Bexley London Borough Blog

Thames Barge Match 2010

admin — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 16:01:36 +0000

On Saturday 3rd of July, I was fortunate enough to take part in the Thames Barge Match aboard the sailing barge Repertor.

Repertor was built in Mistley in 1923 for the company “Horlocks”

The first Thames Barge Match was in 1863. The early Thames sailing barge matches started and finished in Erith – which was at that time a very important town on the Thames.

Anyway here are some pictures of the day.

Sailing Barge Xylonite – My Grandfather sailed on this barge as mate (or second hand) after the second world war. He also worked on the sailing barges Oxygen, Hydrogen and the last barge he worked on was a barge called Lancaster. The Lancaster sank fully loaded in Anchor Bay Erith in around 1954. Grandad and the barge’s skipper got off her ok – but it put him off of working on Thames barges and he never sailed again.

The Sailing Barge Melissa. Overhauling Repertor shortly after the start in the Lower Hope. slipping along in very light airs

Decima and Reminder ghosting along in almost no wind. Decima has her punt slung down in the davits trying to catch a little more air

Repertor at close quarters – rounding the outer mark. At this stage it was neck and neck with all the Staysail class barges reaching the outer mark together

Heading for home now – and beating against the westerley wind back to Gravesend

Dance School Open Day! Saturday 11th September 10am-1pm

emilyjade — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 15:29:25 +0000

FREE CLASSES AND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES!

Emily Jade Theatre Arts is a brand new school established by an experienced and professional teacher. We endeavour to provide training of the highest standard, helping every child to achieve their full potential in all disciplines. Whether the aim is to have fun learning and developing new skills, or to pursue a professional career in the world of Dance and Musical Theatre, we aspire to meet the needs of every child.

All classes at EJTA are taught by fully qualified and highly experienced teachers, and our Patrons are very highly regarded. Dance classes for children aged 2 ½ -8 are currently available, and expansion on this is planned for the near future. Classes in Drama and Musical Theatre are also to be added shortly.

St Lukes Church Hall

Westmount Road

Eltham

London

SE9 1XX

10am-11.30am Children aged 2 ½ – 5 years.

11.45am-1.00pm Children aged 5 – 8 years.

Contact Emily Jade:

website: www.emilyjadetheatrearts.com

email: info@emilyjadetheatrearts.com

Tel: 02083189581

Mob: 07753346307

Pre register to guarantee a place or just turn up at the open day!

Day Camps

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:01:32 +0000

Day Camps – Holiday Activities for Children (8 to 16 years)

Based at the Downe Activity Centre near Biggin Hill, Day Camps provides local kids with an amazing variety of exciting outdoor sports and activities including high ropes, den building, archery, craft, crate climbing, zip wires, push ball, rock climbing and grass sledging to name just a few.

Camp is open during Easter, June Half Term and Summer holidays. Our FlexiCamp allows parents to use Day Camps on a daily basis, whilst our Extended Day facility provides additional childcare between 8am and 6pm daily. We even have a network of local buses bringing kids to the centre daily (Summer Camp only).

Our prices are as follows:

FlexiCamp (6^th – 16^th April, 1^st to 4^th June, 23^rd to 27^th Aug) – £25/£30*

Summer Camp (26^th July – 20^th Aug) – £130

Watersports Camp (26^th July – 20^th Aug) – £180

Riding Camp (26^th July – 20^th Aug) – £180

Transport Service – £30 per week**

Extended Day – £30 per week**

* Discount price of £25 per day when booked in advance

** Transport/Extended Day free with bookings made before 4^th June 2010.

To book, call us today on 01959 542642 or email us at daycamps@live.co.uk Further information and our brochure download can be found on our website at www.daycamps.org.uk

Many thanks,

Miles

Zippos Circus Sidcup

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:17:38 +0000

With the exception of last summer, Zippo’s Circus has come to Sidcup every year since 1994. It’s a great favourite with audiences, and is welcomed and supported by the local public. The Circus will perform at Sidcup Place from May 6th to 11th.

One of the most popular features of the circus is its animal performers. They include horses, ponies, and budgies — extremely domestic and extremely uncontroversial participants.

Like all traditional circuses, Zippo’s advertises by placing posters in the windows of local shops, where shop-owners give their permission. An animal rights group is proudly boasting on its website that its activists have misled shopkeepers in Sidcup into removing these posters. They reveal their method; they state that shops were ‘visited by “a guy from the circus” who informed them that sadly the shows had to be postponed so the posters were now out of date and new ones would be delivered soon’.

While the activists are obviously lying to the shopkeepers, there’s no attempt at pretence on their website about what they’re up to. The use of the highlighted phrase ‘a guy from the circus’ is a clear admission of a very crude subterfuge. Whatever the activists’ agenda may be, it doesn’t include being truthful.

Zippo’s Circus follows a strict ethical code in caring for its animals. They are kept, trained, and transported in line with a code developed in cooperation with the respected charity World Horse Welfare (formerly the International League for the Protection of Horses). The circus’s state-of-the-art portable stabling was designed and built after positive discussions with the Born Free organisation. The circus is regularly inspected by specialist veterinarians; some of their comments can be read on Zippo’s website at http://www.zipposcircus.co.uk/ecode.html

Zippo’s Circus informs local people in Sidcup and in Bexley that it has not been and will not be cancelled or postponed; and that the claims made by the activist fanatics are clearly and certifiably untrue.

Tickets for the circus can be bought via www.zippos.co.uk , by ringing 0871 210 2100, or at the ticket office on site from 10am to 8pm each day from Wednesday 5th May.

I can provide images and further information.

Kind regards.

Chris

SALON STAFF BEAT FUND-RAISING TARGET TO HELP WAR WOUNDED

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 06:08:48 +0000

SALON STAFF BEAT FUND-RAISING TARGET

TO HELP WAR WOUNDED

Staff at a Blackfen hair salon have raised almost £1,300 to help servicemen and women who have been wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Owner Julie Barnes and her team at Back2Front, in Sherwood Park Avenue, shot past their £1,000 target during a two-day charity event, held at the shop last Friday and Saturday (April 16 and 17).

Staff and a band of volunteers, who donned army jackets and berets, sold hundreds of raffle and tombola tickets, collected donations, and sold wrist bands, badges and keyrings in aid of the Help for Heroes charity. Helpers included Julie’s aunt, Maureen Dwyer, from Sidcup, and 17-year-old Army Cadet Robert Welch, from Welling.

Many of the 25 raffle and tombola prizes were donated by the salon’s clients, staff and their family and friends.

The fund-raiser was held in memory of Julie’s dad, known affectionately as ‘Pa’, who died suddenly in February aged 65.

Said Julie: “My dad was a very caring, generous man who was deeply moved by the suffering of others, and he’d always be the first to put his hand in his pocket to help someone in need. He was a great supporter of Help for Heroes so it was fitting that this should be our chosen charity for 2010.

“I’m bowled over by the amount we’ve raised and I’ve had further pledges from many of my clients. I’d like to thank everyone who supported us, either by donating a prize, buying tickets, or helping out on the day. It’s been fantastic.”

The Back2Front staff hold charity days every year. They’ve raised £1,300 for the Breast Cancer Campaign by wearing pink bras over their clothes; £700 for CLAPA (the Cleft Lip and Palate Association), thanks to a sponsored silence; and £800 for the British Heart Foundation by dressing up as bumble bees and animals.

If you’d like to make an online donation, you can visit Julie’s fund-raising page at www.justgiving.com/Pa-and-Help-for-Heroes. For more information about Help for Heroes, go to www.helpforheroes.org.uk.