Memories or War, a performance of words and music reviving poignant memories from both World Wars.
Saturday 16 November 2013, 7.30pm, St. Barnabas Church, Perth Road, Beckenham BR3 6PP

Our Association is holding a joint Open Meeting with the West Beckenham Residents’ Association. Between our associations we cover the whole of Beckenham and so have invited a panel of councillors from every Ward to take your questions. James Cleverly our London Assembly Member will also be on the panel.

Come along and direct your concerns to the panel. Join us from 7.45pm, at the Beckenham Public Halls, Bromley Road, Beckenham. 

We look forward to seeing you there.

Lots of free things to do around Beckenham Town Centre on Saturday 19 October.

• Take a miniature version of the Heritage trail and get a goodie bag.
• Meet Mr and Mrs Becks from our town sign, Charlie Chaplin and other historical characters.
• Check out a vintage fire engine parked outside the old fire station.
• Pick up some free toffee apples and marshmallows (while stocks last).
• See a Punch and Judy Show outside Sainsbury’s forecourt.
• Enjoy some free entertainment on Beckenham Green: 1920-40’s Saxophone Quartet from Beckenham, Andrews Sisters Tribute, David Bowie Tribute.
• Visit the Ponies on Beckenham Green – yes there will be real ponies, they’ll even be doing a trick show. Kids can ride the Ponies too, although there is a charge for this.

There will also be lots of great hot food, produce and craft to buy from 10am at the Market, plus vintage fair rides for the kids. Check out the market page to see which stalls are confirmed so far.

At 11am the Heritage Trail will be officially opened and there will be a Tree Planting Ceremony to mark the launch of the trail and commemorate lives lost in the 1944 bombing on the site of The Green.

An afternoon in Croydon Road Recreation Ground to celebrate David Bowie (Beckenham’s most famous former Beckenham resident, the legacy of the Arts Laboratory he co-founded, and the sensational Free Festival that Arts Lab members staged on the Bandstand in the park in 1969) and raise money to restore the Bandstand

Gates open at 2 pm for the Festival which will see 3 hours of live music from 3 to 6. The Thin White Duke a Bowie tribute band will perform 5 Bowie numbers including ‘Life on Mars’ and ‘Space Oddity’. There will also be 30 arts & craft stalls, food and refreshment stalls, Bowie themed face painting and a raffle. A modest entry fee of £5 for each adult will raise funds to restore the historic bandstand. Kids under 10 go free.

MEMORY OF A FREE FESTIVAL
“…The Sun machine is Coming Down, and we’re Gonna Have a Party…”

CELEBRATING DAVID BOWIE AND THE BECKENHAM ARTS LAB

Sunday afternoon in Croydon Road Recreation Ground, a local park in Beckenham, the residential south of London may not conjure up visions of youthful exuberance and rock music – but on Sunday September 15th the Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground are hoping that hundreds of people will descend on their park to celebrate David Bowie – Beckenham’s most famous former Beckenham resident, the legacy of the Arts Laboratory he co-founded, and the sensational Free Festival that Arts Lab members staged on the Bandstand in the park in 1969.

This year’s Festival will not be free. A modest entry fee of £5 for each adult will raise funds to restore the historic bandstand. 

Gates open at 2 pm for the 2013 Festival which will see 3 hours of live music from 3 to 6. The Thin White Duke a Bowie tribute band will perform 5 Bowie numbers including ‘Life on Mars’ and ‘Space Oddity’ – both of which have links to the band stand. Bowie’s song – ‘Memory of a Free Festival’ will be performed by Bill Liesegang. Other groups taking part are Raf and O, Keval, Low Rent Tractors, Scott Fuller and John Aldington.

There will also be 30 arts & craft stalls, food and refreshment stalls, Bowie themed face painting and a raffle.

Thank you to all the shops and businesses that took part, it certainly spiced up the High Street for a couple of weeks. This year the theme was ‘Celebrating Beckenham’s Green & Pleasant Parks’ and over 500 people voted for their favourite window instore and online. The votes have been counted and the top five (out of the 17 businesses that participated) are:

• Thackray Williams (solicitors) with 18% of the votes
• Raggios (cafe) with 15% of the votes
• Jumping Bean (gifts)  with 14% of the votes
• Gallery Seventeen (art gallery) with 11.3% of the votes
• Beckenham Pharmacy (opposite the old police station) with 10.7% of the votes

Well done Thackray Williams the trophy is on its way to you.

It was a great day, wonderful weather, yummy food, fabulous stalls, fun entertainment, top bands and even a bit of Lindy Hop.  Next Market 19th October 2013. Until then why not keep it local… subscribe to your local residents’ association and shop local too.

Thank you to Peach Design for donating some banners and to Buddies Kitchen, Beckenham Flower Studio, Ardec, Beckenham Toys, Crafts Bee, Deens Garage, Deli Nene, Duke, Red Boutique, One 65, Antonios, Basil Restaurant, Beckenham Bookshop, Dos Amigos, Love A Slice, Gallery Seventeen, The Odeon, Jumping Bean, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shop, The Boutique Spa for donating prizes for the Market Free Prize Draw. Cllr Stephen Wells adjudicated the draw on the day and prize winners will be contacted shortly.

So much cheese, yum!

Busy Market

Quality tea

Delicious tarts and pastries

Copers Cope Residents getting new members

Authentic pasta sauces

Superman

Organic produce

Yummy cup cakes

Dancing parents

Beautiful glass fusion

Stylish accessories

Dancing kids

Copers Cope Residents getting new members

Pretty cards

Giving out balloons

Wood fired pizza

Sunny at the fair

One week to go until Market on the Green. There will be 34 stalls, a fun fair and free entertainment all day. Lunch is sorted with  Jerk Chicken, Hog Roast, Crepes  and our very own Villagers Sausages are doing a BBQ.

Whats on….

• 3 sessions of kids dancing and games with Clumsy Clown and Superman
• Steve – acoustic guitar, classic rock and flamenco
• Bianca – soulful solo artist
• Urban Prophecies – rockin local band
• String Quartet – St George’s Chamber Orchestra
• Ronnie – sings swing  (think Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin, Sammi Davis)
• James Cooper – acoustic guitar
• Lindy Hop Dancing – you can join in

For more information check out the market web page.

Best Dressed Window Competition 2013

Celebrating Beckenham’s Green & Pleasant Parks 

27 July to 4 August

This year’s competition will run from 27 July to 4 August during Love Parks Week  www.loveparksweek.org.uk

Check out the best dressed windows in and around the High Street that showcase Beckenham’s wonderful open spaces. Vote for your favourite below.

Live in Beckenham? Why not join your local residents’ association, it’s only £3 per year. You don’t have to do anything… let us  keep you up to date on issues that affect Beckenham, represent you on a whole raft of issues (planning, licencing, health, council spending, policing, heritage, town centre improvement and more), attend stakeholder meetings, organise free events on The Green and promote our High Street. Join here.

Our next market is bigger and better…..

We have more hot food with Oink Oink Hog Roast, our very own Villagers Sausages is doing a BBQ, a speciality tea and coffee stall by Cafe Santiago plus previous attendees Deli Jerk Chicken, Ty Janick crepes and galettes and Global Fusion Bakery, so plenty for lunch.

There will be three sessions of children’s entertainment by  Brilliant Birthdays, Clumsy Clown and Superman will be at the Market all day, local Beckenham band Urban Prophecies are playing.  Keep checking our website as we are confirming entertainment and music performers over the next couple of weeks. The day will be jam packed with things to keep the family entertained and the kids busy.

We have some new stalls, Dine Thyme, Ella Jane Designs, Godmersham Game, H&RH Escargot, Icing on the Cake and Sand Glass Fusion. Plus many returning stalls,  Holwood Farm Shop and Deli, Howards of Kent, Layhams Farm Shop, Marsh Produce, Munchkin Kitchen,  Nip From The Hip, Norbiton Cheese, Organically Prepared – Back to Eden,  Pretty Peculiar,  ‘Sauced’ by Marina , The Happy Apple,  The Tiddly Pomme at Brogdale , Tiger Spring Tea, Tutor Doctor.

See you on the 3rd August, please share the flyer below with your friends, family and neighbours.