News Big cat story


atmuseum LET the lionwithin you loose at a special evening event at Maid- stoneMuseum. The team from The Big Cat


Sanctuary at Smarden will be at the venue in St Faith’s Street to talk about their beautiful charges and conservation work from 6- 9pmon June 27. As part of the evening, visitors


will have free entry to the mu- seum’s Endangered and Extinct exhibition. This is one of a series of night-


time events being held on the last Thursday of the month. On these special evenings, the museum doors are open until 9pm. Tickets (over 18s only) are £10


and include a Big Cat cocktail or soft drink alternative.


Car defective


A MERCEDES car was seized in Maidstone for having no insur- ance and an expired licence. Police spotted the black Mer-


cedes at about 12.20pmon June 6 at a location near the A20 Cold- harbour roundabout. The driver told police theywere


on theirway to anMOT test. On further inspection, officers


noticed the car had deflated tyres and a crackedwindscreen.


Just laughs


COMEDIAN Andrew Lawrence takes a break from Live at The Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Roadshow to take to the stage in Maidstone. He will be at The Hazlitt The-


atre, in Earl Street, on Friday, June 21, and is promising his showwill contain “No politics. No religion. No smut.No swearing. Just great jokes.” The show,whichwill take place


in the Exchange Studio, starts at 8pm. Tickets are £15.50. Call 01622 758611.


Cheesy date


CHEESE Fest is back in Maid- stone for the second year running – returning to the county show- ground at Detling. Featuring the latest in flavours


from street food traders and arti- san vendors, visitorswill have the chance to try and buy cheese from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, June 22.


24 Maidstone July 2019


downsmail.co.uk


Diversity celebrated in preparations forMela


PREPARATIONS have nowstarted for theMaidstoneCommunityMela, which comes to the county town this summer. The multi-cultural event will


take place at Whatman Park be- tween 12.30pm and 6pm on Sun- day, July 14. There will be an exciting pro-


gramme of culturally diverse acts performing on and off stage, in- cludingUkulear Fallout, theMaid- stone Nepalese Community Group, the Maidstone Malayalee Group, Phase 5 Steel Band, Folkin Fusion Drumming Collective, Kitka Bulgarian Folk Dance, rap act Bando Black aswell as theChi- neseDancing Lions (pictured). The Community Mela will be


headlined by renowned tribute act The Motown Kings, who will be performingDetroit’s anthems. Funding has been themain issue


for the Mela since 2016, but after months of hard work finance has been secured from Arts Council England, Maidstone Borough Council, Golding Homes and, most recently, from 2BS Manage- ment Systems. Melaproducer,Gurvinder Sand-


her said: “I amreally excited about this year’sMaidstone Community


Mela. It is very close to my heart as it is our longest running event and, tome, it is about bringing the communities of the borough to- gether, celebrating our shared val- ues and the positive community relationswe enjoy. “Working in partnership with


theMaidstoneCulturalGroup,we are really pleased with the artistic programme, both on and off stage this year, and we really think it’s our best yet. Finally, I amincredi-


Massage title bid


MAIDSTONE’s Jackie Munoz has been entered in the world massage championships. She will be competing in Copenhagen against therapists from as far


afield asHong Kong,Hungary and theUkraine in a bid to take the title on June 22-23. Proving that aches and pains are


a worldwide complaint, the event is organised by The International Massage Associate to develop im- proved techniques around the globe. Jackie (48) has been a masseuse for 33 years, beginning her studies as a hobby. She said: “I used to surf, so most


people I used to treat were ath- letes”. For five years, she was the official


masseuse for the InternationalCen- tre ofWindsurf in Pozo Izquierdo, Spain. She specialised in the spine at Begona Ferrero School, beforemoving to


the UK 14 years ago. She has held various posts, including at the Tudor Park spa inBearsted. She nowhas a studio at home and teachesmassage. She said: “I love it and want to be among the best in the world, learn,


teach newtechniques and continue to cure people.” She said: “If I win, I will dedicate the award tomymother, the person who sparkedmy interest, inspiredme and taughtme somuch.”


bly grateful to our funders, volun- teers and community partners this year for their generous support to- wards the delivery of theMela.” TheMela is organised by a part-


nership of community organisa- tions led by Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Maidstone Cultural Group and is produced by Cohesion Plus. The event is free to attend. Fur-


ther information can be found at www.maidstonemela.com


Four arrests


after injuries FOUR people have been ar- rested for causing grievous bodily harm in a Maidstone night attack. Police swooped onRemem-


brance Square in the early hours of June 7, following re- ports of aman suffering head injuries. A Kent Police spokesman


said: “We were called at 3.10amon Friday, June 7, to a disturbance in Maidstone High Street. “Officers and the South


East Coast Ambulance Serv- ice attended, and a man was taken to hospital suffering injuries to his head, which are not life-threatening. “Four people have been ar-


rested in connection with causing grievous bodily harmand remain in custody.”


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