News | Lockdown
downsmail.co.uk Helping you in lockdown
VULNERABLE families have received 20,000 vouchers to help them through the half-term holiday – and there is further help during lockdown.
Kent County Council offered
£15 to local children entitled to free school meals to buy food outside of term time.
The issue of food poverty be- came political when footballer Marcus
Rashford highlighted
problems some parents have pro- viding for their families when the children are on holiday. KCC leader Roger Gough said: “Our voucher scheme was launched, at very short notice, on the first day of the school holidays, after the parliamentary debate on free school meals.
“Looking after the most vulner- able in the county, has been our priority throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and I can assure the
l SOUTH Park Women’s Insti- tute is keeping in touch in lock- down via Whatsapp and making scrub hats and bags for the NHS as well as raising £700 for Heart of Kent Hospice.
Lately, the members have been making poppies for Remem- brance Sunday.
l PARISHIONERS in Bearsted need of assistance are welcome to approach the Holy Cross Church’s Rev John Corbyn or as- sistant minister Lesley Ludlow. John is on 01622 7371325 and Lesley, 01622 673536.
l THE Tonbridge and Malling Ramblers’ group has paused its walks until “at least” December 2. New members are still welcomed. Go to
www.tonbridgeand-
mallingramblers.org.uk.
l MAIDSTONE and Tunbridge Wells NHS (MTW) Charitable Fund has been awarded a £50,000 grant to support the health and wellbeing of staff during the on- going COVID-19 pandemic. The cash will be used to fund
key projects with a focus on sup- porting black, Asian and minor- ity ethnic (BAME) colleagues working at the hospitals.
l THE One Maidstone business support group is still running during lockdown. The organisation’s BID ambas- sadors have carried on town cen- tre patrols as usual, assisting Kent Police with any issues of antiso- cial behaviour, theft and unrest that may arise.
32
Mutual Aid
https://covidmutualaid.org/ Find your local COVID-19 community group in your area
Citizens Advice Maidstone
www.maidstonecab.org.uk, Tel: 0344 848 7978
Age UK Maidstone
www.ageuk.org.uk/maidstone Email:
info@ageukmaidstone.org.uk, Tel: 01622 753618
Involve Kent
www.involvekent.org.uk, Email:
office@involvekent.org.uk Tel: 03000 810005
Money Advice Service
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk Maidstone and Weald Samaritans Freephone open 24/7, 116 123
people of Kent this will remain the case going forward. “We are very pleased to have been able to help so many families during this extremely difficult time.
“I would like to thank our part- ners, including district and bor- ough councils, schools, voluntary organisations and the media, for supporting us in sharing the mes- sage about the dedicated helpline
and webpage so it reached those people who were able to benefit. “This has been an incredibly
challenging year and as we begin a second national lockdown I know there will be many people in Kent in need of extra support.” The authority processed appli- cations for 19,875 children who were eligible to receive free meals. Cllr Gough was urged to ensure
the same children will receive sup- port during the Christmas break. The Kent Together helpline and
webpage remain open for anyone in the county who is struggling during the pandemic.
For details, call 03000 41 92 92 or visit
www.kent.gov.uk/kentto- gether 24 hours a day.
Run for charity with a friend
MAIDSTONE women are lacing up their trainers and pounding the pavements in lockdown for the chil- dren’s charity Action Medical Re- search. They have raised £800 by run-
ning 600 miles in October as part of the Big Steps for Tiny Lives fundraising campaign. Volunteer Emma Goodman said: “It’s been a great motivator to get out and walk or run alone or socially-dis- tanced with a friend.” Action Medical Research funds
studies children’s diseases such as scarlet fever, cerebral palsy and brain cancer. Donate at www.just-
giving.com/team/teamemmafit- nessbigsteps.
Car park fees dropped Teaming up
OFF-street car parks are now free for local people to use dur- ing the lockdown to ease pres- sure on residential roads. Residents and businesses with
valid permits are permitted to use them at all times until De- cember 3 when restrictions are due to be eased.
Non-resident permit holders are also allowed to park in resi- dent parking bays, the borough council said. Parking boss Jeff Kitson said: “Formal NHS permit conces- sions remain in place and will
be honoured in line with the published guidance until gov- ernment advice changes. “On-street resident parking bays and off-street car parks re- main free for NHS health and social care staff displaying a for- mal government approved per- mit in their windscreen.” Double yellow lines and sin-
gle yellow lines to protect junc- tions and highway safety remain active to ensure the free flow of traffic, particularly for emergency services and refuse collections.
MAIDSTONE Borough Council is to consider forging much closer links with community groups and parish councils after their “in- valuable” help during
the
COVID-19 lockdown, including meeting basic needs in food, medicine and conversation. There could be consultations with the groups on an agreement to include roles and mutual sup- port in emergencies, probably with a single contact point. This would help in emergen- cies, to improve trust and com- munications between partners and building relationships with parish council.
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
