News Heart of Kent


Hospice walk THE Heart of Kent Hospice’s Moonlit Walk will be very differ- ent this year. Participants will have to walk with loved ones in their house- hold, family or friendship bubble on Saturday, October 10. Applicants can choose to walk


any route between 1km to 10km at any time between 10am and 10pm. A spokesman said: “We know this special walk will bring our community together, so look out for fellow Moonlit walkers wearing their T-shirts when you take part within your small group and feel free to shout hello, wave and encourage them.”


Sign up before midnight on September 13 and save £2 on each registration fee. To sign up visit www. h o k h . o r g / s u p p o r t - us/events/moonlit-walk.


Public views


on support THE borough council has launched a survey to assess how people have coped with the Covid-19 pandemic. The consultation exercise will


try to learn what support residents required. Liberal Democrat council leader


Cllr Martin Cox said the results will help MBC focus resources ef- fectively. The survey, which will take 10 minutes to complete, is on the council's website. Cllr Cox added: "The more in- formation we have, the more we can help our residents and would encourage as many people as pos- sible to complete the survey." It closes on October 2.


Lights are off WEST MALLING Christmas


lights have been cancelled. TMBC had already informed Malling Chamber of Commerce that their share of funding for the event would be reduced this year. A lack of trading caused by the lockdown has meant shops and businesses cannot afford the sub- scriptions to raise the £10,000 cost of the display and launch event. Shops will be allowed to put on their own displays and the parish council will discuss the funding of the two High Street Christmas trees at their next meeting in September.


26


downsmail.co.uk


Building work starts on village superstore


WORK on a new Sainsbury’s supermarket in Staplehurst is finally getting underway.


Construction of the 18,000sqft superstore is expected to take about seven months to complete, with an opening date scheduled for spring 2021.


The new store, which has re-


placed several industrial properties in Station Approach, will provide a selection of food and non-food products, a homeware section, and stationery products.


There will also be an in-store bakery, an Argos counter and hot food counters. Once open, over 100 jobs will be created across a range of roles and levels for local people.


A ground-breaking ceremony


was held last month by Sainsbury’s property director Patrick Dunne. Mr Dunne, pictured, said: “We


really appreciate the support and patience of the local community. We’re proud to be regenerating the local area, supporting hundreds of jobs, and giving residents great shopping choice.” County councillor for Maidstone rural south, Eric Hotson, said: “I am delighted to see this project un-


derway and to see our local com- munity receive this level of invest- ment.”


Staplehurst’s borough councillor John Perry said: “It will be a tremendous asset to the village. I’ve always supported it and am really pleased.”


Fellow Staplehurst councillor


Louise Brice added: “We’re really excited to see this after everything that has happened over recent months.


“It has really buoyed the village to see this kind of infrastructure


and development happening in our village. It is much needed and thank you very much, Sainsbury’s, for your investment. “We particularly welcome a major local employer – residents have already been in touch about job opportunities and it is great to hear that Sainsbury’s will work with us to support residents in finding out more about vacancies.” A planning application was first submitted to Maidstone Borough Council in 2011, and was eventu- ally granted permission in 2013.


War hero Jock dies, aged 96


A D-DAY veteran who lived in Maid- stone has died, aged 96. John Hutton, known as Jock, was


19 when he served in the 13th Lan- cashire Parachute Battalion during WWII. He landed on the Pegasus Bridge


in 1944 to play his part in the action that ultimately meant the Allies emerged as victors from the six-year conflict. The Ministry of Defence said the


“courage and spirit” of Mr Hutton, originally from Stirling, Scotland, “must never be forgotten” after he died last month. In June 2019, Mr Hutton returned


to Normandy to carry out another parachute jump, when he dropped in alongside fellow ex-serviceman, Harry Read. Taking off from Duxford in Cam-


bridgeshire, landing in fields which were also the original drop zone for the 8th (Midlands) Parachute Bat- talion, Jock and other paratroopers


D-Day veteran Jock Hutton


aged in their 90s, jumped from Dakota war planes. Mr Hutton was transferred to air-


borne forces in late 1943 after serv- ing with the Black Watch. After the end of the war, Jock stayed in the army and served in Palestine, Cyprus, Egypt and Java. In 1957, he and wife Doreen ar-


rived in Zimbabwe – then known as Rhodesia – where he was a regi-


Picture: ITV


mental sergeant major in the Rhodesia Squadron SAS. He was posted to Mortar Platoon,


13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battal- ion after taking a parachute course which ran at RAF Ringway in Jan- uary 1944. He jumped into Nor- mandy on D-Day on June 6, 1944. In 2014, Mr Hutton was pho-


tographed shaking Prince Charles's hand after his jump over Normandy.


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  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48