News


Organ donors urged to tell their families


WITH 15 people from the Malling area on the waiting list for life- saving transplant surgery, an ap- peal has gone out formore families to discuss theirwishes to donate. Latest figures released showthat


66 people in Kent have died wait- ing for a transplant in the last five years,with up to five of themfrom theMalling district. NHS Blood and Transplant says


that while more people are donat- ing,more need to tell their families of their wish to save lives. Last year, the lives of 10 people


from the Malling and Tonbridge areawere saved by a transplant. There are now about 6,000 peo-


plewaiting for an organ transplant across the UK, says the service, with kidneys the most frequently given and themost needed. Last year, nationally, 2,379 kid-


neys were transplanted from de- ceased donors and 1,023 from living donors,with awaiting list of 4,780. Hearts are the least fre- quently transplanted – 197 last year – but the waiting list is currently 284 and growing. AnthonyClarkson, ofNHS Blood


and Transplant, said: “Organ dona- tion legislationwill be changing to a deemed consent system, but people are dying right now waiting for an organ. “Please let your family know


your decision and ask themif they want to be donors. Don’t leave them guessing what you would havewanted to happen.” To register, visit www.orgando- nation.nhs.uk.


£300mpot for


station access TRAIN users are being urged to nominate their station for accessi- bility improvements to assist dis- abled passengers, as well as those with heavy luggage or pushchairs. A pot of £300m has been allo-


cated by the Government for step- free access at stations, including lifts, subways and bridges. Southeastern is asking passen-


gers, stakeholders and mobility groups to nominate their local sta- tions for the government funding, available from2019-2024. Aspokesman said said: “Most of


the railway was built in the 19th century, and they didn’t design their stations to be as accessible as passengers expect today.” Nominate your


station at


www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/south easternrailway by Sunday, Sep- tember 30.


4 Malling September 2018


downsmail.co.uk


Fly infestation ‘driving residents to distraction’


THE Environment Agency (EA) says mystery still surrounds a fly infestation sweepingWestMalling.


Residents have been urged to


continue reporting the influx of in- sects to the EA, which says a weekly audit of the practices at the council’s composting site near KingsHill has failed to link it to the source of the problem. It follows dozens of complaints


from residents, who say the fly in- vasion is “driving them to distrac- tion”. Barbara Earl (pictured),who has


lived inWestMalling for 44 years, 32 of themat her current address in Epsom Close, said: “I’ve never known the problem so bad. There are six crawling up the wall as I’m talking to you on the telephone. “At first, I thought I was just un-


lucky, but talking to my neigh- bours and someone in St Leonard’s Street, it seems everyone’s being driven crazy by the problem, with these small black flies collecting on computer screens and anything light coloured.” Another resident, from Church-


fields, was unsure of the cause of the problem, but said there had been a noticeable and unpleasant increase in the insects. Both Mrs Earl and MP Tom Tu-


gendhat,who is aware of the prob- lem, believe the source to be Blaise Farm’s recycling depot off the A228. Mr Tugendhat said: “The photos


I have seen of full fly traps speak volumes.While this has happened before, the number of flies that


have appeared this year is un- precedented. There is nothing pleasant about flies invading your home and I’m concerned so many have suddenly appeared.” He thanked staff at Blaise Farm


forworkingwith the EA to control any potential problems. Meanwhile, an EA spokesman


said several visits to the site had shown working practices were compliantwith its licence, suggest- ing the flies could be coming from


elsewhere. She added: “Our previous audit


was in connection to Blaise Farm, but as they are currently compliant with their permitwe cannot attrib- ute the current fly issue to them and it could be coming frommulti- ple sources in the local area.” She encouraged anyone with a


fly problemto call the agency’s 24- hour hotline on 0800 807060, adding that investigations would continue if the problempersisted.


Sports centre backs fund-raising effort


STAFF at K Sports at Cobdown leapt at the chance to help a fund-raising teamclock up themiles for charity. The centre in Aylesford handed a


week’s free membership to the team from Fastsigns who volun- teered to walk, cycle, row and run in the national Goes the Extra Mile challenge for The Simon Cooper Foundation. With the help of the sports team,


three members of staff from the sign and graphics company in Bir- cholt Road,Maidstone,managed to more than double their target, clock- ing up 100.52miles in four days. Themoney raised for the founda-


tion at the company’s 16 centres stands, so far, at nearly £3,500.


The foundation supports the fam-


ilies of those with cancer, cystic fi- brosis and life-limiting conditions. Muhannad Ziyadah,managing di-


rector at Fastsigns Maidstone, said: “We knew the challenge would be


K Sports head of marketing Charlotte Richardson with FastsignsMD Muhannad Ziyadah and staff Christian Jeffery and Sam Bridgen


difficult, and made sure we were ready with lots of limbering up and prepping! Of course, our legs are sore but it was absolutely worth it – we’re thrilled with the number of miles we’ve covered.”


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