A Local Mum, A Fresh Voice: Meet Baij

We’re delighted to welcome Baij to our committee as our Events Coordinator. As a local mum who regularly enjoys the recreation ground and playground, Baij brings a genuine connection to our community and a real understanding of what local families love. We’re excited to have her on board and look forward to the energy and ideas she’ll bring to our events.

Keep The Roost Café Open – Save Our Community Hub

For 6+ years, The Roost Café in Chislehurst Recreation Ground has been the heart of our park.
It’s where parents warm up on the sidelines, dog walkers grab a coffee, friends meet after a walk, and families gather while kids play football.

But now Bromley Council’s unfair lease could force it to close most of the week.

The café sits in a pavilion funded almost entirely by the community – over £369,000 raised through grants and local support. The council didn’t contribute to the build.

However, the current lease requires 15% of turnover above £10,000, making it impossible for this small community café to remain open as it would operate at a loss.

From 31 March, The Roost may only open on football weekends — and could close entirely outside the season.

That means:
No weekday café in the park
Loss of a vital community meeting place
Reduced services for families and residents

All we’re asking for is a fair lease so this community hub can stay open for everyone.

Sign the petition and help keep The Roost open

Please share and let’s protect the heart of Chislehurst Rec

 

Why are there posts in the ground in Walden Rec?

Part of Walden Rec is now a bee corridor which means it won’t be mowed as often as the rest of the rec. 

We won’t plant any wild flowers for the time being but will wait and see what what naturally grows in the area.

The flowers will not only benefit bees but can also support other insects as well as species such as butterflies, dragonflies and moths.

We have also asked Idverde not to mow some of the grass along the side of the path towards Whytes woods and will plant indigenous flowers shortly to encourage more insects to inhabit the area.The flowers will not only benefit bees but can also support other insects as well as species such as butterflies, dragonflies and moths.

We have also asked Idverde not to mow some of the grass along the side of the path towards Whytes woods and will plant indigenous flowers shortly to encourage more insects to inhabit the area.

Did you know that the honey bee population in the UK has halved in the last 25 years? Exact reasons for this decline aren’t known but include:

  • shrinking habitats

  • pests and diseases

  • pollution

  • the use of pesticides and fertilisers on crops

  • recent poor summers

And we’re not just losing bees. Three-quarters of butterfly species and two-thirds of moths have seen their populations go down since the 1970s.

If pollinating insects can’t move around, they go hungry, their breeding pools become smaller and the species become less resistant to pests and diseases. That’s why these corridors are important, enabling the pollinators to move from one area to the next.Hopefully we will see lots of bees, butterflies, moths and other insects in Walden rec. in the future now our bee corridor is open for business  🦋  

Past Events

On Tuesday, 21. January, 2025 from 10 am to noon, our Environment and Biodiversity group will be working in Walden Woods, improving the wet woodland. Activities will include:

* Removing holly saplings from stream banks
* Building dead hedges
* Clearing the stream

If you’d like to be part of this amazing group, just turn up! There’s plenty to do, even if digging and planting isn’t your thing.

We’ll meet by the FOCRG container in Walden Recreation Ground at 10 am. Please bring gardening gloves.

Walden Recreation Ground, Victoria Rd, Chislehurst BR7 6DF