News


downsmail.co.uk Lost carving ‘part of family’


PERHAPS tucked away in someone’s loft or a dusty cellar, the mystery of a missing of a wood carving lovingly created by her late mother has plagued Catherine Piekos for years.


Mrs Piekos (48) is desperate to be reunited with an impressive sculpture her mum, Audrey Jenk- ins, created in the 1950s. She said having the wood carv-


ing back would be like having a piece of her mum back.


The mother of two added: “It


feels like it’s a long-lost brother or sister, since we have the rest of her collection here. It’s like it’s being excluded from the family.” Audrey carved the sculpture whilst studying at The Royal Col- lege of Art (RCA) during the 1950s and it stood in a corridor of the Kent County Council Invicta House building in Maidstone. The last known sighting of the piece, named “The Visitation”, was in the late 1980s. Audrey grew up in Catford and Bromley during the war and went on to study sculpture at the RCA. There she met a Nigerian art student and fell pregnant towards the end of her degree course. Mrs Piekos, of Silver Tree Close,


Walderslade, said: “It was a tough time for her – having a child out of wedlock in the 1950s would have been very difficult. It’s not


Flood action A FLOOD barrier is to be built in


the centre of Maidstone to protect the High Street.


Properties suffered water dam- age when the River Medway burst its banks in 2013/14. Two subways under the new bridges "gyratory" system have already been filled in, but the Medway Street subway acts as a conduit for flood water. Council papers say the barrier


on the town side of the underpass should be completed this year.


Health role FUSION Maidstone Healthy Liv-


ing Centre’s deputy chief officer Sue Maidens has qualified as a Kent “public health champion”. For more information or to get


involved with public health cam- paigns, call Sue on 01622 320134 or send her an email at suemaid- ens@fusionhlc.org.uk.


Fusion Maidstone, a charity based in Park Wood since 2003, provides health and wellbeing services along with social sup- port.


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Catherine Piekos with one of her mother’s carvings, the missing sculpture and right, her mother Audrey Jenkins


such a problem in this day and age, but I can imagine how hard it must have been.


“This piece, to me, represents a


time where she had complete con- trol over her life. Life got in the


way and she never got to collect it, but it obviously meant a lot to her.”


The mahogany statue depicts two women embracing face to face, an image Mrs Piekos says is


Syngenta plan approved


OUTLINE permission has been granted for a former agrochemicals site in Yalding to be converted into a business park, despite flooding and traffic concerns.


The previous Syngenta plant, which took five years to decon- taminate, will be turned into a 500,000sqft business park with two access points, parking spaces and infrastructure works. Cllr Denis Spooner said: “We are where we are. I think that is a phrase we all need to accept. It is very sad that this site has been


boarded up for the past 13 years. It is crying out for help and there is so much in favour of this site.” Cllr David Burton was con-


cerned about the traffic issues since it is “completely impossible for two HGVs to pass” in Hampstead Lane, which is just 5.2m wide. He said: “There are going to be hundreds of HGVs passing through the lane every day, it is going to be a 24-hour operation.” The application was agreed sub-


ject to conditions and a legal agree- ment.


Aerodrome is taking off


FEARS for the future of Headcorn Aerodrome have been allayed. Borough councillor Martin Round had warned the airfield needed more COVID-19 business assistance and was “close to the brink”. But owner Jamie Freeman said after a very difficult period fly- ing activities were restarting and he hoped it would be business as usual by June 21. Sky-diving is the first to return as well as private flying, followed by Sptfire flights by mid-April. He added: “We are among so many businesses which suffered seriously in the last year. But confidence grows and the flightpath looks much more encouraging.”


an “appropriate” image for today considering recent sad events. If you have any information on the whereabouts of the carving, please call Downs Mail on 01622 630330.


Flats scheme for car park


PERMISSION has been granted for a large development of Mote Road car park. Shandon House will be demol- ished to make way for 172 apart- ments and office space. Planning officer Austin Mackie said the site was under-utilised and the mix of uses proposed will contribute positively towards the vitality of the town centre. The site off Mote Road and will provide 47 parking spaces. Cllr Tony Harwood said the cur-


rent site was an eyesore, and resi- dents could look forward to “high-quality accommodation in a very sustainable location”. Cllr John Perry said: “The fact there are only 47 parking spaces worries me. This is not London. Just because you live in the centre of a county town doesn’t mean you won’t have a car. We’re not all going to get on bikes or go chug- ging around on buses.” The application was unani- mously agreed with conditions.


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