Our Patch summer 2017 hail to our local heroes
Every community relies on volunteers with drive , spark and energy , and in Torin Douglas and Bridget Stevenson we have two of west London ’ s busiest bees . Tim Harrison met them
Not everyone has the oomph and dedication needed to be an effective community lynchpin , but in Torin Douglas and Bridget Stevenson , we ’ re blessed to have two of the most tireless champions .
When Bridget Stevenson was told she was too old to run her brownie pack , the steam from her ears could have fuelled The Flying Scotsman .
That was seven years ago , when Girlguiding UK was going through an ageist convulsion which threatened to end Bridget ’ s 20-year stint with the 15th Hammersmith pack , simply because she qualified for a bus pass .
Not one to let such blatant discrimination pass without comment , Bridget , who has lived with husband William in Flanchford Road , Shepherds Bush , since they bought the house for £ 8,500 in 1969 , suddenly found herself making the headlines , and even appeared on breakfast TV .
“ Sixty-five isn ’ t old anymore ,” she stormed at the time .
“ The voluntary sector must be losing lots of people . There ’ s hardly a load of young women queuing up for the job ! I love the Brownies . It ’ s a great way to get to know the local community . And working with kids keeps you younger .”
And Bridget eventually won the day .
Girlguiding rewrote its rulebook and scrapped retirement ages several years later , recognising that it could ill afford to lose experienced talent at a time when recruiting new leaders is a perpetual headache .
Bridget is now 72 , and is still volunteering with the troop based at St Peter ’ s Church , Black Lion Lane , where she has also been a church warden .
But any threat of enforced retirement is an issue that still raises hackles .
“ Do you know , they ’ d rather have closed down my pack than let me continue ?” she said .
Bridget believes the role of brown owl ( or of any brownie pack helper ) is still one of the most rewarding and pleasurable .
When she first led the brownies at St Peter ’ s there were five girls . Now there ’ s a full complement of 24 , and the waiting list is so full it ’ s been closed !
“ The time commitment is a couple of hours a week in term time , and occasional outings ,” she told Our Patch . “ It ’ s not onerous and you get to know the local families .”
The grandmother , who has three grown-up children ( the youngest of whom was married recently ) still adores working with seven to 10-year-olds .
She even continued to work with the brownies after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 .
“ I still went along every Tuesday night , unless it was a really bad chemo day ,” she said .
Bridget is also very involved with The Upper Room – the charity based at
Do you know , they ' d rather have closed down my brownie pack than let me continue ? Sixty-five isn ' t old anymore !
St Saviour ’ s Church in Wendell Park . “ It ’ s very worthwhile ,” she said . “ It makes a real difference . I ’ m a trustee , and do the HR side of things , help with fundraising and do the bridge afternoons . Do you know , one recently raised more than £ 1,000 !”
IT ' S AS EASY AS B-B-C When Torin Douglas was made an MBE in 2013 , the citation was crisp , simple and direct . Services to Chiswick .
“ We ’ ve lived in Chiswick for 40 years ; buying a tiny little house , doing it up , then buying and doing up another one . We couldn ’ t have afforded to move here soon after we did !” said the respected broadcaster who , for a quarter of a century , was the BBC ’ s media correspondent .
“ We ’ ve been in Ramillies Road for the last 30 years .”
Torin has poured his energy and enthusiasm into community projects , notably the Chiswick Book Festival ( which runs this year from September 14-18 ), of which he is director , and – imminently – the Bedford Park Festival , Chiswick ’ s biggest community event , from June 9-25 .
Pivotal to the success of the Bedford Park event is St Michael and All Angels Church ( where Torin is a sidesman ) and its expanded , rebuilt Victorian parish hall where an extra floor , constructed in an empty roof void , holds the key to the building ’ s adaptability .
“ We ran the Bedford Park Festival for several years , then nine years ago launched the book festival , on the grounds that we knew how to run a festival ,” said Torin .
The book festival has raised more than £ 47,000 for reading charities , including the Doorstep Library ( where the magic of reading is taken directly into deprived homes by a group of volunteers ), RNIB talking books and InterAct Stroke Support , in which actors read to stroke patients at Charing Cross Hospital .
Far from putting his feet up after leaving his job as one of the BBC ’ s most trusted voices , Torin seems busier than ever ; writing , public speaking and chairing conferences , and marshalling the small army of dedicated volunteers on which the success of festivals depends .
Also key to the festivals ’ success is sponsorship . “ We knit together local businesses such as Horton and Garton , and they sponsor our events ,” said Torin . “ The book festival also has a strong local element , with local authors – and writers from a wider area as Chiswick is so easy to get to .”