Bearsted Parish Council Is Keen to the Reverend Canon John Corbyn of Have Been Cause It Was the Weekend
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downsmail.co.uk Maidstone East Edition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE January 2018 No. 249 News Plums help church ‘Visionary’ plan to A BUMPER harvest of plums in Leeds is helping a local church pay for much- 3 needed repairs. save village library Brides get a refund BEARSTED vicar John Corbyn has REURBISHMENTS to Bearsted library could be paid for by selling off part a way of making sure the bride gets to the church on 4 of the site for housing, Kent County Council (KCC) has revealed. time - money! The library area would remain in its existing location while the Memorial expense old schoolmaster’s annexe could THE war memorial at Bearsted be turned into dwelling space, said could cost £25,000 to KCC leader Paul Carter. fix. 6 He told Downs Mail there may also be scope for an extension. Cllr Carter – who represents the Woodcut Farm battle village at County Hall – said: “My THE battle over the Woodcut Farm plan and vision would be to refur- industrial estate scheme bish the existing library, dividing may go to court. 8 it into two. There would be the li- brary on one side and housing on the other, with a possible exten- Bus service threat sion. DESPERATE efforts are being “We’d end up with a very attrac- made to reverse bus tive semi-detached property, to service cuts. 12 produce a capital receipt to pay for the refurbishment.” Little Mix coming Cllr Denis Spooner, the borough council member for Bearsted, said: GIRL band Little Mix have set a date “If that is Paul’s plan, then that is to play a concert at the absolutely fabulous news. Detling showgrounds. 14 “I have always wanted to keep a library on the site and I have been Parish Councils 30-31 advocating the renovation of the COUNCILLOR Geoff Cosgrove has schoolmaster’s wing for flats for a resigned after moving away from number of years. But if that is the Detling; a thousand tulip bulbs KCC intention, then it is fantastic have been planted on the A20 by to hear it.” developers in Harrietsham; coun- He added: “It’s been a deteriorat- Cllr Denis Spooner welcomes KCC leader Paul Carter’s plans for the refurbish- ment of Bearsted’s village library cillors in Hollingbourne were “de- ing building for quite a while and lighted” to hear that the future of KCC probably just do not have the it describes as “extensive repairs to The old schoolmaster’s wing – on the Christopher’s, the village shop, funds to do it up. Clearly, some- the building”. the right of the building – has been is safe; new bins have been installed thing needs to be done there.” One sticking point may be a empty and unlived in for decades. in Harrietsham. He said the flooring and joists are covenant – dating back to the mid Cllr Spooner floated an idea to in a “terrible state” and there may 19th century – restricting any fu- KCC several years ago where that Crime Reports 31 be a host of other problems. ture use to an educational purpose, part could be converted into flats It was shut by KCC last April as casting some doubt over selling it and rented out to teachers, thus ful- THERE was an attempted break-in part of an on-going KCC investiga- as a property. Cllr Carter said he filling the educational purpose of at a property in Otham Lane, tion into the extent and cost of what was unaware of a covenant. the covenant. Bearsted; gas cylinders were stolen He added: “This could have from a builder’s yard in Lenham; a helped to fund the library. That horse box trailer was stolen from was the humble idea that I put for- stables in Bredhurst; a shed in ward to KCC officers some years Bearsted was broken into; a vehicle back but I didn’t really hear any- parked in Boxley was damaged. thing back.” The school was originally part of Obituaries 36 BEST WISHES F OR 2018 the Canterbury diocese and was later taken under the wing of the Comment 46-47 county council. webexpand.co.uk 01622 880840 In the top 1% of UK web design companies web design google promotion ecommerce Need advice on relationship breakdown or issues following a separation? Offices in:Sittingbourne, Ashford, Medway, Gravesend, Longfield & Dartford Fixed-Price Initial Advice www.martintolhurst.co.uk 01233 505564 £99 Inc. 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Hollingbourne, Nr Maidstone, Kent ME17 1RE [email protected] PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS: Sunday Lunch Name .................................................................................. Email address ..................................................................... Please tick if you do not wish to receive any 2 DINE FOR £25 with information about future events at the hotel. Terms & Conditions: a table must be booked in advance. Includes a 2 course 2 courses from our this meal (main course and either a starter or dessert). Maximum of one voucher per reservation. Voucher to be given to your waiter on arrival. No photocopies accepted. Sunday Lunch set menu voucher Voucher valid until 31st January 2018. Cash value 0.00001p. 2 Maidstone East January 2018 downsmail.co.uk News So, who owns the A plum year is good bird-killing hawk? A HARRIS Hawk has been reported in the Leeds and Caring Lane area killing moorhens. The raptor – which is indigenous for the church tower to the United States – may have es- caped from captivity although the A BOUNTIFUL harvest of deli- bird is understood not to be part of cious plums has helped to swell the falconry collection at Leeds Cas- the coffers of the Broomfield tle. church tower appeal. The hawk has been seen targeting The Friends of Leeds and Broom- waterfowl on ponds in the area. field Churches – which has about The Harris Hawk has become 130 members - have pledged £5,000 popular in the UK as a bird of prey from the fruit harvest which is sold used in falconry because they are each year in aid of good causes. relatively easy to train and the most A local orchard owner Simon social. Brice, of Back Street, near Langley, A number of local falconers keep allows folk from all over the bor- the birds, which will kill both birds ough and beyond to pick the plums and mammals as part of their diet. from his trees – usually for the last three weeks in August – for cash. Volunteers man the gazebo to the Co-op Local Community has set a target of £72,000 to carry New Year fun where the fruit baskets are weighed Fund. Co-op will also give us and out the work on the tiny 12th cen- LEEDS Amateur Dramatic Society and bagged. the other causes in the community tury church. A further £12,000 may (LADS) stages a “celebration in And it was the second piece of an equal share of the money they be recovered through VAT rules, al- music, magic and mirth” this week- good news for the fundraising raise from the sales of carrier bags.” though this government concession end. drive for repairs to the tower as the Local Co-op members will be could be withdrawn at any point. There are two performances on project has progressed in the quest able to choose the local cause and If you would like to know more Friday and Saturday, January 5&6, for cash from the Co-op Local donate accordingly until Novem- about Friends of Leeds and Broom- at Leeds village hall. Community Fund. A project ber. The spokesman adds: “It is dif- field Churches do, then click onto Tickets cost £7.50 for adults and £5 spokesman writes in the Leeds and ficult to know how much this will www.friendslbc.org.uk. The web- for children. Click onto www.ticket- Broomfield parish newsletter: amount to over the year but it is site states: “The Friends are not af- source.co.uk or call Lesley 01622 “This is how it works – every time bound to help. Meanwhile, the con- filiated with the Church, the 862467 or Sharon on 07718263432. members shop at the Co-op, 1% of firmed total has now risen to association's members represent a The event replaces LADS’ annual what they spend on selected own- £35,346.” variety of religious persuasions or panto which has been shelved for a brand products and services goes The church tower appeal project even none at all.” year. 01622 738772 7 Yeoman Court, Ashford Rd Bearsted, Kent ME14 4ND www.directorshairandbeauty.co.uk Late nights Tues/Thurs Shellac Gel Nails Now Available Great Lengths hair extensions - book your free consultation now Introductory 50% Off Offer Cut & Finish* for all new clients on production of this advert *Valid until 15 February 2018.