Editorials

As you may know the Boundary Commission review has been finalised. This means that at the next General Election, Lewisham West & Penge will no longer exist. SE20 will become part of the new seat of Beckenham and Penge.

This fresh addition to SE20 marks the second time we have been blessed with artwork from this most talented of artists. However, we have had to wait since 2018 for a fresh addition from Rocket01.

Christmas trees are a beloved symbol of the festive season. But have you ever wondered where the tradition of the Christmas tree comes from? The history of the Christmas tree is a long and fascinating one, that spans hundreds of years and crosses cultural and religious boundaries.

I was really proud to learn that our community has been taking action on this. Sense Charity Shop in Penge has partnered with parents from the Alexandra Junior School Parent Teacher and Friends Association to set up a fantastic uniform-hub.

How to Celebrate Halloween in Your Community

SE20 now proudly boasts more street art than any other postcode in the entire UK.

The Oncology Guide is the first resource of its kind designed to empower parents and to calm & prepare children by providing the knowledge they need most at the start of their cancer journey. The app demystifies all aspect of treatment and care through bite-sized, engaging family-friendly films and animations for ages 2 – 12 featuring expert oncology practitioners and a host of brave, inspiring young children with first-hand, lived experience of cancer
Oct 23 magazine Oncology App

BIDs are effective models for managing town and city centres. These business-led initiatives are funded through a levy charge on businesses usually within a specific geographical area.
Sept 23 what are bids

2027 will see the bicentenary of the foundation of Anerley – we should have a cèilidh to celebrate!
Sept 23 Anerley

SE20 now proudly boasts more street art than any other postcode in the entire UK.
Sept 23 street art

A brief update on the Cator Park Woodland area – Land at rear of 175 – 205 Kings hall road .

These works mark the fourth time that this international artist has painted for our mural project around Penge, since his first visit in 2017 and we are sure they won't be the last.
July Aug 23 Street Art

The nature reserve quality site adjacent to Cator Park in Beckenham (officially known at land registry as 'land lying to the West of Kings Hall Rd, Beckenham (freehold) Title No SGL564389) has faced a heart-wrenching experience - 131 young oak trees have been felled despite the fact they were under the protection of a TPO.
July Aug 23 Tragic News

This month we marked the 75th anniversary of HMT Empire Windrush bringing passengers from the Caribbean to the UK. This was a seminal moment in our history creating a new generation of Black Britons, the seeds of what is now known as the Windrush Generation.
July Aug 23 Ellie Reeves

An amazing turnout and we raised £2000 for EHE Rare Cancer

SE20 now hosts more street art than any postcode in the entire UK.

This month we are taking a look at a rather striking recent pair of additions to Penge by Salvadoran, but UK based street artist Abraham.O.

No worker ever wants to have to take strike action. We should not forget that they do not get paid when they do so. It is always a last resort to challenge injustice.

2 min read

This month we are taking a look at a rather striking recent addition to Penge High Street by visiting French artists K2B and Naja.

Bromley has the largest tree stock in London. Including 36,000 street trees comprising 200 species, and 24,000 trees in its parks. Last year Bromley launched a project to plant 5000 trees across the borough over a 4-year period.

Now the decorations are all put away, this could also be a great chance to free up some room in the rest of the house too. After all, why suffer with clutter when there’s perfectly good storage space in your attic or garage that’s just waiting to be used? Let us make it safe and easy for you to start 2023 clutter-free.

ClearCommunityWeb help people feel more confident and comfortable with technology through classes, workshops and individual support. We guide and support people to become more independent, more confident and to reduce anxiety.

You deserve more than a template wedding ceremony, your names inserted here and there. A celebrant wedding means you can reflect your personalities, make it true to you, involve your pets, chose any location you like (even your own garden!) and celebrate in a way that’s 100% you!
Celebrant Kathryn for web

A simple timeline through her life history.
Queen

The Bridge House Theatre are delighted to announce their eclectic Autumn & Winter season.

A collaboration between Dotmaster and Cranio, who fused their respective and differing styles so perfectly and harmoniously.

One of my favourite aspects of Penge has always been its strong community spirit and it was really great to see it flourishing.

Renozoner took to one of the previously painted railway arches along Penge and Parish Lane and reworked a space giving it a new lease of life by painting a...water truck.

Set against a backdrop of London and Ghana. Marie-Claire Amuah has produced an unforgettable exploration of intergenerational trauma. Brimming with compassion, One for Sorrow, Two for Joy offers both a sensitive portrayal of the ripple effects of domestic violence and a defiant story of friendship, resilience and hope.

Designer Drapes window displays are something of a local talking point, and have even found fame on BBC Radio London!

SE-nvol-20

Local Textile Artist Terri Berkengoff

The Penge Poppy Appeal is looking for new poppy sellers,

The Chartwell Children’s Cancer Trust is a local charity that supports paediatric oncology communities and local cancer and leukaemia services. It is helping to fund the development and maintenance of a new app, the first of its kind, for oncology patients and families. This inspiring app will give children and families fighting cancer easy access to comprehensive, dynamic, high quality, evidence-based education resources in one centralised place direct to their phone or tablet.

If you believe dog grooming is just a luxury for over-indulged pooches, then think again. No matter what size, age or breed, regular professional grooms are in fact essential to keep your dog in good health. And a healthy dog is a happy dog.

This month we are taking a look at something a little different to our regular painted mural works. We are focusing on a recent series of 12 miniature clay installation works, placed up by local artist Elena Howard as part of the Penge Owl Trail.

The work in question is located at the corner of Chesham Road and Chesham Crescent. It features a richly coloured and striking collaboration between London based artist Thisone and visiting Parisian artist Nush Poke.

Following a tireless campaign driven by our wonderful local community in November, the Mayor of London committed to funding the renovations for the 50m pool and diving pool at the Crystal Palace National Sport Centre.

Re-discovering Vinyl. Opening soon in Penge High Street - Revolution Records

After twelve years working in bookselling and publishing, Annie’s debut novel, Not Quite Perfect, became a number one bestseller. Her most recent book, Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You was a USA Today bestseller. She teaches creative writing classes at Beckenham Place Mansion throughout the year.

The work in question is located in Southey Street at the back of the run of walls belonging to Bella Luna leading from the High Street. This is by a local artist we are sure you are all familiar with around SE20, namely Aspire.

Bromley Council are spending £1.3 million on thousands of trees to be planted on streets across Bromley. We have been busy ensuring that Penge will benefit from this scheme.

Our curriculum is supported by a huge programme of educational visits and specialist teachers for MUSIC, DANCE, PE and GREEK language lessons, as well as, our learning for life programme which includes philosophy for children and forest education.

For ourselves it is an honour Penge and Anerley are able to play canvas to a world of culture and history from all over the globe.

Why have a Twinned Town?

After the Second World War there was a strong feeling that Europe must never again tear itself apart in this way. So having town twinning would help people from different countries get to know each other at a personal level and to forge links of friendship.

High demand at Signature Beckenham

I was proud to recently be promoted to the Shadow Justice team as the Shadow Justice Minister.
One of my priorities that I will continue pushing forward is our work on Ending Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG). The first responsibility of any Government is the safety and security of its citizens.

We have been very fortunate to see a lovely little spate of fresh creations appear over the last month, with ourselves facilitating some 17 artworks over the last month around the area for our SprayExhibition20 community Street Art project.

Epithelioid Haemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an indiscriminate and often destructive cancer occurring in men or woman at any age and which is often aggressive in children and young adults.

Take a look at the most recent initiatives from the BID

The work in question is located at the corner of Evelina Road and Croydon Road. It reaches a whopping 30ft high and is by street artist Dan Kitchener.

Labour Member of Parliament for Lewisham West & Penge

Here’s Semaphore PR’s fab four reasons to put a content review on your To-Do list...

Much has changed over the past 18 months. From the way that we work to the way that we live. And here in SE20, it’s been a tough time for businesses big and small, including the lovely independents based in our community.

A fully restored menu of treatments from cosmetic procedures to cancer care therapies - 2 min read

The work in question is located along St John's Road by South-East London based artist Morgasmik,

Don't stay inside your head, come outside and breath.

From September, we are planning to offer a mini bus service to and from the school for new pupils who live in the surrounding areas such as SE20, SE24 and SE19, as well as covering areas near Purley and South Croydon.

More here

The work titled 'Tokyo Drag Race' depicts a futuristic dystopian scene featuring a Geisha accompanied by a cyborg at the centre of the composition and flanked on both sides by a pair of Lamborghini's in acknowledgement of the underground drag racing scene in Tokyo.

Over the last decade we have seen house prices soar, a huge rise in homelessness and rough sleeping and property and living conditions for many deteriorating. The impact of this on many of my constituents is all too real.

After a couple of meetings with the brilliant Scott and Sinon at the pub, terms were agreed and the Bridge House Theatre started a phoenix-like rise from the ashes.

Unfortunately in the past year there has been an increase in pet theft, particularly dogs. This is obviously a heart-breaking and traumatic thing to happen to a loved family member, so whilst its important not to panic there are a number of things you can do to help reduce the risk. Click below to find out more.

Through her artistic output Sophie Mess sets to create vibrant botanical inspired creations, bringing the colourful beauty of nature to the urban landscape, transforming spaces and inspiring positivity with her work.

MWAH Fitness have a huge reputation in the Pre and Postnatal industry.  Find out more about them here.

Get vaccinated  for Covid-19
Where: Penge High Street, Empire Square SE20 7DS
When: Midday to 4pm, Tuesday 25th May 2021

For further details, please open the file below.

The work we are sharing with you now was recently placed up along Maple Road, just next to the St John's school.

Make sure you and your pets beat the heat this Summer. Preventing heat stress is relatively straight forward, and just requires some forward planning.

The pandemic and lockdowns have affected many people in many different ways. Being in nature is known to be an effective way of improving our mental health and protecting our wellbeing. With the arrival of spring, this is the perfect time to connect with nature.

If you are struggling with your mental health or feeling worried or anxious, there is lots of
help available. Please do reach out and get the support you need. (Support mentioned in this article)

In my role as Shadow Solicitor General I have been doing a lot of work around victims of crime. Sadly, victims are being let down on all fronts and this is most apparent for victims of rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).

We thought this month we would take a look back at one of the works placed up just before the latest lockdown by Fink22 who was visiting London from Dubai

Like all other local organisations, the last year has proved challenging for your local adult education college. But there is nothing we at Bromley Adult Education like more than a challenge!

The best beauty salon in the uk. Who knew Britain's top salon was in Anerley!

Crowdfunding campaign launched for a new stage at the legendary Crystal Palace Bowl The legendary Crystal Palace Bowl in South London once hosted the likes of Pink Floyd and Bob Marley, while in 2021 the unique lakeside venue celebrates its 60th birthday.

Ovarian Cancer awareness month

Almost four years on from the dreadful Grenfell disaster the Government has failed to get a grip of the cladding scandal.  Residents of Austen Apartments in Penge are facing an estimated £30,000 per flat to remove the cladding.

Great Street art in SE20

plus Easter in the Parks!

With most of us spending more time at home than ever before keeping your energy usage under control has never been more important. To help with this Utility Warehouse have put together these top 10 tips for saving energy.

We are lucky to have some of the fantastic creative Street Art locally.  This is very befitting for the strange times we are living in.

Thanks to local businesses who are helping by making Scrubs for the Pru.

More here:

Plan using the power of 3.

• COVID vaccines are here, but not everyone wants one.
• Employers should tread carefully when considering a vaccination policy in the workplace.
• There is a multitude of legal risks, from discrimination to data protection, to take account of.

More here:

A beautiful tribute to Gordon Gibbens.

His love of street art has been put together in a book entitled 'How Graffiti Saved My Dad's Life'.  All the proceeds are going to St Christopher's Hospice and the details are in the article.

Ellie Reeves looks forward at 2021 and what this means locally.

When do people usually give up on healthy habits they set for the new year?

Thinking of making some renovations to your current property? Then why not consider remortgaging to release some equity in your home? Get in touch with Jo Jingree, our specialist mortgage adviser.  Highly experienced with 20 years of mortgage knowledge.

The power of small businesses in Penge is BIG.

We are big believers in supporting small businesses all year round. After all they are the backbone of our community.

Ellie Reeves looks back over the last 2 months

There has been a surge of people looking to redecorate their homes, re-thinking layouts etc. Achieving the best look and layout for your lifestyle and home can be
a daunting task. Find out some tips here from Clare Marie Design