Sidcup Spotlight January 2023

SIDCUP Spotlight

CONTENTS

Welcome Hospitality

9 Events 10-12

ENQUIRIES

Sidcup Partners

I Elm Parade, Main Road, Sidcup DA14 5NF

Tel: 0208 302 4970 cheryl@sidcuppartners.co.uk https://sidcuppartners.co.uk

Media No. 2005

Published January 2023 © Benham Publishing

PUBLISHER

Ian Fletcher

Benham Publishing Limited

Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ

Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com

FEATURES

Karen Hall

Tel: 07801 788 880 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com

EDITOR

David Burrows

Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: david@benhampublishing.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chris Millett

Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: chris@benhampublishing.com

DISCLAIMER

I am writing this article with very mixed feelings as this will be the last time I will be contributing to the Sidcup Spotlight Magazine as I will be retiring in March 2023.

After starting my career with Marks and Spencer and then spending well over twenty years in managing town centres I have seen many changes .

Two decades is a long time in retail, and nowhere has felt the pace of change more than the local high street. Below are some of the key ways our high streets have changed since 1997.

The high street before coffee Coffee culture wasn’t a thing in 1997 – back then, a shopping stop meant a quick cuppa in the BHS cafe. London got its first Starbucks the following year.

It’s convenient

In 1997, we could choose between the local Spar or the corner shop. Today, there are mini supermarkets on every corner. Opinion is divided on their pros and cons – but they certainly attract customers to the high street.

Artisans and crafts

We also have independent shops selling local artisan produce, craft beers, fancy breads, hand-made chocolates – the list is endless.

Get away...

The presence of high street travel agents has fallen in the last couple of decades, with 76% of holidays now booked online. We miss those piles of glossy brochures.

Permanent changes

In 1997, tattoos were more likely to raise a (natural) eyebrow. Now, 29% of adults under 44 have tattoos and tattoo parlours are up 173% over the last decade.

It’s for charity

There are 10,500 charity shops in Britain and Ireland. Are we more charitable than we once were –or just having difficulties filling commercial units? The trend to re-use and recycle to protect our environment has also grown.

Wheres Woolworths?

Gaps have been left by once-indestructible giants: BHS, C&A, Dixons, Woolworths... Pick ‘n’ mix just isn’t the same from a supermarket.

Out-of-town shops

The out-of-town shopping centre was a novelty in the ‘90s. Now we travel to them without even thinking – and so have many high street clothing stores.

No more entertaining

With more affordable electrical goods, there’s little need for companies like Radio Rentals. Blockbuster tried to adapt but couldn’t compete with on-demand streaming.

Electrical impulse shopping

1997 saw the first MP3 player mass-produced in South Korea, while we admired the latest Discman in Comet. Comet closed its doors in 2012, and today electrical goods are rarely bought in town.

Phoning it in

20 years ago, we still used public payphones.

Mobile power

British consumers are set to spend £27 billion this year via m-commerce, moving custom away from traditional retail. However, every Cloud has a silver lining, and there are a lot of phone shops around.

Not processing

It was always so exciting to take your holiday snaps to be processed – and then digital took off. Photography chain Jessops went into administration in 2013 but, thanks to Dragon Peter Jones, is starting to reappear on our high streets.

Many residents fondly recall the way the high street was twenty years ago, However we can’t go back and need to adapt and embrace change and continue to support the local high street community. I feel very optimistic about the future for Sidcup as we see inward investment with the new cinema

Life after dark

As shops left, bars and restaurants moved in. This has been a positive change for the high street, which used to be tumbleweed central after six o’clock.

Closing time

However, the town public House has been a loser, with CAMRA claiming that British pubs are closing at a rate of 27 every week.

Take it away

Thanks

to food delivery services like Deliveroo, Hungry House and Just Eat, takeaway restaurants are up 45% since 1997.

A healthy economy

Contrarily, we’re also healthier, with high street health clubs and gyms popping up faster than we can run to them.

Stay beautiful

We also like to look good. In 2016, more beauty salons opened on the UK high street than any other type of business.

Paying up

Remember when some shops took only cash, or accepted cheques? These days, even antique shops have chip and PIN machines.

Odds in favour?

Want to bet on the next high street trend? Easy. Betting shops are on the up, with an increase of around 50% since 2004.

library and Marks and Spencer opening. In addition the Sidcup Partners will continue to work in partnership with local organisations and deliver some exciting events.

ENCOURAGING SIDCUP PEOPLE INTO THE FOLD

If you are looking for the ideal place for a relaxed drink in Sidcup, then maybe the recently opened bar, The Fold, is just the spot?

Joey Hosier, who owns and runs the bar, is pleased with the location in the heart of the High Street and believes it nicely compliments what is already available in the town.

“We wanted to create a bar that was trendy, friendly and relaxed– the ideal place to go for a drink before or after going to a restaurant or the new cinema that is opening in Sidcup or to catch up with friends over a cocktail on a Saturday night!”

As for the 700 square-foot location which is now The Fold’s home, Joey says it ticked all the boxes.

“It was the size we were looking for, plenty of room to host a capacity of 40-50 people. I think the High Street was missing something that offered a stylish but informal environment for a nice drink – and I think we have filled that gap!”

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS

While Joey has bags of experience in the industry, The Fold is the first fixed site he has established. He takes up the story: “We have been running a mobile bar business for a number of years – primarily at festivals and events across London and the South East which will run in tandem with The Fold”.

What was the thinking about opening The Fold now? “There was always the idea and intention to open a fixed site, it was a case of finding

the right venue which has taken some time” Joey explains. “I am from the Sidcup area so it made good sense to open in a town that I know really well and has a great community feel.”

The emphasis on ‘local’ applies to the drinks The Fold sells. The bar stocks a wide range of local beers, wines and spirits (in addition to brands that people know and recognise) and it also has an off-license allowing customers to purchase products they have enjoyed in the bar to take away.

The final local connection is in the name itself. The old English meaning of the word Sidcup is ‘fold on a hill’ hence The Fold.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Sidcup in 2023 is in a good shape, according to Joey. “There has been a positive transformation in the area, new flats being built, a new cinema, an M&S opening. There are good bars and restaurants – it is becoming destination to go out and all businesses in the area will benefit from that.”

However, during a cost-of-living crisis all those in the hospitality sector face difficult challenges. Joey recognises this and says next year is likely to be tough so the focus will need to be on finding ways to continue to attract customers through the door.

“In 2023, we will need to adapt and come up with some good ideas to promote The Fold and encourage customers to come in…and then come back again. For instance, quiz nights, taster sessions for local beer and spirit producers and cocktail masterclasses are all in the pipeline. We hope our customers enjoy the concept and I am confident locals will want to return to The Fold.” @thefoldsidcup

A NEW YEAR FOCUS ON NEW CAMPAIGNS

appreciated, especially on those late nights and weekends when we are still busy working to help people.

It is hard to believe that a year has now passed since local residents gave me the greatest honour in electing me as the first homegrown MP for our area. In that time, my small office team and I have sent over 25,000 emails and letters to help local people, alongside my many duties in Westminster and supporting excellent community initiatives every week.

Whilst my first year in parliament has been very challenging, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone again for all the messages of support, which really are

As we leave 2022, it is also a good time to reflect upon some highlights of what we achieved as a community in Sidcup. This includes two new post offices and a range of new businesses opening on the high street, new modern trains on the Sidcup Line, additional funding to help local schools including successful bids for new buildings and playgrounds, the patriotic Platinum Jubilee celebrations for the late HM The Queen, a Green Flag Award for the brilliant volunteers at the Sidcup Place Community Garden, the fantastic events organised by Sidcup Partners and other community groups throughout the year and the outpouring of heartfelt support from the Sidcup community for Ukraine. It was a real privilege to support many of these excellent community and charitable initiatives, and most recently to have been able to donate hundreds of books to local schools and also boxes of toys for St. John’s Ukrainian Orphanage Toy Appeal.

I know that Sidcup residents will also join me in welcoming the further investment at Queen Mary’s Hospital, including the two new operating theatres to help with NHS backlogs, and the openings of the Crisis Call Centre to help people with their mental health and “The James Brokenshire Conference Room” in honour of our late friend. After much

hard work, I am pleased that our bid for a new community diagnostics hub in Sidcup is now at an advanced stage within the NHS. If successful, this would be a multi-million-pound investment in our local hospital and would help patients access more health services in Sidcup.

As we enter the New Year, my focus continues to be on delivering for our area and supporting local people with cost of living pressures, which are predominantly being caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the global economic hangover from the pandemic. This includes working to deliver further investment and extra services at Queen Mary’s, continuing to encourage local GPs to deliver more face-to-face appointments, supporting funding bids for local schools and for investments in our high street, ensuring access to cash by lobbying the banks, campaigning for a reversal of Southeastern’s train timetable changes and fighting against the London Mayor’s ULEZ expansion to Bexley, which is opposed by thousands of local people because of the negative impact it will have on businesses, families and the likes of nurses and police officers working in Sidcup.

I will end this update by wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year, and if anyone requires assistance, please do get in touch. You can also keep up to date with my work via my regular newsletter by subscribing at www.louiefrench.org.uk

Most people who step into Indian Rose, the fashion and gift boutique located on Sidcup High Street, remember the experience.

As co-founder of Indian Rose, Jane Elsden explains it is often just as much about soaking up the mood inside the store as it is about actually making a purchase.

“Our customers frequently tell us they love to come to spend some time and soak up the mood, Its Ibiza meets Shoreditch…. exotic and slightly bohemian”

Jane and her business partner and co- founder Veronica have known each other since school – age 11 to be exact.

Jane’s background is in retail and estate agency – so she has been ‘selling’ in one form or other since her teens.

Veronica enjoyed a career in banking until joining her school friend in the Indian Rose venture. Their skill sets complement each other well and Jane is also keen to stress the superb effort of all the boutique’s staff.

“Our customer service is superb because of the fantastic team we have – five people, plus myself and Veronica.

A BOHEMIAN TOUCH FROM SIDCUP’S INDIAN ROSE

Most of them have been with us for a long period of time. They are a huge asset to the business”

POP-UP SHOP TO BOUTIQUE STORE

Indian Rose dates back almost 10 years. Initially the store was in Bexleyheath and was a pop-up shop.

The business really took off but when the chance came to move to Sidcup into more ‘permanent’ premises, Jane and Veronica didn’t hesitate.

The shop has been a popular and eyecatching attraction on the Sidcup High Street for six years now. “We try to make it a one-stop shop – for jewellery, dresses or gifts. It is a bit like a mini-department store,” Jane explains.

In fact, to mark its sixth year in Sidcup, Indian Rose organised an event at the store, with great giveaways and birthday offers. There was a great turnout and a superb community spirit as all the store’s regular customers joined in and enjoyed a glass of Prosecco on the house.

While Indian Rose does have an online business, the bulk of its sales comes over the counter at the store. “We would like to boost our online business, but our store is really about the experience of being here and browsing. Also, what you see on the website is only probably around one quarter of what we have to sell,” Jane explains.

The name Indian Rose came about because when the business was set up it offered a mixture of exotic

Indian/Moroccan crafted jewellery and clothes; alongside British made, more traditional fashion (that’s the ‘rose’ bit).

While Indian Rose does sell some big brand names in its boutique it also offers a wide selection of ‘unusual’ and carefully curated items from far afield.

Jane and Veronica are keen on seeing what is new and interesting at trade shows and are prepared to source suppliers abroad if they offer something exciting and different.

BROAD APPEAL

As for the ‘typical’ customer to come through the door, Jane believes the appeal of Indian Rose is pretty broad.

“In the past I would have said most of our customers would have been in the 35 and above age bracket but more recently as young couples have moved into the area, we are getting younger people interested in what we sell.”

And when it comes to affordability – the intention is to offer quality at a reasonable price. “You can find a gift for £10 or a dress for £150 – there is something on offer for all budgets,” Jane explains.

She adds: “We buy our clothes in small numbers so that customers appreciate a certain unique quality in what they buy.”

Given the store’s individuality and its knack of finding interesting sources for exotic fashions – and at good prices, Indian Rose looks set to go from strength to strength. Watch this space!

COMPANIES WASTE ON AVERAGE A THIRD OF THEIR PURCHASED ENERGY. WHAT CAN YOU

DO TO AVOID THIS?

you make a plan to reduce energy consumption. Do you leave your lights on all day and night? Do you still use halogen light bulbs instead of LEDs? Are your fridges and freezers on 24hours a day, even if you only need to cool liquids for evening events? Do you turn on any appliances first thing in the morning to use them at lunch time? Make a list and start talking to your colleagues, to decide what you can turn off and who can do it.

3. GET EXPERT ADVICE

With energy prices soaring and an ongoing sense of instability, companies are increasingly worried about keeping their energy bills down and staying afloat. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are especially vulnerable, with more than half worried about surviving the energy crisis, according to the Federation of Small Business. Equally, as businesses renew their energy contracts, they are being offered contracts that are between 200%-500% higher than existing contracts. The government Energy Bill Relief Scheme will end in April 2023,

so what can companies do to reduce energy consumption and plan for future price fluctuations?

Better Futures+ is helping London’s businesses understand their energy consumption and make plans to become more resilient with bespoke 1:1 support, energy crisis workshops and on-site energy audits. We delivered 10 on-site energy audits late last year, where an energy expert visited business sites and helped the owners identify practical steps they could take to better understand and reduce their energy bills.

Speak to an energy expert who can help you identify appliances and equipment that are wasting energy and calculate how much you can save. For example, switching a fridge off for 14hours a day, when not needed to cool drinks, could save you around 28kW a day, which, depending on your energy contract, is between £6-£18 per day. When added up, this represents £2,200£6,600 off your annual energy bills!

Better Futures+ has partnered with Bexley Council to help local businesses through the energy crisis. If you’d like to speak to an energy expert, please do get in touch: marta.martinez@westlondon.com.

1. UNDERSTAND YOUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION.

Check your gas and electricity bills, look into how much you spend each month and how much energy you consume. This will allow you to understand where your biggest demand is. For example, are you heating your office when no-one is there? A really easy way to do this

is to get a smart metre, if you don’t already have one.

2. WALK AROUND YOUR SITE AND CHECK YOUR APPLIANCES AND LIGHTS

– IT’S CALLED AN ENERGY AUDIT!

Simply walking around each room and looking at which appliances use energy and when, will help

It is FREE because we are funded by the Mayor of London to support SMEs in the city to become more sustainable and resilient to climate change.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACTIONS YOUR ORGANISATION CAN DO TO DECREASE ENERGY CONSUMPTION?

SAFER POLICING

Firstly, we hope you all had a very safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year. Sidcup Safer Neighbourhood Team have been busy focusing on anti-social behaviour on the ward and motor vehicle related crime over the last few months. We have been liaising closely with Bexley Council’s community safety team, Kent Police and BTP to try and resolve a problem with a particular group who have been regularly committing anti-social behaviour and various other crimes in the Sidcup & Bexley area.

Several youths have been either been arrested or invited in for voluntary interviews in relation to theft and criminal damage. Three of these youths have received community resolutions which is an agreement between the victim and the suspects to repair or pay for damage and stay away from the area. There

is still ongoing work surrounding three other youths for which we are working with the council to secure injunctions against them banning them from Sidcup and putting conditions on them to kerb their behaviour. Currently due to some of the youths being moved out of the area we have seen a dramatic decrease in the anti-social behaviour being reported to us.

In December the team worked with our colleagues from neighbouring wards, Kent Police and the motor vehicle crime unit on a 2 day police operation covering the Metropolitan and Kent Police borders targeting o enders committing cross border crime such as vehicle thefts and burglaries. Unfortunately on the first night a pursuit of a vehicle on false plates carrying a group out committing keyless car thefts ended in the suspect vehicle crashing in to

a house. The operation resulted in the arrest of 7 people (one of which was recalled to prison) 18 stop and searches, 4 community resolutions issued, 5 public space protection order fines issued, 1 vehicle seizure and 4 stolen cars being recovered.

Vehicle crime, particularly high value keyless car thefts, is still very prevalent. With the assistance of The Sidcup BID we have managed to secure funding for faraday pouches and catalytic converter marking kits. Throughout January and February, the team will be focusing on delivery of faraday pouches to as many addresses within Sidcup Ward as possible and we will be holding another catalytic converter marking event which have been very successful when held previously. Please keep an eye out on social media for event dates and information.

NEW STORYTELLER FOR SIDCUP

Along with the library and café, the new four-storey building is home to a new Changing Places toilet and nine residential flats.

The new three-screen cinema and an additional studio will open in the building in Spring 2023.

Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske said:

“For over a decade this site stood empty, unused, a blight on the high street.

We decided to grab the initiative and bought the site. With the Really Local Group, we are creating the new library, cinema and café that Sidcup deserves.

This has been a project which, like many things, began with an idea on a piece of paper and to see it turned into reality is amazing”.

Thank you to all our Council teams who have worked so hard on this project since its inception, and thanks to our library staff who have worked hard over recent weeks to move everything across from the old site and prepare the new site.

There are very few Councils opening any kind of new library but, here in Bexley, with this and the new site in Thamesmead, we are opening two new libraries.”

Cabinet Member for Growth, Cllr Cafer Munur said:

“This is great news for Sidcup High Street! It took some imagination and real guts to make it a reality - but we did it!

Former Councillor and Cabinet Member for Growth, Linda Bailey, who sadly past away earlier this year, had the idea for this building some years back. She could see the potential in the old Blockbuster site. This is a great legacy for Linda.

It’s also a real positive for the local economy that has had such a tough time

lately. The new building will bring many more people to Sidcup and I look forward to seeing the cinema open next year.”

Preston

Benson, Really Local Group Founder said:

“It has been fantastic to work with the Bexley Council team to bring Sidcup Storyteller to life. Really Local Group’s mission is to regenerate the UK’s high streets by providing hubs for local communities that put the heart back into town centres.

We have been able to achieve just this in Sidcup by transforming the disused Blockbuster shop into a venue fit for today’s world, where people can experience all types of stories - from films to books, special events and community gatherings.

We are excited to welcome Sidcup residents into the cafe and library, whilst we continue to complete work to bring you an amazing three screen cinema.”

Find out more about the Storyteller library, including events, membership information and opening times, at www.bexley.gov.uk /libraries-in-bexley

For more on the Storyteller café and cinema updates follow them on social media Instagram @sidcupstoryteller; Twitter @sidcupstorytller or Facebook Sidcup Storyteller.

The Council is in the process of disposing of the old Sidcup Library site at Hadlow Road to BexleyCo, the Council’s arms length development company. The building was well used for many years but had a failing heating system and damaged roof so had been decommissioned. BexleyCo have submitted a planning application which has been subject to all the usual consultation. Keep an eye on www.bexley.gov.uk/news for updates.

The new Sidcup Storyteller library and café opened its doors last month (16 December).

Past events

FESTIVAL TIME

What a success our Fringe Festival was again! Held in September in the beautiful setting of Lamorbey Park, it was wonderful to see local businesses and the community coming together to enjoy an entertaining day.

A Bedouin tent hosted the musical entertainment from local artists and visitors were free to browse stalls and sample the delicious food and drink on offer.

The feedback was excellent with local levy payers recognising an increase in footfall on the day, helped by the glorious weather.

Visitors’ response was that it was a well organised and engaging event. We worked with CC Events who helped to manage the stalls for the festival.

HALLOWEEN FUN

BUSINESSES GET WELL CONNECTED

For the first time Sidcup Partners hosted the Business Connect event to encourage networking between local companies. The event, held in the United Services Club’s renovated function room, gave our local businesses and levy payers the opportunity to showcase themselves. Some 17 businesses exhibited and over 100 visitors attended the evening

There were Q&A sessions as well as the opportunity to speed network, indeed the Business Connect format was very well received.

The evening ended with a raffle organised by Sidcup Partners, with lots of great prizes donated from local businesses.

We had a spook-tastic time at our Halloween trail and were pleased that nine of our shops participated. This popular event, in partnership with St John’s Church where the trail began, provided families and young people with the opportunity to enjoy the fun of Halloween in a safe way.

Arts and crafts were available in the church and a fancy dress competition was judged at the end of the evening

Parents were overwhelmed with generosity shown by local businesses.

CHRISTMAS CHEER

What a wonderful way to end the year with our Christmas event and the launch of our trail. The event day itself included a snow globe, a selection of activities located throughout our BID area and the chance to meet Father Christmas.

The trail was available from November until January. The Sidcup BID Team hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you a happy and peaceful 2023.

Follow us on social media and visit https://sidcuppartners.co.uk to see this year’s upcoming events.

SIDCUP’S MURAL AT NISBETT WALK

The Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society is working with Sidcup Partners to install a mural in Sidcup representing the town’s history. The location will be at Nisbett Walk, running between McDonalds in the High Street and Morrisons car park, a prominent place with a heavy footfall.

We are in the process of procuring an artist and once the details are finalised we will be in a position to start raising the necessary funds. Financial support from local businesses, organisations and individuals will be welcome in due course.

The mural is intended to be for all of us to celebrate Sidcup, to encourage interest in its past and have a positive effect on today’s street scene. It will complement the ‘Famous People’ lamp post banners that were created in partnership with Sidcup Partners in 2019, celebrating people who lived in Sidcup.

Sidcup in the 18th century was just a small street of houses along with The Black Horse inn. The surrounding area was rural, featuring a few gentlemen’s houses.

It was the arrival of the railway in 1866 which brought about rapid house-building. Shops were then needed to serve the increasing number of residents, as well as churches, schools, sports clubs and a police station. A cinema opened in 1914 (it closed in 2000), and the high street flourished. Marlowe House has been a well-known landmark since it was built in 1966, and our newest building, Sidcup Storyhouse, is due to open soon.

Do you have any ideas about what should be included in the mural? What aspects of Sidcup’s history need to be recorded? What would you like to learn from the mural? What is important in the present day and should be recorded for future generations? You are welcome to share your ideas by e-mail (enquiries@lam-sid-lhs. co.uk), Facebook (Sidcup Past) or Twitter @SidcupPast.

Penny Duggan

Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society

ADVOCACY NOW - GIVING PEOPLE A VOICE IN

DIFFICULT TIMES

Advocacy Now’s café based on Sidcup Hill offers local people of all ages support and a safe place to meet.

In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, Advocacy Now, more than ever has a hugely important role to play, as CEO Gina Aston explains.

“At Advocacy Now we help local people by explaining all the options open to them on a particular issue. We do not tell them what to do but once they have chosen a particular course, we will fully support them.

For instance, we will help with debt consolidation, listening and understanding the issues they face and then if appropriate, bring in Step Change, a specialist debt charity, to progress things further.”

Advocacy Now’s staff and volunteers offer support with a range of issues such as care at home or in the community, choosing appropriate housing or problems with money and bills.

As Gina explains, a huge commitment of time and money has gone into creating the café space in Sidcup – but she believes it has been worth it as it gives the charity much greater visibility as well as a venue where people feel comfortable to engage and talk.

While the café is very much a welcoming and communal place,

visitors are able to arrange private and confidential meetings with one of the trained volunteers to discuss whatever problems they face – home visits are also offered if required.

In many instances referrals to Advocacy Now are from social services. Those referred could be victims of abuse and/or vulnerable individuals who have urgent needs but do not feel they always have a voice or understand how to get essential help.

“We help those who are digitally excluded – they don’t have the hardware at home to scan documents or fill forms in online” Gina says. “We can also help people apply for grants and benefits or consider way to reduce their council tax. A lot of people feel left out, and we make sure they have a voice and that their voice is heard when decisions are made about them. Too often individuals are kept out of the decision making process.”

VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDING

Gina has been with Advocacy Now for 14 years and has been involved in the voluntary sector since 2004, prior to that she worked with people with learning difficulties.

The seven-strong board of trustees at Advocacy Now includes those who have used the charity’s service

over the years. From their own experiences, they can help ensure any support delivered is exactly what is required.

Currently, there are 30-35 volunteers who give their time and expertise to the charity – it used to be more and Advocacy Now is always looking for new volunteers.

As for funding, that is an ongoing challenge, as it is for most charitable organisations. “We have always been pretty successful in attracting funds from sources like the National Lottery and the City Bridge Trust but Local Authority funding has largely evaporated for small organisations like ourselves.”

With regards to backing from local businesses, Gina says it is an area that they have not really tapped into as yet and is keen to develop ties in future.

“We have noticed how supportive the local Sidcup community has been. The local Labour Party has offered us free office space and a solicitor in the area has agreed to provide our clients with legal advice at a much-reduced fee rate.

Gina adds: “Attracting funding is always difficult which is why it is so important to increase our profile in the area and explain the positive results we are able to achieve”.

PILATES – HELPING MIND AND BODY INTO GOOD SHAPE

The awareness of mental and physical wellbeing is perhaps more in focus now than ever before.

In a post-Covid world, Kathy Innes, founder of Sidcup-based Back Your Body, believes Pilates and sports massage can help relieve the stresses and strains many of us endure.

“Covid affected people’s mental and physical health. People suffered from increased anxiety and stress during the pandemic and now with a more sedentary working life (from home) their physical health is a concern.”

Kathy runs Pilates courses both online and in-person and offers sports massage therapy from her studio in the Sidcup area.

She insists the benefits to mind and body are enormous – and often underappreciated

So, how did it all start for Kathy – has she always been in this industry? Far from it. She decided to leave her pressurised recruitment role in the City over 18 years ago now and she doesn’t regret it one bit. She initially trained as aerobics and fitness instructor and things moved on from there.

“So often, clients would speak to me before class expressing how they were limited in what they could do because of a long-standing injury or condition and how frustrating it was to them not to be able to do what they loved doing,” Kathy says.

With this in mind, in 2007 she embarked on what was to be a life-changing course, studying for a diploma in Pilates.

It proved a pivotal moment for Kathy in fully appreciating the huge benefits Pilates offers people of all ages and fitness levels. She derives enormous satisfaction seeing clients get out of pain, recover quickly from injuries and manage chronic conditions such as arthritis.

As another string to her bow, and because she wanted to further develop knowledge on how and why injuries were caused, Kathy studied for and gained a Level 5 BTEC in Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy.

PANDEMIC WOES

With a broad offering to local clients, Back Your Body was in fine fettle until Covid arrived. Kathy had to adapt and quickly when lockdown happened. She takes up the story: “A year prior to Covid I had moved into new premises at the Business Centre in Chislehurst but when the pandemic hit, I had no choice but to close things down and move out”.

Kathy was quick in setting up Pilates online for her clients and anyone else that wanted to benefit from the exercise regime not to mention the healthy (and safely remote) interaction with others.

“I still provide Pilates classes online but it is good to run these alongside inperson classes now. The split of my work post-Covid has changed – it is about 60% Pilates and 40% Sports massage; before it was the other way round”.

Back Your Body is now running at full speed and as Kathy explains, a Covid Bounce Back loan and a location rethink have reaped dividends.

“I used a Bounce Back Loan to pay

for the conversion of my garage into a Pilates studio. It is a lot cheaper than the rent I was paying for premises previously and it works really well for both me and my clients”.

She adds: “It is good to be busy again and I do my best to get the brand recognised locally. I could probably do more on social media but word of mouth recommendations and good online reviews have certainly helped get things back on track!”

Website: www.backyourbody.com, Contact: info@backyourbody.co.uk.