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exploratory work for a relief road is a reflection of who we are today. The fact that this work should have been undertaken 40 years ago is demonstration enough that the structures of our British democracy are poor; our local politicians are not fit for purpose either. KCC should be acquiring land rights
along the M20; Kent Highways should be starting to build contingency car parks near our towns en route to Dover; these car parks will need mini-services or nearby access to them should Calais/Dover freeze-over sometime next year. There’s no point looking to Westminster
for help as they are in their own soup. Is there anyone out there with a thought of what might happen - anyone shouting and screaming? Surely Mr Fowle’s comments concerning
Brexit are about Britain not messing around; he is seeking that inner roar again! Westminster should give Northern Ireland
another vote to choose between EU and UK as should Scotland. Britain cannot afford to have half the “country” pulling in the other direction. Mrs May is trying to hang onto the wind;
if Britain falls down the cracks next April, those in Northern Ireland and Scotland will be the first to say what they think of Westminster. The Government's “fudge” white paper
demonstrates that our politicians can't decide what future we want. International businesses can’t afford to wait around. Our brave new world will not wait
around either if we can't negotiate to trade pencils. let alone our skilled services. It is EU or UK we want to hang onto, but
we dare not pose the question. Richard Maryan, via email
Map clues to village name
I REFER to your most recent le�ers’ page and your correspondent John Hughes’ remarks about the pronunciation of Bearsted. I have an 1819 Ordnance Survey map of
the Maidstone area and it is quite clearly spelt “Bersted” while Ulcombe is “Ulcomb” and Hollingbourne is “Hollingbourn”. John Dixon, Downswood
Support our local hospice
IN LETTERS to Downs Mail, July 2018, Min Stackpoole is correct to draw a�ention to the Hospice in the Weald charity shop in West Malling. However the days of hospices respecting
boundaries in seeking much-needed funds are in the past. The charity world has become
increasingly competitive and every effort is needed to raise the income to sustain the viability of our hospices. Both Heart of Kent Hospice and Hospice
in the Weald provide an excellent and caring service to their communities. Heart of Kent is in a significantly less well-
off area of Kent; Hospice in the Weald has the conurbations of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, and Tunbridge Wells in which to raise funds; Heart of Kent’s only large town is Maidstone and thus suffers a disadvantage. What is not generally known is the
difference in wealth of the the two hospices. The Charity Commission web site indicated that at the end of the financial year to 31 March, 2017, Hospice in the Weald has assets of over £12 million in long term investments, a further £4.6 million in “own use assets”, and another £3.4 million in “other assets”. A total of approximately £20 million. In comparison, Heart of Kent Hospice’s
assets at the end of March 2017 were zero long-term investments, £3.8 million in “own use assets”, and another £890,000 in “other assets”. A total of less than £5 million. Hospice in the Weald’s turnover is in the
region of £9 million, Heart of Kent’s is approximately £4-5 million, a real challenge with low reserves. It’s tough out there and I would urge
everyone to support Heart of Kent Hospice and its shop in West Malling. They need and deserve our support. Richard Jones, Mereworth
Check car park barrier
KNOWING of your keen interest in ma�ers relating to Maidstone hospital, you may wish to publicise the fact that before paying the parking charge on a Sunday, it’s worth checking to see if one of the exit barriers is permanently raised.
Had I done this last weekend, I would
have saved £6. I have since checked the list of charges
displayed at the ticket machines and there is no mention of there being no charge on Sundays. This smacks of sharp practice. If the raised barrier is not a regular feature,
surely the machines can be switched off when it is, with an explanatory notice at the machines giving the good news. If it is a permanent practice then it should
be displayed on the list of charges. Ron Lee, Heath Road
Leaving children alone
WHILE the summer months bring warm weather, light evenings and the long school holidays, they also bring a dilemma for parents – when is it the right time to leave their child home alone? There’s no set age for leaving children
home alone. The law simply says that you shouldn’t leave a child alone if they’ll be at risk. Last August the NSPCC helpline had to
refer 849 children to social services and the police, due to worries about them being left unsupervised. To help parents decide what is best for
their child, the NSPCC is offering guidance. The main points to consider are: Babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone. Children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope in an emergency. Children under the age of 16 should not be left overnight. Regardless of age, a child shouldn’t be left home alone if they don’t feel comfortable with it. If a child has additional needs, these should be considered when leaving them on their own or with an older sibling. When leaving a younger child with an older sibling, think about what might happen if they were to have a falling out – would they both be safe? To find out more, download the
NSPCC’s free Home Alone Guide at h�ps://
bit.ly/2OdebQt or call the NSPCC helpline for free and confidential advice on 0808 800 5000. Colin Peak, NSPCC
The five editions of the Downs Mail are delivered to 90% of households in the Maidstone and Malling area, reaching over 190, 000 readers every month.
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