Archive

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BEXLEYHEATH: New children's centre brings fun to the under-fives

LIFE is going to be fun for the under-fives in one area of Bexley. The Danson Children’s Centre, in Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, has just opened its doors and is promising a huge range of fun classes for children. The programme of activities

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SLADE GREEN: Learn basic signing skills

BEXLEY Deaf Centre is hosting another of its regular one-day courses on basic deaf awareness and signing skills. The course takes place on July 29 at the centre in Whitehall Lane, Slade Green, and will run from 10.30am until 3.30pm. Tea, coffee and

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ERITH AND THAMESMEAD: MP says farewell to Caribbeans

THERE were plaudits for Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin as he stepped down from the chairmanship of the British Caribbean Association. Mr Austin, who retires as an MP at the next election, has chaired the association for the last 10 years. It

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BEXLEY: Top art project stages exhibition

OIL paintings, pastels, photographs and sculptures are only some of the art on display at an exhibition currently on show in Bexley. The open art exhibition by members of Centrepieces, a mental health art project is on show until Sunday (26th

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GREENWICH: Youngsters link up with China

PUPILS have been given a glimpse into life in the Far East after their school linked with one in China. Students from St Ursula's Convent School, Crooms Hill, Greenwich, have forged ties with pupils from Chun Lin Secondary in Shaanxi province. The

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GREENWICH: Computer screen stolen from murdered pensioner's home

A COMPUTER screen was stolen from the home of a murdered pensioner, police have revealed. Edward Highwood was found dead in Hollymount Close, Greenwich, on Saturday (July 18). The 79-year-old had suffered head injuries and a post-mortem examination

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POWER CUT LATEST: People prepare for a second night in the dark

THOUSANDS of people face a second night in darkness as energy company EDF Energy Networks battles to restore electricity supplies to parts of Bexley, Dartford and Orpington. EDF says it hopes power will be restored to all remaining customers

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Support Meningitis UK

AS A patron of Meningitis UK, I’m writing to mark its 10th anniversary on July 28. The charity and its loyal supporters have raised a fantastic £4.7m towards life-saving research into finding a vaccine for this devastating disease. I first got involved

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FOREST HILL: Fusion Fest attracts thousands

THOUSANDS of people headed to the Horniman Museum on Sunday (July 19) for a festival of food, music and dance. Visitors to Fusion Fest enjoyed music from jazz, eastern European, Indian music, to reggae, pop and R&B, there was an arts and

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Great news about pools

AS SOMEONE who learned to swim in Forest Hill pool, and then taught my children to swim there too, I am delighted we will soon have new pools on the same site - and with the beautiful original Victorian frontage retained. It is a bit rich of the Mayor

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Festival was still a success

IT WAS very sad the Thamesmead Festival ended in the way that you reported (Violent Youths Cause Early End To Festival, News Shopper, July 15). However, I was at the festival and the organisers and exhibitors deserve praise for putting together what

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Charity helps injured service people

IN THE light of the ongoing tragic events in Afghanistan, I wanted to take the opportunity to write about some positive activity happening for injured service people. Canine Partners is a charity which trains dogs to help people with disabilities. Visit

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Things to do this summer

AS A dad to three boys, I know how tough the summer holidays can be with six weeks to fill with fun activities and it’s going to be even harder this year as it seems the recession is set to crunch family fun. According to a new study from Kellogg’s,

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POWER CUT: Will you be holding a post-power cut party?

THOUSANDS of people say they are looking at freezers full of ruined food, even if they get back their electricity supply sometime tomorrow. Many have been without an electricity supply since 12.47pm yesterday when it is believed vandals set fire to four

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Bexleyheath & Crayford Waterside WI

WE HAVE have had a particularly good variety of speakers these past few months, ranging from Che Tung and Ta Che by Frank Bennett in which we participated, and Cooking the Italian Way by Sue Hollings. Joy and Maureen from our WI spoke to us about this

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Southfleet WI

AT OUR July meeting members were given a very informative talk on the Canterbury Cathedral Appeal. £50million is needed for conservation work both now and for future projects. Our next venture is on August 3 at 2pm at Southfleet Village Hall when we

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VIDEO - LONDON: Operation Demon targets prolific car crooks

POLICE swooped on addresses across the News Shopper area early this morning (July 21), arresting more than a dozen people. The dawn raids, nicknamed Operation Demon, came after the Met police recovered 50 stolen cars which had previously been

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POWER CUT: Food safety advice

WITH power supplies still down in Bexleyheath's town centre, Bexley Council was accepting only emergency calls today (July 21). However Dartford Council has a generator which is providing power to its Civic Centre in Home Gardens. All

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Just what are they hiding?

The former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has called for the publication of a report which clears him of misconduct in the awarding of Scotland Yard contracts. Sir Ian Blair, who was sacked as Commissioner last year, says the report of

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Hospice Chief Executive collects top award for outstanding service to the community

Rotary Club of Eltham Phoenix: Outgoing president Peter Green presented Jim Bennett, Chief Executive of Greenwich and Bexley Cottage Hospice, with one of the Rotary’s highest awards, a Paul Harris Fellowship Award on June 29 at Sophie’s Choice

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GREENWICH: Five parks given Green Flag Awards

FIVE parks in the borough have been awarded for being among the country’s best green spaces. East Greenwich Pleasaunce, in Chevening Road, Greenwich, and Sutcliffe Park, in Meadowside, Eltham, have been awarded the Green Flag Award for the

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Former Charlton stars set for Vickers date

CHARLTON Athletic's Former Players Association are set to visit Oakwood on August 9 to take on a VCD Allstars side which will include some former professional stars. The game marks the final week of preparation for newly promoted double-winners VCD

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POWER CUT LATEST: People face three-hour supply rotas throughout today

MANY thousands of people across Bexley, Dartford and Orpington are still without power this morning following a fire yesterday which damaged four major high voltage electricity cables. At the height of the incident nearly 100,000 people were

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KNIFE CRIME: Call for six-month jail term for carrying a knife

PARENTS of murdered teenagers are calling for stricter laws on knife crime. Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with the grieving families, which included the parents of murdered Jimmy Mizen and Rob Knox, in Downing Street yesterday. During

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HAYES: Pupils make objects out of rubbish

YOUNGSTERS have had a chance to make objects out of materials which are normally thrown away. The design and technology pupils from Ravensbourne School in Hayes Lane, Bromley, spent six weeks taking part in the project. They made things such as

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WOOLWICH: Work underway on new centre

WORK on a green community centre is gathering pace. The Woolwich Centre, part of the Love Lane development, will feature a library, business centre, Greenwich Council’s main contact centre, an exhibition and meeting space. Built from recycled materials

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BECKENHAM: A night of Night of the Iguana

TENNESSEE Williams’ play The Night of the Iguana is being performed at the Beckenham Theatre Centre next month. Directed by Fleur Buckley the play’s setting is a cheap Mexican hotel in the 1950s where a group of people are thrown together. The Reverend

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BECKENHAM: Bethlem Sunfayre is a knockout success

BETHLEM Royal Hospital invited residents to its grounds for the annual Sunfayre. Visitors enjoyed music from Bromley Concert Band, bouncy castles and trampolines, food and gift stalls and an It’s a Knock Out competition. The

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BLACKHEATH: Community group to launch book charting its history

A COMMUNITY group is celebrating the publication of a book charting its 70 year battle to protect a heath. Guardians of the Heath chronicles the history of The Blackheath Society since it was founded in 1937. Written by Felix Barker and Tony Aldous

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BLACKHEATH: Opera comes to golf club

CONMEDIA Productions brings its performance of Madam Butterfly to the Royal Blackheath Golf Club next month. Visitors can bring a picnic or have dinner in the clubhouse from 6pm with the performance starting at 8.15pm. Tickets costing £35 are available

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BECKENHAM: Belly dancing and cream teas at theatre open day

IF YOU have ever walked past a house in Beckenham and wondered what goes on inside next month you will get the chance to find out. Beckenham Theatre Centre in Bromley Road is throwing open its doors with a chance to take part in belly dancing

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DARTFORD: Volunteer ushers needed

THEATRE lovers are being sought as The Orchard looks for volunteer ushers. The venue in Dartford is looking for people to greet visitors and dealing with enquires relating to shows, help co-ordinate community and education work and keep the theatre

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BROMLEY: Children to be full of beans this summer

NURSERY and primary school children in the area have the chance to be full of beans this summer. Morrisons is giving more than one million kids the chance to take home a bean planting kit so they can take part in the Big Bean Challenge. The challenge

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BROCKLEY: Pupils meet Joan Ruddock MP to discuss impact of meat and dairy industry on climate change

CHILDREN have met with the minister for climate change to discuss the environmental impact of the meat and dairy industry. Pupils from Gordonbrock Primary School, Gordonbrock Road, Brockley, travelled to Westminster to ask Lewisham Deptford MP Joan

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Blighty FC

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LEWISHAM: Judges tour borough searching for blooming great gardens

JUDGES have been touring Lewisham searching for the borough’s best gardens and floral displays. The Royal Horticultural Society’s annual London in Bloom competition rewards residents, schools and organisations with the best green spaces. As well

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BARNEHURST: Three evacuated from Eastleigh Road house fire

THREE people were evacuated from a house last night (July 20) following a fire. Fire fighters were called to the two-floor home in Eastleigh Road, Barnehurst, at 11.09pm. They used hoses and breathing apparatus to extinguish the flames. A man

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GRAVESEND: Woman treated for smoke inhalation following chip pan fire

A GRAVESEND woman has been treated for smoke inhalation after attempting to tackle a chip pan fire. Firefighters were called to the house in Christianfields Avenue at 6.30pm yesterday where they found the woman – believed to be in her 30s –

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POWER CUT: Vandals blamed for power cut

THOUSANDS of households across the Dartford, Welling, Orpington and Bexleyheath areas could be without electricity for another 36 hours after a fire damaged power cables yesterday. The fire occurred on a cable bridge across a waterway behind

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DARTFORD: Maintenance work on A2 for next 5 weeks

MAINTENANCE work is taking place on the A2 in Dartford for the next five weeks. Work on bridges at Upper Heath Lane and the Western Interchange near Maypole and Leyton Cross will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. All lanes of the A2

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SHORTLANDS: Adventurer ready for 1,000km Mongolian horse race

PAUL Chew is no stranger to adventure having raced across the North Sea, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and dived in the icy waters off Norway. Not to mention taking part in the inaugural Rickshaw Rally where he completed a 4,000km trip in

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CRYSTAL PALACE: Football tournaments to help cut knife crime

A SERIES of football tournaments will help kick start a campaign against knife crime. Bromley police, Crystal Palace Football Club and Bromley Council have teamed up to organise four free football competitions for youngsters aged between

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MP HOLIDAYS (Part 2) - How do they plan to spend the summer recess?

MPs recently began their 83-day summer recess. In part two of a month-long feature, reporter DAN KEEL speaks to the area's representatives about their holiday plans during a break from Parliament which lasts until October 12. Jacqui

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LEWISHAM: 32-year-old man jailed for sexual assault and attempted rape

A 32-YEAR-OLD man from Lewisham has been jailed for sexual assault and attempted rape. Dean Lowe pleaded guilty to attacks against two women and was sentenced to six years in prison at Woolwich Crown Court last Friday (July 17). Lowe

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LONDON: Boris Johnson set for Barbara Windsor showdown in EastEnders

THE Mayor of London is set to make a guest appearance on TV soap EastEnders later this year. Boris Johnson will star as himself during the episode which sees budding politician Peggy Mitchell, played by Barbara Windsor, try unsuccessfully to

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BROMLEY: Football club plans to expand

THE whistle has not yet been blown on Bromley Football Club’s expansion plans despite six months of battling between the two sides. Bromley FC submitted an application to extend the facilities at its ground in Hayes Lane, Bromley, in January

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GRAVESEND: Seven young people arrested in connection with assaults

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after seven young people were arrested in connection with two assaults in Gravesend. A 41-year-old man was allegedly assaulted by a group of young people as he walked alone along an alleyway running from the