News GuideDogs


help needed THEGuideDogs charity is looking to recruit volunteers inMarden in support of its “MyGuide” drive. The free service helps people


with a vision impairment get out of their homes and into the commu- nity, but relies on volunteers. The scheme trains volunteers to


provide confident sighted guide assistance on a regular basis, to people living with sight loss. This helps them to access services and gain confidence on public trans- port. Those interested are asked to


spare a couple of hours aweek. For details, contact the Guide Dogs teamatMaidstone on01189 838711 or simon.cope@guidedogs.org.uk.


Barn dance


WEALD of Kent Rotary Club is staging a charity barn dance at Headcorn Village Hall, at 7.30pm on Saturday,August 3. Funds raised will go to St Peter


and St Paul’s Church and Head- corn Seniors Lunch Club. Tickets are £10 each andare available from SweetWilliam florists and Head- cornDelicatessen.


downsmail.co.uk


Village rallies after fire hits community shed


A VILLAGE is “in complete shock” after a storage shed was engulfed by fire during a sus- pected burglary attempt


in


BoughtonMonchelsea. Residents on Church Street say


they were woken by the smell of burning as smoke spilled fromthe outbuilding near the village hall in the early hours of Tuesday, June 18.


A beer tent, barbecue, signs,


crockery, games and banners for the annual summer fetewentupin flames. Chairman of the Boughton Monchelsea village fete,


Jen


Cleaver, said: “Eight years’ worth of equipment has been destroyed. The artist GrahamClarke did us a fantastic stock, which was a really important standat the fete – things like that are irreplaceable. “On the CCTV, you can see a


group break into the pavilion, run back to the car and then to the shed. Moments later it was up in


flames.Thepavilion containedfive gas canisters, so if they hadset that on fire it would’ve been 10 times worse. “Themorning it happened Iwas


completely gutted, but it was so heartening to see the community rallying round to make sure the fetewouldstill go ahead. It’smind- blowing really.” Secretary of the MPE Football


Club, David Gubbins, said: “Words completely failme.All the equipment is burnt to a crisp. A


David Gubbins and Jen Cleaver with the burnt-out shed


goal post is about £700 a set and there were two of them. We are looking at over £1,000 in damages. “We had only just bought those


goal posts for the next season.” A spokesman for Kent Police


said: “Officers are investigating a report of an attempted burglary and fire damage to an outbuilding at Boughton Monchelsea village hall.” Thosewith information can con-


tact Kent Police on 01622 604100 quoting reference 18-0224.


Business Focus


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Maidstone Weald July 2019


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