News Crash rescue


A MAN was cut free from his car following a collision on theM20. Fire crewswere called to a crash


on June 7 involving one car on the M20London-boundbetween junc- tion 5 for Blue Bell Hill and junc- tion 4 for Leybourne. A spokesman for Kent Fire and


Rescue said: "Three fire engines at- tended and crews used hydraulic rescue equipment to remove the car roof and release aman trapped inside.Hewas passedinto the care of SECAmb paramedics.


Cafe sessions


THOSE aged over 65 are invited to grab a cuppa with new friends at MaidstoneMuseum. The drop-in session in the cafe is


from10.30-11.30am. Entitled Café Culture, the ses-


sions arenowa regular event at the St Faith’s Street museum (last Fri- day of themonth). The sessions are free to attend


and no booking required. For details call 01622 602853.


Historywalk


IF you have ever wanted to know more about the history of Maid- stone’sMotePark, then an evening walkwith an expert could provide youwith the answers to all of your questions. The chairman of the Mote Park


Fellowship will lead the guided tour around the park – lasting around 2.5 hours – fromthe café at 7pm, onMonday, June 24. To book your £3 ticket, go to www.moteparkfellowship.org.uk.


Vote on art


MAIDSTONE Art Society’s Sum- mer Exhibition is unveiled at The CountyGallery,CountyHall, from Saturday, June 29. Visitorswill have an opportunity


to vote for their favourite piece of work.


downsmail.co.uk


Damwork to prevent flooding facing delay


ANOPERATIONto reinforce a high-risk 140mdaminMote Parkwill not begin until nextApril.


Councillors on Maidstone’s


planning committeehave giventhe green light for thework after being told thewalls do notmeetmodern safety standards, and the conse- quence of their failure are “amajor concern”. But with the tendering process


unlikely to start until August, the borough’splanning officerspredict their efforts to safeguard Turkey Mill and housing along the River Len from flooding won’t be com- plete untilOctober 2020. Thework,which is likely to take


up to six months, will involve felling 30 trees in the park, exca- vating large amounts of earth to re-


pair the sluice gates, adda back-up spillway to relieve pressure on the dam, build a new wave wall, and raise ground levels. The dam wall is part of the


park’s 12-hectare reservoir, which holds 200,000m3 of water back fromcentralMaidstone. Built in the early 1800s, the coun-


cil says the crucial repairs will bring it in line with the safety re- quirements laid down by the ReservoirsAct 1975. However,despite the urgency of


the operation, councillors say im- pact on wildlife will be kept to a minimum,with contractors ensur- ing tree felling is outside the nest-


ing season, andmigrating fish and river snails are taken into account. The borough’s planning com-


mitteewas in agreement thatwhile appreciating the “extensive im- pact” the work will have on the park, and its visual appearance and biodiversity, all trees lost will be replaced, with screening of the site and wild meadow seeding in harder areas to reach. Acouncil report says: “Assuming


allwent to plan, treeswould be re- moved from September 2019 to February 2020 to avoidbirdnesting season, and construction would start in April 2020 with a view to completion byOctober 2020.”


Early finish for grammar school


STUDENTS atMaidstoneGrammar School will finish class 10 minutes early fromnext term. The governing body of the school


in Barton Road has agreed the final bellwill sound at 3.20pminstead of 3.30pm from September. Parents have been notified of the change. Aschool spokesmanadded: “After


careful considerationwithstaff,gov- ernors and some parents, the gov- erning body has agreed that the school daywill change.” The lunch breakwill be shortened


by 10minutes to accommodate the earlier finish time. Changes to the catering service have improved the speed of service. The spokesman said: “There are a number of aspects of the school,


particularlywith teaching and learn- ing,wewish to develop, so the extra 10 minutes a day will create more frequentblocksof timewhichcanbe used to deliver staff training.” The earlier finish will also allow


time for after school activities. The spokesman confirmed:


“These changes will not impact on the learning hours children receive.” The school,whose head teacher is


Mark Tomkins, earned a good Of- sted report in January but made clear it wants to improve areas, in- cluding teaching to achieve an “out- standing” rating.


Birthday honours for local community heroes


THREE people fromthe area have hadtheir service to the community recognised by the Queen in her BirthdayHonours List. Maidstone auctioneer Clive


Emson and Jim Findlay, from Hollingbourne, weremadeMBEs, andMolly Poulter, from Ulcombe receives a British EmpireMedal. Eighty-six-year-old Molly Poul-


ter (pictured) plans to wear a £20 cream dress she bought from a charity shopwhen she receives her medal.


20 20 Maidstone July 2019 Maidstone July 2019 Shewas adriving force in raising


the money to build the Heart of KentHospice inAylesford. She is a leadingmember of village life, set- ting up the playgroup, history so- ciety and the friends group for Ulcombe Church. Former stockbroker Jim Findlay


said the honour was flattering. He has used his financial skills to help charities including the Meadows Trust, ofwhich hewas a founding member, to buy land in the village to safeguard it from development.


He also sat on finance committees forMaidstoneGirls’Grammar and theCanterburyDiocese. Clive Emson (72) has been an


auctioneer in the area for 30 years. He earned hisMBE for his volun- tary work for charities including the Young Lives Foundation, of which he was the founding chair- man.The charity provides support and befriending services to young people. He described the award as “an


honour”.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40