Wednesday, June 15 2016
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ULTRA MARATHON MAN UNDER STARTER’S ORDERS Page 5
HELEN MIRREN HITS BIG SCREEN AT EM FORSTER THEATRE
COOKBOOK AUTHOR CHAMPIONS FARMERS MARKETS Pages 64-65
LONDON MAYOR SAYS NEW CYCLE ROUTES WILL IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE Page 17
Page 82
INSIDE LIONS’ ROAR
It’s a knockout fun day at Angel Centre
PAGE 4
MONEY MATTERS
Council tax reduction scheme under review
QUEEN’S RAIN
THERE were mixed fortunes for organisers of the Queen’s 90th birthday party events in Tonbridge over the weekend. The Picnic in the Park was called off, but others managed to brave the downpours.
For a full story and more pictures see page 5
Homes wanted for refugees By Neill Barston A COMMUNITY group in Tonbridge is campaigning for private landlords to help house Syrian families who have fled ongoing civil war in their homeland. The Tonbridge Welcomes Refugees charity says its efforts have proved challenging due to a lack of awareness of the cause and the area’s property shortage, as well as facing stigmas surrounding concerns over immigration. However, Fiona O’Brien, the co-founder of the organisation, stressed it was working with the borough council to find suitable properties. This will help meet Tonbridge & Malling’s agreed quota of helping 10 refugee families over the next five years. The move is part of the Government’s Vulnerable Person Resettlement (VPR) programme, in which a total of 20,000 refugees from Syria will be admitted to the UK in annual phases. Fiona said: “I got together with Johanna Elderfield to
found our group of volunteers last autumn, as we real- working with a number of schools, faith and non-faith ised there just wasn’t anything round here to help refu- groups in the area.” gees. We have been trying to help with what has However, Tonbridge Welcomes Refugees fears that the Government’s intention to fulfil its agreed tarbeen an unprecedented crisis in Syria. “One of the families we have been assisting in get of taking in 20,000 refugees had slackened off in recent months. the area so far came from Aleppo. In Syria they Fiona said: “In the first three months of this had been bombed out of their home a total of year, only 517 Syrians were resettled in Britain. nine times and spent 21 months in a refugee That’s 172 a month; so if implementation contincamp in Turkey.” She said that since it was formed in Tonbridge ues at that rate, the country will only resettle less than 10,000 people over five years, which is less last year, Tonbridge Welcomes Refugees, which was founded as a charitable trust, has than half its target of 20,000 people.” gained a membership of around 20 As part of Refugee Week, Tonbridge Welwho are supported by a wider group comes Refugees is taking part in the One of volunteers. World Day on June 26 between 12-3pm Fiona, who is a journalism at the Chequerboard by the Angel Cenlecturer at Kingston University, tre. The event will feature speakers, added: “We’ve also been helping stalls and live music. It is also holding a refugees in the area with a number youth poetry and art competition. For more information visit the website: of activities including English Fiona O’Brien language skills, and have been www.tonbridgewelcomesrefugees.co.uk
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HEAD FOR HORSES Penshurst wildlife activist makes a stand at Ascot
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