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One of the key figures in the successful fight to oppose a huge international freight terminal being built at Hollingbourne has died.
Brian Clifford was heavily involved in the Say No to KIG campaign, which after three years eventually celebrated victory when in August 2010, a Government planning inspector rejected plans for the Kent International Gateway scheme.
But Mr Clifford's involvement in the community started a long time before KIG came to the fore, and he continued to take part in many campaigns afterwards.
For many decades he was a member of the Territorial Army, retiring as a Major in 1968. He was a Rotarian - he was a past president of Maidstone Rotary, an active member of the church and a trustee of the Red Hill Trust. He was a member of the Maidstone Club and also of the Faversham and Mid Kent Conservative Association, and he was a regular volunteer at the Maidstone Winter Shelter.
Friends regarded one of his great strengths as his ability to motivate people.
In 2005 Mr Clifford became involved in the Bearsted and Thurnham Society at a time when it was on the verge of disbanding. He took over as chairman that year and together with David Cockerham, newly elected as vice chairman, swiftly revitalised the society, increasing membership from 114 to 1156 in just a few months.
This placed the society on a firm footing when the Kent International Gateway proposal hit the community - described at the time as "the greatest threat to Bearsted since the Second World War."
Mr Clifford then became very active in StopKIG, the umbrella organisation for the many groups, councils and even MPs, who combined their efforts to oppose the scheme.
Mr Clifford of St Faith's Lane, Bearsted, visited the Midlands to take photographs of multiple distribution centres at motorway junctions to demonstrate the impact on the community. He put up a large number of posters and presented the case on ‘Harm to the Community’ during the lengthy planning inquiry that took place in 2009.
He remained a society committee member until 2014.
The society's current secretary Mary Richards said: "Brian was a very special person: he was simply the kindest man, and someone more generous with his time would be difficult to find.
"Nothing was ever too much trouble for him.
"Together with others he would scrutinise every planning application in Bearsted and Thurnham and, when appropriate, he would attend both parish council and Maidstone Borough Council meetings, speaking on behalf of either individuals or the whole community. He would arrange our stall, including a tombola, at the Bearsted and Thurnham Fayre."
For many years he chaired the committee which assessed submissions to Bearsted Parish Council for the Alfred Mynn awards, honouring prominent members in the community. But in 2009 he was surprised to receive an Alfred Mynn award himself.
Mrs Richards said: "His life continued to involve many acts of kindness right up until his recent admission to hospital and he will be sorely missed."
Mr Clifford spent his working career in the family firm, James Clifford & Son Limited, which included Clifford Carpets in Hart Street, where he worked for over 50 years with the majority as managing director.
The company, founded in 1747, was Maidstone's oldest independent business until its sale to the Headlam Group in 2000.
His son Andrew Clifford said: "Dad was someone who loved his time in the Bearsted and Thurnham community. He immersed himself wholeheartedly in many community and charitable activities having such a positive impact on so many lives and he will be sadly missed, as is demonstrated by the large number of letters and cards which have been received. However, he always stated that his number one priority was his family and he will leave a huge hole in all our lives."
He died on Thursday after a short illness.
He leaves his wife Jill, children Andrew, Susan and Nicola, and three grandchildren.
The funeral service will be at Holy Cross Church in Bearsted on Wednesday, July 17, at 11am and then afterwards at the Invicta Suite at the Hilton Hotel.
His family ask for donations in lieu of flowers to Maidstone Churches Winter Shelter. Click here for details.
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