Bexley Life February/March 2022 by BL Journals

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I N T R O D U C T I O N

W E L C O M E

Spring around the area Welcome to the February/March 2022 edition of Bexley Life Magazine the bi-monthly lifestyle magazine for Bexley Borough and the surrounding areas. With the year now well underway, just how has it started for all of us and what do we all have to look forward to? Throughout the ongoing changes we still all live under, as always, Bexley Life is reflecting these changes around the area and the effects they are having on all LARGE STOCKS Bexley FOR FAST, FRE E of us. DELIVERY Inside you will find stories and articles for Spring around the Borough, 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 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. See our advert on page 2

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

Bexley Health and Wellbeing bus

Bexley’s Health and Wellbeing bus will be stationed at various locations and at community events around the Borough over the next few months, offering advice to help the community keep well and stay healthy. You can speak to a wellbeing ambassador and get tips to keep your mind and body active and find out about the free support available to help with weight management and mental health. You can also take a no symptoms COVID test and get advice on vaccines. “This is a real partnership effort to improve access to key health services for residents near their homes,” said Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE, Leader of the London L to Borough of Bexley. “We want make sure we reach all of our community and to help them stay happy, healthy and well.” www.bexley.gov.uk

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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.

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Full steam ahead for Hall Place railway

Hall Place and Gardens are preparing for the opening of the Welling and District Model Engineering Society’s (WDMES) new railway in the Spring.

The miniature railway will then be open every Sunday from 12:30pm to 4pm until the end of September. To enjoy a ride visitors will need to visit the new station located on the South Park at Hall Place, by going over the Weir bridge turning left and following the River Cray. The site will also house a new WDMES Clubhouse. There will be a small charge of £1 to ride the railway. Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske said: “We are all very excited to bring the WDMES trains to Hall Place and make our historic site their new home. I know how popular the train rides and experiences have been at Falconwood and we all look forward to this whole experience going from strength to strength at this site. Hall Place already has some stunning gardens and attractions and this will really give people even more reasons to get on board.” Alan Philpot from WDMES said: “ The Society welcome the chance to work with the team at Hall Place to bring the enchantment of steam back again into the Borough." The gardens continue to open to the public seven days a week with access the Riverside Café, Stables Art Gallery and shop. The railway will join the Bexley Butterfly House and Plant Centre and Jambs Owls experience as a further attraction at Hall Place. www.hallplace.org.uk

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Council votes to support businesses in Sidcup Bexley Council has voted to back the Business Improvement District (BID) in Sidcup for another five years, so that it can continue its valuable work supporting businesses in the town. The BID receives a levy from business premises in the area it covers, including Council buildings and car parks. It uses the levy to help local businesses by organising promotional events and activities, to market the town and on improvements to public spaces. Local businesses vote every five years to decide whether the BID should continue. Among the proposals included in the BID’s renewal proposal for 2022 to 2027 are: • Pocket parks, a green trail and extended flower displays • Encouraging more markets • Evening events • Producing a guide to the town’s cafés, restaurants and bars • Raising the profile of local businesses on social media and the town centre website Leader of the Council, Councillor Teresa O’Neill OBE commented: “We have voted ‘Yes’ in the Sidcup BID ballot to support the BID’s plans to promote the town centre and help local businesses. “We all hope that life will soon return to normal and we will need to do everything we can to visit and support the many good businesses that operate in the town centre. www.bexley.gov.uk

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L O C A L

P R O F I L E

A market overview from Belvoir Sidcup

Now 2022 is firmly underway, just what should we all be expecting from the local property market? Sales: Properties in Bexley had an overall average price of £517,841 over the last year. The majority of sales in Bexley during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £523,281. Terraced properties sold for an average of £431,566, with detached properties fetching £709,017. Overall, sold prices in Bexley over the last year were 8% up on the previous year and 9% up on the 2019 peak of £474,836.

Rentals: Over the last 12 months in Bexley, there has been +7% change in rental prices on the previous 12-month period. In terms of actual numbers, the average rent for Bexley has increased from £1,106 per month before the pandemic to £1,317 per month for 2021, with rents expected to increase by a further 5.5% during 2022, making it a great time to increase your portfolio, or to become a new landlord. Although inflation is expected to hit 4-5% in 2022 and interest rates increase, property prices nationally are expected to increase by 3% and on the whole, the housing market for both sales and lettings is still very buoyant. Contact Belvoir on 0208 302 5537 Email david.brown@belvoir.co.uk www.belvoir.co.uk/sidcup

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Avante Care & Support welcomes new Director of Care Operations

Sarah-Jane Clapson has recently joined Avante Care & Support’s Executive Management Team, as Director of Care Operations. Sarah-Jane, known by many as SJ, has held a series of executive, trustee and senior positions over the last 30 years. She has a Degree in Nursing and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Throughout her career SJ has won a number of Industry Awards and Global Bupa Awards. SJ joins Avante from Bupa Care where she was Head of Outstanding and a Regional Director. Stuart Cross, Managing Director at Avante, said, ‘SJ is passionate about delivering first class care for our residents and service users, encouraging staff to develop their careers, and maximising our use of new technology. She will drive forward our strategy to deliver Good and Outstanding services in line with our Vision - Communities where everyone has a vibrant and fulfilling life.’ Sarah-Jane said “I am absolutely delighted to join Avante Care and Support and proud to be a part of their exciting future”. www.avantecare.org.uk

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Live In care service launched for Kent’s elderly A leading Kent-based domiciliary care company has launched a new live-in care service to meet the growing number of the elderly who would prefer to maintain their independence by continuing to live at home, rather than in a care home.

Vitality Home Health, the GP-led home care company, is now offering the only Kent-based live in care service registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Operating from its office at Otford, near Sevenoaks, Vitality Live In Care will offer 24/7, trained, home-based care for its elderly customers with a dedicated care package tailored to their individual needs. Unlike any other Kent live in care providers, Vitality offers a dedicated private GP, as well as qualified carers, nurses and occupational therapists. Dr Manpinder Sahota, Medical Director, said: “Research has shown that continuing to live at home if properly cared for is better for our elderly. When patients are taken out of their routine, or an environment they know, they can age at a faster rate. “We match our clients with a team of two personal assistants who share the care between them in order to really get to know person, and we focus on their diet, exercise, wellbeing and overall health, with regular blood pressure and diabetes testing. “Through the GP Connect service Vitality Live In Care is able to securely access the client’s NHS notes and provide seamless medical care, and with their own doctors.” The new in home service will support patients with stroke, Parkinson’s and dementia among other long-term conditions including palliative care. Manpreet Singh, Managing Director of Vitality Live In Care, added: “The pandemic has been a very challenging time for our elderly family members and their families. Simple day-to-day matters, such as “Have you taken your medicine this morning?” can cause concern, but is easily overcome through live in care. “Levels of anxiety among the elderly have increased, with many preferring to stay in the home they know and love, rather than move to a care home.” Recognising the need to have strong day-to-day communications with the families of their client, Vitality has developed a Live In App, through which the personal assistant will keep everybody up to date on the health and wellbeing of their loved one. Throughout the pandemic, the carers at Vitality Live In Care’s sister company: Vitality Health Care have continued to care for the elderly and vulnerable in Sevenoaks and Gravesend. The CQC is the independent regulator responsible for all health and social care services in England. Vitality Home Health is rated as Good against all CQC’s criteria: Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive, and Well-led. For further information on the company visit www.vitalityliveincare.co.uk or call Sevenoaks 01732 757959. Please note: Vitality Home Health Limited is in no way affiliated with VitalityLife Limited or VitalityHealth Limited, and it does not have the necessary permissions to sell VitalityLife or VitalityHealth products.

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The Bohemians at The Beaverwood

The Bohemians take you on a high energy roller coaster ride of a concert, featuring the back catalogue of one of the world’s most popular and iconic rock acts of all time. Right from the beginning you will be gripped by a bombastic, authentic audiovisual representation of Queen’s iconic Wembley ‘86 performance as the Bohemians burst onto the stage to the strains of One Vision and A Kind of Magic. So many fabulous hits to be covered but they’re all here, from the early piano and harmony heavy wonders of Killer Queen and Don’t Stop Me Now, to the later, catchy pop anthems of the eighties. The second hour concentrates on the later hits and once again there are so many to choose from. The stunning, Breakthru provides both the introduction and the costume presentation for this part of the set which includes a new feature of the Bohemians stage show, a slick rendering of classics from the late eighties and early nineties era. I Want it all, The Show must go on and the haunting, Days of our Lives are just some of those featured. Next up it’s the sights and sounds of the famous Live Aid performance and of course, the awesome Bohemian Rhapsody. Then it’s back to Wembley ‘86 for a suitably rousing finale when The Bohemians will have you on your feet, singing, dancing and clapping along to the likes of We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions. The appropriate climax to a truly memorable live re-enactment of the world’s greatest Rock Band. www.thebeaverwood.com

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Celebrating Edith Piaf in Greenwich! by James Haddrell, Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre.

On Sunday 6 March, Edith Piaf is set to be celebrated live on stage with the Greenwich debut of Christine Bovill’s acclaimed show, simply titled Piaf.

Edith Piaf is an iconic figure in the history of western music, for her unique tone, her anthemic torch songs and her heart-breaking live performances - but like so many cultural icons, the way she lived her life is just as memorable as the way she performed. A mother at the age of 17 who lost her child when she was just two years old, Piaf was a favourite of the Germans during the occupation, and was even taken on a German tour. This led, after the war, to accusations of collaboration with the enemy and of being a traitor, something she had to testify against. Testimony emerged suggesting that she had in fact performed in prisoner of war camps, and had even helped prisoners to escape. In the years that followed, Piaf’s internationally publicised affair with married boxer Marcel Cerdan came to a dramatic end in 1949 when he was killed in a plane crash. In 1951, her own car crash (the first of three) led to longer term struggles with morphine and alcohol addiction. Two husbands and years of struggling with drug and alcohol abuse later, Edith Piaf died at the age of 48 of suspected liver cancer, though that was never proved. Making the mythology of her life, and her death, even more potent, her friend John Cocteau died the next day, reportedly suffering from a heart attack on receipt of the news of her death. Clearly, celebrating such an astonishing performer live on stage, without resorting to parody or

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bland tribute, is an incredible challenge. Opting to avoid imitation entirely, Bovill instead threads her own remarkable journey in the world of French Song with the life and works of Edith Piaf. As much a play as it is a musical homage, Piaf is a moving theatrical celebration of one of France’s most enduring icons, featuring some of her best known songs, intertwining Piaf’s life story with Christine’s own experiences of teaching by day and singing by night in the jazz clubs of Glasgow. Bovill has now become an award-winning songwriter in her own right, appearing on the BBC, touring throughout Europe and the Far East, and writing and recording songs for Hollywood. During her Edinburgh Fringe sell-out run at the Famous Speigeltent, Bovill realised a lifelong dream when she shared the stage with Charles Dumont, great friend of Piaf and, most famously, composer of Non, Je ne Regrette Rien. Edith Piaf’s dying words are famously reported to have been - “Every damn fool thing you do in this life, you have to pay for”. I can’t help feeling that it would have been a damn fool thing not to have taken the opportunity to bring Christine Bovill to Greenwich when we had the chance - and I can’t wait to see what audiences make of what is sure to be one of the sell-out events of the season. www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk (article first appeared South London Press - 28 January)

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More great comedy at Bexley Park

MARCEL LUCONT - 22nd February FLANEUR • RACONTEUR • BON-VIVEUR

Marcel Lucont has toured the world with his dry wit, bawdy chansons and exquisite sex poetry. The self-proclaimed greatest UK-based French comedian around will ensure that your life will be enriched by the experience of watching him.

“Fresh, accessible and hilarious” - The Guardian “Wonderful French wit” - Superb stuff¶ “His elegant, sardonic turns of phrase are an utter joy” - Time Out “Excellently dry” - The Times “Wickedly funny” - The Telegraph Book early for the best seats! 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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Veronica's Room at

Edward Alderton Theatre

Bexleyheath

Saturday, 12th February until Saturday, 19th February Written by Ira Levin, directed by Matt Frieacre A wonderfully tense thriller from the author of Rosemary's Baby and Deathtrap. Susan Kerner and Larry Eastwood, a young lawyer she has only just met, have been enticed to Brabissant Mansion by the Mackays, a charming elderly Irish couple who are struck by Susan's strong resemblance to Veronica Brabissant, the long dead daughter of the family for whom they work. Susan is persuaded to impersonate Veronica. Or is she Veronica in 1935 pretending to be Susan in 1999? Book online through TicketSource on 0333 666 3366. You can find the Theatre at 5 Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 4EZ www.edwardalderton.org

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