Brentwood – The Brentwood Buzz

2026 S4Ep28 Marines and Martial Arts

This week’s episode of The Brentwood Buzz celebrates what it is to be young, ambitious and ready to – as they say in recruitment – demonstrate transferable skills.

Jon Hegan lives in Brentwood and now runs the Jon Hegan Academy in Upminster, teaching Krav Maga, self defence and martial arts.

But before this he was a cadet in Cranham, joined the Marines, left to set up his martial arts business and spend fifteen years working in secure units for young offenders.

It’s been a fascinating and varied career, and Jon is this week’s guest on The Brentwood Buzz.

⁠https://www.kravmagacombat.com⁠

Self-Defence Classes near Brentwood

Brentwood Business Awards 2026

The Brentwood Buzz was fortunate enough to be a finalist in the 2025 Brentwood Business Awards, and a fabulous night was had amidst the glitz and glamour of an awards evening.

The 2026 finalists have now been announced, and The Brentwood Buzz is very happy to see some previous podcast guests featuring in the awards line up.

Andy Dennis from Meridian Kung Fu is up for the Sole Trader and Community Engagement Awards, while Preen Chakadona from Black and Being Essex is a fellow Community Engagement Award finalist.

The pink cafe, Chantilly, on Crown Street is in the running for the Hospitality Award, while McDonalds and The Lounge, Ingatestone are up for the High Street Impact Award.

If some of these names are familiar to you, or you’ve never heard of them and want to find out more, The Brentwood Buzz has grouped their podcast episodes together so you can have a listen!

S4Ep27 Follow The Yellow Brick Road to Brentwood’s Summer Panto

School’s out for summer, and if you’re looking for somewhere to take the children without having to go all the way up to London for a show, the summer pantomime – The Wizard of Oz – at Brentwood Theatre could be just the thing for you.

Staged by friend of the podcast (see S4Ep24 and S3Ep27 on Spotify), Sophia-Marie Hornsey, the show runs for three days and promises fun for all the family.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to Brentwood Theatre to meet the cast.

https://brentwood-theatre.co.uk

https://www.sophisticatedentertainment.com

S4Ep26 The Lemon Curd Lady of Pilgrims Hatch

Running your own business is no easy task, as we’ve heard many times on The Brentwood Buzz when interviewing some of our local independent businesses.

The Lemon Curd Lady – aka Sandra Harnor – sells her curds and marmalades at local farmers markets, fetes and fairs, having set up the business as part of an unexpected retirement plan.

Brentwood’s celebratory podcast, The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet The Lemon Curd Lady to find out what brought her to Brentwood and, most importantly, to have a look through the goods in her fridge!

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Lemon-Curd-Lady-61583838793590

Independents Day – Listen to some of Brentwood’s Independent Traders

The weekend of 4th July 2026 is Independence Day for the USA, but here in Brentwood it’s Independents’ Day, when our local independent shops and businesses encourage us to find them and use them!

The Brentwood Buzz has featured many of these independent businesses on the podcast in the last four years – have a listen to some of them by clicking on the Spotify links below.

S4Ep25 Essex Police Federation – Andy Thorn

The latest guest on Brentwood’s celebratory podcast, The Brentwood Buzz, is Andy Thorn. Currently the General Secretary of the Essex Police Federation, Andy has worked for Essex Police and the Met Police, he’s managed the Savoy Theatre in Monmouth, training for the ministry and offered pastoral care to the National Citizen Service when it was running in Suffolk.

We managed to pin him down to ask how many careers one man needs, and how his current work makes sure the police officers who keep us safe in Essex are protected and supported when the demands of 21st century policing hit home.

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S4Ep24 From Pilgrims Hatch to Panto – Sophisticated Entertainment Founder, Sophia-Maria Hornsey

Brentwood born and bred founder of Sophisticated Entertainment, Sophia-Marie Hornsey is this week’s guest on The Brentwood Buzz, Brentwood’s celebratory podcast.

Sophia-Marie appeared on the podcast last Christmas when she brought a panto version of Beauty and The Beast to The Brentwood Centre. Now she’s back having a chat about how she moved from Pilgrims Hatch Primary School to performing in the West End and on cruise ships to bringing panto to Brentwood.

http://www.sophisticatedentertainment.com/

https://brentwood-theatre.co.uk

S4Ep22 Mad or Well-Advised? Lindsay Hollingsworth Directs The Comedy of Errors

In recent The Brentwood Buzz podcasts we have found there is a talented pool of community theatre players who circle effortlessly around the various groups with a lead role here, a bit part there and occasionally even some directing thrown in.

One of those players is Lindsay Hollingsworth, writer of pantos for The College Players, in which she also acts and sometimes directs, when she’s not teaching youngsters to play percussion instruments, or encouraging them to join Brentwood’s Orchestras for Young Musicians.

This summer Lindsay is bringing her directing skills to Romford Shakespeare Theatre for its summer show, The Comedy of Errors, which will be performed outside in Hornchurch.

The Brentwood Buzz has been to meet Lindsay to find out why the arts are so important to her.

https://www.romfordshakespearetheatre.co.uk

S4Ep19 Brentwood Musical Theatre Society’s Family Connections

Brentwood Musical Theatre Society is no stranger to The Brentwood Buzz, featuring in S3Ep19 and S1Ep17 as well as a decent mention in the recent chat with actor Stephen Moyer.

BTMS’s next show is Evita at the Brentwood Theatre from 19th to 23rd May 2026, so we’ve been back to talk to some of the Society’s long standing members and find out why being part of this fabulous community theatre group is a real family affair.

https://brentwoodoperaticsociety.co.uk/

S4Ep18 The Bear in The Room with Artist Jill Busby

Graphic designer and Brentwood mum, Jill Busby, of Hive Art Studios is bringing her artistic skills to the King George’s Playing Fields Pavilion on 14th May with a “Sip and Paint” evening.

Wineglasses are some of the smaller items Jill paints, as The Brentwood Buzz discovered when visiting Jill’s studio.

http://www.hiveartstudio.co.uk