor, was found on the beach. The youngster’s grief-stricken fa-
ther paid an emotional tribute to his beloved son. Police confirmed that they are in-
vestigating the incident, but are not looking for anyone else in connec- tionwith the deaths. In a statement, Leo’s unnamed
father said: “With more sadness and hurt than anyone can imagine, our precious Leo, who was our shining light, our brightest star has had his life cut short. “Wemiss himan amount beyond
what anyone else can imagine and would request that our privacy is respected at this difficult time.” There was no mention of Leo’s
Signs staff to help charity
STAFF from Maidstone sign and graphics firm Fastsigns are to take part in aweek of sports in aidofThe Simon Cooper Foundation. The foundation was launched by
Simon Cooper, whose parents Paul and Angela Cooper own Fastsigns. It supports those livingwith cancer, cystic fibrosis and life-limiting con- ditions. Simon, who had cystic fibrosis
and cancer, died in July 2016. Staff at the centre in BircholtRoad
have pledged to run, walk or cycle to achieve a collective target of 720 miles in 17weeks. Donations can be made at Fast-
signs’ VirginMoneyGiving page at
https://bit.ly/2urK1Dj
Austen night
MAKE the most of the summer in Maidstone with a theatrical per- formance under the stars at the GreatDanesHotel,Maidstone. The Chapterhouse Theatre Com-
pany will perform Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility on Sunday, July 29. Entry is from 3pm for a 4pm start. A barbecue and bar will be available, or guests can take picnics. Tickets are £16 (adults), £10 (chil-
24 Maidstone August 2018
mother in the statement. Despite earlier reports, Sussex
Police said there was no evidence to suggest Leowas disabled. Cheryl Tompsett was an “emo-
tional wellbeing specialist” for Ashford-based charity CXK. Pauline Smith, CXK chief execu- tive, said: “We are shocked and
saddened by the news and we would like to send the family our sympathies.” Detective Inspector Simon Dunn
of Sussex Police, said no one else was involved in the tragedy and detectives were in the process of piecing together the last moments of their lives.
reavement counselling for both children and adults and worked with the mental health charity, MIND. According to her LinkedIn pro-
file, she had a “passion forworking with clients both young and old on the autistic spectrum”. Cheryl delivered bereavement
special workshops for young peo- ple. It was reported she had also re-
cently set up her own private prac- tice in Maidstone where she accepted referrals. Lifeboats and a rescue helicopter
were scrambled at about 6am on June 18 after reports of thewoman a child going over the cliff-top. A Vauxhall Corsa, believed to
have been found at the scene, is being investigated by police in con- nectionwith the deaths. The tragedy came just days after
three bodies were recovered from the base of the famous cliffs near Eastbourne.
Geing tough
on recycling MAIDSTONE Borough Coun- cil is planning to train all its household refuse collection crews to help residents recycle correctly – and give reasons why bins cannot be emptied. This is part of the waste and
Join donor list and save lives
FIGURES show48 people fromKentmade the ultimate gift of life last year by leaving their organs to patients awaiting a transplant operation. The highest number of donors (1,574)was recorded in theUK for the pe-
riod, with a 109%increase seen in Kent over the last 10 years. The report from the NHS Blood and Transplant service welcomes the
growing support for organ donation, but says there remains a shortage, with about three people a day losing their life to organ failure and 121 people in Kent on the transplant waiting list. The report also shows how our ageing population means the average
age of potential donors has increased – in Kent it is now 53. Sally Johnson, NHS director of organ donation and transplantation, is
appealing formore people to let their families know they wish to donate. She added: “Many people over the age of 50 don’t join the NHS organ
donor register or tell their families theywant to donate because they don't think their organs could help other people. “People in older age groups can still save and transform lives through
organ and tissue donation, and we need as many people as possible to support donation.” Formore details go to
www.organdonation.nhs.uk.
recycling strategybeing consid- ered for 2018-2023, which also includes enforcementmeasures requiring separation of recy- cling in flats and tackling those who are “repeatedly misusing recycling services”. Other proposals include:
Seeking to understand barriers to capturing more recycling through engagement with residents, community groups and housing trusts;
A focus on separate collection of textiles for re-use and recycling to reduce the amount disposed of unnecessarily and incorrectly in waste and mixed recycling collections;
Sending new residents a welcome pack telling them how to use their bins so that they start off on the right track.
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