Bexley Life October/November 2022

Autumn across the Borough

There is always much to enjoy in this season around the area

Welcome to the October/November 2022 edition of Bexley Life Magazine the bi monthly lifestyle magazine for Bexley Borough and the surrounding areas

With Halloween and Bonfire Night now ‘just aro the corner ’ , what does the Autumn offer for us around the area

Inside this edition you will find stories and articles fro around the Borough, many of the type you’d expe to see and others representing the differences we s experience around the area

So, we would like to welcome you to this editio of Bexley Life and if you have any news, reviews product launches or absolutely anything else o interest across the local market, please email i through to me at info@bljournals plus com for future consideration in our for thcoming issues

Arthur Peaches Editor

Yo u can s till take part in t he Bexley Co m mu n ity Safety su r vey

There is still time

If you live, work, study or own a business in Bexley you can take par t in this

vey, on the council website, up to Sunday 23 October 2022

The Sur vey star ted back in the first week of September and will only take 5 to 10 minutes to complete

If you are not online at home, free internet access is available from all the Council run libraries Paper copies can be requested from the Community Safety Team on 020 8303 7777 or by writing to the Community Safety Team, Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath DA6 7AT

EDITORIAL

Ar thur Peaches Editor

Tel 01322 352648

Email: info@bljournals plus com

SALES & PROMOTIONS

David Peters Publisher Tel 01322 352648

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Dennis Smith Adver tisement Manager Tel 01322 352648

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PUBLISHING COMPANY

BL Journals, 3 Biddenden Way, Istead Rise, Gravesend, Kent DA13 9DE Tel 01322 352648

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Community Par tnership,

the council social media feeds: Facebook Bexley Community Safety Par tnership Twitter @BexleyCSP

By continuing to work together Bexley Council aim to continue to make Bexley a safer place to live, work and study in www bexley gov

Do you know a local hero?

Bexley Council want t o highlight Bexley’s local heroes through the Civic Recognition Awards sc heme and would like us, the general public, t o t ell them about anyone you know who deser ves t o be recognised.

You may like to nominate somebody who has devoted years of voluntar y ser vice to the community Or perhaps for an act of braver y or courage You can even nominate an organisation for an outstanding achievement in their field.

There are three cat egories in the Civic Recognition Awards:

• Civic Recognition of Young People for young people up to age 18

• Civic Recognition of Voluntar y Ser vice by Adults for people over the age of 18

• Civic Recognition of Outstanding Achievement for any person, business or organisation that has achieved outstanding success in any walk of life, including voluntar y ser vice, spor t and culture, business or carried out acts of braver y

Bexley residents sent in over 80 nominations for the 2022 Civic Recognition Awards earlier this year, they are ver y grateful to all the nominees and winners for the wealth of devoted voluntar y work they provide

How t o nominat e

The closing date for nominations is 18 Februar y 2023 Nominations can be made online (www bexley gov uk) or by post

Call 020 3045 3678 for a paper nomination form to be returned by post to:

The Mayor’s Office, Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT

Lo cal artis ts market in Er it h t h is mo nt h

Horizon Lines, a new market, showcasing the work of twelve local ar tis ts, opens in Erith at 68 Pier Road, DA8 1BA , on Saturday 8 Oct ober from 12 t o 5pm.

The ar twork showcased will include photography, clay work, paintings, and there will be the oppor tunity to purchase homeware products, prints and knitted wear

Fur ther ar t markets will t ake place at 68 Pier Road as follows: Thursday 13 Saturday 15

There will be an oppor tunity to meet the local ar tists Thursday 20 Saturday 22

This market will feature a sustainability workshop open to all Thursday 27 Saturday 29

This market will have an ‘After Hours’ shor t film screening curated by the collective Invisible Women

The twelve local ar tists whose work is featured were selected to par ticipate in a six month mentorship programme run by Active Horizon The mentorship programme looked for local people interested in developing and showcasing their creative talents, and in creating a series of fun, vibrant and liberating cultural experiences in nor th Bexley. Par ticipants in the programme were not required to have formal ar ts training

The ar tists took par t in various workshops and received a bursar y to create new ar t works reflecting the local community The result is a celebration of Erith, the London Borough of Bexley and the friendships made.

Horizon Lines is commissioned by Three Rivers, produced by Active Horizons and T A P E Collective, and suppor ted by London Borough of Bexley It is funded by Ar ts Council England, Peabody, and Orbit

bexley gov

A new ‘Man About the House’ at Northbourne Court!

Last month, Avante residential care home Nor thbourne Cour t, was bubbling with excitement, as residents and staf f welcomed two ver y special guests.

Famous actor and actress Brian Murphy and Linda Regan spent the afternoon with residents, talking through their acting careers, how it all star ted, and the popular TV shows they appeared in Brian and Linda married in 1995 and they live locally in Kent They have both starred in several TV sitcoms, including Last of the Summer wine, Hi de hi, and more recently, The Catherine Tate show and Benidorm

Brian Murphy is best known as the henpecked husband George Roper in the popular sitcom Man About the House Linda Regan is known for her role as Yellow coat April in the British holiday camp sitcom Hi de Hi!

The afternoon included a Q&A session where residents and staff had the oppor tunity to speak with Brian and Linda and delve into the celebrities on and off screen lives Geoff Webb, the Activity Coordinator at Nor thbourne Cour t, arranged the visit, commenting, “I knew Brian and Linda would go down well, mainly because we often have the old sitcoms that both Brian and Linda have starred in playing in the lounges of an evening!”

“Before the visit, we spent hours researching all of the TV shows that both Linda and Brian have featured and looked back at pictures over the years It's clear to say between them they have starred in a lot of shows!”

Linda is now a best selling crime writer and brought a number of her books to purchase on the day

Residents and staff also had the chance to have pictures with the famous pair, it was a great afternoon, and we were so grateful for their visit!

www avantecare org

Danson Park and Lesnes

Abbey Woods named

‘Local Favourites’

The two Bexley Parks finished in the t op 20% of the public vot e and have achieved 'Local Favourit e ' st atus in London for the UK’s Favourit e Parks awards.

The Council thanked all the hardworking volunteers who work with the them, around the area, to preser ve and improve these two green spaces Friends of Danson Park, Friends of the Old English Garden, Lesnes Abbey Conser vation Volunteers and Friends of Lesnes Abbey

Over the Summer people from across the nation people cast over 30,000 votes for 364 different parks and local green spaces As well as winners in each of the Home Nations, those parks finishing in the top 20% of the public vote have achieved 'Local Favourite' status, reflecting the love shown for them by their local communities

UK's Favourite Parks by Fields in Trust is a two phase award First, people nominate their favourite local park Any publicly accessible local green space was eligible to be nominated during the nominations window, back in June All eligible nominations then progress to a public vote, between July and August

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Top 10 benefits of dental implants

Dent al implants are a simple solution t o replace missing t eeth. Advances in dentistr y mean that dent al implants are much easier t o use, and more ef fective, than they have ever been. If you ’ re considering dent al implants for yourself, these are all the pot ential benefits of investing in your t eeth in this way.

At Zental they have a number of options for dental implants:

• The first option is single tooth dental implants A singular implant can replace a missing or failing tooth without altering adjacent healthy teeth These implants, just like all of the other provide a fixed and natural look

• The next option is all on 4 / teeth in a day This is a great option for people who have problems with multiple teeth or are against wearing dentures This procedure provides a full set of teeth that are a custom made fixed replacement, that is strategically placed into the upper and lower jaws For people that don’t need all of their teeth replaced, but have numerous missing or failing teeth, Zental offer multiple dental implants based on the patients needs.

• Finally, implant retained dentures are dentures that are half in place by dental implants using special frictional or magnetic connection These are a ver y cost effective approach and provides a large improvement on traditional dentures

But what are the benefits of dental implants?

• A dental implant will look just like the rest of your teeth Each implant is fitted with a prosthetic tooth that has been designed to fit in with the rest of your mouth It will sit flush to the gum line so will look like all the natural teeth in your mouth do

• Each implant feels like a natural tooth One of the major advantages of dental implants is that they have the same strength and function of your natural teeth So, once they’re in your mouth they will feel just like your teeth do There are few other dental restorations that are this effective at mimicking natural teeth

• Preser ving your natural face shape Tooth loss can be responsible for aesthetic changes to your face, aging your appearance, as the face looks more sunken and soft With dental implants you’ll retain the strength of your jaw and your natural face shape will be maintained.

• A cost effective option Dental implants are long lasting and that means that they are cost effective in terms of what you’ll pay over time for restoration work Most of the cost related to an implant is generated when it is placed Once the dental implant is in then all you need to do is focus on ensuring that there are no problems with it fur ther down the line

• The same care as natural teeth Having dental implants is just like having natural teeth and you’ll just need to look after them as you would your own teeth

• Implants stimulate osseointegration That is the process of bone growth in your jaw When you lose a tooth, without the implant you will star t to lose bone mass around the empty space However, with an implant, the process of stimulating new bone growth (osseointegration) begins

• Take care of your implants and they will last In fact, as long as you ’ re looking after your implants properly they can last a lifetime, a lot longer than many other restorative dentistr y options

• You can eat what you like Dental implants are stable so you don’t have to change your diet to accommodate them Unlike dentures, for example, there is no risk of the implant moving or restricting your bite

• Live with confidence If you have missing teeth this can severely impact your confidence and how you feel about the way you look Dentures can be a good solution for this but if you ’ re concerned about them moving then you may continue to restrict how you laugh or smile. Because dentures are secure you can interact with complete confidence.

• A 98% success rate Dental implants are suitable for most people and have a high success rate These are just some of he benefits of opting for dental implants when it comes to restorative dental work. Zental offer a haven of tranquillity, thoughtfully designed to stimulate the senses and complemented by state of the ar t technology that makes your experience calm, relaxing and ultimately re energising

Great escapism at The Bob

Theatre

SWEET BIRD

Lost youth and hope fuelled by sex and alcohol are what bring a drifter and par t time gigolo Chance Wayne, into the hands of a fading movie star Alexandra Del Largo Travelling from town to town when they return to Chance’s hometown, where ghosts from his past are waiting to greet him

This wonder ful play was first on stage in 1959 with Paul Newman and Geraldine Page in the lead roles and has been reprised repeatedly and successfully made into two motion pictures

RED RIDING HOOD

In an original pantomime re telling the fair y tale classic Red Riding Hood, sweet baby Red is sent downriver in a basket, by her wicked Stepmother, the evil Queen, and left to perish We discover that the wicked Queen sent Red away because she was the rightful heir to the throne after her father, the King, went missing under mysterious circumstances ¶

Many years later, the Queen discovers that Red is alive and well She puts a terrible spell of eternal winter on the entire Forest to hinder Red s journey to visit Granny, making the path through the Forest an incredibly dangerous one

Join Red on her perilous journey home, guided by many forest friends that Red encounters to help her along her way Will she make it back, and evade the evil Queen’s bumbling henchman, the Big Bad Wolf?!

This Winter tale promises to be a barrel of laughs for the whole family Full of magic, songs, and wonder ful characters, it’s bound to be a delight for both adults and children!

www bobhopetheatre co uk

Mov ing forwa rd at Green w ich Theatre

by James Haddrell, Ar tistic Director of Greenwich Theatre

I spend par t of most summers at the Edinburgh Fringe, suppor ting new companies in producing their work and searching for the next break through show t o bring t o Greenwich, but this year many of the young and emerging companies found the Fringe even harder than usual It is always an incredibly competitive environment, with so many shows t o choose from and a finit e audience t o share round, but this year it seems that while the number of shows is repor t ed t o have dropped by around 20%, audiences for new work dropped even fur ther Whether the same number of people went but chose the est ablished companies and shows t o spend their money on, or whether people st ayed a wa y w i t

a

d accommodation this year, companies struggled

That’s not to say that here weren’t successes Both of the shows that we suppor ted at the Fringe

Dead Rabbits Theatre Company’s Tiger Lady and Voloz Collective’s The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much came away with awards, but the challenge to generate audiences remained. This has led to the revival of a debate that comes around periodically, about whether we as an industr y are simply making too many shows Funding is reducing, as there are ever increasing

demands on public funds elsewhere, par ticularly in the wake of the pandemic The number of companies making shows is increasing (with the number of actors desperate to work increasing, so more and more of them resor ting to creating their own productions, and even being encouraged to, and trained to, by some drama schools). The density of venue programmes is increasing, with theatres under huge financial pressure after successive lockdowns, so more shows are being programmed per day to tr y and make the money back But will there ever be enough audience members to suppor t that much work?

At Greenwich Theatre we are facing the same issues The loss of one and a half pantomime seasons due to COVID meant a loss of nearly half our annual income, so to have to face that, alongside ever ything else that the pandemic brought, and to tr y and recover we have to find ways to generate income We have programmed family theatre in the daytime and adult shows in the evening, we are making increasing use of our studio for private hire, and we are interrogating ever y item of spend in a way that we ’ ve never done before and we are no strangers to challenge and sur vival

So how do we move for ward? Audiences are slow to return after COVID, both here in the UK and around the world, so income is slow Shows cost money to produce, so the gamble is enhanced on each production, but if we don’t make shows then our industr y collapses

We can’t simply take a break, as we have bills to pay and staff to retain At Greenwich we got through the p a n d e m i c w i t h o u t a s i n g l e redundancy so we are not about to star t downsizing our already small staff now

The answer is not simple, and it feels l i k e p i c k i n g a w a y f o r w a r d represents gambling with the future of the theatre, but for me there can be only one choice To hold our ner ve and keep making shows If we go dark for a while, audiences will forget about us and there will be no income to pay staff. If we make cheaper shows, audiences will be d i s a p p o i n t e d i n u s I f w e s t o p s u p p o r t i n g f l e d g l i n g a r t i s t s , t h e industr y around us will star t to fall apar t. So at Greenwich we carr y on making the best theatre, the type of s h o w s w e h a v e b u i l t a s t r o n g reputation for, and we continue to welcome some of the best touring companies in the UK We are here to put shows in front of an audience, so that’s what we will continue to do, and if those shows are good, and if we continue to show audiences the level of respect that they deser ve, in p r o g r a m m i n g a n d i n p r o d u c t i o n quality, I have to believe that we can w e a t h e r t h i s t o u g h t i m e a n d ultimately become even stronger (This is an updated version of a column which first appeared in the South London Press)

greenwichtheatre org uk

Comedy at Bexley Park

RICH WILSON

Friday 28th October

Rich Wilson’s ‘tour de force’ (Leicester Mercur y) per formances have earned him a win for Best International Guest at the 2016 New Zealand Comedy Awards, followed by a sell out run in 2017 which saw him nominated for the same award again

He’s per formed at sell out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival and the New Zealand Comedy Festival

An extremely in demand writer, Rich Wilson has also contributed on shows for BBC Three, Sky Ar ts and Channel 4

Rich is also the host of the wildly popular insane in the: podcast series; currently featuring Men Brain, Fem Brain and soon for your aural pleasure, Them Brain! Rich talks to funny and interesting people about their experiences with mental health

In the last year the podcast has been nominated for an award with Podbible and in 2019 won an award with JOE for best podcast with the likes of; Guilty Feminist, Off Menu and Films To Be Buried With Guests have included; James Acaster, Scroobius Pip, Heston Blumenthal, GBBO’s Tom Allen, Romesh Ranganathan, David Baddiel, Jen Brister, Simon Evans, Dane Baptiste, Darren Harriott and many more

“A ver y ver y funny man ” Frank Skinner

As always there’s a great suppor ting line up direct from the London Comedy Circuit Book Early Limited Availability!

Show contains adult humour so be prepared for some naughty jokes and strong language

ANDREW RYAN

Friday 25th November

Irishman Andrew Ryan made his comedy circuit debut in 2008 when he spontaneously entered an open mike contest Fast for ward to 2020 and he is now one of the most sought af ter comics in recent years, in demand as a headliner and an MC at the biggest comedy clubs and festivals across Ireland and the UK

Andrew’s stor ytelling abilities and cheeky, friendly demeanour makes him a natural obser vational stand up and one =of the most in demand acts on the UK comedy circuit He has per formed stand up on Russell Howard’s Good News, Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live, Comedy Central at The Comedy Store, and Funny Rotten Scoundrels

Andrew also makes regular appearances on TV3’s The Six O’Clock Show and more recently BBC One NI’s The Blame Game and contributor on The Line Out for Virgin Media TV

Andrew is a prolific contributor to talkSPORT and has made numerous appearances as a team captain on their football show Glor yhunters

A keen golfer, Andrew has a dedicated YouTube Channel that covers his golfing exploits

Andrew’s new show Sure, You Know Yourself won Best New Show at the Leicester Comedy Festival Awards and culminated in a sold out per formance at the Ever yman Theatre in his hometown of Cork

”Utterly brilliant, going to be a huge star”

Time Out

As always there’s a great suppor ting line up direct from the London Comedy Circuit Book Early Limited Availability!

For more information visit www houseofstandup co uk/dar tford/

Events at Hall Place, Bexley

Curious Curat or t alk- Bexley Museum Collection

October 12 @ 11:00 am 12:00 pm

passionate Curator as they discuss some hidden gems in the Bexley Museum Collection. From a Debutantes gown that is over 100 years old, to printing blocks used to make silk scar ves for Liber ty's of London. Be fascinated by the objects that have been collected over decades telling the stor y of the local area Located in the historic house, use the large green gates to the house from the car park

Tickets are £4.60 and advance booking is required.

Saturday Farmers Market

October 15 @ 10:00 am 2:00 pm

Pop along and buy the best local produce at Hall Place. Meet the farmers and producers, tr y food samples and buy ever ything from home grown fruit and vegetables, through to delicious cakes, breads and cheeses

Located outside on the grass cour tyard by the Visitors Centre

Please dress for the weather You might want to bring your own bags with you

This event is held on flat concrete in winter and grass in the summer. All the traders are following government guidelines on covid safety

There is the café and toilets nearby including disabled toilet and baby change (open 10am 5pm)

www hallplace org uk

WINNER BCA