Sunday, 17 November 2013

The Season of Consumerism Gone Mad



Christmas Day is creeping up on us far too stealthily.

Are we ready? No we’re not!

Presents to buy, more presents to buy and even more presents to buy.

We know Christmas is almost upon us when posters start appearing that publicise the lights going on in our shopping areas.

Next Sunday (24th) the lights go on in Royal Parade, Chislehurst. Mickey and Minnie will be the ones to throw the switch, ably assisted by the lucky winner of the raffle that’s being organised by Higgs Butchers (@ £1 a ticket). Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, Buzz Lightyear and Woody will also be putting in an appearance. There will be Santa’s grotto, market stalls, food and entertainment.

At the end of that week, on Saturday 30th, stagger down to The Queen’s Head in Chislehurst High Street to stuff roasted chestnuts, quoff mulled wine, meet Father Christmas (again), watch All the Arts Theatre School in action then round it all off with karaoke in the pub.

By the time Christmas comes we will all be well and truly ready for a rest – and a detox.

However, at this time of year, in the midst of winter, it is rather comforting to see our shopping areas all lit up. Not just with the lights of the shops, but also the twinkly ones above the shops and in the trees.
 
So let’s all enjoy the lighting festivities that not only signal the start of the rush to Christmas but also symbolise why Christmas is called just that, rather than The Season of Consumerism Gone Mad.

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk
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Local scout saves a life


KATIE - SUPER HERO!
The dust has settled on last Friday’s BBC Children in Need appeal, but here at Village News we have always felt that to a greater or lesser extent we are all in Need at various times in our lives. No more so than a driver on a 358 bus on Children in Need day.



Fourteen-year-old local resident and 14th Bromley scout...and now super hero, Katie Haig, takes up the story.



“I was coming home from [Bishop Justus C of E] school after netball. The bus driver pulled over and opened the cab door and then collapsed out of his cab which is quite high up, before he could say anything. No one else knew first aid and everyone was getting off the bus apart from my friend and me. I came down from the back of the bus and telephoned 999 and told them what had happened. I then gave the ‘phone to a lady and put the bus driver in the recovery position.”



The bus driver regained consciousness. Katie continues, “I then asked him if anything hurt and he said that his head did. It was very red so all the blood was rushing to his head...he was lying with his head on the bottom of the slope on the bus. So I put loads of coats under his head so he would be upright so that all the blood wouldn’t keep rushing to his head. Then he started shivering and shaking so I asked my friends for all of their coats and put them over him. He then asked if I would stay with him until the ambulance came. I said “yes” and I did.



“The ambulance arrived very quickly, in about ten minutes.”



“When the paramedics arrived they told me that I had saved the bus driver’s life.”



Asked where Katie learnt about the recovery position, she replied “At scouts” where Katie has gained her stage 3 Emergency Aid badge. The requirements at this stage are 4 to 5 hours of training and activity assessed by a suitably qualified adult. These requirements include being able to respond to the needs of an unconscious patient.



In praising Katie’s actions, The Rev Canon Michael Adams, vicar of Christ Church, Chislehurst, commented “Katie has done a remarkable thing and deserves our thanks and applause for her quick thinking, quick witted response to a crisis. She brings honour to the church she belongs to and to the scouts as well.”



Whilst we wait for a response from The Scout Association (presumably busy putting a few more training programmes together) we at Village News think Katie deserves not just a badge but a medal. Do you? Leave your comments below.



www.bromleyscouts.org.uk

www.christchurchchislehurst.org



www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk

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Monday, 4 November 2013

Chislehurst, Petts Wood & Bickley Crime



CRIME REPORTED WITHIN A MILE RADIUS OF

for CHISLEHURST – Bromley Lane
for PETTS WOOD - Greencourt Road
for BICKLEY - Bickley Park Road

2013
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
Anti-social behaviour
28
39
18
23
25
15
17
27
25
20
25
22
20
36
22
22
25
30
26
37
49
25
33
47
19
38
21



Bicycle theft
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2
0
2
3
0
3
3
0
2
2
2
2
3
0
1



Burglary
10
35
9
13
32
17
11
20
8
15
23
15
13
12
10
13
5
12
14
12
21
13
17
17
14
16
9



Criminal damage & arson
6
12
6
7
8
11
5
12
3
11
4
6
5
9
10
8
3
10
4
9
15
4
5
6
2
9
13



Drugs
2
5
5
2
3
5
3
4
0
2
1
2
1
2
7
6
4
5
2
1
1
2
3
0
2
4
4



Other theft
4
11
17
11
14
7
17
18
18
16
15
14
14
13
8
13
10
10
18
11
10
12
14
7
15
13
7



Possession of weapons
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0



Public order
2
2
1
2
3
1
5
6
4
3
2
3
3
3
2
5
1
9
2
4
6
1
1
3
2
1
0



Robbery
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
2
1
2
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
0
0
3
0
2
1
1
1
2



Shoplifting
0
5
3
1
3
3
3
0
5
5
4
0
2
3
1
3
1
0
4
2
3
2
5
2
8
6
0



Theft from person
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
1
2
3
3



Vehicle crime
17
18
24
12
14
11
15
20
14
16
12
16
15
11
11
15
7
15
8
7
8
8
7
11
17
9
9



Violence & sexual offences
8
10
14
5
10
8
10
11
13
11
19
11
8
10
9
11
9
16
9
20
9
12
18
17
11
12
16



Other crime
5
10
3
4
1
4
3
3
0
3
3
2
0
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1



TOTAL
83
147
100
80
113
83
92
121
92
103
110
91
83
100
83
104
66
114
90
105
127
81
108
115
96
112
86




At the suggestion of a number of readers we are pleased to bring you, for the first time in one table, the crime figures for each month, since the beginning of 2013, as provided by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, for Chislehurst, Petts Wood and Bickley.

The figures are broken down into 11 categories until May when they were expanded into 14 categories.

Each month we will update the figures and comment on any blips or trends in the Latest News section; the tables will accumulate in the Crime page.

Trends: September was an average month in terms of total number of reported crimes across the three villages. The most crimes were reported for Petts Wood which has been the case for 6 of the last 9 months.

Blips: In September, once again there were no reports of possession of weapons in any of the three villages, making three clear months in a row. Public order crimes were the lowest of any of the months this year although shoplifting showed a jump in Chislehurst. Vehicle crime was also at its highest in Chislehurst.

There were 4 shoplifting offences near Chislehurst High Street. In 3 of these instances, suspects were charged and are awaiting a court outcome.

The 17 vehicle crimes in Chislehurst were spread around the village. All are either under investigation or no further action at this time; no one has been charged.

We hope you like this new addition; let us know – leave a comment!

www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk
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