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Bromley Council has launched a Bromley town centre planning consultation to seek businesses and residents’ views on guidance for future development in the town centre.

The 12-week consultation seeks views on a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Bromley town centre, which once adopted will be considered when determining future planning applications in the area, supporting existing planning policy set out in the Local Plan and the London Plan. This news follows previous consultation in the summer of 2020 which received over 800 representations made about the future of Bromley town centre and what the proposed SPD should focus on. This new guidance is designed to protect and enhance the vibrancy and character of the town centre to enable it to adapt and thrive for years to come. The consultation is open until 27th January, 2023 and you can submit your views at: bromley.gov.uk/planning-policy/ supplementary-planning-guidance

I can help your child with their GCSE English Language, especially if they are borderline Grade 3 – 4 and find the subject challenging. I also offer support for students taking A Level English, History, Economics and Business Studies. I have 27 years’ experience teaching and can provide excellent references. Call Steve on 07980-335058 for more details.

If you are getting your tinsel in a twist about where to celebrate Christmas with your colleagues, family or friends, fear not! Bromley’s Churchill Theatre still has some dates left to exclusively hire its Lounge function room this December. Suitable for numbers from 50-150 depending on your chosen layout, the event space is available for you and your guests from 7pm-11.30pm. Drinks can be either purchased on the night (bar tab facilities available) or in advance via our drinks’ packages.

For details or to book email jhinton@churchilltheatre.co.uk or call 020-8290 8210.

Q: What’s been the highlight of your year? Staying with my wonderful family in ‘Father Christmas’ land and enjoying Mrs Christmas’ baking! (although I can’t wait for the chocolate fudge cake when I visit The Drawing Room!) Q: What ‘new toy’ are you most excited about delivering this year? The new Playdoh ice cream and cart. Q: What presents are in hot demand? The variety of Lego, Hot Wheels with a garage for 20 cars and as always, Barbies! Q: Who gives you a present at Christmas? Smiling children are the best presents I receive. Q: Where can children visit you this December? At The Drawing Room, Locksbottom, every Sunday in December. Sometimes, my twin brother visits there too and children pass messages and drawings through him to give to me, which is lovely!

The Princess Royal University Hospital is the main hospital for the Bromley area. The PRUH, as the hospital is known, is part of the King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The Friends of the PRUH aims to improve the lives of patients and staff in the hospital. It is a registered charity run entirely by volunteers and raises funds to support its aims. Recently the NHS Trust invested a large sum of money on refurbishing Medical Wards 1 and 2 at the PRUH to help make them dementia-friendly. The changes, aimed at reducing confusion and distress for patients, included the use of bold and contrasting colours, non-slip flooring and artwork. The Friends contributed a substantial sum of £15,000 per ward towards the refurbishment and recently donated 22 activity boxes and CD players for patients. In addition, during the pandemic, The Friends supported staff by donating meals, snacks, fresh fruit, chocolates, hand creams, body lotion and small tokens of appreciation. The Friends fund their work by various means. As well as receiving legacies and regular donations from individuals and organisations, such as local Rotary Clubs, they usually raise money by holding various fund-raising activities including sales stalls, charity events and the sale of Christmas cards. If you wish to help or support their work, please get in touch via their website www.friendsofpruh.org.uk

Can we be better by talking better? The new ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign started by the Bromley Buzz podcasters, Wellbeing and Mindset Coach Zeenat Noorani, and PR consultant Darren Weale, aims to help. They will create events and a toolkit to inspire better conversations across society, in public, in private, and boost mental health and wellbeing. They intend to change the world, one word at a time, starting with the Bromley community.

Visit www.letstalkbetter.org for details.

Feature on the Community Noticeboard!

Email hello@lifeinmagazines.co.uk A small fee applies - we have limited space for free charity listings.

A team of volunteers from Perrys Chartered Accountants has helped to dig a new pond for community charity, Communigrow. The charity teaches people the benefits of growing local, fresh and affordable produce in an organic and sustainable way. It also organises regular workshops and educational sessions to help schools, groups and volunteers to gain practical experience of growing produce and supporting the environment. Steve Hale, Victoria Pearson, Katherine Cheung, Ioannis Sklavenitis, Jamie Barden and Emma Palmer spent a day at the charity’s site in East Malling to help remove soil and dig the foundations for the pond, which will be part of Communigrow’s new sensory garden. Once completed, the pond will be used as a sensory area, and to teach children about the importance of water for sustaining natural habitats. Bromley-based design and communications agency, RONIN Marketing, has announced its sponsorship of Bromley Football Club’s new sustainability programme. The company has provided a fresh, bold design for the reusable Green Goblet, eco-friendly cups which are now being used at the National League club’s Broomfield’s Bar and Kitchen and Bear Island Bar. MD, Steve Lipscombe (pictured), said: “We have always opted to support Bromley FC’s youth and community activities, so we not only contribute to the club itself but also help promote the opportunities it provides for the local area. This new sponsorship fits in very well with that." The new cups provide an environmentally-friendly solution for all events held at the stadium as well as match days. Completely sustainable, they reduce the amount of single use plastic being sent to landfill while lowering our carbon footprint.

Rosie Wilby is an award-winning comedian, author and podcaster who lives in Bromley and has appeared many times on BBC Radio 4 programmes including Woman's Hour, Saturday Live and Four Thought. She has performed at festivals including Glastonbury and Latitude and writes regularly for magazines and newspapers. Her first book was longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize and followed a trilogy of solo shows investigating the psychology of love and relationships, which she toured to cities including New York, LA, Sydney and Berlin. Her new book, The Breakup Monologues, is based on her acclaimed podcast of the same name and is published globally by Bloomsbury.

My book The Breakup Monologues was published by Bloomsbury’s wellbeing imprint Green Tree in 2021. It is based on my podcast and follows my trilogy of live shows investigating the psychology of love.

I wrote it during the lockdown in 2020 after successfully pitching to an agent. It was comforting to have something to focus on at that time.

Anyone who has ever had a breakup should find something relatable, fun and revelatory in the book, particularly those who may be interested in the science of heartbreak. It is also for those who want to stay together. I’m now married!

Q: How much is your book and where is it available for people to buy?

The Breakup Monologues is available from all good bookshops. RRP £16.99.

10 Life in... BROMLEY December 2022