Bexley Life August/September 2021

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Optimistic as we head towards Autumn?

Welcome to the August/September 2021 edition of Bexley Life Magazine the bi-monthly lifestyle magazine for Bexley Borough and the surrounding areas.

With local business now hopefully being thrown a lifeline and all of us around the Borough still trying to keep our lives as normal as possible, just what is going on around the area and what should we all look forward to doing as we head towards Autumn?

Bexley Life is still reflecting everything that is happening and the effects that all of our ‘adapting’ is still having LARGE STOCKS Bexley FOR FAST, FRE on local businesses, events and residents.

E SA VE 30 DELIVER Y % Inside you will find stories and articles for the season, many of the type you’d expect to see and others representing the differences in the current climate.

So, we would like to welcome you to this edition of Bexley Life and hope we all stay safe and healthy.

If you have any news, reviews, product launches or absolutely anything else of interest across the local market, please email it through to me at info@bljournals.plus.com for future consideration in our forthcoming issues.

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EDITORIAL

A special event for ‘The Lesnes Hundred’

CAR CHARGING POINTS

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Recently there was a special launch event at Lesnes Abbey Woods to mark the unveiling of the ‘The Lesnes Hundred’ a new audio trail.

The Lesnes Hundred is a piece of art by Eric MacLennan, that celebrates one hundred ordinary people who have done good things without seeking recognition and who now have a tree in the woods named after them.

The people who gave the names to the one hundred trees were interviewed by the artist earlier this year following a call out on social media and via posters around the site.

They joined the event at Lesnes Abbey Wood in groups of 25 to celebrate the new work and see their named trees before enjoying a cupcake at the Chestnuts Kiosk. The main criteria used to name each tree was that it should be an unsung person from the community The Lesnes Hundred map accompanies the trees. The map shows where each named tree is and details of the name. It also uses ‘What3Words’ to provide the exact location of the trees once you download the What3Words app.

The trail of The Lesnes Hundred was first opened to the public back in June as part of The Estuary Festival.

The Lesnes Hundred title relates to the ancient name of the area that included Lesnes Abbey Woods, which was known L and in the 1100s as The Hundred of Little Lesnes. A hundred is term used to describe a division of land that was used around a thousand years ago in England.

Lesnes Abbey Woods has a packed programme over the summer, including the Global Village Festival and the Lesnes Abbey Proms. On top of that there is the regular farmers market that happens every second Sunday of the month and lots of summer holiday family fun. Lesnes Abbey now attracts over 700,000 visitors a year.

Find out more at: www.lesnesabbeywoods.org For more information on the The Lesnes Hundred and artist in resident at Lesnes Abbey Woods visit: www.ericmaclennan.com/the-lesnes-hundred

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Arthur Peaches Editor Tel 01322 352648 Email: info@bljournals.plus.com

SALES & PROMOTIONS David Peters Publisher Tel 01322 352648 Email: info@bljournals.plus.com Dennis Smith Advertisement Manager Tel 01322 352648 Email info@bljournals.plus.com

PUBLISHING COMPANY BL Journals, 3 Biddenden Way, Istead Rise, Gravesend, Kent DA13 9DE Tel 01322 352648 Email info@bljournals.plus.com @bexleylife Although every effort is made assure the accuracy of the content of this magazine, Bexley Life and it’s Publishers can accept no responsibility for such.

All contents of the publication are copyright and remain the sole property of the publishing company.

BL JOURNALS

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Extra job centre support in Bexleyheath

Job Centre is now able to provide its support and services to even more residents thanks to its new temporary branch which opened last month in the former Argos unit on Bexleyheath Broadway.

Job Centre has recruited additional experienced work coaches to help its customers from the new site. All Job Centre work coaches can provide help to customers face-to-face, on the phone or online depending on the latest national and local COVID-19 guidance.

Councillor Cafer Munur, Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Growth, said: “The pandemic has brought about financial hardship for many families across the country. The Department for Work and Pensions has identified a need for extra support in Bexley and I’m glad to see it has taken action to bring more of its services to our residents. Having this additional resource central in the borough means that more local people can get help should they have any financial or employment worries.”

The Department for Work and Pensions has said it anticipates further increases in demand for its services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dave Keogh, South London Service Leader, Department for Work and Pensions, said: “Due to the economic impact of the pandemic, it is vitally important that the Department helps support both new and existing customers through these critical Work Coach roles. This will help ensure that our millions of customers receive the payments and help that they need and to ensure that we continue to support often the most vulnerable members of society.”

The existing Job Centre at Westminster House, 186-194 Broadway, Bexleyheath DA6 7BB and its services will continue to operate as normal. It works in close partnership with the Council’s employment team based at Atrium Court, 104 Erith High Street DA8 1SL to deliver a variety of employment support projects to Bexley residents, including helping them back into work or seek new opportunities. www.gov.uk/coronavirus/worker-support www.jobcentreplusoffices.com

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Anthony Martin Estate Agents Sponsor Wings

Anthony Martin and Welling United Football Club were recently pleased to announce the club sponsorship for coming the 2021/22 Football season.

Welling United F.C is a massive part of the Bexley community and Anthony Martin Estate Agents are pleased to get behind what will be the most exciting of seasons for the club.

Many of the team members at Anthony Martin are Wings supporters and this sponsorship allows Anthony Martin Estate Agents to get behind this most incredible of local teams which will hopefully be fighting for promotion.

Mark Goldberg went on to say “It is great news that Anthony Martin Estate Agents have put themselves forward as the main sponsor for the season ahead.

Sponsorship will greatly assist Welling United F.C to compete this year in very difficult circumstances while we continue to pursue the club’s plans for new facilities to ensure a sustainable future for the club and to ultimately climb the leagues as part of a joint effort”.

Welling United F.C is currently building the squad so it can move forward with its aspirations. This sponsorship will help secure a bright future for the club.

Anthony Martin, CEO of the Estate Agency chain that bears his name explains: “The whole team is super excited about the prospects for Welling United F.C for the 12 months ahead.

We are fortunate to all be Welling United fans and we are positive about the season ahead. Let’s hope the team will deliver some fantastic football and great results’’.

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Bexley Business & Employment (BBE) open and ready to help!

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The Council’s business and employment services have changed their name to Bexley Business & Employment (BBE) to capture the team’s wider responsibilities and raise their profile among residents, businesses and partners.

The services formerly offered by ‘Bexley for Business’ will be part of the new BBE service.

Following success in securing funding to continue to support Bexley’s residents, the Atrium Court building in Erith is back in use, welcoming anyone looking for support to find employment and training. This will soon be followed by the re-opening of a unit in the Riverside Centre at High Street, Erith.

BBE are also working in partnership with the Engine House Bexley to deliver support to businesses.

Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, Cllr Cafer Munur said: “Joining these areas together makes perfect sense. Working together they can have a greater focus on supporting our residents to get back into work, training and development opportunities. They will also work on encouraging new businesses into Bexley, supporting existing business to grow and recover from Covid-19, providing new jobs and increased investment in the borough.”

The services BBE offer will include support to local businesses, working with partners and employers to provide training and employment opportunities, supporting businesses with a free vacancy service and encouraging new businesses to settle in the borough.

A new website is due to launch later this year where you will be able to find out more information about the services offered.

If you are a resident who needs support into work or a business looking for premises or staff please get in touch on 020 3045 3800 or by emailing contactus@bexleybe.co.uk The new BBE sites will be: Atrium Court, Erith, DA8 1SL - open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Riverside Centre, High Street Erith, DA8 1RG - due to open later this year 2 Veridion Way, Erith DA18 4AL - keep an eye on the new website for updates at this site.

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When did you realise your company website isn’t your property?

During COVID-19 most businesses have relied on their company websites to keep trading, but did you know if you bought your website through companies like GoDaddy or Wix you don’t really own your website? It is not part of your company assets despite it being your primary sales source.

Websites sold through companies like these allow businesses to effectively rent space on the internet. At Media in a Box we think you and your business deserves a better solution that ultimately sees you completely owning your own company website, it’s called Small Business Booster. As part of the launch of this exciting new product one small to medium sized company could win a 10page SEO optimised website for their business.

Media in a Box will professionally register, design and SEO optimise your website to meet your exacting requirements and once complete hand it over to you, although we can continue to support your website if you wish. The Small Business Booster is inexpensive as websites start from £46 + VAT each month and we offer a huge range of templates to suit all sorts of businesses with 5, 10, or 20-page sites. Our experienced team of web designers will tailor your site to achieve maximum impact and effectiveness in reaching your target customers. Media in a Box offers round the clock support and affordable digital marketing packages specifically designed for the needs of small to medium size enterprises.

Owning and not just leasing a website is key to your company’s continued growth and success. Having your primary source of income as a company asset means you control how it is configured for Search Engine Optimisation.

To support your business further Small Business Booster also offers a range of digital marketing packages designed specifically for the needs of small businesses. These packages offer a range of SEO, paid search and social media marketing to ensure you maximise the return on investment from your website.

If you’d like to know more about Small Business Booster or Media in a Box go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/smallbusinessboosteruk or our website address at www.smallbusinessbooster.co.uk And remember to register for your chance to win and own a 10-page new website. Simply email us at support@smallbusinessbooster.co.uk with your business and contact details.

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State of the art Bike Park

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A brand-new BMX bike park at Martens Grove Park, which has been used around 375 times a day since it opened for private sessions back in March, was officially opened to the public last month

At the launch residents enjoyed a morning of inclusive cycling activities, such as BMX taster sessions for those with additional support needs, women and girls, and all ability riders.

The sessions, put on by Access Sport, were aimed at those who do not have their own bikes. Those who use equipment that supports their mobility such as wheelchairs or trikes were also encouraged to bring these along and to try them at the park.

Bexley’s Cabinet Member for Places, Councillor Peter Craske, said: “Our new Bike Park has already proved to be a very popular place for all ages and abilities. After spending so much time indoors this past year, it’s been great to see young people outside, keeping fit and having the opportunity to practice BMX, WCMX, skateboarding, roller skating and more. Counters in place show that so far, the park has been used around 375 times a day since its gate opened for private sessions at the end of March!”

Built by specialists Velosolutions, the bike park is designed to offer something for everyone, from beginners to those with experience. The park includes a pump track consisting of a circuit of rollers, banked turns (berms) and more. There’s also a learn to ride area and a skills area with practice jumps, a berm and a portable start-gate system to practice BMX racing.

The park is free to visit and is also home to the brand-new volunteer-led Bexley Bike Club, which provides the equipment needed to run regular private, school and group sessions. The ball court at Martens Grove Park can still be used.

London Borough of Bexley worked with Access Sport to secure funding for Bexley Bike Park from the ‘Places to Ride’ programme (delivered in partnership by British Cycling, Sport England and DCMS), London Marathon Charitable Trust and HSBC. Sarah Toone, Delivery Development Manager from Access Sport, said: “We are delighted to welcome this new facility to Bexley.

The track and training areas look amazing and are a joy to use. We hope that this exciting space will inspire local people to get on bikes, skateboards and other people powered wheels and get active and creative, particularly after recent restrictions.

It is a great asset for the local community. The track will also be an inspiring place to learn to ride or increase cycling confidence with the potential to benefit all.”

Andy Farr, Head of Facility & Investment Strategy at British Cycling, added: “Bexley Bike Hub is a great example of how cycling can develop a community, so we are pleased to support the efforts to construct the facility through Places to Ride. We are well into an exciting few years for the Places to Ride fund and the lasting legacy the UCI Road World Championships will bring to the country and have no doubt that this cash boost will encourage more people from a range of backgrounds - regardless of age, gender, ability or ethnicity - to engage with cycling.”

Joe Thompson, Facilities Grants Lead at The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: “Providing opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to be physically active, contributing to their physical and mental wellbeing, has never been so important. This fantastic new track in Bexley and the planned outreach sessions will enable more people to participate in cycling and other activities at the track, helping to inspire activity within the local community.”

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The Rollin' Stoned at

The Beaverwood

Thursday 26th August, 19:30 – 23:00

Get Stoned on two hours of nostalgia as the Rollin Stoned play the best of 1964-1969:- Jumping Jack Flash, Brown Sugar, Paint It Black, Not Fade Away, Get Off My Cloud, It’s All Over Now, Under My Thumb, Mothers Little Helper, Ruby Tuesday, You Can’t Always Get What you Want’, Two Thousand Light Years From Home, Let’s Spend The Night Together, Street Fighting Man, Satisfaction and those eclectic classics you almost forgot about.

For those of you who witnessed the Stones with Brian Jones in their hey-day (and if you recall it you probably weren’t there), this is a chance to revisit lost youth. For the rest, now is the chance to see what the fuss was all about. ‘…ya just can’t lick em’. Tickets are £15 www.thebeaverwood.com

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Adam Karim, Cassandra Hercules and Reice Weathers in rehearsal for Pinocchio.

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Family first at Greenwich Theatre

by James Haddrell, Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre.

With restrictions finally lifted we are now approaching the opening of our first ever family summer rep season - the first time we have ever brought together a cast to perform two completely different productions on alternate days through the summer.

Cassandra Hercules, Serin Ibrahim and Anthony Spargo in rehearsal for Pinocchio.

The first of the two is our production of The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase, the show that we made for Christmas 2020 but had to put on hold because of the tier 4 restrictions. Then we planned to run the show at Easter but the subsequent lockdown stopped that. Now we can finally share the show with audiences - complete with a new set and a few special new moments in the show that wouldn’t have been possible during COVID. The show, adapted by Russ Tunney from Joan Aiken’s much-loved children’s adventure story, follows young cousins Bonnie and Sylvia (Alice DeWarrenne and Cassandra Hercules) as they battle against their horrible governess Miss Slighcarp (played by our regular panto villain Anthony Spargo) and her hapless henchman Mr Grimshaw (Serin Ibrahim). Complete with new music by David Haller, the show is full of songs, comedy and a few surprises as our intrepid cast battle to complete the show no matter what might go wrong.

The second show in the season is a new adaptation of Pinocchio by Anthony Clark. It’s a live action show with a central performance by Cassandra Hercules as Pinocchio, but we couldn’t

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present a production of this story without a little bit of puppetry so Grillo, the cricket, has been designed and made by Hattie Thomas from Smoking Apples Theatre Company and is operated

by Serin Ibrahim, and there are some additional puppets to help us tell our story.

In writing the show Anthony has gone right back to the original book, reinstating a lot of the period detail and the historical context that subsequent adaptations have glossed over. There are also dark moments that are often left out of new adaptations, but Anthony has a knack of speaking to children through his work without patronising them. This isn’t a scary adaptation, but it is a story where the stakes are very high in a number of ways. We have two fantastic villains in the shape of the cat (Reice Weathers) and the fox (Adam Karim), alongside a host of larger than life characters played by David Haller and the rest of the company. Thanks to astonishing costume design from Cleo Pettitt, Pinocchio’s world is like a carnival gone mad - and I think it’s exactly the kind of world that people need to visit after the last 18 months.

The season ahead is an exciting one for us, but I know that some audience members will still be cautious about returning to the theatre so soon. We have taken the decision to retain social distancing for audiences throughout the previews of both shows, and even after that we will be limiting capacity to make sure that people can spread out if they need to. We cannot wait to welcome people back to the theatre, but with enhanced cleaning remaining in place and mask wearing encouraged for all who want to, audiences can be confident not only of enjoying both shows but of seeing them safely in Greenwich this summer. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk

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David Haller and Anthony Spargo in rehearsal for Pinocchio

Serin Ibrahim in rehearsal for Pinocchio

Pinocchio and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase play at Greenwich Theatre from 5 August - 5 September.

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More great comedy evenings at Bexley Park Top-drawer comedy is still topping the agenda at Bexley Park over the next couple of months. Friday 27th August sees Dave Fulton as the headliner and Friday 24th September has Steve Gribbin topping the bill.

DAVE FULTON - COMEDIAN - ACTOR - SCREENWRITER Dave Fulton has a deceptively laid back stage manner that disguises a raw aggression. This is unmissable comedy from one of the most dynamic and innovative comedians on the comedy circuit. His mother would never have thought it possible from someone who holds a Masters in Music Composition.

You’ll have spotted Dave on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Steve Coogan’s Saxondale, the BBC series The Stand-up Show, and 5’s The Comedy Store series where he took the roof off the prestigious club with his highly inventive perspective on life. He’s also presented a feature for Newsnight on American culture.

“Whoever it was who decided that Americans don’t have any sense of irony, they forgot to tell Dave Fulton” - The Guide STEVE GRIBBIN is a diminutive guitar-wielding satirist from Liverpool, whose comedy songs and off the wall observations have made him one of the firm favourites of the comedy circuit.

Always expect a unique show, as Steve rips apart whatever topics are current and have been in the news that week.

As one half of Skint Video, they performed at many festivals throughout the early 1990s and also starred on countless television programmes such as Saturday Live. Their radio credits include The Mary Whitehouse Experience, and their own show Songlines on Radio One. Since branching out on his own, professional Scouser Steve has continued to keep his feet firmly in both camps. A great musician, his songs are exactly that, combining razor sharp lyrics with catchy tunes and devastatingly funny humour.

Steve has appeared at countless Comedy and Music Festivals, from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to Glastonbury and everywhere in-between including two full-length one-man shows at the Edinburgh Festival, Natural Born Kidder in 1995 and I’m Turning Into My Dad! in 1999.

“Satirical songs are hard to pull off successfully, but if anyone can do it, Steve Gribbin can.

In fact, he pulls it off with real aplomb.”- The Independent As always there’s a great supporting line up direct from the London Comedy Circuit. Book early as there is limited availability!

For more information visit www.houseofstandup.co.uk/dartford/ Show contains adult humour so be prepared for some naughty jokes and strong language.

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Hall Place

Farmers Market

On the first Sunday and third Saturday of every month, you can buy the best local produce at Hall Place.

The ever popular Farmers Market at Hall Place, Bexley is held on the first Sunday of each month and is open to the public between 10am and 2pm (approx). It is located in the Courtyard area outside the new Visitors Centre.

Assistance dogs are welcome to Hall Place, however, no other dogs are permitted in the house or garden. There is parking available nearby and the site is easily accessible for wheelchairs.

Some of the regular vendors at the market are: • Whitegates Farm – seasonal fruit/vegetables • Sweet Pea Bakery – Cakes • Bexley Brewery – locally brewed beers • Tony Cheese – lots of Cheese • The Proper Tea Company – loose tea and tea equipment • St Apple Hurst Roast – roasted coffee beans • My Farmers Market – jams, marmalades and chutneys • V J Game and Sussex Smokers – game and other smoked items • Gourmet Sausage Maker – sausages • The Olive Man – olives and baklava • R and D Plants – plants and hanging baskets • Mc Carthys – Artisan Bread • Botterells – fresh fish • Nuts 4 Honey – honey with a twist • Greenlake Woods – items from recycled materials www.hallplace.org.uk

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Bob Hope Theatre looking forward to entertaining again!

It’s been a long time coming after all kinds of problems and false starts – but theatres are finally beginning to reopen and at the Bob Hope Theatre we’ve been making sure that we’re ready to play our part.

by John Goodwin

Since having to close our doors in March 2020 we have long awaited the day when we can welcome our audiences back. In optimistically preparing our Autumn/Winter programme we continue to work hard alongside our in-house teams, visiting performers, licence holders and government guidance in order to bring you some exciting entertainment.

There have been impressive premises improvements, particularly to the auditorium layout and seating, but also much that won’t be immediately obvious including better backstage facilities and technical back-up.

This all provides a superb backdrop as we get back to our core business – working with our partner organisations to mount popular, high quality drama and music productions. The Bob Hope Theatre Actors’ Company have a fabulous new season in place including The Revlon Girl in October, and there are still some shows to be auditioned including our next fabulous pantomime from Kirsty Davide and her team; Dick Whittington.

Over the next month we look forward to announcing full details on all our productions (some of which you’ll find advertised in this magazine); one-night concerts including a Christmas Swingalong special with Shane Hampsheir, an Out of the Darkness concert from Bromley Players, Roan Theatre Company’s production of Arcadia and our visiting dance school concerts. All of this along with our usual social events, including our popular Coffee Mornings.

We also face the daunting task of rebuilding the volunteer workforce so vital to amateur theatre. This involves reconstructing the backstage teams who build the sets and ensure the smooth running of our shows together with the front of house teams who welcome our patrons on the night, providing refreshments, checking tickets and getting everyone seated in the right places.

Our early approaches to established volunteers have evoked a good response, but we always need more assistance. If you feel able to lend a hand, at times to suit your own circumstances, please get in touch with the office on 0208 850 3702 or email info@bobhopetheatre.co.uk.

Welcome back – and come and enjoy your own vibrant local theatre here in Eltham! www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

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Apex Lifts Bexleyheath take part in Lift Industry Cycling Challenge N E W S

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The UK Lift Industry Charity resulted from an informal group of ‘like minded’ people who wanted to provide assistance to industry colleagues, in times of trouble. The group started organising fundraising events, such as five-a-side football tournaments and golf days; it quickly became apparent that there were numerous other people who wanted to assist ‘industry colleagues’.

The group decided that a ‘formal’ Charity needed to be set up to comply with established Charity Regulations and the ‘UK Lift Industry Charity’ was officially registered in early 2007.

Since that time, the Charity has made donations in excess of £55,000 to individuals and the families of individuals who have been injured or sadly killed, whilst working in the Industry. This has only been possible with the help of donations, sponsorships and events like The Lift Industry Cycling Challenge.

So the UK Lift Industry Charity was set up to help the families of those people seriously or fatally injured whilst working on lifts, and has gone from strength to strength.

This year’s event took place on 10th & 11th July and Gary Poynter of Apex Lifts, Bexleyheath took part, he commented: “I have done many charity rides over the years (raising money for breast cancer, prostate cancer etc) but doing something for our industry was a welcome change. Having had a bad bout of Covid also with a short hospital stay last year, I needed to challenge myself to get my mojo back - and this was an ideal opportunity.”

The Challenge started at ILE Leicester, with an overnight stop near Wallingford and finishing up at the Dewhurst factory in London.

We can all help by donating at the following link: www.justgiving.com/team/LiftIndustryCharity250CyclingChallenge

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PICTURE ABOVE SHOWS: Gary Poynter, Construction Director, Apex Lifts in training

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