Archive

  • Players Wanted

    Bromley - For players in Bromley borough call 0906 739 0327 - For Bexley, Dartford and Gravesham boroughs, call 0906 739 0329 - For Lewisham & Greenwich boroughs, 0906 739 0331 - Calls are charged at £1 a minute but listings are free. - These

  • Millennium swimmers

    TWO points were enough for Millennium Swimming Club to win the Saxon Crown Bronze/Silver Standard Trophy. The Chislehurst-based team beat Woodside and Thornton Heath by the small margin at the Ladywell Leisure Centre. In the girls' bronze races Connie

  • The triathletes are go, go, go

    MORE than 380 athletes took part in the Crystal Palace Triathlon with a home-star taking a silver medal. The race a 750m swim, a 20km cycle-ride and a 5km run was held on May 28 at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Jon Horsman, of the Crystal

  • Sean climbs ladder to tennis triumphs

    THE young star of Bromley Tennis Club's unbeaten start to their defence of the National Club League title has been serving aces elsewhere. Sean Thornley, 16, has achieved something which has not been done by any other male British player in his age group

  • Boxing bonanza

    CHISLEHURST bruiser Sam Webb was up against Alex Stoda last night in a light-middleweight bout. Stoda, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has lost both his competitive fights to date whereas Webb has won all four of his. The fight, over six rounds of three

  • Zowie Dowie! First day has trouble writ-ten all over it

    SIMON Jordan has issued a writ against Iain Dowie accusing him of fraudulently' obtaining a release from a £1m compensation clause in his contract. Someone acting on behalf of the Crystal Palace chairman hijacked the press conference announcing Dowie's

  • AJ does it for Toffees

    EVERTON have completed the signing of Crystal Palace hitman Andy Johnson for £8.6m. It is a club record for the Toffees after the £6m they spent on James Beattie. After passing a medical test yesterday Johnson told Everton's website: "Hopefully I

  • Exiles cannot beat GB stars

    Kent Exiles 18 v 28 Bristol Aztecs BAFL Division 1A South AGAINST a team fielding Great Britain internationals, Exiles gave a good account but ended up short of victory. It was always going to be a tough game as Aztecs have been in top-flight football

  • Is this the new Nigel Mansell?

    WHEN your hero is Formula 1 champion Nigel Mansell it takes a lot to emulate him. But Eltham cabbie Matt Gilmore is edging closer to following in his idol's tyre tracks to the Shell Optimax F1 Drivers' Challenge. The 26-year-old is one of 75 drivers

  • It flies, swerves and spins through Eltham

    NORMALLY when you see a frisbee in motion, you're lying on a sun lounger on a beach not standing on the side of a blustery Eltham playing field. But this is where about 800 people cheered on teams taking part in the UK Ultimate's Frisbee Mixed Tour

  • Players Wanted

    Lewisham borough - For players in Bromley borough call 0906 739 0327 - For Bexley, Dartford and Gravesham boroughs, call 0906 739 0329 - For Lewisham & Greenwich boroughs, 0906 739 0331 - Calls are charged at £1 a minute but listings are free.

  • Kent AC running

    LEWISHAM-BASED Kent Athletic Club's track & field B-team got off to a bright start in the Southern League, Division Two. After the second fixture of the campaign, with 25 teams to compete against, they are lying seventh. Highlights included team records

  • Mixed bag for Street Warriors

    LONDON Street Warriors are still struggle in the Eastern Skater Hockey Association (ESHA) youth league although they came within two minutes of ending a run of defeats. Thanks to an Ashaan Bousquet hat-trick and a Sab Deol strike, the Warriors were leading

  • Let them all come down to The Den and be 12th man

    LIONS' boss Nigel Spackman has issued a rallying roar for fans to get behind his team and be the 12th man which could seal promotion back to the Championship. The new manager stressed how the fresh stability in Millwall's board attracted him to the role

  • Sign up for half marathon

    THE longest continuous running road race in Kent, the Dartford Half Marathon, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year on race day. While it is some time away, scheduled for July 23, runners are being urged to sign up before it is too late. Apply

  • Harriers’ athletes fall short

    ISTEAD and Ifield Harriers missed out on third spot in the South of England Athletic Association division four meeting at Kingston by a single point. With Highgate Harriers and Lewes forging ahead, Istead and Serpentine battled for third but eventually

  • Volleyball Ladies conquer county

    DARTFORD Ladies volleyball team completed the double by winning the Kent Cup Final and the League Division One trophy. Dartford fought it out with Strood for the cup but the hosts could not cope with constant attacks and Dartford won three sets to love

  • Fleet star falls sick

    FORMER Gravesend and Northfleet star Bruce Sewell has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Bruce joined Fleet in 1998 and was skipper until he left in December 2000. The club is looking to help and support Bruce and anyone wishing to do the same

  • Sword of Damocles hangs over cricket clubs’ heads

    DROUGHT orders have been granted to Mid Kent and Southern water boards, bringing the Kent League cricket season closer to disaster. However, despite being granted permission to implement the orders, both boards have said they will not use them yet.

  • Players Wanted

    Bexley, Dartford and Gravesham - For players in Bromley borough call 0906 739 0327 - For Bexley, Dartford and Gravesham boroughs, call 0906 739 0329 - For Lewisham & Greenwich boroughs, 0906 739 0331 - Calls are charged at £1 a minute but listings

  • He’s got the Wright stuff on court of any flavour

    IAN Wright is Mr Racketball seven-times national champion, vice president of the Kent Squash and Racketball Association, first honorary secretary of the British Racketball Association and, above all, he invented the game too. The Wilmington man is also

  • VCD Athletic — team of the season

    IT HAS been mostly a disappointing season for senior football teams in News Shopper land with one exception. VCD Athletic can rightly take the Team of the season' award after they appeared in two cup finals, won the Kent Senior Trophy, reached the last

  • The challenge is over but the memories will live on

    AS THE Land Rover G4 Challenge entered its final stage, a former Crayford Scout still had a chance of reach the four-man grand finale. Brian Reynolds had beaten 10,000 applicants to represent the UK in the worldwide 28-day marathon challenge of orienteering

  • Sport fun for the kids

    SPORT-MAD kids grabbed an oval-shaped ball for a funday of activities at Erith Rugby Club. It was designed to let the youngsters, from 10 schools across the borough, show off the skills they had learnt during the season. The under-14s they took on

  • Off to Margate

    FLEET favourite Jimmy Jackson has joined Kent rivals Margate on a two-year contract. The midfielder, who made more than 500 appearances for Gravesend and Northfleet, was released at the end of season and takes his experience to the Ryman League side

  • Django's legacy lives on

    "What a great festival." That's the unanimous verdict of a cheery group of 50 or so News Shopper readers back from Belgium. They've been thrilling to the musical delights on hand at the Django Reinhardt Festival at the village of Liberchies, the place

  • Sue

    Name: Sue. Date of birth: 20/9/1972. Location: Durham. Status: Single. Occupation: Nurse. Favourite music: Opera. Favourite TV: Ceefax (but it was The Apprentice), Agatha Christie if it's John Suchet. Favourite books: Martina Cole, Michael Connelly

  • Let’s do the timewarp again

    It's loud, raunchy and camp. Yes, the irrepressible Rocky Horror Show is back. PAUL REVEL chats to creator Richard O'Brien and the show's stars, Nigel Planer and David Bedella. RICHARD O'Brien, then 31 years old, premiered his new musical at Chelsea's

  • New group planning to protect meadows

    ENTHUSIASTIC users of one of Bexley's top open spaces have formed a group to protect and promote it. The Friends of Foots Cray Meadows will be working with Bexley Council but wants to forge close links with schools, community groups and residents whether

  • Council’s first Liberal Democrat mayor dies at home aged 71

    COLIN Wright, Bexley's first Liberal Democrat mayor and the first Liberal councillor to serve on Bexley Council, has died at the age of 71. He died at his home in Beauford Road, Bexleyheath, where he lived with his daughter Wendy. Mr Wright won his

  • Campaigning over nuclear power

    ENVIRONMENTAL activists have been protesting against nuclear power. Members of Bromley Greenpeace stood in Orpington High Street and handed out leaflets about the proposed building of nuclear power stations. Their demonstration followed a pledge by

  • Teaming up to give area a good clean

    A COMMUNITY picked up tools and cleaned up their area. Eight residents living near Kenilworth Road and Royston Field, Penge, cut back overgrown trees and bushes and picked up rubbish in alleyways. Bromley Council gave them litter pickers, rubbish bags

  • Sydney reaches his 100

    A GREAT-GRANDFATHER is celebrating his 100th birthday today. Sydney Evans moved to The Heath Nursing Home, Liskeard Gardens, Blackheath, when he was 99 years old. The former plant engineer is a grandfather-of-four. Mr Evans, who has been widowed twice

  • Patient forum members praise big improvements at hospital

    HEALTH campaigners have cast their eye on an under-fire hospital and given it a cautious seal of approval. Members of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Patients' Forum visited the hospital in Stadium Road, Woolwich, to carry out a spot check on its performance

  • Most people against plans for old ground

    PLANS to redevelop a former football ground for homes and community use are being opposed by most people. Greenwich Council says it has received almost 600 responses supporting its policy to retain the Gaelic Athletic football ground in Avery Hill Road

  • Council looking for tallest sunflower

    BUDDING gardeners are being encouraged to enter a contest where big is best. Lewisham Council has launched a tallest sunflower competition and is encouraging schools across the borough to take part. Selected schools including Stillness Infant School

  • To the point

    NO SMOKE: I must take issue with Laura-Jane Filotrani's views on smoking (Chance At Treatment Should Go Up In Smoke, April 26). Years ago, troops were given cigarettes to improve their breathing and cheap cigarettes were available. If one was wise enough

  • Act now to put off cost of new ID passport

    IT IS now clear the Government is going to press ahead with its ID card scheme and, despite an election promise, these are to be compulsory for everyone who has a passport. Soon, to get your passport, people will be required to attend an interrogation

  • Showing bravery in battle with cancer

    OUR daughter has just come through almost 12 months of pain, fear and worry. Our pride in her knows no bounds for her fortitude and resilience throughout. She has written the following poem, which may be of help to others. We would be so proud if

  • Chemists open on Sunday, June 4

    BLACKHEATH, CHARLTON & GREENWICH Sainsbury's, Horn Link Lane, Greenwich. 11am to 5pm. ELTHAM, KIDBROOKE, MOTTINGHAM & NEW ELTHAM Boots, 96-104 Eltham High Street, Eltham. 10am to 4pm. Dickinson's Chemist, 130 Westmount Road, Eltham. 10am to 9pm. Sainsbury's

  • Chemists open on Sunday, June 4

    BEXLEY AREA 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 Street, Welling. 10am to 4pm. Roadnight Pharmacy, 88 Station Road, Sidcup. 11am to 1pm. Boots

  • Chemists open on Sunday, June 4

    BIGGIN HILL Waitrose, Main Road. 10am to 1pm. WEST WICKHAM Lloyds Pharmacy, 108 High Street. 10am to 4pm. BROMLEY Boots, The Glades. 11am to 5pm. ORPINGTON Sainsbury's, Locksbottom, Farnborough. 10am to 4pm. PENGE Boots, 5 Colman House, Penge. Noon

  • Comedy news: Bill Hicks revisited

    A BECKENHAM actor is re-creating legendary comedian Bill Hicks in the West End. Chaz Early plays the title role in Bill Hicks: Slight Return, which opens at The Venue in Leicester Square tomorrow night. Hicks' confrontational style has influenced

  • Plough, Stonebridge Road, Ebbsfleet

    Drink 1/5 Decor 1/5 Food no way Price 3/5 Atmosphere 1/5 Staff 2/5 CLIMB over the old bike abandoned in the car park, negotiate the rubbish strewn around the entrance, and the first thing you'll notice about The Plough in Ebbsfleet is the smell.

  • On duty for laughter and song

    EVERGREEN entertainer Richard Digance is bringing his brand of comedy, music and storytelling to Dartford this Friday. Since 1981 the folk singer and acoustic guitarist has performed on TV with the likes of Tom Jones, Jim Davidson, Supertramp and David

  • BRENDA McQUAID

    BRENDA McQUAID 10th Anniversary, 1st June. Mum, when we were little you used to sing: When one of us is gone And one of us is left to carry on Then remembering will have to do. Our memories alone will get us through, Thinking about the days of me and

  • KATE CRAWFORD

    KATE CRAWFORD Former Landlady of The Chelsfield 12.3.1937 - 1.6.2005. In memory of a loving Wife and Mother. Never a day goes by when you are not in our thoughts. Love and miss you always. From all your family

  • ALAN HEAD

    In Loving Memory of a dear Brother ALAN HEAD Who died on 24th May 2004 "Never forget you" Love Ron, Jean & Family X X X.

  • JAMES TREACY

    JAMES TREACY 27/7/21 - 4/6/05 From Childhood memories, from happy golden years. The comfort of your presence, in days of joy and tears. For all your love upon life's way, Thank you Dad for your heart this day. All our love Danny, Julie, Danielle, Brandon

  • CHRISTINE ANN MORRIS

    CHRISTINE ANN MORRIS Passed away so suddenly on 7th June 2005 We all think of you every single day. A year has passed so very quickly. Too young to die, too precious to lose The day we lost you broke our hearts forever. Around every corner of life your

  • IAN DUFFY

    IAN DUFFY 14.11.73 - 3.6.97 As time goes by without you. As months turn into years. They hold a thousand memories. And a million silent tears. We will always love & miss you. As you are forever in our hearts. Mum, Linda, Susan, Phyllis, Andrew, Jackie

  • KATHARINE and GEORGE REDFORD

    IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR MUM and DAD KATHARINE and GEORGE REDFORD Loving Parents and Grandparents who both passed away June 2005. 1 Year on we cannot believe you are both gone. Love from all the family.

  • FREDERICK & CHRISTINE HAWKINS

    IN LOVING MEMORY Frederick and Christina Hawkins who died 2nd June 1989/2005. Rest in peace. Missed by John, Gillian, Christine, Jane, Emma and Richard.

  • JIMMY TREACY

    In Loving Memory of My Dear Dad JIMMY TREACY who died 4th June 2005 You're always in our thoughts Dad. God Bless You, Love Always, Gary, Julie, Sean and James XXX.

  • SUSAN GRIDLEY

    SUSAN GRIDLEY 4/9/1954 - 31/5/1999 You're not just a memory, Or part of the past. You're ours to remember, As long as life lasts. Love Mum, Dad, Brothers Sisters and families God Bless.

  • BRIAN MARTIN

    BRIAN MARTIN Passed away peacefully on 22nd May, aged 73 Much loved Husband of Joan and Father and Grandfather. He will greatly missed by family and friends. Cremation will take place at Eltham Crematorium on Tuesday 6th June at 11am. Family flowers only

  • ROBERTA ACTON

    ROBERTA ACTON In loving memory of my dear wife who died on June 3rd 1986. The days they come, the weeks they go, Twenty years have passed by too. But time will never make me forget The memories I have of you. Love Fred .

  • WILLIAM DAY

    In Loving Memory of WILLIAM DAY Who passed away on the 30/5/1998 Remembering you is easy, We do it every day, Missing you is the heartache, That will never go away. All our love always, your wife Rene and all your family. x x x x.

  • JEAN (Gardner)

    JEAN (Gardner) Miss you Jean. Love from your sister Joyce & family X X

  • JIMMY TREACY

    In Loving Memory of My Dear Dad JIMMY TREACY who died 4th June 2005 Two tired eyes are sleeping Two willing hands are still The one who worked so hard for us Is resting at Gods will. I miss you Dad, Love Always Linda, Jason, Grandchildren Christopher

  • DOROTHY POOLE

    DOROTHY POOLE It's your birthday Mum, on June 2nd How we wish you were here. You're always missed, remembering everyday and always. Love very much. Love Sylvia, Jean, Lesley & families X X X.

  • REGINALD CHARLES MAYATT

    REGINALD CHARLES MAYATT from 30/5/1935 - 10/7/2005 Remembering you on your Birthday my Darling, Everyday I will celebrate your life in my heart, I will remember our time together with happiness. With Love Always. Miss you, God Bless. Glad x x.

  • MARIE POLHILL

    MARIE POLHILL Four years have passed since June 1st 2002 When God called you home To be with our loved one's Who have gone before Caring for you till I'm with you in our fathers house Loving and missing you till then Adrian.

  • BRENDAN TREVOR FINAN

    BRENDAN TREVOR FINAN Treasured memories of my darling Son who died so tragically on June 6th 1982, Aged 10 years. I nursed you as a baby. I held you when you cried. But the saddest part of all Brendan, I never held you when you died. God in Heaven hear

  • BRENDAN TREVOR FINAN

    BRENDAN TREVOR FINAN Please forgive a tearful Sister for a constant wish that you were still here. Others are taken, yes we know, But you were only ten and I miss you so. Love always, Heidi X X X.

  • Mr Right born in '77

    Things did not work out with DZ because he disappeared and now seems to be going out with someone else. Will he come back to me? Is he the man I am going to marry? Should I get him back, and if so how do I go about it? - Sarah, Israel Graham says ..

  • The magic is still there

    I love my husband very much and always will. He tells me the same, so why do I feel sad? Will we be together forever, 'til death do us part? - Ellen, Hoddesdon Graham says ... I feel the mutual attraction is still there. I think you just need to try

  • Waiting to move

    I have been waiting to move for a long time. Can you see if this will happen within the next six months? - Debbie, Beckenham Graham says ... Try for four months and it will happen.

  • Rocket Man plays The Valley

    SUPERSTAR Elton John is playing at the home of Charlton Athletic this Sunday. This is the first rock concert the Addicks have hosted since The Who played in 1976. The show is one of a series of summer concerts in stadiums and cricket grounds across

  • Last chance for local heroes

    Attention tomorrow's rock'n'roll stars. Don't forget June 1 is the deadline for bands signing up to the Local Heroes nationwide talent competition, sponsored by News Shopper. The competition will propel two winning bands to stardom by giving them the

  • Working to keep you from harm

    Cases of self-harm in the UK are among the highest in Europe. Reporter Samantha Payne speaks to workers at Bethlem Hospital about the work they are doing to help people who cut themselves. Self-harm can take a number of forms from cutting and scratching

  • Praise for pupils

    THE annual awards ceremony in memory of murdered headteacher Philip Lawrence will be taking place later this year. The Philip Lawrence Awards, organised by the charity 4Children, celebrates outstanding citizenship by groups of young people aged 11

  • Offenders cleaning up their act

    A new scheme is encouraging criminals to make amends by putting something back into the community. Reporter GLENN EBREY found out how this is benefiting both residents and offenders alike. THE idea behind the new Community Payback initiative is a simple

  • Event for young writers to spread the word

    AN EVENT to inspire young writers is taking place in Deptford next month. Our Words is a one-day event for writers aged 16 to 25 to develop their careers as authors, poets and playwrights. The event is organised by Spread the Word, which works with

  • Former soldier had fit in sleep

    A FORMER soldier who refused to take his epilepsy drugs died after suffering a fit in his sleep, an inquest heard. Stephen Hemlock, 38, had a history of seizures related to alcohol, but ignored doctors' advice to take prescribed medication. The former

  • Marathon woman loses cancer battle

    A BLIND marathon competitor has died after losing her battle with cancer. Sally Smith, of Croydon Road, Beckenham, had been fighting the illness since 2000 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. This cancer had spread to the 62-year-old's bones

  • Vaccinations rise as TB re-emerges

    HEALTH chiefs will double the amount of babies immunised against tuberculosis (TB) after new figures revealed it has risen by 25 per cent in a year. Statistics published in Greenwich Primary Care Trust's (PCT) Annual Public Health Report for 2005-6 reveal

  • Bogus callers cashing in on blind

    A CHARITY is warning people to beware of bogus collectors. In the past month, three men have visited homes in Bromley Common saying they are collecting for the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB). One resident, who gave the trio money "to get

  • Riders to rescue despite rain

    CHILDREN braved the wet weather to take part in a sponsored bike ride. More than 100 children from Tubbenden Infant and Junior Schools, Sandy Bury, Orpington, took part in the event, raising more than £600. The event was organised by the school's

  • Pupils take walk on safe side

    THOUSANDS of children put their best foot forward as part of Walk to School Week. Thirty schools in Greenwich took part in the national campaign from May 22 to May 26 to promote the importance of walking. Alderwood Primary, Rainham Close, Eltham, kicked

  • Hands-on health

    Changes in the school curriculum will see the introduction of specialised diplomas for 14 to 19-year-olds from 2008. These diplomas will be available in five vocational areas including construction and health and social care. To prepare schools

  • Councillor stands by email ejection

    THE new leader of Lewisham's Tories has defended his decision to dump his predecessor by email. Councillor David Britton says Barrie Anderson had to go because the party was worried he was becoming too close to Labour. But an angry constituent has

  • Residents urged to improve lifestyles

    HEALTH chiefs are urging people to take more responsibility for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Greenwich Primary Care Trust (PCT) has issued its plea after the publication of its annual public health report, called Improving the Health of the Citizens

  • Homes come up to scratch

    HOUSING bosses say half of a borough's homes are now up to national standard. Greenwich Council is spending £200m on bringing all properties up to the Government's Decent Homes standard by 2010. After a £56m investment last year, the council now says

  • Film festival to mark school’s media status

    Ravensbourne School, Hayes Lane, Bromley, is celebrating its newly-acquired specialist status in media studies with a day of guest speakers and a film festival. The school achieved its status last year due to good exam results in the subject. On

  • Pupils link up with pals in Liberia

    PRIMARY school pupils are learning how to become "global citizens" by forging links with children in Africa. St Winifred's School, Newstead Road, Lee, has joined forces with a school in Liberia for a twinning project. The school has joined up with the

  • Headteacher bans TV to improve homework

    A NO-NONSENSE headteacher has found a new way to get his pupils to concentrate on their homework. Duncan Harper, headteacher at New Woodlands School, Shroffold Road, Downham, grew tired of children spending too much time in front of their TV and computer

  • Naval history sails into summer season

    VISITORS to maritime Greenwich are in for a treat throughout the summer months. The National Maritime Museum is running a series of events based around the theme of naval history. Museum director Roy Clare kicked off the season by giving a behind-the-scenes

  • Double-decked play area

    YOUNGSTERS climbed aboard a bus for a day of fun. The Lewisham Playbus visited the Silwood Estate, New Cross, to give children some entertainment and give their parents a break. The former Routemaster bus has been converted into a children's play area

  • Ride the wave of swimming

    A NEW scheme designed to get more people into swimming is set to make a splash in Lewisham. The borough has been chosen to take part in the Everyday Swim initiative, led by the Amateur Swimming Association. The scheme aims to improve swimming opportunities

  • Hospital to shed more jobs

    AROUND 20 more jobs are set to go at Lewisham Hospital, as it continues to re-shape its workforce. Hospital bosses have announced the cuts following the second stage of its Workforce Review Consultation Proposal. Last year the hospital, which is about

  • Police tackle football violence with string of raids

    POLICE tackling football hooliganism have arrested 16 people in a series of dawn raids. The arrests, on May 25, were made by officers from Operation Devine, a new crackdown on violence at Millwall games. Three people were arrested in Bexley Michael

  • Celebrating cultural diversity

    Gravesham has a mix of religions and is renowned for its good community relations. Reporter ALISON WHITE takes a closer look at each group and their work in the borough. GRAVESHAM has one of the largest proportions of people from ethnic minorities in

  • Festival kicks off with station songs

    THE BrockleyMax festival kicks off this weekend. The nine-day event, which is in its fourth year, starts on Saturday, outside Brockley Station, Coulgate Street, Brockley. Singers and performers will be giving their all to cheer up weary commuters.

  • PM sent model idea by pupils

    ARTISTIC students have made model teachers to send to Tony Blair as part of the Make Poverty History campaign. More than 210 pupils at St Augustine's Primary School, Dunfield Road, Bellingham, teamed up to make the imaginative cut-outs. The models will

  • News In Brief

    TV TICKETS: Have you received a golden ticket to enter the Big Brother house? News Shopper is looking for readers who have opened one of 100 winning Kit Kat wrappers which could hold the key to starring in the Channel Four show. Call the newsdesk on 01689

  • Forum’s vision to safeguard wharf

    CAMPAIGNING residents have published their blueprint to safeguard the future of a historic riverside wharf. The Creekside Forum says Convoy's Wharf, Deptford, should be used as a cruise liner terminal to transport thousands of people in and out of London

  • Caring parents

    Lone parents in Dartford are being given the chance of a career in childcare, thanks to Kent Adult Education and Equal Vocational Opportunities Learning Advice and Employment(Evolve). The young parents have already taken part in free education sessions

  • Children have fun raising funds

    PUPILS have been busy fundraising for new learning equipment. Children at Wyborne Primary School, Footscray Road, New Eltham, ditched their uniforms and wore football kits for the day. Each child paid 50p to take part in World Cup day, which raised

  • Police get powers to disperse youths

    GANGS of youths hanging around a town centre are being targeted by police in a new crackdown on anti-social behaviour. From tomorrow, officers will have the power to split up groups of two or more people in Lewisham High Street if they are causing trouble

  • Help find train attack trio

    NEWS Shopper's award-winning Shop a Yob campaign needs your help. Police are trying to trace the three men pictured in connection with a screwdriver attack on a London-bound train on March 8. The trio boarded the train in Dartford and then began to

  • Casino bid fails but area won’t give up

    A BOROUGH has missed out on the chance to house the country's only super casino after being booted off the contenders list. The Government's Casino Advisory Panel has announced Dartford Council has been unsuccessful in its bid to attract the 5,000sq

  • Controversial project wins society’s award

    THERE was an unusual winner of the top award at this year's Charles Burr awards, given annually by Bexley Civic Society. The awards mark significant or good work in the borough and are made in memory of a long-standing member and supporter of the society

  • Dreams realised

    Entering further education is still a popular choice among school leavers. According to the Department for Education and Skills, 84 per cent of over 16s remain in formal education or work-based learning when they leave school. But for some, studying

  • Committee considers new gipsy sites

    THREE more gipsy sites are being planned for the county. A report by the Gypsy and Traveller Sites Select Committee, made up of representatives from bodies such as Kent County Council (KCC) and Gravesham Council, was discussed by KCC on May 22. KCC

  • Students show off their artistic talent

    TALENT and creativity were showcased at a school's art exhibition. The event at Bromley High School, Blackbrook Lane, Bickley, was the culmination of two year's work for GCSE and A-Level students. The exhibition included paintings, ceramics, sculpture

  • News in Brief

    POOL SITE FOR SALE: The former Splashworld swimming centre site in Crook Log, Bexleyheath, is being advertised for sale in specialist journals and on the council's website. Bexley is inviting sealed bids for the two-acre site, which thousands of residents

  • Car thieves take 10 years of work

    AN EMBROIDERER says she is "grieving" after 10 years of her work was stolen. Twenty pieces of embroidery are missing after thieves stole Eleanor Woodward's car. It was parked outside her house in Rodway Road, Bromley. She says her dark green Volkswagen

  • Hopes residents can enjoy stink-free summer

    THAMES Water has "got the message" over smells from its Belvedere sewage works. Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin says he is hopeful of significant improvements at the Crossness sewage sludge incinerator in Belvedere Road. Mr Austin and Belvedere

  • Happy talk is winning idea for fundraisers

    A TEAM of boys has beaten 200 other schools across London in a competition to find innovative ways of charity fundraising. The five-strong team from Beths Grammar School, Hartford Road, Bexley Village, was competing in the final of the London Enterprise

  • Travel and learn

    According to the 2002 National Adult Learning Survey, more than three quarters of people aged over 16 having taken part in further education in the past three years. One adult learner's studying is about to take her to the other side of the world.

  • Unhappy about school merger

    HUNDREDS of worried parents and school staff turned out for the first public meeting on merger proposals. Staff and parents from Swanscombe Infant and Nursery School and Sweyne Junior School, both in Keary Road, Swanscombe, went to the public consultation

  • Detective work for historians

    SCHOOLCHILDREN turned sleuths as they examined Victorian artefacts. Year 6 children at Ashgrove School, Widmore Road, Bromley, were treated to an array of items supplied by Bromley Museum. Janet Crowther, a freelance teacher working for the museum,

  • I’ll never drive lorry again

    A FORMER businessman says he will never drive a lorry again after overturning his vehicle while over the drink-drive limit. Dartford magistrates banned David Lea from driving for a year on May 23 after an accident in Green Street Green Road, Dartford

  • Man wanted after supermarket thefts

    POLICE need your help to find this man after beer, cigarettes and magazines were stolen from a supermarket. The CCTV image was released after four thefts from the Co-op, High Street, Swanscombe, within two weeks. At 9pm on April 26 cigarettes and magazines

  • Planners reject cafe proposal

    AN OUTLET of coffee bar chain Caffe Nero has had its marching orders from Bexley Council. The chain has opened a new cafe in Sidcup High Street, in the former Budgens store, without getting planning permission for a change of use. Last week the firm

  • Lord full of bounce ahead of forum fundraising race

    RUNNERS are being invited to join a loony resident set to bounce his way round a five-mile course for charity. The Monster Raving Loony Party member Lord Toby Jug will not only trigger the starting gun for the eighth Harvel Harriers five-mile run he

  • Tory council suspends bus lane enforcement

    CCTV cameras in Welling, no longer monitor the town's controversial bus lane. The new Conservative council has taken action to suspend the enforcement of the lane, which runs in sections, from Park View Road to Welling Corner, through the use of the

  • Youngsters enjoy scientific studies

    CHILDREN spent a week discovering science can be fun. Pupils at Birkbeck Primary School, Alma Road, Sidcup, enjoyed visits from the Quantum Science theatre group, the RSPB and pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline and a fun investigative afternoon.

  • He will find us if he wants to

    A WOMAN whose life was tormented by the violence of her former lover fears he will take his revenge when he is freed from prison. Clive Thomas, aged 44, was given an indefinite jail term at Blackfriars Crown Court, with a recommendation he serve at

  • News In Brief

    KEEPING SAFE: Gravesham Council's G-Safe scheme was presented with the Safer Socialising award by the assistant chief constable of Kent Police, Allyn Thomas, on May 22. The Home Office award recognises businesses, pubs, bars and restaurants who, with

  • News in brief

    HERITAGE FUN: To mark Heritage Day, Crossness Engines Industrial Museum, Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, is starting up its Prince Consort beam engine during an open day. The engine and the Victorian engine house have been restored by a band of volunteers

  • It’s never too late

    MANY pensioners are deciding to keep their brains in gear by enrolling in part-time courses, according to the Learning and Skills Council. Its 2003 figures show 237,000 people undertaking education and work-based learning are over 60 a 300 per cent

  • Police tackle football violence with string of raids

    POLICE tackling football hooliganism have arrested 16 people in a series of dawn raids. The arrests, on May 25, were made by officers from Operation Devine, a new crackdown on violence at Millwall games. Three people were arrested in Bexley Michael

  • Pupils tag each other on pitch

    PUPILS from 10 Bexley primary schools took to the rugby field in a tag rugby tournament organised by Kent Rugby Football Union. The event, hosted by Erith Rugby Club at its ground in Sussex Road, Northumberland Heath, involved more than 50 pupils aged

  • Residents fighting to save open land

    PROTESTING neighbours are in a "race against time" to save one of the only remaining bits of greenery in their street. Jennifer Colman claims developers are turning Charles Street, Greenhithe, where she has lived for nine years, into a "concrete jungle

  • Found guilty of assaulting three officers

    A FATHER assaulted three police officers after breaching an order banning him from going to his former partner's home. Gunther Roomes pleaded not guilty to three counts of assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty but was convicted following

  • 100 volunteers thanked for help at party

    VOLUNTEERS who assist elderly people are being rewarded for their efforts with a party. The annual party is being thrown for 100 volunteers who give their time at Northfleet Age Concern, Coldharbour Road, Northfleet, or at Meopham day centre in St John's

  • Producers hit jackpot

    So Shahbaz managed six days in the Big Brother house before he bottled it? What possessed him to apply for the show in the first place? He struck me as either delusional or desperate. Delusional about his own importance or desperate for love. All in

  • Can’t we fly flag for England any more?

    Cheltenham Council has really got me jumping up and down in fury this week. Who does it think it is to be banning its cabbies from flying the English flag in support of the World Cup? A bunch of morons must be running that council. Nigel Demby, the

  • Camera kills privacy

    A FRUSTRATED couple say they cannot make love in their own bedroom for fear of being spied on by a rogue council-owned CCTV camera. John Powell says he has to take his 25-year-old fiancee Emma Sales to another room in the flat to get jiggy because a

  • Is Cameron too soft to be Tory?

    How I would love to believe Cameron. He says there is more to life than money. But can this really be coming from the mouth of a Tory? How are we to believe him? And if we do, how long can he last as Tory leader? Maybe he should move over to Labour

  • Club celebrates hat-trick of football coaching badges

    A CHILDREN'S football club set up a year ago now has three coaches with Football Association qualifications. Hexley Rangers Football Club, which trains at Downsview Community Primary School, Beech Avenue, Swanley, was formed last May. Coaches Paul Thomas

  • Adults on course

    A RECENT report published by the Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning (WBL) concluded the value of adult education goes much further than just equipping the workforce. The report, called What Role for Adult Education? compiled by Cathie

  • Hiding habit won’t solve the problem

    What message would we be sending if heroin galleries became legal? Isn't it just a way of shutting the door on a problem which is unpalatable to the majority? The argument shooting-up rooms will get drug addicts off the streets is short-sighted and

  • More support to keep open space

    COUNCILLORS have thrown their support behind efforts to retain a former football ground as community open space. The Gaelic Athletic football field in Avery Hill Road, New Eltham, has been a battleground for developers since 1968, when it was still part

  • New crew needed to help out

    VOLUNTEERS are needed for a vehicle which provides temporary shelter to people affected by fire or floods. Gravesend Red Cross is appealing for help in running its specially-adapted caravanette, only one of two serving Kent. The vehicle, which is called

  • Children on track for summer visit

    CHILDREN affected by the Chernobyl disaster will be treated to a day on a miniature railway when they visit Gravesend this summer. Gravesend-based charity Concern for Chernobyl Children has organised a trip for a group of 23 youngsters and two interpreters

  • Displaying 16 years of gardening work

    A FAMILY is opening its garden to the public to raise money for a hospice. The open garden on Sunday in Devon Road, South Darenth, will raise money for the Lions Hospice, Coldharbour Road, Northfleet. There will be a chance to view more than 100 types

  • Pupils visit France to pay respect to fallen soldier

    A GROUP of staff and students from a Sidcup school have travelled to France to visit a small town and pay tribute to a former pupil. Sidcup has forged links with Arleux-en Gohelle through Merton Court School, Knoll Road, following the discovery of the

  • Chemists open on Sunday, June 4

    GRAVESEND & NORTHFLEET Pender Pharmacy, 2 Milton Road, Gravesend. noon to 1pm. SWANLEY Village Pharmacy, 15 Main Road, Hextable. 11am to noon. DARTFORD & GREENHITHE Asda, Station Road, Greenhithe. 10am to 4pm. Boots, South Mall, Bluewater Park. 11am

  • Lost jewellery

    IN JULY 2004, my handbag was stolen in Asda. In it was an open 9ct gold heart with a pearl on a 9ct gold chain. I think it came from a catalogue because my husband was too ill to go shopping personally. I wonder if anybody could tell me where this

  • Stamping out gang violence

    ACTION is under way to try and stamp out gang violence and disorder in Bexley. As moves are made by Bexley police and the council to try and get the spiralling problem under control, one angry and frustrated parent has launched his own campaign. The

  • Roadworks

    NOW we have returned to a Tory council maybe it will look at the road budget and explain to us council tax payers why it allows for the perpetual resurfacing of the borough's roads, often for no apparent reason, and the proliferation of traffic-calming

  • Paying respects to murdered mechanic

    HUNDREDS of people have paid their last respects to murder victim Jon Bartlett. The funeral of the murdered mechanic, who owned a car repair business in Pembroke Road, Erith, was held at St Mary the Virgin Church, Wickham Street, Welling, followed by

  • Kind people

    I WAS involved in a road accident on May 11 about 1.30pm on the A2 just after the Pepperhill junction. I was very lucky I only suffered cuts and bruises. There were some very nice people who stopped to help me, a lady called Joan and two gentlemen whose

  • Bar can’t extend opening hours

    A TOWN centre bar in Bexleyheath has been told it cannot extend its opening hours. Councillors unanimously rejected an application from the Zero Bar in the Broadway to open until midnight on Sundays to Thursdays and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The

  • Help available for financial support

    With stories in the news about tuition fees rising to thousands of pounds per year for some, the potential costs of learning could be a major factor in deciding whether to hit the books again. But there are several ways to get financial help towards

  • Taxing questions

    THE correspondences in your newspaper opposing the 2012 Olympics miss one point. The people who aren't happy about paying for the 2012 Olympics are complaining people outside London do not have to make a contribution. However, their stated plan of action

  • Barman wants to find youths who beat him

    A BARMAN who was knocked unconscious and beaten by a gang of youths is appealing for help in tracking down his attackers. Sean MacLeod, 20, was acting manager at the Blue Anchor in Bridgen Road, Bexley, and had locked up for the night and gone to bed

  • We can all grow Jesus’ face now

    I AM writing concerning your article (Devine Vegetation In Tutor's Garden, News Shopper, May 10) regarding Biblical roots being discovered. I am also a gardener, it's my living. At any B&Q store there are sankey wall planters terra perma for sale.

  • News In Brief

    PROTECTING STAFF: Old Bexley and Sidcup MP Derek Conway is one of the main sponsors of a Parliamentary Bill designed to give better protection for emergency workers from assault. He said: "It defies belief anyone would attempt to harass someone giving

  • Sky-high cost of insuring your car

    HAVING been a driver for 32 years, the time came the other day to obtain an insurance quote for my son who has just passed his test. I have written to MPs and other organisations over the years and suggested the compulsory third-party part of the insurance

  • Experience not enough for job

    I AM concerned there's an epidemic of tunnel vision in Bexley's schools. Despite having almost 20 years' experience of working as a PA/executive assistant I've found I'm apparently unemployable by many schools in Bexley simply because I don't have any

  • College too Catholic

    STUDENTS at Bexley's first sixth form college are in revolt because they claim their Roman Catholic college is too Catholic. Nearly a third of the students at St Luke's College, Chislehurst Road, Sidcup, have protested to headteacher Maria Williams,

  • Advice on fly-to-let in Bulgaria

    A NEW website has been launched to help purchasers buy property in one of the most up-and-coming investment countries in the world. The site, bulgariarevealed.com has been launched by international investment company Fly2Let and gives advice and discounted

  • Drivers are being ripped off

    ARE the poor motorists in this country ever going to get a fair deal from nasty parking wardens and wheel clampers, employed by money- grabbing councils, eager to extort more and more money from people? The council will inform you these so-called humans

  • Glowing report for school

    BEXLEY'S Roman Catholic secondary school for girls received a glowing report from Ofsted inspectors. Governors at St Catherine's in Watling Street, Bexleyheath, say they are thrilled by their latest report in which the school achieves one of the top

  • I’ve never missed a vote since

    I WAS delighted to read Rosemarie Dawson was able to vote on her birthday (Teenager Celebrates Casting Her First Vote, News Shopper, May 10). My 21st birthday was in December 1952 and I expected to vote in the council elections in May 1953. A young

  • Decent digs for students

    The days of students slumming it in filthy digs could soon be over, if developers follow one university's lead. Student accommodation at St Andrews University in Edinburgh comes complete with a plasma screen television with cable access, leather sofas

  • Borough’s new mayor selected

    THE borough has a new mayor. Brian Beckwith, 70, councillor for Blackfen and Lamorbey since 2002, was elected at last week's annual council meeting. His wife Aileen, also a councillor in Sidcup ward, will be mayoress. It will be a reversal of roles

  • Guiding team to quiz victory

    NEXT stop, Junior Mastermind. Quiz winners from the 4th Erith Guides trounced more than 160 other entrants in a competition designed to exercise the grey matter of Guides from the Erith and Crayford division. Each of the 10 Guide units in the division

  • Wardens swoop on innocent motorists

    YET two more letters about the unreasonableness and excesses of our traffic wardens (Can Anyone Help Me Fight Ticket?, News Shopper, May 17). What sort of person earns their living this way? They must be as thick as two short planks, otherwise they

  • Track tricky tenants

    Recent research has suggested landlords plan to increase their property portfolios. But as the amount of homes they own increases, the harder it will become for landlords to keep track of their properties and their tenants. The computer company

  • Teams fired up for dragon boat race

    THERE will be fun on the lake at this year's Danson Festival as spectators enjoy a charity dragon boat race. The event will raise cash for the Anthony Nolan Trust, which runs a register of bone marrow donors for leukaemia sufferers. It takes place on

  • Help solve photograph mystery

    A FORMER scientist is hoping to identify two boys he photographed 47 years ago. Colin Jones, now 74, of Grosvenor Road, Petts Wood, was taking photos outside his home in Westbrooke Road, Welling, when two little boys arrived to watch. The grandfather-of-one

  • Encouraging children to read more

    CHILDREN under five in Bexley are being encouraged to get into books from an early age with the Bookstart Book Crawl. The project encourages youngsters to borrow picture books and enjoy sharing them with parents, older brothers and sisters and other

  • Investment hotspots

    A GLOBAL property investment company has released an index listing the top 10 worldwide property hotspots. The Prestige Group's first International Hotspots Index sets out a top 10 of overseas residential hot spots, providing an incisive guide for

  • Union’s strike threat in street cleaning row

    A TRADE union is threatening strike action in a row over the future of a flagship street-cleaning service. Public sector workers' union Unison says Cleansweep is in danger of being "neglected" because Greenwich Council is cutting staff overtime. The

  • Borough makes shortlist for super casino

    GREENWICH has been placed on the shortlist for the UK's first Las Vegas-style casino. Of 27 applicants, London's Millennium Dome, Wembley Stadium, Cardiff, Blackpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and Glasgow made it on to the final shortlist. The

  • Healthy market urges landlords to increase portfolios

    BUY-TO-LET landlords are planning to increase their property portfolios, according to research. The survey, by Bradford & Bingley, of 2,700 landlords revealed 83 per cent are intending to increase or maintain their portfolios in the next six months

  • Actors play their part at pub event

    ACTORS from Greenwich Playhouse helped raise money for a group of campaigners fighting to save their pub from demolition. The Save the Hood Campaign is petitioning Greenwich Council against the demolition of the Lord Hood pub in Creek Road, Deptford.

  • News In Brief

    DIVE IN: Swimming club Greenwich Borough Mariners is putting on taster sessions for 36 Eltham children. The four hour-long swimming sessions end on Friday. The sessions are provided in partnership Greenwich Sports Development, the Amateur Swimming Association

  • Dead after attempt to take heroin

    A DRUG addict bled to death after piercing a vital artery in his groin as he tried to inject heroin. On May 23, Southwark Coroner's Court heard how Paul Butler, aged 42, was found dead in his bathroom in Green Bay Road, Charlton, by his mother Teresa

  • Residents want to improve town

    VOCAL residents are moving from an internet chatroom to the council chamber to try to make their town a "better place". People from Forest Hill have not been shy in expressing opinions on their neighbourhood via the SE23 website in recent months. Now

  • Actors stage show to improve security

    ACTORS put on a show at a day devoted to promoting the plight of vulnerable adults. More than 300 people attended the Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Day event at Lewisham Town Hall. The Sunny Arts group performed Jake's Justice, a play aimed at helping

  • School cleared after whooping cough scare

    A SCHOOL has been given the all-clear after fears of an outbreak of whooping cough proved to be unfounded. Two pupils from Greenwich Steiner School, Kirkside Road, Greenwich, were diagnosed with symptoms of the potentially-fatal cough, including a sore

  • News In Brief

    FESTIVAL: BrockleyMAX music festival starts with an open air concert outside Brockley Station, Coulgate Street, Brockley, from 4.30pm on June 2. Musicians include The Mysterons, Melodius Thunk and Fiona Branson. For more details, visit the website brockleymax.co.uk

  • To The Point

    BABIES IN PUBS: After reading the article about breastfeeding in the Trafalgar Tavern pub (Ban On Breastfeeding, News Shopper, May 10), I was alarmed any mother would want to take their one-month-old baby into a smoky atmosphere, let alone feed them there

  • Worried by lack of experience

    THANK you to Russell Jones (Stench Of Hypocrisy Driving Me Crazy, News Shopper, April 19) for confirming my views the practice of allowing underqualified instructors to teach pupils is wrong. Yes, I did go through the system but I qualified first time

  • Mayor must listen to us about centre

    WITH reference to the article about the closure of Ladywell Leisure Centre (I Will Not Back Down, News Shopper, May 10). It is ironic at a time when Londoners will be required to pay an extra levy on their council tax for the Olympic Games, we in Lewisham