Sue

The OP asked for advice from people on the internet. People who replied were trying to be helpful.

Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help, as they have connections with various relevant people/organisations. Your GP surgery may have access to a "social prescriber" who can similarly help. I was referred to the one attached to my GP surgery when I was very stressed with external issues. There used to be a community police officer in every neighbourhood, and if they still exist, I would say they should be your first port of call. I'm so sorry. It is so stressful living with nasty neighbours, although I agree finding out that other neighbours have also had issues with them at least makes you feel that it is not just you they are targeting. As regards the apparently poisoned plants and trees, if you know someone who is a member of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), they have access to a free advice service, who I'm sure could help pinpoint the likely cause of death. Unfortunately I didn't renew my membership this year, otherwise I would have offered to help.

Back on topic (!), just a reminder that the new incarnation of the ED Forum drinks will be in The Palmerston TOMORROW Wednesday 11 June from 7pm. Turn immediately left as you come in by the main Lordship Lane entrance, and we will be in the area there. Hope that at least a few of you will be up for getting to know some of your fellow forum members in real life!

The tables are booked from 7pm. We will be there from 7pm, so come any time after that! There's info on the forum Events page.

You didn't need to be in the gents to smell it. You could smell it as soon as you went into the pub 😵‍💫 Anyway, to return to Wednesday's Forum Drinks in The Palmerston - just two days to go!

Hmmm. I wonder how their performance so far in government will affect local votes for councillors.

What Firkins were they? The only localish ones I remember were the Phoenix and Firkin and the Fox and Firkin. The Plough has changed its name several times, and then back to the Plough, but to the best of my recollection the Uplands Tavern was named that until it became The Actress, and The Bishop was called something else whose name escapes me (though the smell from the gents lingers in my memory) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Firkin?

I have never noticed bindweed on pavements, but it's an absolute sod on my allotment. That and couch grass 🤬

Will do!

Just posting this to bring the thread to the top so I can find it easily! I'm intending to do a plant centre crawl later in the week to get ideas. Thanks so much everybody for your suggestions. My very small garden is presently mostly taken up with a very beautiful rose (Seagull) which has single white flowers which the bees love, then hips which the birds eat (I think) but which has totally outgrown its space!

True. And I'll have a look online. Thank you for the explanation. I have just googled, and that is indeed the case with certain weeds. I had no idea that this could happen, so thank you. The below is apparently all Southwark Council has to say. They don't say why they remove weeds, just that they do, and how. They've got a lot more to say about Japanese Knotweed, which does indeed cause problems, but which they don't remove! However I've never noticed any round here.

It's probably less of a priority for them than it appears to be for the OP! Nobody is saying that local businesses are not part of the community. But in the context of this thread, there is a clear distinction between local businesses set up to make a profit for individuals and local non profit organisations set up to help groups and individuals in the community. What has living in social housing got to do with anything? And who is forcing anybody to "accept a secondary definition" or telling anybody to "shut up"?

Whilst I agree this is unlikely to be some plot, individual drivers may not have evidence of the time parking suspension notices were put up.

This is NEXT WEDNESDAY 11 June! Just turn up if you prefer not to give prior notice! The Palmerston from 7pm, turn left as you come in! (If you have been hiding under a rock, The Palmerston is the pub on Lordship Lane on the corner of North Cross Road).

Yes, at first I assumed that the bin men had taken flowering plants from my front garden while getting at my brown food bin, instead of reaching over the wall. I was very confused as I couldn't see any obvious gaps. Surely taking Toadflax from a resident's wall is not part of the council's remit? What next, are they going to come round and trim hedges in front gardens? 🤬

Every year council workers come round and remove "weeds" from pavements. These "weeds" are wild flowers which as well as brightening up the urban environment attract pollinating insects including bees. Can someone explain to me what is the purpose of this removal? The plants do not seem to be causing any kind of obstruction to pedestrians, and they make my walks around the area more pleasant. Or had done. It seems a bit odd that on the one hand the council are deliberately planting areas of wild flowers (eg on Goose Green, albeit not apparently maintaining them very well) and/or apparently letting previously cultivated areas go wild (eg on Goose Green roundabout) but on the other hand they are paying employees to come round and remove wild flowers. Why? Am I missing something here? I came out the other day to find a small pile of flowering Toadflax and Alkanet outside my house. I was totally bemused until a neighbour told me the reason.

Have you changed your mind about taking the task on which Monica used to do, then?

There was also a council one on Goose Green, near the gate by the church. I have no idea if it's still there. But the community notice boards in shops have nothing to do with the council, to the best of my knowledge. The shops provide them on their own initiative. I think anybody can post things there. There is one in the Picture House, as well.

Yes, that's a great idea, but the companies online seem to be very cagey about costs, which implies it would be more than I would be willing to pay. And If it was a cheap "collect and shred" service, being cynical, I would assume that actually the shredding probably wasn't going to happen 🤣

It wasn't me who started the thread! Monica no longer lives locally. I've given my opinion, and so have others, which is that it should remain a community notice board. If you think it's better used for commercial purposes, good luck to you with organising that and deciding who gets priority. If local businesses have "little to no marketing budget", as you say in another post above, they surely should have taken that into account before deciding to start up a business which needs marketing other than just having a shop front and/or posting on free places like this forum?

Who then would decide on the priority for notices? There are many small local businesses, and a limited amount of space. Surely it would be better to put pressure on the council to use the noticeboard for its original intended purpose?

I initially thought that too, but it looks like the cyclist will pass the end of the crossing long before the pedestrians get there!

Thanks very much, that's really interesting. I feel better about the shredded paper not being recycled now! And even better that I can get it out of the house and into the green bin! I will save a bit for future composting though (and homemade seed paper, thanks Peckhamgatecrasher) x

That's very very clever! Ah, ok. So I just put it in the green bin? Probably better in a black bin bag so it doesn't blow all over the street/recycling centre, but then what happens when they burn it in the black bag? And how do they "get energy from it" when it burns? Is it turned into electricity or something? I went on a tour of the recycling centre years ago, but I don't remember them talking about that! Thanks, I have far too much, it would take years! I do have two "daleks" on my allotment but I would need to store the shredded paper somewhere before using it, and I really want it out of the house. It's taking up more room than the boxes of folders did before 🤣