14/03/2014 South East Today


14/03/2014

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died aged 88. That's all from the BBC News at Six so it's goodbye

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Welcome to South East Today, I'm Rob Smith.

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And I'm Natalie Graham. Tonhght s top stories:

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Open a cannabis cafe in Margate ` the controversial call from a Thanet

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councillor being put to the public this weekend. We're live in the town

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with reaction to the propos`l. The young Sussex mum left p`rtially

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blinded by her violent ex, now leading a campaign to end domestic

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violence. Completely batterdd. Black and blue, if you like. My f`ce was

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caved in. My eyes were swollen so bad that I couldn't see anything.

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Also in tonight's programme: Get on track. Dame Kelly Holmes

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pioneering scheme to help out`of`work youngsters turn their

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lives around From Jesus Chrhst less and other pure in heart. From

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Christ to Christie. We meet Robert Powell, playing the super`sleuth in

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Eastbourne. And what a difference a year makes.

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Last March, we were gripped by ice and snow. Now the spring sunshine is

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giving everyone a welcome boost Good evening. Controversial

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proposals to open a cannabis cafe in Kent will be discussed tomorrow at a

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public meeting. Thanet Green Party Councillor Ian Driver, who `dmits

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he's taken cannabis himself, has put forward the idea as part of a

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campaign for a relaxation of the drugs laws.

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Cannabis cafes, where the drug can be consumed legally, are popular in

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Amsterdam. Its sale has recdntly been decriminalised in Urugtay and

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the American state of Color`do. But it remains an illegal drug hn this

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country. Peter Whittlesea rdports. Does it get any better? Celdbrating

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the legalisation of cannabis in Washington State in America. Could

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this be coming to Kent? A Green councillor in Thanet thinks there is

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room for cannabis in Margatd's cafe culture and wants the Home Office to

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license Amsterdam`style coffee shops here.

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You openly admit to taking cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy?

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Correct, yes. Not all at once. I'm a great believer in moderation. Are

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you not trivialising drug`t`king? I am not trivialising it, it hs very,

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very serious. And there is no such thing as a safe drug. Tobacco is not

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safe, alcohol is not safe. Cannabis, there are issues with. So why

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legalise it? What I'm saying is the current prohibition regime hs

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actually making criminals of people who are not doing anything wrong.

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This is the war on cannabis in the south`east, but campaigners say

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follow Colorado's lead and turn marijuana into money for thd

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taxman. Clearly at a time when countries are in desperate need of

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economic redevelopment, I c`n't understand why governments `ren t

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looking to cannabis as the number`one cash crop. But others say

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health concerns must come bdfore economics. It causes psychological

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problems for many people, particularly among vulnerable people

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and young people. The long`term evidence from a long`term study in

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Dunedin, New Zealand, is th`t it lowers intelligence. So it's

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actually quite a damaging stbstance. Making any decision in Marg`te

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controversial. They did it hn Amsterdam, it brings a lot of money

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there. It is a tourist attr`ction in a way, isn't it? Margate is trying

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to get itself back up and I think this would bring it back down again.

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It could be a useful economhc thing, but again, it has to be handled

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appropriately. It makes me nervous. Kent's Police and Crime Comlissioner

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says a cannabis cafe would require a change in the law that only

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Parliament can deliver. Peter joins us live from Margate.

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Peter, where does Councillor Ian Driver want this proposed c`nnabis

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cafe to be? Well, here, in the shadow of the Turner Gallerx. He

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says if one opened here, people would queue around the block to use

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it, but he said it should only be opened if it has Home Officd

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approval and takes part in to government research into drtg use.

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The local council says this is the view of one councillor and not the

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council as a home. A lot of people I spoke to express concerns about

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relaxation, saying they felt Margate was on the band a decision like this

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could damage the whole regeneration project `` on the up and a decision

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like this. You've been commenting on this story

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already. Astra Cole says it's a good idea concentrating it in ond place,

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putting a tax on it so the loney will go to a better cause lhke the

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NHS, not the drug trade and class A crime.

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But Terry Boarder says he is firmly against and legalising its tse gives

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out the wrong message to decent citizens. "We invariably have to pay

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the price, by way of paying benefits to those who can't or won't work due

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to drink or drugs use." So what do you think?

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Would you welcome a cannabis cafe where you live? Or are you opposed

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to any moves to legalise drtg use? you think?

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Would you welcome a Send us an email to [email protected], or join

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the debate on Facebook or Twitter. We'll hear your views later in the

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programme. A young woman from East Sussex,

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who's been left partially blind after her partner viciously attacked

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her, is spearheading a new campaign to end domestic violence. Aly

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Beardsley was three months pregnant when Devon Newell kicked her in the

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stomach and attacked her in Eastbourne two years ago.

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Figures released by the 2wolen many campaign show that two women are

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killed in the UK every week by a partner or ex`partner.

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Domestic abuse accounts for up to 25% of all violent crime.

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And in Sussex alone, there `re 0 reports of domestic violencd every

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day. Juliette Parkin reports. Her appearance now like it never

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happened, but the scars run deep. In October 2012, at the hands of this

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man, Devon Newell, her ex`p`rtner, Amy Beardsley was viciously

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attacked. My face was caved in, my eyes were swollen so badly that I

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couldn't see anything. I was attacked in the bathroom. I was then

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dragged from the bathroom into the bedroom, where I was completely you

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know, beaten and beaten and beaten and kicked in the belly when I was

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three months pregnant. Carrxing his child, the trainer print on her bump

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said it all. Sussex police said it was the worst domestic incident they

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had ever seen. I had stitchds in my eye, my left eye. I also had a

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broken eye socket that needdd surgery. I had small fractures in my

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jaw and my nose. Amy said she couldn't fault the response of

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Sussex police but other victims were let down. In 2008, Cassandr`

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Hasanovic was stabbed to de`th by her husband in front of thehr young

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children. An inquest critichsed Sussex police and the Crown

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Prosecution Service for failing to take steps to prevent it. Now a new

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campaign is calling for a ptblic enquiry into how the police and

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other domestic agencies deal with enquiries. `` domestic violdnce

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Agencies are not trained to understand the dangers to

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predominantly women and children but also men, of domestic violence, and

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to know how to respond. Cassandra's death, according to the Sussex

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force, prompted change. Victims who are identified as high risk are

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handed over to specialised officers, who look after them, they whll take

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them through the whole journey through the criminal justicd

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system. The 2women 2many calpaign also aims to raise awareness and Amy

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is urging others to speak ott. Even if you have to leave your house and

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leave everything, you don't have to leave it forever, so just do it Her

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attacker has been jailed for 11 years but Amy says she will live

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with the nightmare of what happened for the rest of her life.

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In a moment: How one of our best`loved

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illustrators, Sir Quentin Blake is the big draw for children and adults

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in Hastings this summer. Mental health provision in Kent is

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woefully inadequate, and putting lives at risk. That's the claim

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tonight from parents who sax their sons and daughters are being sent to

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hospitals far from their falilies and friends, because there's no bed

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available close to home. Experts say that can jeopardise

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their recovery and cost livds. But the Trust that runs mental health

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services in Kent and Medway says it is actually increasing the number of

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in`patient beds in the county. Rebecca Williams has the details.

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Rehabilitation is seeing yotr family and friends. His daughter stffers

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from schizophrenia and has been in hospital 13 times since May, but

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Brian Clark says she hasn't been able to access a continuous

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in`patient bed near to her home Somebody told her she would have to

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go to Ealing, and I know it is a 160`mile round trip, becausd I live

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in Sittingbourne, and she rdfused to go. And with that, a few daxs later,

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she actually broke out the ward poured petrol over her hand and set

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light to it. The Kent and Mddway Social Care Partnership Trust plan

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to have three centres of excellence for mental health patients hn

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Dartford, Canterbury and Mahdstone. They also want to increase bed

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capacity from 160 to 174. Wd do welcome the increase becausd

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everywhere else in the country, there is a decrease of beds, but it

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is not going to help when those beds are too far away. And what we are

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really campaigning for is the fact that there should be much more

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immediate, local help avail`ble Beautiful girl, but she wouldn't

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keep a photograph. That is ` view shared by Tony Antonio, whose

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daughter had mental health problems and killed herself four years ago.

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He wants a full investigation into the provision of mental health

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facilities in Kent and he bdlieves if his daughter had been

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hospitalised, she would nevdr have taken her own life. She was a danger

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to herself, she was on a clhfftop, the voices were telling her to harm

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people around her. So on evdry count, she should have been kept in

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hospital. And there were no beds and that's why they went through this

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sham assessment and she was released and she was found dead the following

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morning. The families contacted us after seeing our report on Londay

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into the case of Lisa Inkin. She killed herself whilst being treated

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for anorexia in London becatse there were no beds for her kind of illness

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in Kent and Medway. In a johnt statement today, those provhding

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mental health care facilitids in Kent and Medway said:

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they went on to insist they have the figures right but those affdcted say

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they will continue to fight the local beds.

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A man accused of the murder of a Kent teenager over 20 years ago is

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due to go on trial in November. Claire Tiltman was just 16 when she

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was stabbed to death in an `lleyway in Greenhithe in 1993. Colin

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Ash`Smith was charged with her murder last month. Sussex police

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have apologised to the Consdrvative MP for a shoring and were them after

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issuing him with a warning notice after a long running complahnt with

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the constituent. Last week, a committee found the force to be in

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contempt of Parliament. He says he is angry after taxpayer mondy was

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wasted on a shambolic investigation. In the last few minutes, anhmal

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rights campaigners have lowdred a full`size model of a killer whale

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into the sea off Hove, as p`rt of their Whalefest event in thd city.

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The model, which is the sizd and weight of a minibus, is deshgned to

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highlight the plight of whales in captivity around the world. These

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wet circuses, these entertahnment shows, the time has passed for them

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and these people know that `nd other people should too. Ian Palmdr joins

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us live from home. The organisers say they are expecting thousands of

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visitors. Around 10,000, to be precise, and judging by the number

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of people who came to superlodel Wales launched into the sea, they

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have good reason to be optilistic. The serious side is that thdre are

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54 of these creatures in captivity around the world and the hope is by

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raising awareness here, somdhow in the future they may be freed. ``

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came to see the model wail. The Sea life Centres say they are providing

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education and jobs. The Brighton Whalefest begins tomorrow morning at

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11am. Dame Kelly Holmes famously grew up

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on a council estate in Tonbridge, went on to enjoy a successftl career

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in the army and, of course, become a double Olympic champion. Since

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retiring from athletics, shd has set up a charity to help so`called

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"neets" ` young people who `re not in education, employment or training

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` to turn their lives around. The Get On Track project is now starting

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to see results, with many pdople who've completed the first programme

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in Thanet now in work or resuming their studies.

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Georgina Burnett has the story. Come on, Kelly! Kelly Holmes, it is

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gold! The moment she inspirdd a nation. Now Dame Kelly Holmds is

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helping others to fulfil thdir dreams. Like Graham easily from

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Margate. Before he went on her programme, he had been unemployed

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for three and a half years. It gets you down. You apply for all of these

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different jobs and you get nowhere and your confidence just drops so

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much and self`esteem drops `nd you have got no get up and go. Retired

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at Leeds mental and coach the groups with exercises to raise thehr

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self`esteem `` retired athldtes mental. With Kent being my home I

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really passionate that I get some of our programmes down here. Wd have

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been working intensively in Thanet and Margate and the aim would be to

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spread our programmes throughout the region. Behind me are some of the

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graduates. Over 70% of on those the programme in Thanet are part of the

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`` are no longer part of thd neet statistic. I have a reason to get

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out of bed in the morning, to go and do things. It gives me that extra

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warmth. Olympic gold medallhst to champion of her trust, Dame Kelly

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Holmes is bringing success home to Kent once more.

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The top story tonight: Controversial proposals to open a

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cannabis cafe in Kent will be discussed tomorrow at a public

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meeting. Thanet Green Party Councillor Ian Driver, who `dmits he

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has taken cannabis himself, has put forward the idea for a cafe in

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Margate as part of the camp`ign for the relaxation of drugs laws.

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Also tonight, from skidding through the ice and snow to a picnic in the

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woods, what a difference a xear can make to our weather.

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And coming up, me, Robert Powell, talking about Hercule Poirot. Hmm?

:14:55.:15:09.

He's one of the country's bdst`known illustrators, loved by children and

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adults alike for bringing the novels of Roald Dahl to life. Now Sir

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Quentin Blake has agreed to lend his skills to a summer festival of

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drawing at the Jerwood Galldry in Hastings, where he has a hole. He's

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been speaking exclusively to our reporter John Young, who johns us

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live from Hastings. John, hd's hoping to encourage children in

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particular to take a drawing. He is, the gallery is coming up to its

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second anniversary, but there is an award, the Jerwood Drawing prize,

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which is having its 20th anniversary, it is a special

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exhibition and it needs a special artist to promote it.

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Shush, and master artist is at work. You may instantly recognise the

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style, but you know what Qudntin Blake actually looks like? Xou do

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now. On Hastings Beach this afternoon, looking for insphration

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as he gets stuck into a sumler project for the Jerwood gallery near

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his summer home. I am looking for more information about the fishing

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boats and what happens on the fishing beach. I have been watching

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these... Sorry, I just need to. . Don't let me stop you. The sketching

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comes before the chat but hd told me he is using the beach for ideas for

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an exhibition guide that might appeal to children in particular. He

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is good at getting into the mind of a child. You move around but the

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basic thing that is happening is she is talking to him and you h`d to get

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the right sort of relationship between them. The BFG was one of his

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best loved creations. Less well`known, a series of images

:16:47.:16:50.

created for a maternity unit in France. He gave me a quick

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masterclass. The way they are looking around, the way thex put

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their hands in the pocket. The younger mind, the greater the

:16:59.:17:02.

opportunity. Lots of young people draw very well indeed and in some

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respects, it doesn't even m`tter if you draw well, it is like shnging or

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playing tennis, you want to do it, and they should not be discouraged.

:17:10.:17:16.

So ten minutes later, in thd Jerwood gallery itself, working out where

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his sketch guide might go. @s he modestly puts it, and lightweight

:17:23.:17:26.

drawing, his, to draw attention to someone else's work about. He has

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defined childhood, so to have somebody so iconic showing their

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view, their interpretation of the collection and bringing it to

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people's lives, making it rdlevant and meaningful, that is so dxciting.

:17:38.:17:43.

So there it is. A sketch th`t are barely a minute from an arthst who

:17:44.:17:47.

may be in his early 80s, but has a colourful summer ahead.

:17:48.:17:51.

may be in his early 80s, but has The dates haven't been finalised, so

:17:52.:17:55.

Quentin Blake was there to organise that, but they are promising drawing

:17:56.:18:00.

events and activities and if you don't think it will cut it with your

:18:01.:18:04.

kids, tell them there will be a drawing cafe. Plenty of ice cream

:18:05.:18:07.

and cakes for them to keep them amused.

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I am sure they will be queuding around the block.

:18:10.:18:16.

You might know him best as the movie idol who played Jesus of Nazareth.

:18:17.:18:21.

Or perhaps as mixed`up medic Mark Williams in Holby City.

:18:22.:18:25.

But tonight, Robert Powell hs on stage in Eastbourne, playing Agatha

:18:26.:18:27.

Christie's super`sleuth Hercule Poirot in the murder mysterx Black

:18:28.:18:32.

Coffee. Jane Witherspoon has been to meet him.

:18:33.:18:42.

Blessed are the pure in heart. Rejoice. As far as roles go, they

:18:43.:18:48.

don't go any bigger. It is the performance that got everybody

:18:49.:18:51.

talking about Robert Powell, including the director, Franco

:18:52.:18:55.

Zeffirelli. Franco wrote a book just after we had finished making it and

:18:56.:18:59.

he said, Robert, darling, I have written a book about the making of

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cheese is another is. I havd devoted two chapters entirely clear `` of

:19:05.:19:08.

Jesus of Nazareth. None of ht is true, but the truth is so boring.

:19:09.:19:17.

From the son of God to super`sleuth. He is currently on stage pl`ying

:19:18.:19:20.

Pyro, the role made famous on TV by David Suchet `` playing Poirot.

:19:21.:19:27.

After the curtain drops, Robert is finding his free time in off`season

:19:28.:19:31.

is born quite interesting. Ht is lovely, but it is like a ghost

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town, it really is. But it hs a lovely place, lovely, and the people

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are very nice. Pubs shut, this is the problem. They close at 01

:19:46.:19:49.

o'clock and we are not used to this. You want a lock in. We are looking

:19:50.:19:56.

for one. Hang on, Laos, I've got a great

:19:57.:20:04.

idea. His latest role gives him more lines than one of his earlidr jobs.

:20:05.:20:12.

The Italian one. We probablx had as much fun Asian people do making a

:20:13.:20:15.

movie when you have not got very lines. `` as young. "I can't go in

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the back, I will get a migr`ine was my only line. You still remdmber it.

:20:24.:20:28.

I remember my whole experience. And with 50 years in showbiz, that is a

:20:29.:20:38.

lot of memories. On to football, and Gillingham

:20:39.:20:41.

travel to Bradford tomorrow hoping for their third successive victory.

:20:42.:20:44.

The Gills are now eight points clear of the League One relegation zone

:20:45.:20:48.

and benefitting from the good form of 19`year`old Jake Hessenthaler,

:20:49.:20:50.

son of the club's former manager Andy, and the scorer of a stunning

:20:51.:20:54.

midweek goal against Coventry. He's just like his dad, he's a young pro,

:20:55.:20:57.

a good young pro, who does everything he can to be a vdry, very

:20:58.:21:01.

good player. And when you'vd got someone like that on board, when

:21:02.:21:04.

things like that happen, yot just couldn't be happier for him.

:21:05.:21:07.

Elsewhere in League One, Cr`wley Town are at home to Colchester. In

:21:08.:21:13.

the championship, Brighton `re away to Bolton Wanderers and Charton s

:21:14.:21:19.

new manager Jose Riga needs victory at Millwall to boost the Addicks'

:21:20.:21:21.

relegation fight. A bit of sea mist around but for

:21:22.:21:26.

most of us, the son has been shining and the flip`flops, shorts `nd ice

:21:27.:21:29.

creams are out in an abundance. It is easy to forget that a cotple of

:21:30.:21:32.

weeks ago, we were drowning in the relentless rain and wettest winter

:21:33.:21:37.

on record. Or indeed that this time last year, we were gripped by ice

:21:38.:21:40.

and snow and just getting around had become a real battle. Roz is in

:21:41.:21:49.

Dover. This spring sunshine, it is giving traders are really wdlcome

:21:50.:21:53.

boost, isn't it? It is. Cafd and shop owners along the seafront are

:21:54.:21:57.

delighted because more people flocked to the seaside when the

:21:58.:22:00.

weather is good, as it has been today. In fact, one restaur`nt owner

:22:01.:22:05.

just up the coast told us that her custom has doubled in today's

:22:06.:22:11.

sunshine. Enjoying the warmth of the spring

:22:12.:22:13.

sun, it is just what seafront business is `` need. People can read

:22:14.:22:21.

more in the sunshine. Yesterday it was really cold, I didn't h`ve much

:22:22.:22:25.

custom. Today, the weather hs better and it is double the customdr. I

:22:26.:22:30.

think the town will benefit from the good weather, yes. This timd last

:22:31.:22:36.

March, we had snow. Motorists were stuck on impassable roads in Kent

:22:37.:22:39.

and Sussex and even the beaches were wide, though some people just know

:22:40.:22:45.

how to find fun. What a difference this year, no wonder everyone is

:22:46.:22:50.

smiling. Ice cream, blue skx, my son. It is beautiful. Is it going to

:22:51.:22:56.

stay? We have just taken thd sandbanks away from the back door,

:22:57.:22:59.

it is a good day, hence we `re celebrating. Sandbags, a colmon

:23:00.:23:04.

sight during the most widespread flooding in decades. Incess`nt rain,

:23:05.:23:08.

tidal surge is an homes and livelihoods ruined. In Decelber the

:23:09.:23:12.

secret gardens in Sandwich were submerged. The owner feared his

:23:13.:23:16.

plans would all die. He has been on tenterhooks waiting for sprhng. The

:23:17.:23:20.

worms have been reappearing in places we didn't think they would,

:23:21.:23:24.

the bulbs are popping up, the roses are starting to bite. It is a

:23:25.:23:28.

tremendous joy for us, having been so terrified for the last three

:23:29.:23:34.

months, since the floods, and we were convinced it would all just

:23:35.:23:36.

completely shrivel up and disintegrate. From the garddns of

:23:37.:23:45.

sandwich to the Ashdown Fordst. Indeed, anywhere the sunshine is,

:23:46.:23:48.

there is relief, smiles and spirits lifted.

:23:49.:23:53.

Everyone we have spoken to today has been followed the joys of spring and

:23:54.:23:57.

glad that that long wet winter is well and truly behind us. Spring is

:23:58.:24:04.

definitely in the air. Full of the joys of spring.

:24:05.:24:11.

They will soon get fed up of it And it gives us something to talk

:24:12.:24:14.

about, the weather. It will turn dull and wet and windy

:24:15.:24:19.

next week but we have a lovdly weekend first. As you have been

:24:20.:24:22.

hearing, we are expecting lots of sunshine over the weekend. We have

:24:23.:24:26.

an area of high pressure to the west of us and we will see those winds

:24:27.:24:30.

pick up and that means we whll not see as much mist and fog as we have

:24:31.:24:34.

been seen recently. We will be staying dry, plenty of warm sunshine

:24:35.:24:38.

around and we could see temperatures in the top teams. Earlier, some

:24:39.:24:42.

dense fog as we started the day but by the afternoon, a much brhghter

:24:43.:24:47.

picture and those winds are staying pretty light from a westerlx

:24:48.:24:51.

direction with temperatures reaching around 14 or 15 degrees, a really

:24:52.:24:55.

warm and pleasant afternoon. As we go into tonight, the wind starts to

:24:56.:24:59.

pick up so we don't see as luch mist and fog as last night, stayhng dry

:25:00.:25:04.

and actually still quite mild night, temperatures only dropping to around

:25:05.:25:08.

five or six degrees. Just a bit more cloud cover as we start tomorrow and

:25:09.:25:12.

any mist or fog is soon burning back and by the afternoon, high pressure

:25:13.:25:16.

building a little bit, lots of sunshine around, temperaturds

:25:17.:25:21.

possibly reaching 16 or 17 degrees, and the best of all bad sunshine,

:25:22.:25:28.

temperatures 15. The wind qtite breezy from a north`westerlx

:25:29.:25:32.

direction and staying with ts as we go into Sunday. So not parthcularly

:25:33.:25:36.

misty or foggy, temperatures pretty mild and only dropping to around

:25:37.:25:41.

seven or eight degrees. Verx mild as we start Sunday, if anything a

:25:42.:25:44.

little more sunshine around. High`pressure stays with us, those

:25:45.:25:49.

temperatures potentially cotld reach highs of 16 or 17 degrees. The wind,

:25:50.:25:54.

as we go over into Monday, pretty blustery, mostly staying drx but

:25:55.:25:58.

more cloud cover around. St`ying driver Tuesday but wet and windy as

:25:59.:26:02.

we head through the week. Btt before we get there, over the weekdnd,

:26:03.:26:06.

temperatures reaching back to delete really warm, make the most of it.

:26:07.:26:11.

Now back to tonight's top story really warm, make the most of it.

:26:12.:26:14.

Now back to Controversial proposals to open a cannabis cafe in Kent will

:26:15.:26:18.

be discussed tomorrow at a public meeting. Thanet Green Party

:26:19.:26:21.

Councillor Ian Driver `who `dmits he's taken cannabis himself `has put

:26:22.:26:24.

forward the idea as part of his campaign for a relaxation of the

:26:25.:26:26.

drugs laws. Earlier, we asked for your views and

:26:27.:26:31.

we have had lots of them, thanks to your comments. Most people `re

:26:32.:26:34.

against. Leo Rogers is in f`vour and says I don't know why peopld are so

:26:35.:26:37.

scared of cannabis being legalised. Most drugs are legal and easy to buy

:26:38.:26:42.

anywhere. No one talks about criminalising chocolate, alcohol or

:26:43.:26:46.

tobacco. I think he is in the minority. Cafe

:26:47.:26:50.

from Saint Leonard says she totally disagrees with people taking drugs

:26:51.:26:56.

and only drug users are in denial. I would be devastated if it w`s

:26:57.:26:58.

brought to my town, enough hdiots are walking around as it is.

:26:59.:27:04.

This one agrees, saying thex should not open a cafe, it is an illegal

:27:05.:27:07.

drug that can harm your health and kill you. And how much would it

:27:08.:27:12.

charge? This answers the councillor who has

:27:13.:27:15.

taken the substances should stand down and the position of

:27:16.:27:19.

responsibility such as this, it represents a lack of moral standards

:27:20.:27:23.

and is a bad example for yotngsters in the community.

:27:24.:27:26.

This one says we are trying to discourage normal smoking bdcause of

:27:27.:27:30.

health risks so why should we encourage the smoking of wh`t he

:27:31.:27:35.

calls wacky baccy? And you can always join in on a

:27:36.:27:39.

Facebook page. That is at the moment.

:27:40.:27:41.

Rebecca Williams will be here with the late news.

:27:42.:27:42.

Enjoy the weekend.

:27:43.:27:44.

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