News Landslip work
shuts rail line A MAJOR railway line will shut for nine days in August for land- slip works to be carried out. The route between Maidstone
and Ashford will close from Au- gust 7 to 15 and bus replace- ments will take over.
Engineers will be reinforcing the Bearsted cutting, which is more than 150 years old, to pre- vent earth from tumbling onto the tracks. As well as the nine-day clo- sure, the line will also be shut for two weekends, on July 3 to 4 and July 24 to 25. Route director Fiona Taylor said: "Line closures are always a last resort for us, because of the disruption they cause passengers but sometimes they are unavoid- able.
"Reducing the risk of landslips
will really help to improve relia- bility for our passengers. "Extreme weather is having a significant impact on our Victo- rian railway embankments. “The works at Bearsted will make the cutting secure for a long time.”
downsmail.co.uk
Group hits £9k mark in bid to save church
CAMPAIGNERS have reached a new milestone in saving a Victo- rian church from being snapped up by potential developers. The committee members want to transform Headcorn Methodist Church, in the heart of the village’s conservation area, into a multi-pur- pose community hub with a mu- seum and college. Villagers Sally Musker, Duncan
Payne, Tim Thomas, Victoria and Richard Berry, Dr Khum Raj Pathak and Bella Mansfield, pictured, have raised more than £9,000 and aim to be registered as an official charity . The campaign, called The Heart of Headcorn Community Project, was launched after the Methodists abandoned the site due to rising costs and a falling congregation. Miss Mansfield (50), who has
lived in the village for 33 years, said: “We dare not stop our campaign for a second or we could wake up to an
auction sign outside. “This special place of service, sur- rounded by trees, is the beating heart of Headcorn. This building is critical to our way of life. Every business in Headcorn has donated in some form. The breadth of sup- port is awe-inspiring.”
A pub landlord said: “More tourists and visitors to the heart of Headcorn means more business for us”.
The building also encompasses the village burial ground. Michael Rice said: “Since the pan- demic, community life has taken a
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hammering. It is essential to defend this village space, overflowing with memories, whilst creating a place that helps people to turn their lives around.” Villager and mindfulness coach
Sally Musker wants to create a “fully inclusive” space for residents. Local history society chairman Tim Thomas said: “Headcorn is growing, and there is a demand for these facilities.”
Donations can be made at uk.go-
fundme.com/f/The-Heart-of-Head- corn-Project or call Tim Thomas on 01622 890270
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