The Bexley London Borough Blog

Asda Bexleyheath welcomed community fundraiser Susan Adams from Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice on Tuesday (10 November), as she popped in to celebrate Asda’s support for this month’s charity fundraising event, Santas on Broadway, which takes place on Sunday 29 November.

The event aims to raise money for Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice and will feature a sensational Santa Parade at 4pm and the switching on of Bexleyheath Town Centre’s Christmas lights at 5pm.

Last year it attracted an impressive 1,019 Santas to join the parade and is hoping to double that figure for this year’s event.

Asda is providing refreshments for the estimated 2,000 people attending on the day and is also contributing towards the cost of the marquees for the event.

General Store manager, Joe Lock, was on hand to lend his support to Susan and to encourage customers to join in the charity fundraising event (pictured).

Joe said: “Asda Bexleyheath is proud to support Santas on Broadway. Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice does some incredible work for many of our customers and their families and we’re glad that we can do our bit for the local community.”

Greenwich & Bexley Cottage Hospice is a registered charity offering high quality specialist palliative care and support services for people with life limiting illnesses, as well as providing support for their families and carers.

The Hospice needs approximately £6million every year to provide its specialist services. With just a third of this funded by the NHS, it relies heavily on the support of the local community to continue its work.

Santa Parade registration forms are available for download from the website www.cottagehospice.org.uk or register in person at The Mall, Bexleyheath Broadway Shopping Centre ‘Ask Me’ point (cash & cheques only) or Hospice Fundraising Office, 12-15 Bellegrove Parade,Welling DA17 2RE (credit & debit cards accepted).

’FLASH MOB THE FORESHORE’ VOLUNTEER CLEAN-UPS
BEGIN TOMORROW

Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 August

 Environmental charity Thames21 will coordinate four FLASH MOB clean-ups of the River Thames foreshore starting tomorrow for the Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009. The exact locations for the FLASH MOB events were kept under-wraps until announced publicly last Thursday. The event will run over four days, in a different location each day.

Volunteers will begin the four day clean-up of the River Thames foreshore in Fulham on Thursday 20 August at 9.15am.

The four locations will be as follows:

DAY ONE: FULHAM, Bishop’s Park.

Meet: at the east entrance of Fulham Palace Gardens (near to Putney Bridge ), off Putney Bridge Approach, SW6. The clean-up will take place on the foreshore in front of Bishop’s Park.

Date: Thursday 20 August

Times: 9.15am – 11.45am

Event Contact: Alice Hall, 07824 692592, alice.hall@thames21.org.uk

Access: access to the foreshore is by steps. Please contact us in advance if you have any special access requirements.

Travel: nearest tube is Putney Bridge (District) and only a short walk from the meeting point.

 DAY TWO: FULHAM, Hurlingham Park .

Meet: on Broomhouse Lane , at the east corner of Hurlingham Park , SW6. The clean-up will take place on the foreshore from Hurlingham Wharf to Wandsworth Bridge .

Date: Friday 21 August

Times: 9.45am – 12.15pm

Event contact: James Aldous, 07827 352675, james.aldous@thames21.org.uk

Access: access to the foreshore is by slipway. Please contact us in advance if you have any special access requirements.

Travel: nearest tube is Putney Bridge (District) and is a ten minute walk from the meeting point. Nearest bus stop is Sullivan Court , on Peterborough Road .

 DAY THREE: WOOLWICH

Meet: at the end of Venus Road , SE18. The clean-up will take place on the foreshore by New Ferry Approach.

Date: Saturday 22 August

Times: 8.30am – 11.00am

Event contact: Alice Hall, 07824 692592, alice.hall@thames21.org.uk

Access: access to the foreshore is by steps. Please contact us in advance if you have any special access requirements.

Travel: nearest train station is Woolwich Dockyard and is a short walk from the meeting point.

 DAY FOUR: ISLE OF DOGS

Meet: at Newcastle Draw Dock, off Saunders Ness Road , E14. The clean-up will take place on the foreshore to the east of this point, across the river from the o2.

Date: Sunday 23 August

Times: 9.30am – 12noon

Event contact: James Aldous, 07827 352675, james.aldous@thames21.org.uk

Access: access to the foreshore is by slipway. Please contact us in advance if you have any special access requirements.

Travel: nearest tube is Island Gardens (DLR) and is a ten minute walk from the meeting point.

The aim of the four days is to help make a cleaner, greener River Thames foreshore and remove as much litter as possible that affect these visible areas. Volunteers will help remove plastic bags, shopping trolleys, food wrappers, bicycles and all manner of other litter items that end up in rivers.

Those volunteering will not only get the chance to make a practical improvement to London ’s environment, but also the rare chance to get onto the foreshore, meet like-minded people and get a new perspective on London ’s waterways.

Thames21’s River Programmes Manager, Chris Coode, commented:

“The Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009 will be a real pan-London effort. The four different FLASH MOB locations will give people from all over London an ideal chance to get involved in our work and make a lasting improvement to the environment.

All necessary equipment (including wellies) will be provided to volunteers at our clean-up events, just keep tuned to hear the locations when announced on Thursday 13^th!”

Thames21 will provide all equipment including boots, health & safety briefing and support, rubbish bags and litter collection. Volunteers should wear old clothes appropriate to the weather. An adult must accompany people under the age of 16.

For more information about Thames21 see www.thames21.org.uk

The Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009:
FLASH MOB THE FORESHORE

Thursday 20 – Sunday 23 August
Locations announced on Thursday 13 August

Environmental charity Thames21 will coordinate four FLASH MOB clean-ups of the River Thames foreshore this August for the Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009. The exact locations for the FLASH MOB events will be kept under-wraps until announced publicly on Thursday 13 August, one week before the clean-ups commence.

Following highly successful Challenges in the previous three years, involving almost one thousands volunteers, Thames21 once again encourage Londoners to take part and help to ‘clean’ the River Thames foreshore.

Unlike previous Challenges which took place only at the Isle of Dogs, this year volunteers will help clean-up four different locations along the River Thames. The four littered locations will stretch across central London from East to West and each clean-up will last no more than three hours.

The aim of the four days is to help make a cleaner, greener River Thames foreshore and remove as much litter as possible that affect these visible areas. Volunteers will help remove plastic bags, shopping trolleys, food wrappers, bicycles and all manner of other litter items that end up in rivers.

Those volunteering will not only get the chance to make a practical improvement to London ’s environment, but also the rare chance to get onto the foreshore, meet like-minded people and get a new perspective on London ’s waterways.

Thames21’s River Programmes Manager, Chris Coode, commented:

“The Cleaner Thames Challenge 2009 will be a real pan-London effort. The four different FLASH MOB locations will give people from all over London an ideal chance to get involved in our work and make a lasting improvement to the environment.

All necessary equipment (including wellies) will be provided to volunteers at our clean-up events, just keep tuned to hear the locations when announced on Thursday 13^th!”

The locations for the FLASH MOBS will be announced via the Thames21 website (www.thames21.org.uk), Thames21 email newsletter, and through social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.

Those wishing to receive the announcement of the locations should email FLASHMOB@thames21.org.uk

DATES: Thursday 20 August – Sunday 23 August

LOCATIONS: announced on Thursday 13 August

TIMES: mornings

Thames21 will provide all equipment including boots, health & safety briefing and support, rubbish bags and litter collection. Volunteers should wear old clothes appropriate to the weather. An adult must accompany people under the age of 16.

For more information about Thames21 see www.thames21.org.uk

Bexley Riverkeepers are welcoming new recruits!

Thames21’s award-winning Bexley Riverkeeper Volunteers programme is welcoming new people interested in getting involved in the valuable work we do.

Established in 2005, the Riverkeeper Volunteers make a valuable difference to the local waterways of Bexley, helping to remove tonnes of rubbish including everything from washing machines to cars, to allow the river to run freely. Each volunteer is invited to give a small amount of their time on a regular basis to assist us in the environmental work we do, and in return develop practical and useful skills as well as meet like-minded people from the local community.

Riverkeeper Volunteers get involved in reporting litter and ‘grot spots’; caring for wildlife habitats; suggesting improvements to be made; encouraging the public to respect the river; helping combat litter, graffiti, dog fouling, vandalism and unlicensed or out-of-season angling.

The Bexley Riverkeeper Volunteer programme is supported by Cory Environmental Trust in Britain , an Environmental Trust funded through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Bexley Riverkeeper Coordinator, Ashe Hurst, commented:

“Becoming a Riverkeeper Volunteer is an ideal way of using a small amount of time each week in a productive way and makes lasting benefits for everyone.

Our Riverkeeper Volunteers come from all walks of life, but all share a desire to get involved in something that is great fun and that helps the local environment.

I urge anyone interested in joining us as a Riverkeeper Volunteer, or anyone curious about the work we do, to come along to one of our sessions this week to find out more.”

Those interested in getting involved are encouraged to come along this July and have a go at some of the activities involved in being a Riverkeeper Volunteer at one of the following open taster sessions:

Thursday 23 July | 11.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Waterside Gardens , Crayford Town Centre, DA1.

Friday 24 July | 11.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Hall Place Car Park, Bourne Road , Bexley, DA5. Meet next to the river on playing field car park.

Saturday 25 July | 11.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Waterside Gardens , Crayford Town Centre, DA1.

Sunday 26 July | 11.00am – 4.00pm

Location: Five Arch Bridge , Foots Cray Meadows, off North Cray Road/Rectory Lane , Sidcup, DA14.