Archive
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Donations pay for new visitor room
A HOSPITAL ward today opened a visitor and patient room using donations made in memory of a deceased patient. Ricky Roberts, of Elm Road, Slade Green, was admitted to Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, in May 2003 suffering from back pain. While he was
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Fears over Thames Gateway homes
NEW homes in the Thames Gateway housing development have been branded "monotonous and characterless" by a leading think-tank. The report, by the Institute for Public Policy Research, says some potential residents are put off by the prospect of moving
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Taking chance to learn all about the birds
WILDLIFE lovers have got messy to ensure wild birds do not go hungry this winter. More than 20 people spent last Sunday at High Elms Nature Centre pushing fat and seed into empty plastic milk cartons and small logs to make bird feeders. The event was
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Campaign is out to prevent terror attacks
POLICE are urging commuters "to remain alert" to stop terror attacks. As part of a new campaign, posters will be put on bus shelters and at train stations asking the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious bags or behaviour by calling 999.
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Diving in to celebrate 50th birthday
SOME people celebrate their 50th birthday with a slice of cake. However, members of the Bromley branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club chose to dive into Surrey Docks instead. Chairman David Green said: "It's a fantastic achievement and the club is going
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Ship lover gets surprise award
A VOLUNTEER who has dedicated 12 years to repairing historic ships and submarines has been honoured by the Queen. Alan Bates was delighted to find out he had been made an OBE in the New Year's Honours list. The 58-year-old chairman of the Chatham Historic
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Consultations on new parish plan
RESIDENTS will receive a survey and information pack to help them decide on the future of a town council. More than 20,000 residents served by Swanley Town Council will be sent the survey this week to decide whether Hextable should break away from the
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Youngsters set to get Gaff to meet in
A GENERATION of "bus shelter youngsters" are to be given a new place to meet. According to Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Tiffany Molden, the youngsters of Wilmington village have been ignored by authorities for years. While youths from Dartford's
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News in brief
CRIME CONCERNS: A street surgery will be held by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) on January 18 between 10am and 4pm to for residents of Wallis Street and Perry Street, Gravesend, to discuss their concerns. PCSOs Debra Coker-Barnes and Craig
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Council set to sell seaside asset
COUNCILLORS will hold a closed meeting tonight to choose a buyer for a seaside hotel expected to sell for more than £500,000. Swanley Town councillors will pick one of three potential bidders for Swanley Court Hotel, Eastbourne. The hotel was valued
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Historic hotel set to become flats
THE fate of the Clarendon Royal Hotel could be sealed with a conversion into 21 luxury flats. Planning applications have been made to Gravesham Council to turn the Grade II Listed building into apartments. But historians are concerned the archaeological
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On the right path to making people safe
NARROW, overgrown footpaths have been given a makeover and a splash of colour to help neighbours feel safe. Residents of the Kings Farm Estate, Gravesend, felt uneasy when walking along the rundown pavements of Cedar Avenue. But thanks to Dartford-based
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Fears over homes in Gateway
NEW homes in the Thames Gateway housing development have been branded "monotonous and characterless" by a leading think-tank. The report, by the Institute for Public Policy Research, says some potential residents are put off by the prospect of moving
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Emergency calls up at start of year
PARAMEDICS and nurses were kept busy on New Year's Day as revellers made a record number of emergency calls. Kent Ambulance Trust was inundated with calls as the clock struck midnight. Emergency call operators received more than 1,100 calls on January
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‘We are so proud of our son Adam’
THE grieving family of a teenager killed in a car crash have spoken of their fond memories of him. Nineteen-year-old Adam Letchford-Johnson died after the black Vauxhall Corsa he was a passenger in collided with a silver Ford Focus in Green Street, Dartford
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Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be ...
A COUPLE swapped pub gigs for a TV appearance by taking part in popular television programme Stars In Their Eyes. Julie Wright, 33, and her husband Tony, 37, of Stanham Road, Dartford, performed I've Had The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer
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Barriers to be added at crossing
DRIVERS are being warned to leave extra time for their journeys while concrete barriers are added to Dartford Crossing's toll booths. Work on the £1m safety project begins on January 16 and will see barriers added to booths 1 to 12 on the northbound
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To the point
DO SOMETHING: In regard to the letter from Doug Walters (News Shopper, December 21), if he feels so strongly about junk mail and does not want it, why has he not signed up for the Mail Preference Service. I have and now rarely get junk mail. I have done
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Chemists open on Sunday, January 15
NORTH BEXLEY, BARNEHURST, ERITH & THAMESMEAD Knightson Chemist, 36 Nucley Road, Belvedere. 6pm to 7pm. Safeway, 2 Twin Tumps Way, Thamesmead. 10am to 4pm. 7 Day Chemist, 175a Bellegrove Road, Welling. 9am to 11pm. NCC Chemist, CWS Store, 71-79 High
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Chemists open on Sunday, January 15
BLACKHEATH, CHARLTON & GREENWICH Sainsbury's, Horn Link Lane, Greenwich. 11am to 5pm. Village Pharmacy, 9 The Village, Chalrton. 6pm to 7pm. ELTHAM, KIDBROOKE, MOTTINGHAM & NEW ELTHAM Boots, 96-104 Eltham High Street. Eltham. 10am to 4pm. Dickinson's
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Chemists open on Sunday, January 15
BIGGIN HILL Morrisons, Main Road. 10am to 1pm. BROMLEY Boots, The Glades. 11am to 5pm. ORPINGTON Sainsbury's, Locksbottom, Farnborough. 10am to 4pm. PENGE Boots, 5 Colman House, Penge. Noon to 5pm.
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Kings of the zoo-niverse
The Mighty Boosh are an award-winning comedy duo whose distinctive surreal style has been a cult hit on stage, TV and radio. As they prepare to bring their first live tour to the Fairfield, Daniel Menhinnitt talks to co-writer and performer Noel Fielding
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Music news: Mandolin recital
A MANDOLIN virtuoso starts off a series of classical music recitals in Bromley. The Ripley Recitals Association opens its 38th season with a performance by top mandolin soloist Alison Stephens at the Ripley Arts Centre on January 21. Alison has performed
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Theatre news: Disciplinary Action
A DARK tale of the nasty intrigues of office politics makes David Brent look positively angelic. Disciplinary Action, which opened yesterday at the Greenwich Playhouse, is a satirical adult comedy set in the executive offices of a City banking firm.
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Concert news: Allegri Singers
BROMLEY-BASED chamber choir the Allegri Singers are staging a concert which celebrates music devoted to, or inspired by, the Virgin Mary. The choral pieces span 450 years, from Palestrina to the present day. The programme includes works by Mendelssohn
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Dangerous liaisons in Swanley
SWANLEY is the venue for music, murder and intrigue. The gangsters and molls of the Swanley Light Opera Group are staging the distinctively titled musical The Night Maxi Tortellini Hit Big Lola Labtrobe's, which opens next week. The show is set in the
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See thrills, spills and circus skills
THE world-famous Moscow State Circus is back in the UK touring a new show.Coming to Dartford and Croydon, the circus features a 35-strong troupe whose award-winning acts feature new and traditional circus skills. The newly-devised production includes
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Pembroke, King Street, Gravesend
Drink 4/5 Decor 3/5 Food 3/5 Price 4/5 Atmosphere 3/5 Staff 3/5 EVERY car comes with a new car smell and, if the Pembroke is anything to go by, so do new pubs. This new pub in King Street, Gravesend, has been open for about a month and retains its Eau-de-B
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200 nursery staff threaten to strike
UP TO 200 nursery nurses could strike over low pay and conditions. Unison members who work at 11 primary schools and three nurseries in the borough, have been locked in a pay dispute with Greenwich Council for the past two years. Last January the council
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Patients monitor health from home
A SCHEME offering chronically ill patients the opportunity to monitor their health at home is to be rolled out across the borough. Kent County Council (KCC) has invested £1m in the plans, which includes 300 TeleHealth computers to monitor a patient's
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Parents and hospital staff kept busy with new arrivals
THE first day of the new year was a joyful occasion for a number of parents who were celebrating the birth of new sons and daughters. Midwives and nursing staff at Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford, had their hands full on January 1 as the first newborn
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Charity makes website bid
A MENTAL health charity has found a modern way of raising funds by selling items on the internet. Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Mind has become a registered seller on internet auction site eBay. Online buyers have the chance to help by bidding on
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Library open for business
COLDHARBOUR Library has opened after a two-month closure to fit a new heating system. The library, in Coldharbour Road, Northfleet, reopened on January 3, after the works were completed. Library visitors used Gravesend Central Library while the Coldharbour
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Clubs strike it rich with cash boost from council scheme
SPORTS and community clubs have received a cash boost through a new grant scheme. The Made in Dartford scheme has paid out more than £8,000 to 11 clubs and societies. Dartford Council runs the scheme and distributes £85,000 each year to groups. The
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New recycling competition for residents
A COMPETITION has been launched urging residents to make recycling a New Year's resolution. Gravesham Council is testing recycling knowledge across the borough through an online quiz. Prizes up for grabs include a VIP lunch, a £50 voucher and a composting
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Get your flu jab at drop-in clinic
PRIORITY candidates for a flu jab who have not yet been able to get their injections can call in at a drop-in clinic for one. The clinic has been organised by the Bexley Care Trust and will be held in the Broadway Clinic, Bexleyheath Broadway on January
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Group says it has been ‘stitched up’
COMMUNITY groups in Bexley are being urged to fight back against plans to kill off the organisation which holds the borough police to public account. Graham Holland, who chairs the Bexley Police/ Community Consultative Group (BPCCG) claims it has been
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Police appeal to find newsagent till thief
POLICE are hunting for a man who lunged over a shop counter and snatched £100 from a till. The man, thought to be around 30, went to the counter of Martin's Newsagents on Halfway Street, Sidcup, to buy some cigarettes. As the shopworker turned to get
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Play on for youngsters
CHILDREN brought their parents and carers along to a play and participation event. The event, which was attended by more than 45 children, was part of a council consultation exercise about play facilities in the borough. Free craft activities, a soft
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Sign up for new league
YOUNG footballers are invited to join a five-a-side league. Players aged 14 to 19 can sign up on January 16 with games beginning on January 23. The league is funded by the Charlton Athletic Community Scheme, Gallions Housing Association and the Areas
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Low levels of rainfall could mean hosepipe restrictions
WATER firm bosses say they are not ruling out a hosepipe ban following the borough's driest spell since 1973. Thames Water is poised to enforce hosepipe and sprinkler bans if rainfall levels fail to pick up over the coming months. In 2005 Bexley only
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Happy New Year to our modern society
I WOULD like to say thank you to a few dedicated individuals for their unstinted and thoughtful deeds during the festive season. I would like to thank the two young men who so kindly pulled down the few Christmas lights I had placed on a bush in my front
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Choice words
I AM appalled you gave Jane Fraser the star letter (Happy To Finally Leave Crap-ford' For Good, News Shopper, December 14). She says she was a guest of friends. What an appalling abuse of their hospitality to so blatantly insult the place where they
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To The Point
SUNNY SMILE: Regarding double daylight saving (Bring Me Sunshine, News Shopper, December 21). If you turn back to January 1969, you will see your editorials were against it. What has changed your mind? Or is it just another publicity stunt like the Bupa
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Remember Alex and help beat leukaemia
THREE days before Christmas, I went to visit Alex Wardrope in hospital. I didn't quite know what to expect. I knew Alex had been ill for the past few weeks and even though he was on the mend, surely he wanted to be surrounded by his friends and family
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Pensioners hoping to raise awareness
A BUS load of pensioners will join older people from across the country in campaigning for a better deal. Lewisham Pensioners' Forum has hired a double-decker bus to transport its members to Central London to take part in a pensioners' rally. So far
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Call to rid roads of speed humps
A CAMPAIGNER who has got the hump with sleeping policemen is urging others to join his crusade against them. Nick Hill, of Birkhall Road, Catford, thinks speed humps are a waste of money which cause accidents and damage to cars "thudding" over them.
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New era for private post office
THE Post Office has joined forces with a private company to safeguard the future of a branch. Eltham Post Office will now be run by private firm Shieldex Ltd, in a deal which will bring longer opening hours and a wider range of services for customers
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Council’s £1.3m regeneration bid
COUNCIL chiefs have applied for £1.3m of funding to turn a traditional high street into a "vibrant" shopping hub. Greenwich Council has asked a regeneration group to provide the money, so it can "rebrand" Eltham High Street. If the funding bid is successful
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Association must go back to drawing board
PLANS to turn a former police station into 50 flats have been put on hold. Housing Association Asra took over ownership of Shooters Hill police station, Well Hall Road, Eltham, in September. It then lodged an application with Greenwich Council to build
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Play well under way at centre for whole family
TODDLERS made friends and played games at a state-of-the-art nursery. The West Street Children's Centre, Maxim Road, Erith, is currently the only nursery in Bexley which offers a one-stop-shop service for families. The SureStart-funded nursery, which
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News in brief
FREE ADVICE: Free advice is available every Tuesday at the Citizens Advice Bureau drop-in, West Street Children's Centre, West Street, Erith. The sessions are held between 9.30am and 10.30am. 24-hour information is available online at adviceguide.org.uk
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Two charged with murder at hostel
A MOTHER and daughter accused of murdering a 24-year-old man at a hostel for the homeless have been remanded in custody. Dezdemona Balla, aged 48, of no fixed address and Renata Mitre, aged 22, of Queens Road, New Cross, appeared before Greenwich Magistrates
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Council shows it is green
A COUNCIL has won recognition for its achievements in reducing energy use for a second time. Bexley Council has been given accreditation for its commitment and performance in energy management by The Institute of Energy. The Energy Efficiency Accreditation
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Big boost for book borrowers
BOOKWORMS are set to benefit with the news libraries in the borough are to get an extra 19,000 books. Bexley Council leader Councillor Chris Ball has given the go-ahead to spend an extra £150,000 on books to match increased library demand. The figure
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New swimming pool decision near
SWIMMERS are set for a boost as council bosses prepare to approve plans for a new pool in the borough. Lewisham Mayor Steve Bullock is likely to give the go-ahead for a new 25m pool at Wavelengths, Giffin Street, Deptford, at a cabinet meeting tonight
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Walker comes face to face with wild cat
A DOG walker was given paws for thought when he came across a wild cat. John Costin has a tail to tell following the encounter near Churchfield Woods, Bexley Village. The 64-year-old had just let his dog Mickey off the lead when he saw the curious
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Royals doing their bit for deaf charity
A BEAUTY queen did her bit for charity by collecting money for deaf children at a pantomime. Fifteen-year-old Miss Bromley Julie-ann Morriss, from Penge, collected the money for Bromley's Deaf Access group last Sunday. She was joined at a special signed
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We’re getting ‘raw deal’ on rail travel
RAIL users say future ticket hikes will be unfair to suburban commuters. South Eastern Trains' (SET) regulated fares, which are fixed at inflation rate plus one per cent and include season tickets and standard tickets, rose by 3.9 per cent on January
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Workers put out shop fire
SUPERMARKET staff became firefighters for the day when they tackled an arson attack in the crisp aisle. Two staff from Asda in Station Road, Greenhithe, noticed the area alight and put out the flames with fire extinguishers. A man was captured on
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Appeal made following £800 damage to bus
A BUS journey came to a halt after an object was thrown at one of its windows, causing £800 of damage. The single-decker bus was parked at the junction of High Street and Bartholomew Way, Swanley, when the incident happened at between 8.30am and 8.40am
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Post office restaurant idea rubber stamped
A FORMER post office is to be transformed into a 50-seater restaurant after councillors gave proposals the go-ahead. The Hawley Road building, Wilmington, will be fitted with kitchens and revamped after permission was given by Dartford Council's development
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Pigeon feeding is causing big flap
RESIDENTS have welcomed council action to stop a neighbour feeding hundreds of pigeons in her garden. People have been asking Lewisham Council for nine years to stop Norma Hughes feeding the birds at her home in Playgreen Way, Bellingham. They say the
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Caught in the act
RESIDENTS say they are living in fear of squatters moving into a derelict home. As these amazing pictures show, the house in Rancliffe Gardens, Eltham, has been broken into. Caught in the act by a neighbour, who does not want to be named, this intruder
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Society watching green belt plans
AN ENVIRONMENTAL protection group says it will "keep an eye" on proposed development on green belt land. Privately-owned land in Evenden Road, Meopham, has been earmarked as a potential site for affordable housing. But objections have already been raised
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News in brief
COUNCIL FAKES: Two men claiming to be from the council tried to convince an 85-year-old woman to let them into her home in High Road, Wilmington. They left after 10 minutes but between 3.45pm and 4pm on December 6 the victim saw a shadow at her kitchen
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News in Brief
DECISION DELAYED: A decision on plans to demolish Borthwick Wharf has again been delayed. The proposal to build 247 new homes on the site was due to be considered by Greenwich Council's planning board on December 13 but was pulled from the agenda. Last
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Money to unite sites of school
A SPECIAL needs school is set to be transformed thanks to an £8.2m building project. Charlton School is to get a new teaching block with to money from Greenwich Council and the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). The school has been split between
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Alcohol licensing operation catches out one in five
A LICENSING crackdown shows around one in five traders are selling alcohol to underage drinkers. Since the new Licensing Act came into force in November, Greenwich Council has sent a 14-year-old into licensed premises across the borough. Of 77 pubs,
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Volunteer rewarded after helping police
POLICE have commended a member of a community group for the help he gave them in tracing a missing 15year-old girl. Saeed Omar, 41, was given a borough commander's citation for tracking down the Somalian teenager after she went missing from a care home
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Choice will give patients power
HEALTHCARE campaigners have welcomed reforms which allow patients more freedom to choose where they want to be treated. Patients' groups say the new NHS Patient Choice scheme will force underperforming hospitals such as Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth
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Top grade for college
DEDICATED students, hi-tech teaching methods and a little respect have led to a college receiving national acclaim. Christ the King Sixth Form College has become the first college in the country to be labelled "outstanding", under the new Ofsted rating
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We help make it night to remember
CHILDREN enjoyed some belated festive cheer thanks to News Shopper and Greenwich Theatre. We teamed up with the theatre in Crooms Hill, Greenwich, to give 160 children the chance to watch its production of Aladdin for free. Last month we reported how
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Delighted by cash for charity
NEIGHBOURS who put their Christmas lights to good use by raising money for charity have collected more than £1,000. Sandra and Jim Newson, Gwen and Derek Thompson and Steve and Frances McNally of Lovel Avenue, Welling, raised £1,068. During the festive
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News in Brief
QUESTION OF SPORT: Sports fans can put questions to Charlton manager Alan Curbishley at a charity sports night on January 19 at the Chapter One restaurant, Locksbottom. Sports presenter Jim Rosenthal will host the event. Proceeds will go to Threshers
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Rail ticket price hike is ‘unfair’
RAIL users say future ticket hikes will be unfair to suburban commuters. South Eastern Trains' (SET) regulated fares, which are fixed at inflation rate plus one per cent and include season tickets and standard tickets, rose by 3.9 per cent on January
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Facelift hit by vandals
A VILLAGE shopping area was vandalised just weeks after it was refurbished. Camer Parade in Meopham underwent the work to improve parking, pedestrian safety and disabled access. These included resurfacing, new litter bins and adjustments to pavements
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Hopes new director will inspire health workers
A HOSPITAL trust has appointed a new nurse director. Julia Dutchman-Bailey, 44, joined Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust at the beginning of the month. The mother-of-three will be helping nurses, midwives and other carers to improve the experience of patients
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Benefits cheat told to pay council back
A 63-YEAR-OLD benefit cheat was given a conditional discharge after fraudulently claiming almost £6,000. Jean Levett, of Hart Dyke Road, Swanley, pleaded guilty at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court to seven charges of providing false documents to claim money
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News In Brief
BRIDGE CHANGES: Transport for London has proposed changes to its Thames Gateway Bridge scheme, including reducing the area in which Bexley residents will benefit from discounts. Anyone who wishes to comment on the proposals should do so in writing to
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Club’s sparkling charity effort
A GROUP of professional women have raised more than £500 for charity by selling jewellery from abroad. Members of the Gravesend and District Soroptimist Club sold beadwork made by women in South Africa. The money goes to the Kidz Positive project which
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Shot cat’s owner says a child will be next
AN ANIMAL lover says he fears a child will be harmed by louts who have shot eight cats in a year. Michael Mander, 46, has pledged to do all he can to track down the person who used an air rifle to shoot his moggie Magic. The one-year-old cat managed
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Chemists open on Sunday, January 15
NORTH BEXLEY, BARNEHURST, ERITH & THAMESMEAD Knightson Chemist, 36 Nucley Road, Belvedere. 6pm to 7pm. Safeway, 2 Twin Tumps Way, Thamesmead. 10am to 4pm. 7 Day Chemist, 175a Bellegrove Road, Welling. 9am to 11pm. NCC Chemist, CWS Store, 71-79 High
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Risking jail for free ride
A TOP policeman is warning drivers they could be imprisoned if they steal number plates to try and dodge the congestion charge. Around 300 number plates have been stolen in Bromley since February 2005 from cars parked on the streets or on garage forecourts
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Children learning safety lessons
ENTHUSIASTIC children stopped, looked and listened to a road safety officer during a day of classroom talks. Pupils at Northend Primary School, Peareswood Road, Erith, were taught skills to make journeys to school safer. Infants were taught about basic
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Opportunity knocks for voluntary groups
COMMUNITY and voluntary groups in Bexley Council's Areas of Opportunity can apply for small grants. Three types of grant will be available: up to £500 to support events and activities, up to £2,000 to buy essential equipment and up to £5,000 to run small
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Helping families cope with death
After patients have died, Sydenham's St Christopher's Hospice continues to support their loved ones. Reporter SAMANTHA PAYNE finds out about the Candle Project ... Two-and-a-half years after his dad died, seven-year-old Robert Stutter suddenly started
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Rail users angry at ‘unfair’ prices
A LONDON rail users' group claims the capital's commuters are going to end up paying for Kent's new fast link trains. London TravelWatch says planned hikes in fares will benefit Kent but bring no added benefit to people travelling from suburbs like Bromley
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News in brief
LIBRARY SALE: Swanley library, London Road, Swanley, is holding a second-hand book sale throughout January. Old stock will be for sale during normal library hours. The library opens from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday. Doors open from 9.30am to 6pm
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TT racing fans want to track down old friend
A VISIT to their south London roots has spurred a couple to search for a friend they have not seen for 42 years. Ron and Ann Meldrum left Greenwich in 1963 to start a new life in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Last October, they took a tour of their old
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Travel back in time at galleries
VISITORS to the birthplace of Greenwich Mean Time will soon have the chance to learn more about the art of timekeeping. The revamped Royal Observatory will next month open four new galleries devoted to the subject of time. The galleries will allow visitors
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Commuters must be ‘alert’
POLICE are urging commuters "to remain alert" and foil terrorist activity. As part of a new campaign, posters will be displayed on bus shelters and in stations asking the public to remain vigilant and to report suspicious bags or behaviour by calling
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Calling all watchers
BIRD lovers are being invited to join a guided walk of a winter refuge for birds. Gravesend RSPB will look for wildfowl and wading birds at the Elmley reserve on the Isle of Sheppey on January 21. The group will also look for marsh harriers and other
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Protesting against ‘terror’ flights
PEACE activists protested against alleged CIA terror flights outside an airport. Lewisham and Greenwich CND members joined colleagues from Bromley and Beckenham to demonstrate outside Biggin Hill Airport near Bromley. They protested following claims
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£1.2m lift for theatre
WORK is due to start on the refurbishment of Woodville Halls theatre. As part of a £4.9m Gravesham Council project, many parts of the building will receive a facelift. Improvements include a cafe bar, a new lift, online ticket booking and new toilets
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Tell us all about your activities
NEWS Shopper wants YOU, our loyal readers, to play your part. In the paper and on our website newsshopper.co.uk we want to hear all about what YOU are doing. Are YOU or anybody you know from this area going to the World Cup in Germany? Or maybe you
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Anglers cast lifeline to thousands of fish
TWO fishing clubs have waded in to offer help after News Shopper appealed for a home for 15,000 fish. Homesdale Angling and Conservation Society and Darenth Fishing Complex have offered their lakes to re-house carp, bream and roach currently living in
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End Christmas on green note
COUNCIL bosses are aiming to maintain the borough's position as the number one recycler in London. Over Christmas the borough's residents produce an additional 1,500 tonnes of waste. The council hopes the proper disposal of this waste will help hit
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Pool fears for future
NEW figures released by a green group point to the lack of swimming facilities in the borough. The Green Group for the London Assembly says the 219,000 residents of Bexley have to share a "paltry" four publicly-run swimming and athletics facilities.
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Exhibition of borough’s beginnings
HISTORY buffs have been peering through time to learn more about how the borough was created. The exhibition at Bromley Central Library, High Street, Bromley, shows council memorabilia from when the borough was formed on April 1, 1965, as a result of
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Talk focuses on historic building
BEXLEY Local Studies and Archive Centre is inviting people to learn more about one of the borough's most historic buildings. Archivist Oliver Wooler will be giving a talk on Hall Place in the 20th Century. Since the death of Queen Victoria in 1901,
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Plans to revamp centre on display
PUBLIC consultations on the future of the borough's leading town centre is to begin. Bromley Council has drawn up a list of options to safeguard Bromley town as a leading centre over the next 15 years. This includes expanding The Glades shopping centre
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Men of the cloth walk up the aisle
PEOPLE looking for relief from the woes of the world have someone to turn to in an unlikely place a supermarket. Staff and shoppers at Asda in Graham Road, Bexleyheath, can benefit from a spot of spirituality and understanding as they pick up their
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Fighting decision to call time at pub
DRINKERS are set to learn the fate of their under-threat pub. A developer wants to knock down the Royal Eltham, Kingsley Wood Drive, Mottingham, and replace it with 28 flats despite residents' opposition . A council planning board meets tonight to
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CHEMISTS OPEN ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 15
GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET Pender Pharmacy, 2 Milton Road, Gravesend. 11am to noon and 6pm to 7pm. SWANLEY Village Pharmacy, 15 Main Road, Hextable. 11am to noon. DARTFORD & GREENHITHE Asda, Station Road, Greenhithe. 10am to 4pm. Boots, South Mall, Bluewater
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Speak you mind on leisure
RESIDENTS still have time to have their say on leisure services by taking part in an online survey. The consultation, currently being run on Lewisham Council's website, asks leisure users to share their experiences of using facilities such as sports
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Fun day to keep young bookworms interested
A MORNING of fun and games has been organised to celebrate a scheme to give free books to children. Staff at Dartford Library, in Central Park, are gearing up to launch Bookstart Plus a national initiative hoping to promote a life-long love of books
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Community organisations to get share of £300,000
COMMUNITY groups are set to receive a major funding boost. More than £300,000 will be distributed to seven community organisations across Lewisham, thanks to annual handouts from the London Borough Grants Committee (LBGC). Among the organisations to
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OBE for rights champion
A HUMAN rights campaigner has been honoured by the Queen. Mother-of-three Sarah Cooke, of Hengrave Road, Forest Hill, was made an OBE in the New Year Honours List. The 37-year-old started out as a human rights lawyer before a seven-year stint as head
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Staff deliver good reads
A HOME library delivery service is giving people unable to carry or move heavy books the chance to read. Gravesend Central Library has 16 volunteers who bring a selection of books, audio cassettes and videos to residents' homes. The service is available
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News in Brief
PHONE THEFT: A Sony mobile phone, worth £100, was stolen from a 13-year-old boy in London Road, Greenhithe, by two teenagers on December 23. The offenders are described as white, aged 13 and wearing dark clothing. The attack took place between 5.10pm
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TO THE POINT
COMMON SENSE: Good luck in your efforts to change our time system. As I am sure you are aware this has been tried many times in the past but has always failed owing to concerns about Scotland. Today, Scotland has a Parliament of its own, surely then it
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News in brief
PRIME PAD: Peter Jones will give a talk on Chartwell, the home of Winston Churchill, at a U3A meeting in Roberts Hall, behind Christchurch, Bexleyheath Broadway, tomorrow at 1.45pm. Call 020 8304 0685 or 020 8856 6427. AFRICAN NIGHT: Erith and Thamesmead
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Lottery reminds players to check their tickets for £136,000 prize
A MYSTERY lottery winner is set to pocket more than £136,000 but only if they claim the prize in time. The lucky winner from the Bexley area has until 5.30pm on June 1 to claim £136,855. If the ticket holder has not come forward by then, the money
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Starting the year with bundle of joy
A COUPLE has celebrated the new year with the arrival of a bouncing baby boy. Clare Smith, 29, and her husband Dean, 35, became parents to 8lb baby Harrison at 2.30am on January 1. Harrison was delivered two weeks early at Queen Mary's Hospital, Frognal
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Council cannot let bridge go ahead
So Bexley Council, and in particular Councillor Daniel Francis, is angry about Transport for London's (TfL) proposed reduction of the numbers in Bexley who would benefit from discounts when using the Thames Gateway Bridge. Well I'm angry with Bexley
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Community considers its services
PROFESSIONALS and volunteers in Bexley got together for a brainstorming session to come up with new ideas. The group looked at how community services in the area could be improved. Among those attending the Areas of Opportunity session were headteachers
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New faces all round at school
A SCHOOL has welcomed 2006 with a fresh batch of pupils and a new headteacher. Thirty-nine children aged four and over joined the reception class at Hurst Primary School, Dorchester Avenue, Bexley. Among the new faces was headteacher Tony Linnett, who
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President BLair
ACCORDING to Tony Blair, not giving up a large amount of our rebate would seriously damage the interests of Eastern Block members what about Great Britain's interests? Blair doesn't want to upset the European heirarcy in his quest to be known as president
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Parking hell
MY wife and I were delighted to discover Chatterton Road shopping area had its own Christmas lights. Although we live in Shortlands, we have for many years visited the shops in the area. However, recently we have been unable to park the car to do so
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Raising hopes
Animals in Distress would like to thank the singers who turned out to sing at Chelsfield, Petts Wood and Orpington stations Shirley Baxter, Ted Burke, Pam Rigden, Joyce Marrison and Edward Ward. Thanks also for contributions and to station staff. We
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Congratulations to happy couple
I WOULD like to congratulate Jamie and Rogan on becoming the first same-sex couple to register their civil partnership in the London borough of Bromley (Gay Couple Tie The Knot At Centre, News Shopper, December 28). I would like to thank them for inviting
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People can be very ignorant
ONCE again the enduring ignorance and intolerance shown towards the UK's most vulnerable citizens shocks me (What Are Travellers Depressed About?, News Shopper, December 21). During the Second World War, 500,000 gypsies were massacred in concentration
