News KMC offices


are approved MAIDSTONE Borough Council has given itself the green light to build a £9.5m commercial office block at KentMedical Campus. Approval from the authority’s


planning committee for the busi- ness support complex, dubbed an innovation centre,means construc- tion should start this autumn. However, architects Bond Bryan


suggest the first tenantswill arrive in the summer of 2021 – a year later than first thought. The borough council says the


four-storey centre, within the North Kent Enterprise Zone, will accommodate small andmedium- size businesses, and be a gateway to theKentMedicalCampus. It an- ticipates the project will generate an estimated £120million for the local economy. Bearsted borough councillor Val


Springett calledfor applicants to be vetted to prove their medical and scientific credentials, in line with the ethos of themedical campus. WilliamCornall, the council’sdi-


rector of regeneration, said: “The innovation centrewill complement the services provided by Kent Medical Campus by establishing Maidstone as a regional hub for in- novation and creativity in the healthcare andmedical sector.” Tony Collins, KMC chairman,


said the development highlights MBC’s belief in the site as “the largest economicdriver for the bor- ough and a major centre for sci- ence, healthcare and education employment”.


Festival help


KENTMS Therapy Centre is urg- ing volunteers to step forward for this year’s Music on the Green in Bearsted on Sunday,August 25. The centre is one of the chosen


charities for this year’s event.Moira Mitchell, head of fundraising, said: “We need volunteers for a range of roles, including eventmarshals.” Volunteerswill get a free ticket to


the festival. Email Moira at mmitchell@kentmstc.org.uk.


Place to land MAIDSTONE Hospital is to open a new 24 hour helipad after a pledge of £300,000 froma specialist fundraising charity. Medics currently use a tempo-


rary landing site but it is frequently waterlogged. The new helipad, says the hospital, will bring a round-the-clock safe landing site back toMaidstone..


14 Maidstone Weald May 2019 Intrepid Sarah’s adventure


SIXTY drivers and passengers (pic- tured above) took to the road for a treasure trail across the Weald for charity – finding clues along the way at villages including Marden andWateringbury. Setting off from the Tickled


Trout public house at West Far- leigh, the intrepid drivers had to follow clues, signs and gather ran- domitems, including a feather, an acorn and a biscuit to find their way back to West Farleigh Sports Club for cake! The jaunt, organised by 21-year-


old Sarah Hunter (pictured right) and her parents Jane and Robert, raised £477 for the architecture


student’s next mission – an as- sault on Everest in September. In- trepid Sarah – who is a former star


pupil at Invicta Girls’ Grammar School in Huntsman Lane – is rais- ing money for Action Against Hunger, which is providing desper- ately needed humanitarian aid to those in war-torn Yemen. Halfway through her four-year


course at Nottingham University, Sarah organised the event for her home leave at half term. She added: “The treasure trail was my dad’s idea. He used to take part when he was younger but found there are few opportunities these days to do it. It proved lots of fun and a greatway to raisemoney for the next part ofmy fund-raising ad- venture.”


downsmail.co.uk


LeedsCastlewelcomes sunny Easter invasion


WALL-to-wall sunshine, a delayed Brexit and 900 years of history drew huge crowds to Leeds Castle this Easter. The attraction’s bosses say


The late Easter break and the


more than 20,000 visitors flocked to the grounds over the bank hol- iday weekend. Good Friday saw the highest


attendance,withmore than 6,000 people through the gate – nearly twice the number expected –with 5,268 on the Saturday (April 20), 4,328 on the Sunday and 4,534 on theMonday. Sarah Codrington, the castle’s


head of marketing, said: “We’re in the business ofmaking people happy, and all the feedback we have received and comments on social media suggest that we’re doing our job.”


soaring temperatures proved a welcome boost for the first public holiday of the year. The ther- mometer peaked at 21 degrees at Leeds during the weekend – the historical average for this time of year is 13 degrees. Early concerns about traffic dis-


ruption caused by cross-Channel delays around Brexit during the castle’s anniversary year were also not realised, with the UK’s departure from the EU post- poned. Sarah said: “Our financial year


runs from April to April and Easter is always very important


to us – it sets the tone for the year. At close to double the numberwe expected, we are absolutely de- lighted.” Investment in TheMaze grill, a


newcrazy golf course and the re- furbishment of the children’s playpark, The Knights’ Strong- hold, also proved to be crowd- pullers. Last year, Easter was a chal-


lenging time at the castle, which was built in 1119 by Robert de Crevecoeur. With the bank holi- day falling weeks earlier and with heavy rain the entiremonth, numberswere down to little over 7,500.


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