Wednesday July 11 | 2018
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Police seeking information about stabbing after robbery A MAN in his 60s was stabbed twice over some loose change in a robbery in the town last week. The police were called to the incident at 10.50pm on Monday July 2, after the victim was accosted while he was walking along a pathway that runs between the Sovereign Way and Avenue Du Puy. Another man approached him and demanded money. It is alleged the suspect then assaulted him, picked up some coins that had fallen from his pocket and left the scene. The victim later found he had sustained two puncture wounds to his stomach that were consistent with stab wounds.
Stable He was taken to a London hospital by South East Coast Ambulance Service where he remains in a serious but stable condition. The assailant is described as being black, 20 to 30 years old, of slim build and with short curly black hair. It is understood that he spoke with a foreign accent and was wearing a loose fitting black T-shirt and grey trousers. Anybody who saw the incident or has any information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact Kent Police on 01622 604100 quoting reference YY/23362/18. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers – in a completely anonymous capacity – on 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
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OF TONBRIDGE
SING WHEN YOU’RE WINNING: Pupils from Ryarsh perform an Alice in Wonderland-themed ‘Musical in Five Minutes’ at Tonbridge’s first-ever Primary Arts Festival. See page 2
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Local runner takes the lead for revolution in healthcare By Andy Tong andy@timesoftonbridge.co.uk A REGULAR in the town’s parkrun is the poster boy for a new NHS campaign that could see thousands of patients being given ‘prescriptions’ for outdoor physical activity instead of medication. The groundbreaking initiative, known as ‘social prescribing’, coincides with the health service’s 70th birthday. Tonbridge’s parkrun, a free 5km event held on Saturday mornings, was chosen to launch the anniversary celebrations. Former Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes led hundreds of runners dressed as doctors, nurses and patients. Now Scott Wishart has been selected as the case study for the Royal College of General Practitioners’ groundbreaking approach to healthcare.
GP surgeries are being asked to become certified ‘parkrun practices’ and encourage their patients to go along. In 2017, 1.11billion prescriptions were dispensed in the UK, costing £9.17billion. The parkrun idea aims to stop people with long-term health problems from becoming dependent on medicine while also saving vast amounts of money for the embattled NHS.
‘The bottom line is, I’d have had to be on medication for the rest of my life’ There are 535 parkruns in Britain and the event has been identified by GPs because it is non-competitive: participants can walk or simply join in as volunteers to help with the organisation. As well as getting fit, parkruns have
become well known for their supportive, welcoming community. After research conducted by parkrun UK in 2017, GPs have also noted the positive impact that volunteering can have on health and wellbeing. Mr Wishart, a 46-year-old photographer who lives in Wrotham Heath, went to see his doctor in 2011 because he was suffering from chest pains. “The ECG [electrocardiogram] came back with nothing,” he said. “So I went to Maidstone Hospital and I was hooked up to all the other machines. “It turned out that it was nothing serious. But my cholesterol levels and blood pressure were high. The doctors told me to change my lifestyle or in six months they would have to put me on statins.”
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COOK UP A FEAST
Local chefs hail festival’s huge success Pages 4-5
COME TOGETHER...
Tonbridge Calling announces line-up for music day Page 2