Bexley Life June/July 2023

Wi ldl ife s tu dy days

GRASSES FOR BEGINNERS

10 June 10 00 am – 4 00pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Tyland Barn

There are over 150 species of native grasses in Britain Learn how to identify some of the common species

THE GEOLOGY OF RECULVER COUNTRY PARK

16 June 10 30am - 4 00pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Reculver

Discover the geological materials used in buildings and shore defences around Reculver and examine a classic coastal cliff section

AN INTRODUCTION TO FOSSILS

17 June 10am - 4pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Tyland Barn

Discover more about fossils, especially those that can be found locally

AN INTRODUCTION TO DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES

21 June 10 30 am – 4 00pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Sevenoaks Wildlife Reser ve Their life cycles, habitats, and aids to identification Presentations in the centre and field studies of adult dragonflies

ROSACEAE: THE ROSE FAMILY

25 June 10am - 4pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Tyland Barn

A fascinating and ecologically important group of herbs, shrubs and trees – learn to identify them by their flowers, leaves and thorns Classroom and field studies

INTRODUCTION TO SEDGES AND RUSHES

8 July 10am-5pm

Fees or donations apply and booking essential

Venue: Tyland Barn and Hothfield Learn more about the sedges and rushes - plant species which are found in many of our wilder, u n i m p r o v e d h a b i t a t s b u t a r e o f t e n u n f a i r l y dismissed or overlooked

www kentwildlifetrust org uk

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Call for volunteers

If you were inspired by the recent Big Help Out that t ook place during the Coronation weekend, the Bexley Youth Jus tice Ser vice has a fant as tic volunt eering oppor tunity t o become a Referral Order Panel Member.

Volunteering is a great way to gain new skills and experience, meet new people, and make a difference in your local community

If you are over 18, live in Bexley, and want to make a positive difference to young people who have offended, becoming a Referral Order Panel member could be for you

Referral Order Panel Members meet with the young person, their parents, carers, suppor ters, and sometimes the victims to draw up a contract that will seek to suppor t the young person to desist from fur ther offending

This is a fantastic oppor tunity for anyone who is passionate about suppor ting young people or maybe for anyone considering a career working within the criminal justice or social care sectors This role will provide valuable experience and insight into working with young people sometimes with complex needs and can be ver y rewarding to be par t of a young person ’ s journey

Find out more details on the Volunteer Centre Bexley website: www volunteering bvsc co uk

Avante Care visit

Kent Life Museum

In April s t af f from Avant e ’ s Home Care and Suppor t ser vice, t ook a number of ser vice users out for a day trip t o the Kent Life Museum, Maids t one.

The Home Care and Suppor t team arranged the day trip to suppor t ser vice users to engage with others and feel par t of the local community.

The ser vice users and staff had the oppor tunity to feed and stroke the many free-range livestock, including- sheep, pigs, horses, donkeys, goats, poultr y, rabbits, geese and alpacas

After a picnic lunch and tea and cake in Dottys’ Tea room, ser vice users were ready to meet the people who helped the Garden of England grow and acquaint themselves with the homes and lifestyles of Kent’s rural past in the Vintage Village

Lisa Hann, Head of Home Care and Suppor t said, ‘We had a wonder ful day out and it was great to see the plan come together seamlessly, which cer tainly helped having the weather on our side! The ser vice users were looking for ward to the trip as much as we were, and it was a great way to integrate home care ser vice users and spend a day out of their homes; as for many, this is where most of their time can be spent The ser vice users loved reading about the histor y of Kent and exploring the collection of original buildings We all feel ver y strongly about wellbeing suppor t at Avante and suppor ting people to live vibrant and fulfilling lives We can all see the positive benefits day trips like these have on the people we care for and suppor t’ Avantes’ Home Care and Suppor t ser vice provide a wide range of care and suppor t from personal care, suppor t with wellbeing, companionship and much more The recent day trip to Kent Life is a per fect example of how the care team can suppor t ser vice users across Bexley and Kent to join in with day trips and interact with others Avante Home Care and Suppor t provides a range of care and suppor t ser vices including, personal care, medication suppor t, shopping, housekeeping and night care

www avantecare/homecare org uk

New operator for Bexley Villag e Librar y

A new operat or has been c hosen t o r u n B ex l ey V i l l a g e L i b r a r y. T h e librar y will be managed by Inspire Community Trus t.

Earlier this year the Council asked for community groups to come for ward to operate the librar y since its previous communitymanaged arrangements had ended Inspire Community Trust, who already operate in Bexley and currently manage the Blue Badge scheme on behalf of the Council, have a vision to provide an inclusive and diverse offer to the community

Under the new management arrangements, the core ser vices of the librar y will be enhanced by drop-in sessions to aid sensor y suppor t ser vices, access to care assessments, and inclusive events, activities and groups taking place for the community to meet and find suppor t.

Cabinet Member for Places, Cllr Peter Craske said: I am delighted that Inspire Community Trust have been awarded the oppor tunity to manage Bexley Village Librar y, having been identified as the strongest bidder.

I am confident that local residents and librar y users will enjoy accessing a thriving and community focussed ser vice that responds to the needs of the local people "

Inspire’s Chair, Ranjit Bhamra commented: Inspire Community Trust are delighted to be working alongside Bexley Council and taking on the management and running of the Bexley Village librar y In line with our ethos to enable, empower and enhance the lives of those with disabilities Inspire will be improving accessibility of the building both inside and outside to facilitate a wider offering to this people with disabilities in the borough Inspire are focused on bringing together community goals and wishes to provide a hub for all to enjoy Vinod Kumar Khanna, Chief Executive and Gemma Micallef, Commercial and Operational Director thank Bexley council for the oppor tunity, and we look for ward to launching the space in the coming weeks "

bexley gov uk

For all your flooring needs - the best service for your ‘dream flooring’

Affinity is a fantastic agency to begin fostering with

A f f i n i t y F o s t e r i n g a re p ro u d t o h a ve b e e n c o n s i s t e n t l y ra t e d Outst anding by Ofst ed since their inception, and they believe it ’ s because they demonstrably care about ever yone in the Af finity family.

From the staff who work tirelessly to find the per fect placements, to the families who open their homes and welcome children in need, to those children who then have the oppor tunity to live in an enriching and nur turing environment - ever yone is impor tant to Affinity

Fostering can be life changing for those involved in the process For the child being looked after by a new family, there is the feeling of safety and being nur tured in a welcoming home, whilst learning that someone can care about you For the foster carers there are also huge rewards, including a sense of providing hope and oppor tunity where there may previously have been none and the experience of watching a child or young person get their sparkle back Affinity believe that the positive benefits of foster caring are numerous Whilst foster caring is definitely a vocation, at Affinity they are there to suppor t you emotionally and practically, by ensuring you have access to intensive training, on-call advice and guidance and regular updates from the team

Thinking about fostering?

If you’d like to change careers and star t fostering, we’d love to hear from you We welcome foster carers from all walks of life and backgrounds Contact Floria to find out more about becoming a foster carer

Email: floria theocharis@affinityfostering com

Telephone: 01245 237 158 www affinityfostering com

Welling Town Business Uniformed Services Day

Saturday 26th August

O n S a t u r d a y 2 6 t h A u g u s t 2 0 2 3 Bellegrove Road Welling will become a hive of activity as the army roll int o t own, followed by all the other great ser vices that look af t er us and our countr y.

If you ’ re an early bird, then you might want to have a wander down the high street as a convoy of army vehicles make their way to get into position along Bellegrove road

If you have visited the town before when they had the army spend the day in Welling, you will know what an impressive sight it is with the enormous army recover y vehicles with trailers carr ying tanks are parked up for the day Well this year it is going bigger and better as the town have invited even more army units to attend along with the fire and rescue ser vice, police and ambulance ser vice, all the uniformed ser vice all together displaying their vehicles and equipment they use on a daily basis

The Army days have always been a massive success and ever yone comments how much they have enjoyed the day

There is a chance to chat with all the ser vices personnel and a chance to take a closer look at the equipment and vehicles they use The aim is to bring Welling to life, give the residents events to look for ward too and to bring the much-needed footfall the town for our local independent businesses.

The Welling Town Business Associates C I C (WTBA) was created to help improve the town and work towards making the high street a better and safer place to shop Welling once was a thriving town but sadly over the years we have seen its decline WTBA want it back and will do all they can to make it thrive once again.

The 26TH August surely will be a day to visit the town It’s ver y rare to find a fire engine, ambulance and a police car parked alongside a tank This will be a great day and along with other events WTBA have planned they hope you will suppor t them and enjoy the day

If you would like to donate and help the WTBA bring more to Welling you can donate through the Go fund me link: www gofundme com/bringing-welling-town-to-life

Round and Round the Garden...

by John Goodwin, Bob Hope Theatre

Norman has apparently only one desire - he wants t o make people happy. He may not look exactly like Casanova as an Assist ant Librarian with beard, but he has a twinkle in his eye Over the course of a weekend in the Summer of 1973 in the garden of an old English vicarage house Norman ends up causing disruption and

He has arranged to take Annie, the sister of his career-driven wife Ruth, to East Grinstead for an illicit weekend away from her cantankerous Mother The oblivious Reg with his controlling wife Sarah have arrived to allow Annie a weekend away Add Tom, the lovesick-but-uncommitted vet, and you have a recipe for a hilarious, farcical and dramatic weekend

In celebration of the 50th anniversar y of the ver y first per formance of Round and Round the Garden, join the crew this summer at the Bob Hope Theatre Eltham, as laughter and chaos ensue, with Norman’s attempts to end up in the arms of Annie, Sarah and even Ruth

www bobhopetheatre co uk

Round and Round the Garden

The Bob Hope Theatre 14th-17th June

Tickets £13, Concessions £11

Modern Indian Restaurant & Takeaway

A d iverse Su m m er season for Green w ich Theatre...

by James Haddrell, Ar tistic Director of Greenwich Theatre

June is a major month for us at Greenwic h Theatre – as we open our big summer drama and prepare for our family summer show.

First up is the drama, a revival of Philip Ridley’s power ful two-hander Vincent River Widely recognized as one of the most impor tant plays in recent years to deal with the effects of hate crime, the play is built around a meeting between two people, each struggling to deal with grief and shock in their own way Anita is a mother who has recently lost her son, Vincent In the

Kerrie Taylor

Brandon Kimar yo

aftermath of his murder, Anita has found out a lot about her son that she never knew while he was alive, despite apparently having the closest of relationships. Davey clearly had something to do with Vincent’s m u r d e r, b u t h i s c o n n e c t i o n i s n o t immediately clear Over a taut ninety minutes, Anita is set to uncover exactly how and why her son was murdered

For this production, Anita is played by Kerrie Taylor (last seen on stage here in our Pinter double-bill, but better known for her time in Hollyoaks and more recently in ITV’s crime drama The Bay) She is joined b y B r a n d o n K i m a r y o , a n a s t o n i s h i n g y o u n g a c t o r w h o i s g r a d u a t i n g f r o m Guildford School of Acting this summer having been a finalist in the BBC Carleton Hobbs Award

I have loved Philip Ridley’s writing for years He creates an incredible fusion of detailed realistic dialogue with flashes of poetic narrative and fair ytale imager y –once you ’ ve seen one of his shows you can’t help but seek out others. I am incredibly proud that Philip has also joined us in rehearsal for this one, so there is ever y chance that this really will be the Vincent River that he imagined when he put pen to paper.

At the same time, though ver y different, we are preparing for our big summer musical – a magical adaptation of Cinderella Wi t h a c a s t o f s i x a m a z i n g a c t o rmusicians, under the musical direction of D a v i d H a l l e r ( w h o a u d i e n c e s w i l l remember as Jim Hawkins in last year ’ s production of Treasure Island), this is a Cinderella unlike any you will have seen before

For this version, Cinderella is a birdwatcher, following in the footsteps of her father When she meets the prince, who’s equally at home with his binoculars and bird-book, the two prove to be a per fect match - so when Cinderella needs help, it’s the birds that rally round and help her –along with a step-brother who might not be quite the villain that his mother thinks he is. The Greenwich summer show is becoming a real tradition with local audiences –having taken on Pinocchio, The Jungle Book and Treasure Island, I now can’t wait to welcome families to the biggest fair y tale of them all

www greenwichtheatre org uk

Great comedy evening at Bexley Park

SHAZIA MIRZA Award winning British stand-u comedian and writer

Friday 30th June

Listed by The Obser ver as ‘One of the 50 funniest acts in British Come Shazia’s international sell-out tours include; Nor way, Sweden, Denm France, Germany, Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, C Hong Kong, Cambodia and Kosovo

Shazia’s tour ‘Coconut’ was nominated for ‘Best Stand-Up Tour Sho Channel 4’s National Comedy Awards 2021

A regular celebrity guest on TV and Radio, Shazia is a sur vivor of ‘Celebrity Island with Bear Gr ylls‘ and has made appearances on many prime-time and popular shows

As always there’s a great suppor ting lineup direct from the London Comedy Circuit

Book Early - Limit ed Availability!

Ticket prices are £20.00 on door, £12.00 in advance (Subject to availability).

www houseofstandup co uk/dar tford/ www bexleypark co uk

Have your say on ULEZ

With large numbers of people across the area rightly concerned about the Mayor of London’s ULEZ expansion plans, the London Borough of Bexley is one of several Councils that have formed a coalition in an att empt t o legally change this decision

The Council has launched a sur vey that will help them to have up-to-date information on the number of people who will be affected

It is made up of eight questions and can be found on the council websitewww bexley gov uk

Leader of the Council, Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE commented: "We know that our residents, businesses and visitors to our borough feel strongly about the Mayor's plan to expand the ULEZ

“We suppor t improvements to air quality but we do not agree that expanding the ULEZ is the best way to do this, because public transpor t infrastructure is poor in Bexley and many of our residents are dependent on their cars

“The ULEZ charge will hit many of our residents and businesses hard and it will discourage people from outside London from travelling into our borough

“We are keen to find out more how people will be affected by the Mayor of London’s plans Please take the time to fill out this shor t sur vey and let us know ”

The sur vey does not ask you to share any identifiable personal information and the Council requests that people share the sur vey link with family and friends, including those who travel into Bexley for work, family or leisure reasons

Sur vey closes June 23, 2023

www bexley gov uk