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New Kentish apple named The Kentish Kiss by Jacqui Lalley in competition at Tesco Extra Gillingham

A shopper has named a new Kentish apple – and it comes with love.

Jacqui Lalley won a competition to label the fruit, which is grown in the county and will be exclusively stocked in Tesco stores next year, and called it The Kentish Kiss.

Tesco and Avalon Produce Ltd, who provide the supermarket giant with more than 20 varieties of apples and pears, organised the competition.

Winner of the Name the Apple Competition, Jacqui Lalley (centre), with Michael Joyles from Avalon Produce (left) and John Worth, Tesco Apple buyer (right).
Winner of the Name the Apple Competition, Jacqui Lalley (centre), with Michael Joyles from Avalon Produce (left) and John Worth, Tesco Apple buyer (right).

The new name was chosen from hundreds of entries by John Worth, from Tesco, and Michael Joyles, from Avalon. Lucky Ms Lalley won herself an Apple watch and was presented with her prize at The Tesco Extra store in Gillingham.

Mr Worth said: “I would like to congratulate Jacqui on her win which, I’m sure, is a great honour. I hope she is looking forward to seeing the Kentish Kiss in stores as much as we are.

Mr Joyles added: “We are absolutely delighted with the name Kentish Kiss, which is perfect for the new apple variety. We hope Jacqui enjoys her new watch and would like to thank her for her creative entry.”

As the new name was unveiled, four community groups were also given a share of £2,000 as part of the store’s Helping Hands initiative. Shoppers were asked to nominate their favourite groups.

The final four chosen were the Gillingham Scouts, the Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Trust, 25 Parkwood Squadron Air Training Corps and Hospital Radio Medway.

The Gillingham District Scouts provides Scouting to around 800 young people across Gillingham, Brompton, Twydall, Rainham, Parkwood, Wigmore and Hempstead.

Delighted district chairman David Ainsley said: “The money will be used to organise a community event to publicise 100 years of Cub Scouting. We hope to contact as many ex-Cubs and Leaders as we can find and invite them to a reunion.”

The Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Trust, which is based at Medway Maritime Hospital, was also grateful for the cash.

The Gillingham Scouts, Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Trust, 25 Parkwood Squadron Air Training Corps and Hospital Radio Medway, were all given £500 by Tesco.
The Gillingham Scouts, Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Trust, 25 Parkwood Squadron Air Training Corps and Hospital Radio Medway, were all given £500 by Tesco.

Matron Louise Proffitt said: “It will be used to purchase medical equipment to care for the sick and premature babies we look after.”

Store manager Mr Peeling said: “We ran the Helping Hand competition as we wanted to give people the opportunity to decide how and who we should support in the local community.

“The response has been fantastic and it was very hard to decide who would receive a donation.”

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