Our PaTCh suMMer 2017
Hail to oUr
local Heroes
Every community relies
on volunteers with drive,
spark and energ y, and in
Torin Douglas and Bridget
Stevenson we have two of
west London’s busiest bees.
Tim Harrison met them
N
ot 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
qualifi ed 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-fi ve isn’t old anymore,” she
stormed at the time.
“The voluntary sector must be