Bromley Buzz

Episode 66: Bowie, Jim Brown, and Orpington Wellbeing Cafe

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale present the latest Buzz about Bromley. It begins with an introduction by Jim Brown at the launch of Bromley Football Club's new club shop, which is named after him. Interviews with Jim and club Chairman Robin Stanton-Gleaves follow. More here.
This episode was recorded at Orpington Methodist Church, on the day of the launch of the Orpington Wellbeing Cafe, which offers fortnightly entertainment, social interaction and a hub to access health advice and services for people in Orpington and beyond. Interviews from the event will be released as a separate episode. It was great to see regular Bromley Buzz podcast guest Gareth Bacon MP opening the Cafe. 
We have a brief interview with comedian Sara Barron after she performed at Three Hounds Beer in Beckenham, part of the Bromley Arts Festival, and ahead of her appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe. We talk with two (!) David Bowie's from the Ziggy Stardust Family Funday in Beckenham, plus the man behind the Bromley Bowie Facebook page. There is lots of What's On this week including a Pride Showcase on 26th July at Bromley Picturehouse as part of the South London Film Festival. Plus the Young Poets of London day of poetry readings and workshops (and skateboarding) at Church House Gardens, Bromley Town Centre, 11:30am-9pm on Saturday 30th July.
We reflect on the recent Orpington Children's Business Fair and talk about the 'curry in a hurry' offered by the Copper Ceylon restaurant, We share a sponsorship appeal by the lovely Chelsfield Village Voice magazine which needs funds for its print copies to continue to be published.
We cover all this and much more, plus Zeenat provides her regular empowering question.
We are spreading the love! Do listen in and share the Buzz. You can find us on our website www.bromleybuzz.co.uk, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. #bromleybuzz
#ProudOfBromley

Episode 65: It’s hot stuff in Bromley

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale present the latest Buzz about Bromley. 
There is so much on this summer! We cover, or preview, as much as we can, from Beckenham's Taste of the Caribbean Festival where we met author of History Through The Black Experience, Simon Hudson, to the latest Beckenham Business Association event with Chair Jane Rogers at BAU Studios. Zeenat gave a great talk about confidence for business people, and we told attendees all about the Bromley Buzz. There is more on the Bromley Arts Festival and a thank you to the County Chronicle for covering it. We have interviews with business coach Lee Lam ahead of the Orpington Children's Business Fair on 16th July and with "big foodie" Haran Thurairajah of the newly award-winning Copper Ceylon restaurant, crochet and knitting at Orpington Library, and the usual array of diverse content about our lovely, diverse borough.  
All this and much more, plus Zeenat provides her regular empowering question.
We are spreading the love! Do listen in and share the Buzz. You can find us on our website www.bromleybuzz.co.uk, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. #bromleybuzz
#ProudOfBromley

Episode 64: Dreamboats and Petticoats

Darren Weale talks with actor-musician Chloe Edwards-Wood who appears in Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley between 12th-16th July. Tickets here.

Episode 63: David Bowie Experience

We speak with actor Ollie Slee, who plays David Bowie in the Bowie Experience which comes to the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on 24th July. On the first day of the Bromley Arts Festival, which runs throughout July, we love publishing an interview with the man picking up the mantle of Bromley's greatest cultural icon. As Ollie says, Bromley was for Bowie 'the foundation of everything he went on to do'.
Listen to what Glam Rock fan Ollie's dad makes of the show, Ollie's favourite costume, the seven changes of outfit with 'trousers flying off', and what it is like being a man who was 'effortlessly cool', and performing backed by a great live band. 
This is the anniversary year of Bowie's creation Ziggy Stardust, and just in the last few days the song Life On Mars was discussed on BBC Radio 4. 

Episode 62: Peter Fortune, London Assembly Member

We present a rather lengthy interview (as he was entertaining!) with Peter Fortune, London Assembly Member for Bexley and Bromley.

Episode 61: Briefcase Full Of Bromley, Beckenham Business Association

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale present the latest Buzz about Bromley. 
We introduce the new 'Briefcase full of Bromley' which contains things we talk about in the episode, and, for this episode, a harmonica. 
We interview Jane Rogers, Chair of the Beckenham Business Association, and discuss recent and future events in the borough.
All this and much more, plus Zeenat provides her regular empowering question....
We are spreading the love! Do listen in and share the Buzz. You can find us on our website www.bromleybuzz.co.uk, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. #bromleybuzz
#ProudOfBromley

Episode 60: Janet Lewis MBE, Director of English Youth Ballet

Darren Weale interviews interviews Miss Janet Lewis, MBE, Founder and Director of the English National Ballet, and a resident of Bromley, from The Orpington Record Store and Cafe in Orpington. Miss Lewis talks about her life and career, becoming an MBE, including dancing with some of the greats of ballet, such as her idol Margot Fonteyne, and the founding of the 'unique' English Youth Ballet in 1998 and what makes it special. The company tours the UK, but it is about to come home to its Bromley base once more.
The English Youth Ballet presents A Gala Evening of Ballet and Music on 19th June at the Churchill Theatre, which Janet describes as 'extremely exciting', and a 'wonderful expressive experience', with live music, 35 children from Bromley taking part, along with a number of professional youth dancers, and two Royal Ballet dancers. Tickets are available here.

Episode 59: Wembley, Jersey Boys, and Community Links Bromley

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale present the latest Buzz about Bromley. 
This episode reminisces about Bromley FC winning the FA Trophy at Wembley Stadium - and has crowd noise from when the winning goal was scored by Michael Cheek, and a recap on our interview with Manager Andy Woodman.
We review the 'triumph' (yes, we said that) that is The Jersey Boys at the Churchill Theatre and talk with audience members and use an excerpt of our interview with Michael Pickering who plays Frankie Valli. Christopher Evans, Chief Executive of Community Links Bromley, explains what the organisation does. 
All this and much more, not forgetting the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, plus Zeenat provides her regular empowering question....
We are spreading the love! Do listen in and share the Buzz. You can find us on our website www.bromleybuzz.co.uk, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. #bromleybuzz
#ProudOfBromley