Bexley Life February-March 2020 by BL Journals

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Rising Star of Comedy Andrew Bird at Bexley Park

Friday 28th February See page 16

ISSUE 144

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Already it’s nearly Valentines... So how has the New Year treated you so far? Resolutions still intact, or have you succumbed like the rest of us? Welcome to the February/March issue of Bexley Life Magazine the bi-monthly lifestyle magazine for Bexley Borough and the surrounding areas. With 2020 now well underway, there is much to see and, of course, much shopping to be done Blazing Fires around the area. Bexley Inside this edition you will find local news, local SA SVEALE 30% interest items, eating out, gift ideas, entertaining Rising Star of Com edy and much more. Andrew Bird at Bexley Park So, we would like to welcome you to this edition of Bexley Life and wish a very happy Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones. Friday 28th If you have any news, reviews, product February 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. La Belle At Blazing Fires we offer an efficient and friendly service. We are willing to give helpful advice to our customer s. We have ten years years experienc e providing and installing fireplaces. 257 Eltham High St, Eltham SE91TY

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30th Anniversary

LIFE

up to

1989-2019

See Living our advert • Dining • Bedroom on 23 PICKFORD LANE

Editor

page • Occasion 3

BEXLEYHEATH DA7

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4RD

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See page 16

ISSUE 144

Arthur Peaches - Editor

FEBRUARY/MA RCH 2020

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

Old Park Farm SALES & development underway PROMOTIONS Local councillors took part in a short event at Old Farm Park Sidcup recently to mark the imminent start of work on the site. BexleyCo Homes is the authority's wholly-owned development company, it now owns the site and plans to start work shortly to enhance the Sidcup park. The development company has appointed United Living, a provider of refurbished and new build living solutions, as its contractor. Bexley Council said phase one involves improvement works to the western section of the park, while the second will see the construction of 58 houses and apartments on the eastern part of the site, including homes for sale and affordable homes to rent and purchase through shared ownership. Council leader Teresa O'Neill said: "I am confident that local people will be very pleased with the park, its new facilities and the ecological environments that are being created. "Using our own company means we have control of the scheme and can ensure that the quality is right. The way the land is used will benefit the community and money generated from the sale of homes will benefit the borough and our residents." Parts of the western section of the park are expected to reopen in the spring and all the park improvements should be completed by the summer. Construction of the residential element is scheduled to be completed by summer/autumn 2021. Michael Hill, BexleyCo's chairman, added: "This marks BexleyCo's first development site to deliver quality homes for local residents. "We are aiming to provide an exemplar approach to the design, marketing, sale and management of our new homes, starting with this exciting development at Old Farm Park." BexleyCo is providing almost £1m to cover the cost of the park improvements. This willLbe made up of £600,000 for the works and a commuted sum of £340,000 for 20 years maintenance. United Living will be keeping in touch with residents living next to the site from the new year through a regular newsletter. London Borough of Bexley created BexleyCo to support its growth agenda. Using the company for projects like Old Farm Park will also generate a financial return that will help protect local services, they said. CAR CHARGING POINTS PICTURE SHOWS: Cllr Teresa O'Neill with (left to right) Cllr Peter Craske, Michael Hill, of BexleyCo Homes; Cllr James Hunt, deputy mayor of Bexley

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.

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Pioneering Pathway

changes approved for adult social care

Proposals to improve adult social care were approved by Bexley Cabinet Members at the end of last year, following public consultation. Council staff held workshops with the public, people that use the service, community groups, partners and employers, speaking to more than 400 people about the proposals. They received more than 482 responses to their survey. Bexley’s ‘Pathways’ model will see some tasks such as Care Act assessments and support planning completed by local organisations who can have a naturally closer relationship with individuals. This means they will be better placed to understand and quickly support a person in decisions and choices about their care and support needs. At their meeting Cabinet Members praised the detailed work that went into the project before and during the consultation period. Members called the proposals ‘innovative’, ‘brave’ and ‘pioneering’. Cllr Brad Smith, Cabinet Member for Adult Services said: “It is great to have the proposals formally agreed. So much detailed planning and hard work has gone on behind the scenes to get us where we are today. “This decision takes us further forward than any other local authority. Making these innovative improvements will allow local people to have greater choice and control over their care and help them get the better and quicker service they need at the right time.” The Council hopes that the changes will come into place from May next year. It will remain accountable for the oversight and monitoring of the quality of adult social care services, support to people with complex social care needs, and for safeguarding adults. A webcast of the Cabinet discussion is available via the Council‚‘s website, together with full details of the decision and the consultation responses. www.bexley.gov.uk

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High profile filming around the area Bexley is a borough that is wellknown for its array of historic sites and beauty spots. It also has a contemporary, pedestrianised town centre and large collection of impressive, urban backdrop.s All requests for professional filming and photography on Council land or public roads in Bexley are managed by FilmFixer.

Free public wi-fi roll out starts in Bexley

One of their aims is to ensure that filmmakers respect the people who live and work in our community. Their website is an important source of information to support this, as well as an aid to companies looking for locations.

People living, working or simply visiting the borough can now start to enjoy a fantastic new free public wi-fi service in some of Bexley’s main town centres. As part of an exciting programme that is currently being rolled out across the borough, the Council has ‘switched on’ free public wi-fi in Erith, Welling, Sidcup and Crayford town centres. Bexleyheath and Bexley Village will follow shortly. Councillor Louie French, Bexley’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth said: “This is an important step forward for Bexley and is part of our strategy to improve digital connectivity so that the area is well placed to take advantage of future growth. By implementing this free to use wi-fi network we are giving local people what they need wherever they are - reliable internet on the go”. Telecoms infrastructure specialists, Ontix Ltd, are providing the service at no cost to residents or the Council. Antony Tomlinson, Chief Executive of Ontix said “We are delighted to be providing wi-fi to the people of Bexley. Ontix is keen to deliver wireless infrastructure across the borough, including 4G and 5G, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with London Borough of Bexley.” The network requires a one-time only registration and allows users to experience high bandwidth services free from advertisements.

@bexleylife

FilmFixer collect location fees for the Council. They work with teams within the Council, as well as the Police, residents, community groups and local businesses, to ensure all filming is managed legally, safely and smoothly. Bexley has provided locations for popular recent productions such as ‘The Crown’ and ‘The Favourite’, plus various other high profile productions such as MotherFatherSon, Bulletproof 2 and Liar 2

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Bexley calls for

completion of original Crossrail route

Bexley’s Council Leader, Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE, told a Crossrail seminar in London this week that Crossrail 1 will remain unfinished business until the original route is completed.

While hopes are high that Crossrail services will run to Abbey Wood in Bexley by 2021, the original plan was for the line to link up with HS1 at Ebbsfleet International. The final section would connect Canary Wharf and City Airport to Crossrail and see three new Crossrail stations in the north of Bexley. The original route was curtailed as a result of the financial crash. Following the 2010 General Election, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, postponed the section beyond Abbey Wood until the economy recovered. “Nobody has disputed the need set out in the original Crossrail business case,” said Councillor O’Neill. “Completing the original route is vital to the future prosperity of south-east London and Kent.” Councillor O‘Neill told ‘Next steps for Crossrail 2 and completing Crossrail’ seminar recently that there are three strong reasons to back the project: 1. It will create opportunities for growth and housing in Bexley and north-west Kent that match those offered by projects such as the Northern Powerhouse or the Oxford-Cambridge rail link. 2. The route of the line is still subject to statutory protection. 3. Bexley is one of very few London boroughs without Tube or tram services. Extending Crossrail would mean more capacity, faster journeys and more choice. It would also benefit the environment by encouraging more people to use public transport in a borough where car ownership is currently the highest in London. Bexley has been fighting hard to get the final section of the route recognised as a priority national infrastructure project, a view supported by Sir John Armitt’s Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission. As a result of the Armitt report, the government made funding available earlier this year for exploratory work. Councillor O’Neill said she will be lobbying the new government for extra funding at the earliest opportunity.

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New café opened by

Avante resident

Nellie and James

Brokenshire MP

A recent event saw the official opening of the new café at the Avante Care Northbourne Court care home.

The home welcomed a number of guests on the day, alongside residents and family members to celebrate the café opening. Guests included newly elected local MP James Brokenshire and the contractors who were involved in repositioning the café from the first floor to the ground floor reception area. The celebrations on the day were opened by Managing Director, Stuart Cross, who welcomed and thanked everyone who had been involved with the design and implementation of the café. Stuart also thanked residents and families for their patience during the time the building works were carried out. The café relocation allows residents, families, staff and the local community to enjoy the spacious bright area overlooking the gardens of Northbourne Court, whilst enjoying freshly baked cakes, sandwiches and hot drinks. MP James Brokenshire also expressed his thanks by saying, “Well done and thank you to Avante Care & Support for investing in the café for residents, families, staff and the local community to enjoy. Seeing this investment is absolutely fantastic and it’s lovely to be back here with you all at Northbourne Court for this wonderful new café opening. I hope you all enjoy and make use of the new area in the months to come.” James and resident Nellie then went on to officially open the café by cutting the ribbon into the new cafe area. Throughput the afternoon residents and staff had the opportunity to speak with James whilst enjoying some of the culinary delights the homes catering team provided for the celebrations. www.avantecare.org.uk

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Bexley number one for apprenticeships Bexley is officially the most successful London borough for under-19 apprenticeship starts in 2019. An impressive 570 Bexley young people have celebrated the start of a new career. Cabinet Member for Growth, Cllr Louie French said: “Our recent Learning, Skills and Employment Strategy contained an aspiration for Bexley to achieve the highest number of under-19 apprenticeship starts. After being second highest for several years we wanted to aim even higher.” “With further apprenticeship changes on the horizon, we are already looking at how we can maintain our position and continue to deliver apprenticeship opportunities for the borough’s young people.” The figures are from the Department for Education statistics for 18/19 for the number of apprenticeships starts in London. To find out about apprenticeships available in Bexley visit www.apprenticeships.gov.uk

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C H A R I T Y

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Bexley Moorings offering CBT Counselling For those young people in the Borough who are suffering from level depression or anxiety issues, local charity, Bexley Moorings, are now offering Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. CBT is a form of talking therapy whereby problem areas are identified, possible explanations for the effects they may have on thoughts and feelings and looking at positive steps that can be taken to challenge the problem. The therapy is a psycho-social intervention that aims to improve mental health. CBT focuses on challenging and changing unhelpful cognitive distortions and behaviours, improving emotional regulation, and the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems. If you think you, or someone, you know, could benefit from this service, please refer them to www.bexleymoorings.co.uk or call 020 8304 9609. Bexley Moorings Project was established in 1981 and now enjoys widespread recognition and support in the local community. They are a registered charity working in the Borough to provide effective support for vulnerable young people, with the help of volunteers. The charity is an early intervention support service that offers one-to-one befriending and specific group sessions to young people, aged 8-17, who may be experiencing material or emotional deprivation, in crises, at risk or have a caring responsibility. Each young person is individually assessed for suitability, including More than 100 tanks of willingness to join the programme, so hey goldfish, tropical fish, marine can tailor the support needed. fish and corals in a shop Bexley Moorings volunteer befrienders staffed by experienced and enthusiastic fishkeepers work on a one-to-one basis and offer focused non-judgmental support, positive experiences, advice and an adult role model. Through befriending young people grow in confidence and positively change their behaviour. www.bexleymoorings.co.uk

Pilkingtons OF BEXLEY

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OUR WATCHMAKER IS ROLEX TRAINED WE OFFER A COMPUTERISED ENGRAVING SERVICE ON THE PREMISES FOR THOSE PERSONAL PRESENTS.

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Book Buzz 2020

Bexley’s brilliant Book Buzz Literary Festival is back for its third season. It will run from Saturday 15 February to Saturday 29 February. Once again it will include a range of fun events to suit all ages and tastes at libraries and venues across the borough. This year there will be a host of well-known authors including Ben Aaronovitch, Mark Billingham, Andrew Cartmel, James Swallow, Alison Weir, Jacky Hyams, Christy Lefteri, Elaine Everest, Louisa Young, Dorothy Koomson and Jane Dismore. There will also be some fascinating non-fiction talks and workshops. They will include creative writing with our Bexley ‘Writer in Residence’ Bernadette Russell, an author panel talk on how to get published with Elaine Everest, ‘The Lost Tombs of Egypt’ with Chris Naunton, ‘Digging Up Britain’ with Archaeologist Mike Pitts and ‘Hidden House Histories’ with Nick Barratt. For the first time there will be a very special event and talk at Crossness Engines called ‘An Underground Guide to Sewers’ with author Stephen Halliday. Tickets will include entrance to the Crossness exhibitions as well as a tour of the stunning Victorian Engine House. There will be also be events at Hall Place, Lesnes Abbey and Danson House, as well as the Civic Offices. Book Buzz has also partnered with local organisations including the Exchange at Erith, Bow Arts at the Lakeside Centre in Thamesmead, Rose Bruford College, Bird College and the Lamorbey and Sidcup Local History Society. The programme includes a talk from renowned artist Stephen Turner about his experiences in the Exbury Egg, which will include a visit to the egg itself currently moored in Thamesmead. Some of the great events are sponsored by Sidcup Partners Ltd and Bexleyheath Business Improvement District. The programme including information on all the events for younger readers is now available in Bexley Libraries and can be found at www.bexleybookbuzz.com Book early to avoid disappointment. Tickets for most events are free but will need to be booked in advance from www.bexleylibraries.eventbrite.com

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Sidcup resident awarded British Empire Medal A local man who has dedicated over 75 years of his life to scouting was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Year Honours list. Retired Silversmith, Roger Chase, 85, from Sidcup, taught silversmithing classes at several different adult education centres in the Borough and was thus honoured for his voluntary service to the community. His former students had high praise for Roger and his willingness to go above and beyond for adults he barely knew, purely for the success of teaching the craft to amateurs. Roger has long been a dedicated member of the scouts since the Wolf Cub level, which is between eight and 11, and at the age of 18, he became a scout leader. He has now served the scout group attached to Holy Trinity Lamorbey Church and Sidcup District for almost 65 years and during his time as a leader the group has grown to an unprecedented size, with over 100 young members. Roger still promotes the values of the scouting movement and is an active member of the Sidcup Fellowship, a group of older scouters who encourage and empower to continue engaging with scouting activities, including providing guidance and mentorship to the area's younger members.

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Wonderful

Wellness in

Bexley Village

Health’s Angels have now been established in Bexley Village for in the region of 20 years and have become one of Kent and South East London’s leading weight loss and wellness clinic.

The team at Health’s Angels are proud to have evolved into a highly reputable natural health clinic, with proven and unrivalled success across our portfolio of treatments as well as having gained Accreditation as a Systematic Kinesiology Training School. In their luxury air-conditioned clinic, they can offer a wide range of treatments including RejuvaDETOX, RejuvaLYMPH and RejuvaTONE exclusively to the area which boast life transformational results as our countless visitors books and case studies demonstrate (see the company website for both). RejuvaDETOX, established in 1994 is the world’s first guaranteed weight loss system. Health’s Angels have been Pioneers in this programme for 20 years and have unmatched successes in this field. The team also offer Kinesiology - a powerful muscle testing therapy to identify imbalances in the body and bespoke correctional methods including nutritional and Bach remedies as well as emotional, energetic and structural balancing. From babies to the elderly clinic offer an abundance of natural and holistic therapies including a Children’s clinic from food testing to Counselling, a Pain Clinic using both Acupuncture and state of the art Far Infra Red Therapy as well as a Fertility clinic. The consultants at Health’s Angels are a team of highly experienced, compassionate and dedicated therapists, here to help you create the life that you want, which might be feeling more energetic, slimmer, more confident, relinquishing or easing health conditions or simply enjoying the many benefits of a rejuvenating detox. They also offer Accredited training courses in Systematic Kinesiology, so contact them if you are interested in branching into the health industry or are already an existing practitioner and want to expand on your skill sets and earning potential. The team feel they are unrivalled in their approach, guaranteeing results on our revolutionary weight /inch loss detox system RejuvaDETOX and offer free consultations and digestive health scans. Through their individual treatments and programmes they have helped thousands of people regain control of their health and wellness and live a better quality of life.

Pictures show: (Top) The Health’s Angels team (Bottom): Courses underway

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How about a great evening out at George’s Bar & Grill, Welling... Georges Bar & Grill in Welling is just excellent for an evening out, whether it’s just for the wonderful service and range of cuisine, or for one of the great tribute nights. George and his excellent team pride themselves on a high level of service and friendly family run atmosphere - ensuring that you have an unforgettable dining experience. But on top of the excellent service, George’s also hold their own events every month and coming up in the near future are:

Adele Tribute - 28th February Michael Bublé Tribute - 17th April Tina Turner Tribute - 29th May Abba Girls Tribute - 26th June Why not book in now, to plan your future entertainment in advance!. https://georgesbarandgrill.co.uk Telephone 020 8301 1272

Entertainment at Georges Bar & Grill

TR IB UTE EV ENIN GS: Adele Tribute Night 28th February

Michael Bublé Tribute Night -

17th April

Tina Turner Tribute Night -

29th May

Abba Girls Tribute Night -

26th June

22-24 Bellegrove Road, Welling, Kent DA16 3PU

Telephone: 020 8301 1272 @bexleylife

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Wedding Open

Day at Hall Place

February 23rd, 11.00am - 3.00pm From the majestic Great Hall, the atmospheric Tudor Kitchen, the elegant Great Chamber and cosy Tudor Parlour, pop along to view the rooms dressed for a wedding and reception.

Let the helpful Hall Place staff assist you in visualising how your big day could look here at this majestic venue. Each room has a charm all of its very own. The Great Hall and Tudor Kitchen are larger spaces with access to a private courtyard, perfect for drinks in the sunshine. The Great Chamber has an amazing decorative ceiling with windows that look out onto the topiary lawn. The panelled Tudor Parlour offers the smaller wedding party a cosy historic setting with access onto the topiary lawn. Planning a wedding is obviously very stressful, so take along your partner and have some fun looking at different options and ideas. Whoever you choose to use for your wedding, let them worry about the tiny details so that you can focus on what’s truly important, marrying the person of your dreams. The friendly team will be there to answer any questions you may have as to the options available, practical advice and tips on how to make your day personal to you. Wedding brochures will also be available to take away as an aide-mémoire. Located in the Great Hall. www.hallplace.org.uk

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C O V E R

S T O R Y

Comedy night at Bexley Park Rising star of the national comedy circuit Andrew Bird will be appearing at Bexley park on Friday 28th February. Whilst watching the legendary comedy series ‘The Young Ones’ with his brothers as an eight year old, at two in the morning on Comic Relief, Andrew realised right then and there that he wanted to be funny in some way. Relaxed and improvisatory, Andrew Bird is one of those rare comedians who makes friends with his audiences in an instant with his engaging mix of childhood stories and more recent anecdotes. Andrew already has an interesting and varied cv and has supported Rhod Gilbert, Lee Hurst and Michael McIntyre as well as performing internationally. ‘Superb... the exciting rising star’ - TIME OUT ‘A natural comedian’ - THE STAGE ‘Effortlessly engaging and funny as hell’ - RHOD GILBERT Tickets are available online at https://www.houseofstandup.co.uk/dartford/ The show contains adult humour. So be prepared for some naughty jokes and strong language. All acts are subject to change without notice. Bexley Park, Calvert Drive, Dartford DA2 7GA. Box Office telephone: 0800 999 2044

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Springtime at Greenwich Theatre by James Haddrell, Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre. For the past decade Greenwich Theatre has developed an enviable reputation for presenting some of the country’s best theatre for families and children. Whether playing host to some of the major touring titles like Bing Live and Guess How Much I Love You, championing the development of new shows for the very young or consistently presenting one of the country’s finest traditional pantomimes, a season at Greenwich Theatre is never complete without a series of not-to-be-missed family shows. This Spring is no exception, and the line-up for half-term is as impressive as ever. Opening with a puppetry version of Michael Morpurgo’s Mimi and the Mountain Dragon, the week also includes stage versions of Worst Witch creator Jill Murphy’s Peace At Last and Whatever Next, and a cornucopia of animal themed songs in the alphabetically driven Ensonglopedia of Animals. Puppets make another appearance in the beautiful Crow’s Tale, about a multi-coloured crow who travels to the sun to ask for warmth for the animals. For slightly older children there’s Adrift, a new fable about migration developed in partnership with a group of primary school children, and a stand-up comedy infused explanation of just why mum and dad have been shouting at the TV so much lately in How Does This Politics Thing Work Then? It doesn’t end there – with shows like Raymond Briggs’ The Bear and Mark Thompson’s Spectacular Science Show taking up weekends in March, the following month sees the arrival of the Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival. James Haddrell, Greenwich Theatre’s artistic director said “it would be wrong to just assume that in twenty years the theatre scene in the UK will still be thriving. Theatres are under threat all around the country from dwindling audiences, and a whole host of initiatives are being run to bring new people into venues and kick-start their relationship with theatre. For me, that relationship has to begin when you are a child – it’s highly unlikely that you will discover a love of theatre in your adult years if you haven’t been when you were young. People tend to either

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think that theatre is or isn’t for them, and that decision is hugely informed by whether or not you have been to the theatre as a child.” “However” he continued, “there is also no point in getting a 3 year old used to going to live performance if there are going to be no shows for them between the ages of 8 and 18. It is common in theatre for programmers to hit a wall when booking shows for children around the age of 8, but if we can’t find the shows for that older age group then they’ll be lost from our audiences, possibly forever.” The Greenwich Children’s Theatre Festival shows just how broadly a venue can programme for families. At the very start of the scale, for ages 0-2 there is a new opera for babies – Meet Me A Tree – in which audiences are invited to explore a year in the life of a tree with music by Schumann, Delibes and Monteverdi as well as familiar nursery rhymes and original songs. For preschool audiences there is a stage outing for the CBeebies hit Sarah and Duck, and for lower primary aged children there is a new version of Rapunzel alongside Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers, the only touring interactive show licensed by the Roald Dahl literary estate. Shows for upper primary age include the environmental tale Gulp! about the importance of water, and for older still there is the thrilling circus show Cirque Enfant and an appearance from award-winning comedy musicians Bowjangles with their most magical show so far – a theatrical, musical journey through myths, folklore, legends and a portal in a cello case in the quest to find the most priceless relic of all - a magical violin bow known as Excalibow. “My hope is that children who have been coming to the festival over the past decade, who started off seeing work for the very young, will soon be coming to the theatre as teenagers and beyond that as adults and with children of their own” concluded Haddrell. “Welcoming a young audience to the theatre is not just about selling out a show – it’s a step towards a life-long relationship with theatre, and the only way that we can secure a bright future for this industry.” For full listings and to book tickets, visit www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk Box Office 020 8858 7755.

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Great Spring

events at the Beaverwood

The Jam’d - Thursday 27th February, 19:30 – 23:00 The UK’s No.1 tribute to The Jam!

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Widely regarded now as the Uk's most authentic and leading tribute to The Jam, The Jam’d are totally committed to giving an unforgettable, authentic performance with all the energy, passion and style of the Woking 3. As full time touring professional musicians, and massive Jam fans, the band don't "try to be" or "pretend to be" The Jam, but rather put on a performance from the heart and soul, drawing on all their memories, experiences and love of what was the country's biggest band in their day. Gigging up and down the UK at outdoor festivals, scooter rallies and some of the UK’s top tribute venues & events! The show also includes the only replica of Rick Bucklers ‘Great White’ drum kit & features their own brass section!……You won’t be disappointed! Every effort is placed into reproducing the sound, arrangements and energy of a Jam gig. Those who saw The Jam live will remember the electricity, aggression, passion, and even fashion on stage, something not always prevalent in today's world, but to The Jam'd, it is a passion, a mission, and an honour to play for fans of "the best band in the world!" Tickets £12 in advance,£13 on the door.

An Evening of Rod Stewart with Cregan & Co Thursday 12th March, 19:30 – 23:00 "If you can't afford my ticket, go see these guys - they're just as good and half the price!..." - Rod Stewart Featuring guitarist Jim Cregan who co-wrote, co-produced, recorded and toured with Rod Stewart during 1976-1994... 'Hot legs', 'You Wear It Well', 'Maggie May', 'Passion', 'I’m Losing You', 'Tonight’s The Night', 'Forever Young', 'Stay With Me', 'Blondes ‘Ave More Fun', ‘Twisting The Night Away’, ‘I Don’t Want To Talk About It’, ‘Sweet Little Rock & Roller’, etc... Cregan & Co line-up is: Jim Cregan gtr/vox (Rod Stewart/Family/Cockney Rebel), Harry James Jr (Thunder), Pat Davey bass, Sam Tanner keys and new vocal star Ben Mills . When the Faces broke up in 1975, Rod Stewart started his own band.... They soon became very successful, topping charts, and selling out concerts throughout the World. Many of the songs they recorded were co-written, with Rod, by Jim (Cregan) and Robin Le Mesurier. 35 years later these old friends have rediscovered their love for this music, and have decided to play it live on stage again. www.thebeaverwood.com

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What’s on at the

Bob Hope Theatre? 4th - 7th March, 7.45pm Bluebird - by Simon Stephens

From the writer/adapter of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Bluebird is a sensitive and melancholy play, composed of brief conversations and lifelong sorrow. Taxi driver Jimmy hears about other people’s lives, just for a few moments. In the time it takes to drive them where they want to go, Jimmy hears about walking the streets, lost daughters and changing the lightbulbs by the tube tracks. He is asked whether he believes in ghosts, in love, in the human spirit. And as he drives through the night, the play gets closer to the core of his silences, to the tragedy of his own life, and to where he goes when there’s no one in the back seat of his cab. The play has 13 characters who share a cab journey in one evening. All are somehow connected to Jimmy; as we finally find out what has led to Jimmy’s downfall. The play is about redemption and deep grief but told in a humorous way with a real sense of pathos and human enlightenment. Tickets £12.

14th March, 2.30pm & 7.00pm The Swing Commanders

The Swing Commanders are a stunningly vibrant and versatile group that performs an exciting mix of 1940s classics, boogie-woogie, western swing, 50s jump jazz and more. www.bobhopetheatre.co.uk

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L I F E S T Y L E

L E A R N I N G

She can be...

On Thursday 13 February three hundred young women from London Boroughs - including Bexley - will be spending a day learning more about why the City is a viable career choice for them. It’s all part of She Can Be - an initiative run by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal which aims to improve gender equality in business and empower young women to pursue careers in business. She Can Be... opens up the City to untapped talent through a one day event in which groups of young women visit City firms and meet role models to learn about how their skills are valuable to the workplace, the diversity of backgrounds of the City’s employees, and why the City wants to recruit them. At a time when 67% of 11 - 21 year old young women believed that they do not have the same chances as men (Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2018), She Can Be... aims to change this perception by empowering young women to make informed decisions about their careers - framing the City as not only a viable, but an exciting option for them. She Can Be... is a full day event, where young women (aged 15 - 18) from networks across OnSide Youth Zones, Place2Be and Teach First, will visit different corporate organisations in small groups to learn about their business in the morning, taking part in an immersive fictional transaction that illustrates how that business functions. They will spend the afternoon together at East Wintergarden, joined by City employees both from companies that they visited in the morning and a few further organisations keen to show their commitment to the gender agenda for an exciting afternoon intended to inspire them to consider roles in the City. Although She Can Be... operates with inclusivity at its heart, the initiative formally falls under The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s ’Skills’ pillar which targets the barriers that contribute to the skills crisis. Throughout the day, organisations will profile the key skills to show the young women that these skills are enablers to roles in the City, advising on how to develop them and where to seek new skills. Companies taking part and hosting young women are Albourne Partners, Allianz Global Investors, Aon, Artemis, AICPA, Aurum, Barings, Canary Wharf Group, Capgemini, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, Euromoney, Fidelity International, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gulf International Bank, M&G Prudential, Mercer, Polar Capital, Quilter Cheviot, Rabobank, Rathbones, Schroders, Smedvig, Smith & Williamson, Standard Chartered or TP ICAP.

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L I F E S T Y L E

L E A R N I N G

Why this matters •

51% believe the City is more a place for boys to work than girls (She Can Be... benchmark survey)

•

67% of young women (11 - 21 years old) believe that they do not have the same chances as men (Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2018)

•

73% of young women (11 ‚- 21 years old) agree that women have to work much harder than men to succeed (Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2018)

•

52% (aged 11 - 21) of young women are worried about getting a job after they leave education (Girlguiding Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2018)

•

10 girls to every 1 boy believe that they will face discrimination at some point during their career (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors 2016)

Impact The She Can Be... benchmark survey showed: •

88% of young women felt empowered to make decisions about their careers after She Can Be...

•

86% of young women would consider a career in the City after the event

•

90% of employees felt more confident about the tangible action they can take to empower women in the workplace

•

Before the event, 51% of young women agreed that a career in the City is more for boys than girls. After the event, this fell to 8%.

•

74% of young women felt confident in their abilities as a result of taking part in She Can Be...

•

82% of young women had a good understanding of the different City careers available immediately after She Can Be...

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Quotes from previous participants “I really thought that people that worked in investment were mostly men, but it was all women that we worked alongside.” “I pledge to have confidence in my abilities and remember to take every opportunity.”

Case studies “At TP ICAP we are committed to ensuring that our culture and workplace are inclusive. We aspire to be an employer of choice for people from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented in the City. We were delighted to take part in She Can Be..., hosting a group of young women who participated in a ‘Beginner Broker’ technology simulation. Inspiring young women in this way is immensely rewarding for colleagues at TP ICAP and we hope this kind of activity will attract the next generation of brokers by providing insight into the different career opportunities available in the City.‚“ - Tina Christou, Global Head of CSR & Charity Day, TP ICAP plc “Everyone at Polar Capital who participated agreed on the importance of promoting such initiatives, recognising our social responsibility to future generations to encourage candidates of any gender and social background to consider a career in finance, to help break down both visible and invisible barriers that may hinder a young person in contemplating investment management as a career option. For me personally, it was a reminder to look beyond the quotidian responsibilities to the long-term legacy we can individually and collectively as a company establish for future generations by supporting young people as they embark on their professional lives and to be a part of their journey of discovery.” - Su Park, Managing Director, Regional Sales Director, Europe, Polar Capital

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W E L L I N G

F O C U S

Welling Town Business Associates moving forward in 2020 by Barry Saunders

As we move forward into 2020 and leave 2019 behind, we look back over the past year to see what we have achieved and ‘what fights we still fight’. 2019 saw the inauguration of the Welling Town Business Associates and it was a steep learning curve for us all. As the year went on we realised that getting people together to work as one is the way forward to build a group with a voice that cannot be ignored. We started out with many issues being presented by various business owners within the town and we took these issues forward and confronted the council. After the very first meeting, attended by around fifty of the business owners in Welling, we then formed the WTBA to represent them all. Although any problem associated with Bexley Council do not get solved over night we are constantly working to resolve the problems that we the traders face on a daily basis. Our first meeting moved onto another and the second led to more, we now have regular meetings as we push hard to solve the issues we face in Welling. 2019 showed that things can change and problems can be solved, as we saw with the great work of Progressive Welling (Twitter - @ProgressiveWel1), when they took on the task of the Christmas lights which we can all agree were far better than any year previous. Not only did they light up Welling they also brought the Christmas market which, with the assistance of CC Events and the FIC church, was a massive success bringing hundreds of people to the high street. I personally was given the honour of switching on the first Christmas light and to be surrounded by so many people it showed that Welling as a community can come together when an effort has been made to make their town a better place. The Christmas spirit was finally in our town with Santa and Christmas carols being sung, from the young to the old this rare occasion was enjoyed as each light was illuminated along the high street, not forgetting the tree and reindeer display that the WTBA and traders put on for all to see above Shaz Trimz Barbers. 23rd December, the Saturday before Christmas saw the Army roll into Town. We had numerous meetings with Sargent Illing from the 133 Rec Coy REME based in Ashford and after months of planning we managed to bring the Army and a few of their vehicles to the high street. Our aim was to give the people of Welling something different to see. The Army arrived early that Saturday morning around 6am with a the convoy of land rovers, a 16 ton sv and two monster recovery trucks which alone weighing 32 ton each both with trailers carrying tanks - this truly was a sight to see as we stopped the traffic to allow these to park up for the day. The guys who were all in uniform spent the day chatting and interacting with the public, showing them around the vehicles and allowing the children to sit in the cabs to have their pictures taken. This event definitely caught the eye of many locals, and it brought many more people into the high street who normally may have not have come at all. We had a great response from many local people about how good the day was and how nice it was to see something happening within our town, of course there was a few disappointing comments from some public posting their opinions on social media. They have all the right to their opinion but honestly when you have a high street that is so quiet and they moan that we took up parking spaces I was shocked to hear this. Well you can’t please everybody in this world and just so people know the overall response was of full support so for that we will do it again this year, not only will we do it again we will do it on a much larger scale bring more to Welling for people to see and enjoy. Our plans for 2020 are again to fight for the rights of all business owners in Welling and push to improve ‘footfall’ within the High Street by any means we can. There are many ideas being put forward and I’m sure we will see a few more things come to life as we move on in the year. Already we now have a new greengrocer in Bellegrove Road and we welcome them and wish them all the best for their future within our town. Planning has been submitted and has been agreed for the old Factory Shop to open as a Gym, this again we welcome as we feel this is exactly what we need for our town and if we the WTBA can be of any help with the promoting of these new businesses or any new businesses coming to our town, we will do our upmost to help. We strongly believe Welling can change and the High Street can be great once again, we don’t make any promises but what we do say is that we will do our very best to make things happen and to be the voice of all business owners who trade every day in our town. Twitter @WellingTBA

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S P O RT S ,

PICTURE SHOWS: Keen cyclists, course participants and former LYG team members with representatives from Bexley Bikes, Woolwich Cycling Club and the Council’s Sports and Leisure Team.

H O B B I E S

PA S T I M E S

Bexley girls taking to the roads More than 30 young female cyclists took park in special cycling coaching sessions thanks to a successful funding application to the London Youth Games. London Borough of Bexley secured £2,000 funding after it applied earlier this year in an attempt to encourage more girls to enjoy road cycling. The seven coaching sessions took place at the Cyclopark in Gravesend. Girls ages 8 - 16 took part in the sessions. The funding also helped the Council to purchase three new bikes for Bexley girls to use in future London Youth Games. Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske said: “We have a great track record in the London Youth Games and we want to make taking part as easy as possible for anyone in the borough. Not everyone has their own bikes, or access to training. This funding has made both possible and I‚Äôm very grateful to the London Youth Games for their support.” The Council were partnered on the project by Woolwich Cycling Club and Bexley Bikes. Any girls interested in being part of the Bexley Team in next year’s London Youth Games should email LYG@bexley.gov.uk

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S P O RT S ,

H O B B I E S

PA S T I M E S

BMFC host Mark Smith from Antiques roadshow with a talk about the VC related to flying 24th March, 07:30 - 09:30, Pedham Place Golf Centre, London Rd, Swanley Located just off of the M25 at Sutton-at-Hone near Dartford, Kent, The Bickley Model Flying Club boasts some 200 members whose models span from vintage classics, gliders and trainers through to the latest jet turbines, helicopters and multi-rotors. Bickley has one of the best model flying facilities in South East England which enables it to host a series of invitation events and competitions throughout the year. On 24th March the club are hosting Mark Smith, of Antiques Roadshow fame, to share his extensive knowledge of the Victoria Cross. Mark regularly features on the BBCs Antiques Roadshow and in one notable appearance at Walthamstow town hall, he valued a large collection of World War One German memorabilia and when the Roadshow visited RAF Coningsby he was able to value a toy panda mascot that flew on the famous ‘Dambusters Raid’. The meeting will start at 7.30 pm prompt and entry is just £5 per person, the proceeds from the evening will all go to the War Graves Commission. The evening is open to all including friends, family, other clubs etc. There is a limit of 100 people so please register your attendance at admin@bickleymfc.org, or call Bob Ryan on 07866 734203 www.bickleymfc.org @bexleylife

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