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appointed as the development manager for the site and is tasked with overseeing the site’s development. Paul Vicary, DevComms, via email


Support local producers


REFERENCE your very interesting feature on how our local farmers managed to grow a positive out of a negative during the Coronavirus lockdown. Through necessity or desire, we all in some way contributed to the local economies in our communities. We have great farm shops and corner convenience stores, most of whom were reportedly doing extremely well at the height of the lockdown when movement was severely restricted.


One would hope that after the worst is


over and the world gets back to something resembling “normal” that we carry on supporting these small, independent businesses as a thank you for the help they gave us at a time of uncertainty and shortages.


J Moloney, via email St Faith’s design update


THANK you for highlighting our plans to redevelop the old St Faith’s Hall in Ringlestone, which is to be known as St Faith’s Centre.


I am one of the churchwardens at St Faith’s Church, which is leading the redevelopment.


Unfortunately, the “artist's impression” picture included with the article is not the correct picture, as it is a much older drawing from an early design which has long since been replaced.


Our current building design, which


received planning consent earlier this year and is moving forward quite rapidly now, is signicantly different and greatly superior to what had previously been envisaged and we are very excited by all that it promises. People who are familiar with the neighbourhood will recognise how hard our architect worked to create a building which pleasingly ts into the characteristic of the area and neighbouring homes. I have attached an artist’s impression of


the front entrance to the new building, which better reects what we are planning. It would be wonderful if you were able to correct the article before it goes to print or, alternately, publish a correction including the new image at the next opportunity. Dale Nurden, churchwarden, St Faith’s Church


Time away together


CONSCIOUS that fewer people can now afford a break because of the pandemic, YHA particularly wants to hear from families that have been nancially impacted in the crisis and are in need of some quality time together. Family time on holiday is more important than ever. In a survey* conducted by the 90-year-old charity, it was found that more than three quarters (77%) of parents believe that an annual family holiday is important in order to spend more time with their family. However, 12% of survey respondents had not been able to take a family holiday at all in the last three years.


While the free breaks are being rolled out, fundraising for YHA’s Project90 campaign continues. YHA hopes to raise a further £120,000 to give breaks to 500 more families in need of rest, recuperation or spending quality time away together. The breaks are available at YHA’s network of youth hostels in England and Wales, in both coastal and rural locations. The 153-strong network of youth hostels, which were closed during lockdown, re-opened on July 17 with a pledge from the charity to play a key role in the recovery of society by helping people reconnect with each other, the


This is what Downs Mail readers said on our Facebook page about the M20 being voted the worst motorway in England…


Kay Faith: The irony is, in my opin- ion, before all the un-smart 'im- provements', the M20 was one of the safest and best motorways. I much pre- ferred it to the M25. How many more lives have to be lost before the no hard shoul- der motorways are scrapped?


Susan Brown: Will not travel on it now that it is that oxymoron "smart motorway". I value my life more!


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outdoors, nature, culture and heritage. The pandemic has put enormous


nancial and emotional strain on many people and has left a number of NHS and frontline workers and families suffering hardship. A break away together can make all the difference to these families, and be an important part of their wellbeing recovery. It will give them valuable time together to reconnect in the outdoors as well as have fun in the process. I very much hope people will get in touch with us and either put themselves forward for a break or nominate a family that they feel would benet from some quality time together.


If you know of a family that would


benet from a short break away, let YHA know at https://getinvolved.yha.org.uk/breaks-for- key-workers/


To donate to YHA’s Project90 campaign and help it reach even more families, please visit getinvolved.yha.org.uk/fundraising/appea ls/project90/


James Blake, chief executive YHA (England & Wales)


So tough for Tulloch


IT WAS interesting to read about gymnast Courtney Tulloch's experience during lockdown in your recent edition. I have had the pleasure to meet him on one occasion at the Pegasus gym in Tovil and I have to say that he was the most charming, polite and down-to-earth young man. Not only all of that, he is also supremely talented. He is possibly Maidstone's best hope for Olympic gold. How good would that be?


For a sportsman who must train so strictly, the lockdown period must have been a torture.


On that note, what a wonderful sight it's been to see our children going back to school. The kids want to go back, the head teachers want their schools back to normal and the parents most denintely want their children back in education. The only thing that might stop all of that is the teaching unions. O Patterson, via email


Pam Hardwick: Was there any doubt?


Maureen Warburton: No surprise there then…


Martin Smith: There is nothing wrong with the M20 now that the works have gone.


Michael Crawford: You forget everything that has happened over the years:


roadworks, delays, opera- tion block, Operation Stack countless times. Just wait until everyone goes back to work, then you will see. What a com-


plete waste of money.


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