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X Factor date CQC’s ‘good’


X FACTOR star Louisa Johnson has been lined-up to headline the Big Day Out to be held in Maid- stone in July. The singer, best known for the hit


Best Behaviour, will take the stage at Mote Park on July 1. She announced the gig on Twit-


ter, saying: “Big news! I’ll be head- lining the @BigDayOutUK Festival in Maidstone this July! Can’t wait to see you all there.” Also on the bill are Diversity,


who won Britain’s Got Talent, and girl band Atomic Kitten, who have Kerry Katona in their line-up. Louisa (19) won the X Factor in


2015, after singing with mentor Rita Ora in the final.


Hospice run


Assault case A MAIDSTONE woman has been charged with wounding after an al- leged stabbing in Shepway. Nicola Goslitski (40), of Sutton


THEcare given to thosewithphys- ical and learning difficulties at a residential home in Bearsted has received an across-the-board ‘good’ rating from a government inspector. The Care Quality Com- mission’s report follows a visit to Caretech Community Services in Church Lane. The inspector noted that theprevious rating of the serv- ice was good, and that this had continued, describing the culture as “caring, open and inclusive”. The report noted: “People felt


staff were kind and caring, their privacy and dignity respected and their choice of lifestyle. “Where possible, people were


aware of their care plans andwere involved in reviews.”


Road,was arrested after policewere called to a report of an assault in Westmorland Road on Sunday, April 30. Officerswere told that two women had made theirway to hos- pital with arm injuries. They are be- lieved to have known the suspect. Goslitski has been charged with


two counts of wounding with in- tent and one of possessing a knife in a public place.


HEART ofKentHospice is recruit- ing athletes for the Maidstone Road Run 2019. The event, sched- uled forMarch 10, will have three routes – a half marathon, 10k and 5k fun run – around Boughton Monchelsea, Linton, and sur- rounding villages. For details, visit w w w . h o k h . o r g / events/detail/maidstone-road-run- 2019.


Princess Royal meets charity shop workers


THE PRINCESS Royal received a warm welcome from charity vol- unteers when she visited the Save The Children shop in Maidstone. Acrowd of onlookerswaited out-


side the store in Union Street to see Princess Anne. She was greeted by dignitaries including the Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Derek Butler, the charity’s retail manager Cheryl Adams and voluntary shop leader, Karen Elphick, before going inside to meet shop workers. The Princess, who has been presi-


dent of the charity since the 1970s, spoke of her appreciation of the con- tribution the shop makes to the work of the charity at home and abroad. She also presented certificates to Dennis Foad, Brenda Harris and Sylvia Thomas in honour of their long service to the charity. Seven-year-old Daisy, the daugh-


AT just one year old, Buzz the cocker spaniel is officially the county’s youngest fire crew trainee. The playful nipper, recruited


into Kent’s elite Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit, has been kit- ted out with a working-at-height safety harness, flotation vest, and protective boots. And colleagues at Maidstone


Fire Station in Loose Road have even given him a climate-con- trolledvan,withaK9 call-sign, and photographic identity badge. But while animal lovers across


ter of shop volunteer LoraMaxwell, presented the Princess Anne with a posy and a card she had made. The card had a picture of a horse be- cause Daisy had researched on the internet and found that the Princess


the borough will be cooing at the sight of the puppy, Tovil-based Kent Fire and Rescue Service bosses point out that he isdestined for serious life-saving. Hewill be trained to hunt down


casualties trapped in wreckage, collapsed buildings and confined spaces, both in theUKandabroad. Handler, USAR technical rescue technician Andy Parks, pictured


Puppy Buzz in training for life-saving duties


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promise for the future. “Buzz can now respond to a


range of signals. “The next step is to get him to


focus on specific tasks, in the face ofmultiple distractions, and to fol- low visual instructions to prepare himfor working in noisy, and po- tentially chaotic places.” Andy and Buzz have already


The Princess Royal is greeted by Cheryl Adams, the mayor and Karen Elphick


loved animals. Among the dozens of onlookers


who watched the Princess depart was 88-year-old BettyWarren who hadwaited for nearly an hour to see her andwas given a chair and a cup of tea outside the shop. The charity shop opened in Union


Street in 1980 when the building was bought for £12,000. Thirty- seven years later, its success contin- ues, with the volunteers having


here with Buzz, said: “Buzz has plenty of energy and a very good temperament. His playful and in- quisitive qualitiesprovide the ideal foundation for learning. He loves his ball which is his reward when he doeswhat is asked of him. “We are working on honing his


searchcompetencies, adding indif- ferent distractions and environ- ments, and he is showing much


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Connecting with local people


visited counterparts in Scotland to train for at-height emergencies, and Essex to acclimatise to boat transfers. Buzz has also spent time with


raised £40,000 for the charity last year.


the county’s canine cops at the Kent Police dog unit, for familiari- sation and socialisation exercises. When not on shift, dog and han-


More donations and customers


are alwayswelcome at the tiny shop which is packed with goods ranging from clothing, children’s items, kitchen ware and a collector’s cor- ner. There is also a “wanted board” for people who are looking for something in particular and the vol- unteers will keep an eye out for them.


dler live togetherwith Buzz’s two- year-oldbrotherMax, andBramble a 13-year-old springer spaniel. A spokesman for KFRS said:


“Providing he continues to re- spond so well to training, Buzz is expected to graduate by autumn 2019.”


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