downsmail.co.uk News X Factor date


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


Thurnham Parish News


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.


Meetings normally held on the third Monday of eachmonth at theMarriott Tudor Park Hotel. Public welcome.


Trees chopped THE cutting back of poplars on the A20 near Caring Lane has caused concern among members. Cllr Mick Wise said he was told by KCC highways personnel that it was to avoid ongoing mainte- nance and to remove rotten trees. Those pollarded should grow back. CllrMichael Stark worried the absence of trees may have an effect in the event of heavy snow and drifting.


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


CHAIRMAN:Daniel Skinner CLERK: Sherrie Babington 01634 867173


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.


Sponsored parish council |News downsmail.co.uk


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-


THURNHAM Parish Council (TPC)has joinedthe chorus of ob- jections to two new schools planned near junction seven of theM20 at theKentMedicalCam- pus (KMC). TheDepartment forEducationhas


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-


identified Pope’s Field on the busy andoftengridlockedBearstedRoad as its only preferred site. The Bearsted Road entrance remains in thescheme,despiteahugeoutpour- ing of local concern about child safety and traffic volumes. Thurn- ham members agreed to publicly backcolleaguesatBoxley- theparish inwhich the application falls -who are also fiercely opposed to the


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


A PLANNING application for five large detached homes with detached double garages off Car- ing Lane has been opposed by parish councilmembers. The proposal, on farm land to


the rear of residential houses, has caused concerns to residentsAlan Pettit, Steve Pickerill and Richard Jacqueswhose properties lie next


scheme in its present form. Thurn- hamis also concerned about the pro- posed relocation of Pope’s Field as a designatednaturereserve. Cllr JohnHorne said the footpaths


areunsuitableforchildrenandparents touse. Headded:“It’sabsolutelyludicrous


tothinkthatyoucanhaveanykindof access at that section of the Bearsted Road.” Pope’sFieldisnotofficiallysetaside


fordevelopment atKMCbut, accord- ingtoboroughcouncillorNickdeWig- gondene, the land“has been soldat a priceDfEdoesn’twanttoturndown”. CllrMichaelStarkechoedtheoverall sentiment, describing the scheme as


Caring Lane proposal


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


to or close by. Borough councillor Nick de Wiggondene, who says he will call the application in, said: “It is contrary to all the land protection policies of the council. It is not an allocated site.” Mr Pettit, a Caring Lane resi-


dent of 34 years, told parish coun- cillors: “This planning application is entirely unsuitable.”


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Connecting with local people


Worry overnewschools


“absolutelyridiculous”. Cllrs Horne and de Wiggondene


metwithKCCleader PaulCarter to outlinetheseriousconcernsheldinthe areawhich he had “heard loud and clear”. The 540pupilprimaryandspecial


needs schoolswillberunbytheLeigh Academies’Trustchain.Therearecon- cerns the number of drop off points willbeinsufficient for thehundredsof carswishing to get onto the site twice aday.TPCmembers resolved to sup- portBoxley’sobjectionsonthegrounds ofaccess,childsafetyandtheremoval of the nature reserve. But they could support schools in that area if access andtraffic issues could be resolved.


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


raised £40,000 for the charity last year.


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.


Nextmeeting THURNHAM Parish Council nextmeets on February 18 at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel, Ash- fordRoad, Thurnham, at 7.30pm. Members of the public are wel- come to attend. Future agenda items may inl-


More donations and customers


cude the continuing issues of traf- fic and parking in Ware Street which remain unresolved.


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