insideKENT Magazine Issue 71 - February 2018 | Page 130

NEWS D.W. NYE LAUNCHES ‘PROUD TO BE LOCAL’ CAMPAIGN Kingsfold builders merchant, D.W. Nye has launched its ‘Proud to be Local’ campaign, which will give away £500 each to four community groups and good causes in the area during 2018. D.W. Nye are calling out to residents to nominate local groups and charitable endeavours they would like to see benefit from the first £500 of funding. The winner will be announced this month and there will be three further opportunities for residents to make nominations at later dates. D.W. Nye managing director, Rex Nye, said: “We are proud to be a builders merchant that has been at the heart of the community for over 30 years. We wanted to celebrate our commitment to our roots with our ‘Proud to be Local’ campaign by supporting those around us that help to make the area such a great place to live and work.” All suggestions are welcome. To make a nomination, simply email details of the cause and how the £500 would be used to [email protected]. Nominations should be submitted by midnight on Sunday 4th February 2018 and the successful recipient of the first £500 will be notified by Monday 12th February 2018. CRIPPS APPOINTS JOHN DEMBITZ AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Tunbridge Wells law firm, Cripps, has announced that John Dembitz has been appointed to its board as a non-executive director. John has more than 45 years’ experience, which has included various positions at FTSE 100 companies, global management consultants McKinsey, as well as entrepreneurial ventures. With a portfolio of chairmanships and independent directorships spanning 20 years, John is currently chairman of Lee Baron Group, EAC Management and Winmark Global. He also holds non-executive director positions at Venquis and the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association, as well as support to a care home. In addition, he continues to undertake a number of consultancy assignments. Clare Hyland, senior partner at Cripps, commented: “We are delighted to welcome John to the Cripps Board. Over the last few years we have focused on client service and innovation, and we plan to continue to develop this. John’s expertise and knowledge, across a range of industries, will provide us with valuable independent insight to assist us with this mission.” John Dembitz KENT IS TOP CHOICE FOR LONDON LEAVERS The trend to quit London has become widespread in recent years, with an increasing number of buyers leaving over-priced homes in the capital to get more for their money on the home county commuter belt. Without regulated landlords, or a fair ratio between house prices and annual incomes for London workers, it comes as no surprise that more people are packing up and turning their back on the city. According to research by Hamptons International, almost 94,500 people made the move out of the capital to the countryside over the past year – the highest number since 2007. Managing director of Millwood Designer Homes, John Elliott believes it will be a long time before the London market returns to stability, creating a clear division between the London market and the wider South East, which continues to perform well in contrast. A common theme among the leavers’ destinations is higher quality and better value homes. In Kent, Millwood’s heartland, the market remains fairly steady and continues to attract further leavers from London, and Canterbury, Dartford and Sevenoaks are reportedly amongst the most popular hotspot destinations for ‘escaping Londoners’ who have grown tired of swollen property prices. John Elliot 130