Bromley Buzz

Darren Weale interviews Jake, a 15-year old volunteer with Bromley-based youth charity JusB. Jake explains what the charity means to him and that it has been his 'second home for 5 years'.

JustB has to raise £75,000 by the end of June or face closure. It has, as of when this episode is published, raised £40,000 of this sum. Please contribute if you can. A donation link is here.

A full interview also featuring Project Manager Ned Mc...

Darren Weale interviews Sue Spike, owner and Editor of the County Chronicle magazine, which serves Biggin Hill and areas near Bromley, including Westerham, Sevenoaks, Oxted, Edenbridge, Godstone, and Lingfield. 

Sue talks about her career, launching the County Chronicle in 2020, though the magazine does have earlier roots. She talks about the editorial content, which includes a regular Bromley Buzz column, and insights and 'antics'...

Zeenat Noorani and Sarah Marsh-Collings interview Mayor of Bromley Cllr Hannah Gray, as her second term as Mayor of Bromley draws to a close. 

Hannah reflects on the most meaningful, funny, and curious moments and events of her year and looks forward to the first thing that she'll do when she hands over the chain(s) of office. You can also hear our earlier interview with Hannah, recorded on her first full day in office, here.

We ar...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley.

With thanks to Bromley Buzz sponsor, Ian Wood Property, we talk about lots of Bromley positives, including Mercedes Yearley of Quest Soul Theatre, and having brunch (along with our Buzz colleague Sarah Marsh-Collings) with Cllr Hannah Gray, Mayor of Bromley. We share an excerpt from our interview with Hannah, which will be our next full episode. We cover West Wick...

Darren Weale interviews poet Richard Bowdery at the Orpington Record Store and Cafe, ahead of the Orpington Literary Festival which runs from 15th to 21st May. 

We talk about poetry, poetry therapy, and Richard reads two poems from his book 'Let Sleeping Dogs Stand', plus one from Darren (written on the day), and another by Nikita Gill. Richard talks about his  'poetry for those who don't read poetry', mental health, Barney the spa...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley.

We talk about the new sponsor of the Bromley Buzz, Ian Wood Property, and earlier and current support from Lee Thomas of the Newman Flexible Workspace, the CASPA event at Theatre 62 in West Wickham with Mercedes Yearley of Quest Soul Theatre, and hear singing from performaers Jamie and Izzie. We share our Victoria sponge controversy, and Zeenat's Let's Talk Better...

Darren Weale interviews Flavia Bertram, Outreach and Communications Officer for the South East London Community Energy co-operative (Selce). 

We talk about the cooperative status of Selce, its history, and purpose. A very active organisation that is keen to do more in Bromley, and partnering with Community Links Bromley, Selce is rolling out energy cafes here, recruiting volunteers as energy advisors, and creating solar arrays, a c...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley.

We feature the recent Bromley Voluntary Sector Assembly held at Community House by Community Links Bromley. The excerpt from the event is of Zeenat and Darren talking about their #LetsTalkBetter campaign, which was launched in Bromley on 24th February 2023. The campaign is supporting locally-based charity CASPA, and the Let's Talk Better website is here.

We are sp...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale interview the News Shopper newspaper's Digital Editor, Immy Share.

Immy covers a lot of ground, from her career to date, her ambitions, positive news, to the value of newspaper advertising. We love how passionate Immy is about her job, as she says, "there's nothing better than making a difference", and presenting 'Trusted local news'. We hear the rustle of a new issue of the newspaper, and the story ...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley, with a little help from Sarah Marsh-Collings.

It's been busy in Bromley. In a packed show, we cover an outing with Sarah and friend of the show Chandra Sharma. to the EEL Kent networking event at the Shampan restaurant in Westerham. Our third regular column in the County Chronicle magazine comes up, with reference to the Let's Talk Better campaign launch, and West...

Zeenat Noorani interviews actor Abi Hudson, who plays the Maid and other parts in Titanic The Musical which is at Bromley's Churchill Theatre from 16-18 March.

Abi talks about growing up in Bromley and being inspired by shows at the Churchill Theatre to take up acting, and what it is like to be 'on the other side of the stage' now she has graduated from the Royal Academy Of Music with a Masters degree in Musical Theatre. The show, ...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley.

We talk about the launch of our Let's Talk Better campaign on 24th February in Bromley's Copper Ceylon restaurant, the shows Blood Brothers and Titanic: The Musical at the Churchill Theatre. Zeenat gives a fabulous explanation of the value of journaling, with a mention for local enterprise Journalise, and we talk about the news that Jenup will be providing eating ...

Darren Weale visits the Vibe Arts Theatre School Bromley centre at Bickley Park School and interviews the founders of Vibe Arts, Matthew and Alex, and students Willow, age 14, Amelia, 10, and Samuel, 11.  Darren would like to add here, "I loved the whole experience! Willow, Amelia and Samuel were especially great to talk to."

Matthew and Alex share their pride and emotional involvement in what they are doing, and, with a class in p...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley.

With one day left, we talk again about our current food and drink hamper competition with Laura's Larder (ending 17th February). There is a short excerpt from interviews at the Vibe Arts Musical Theatre School in Bickley, with students Willow, 14, Amelia, 10, and Samuel, 11. A special, full episode will follow.

We cover the Love Bromley art installation by Your Br...

Darren Weale interviews the actor Robert Daws, who appears in a new show, Wodehouse In Wonderland, which runs at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley between 9th and11th March. Tickets here. 

Robert has acted in many, many roles, but clearly Wodehouse is dear to his heart, and as he says, he had a big hand in creating this show, which will go on to run in the US and India in future. This will be a return to the Churchill Theatre for Ro...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley. 

We talk with Joe at the Bridge House Theatre in Penge about their upcoming shows; journalist Susan Elkin about her new book, The Alzheimer's Diaries, and Courtney from the Signature Care Home in Beckenham. We reflect on our current food and drink hamper competition with Laura's Larder (ending 17th February), and cover, as ever, lots of news and events around Brom...

Zeenat Noorani and Darren Weale share the latest buzz about Bromley. 

We talk with former Bromley resident and footballer Zidan Miah, now with Rayo Vallecano, our food and drink hamper competition with Laura's Larder, and cover, as ever, lots of news and events around Bromley for the New Year. Moving outside Bromley, we touch upon visiting the lovely Hemsley Conservation Centre in Kent, and meeting their meerkats, squirrel monkeys,...