downsmail.co.uk


Axed taxi scheme hits ‘most disadvantaged’


THE axing of a £50,000 scheme which helped hundreds ofMaid- stone’s most vulnerable people has come under fire. As of April 1, Maidstone Bor-


ough Council has stopped giving funding to Age UK Maidstone, which administered the Disability Travel Voucher (DTV) scheme. The scheme was aimed at resi-


dentswho are too ill or disabled to make essential journeys on public transport. MBCblames central government


cuts and firstmade the decision to axe theDTV inMarch 2017. Independent borough council-


lor, Eddie Powell, said: “TheMBC leadership managed to find £50,000 to attempt a doomedHigh Court judicial review against an- other local authority, yet takes away funds from the very people who are the fabric of our society.” An 88-year-old Loose woman,


who has arthritis and is partially sighted, asked her son to reapply


for her vouchers, only to discover the scheme had ended. Thewoman,who askednot to be


named, told Downs Mail: “I am fortunate in having the means to make other arrangements, but I feel formany,many otherswhodo not and saw this excellent scheme as a lifeline.Nowit has been taken away. It is a great, great pity.”


MBC contracted the service out


to Age UK Maidstone, which printed off the vouchers and ad- ministered the scheme before billing the council. Successful ap- plicants received £70 in vouchers, valid for a year, to usewith partic- ipating taxi and community trans- port organisations. Chairman ofAgeUKMaidstone


BryanVizzard(pictured) said: “We did urge the borough council to think again andmade the case for keeping the scheme, but the deci- sion had already been made at committee level. “My feeling is that the scheme


probably needed some sort of re- view, butwe are seeing the loss of a valuable service to themost disad- vantagedmembers of society.” MBC said it had taken the deci-


sion to remove the grants after con- sidering the scheme andbudgets at two committees – Policy and Re- sources, and Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation.


News Nathan back


on his bike WHEN Nathaniel Hurley (12) outgrew his tricycle wheelchair, he faced immobility – but now Maidstone has united to help him. Nathaniel, of Lombardy Drive,


Maidstone, suffers from quadri- plegic cerebral palsy and, for the last six years, has depended on his specialised tricycle for life out- side his home. He nowneeds a larger trike, but


the £4,000 cost of a replacement was unaffordable for his family. However, when the Rotary


Club ofMaidstone was alerted, it led to a teameffort among fellow service clubs and a town charity. Now the two Rotary clubs of


Maidstone and Maidstone River- side, Maidstone Lions and the Bennett Paine Trust (through Maidstone solicitors Brachers) have each contributed £750 to add to the £1,000 put up by Nathaniel’s family. The manufacturers agreed to


supply within six weeks and the tricycle was due to be handed over to Nathaniel as DownsMail went to press.


Business Focus Denture care to make you smile


SB Denture Design Ltd (formerly known as SB Dental Laboratory) are now pleased to offer our services directly to the public. SB was founded in 1989, producing quality denture work for dentists in Maidstone and the surrounding areas. Since then Steve, the founder of SB Denture


Design has been clinically trained so we are able to provide our services directly to you. He gained further clinical qualifications at the University of Central Lancashire (with merit) and this enables him to treat patients directly thus alleviating the need to visit the dentist for the impressions, denture try in and the fitting of the dentures. Any necessary after care would be provided by us as well. With over 25 years of experience in


manufacturing all styles of dental appliances, we can now hand craft your dentures for you from start to finish. By dealing directly with the technician who will make your dentures we can tailor your prosthesis to your own personal individual requirements. Using only the highest quality materials and all


the latest technologies you are guaranteed a product of the very highest standard. From


T: 01622 766077 E: steve@sbdentures.co.uk W: www.sbdentures.co.uk


repairs and adjustments through to new sets we can offer a complete denture care service. Although the work is done ‘in house’ with


partial dentures and other more complex cases we work closely with the dentist. It is essential that the health of any remaining teeth are checked out before denture construction. This is necessary to ensure the prosthesis is a long term solution. We can accept referrals from you own dentist or we can arrange an appointment with one of our dental colleagues at your first appointment. Having the laboratory on the premises reduces


the waiting time for some services, some services like repairs can even be done while you wait. It is also an advantage as some larger adjustments can be done in house We pride ourselves in making sure everyone we


treat is happy with the product we produce and want our patients to have the confidence that their denture has been constructed with the utmost care and using only quality materials. Our aim is to make people comfortable with our treatment and confident with our product.


SB Denture Design Ltd 2 Wallis Avenue Maidstone,


Kent ME15 9DX Maidstone May 2019 21


SB Denture Design Ltd offer FREE consultations and can advise you on the best denture options available.


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