News

Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

10 April 2008

Last Friday I visited the Kent office of Crimestoppers which is conveniently situated in Lympne.

There I met Paul Smallwood, who is the Hon. President of Kent Crimestoppers, and Steve Mellers, the County Manager .

Crimestoppers works by receiving anonymous phone calls from members of the public about crime. These calls could involve information about people behaving in a suspicious manner, people whom the caller has reason to suspect may be implicated in a particular crime, or people living in a lavish lifestyle apparently from the proceeds of crime.

The callers are guaranteed anonymity and no record is kept which could enable them to be identified. But the information is passed to the police and they can take action based on it. Something like 15 percent of the calls made lead to arrests and Crimestoppers play a really important role in helping the police to keep Kent safe.

If you have any information to pass on, the number to ring is 0800 555 111.

On Friday evening I went to the University Centre to the open evening of the New Life Festival. There I met Michelle Kellett who had organised the week long event which involved primary school pupils coming to the Centre and taking part in a variety of activities. I saw some of their work and met some of the children. An excellent use of one of Folkestone’s most exciting new spaces.

Saturday morning saw the opening of the extension to Lydd’s museum by Lord Boyce, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. Lydd has a long and rich history and the extension has made it possible to display a much larger number of artefacts which illustrate different aspects of this history.

The extension is the fruit of years of work by volunteer helpers. It was a reminder, once again, of the huge debt we owe to those who give up their time on a voluntary basis to help a bewildering number and variety of local causes. A huge thank you to all of them.