Neil MacNamara from Bishop Challoner School, Bromley Road, Shortlands, was put forward by William Nyssens, of Mays Hill Road, Bromley. The eight-year-old, who has been taught by Mr MacNamara since September, said: "He is strict but fair, he can be funny
THE ELTHAM SOCIETY Francis Lee, a member of the Eltham Society who has completed 27 marathon races including London and Paris, talked to the society about the London event. Marathon races commemorate the feat of Pheidippides, who fell dead having run
EAST SURREY WOODTURNERS Although based in Selsdon, being the only woodturning club in the South East London and West Kent area, the membership is from a radius of ten miles or more. The club meets on the last Thursday in each month. Meetings are held
SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF BECKENHAM & DISTRICT The International Evening, held on March 31 at Ben Curtis Park, was a great success thanks to the staff of the centre and to our social committee who served a two course meal for 70 members and guests
BIGGIN HILL & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY We had feared that we wouldn't get many entries of Spring flowers because of the cold spring and the strong winds, but we had a really good show after all. The previous had been warmer and the daffodils had
ORPINGTON EXCELSIOR BOWLING CLUB This year we are holding four "taster sessions" on Saturday and Sunday May 13 and 14, and also June 10 and 11 at 10.30am at Orpington Excelsior Bowling Club, Poverest Recreation Ground, Footbury Hill Road, Orpington
ORPINGTON & DISTRICT CALEDONIAN SOCIETY The Society's well attended annual Ceilidh was held at Petts Wood Memorial Hall on March 9. The programme of dances, interspersed by items of entertainment provided by members, was organised by Valerie Vincent.
NHS RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP - Bromley Branch At the April meeting, members enjoyed a challenge from Jim Pearson, who compiled the annual general knowledge quiz; prizes were awarded to winners. On a visit to The Hunterian Museum Royal COllege of Surgeons
CHELSFIELD EVENING WOMEN'S INSTITUTE Victim Support' was our subject at the last meeting. Janet Page a volunteer for this charity, told of people damaged in various ways by petty crimes, burglary, murder, rape etc., she related her experiences using
BECKENHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY The annual Chislehurst Cup' competition (very inappropriately named) between Beckenham PS and Greenwood Camera Club produced some interesting natural history shots. You rang sir!' was humorous shot of an ostrich standing
BROMLEY & BECKENHAM NATIONAL TRUST CENTRE Following the AGM in the Great Hall of the Civic Centre on April 12, there was great excitement. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of our greatest engineers, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Robert
CHISLEHURST WOMEN'S INSTITUTE Dorothy Gray from North Tonbridge WI was the speaker for our April meeting, talking about Hoping for a few laughs'. She had us rolling in the aisles with her monologues in the style of Joyce Grenfell, who also started in
FARNBOROUGH WOMEN'S INSTITUTE The home economics rep was doing a brisk trade at her book stall at the April meeting. Colourful brochures for the WI bulb scheme had been distributed and we heard that a recent coffee morning had been a real boost to our
CHELSFIELD AFTERNOON WOMEN'S INSTITUTE Quite a few members arrived at our April meeting wearing their attractive specially designed Easter Bonnets, these were judged by our speaker Mrs J Smith and the prizes were awarded to Gwen Walker and Jean Larkin
AMNESTY Members of the local Amnesty group used their April meeting at St George's Church Hall, Beckenham, to remember our founder, John Hatfield, who recently died and is sorely missed. We are currently planning a fundraising dinner for June 5 in his
AMNESTY Members of the local Amnesty group used their April meeting at St George's Church Hall, Beckenham, to remember our founder, John Hatfield, who recently died and is sorely missed. We are currently planning a fundraising dinner for June 5 in his
BROMLEY & BECKENHAM PHILATELIC SOCIETY John Rawlings making a return visit, introduced his talk with material from the "Columbus" cruise liner, which, in August 1939, cut short its Caribbean cruise, ran for cover in Curacao, then Vera Cruz and finally
THERAPISTS UNITED Therapists United is a Beckenham based support group for therapists of all disciplines whether complementary, alternative or main-stream. The group attracts people from a wide geographical area indeed although the intention is to build
NORTH WEST KENT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY - Dartford Branch At our April meeting, the Greenwich Archivist, Frances Ward. told us about the gruesome Bubonic Plague when it visited Blackheath in 1635. Our hearts bled at the sufferings of the inhabitants
BECKENHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Members enjoyed one of the best wildlife presentations the society has seen for several years, with Brian Sugden's Birds of South West Florida'. The variety of wildlife ion the Everglades is incredible, although some of
SOUTHFLEET WOMEN'S INSTITUTE The speaker at the April meeting was Jeanne Barsby who spoke on her involvement with the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) and the ongoing project in Albania to help women there have a better life and hopefully
JOYDENS WOOD WOMEN'S INSTITUTE At the beginning of March we attended a home economics day at Ditton, Maidstone. The speaker discussed the wonders of Aloe Vera especially through drinking it. Tom Hart Dyke was our second speaker, he was so enthusiastic
ROWHILL WOMEN'S INSTITUTE The Queen is not the only one to have had a birthday in April, it was also Rowhill WI's 38th anniversary. During our celebratory evening, we raised a glass of wine to toast Her Majesty and enjoyed our birthday cake made by member
GRAVESEND EPILEPSY NETWORK Gravesend Epilepsy Network members were among those with neurological conditions who attended the second AGM of the South East Region Neurological Alliance (SERNA). The GEN April meeting saw a good turnout for Ray Chandler's
LAMORBEY & SIDCUP LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY It didn't seem too plain at first just what was the connection between 'Wine, Ships and Pirates' which was the title of Jane Fraser-Hay's talk, but it soon transpired to be an unusual and stimulating tour through
BEXLEY PROBUS CLUB The Speaker who was engaged to give the talk, which usually follows our lunch, was ill so members discussed various ideas and suggestions regarding future activities of the club. The Club, which is non political, meets on the last
SWANLEY ACTIVE RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION With the onset of Spring, our thoughts and efforts have turned to trying to get out and about more. On April 11, a group of members went to the Eastbourne Catering College for a lunch followed by a visit to the town
I desperately want to know if I am pregnant or will be soon - Heather, Victoria Graham says ... I feel that you will get pregnant the next Saturday you ovulate.
One of my best mates, myself and two other friends share a house. Lately there just seems to be so much tension towards me. Sometimes I get the feeling I am not welcome or not part of the group any more - Marc, South Africa Graham says ... The main effect
I was recently out with my family at Lesnes Abbey and Park. Spotted on the roof of the park keeper's building and toilet facility, what do we see? Youths had climbed on to the roof in what we thought to be quite a dangerous situation. I shouted that
The residents of Den Road, Shortlands, were not supplied with a box for recycling glass, tin etc, although we have a box for paper. I phoned Bromley Council requesting a box, and was informed in a very offhand manner that it would take six weeks. I am
A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of Kent's only specialist rape centre which may be under review. The Renton Clinic, a sexual abuse referral centre (SARC), based at Darent Valley Hospital, offers rape victims immediate medical care after an assault
IT WAS a case of beauties versus the beasts in a charity rugby match at Erith Rugby Club. But who were the beauties and who were the beasts? The club's women's team took on the men in the match at the club in Sussex Road, Northumberland Heath. The
A STUDENT who stole new chequebooks and credit cards from the postboxes of fellow residents in a block of flats has been jailed. Bamidele Odunlami, aged 25, now of Wyatt Point, Thamesmead, was originally facing 24 charges when the case was set for trial
A TEENAGER falsely accused of rape is set to join the police after they helped clear his name. Nineteen-year-old Ben Guerin has applied to the Met to become a Police Community Support Officer, 10 months after a girl told police he raped her after a party
About 210,000 people disappear in the UK each year. Thanks to the National Missing Persons Helpline (NMPH), some are reunited with their loved ones. LOUISE TWEDDELL speaks to Billy Andrews on why he was lost' for more than a decade. SPENDING his formative
ADULTS with learning disabilities are invited to take part in a three-day cultural workshop featuring dance, sport, music and drama. Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Mencap is organising the sessions at the Cygnet Leisure Centre, Old Perry Street, Northfleet
AN INNOVATIVE support service for new mums is looking for more volunteers. The Doula Service is run by Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Primary Care Trust. It provides a group of volunteers called Doulas who are experienced mothers helping new parents
AN 11-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl who beat cancer has been rewarded for her fundraising efforts. Shelby Newstead, of White Post Lane, Meopham, and 12 other people from Dartford were praised by the council at its Civic Awards for Volunteers yesterday. Last October
A STAR of TV show The Bill was the guest at a hospice for a lottery jackpot draw. The Lions Hospice, Coldharbour Road, Gravesend, gives away £3,000 a week in its fundraising lottery. A £5,000 jackpot was offered to current players to celebrate the
PUPILS scaled new heights when they were visited by a Royal Navy helicopter. Children at The Priory Secondary School, Tintagel Road, Orpington, watched as a former student landed a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter on the school grounds. Lieutenant Alex Sims
CHILDREN ran with their own World Cups to raise money for their school. The pupils at Farnborough Primary School, Farnborough Hill, Farnborough, made the cups in their art lesson to give the sponsored run a World Cup feel. They then ran round the school
ROADS were closed for almost two hours after a man crashed into a tree after suffering a suspected heart attack. Charles Chapman was at the junction of Heathfield Road and Westerham Road, Keston, when the accident occurred at 8.58am. Mr Chapman, of
A COMMITTEE has given the go-ahead for £6.6m of improvements to the borough's special schools. Rectory Paddock and Woodbrook schools will be closed and amalgamated into one school on the Rectory Paddock site in Main Road, St Paul's Cray. Pupils from
A NEWS Shopper appeal has led to four youths being arrested following a violent attack on a teenager. We ran CCTV pictures of yobs believed to be responsible for assaulting a 17-year-old outside Hayes train station. Police have arrested four youths
A SCHEME to crack down on anti-social behaviour on buses has started. Operation Safer Buses is being run in the Bromley, Orpington and Chislehurst areas by Transport for London (TfL) and the Metropolitan Police in partnership with First buses. Police
THE world's only civilian aerobatic jet aircraft team makes its UK debut at the News Shopper-sponsored Biggin Hill International Air Fair. Flying in six L-39C Albatros trainer planes, the Breitling Jet Team will perform a series of manoeuvres during
PUPILS tackled their school day with a hop, skip and a jump during a skipping workshop. Youngsters at Tubbenden Infant School, Sandy Bury, Orpington, took part in the event as part of a healthy school week. Demonstrations were given by a team of coaches
A SAFETY-CONSCIOUS youngster has come first in a banner competition organised by the council. James Walters, five, of Tubbenden Infant School, Sandy Bury, Orpington, won Bromley Council's Congestion Busting Banner design competition. The contest was
THE canals in Thamesmead provide a vital drainage system for the town, which was built on the marshes of the Thames. But as well as attracting a variety of wildlife, they also attract lots of rubbish. Environmental charity Thames21 and volunteers have
FOR two years running, Bexley has scooped the Met Police's Community Constable of the Year award but can it complete the hat-trick? People in the borough can make sure by making nominations for this year's competition. Nominations for the award close
POLICE have arrested five people following a string of dawn raids in an operation to cut car crime. A wide range of items including sat-nav systems, MP3 players, power tools and vehicle number plates were seized. Drugs were also recovered at the addresses
THE Rat and Parrot pub in Bexleyheath Broadway has had its licensing hours extended at the second attempt. The pub, the scene of three shooting incidents, has been under new management since November last year after its licence was transferred from
A SCHOOL is up in arms after two gazebos were damaged and defaced by yobs. Teachers at Marian Vian School, Shirley Crescent, Beckenham, say they are "totally bemused" by the vandalism to the new structures, which are worth more than £3,000 each. Similar
A NURSE is raising cash to fund a six-week visit to care for African orphans. Ruth Townsend, 26, a nurse at the Princess Royal uUiversity Hospital, Farnborough, is heading to Uganda in June to spend six weeks at an orphanage in Kampala. She will be
A KNIGHT in shining armour handed out flags and protected shoppers from dragons. The swordsman was at The Glades shopping centre, High Street, Bromley, as part of the centre's day themed around England's patron saint. Shoppers who saw him were given
THE horrors of the Holocaust were brought to life when a survivor visited a school. Pupils at Beaverwood School, Beaverwood Road, Chislehurst, listened to 76-year-old Josef Perl tell his tory as part of their Judaism day. Mr Perl, who was born in Czechoslovakia
POLICE are appealing for information after an 81-year-old man was struck by a car as he crossed the road. The unnamed pensioner was hit by a Red Saab 900 SE as he crossed at the junction of Broomfield Road and Eden Park Avenue, in Beckenham. He was
STRIKE action over NHS cuts and transfers is "inevitable", according to a trade union leader. Bromley Primary Care Trust (PCT) Unison secretary Mickey Crouch's comments come after Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt claimed the NHS has enjoyed its best
A PROJECT to knock down a large house in one of Bexley's most prestigious roads and replace it with seven smaller homes is to be decided at an appeal. Developer Antler Homes SE wants to demolish 59 Danson Road, opposite Danson Park, Welling, to create
A CAFE which received 13 objections to an application to extend its opening hours has had its licence granted but with conditions. Cafe Rouge, Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, will now be able to open until 1am from Monday to Wednesday, 1.30am from Thursday
AN APPEARANCE by Bart Simpson attracted 1,700 visitors to the Cutty Sark. Worries about the decline in the number of visitors soon vanished when the popular character stepped aboard over one weekend. Staff claimed it was the best weekend they have had
A FATHER has told an inquest how his daughter died of a drug overdose before they had the chance to resolve their feud. Patrick Whelan says he did not make up with his daughter Karen, of Thornham Street, Greenwich, because they were both too "stubborn
A MUSEUM has set up a friends' group for history enthusiasts. The Friends of Bromley Museum group is for anyone interested in the area's history and archaeology who likes visiting historic sites and wants to help protect the borough's heritage. Future
POLICE are hailing "fantastic" new techniques which helped them snare a rapist 18 years after he attacked a woman. Martin John-Harris (pictured) has been jailed for raping his 23-year-old victim in a Forest Hill churchyard in July 1988. John-Harris,
RUGBY players kicked off a tournament by eating healthily. A healthy food stall was run at Westcombe Park Rugby Football Club's rugby festival to teach children the importance of eating the right things before playing sports. Staff involved with the
A FAMILY is facing a tense wait as British police prepare to fly to the Bahamas to review their son's death. Paul and Andrea Gallagher, of Repton Road, Orpington, have welcomed the news two senior Metropolitan Police detectives are to jointly review
VOLUNTARY groups are being given the chance to promote their work to thousands of people. Community and voluntary organisations throughout the borough can apply to have a stall at this year's Lewisham People's Day. The event, which will be held at Mountsfield
RESIDENTS have been told they will have to wait a further six weeks to discover why their neighbours' home collapsed. People living in Ridley Road, Bromley, have been left fearing for their futures following the incident on April 11. Three neighbouring
TWO traders have been hit in the pocket after admitting selling alcohol to an underage drinker. Kandiah Sivagananam and Tharmalingam Kumar were caught selling the drink to a 15-year-old girl at the K.S Supermarket, Haddo Street, Greenwich. The two
NO TAKERS: A resident has failed in her attempt to sell a pile of flytipped rubbish on eBay. News Shopper reported in February how Laura Babb, of Abery Street, Plumstead, tried to sell the junk after becoming fed up at seeing it in her street. However
INVESTIGATIONS are under way to find out how a derelict restaurant caught fire. Six fire engines and about 30 firefighters were called to the fire in Main Road, Biggin Hill. The fire destroyed the roof of the two-storey building. Fire crews from Biggin
IMMIGRATION officials have been informed after a man believed to be from Russia was found hanging from a tree. Police discovered the man, who was in his mid-20s, at about 6.30am on April 29 near the train tracks close to West Wickham station. A note
LETTERS praising an 18-year-old "bully" have saved him from prison. Judge Cedric Joseph was considering jailing Anthony Lemon until he read four letters from friends of the resident of Grovelands Road, St Paul's Cray. Croydon Crown Court heard yesterday
APPEAL: Police are appealing for information about Lisa Jane Cleveland, 25, who had been staying in Moorside Road, Bromley, but has not been seen since April 27. Ms Cleveland, who is eight months pregnant, needs urgent medical attention. She is white,
A MENTAL health hospital's new security system is a "waste of time" according to a concerned resident. Emergency teams of nurses have been given pagers so they can be contacted quickly if there is an incident in one of the wards at Bethlem Royal Hospital
A PAIR of wartime sweethearts say the secret to their 65-year marriage is sharing. Arthur and Constance Goodacre, of Glenbow Road, Downham, married while Arthur, now 88, was on leave from the Army during the Second World War in 1941. Former dinnerlady
A BENEFIT cheat has pleaded guilty to defrauding the council out of almost £4,500. Roy Taylor, aged 36, of Sandpiper Way, Orpington, kept claiming housing benefit for six months after his partner moved in. His fraud was discovered when his partner used
MEET POLICE: The next Bromley police public meeting will be held on May 15 at Balgowan Primary School, Balgowan Road, Beckenham, from 7pm. There will be the chance to speak to police officers for Beckenham, West Wickham, Penge, Anerley and Crystal Palace
