BARA

My mother used to collect her pension from post office 10 mins walk away from her. This was closed a few years ago and nearest PO is now over a mile away. Mum is 84, walks with a 3 wheeler trolley, finds it difficult to get on the bus, uses Dial a Ride but cannot rely on this each week. Her local bank was closed and nearest branch is 2 bus rides away. After having a heart attack in December, she finally asked me to become the second card holder to her acount, which allows me to get her pension. If she did not have family - she would be stuck as does not have a home carer.

Older people who are unable to get out, have giros sent to them weekly as this is the only way they can get others (usually home carers)to get pension out. The fewer PO open, the harder it will be for these very dependent people to access money to live on weekly.

I gather from friends who live in the borough of Croydon, that Nero's opened in the borough ( I think it was at Crystal Palace)some time ago without seeking planning permission or change of use. I have been told this is a standard Nero trick - they build up custom, flout local planning laws, local council takes them to task, and Nero defies all legal challenges/ ignores closure notices as they know it takes local council time and money to prosecute, in mean while Nero nets in tidy sums of money. Money no doubt to move into another area and start the whole process again.

When I enquired of Southwark Council re the procedure of obtaining a disabled parking bay for a client, I was asked whether the client would be the driver of the car. I explained no it would be the daughter or the son collecting her on a daily basis to take her to a day centre. Was informed that since the son or daughter did not live at the address, lady was not entitled to disabled bay but that she could use any other bay in the street as they were not designated to a specific address.

School holidays would see my mates and I, from 11 years old plus, get a red rover bus pass and see how many buses we could go on in a day. Remember going up to Old Street and kings Cross Station, one time. Sandwiches were eaten anywhere we felt hungry, a bottle of pop and some fruit, plus a few pennies (old money) to spend. Running up the down esculators on the tube, before being chucked out by the station guards.

When my eldest daughter (now 35) was young, a whole gaggle of mums and kids would go to Horniman Gardens paddling pool on good days with a picnic and towels. The kids had a great time in and out ofthe pool, on the very few play apparatus, and generally running on grass. It was a sad day when Lewisham decided on H & S grounds that the pool could not continue.

Peckham Rye had a pool but not so nice as Hornimans. Southwark Park had an open air lido - a bit of a treck from ED but worth it. Brockwell Park Lido nearer, but in those days very basic. I remember in my teens spending hot summer days in the Peckham Lido opposite the Rye, again a picnic and a few pence entrance fee.

Youth Club for the area was St. Thomas More's in the hall in Lordship Lane. Twice a week we attended, my catholic friend, myself (no religion) and a greek orthodox mate. We went sailing over a weekend, table tennis matches - where I got to the semi finals, trips to the seaside. One trip over Easter to Ramsgate, where we had to take shelter from a sudden snow blizzard in a motorway service centre- then back on the coach to a freezing day on the seafront.

Most of my days were spent playing in Dulwich Park at weekends and holidays - tennis, rounders, cycling.

There is still a youth club at Darrell Road, called Post Box, met on Weds and Fridays. However, due to shortages of youth workers, currently only open on Weds from 6.30 pm.

having lived all my life in ED from 1950s (except for 3 years in Forest Hill) - it was never a 'rough' working class area.

Had a large group of elderly people, and I suppose that in the 1950s, anyone over 45 was 'elderly'.

The Odeon Cinema in Grove Vale was always packed for the saturday morning kids club. Gateways was the first supermarket in the area (was it called Gateways upon opening?) must have been in early 60s - what an excitment. Grove Vale school (Goose Green now) served, along with Heber and St Johns (then in North X Rd) the ED kids. No Dog Kennel Hill school then, so all my friends came from the DKH Estate.

You were posh if you went to the village schools and lived in Court Lane, Woodwarde, Townley and Eynella.

In the mid 1970s to get your child into Dulwich Village Infants, you had to state how much you were prepared to pay for a'brick' the old school was being rebuit/extended. Those who got in were the ones who offerd the most money for a brick.

I think we offered around ?30 (which was my weekly take home pay) - a friend on benefit, got her parents to offer ?100 -

needless to say she got in and we did'nt.

You were posh if you did'nt go to the Sat. morning cinema, and posh girls did'nt hang upside down on the railing by side of cinema showing their navy blue knickers. Washing machines were a luxury in the 60s

ED was dead in the 60s for teenagers- Peckham was the place to go to get your Levi/Wrangler jeans (pale blue), chelsea boots and records from Woolies.Peckham was so up market - it had a Wimpy Bar. I cannot remember ED even having a cafe, but we did have a Chinese restaurant the White Swan?.

If you were posh in 60s you did not eat spag bol as unladylike slurping up the pasta and getting chin covered in sauce.

Nearest Italian in early 60s was Lewisham.

In relation to the posting put by myself on behalf of the Community Centre.

1. The centre is run by a volunteer management committee.

2. It is a registered charity and therefore has certain restrictions.

3. Money to run the centre is raised by hiring out the premises to local groups i.e. after school and holiday clubs,

weight watchers, an Afro Caribbean elders club, Youth Club, and recently Southwark Community Games have commenced sessions.

4. All money raised from hire fees go to maintaining the premises and employing part time cleaning and maitenance staff.

5. The Community Centre (under the former name of Alleyn CC) has been operating since 1980.

6. Southwark Council used to provide a grant to maintain the premises, but this ceased over 10 years ago, so the centre

has to seek additional funding from other sources.

7. Last year the centre was fortunate to secure funding for a Development Worker to explore the unmet need of the community, to encourage and facilitate new ventures/groups. To seek funding from various sources to make such groups sustainable.

8.The parent support idea came from a number of parents who felt isolated and unsure with regards to their parenting skills and were seeking support from other parents who had experienced similiar worries/problems but had survived/coped etc.

9. Limited funding from the Development worker's budget has been identified to run a pilot project, and if this is successful, funding applications will be made to suitable grant giving organisations.

10. The Centre has strong links with BARA and Christ Church, and there are several projects which all three entities are involved with.

11.The Dulwich Community Council, Tessa Jowell, past and present ward councillors, the Police Safer Neighbourhood Team, and many Southwark Council Departments work with the management committee in developing initiatives to benefit the local community.

12. Many of the management committee are involved in other voluntary work i.e. school governors, healthy eating projects,

counselling and social work organisations, the Law Centre, Traid Craft and Fair Trade, Pensioners groups etc.

13. Southwark Council are seeking to make the centre a 'hub' for the local community and to expand the range of activities, advice and support groups, provide a venue for children and their families to meet.

In running a parents support group pilot, there are no hidden agendas and costs, simply trying to met the needs of local parents who have sought assistance. if after running this session, the evaluation process arrives at the decision that there is insufficient demand for a continuation of such a project then it will cease.

I am putting this information on EDF on behalf of the East Dulwich Community Centre in Darrell Road. SE 22.

Some time ago, the centre's committee were approached to run a pilot Parent Support Group. Some parents had expressed a wish to know how to manage their children's behaviour. They wanted to get ideas from other parents as the best way to approach their youngster, without inflaming the situation. This ranged from simple tactics as geting the children to go to bed by a certain time, to a 'mouthy' teenager.

The centre's project worker has enlisted the help of a professional adviser and will be running a session at the Community centre on Monday 3rd March 6.30 - 8.30 pm. if there is sufficient need for a self help parent support group or for a group facilitated by the adviser, further sessions will be arranged.

Whether you are worried about your child's behaviour, or want to know more about parenting skills, or just want reassurance that you are on 'the right track'. It might be that you feel that your child has special needs which the school are not taking seriously. Both people running the event are professional in child health/educational fields with 20 plus years experience each in working with children and young people. Please PM me if you need more information

I changed careers at 40 years old. Worked as a senior manager for ILEA- working my way up the ladder from clerical to management over the years.When I left school at 18 with one A level, this was not enough to get me into college.

Many years down the line, my boss encouraged me to do a 'day release' at Birkbeck College - where I obtained a Diploma in Urban Studies. The learning bug, bit and I volunteered for redundancy from ILEA in 1990. Redundancy money helped me, with a student grant, to do a 3 year degree and a 2 year postgraduate professional diploma. I am now, 13 years almost later, working in a profession that I dreamed about at 18. I love my job, it is well paid, local, with great variety. For me, the turning point was that my old boss Hazel, saw something in me and gave me courage and confidence to try something new. Learning part time gave me the gradual confidence in my ability to do something different. Why not try a floristry course part time, or attend a summer school in this subject, do displays etc for friends and relatives, then think could I do this full time and earn a living. Can I bear to be up at 4 am to troup off to New Covent Garden Market, when it is sub zero temperatures outside!!!

Many thanks for all of your replies. It certainly seems a mixed bag of poor and good reception in the area. Aerial man stated that the aerial was pointing away from tall buildings i.e. Barry House. I did say rumour had it that Barry HOuse spire had a telephone mast installed. Aerial bloke looked out and could'nt see anything. Thought we would have continual problems if there was a mast. Gets bad during evenings that is why the suggestion of someone using the frequencies i.e. mini cab firm or pirate radio station. A previous engineer suggested a digital box, but last bloke said with a digital TV we did'nt need one. When we had an analogue set, rarely had problems even with an ancient aerial.Having spent over ?100 having new aerial put up, will only have cable at last resort. I will try and get the engineers to honour their appointment of getting up on the roof to check connections. We have a years guarentee on the aerial, and I think they are not so keen on solving problems is there is no cash following.

One neighbour rarely uses TV and has analogue have not been able to catch the other 2.

Does anyone else in the Barry Road/Lordship lane junction area have problems getting a good TV reception on either analogue or digital channels?.

When we got a digital TV found that our old aerial was not up to coping with modern technolgy (put up in 1974) so had a new one installed last May. Have had the company back at least 6 times ( and about 6/8 unkept appointments) to sort out why we cannot get a decent picture - last week engineer felt that someone was transmitting on a similar frequency - i.e. mini cab firm, but nearest is around Upland Road/North Cross or Rye end of Barry. Even analogue has lines on it. Another engineer was supposed to turn up yesterday morning between 8.30 - 9 am to check connections on roof - but I waited in until 9.55 before leaving for work. Other possibility is that someone is operating a pirate radio station.

Would be interested to know if any other resident has similiar problems. It is worse from around 8 pm - each night and the few very late nights I am up, is still bad at 3 am. Internal aerial tried - cannot get most of the channels.

I wanted to work with animals when young and in my teens wanted to go to Agricultural College. I especially loved cows, spent holidays on farms - ended up a social worker!! Is there a connection? Social Work was a career change undertaken

15 years ago.

Aske's is so popular that there are only a 100 places for over 2000 applicants. Tried to get my daughter in there 12 years ago when there were only 1000 applicants for 100 places. Ended up with Sydenham Girls - very happy with this school, both daughters went onto University ( one for Psychology other for teaching). As said in previous links, if the girls want to do well and can ignore the disruptive element in the school, the teachers give alot of respect and time to those who genuinely want to study and improve.

Only decent boys school is St. Thomas Apostle, but Kingsdale is popular and on the up.

Found a bunch of keys in a case on my front garden wall around 9.45 last night. If you know of anyone searching for a lost set and who was in the area of Barry Road between Plough and St. Anthony's School, please get them to do a PM - describing the set. If I do not hear from anyone, will take them down the Police Station later this week.

This part of LL is getting very difficult to access - with cars on the pub side, cars trying to turn into ED Grove, silly buggers coming down ED Grove who ignore the no right turn signs. Was stuck between the roundabout and ED Grove for ages last night ( around 6.15) as 2 37s at bus stop outside Nero's, cars parked between EDT and the Bishop, a large van trying to overtake the 37's and just squeezing through the cars trying to go up LL. Another idiot coming from EDGrove trying to follow the van, a car turning right into EDG forced to stop midway across as could'nt get into EDG. A right balls up.

I vaguely remember that as a 'sweetner' for re-routing 37s up EDG instead of Melbourne, that TFL were going to install traffic lights to aide the flow - or was I imagining it?. I know a discussion came up at the East Dulwich Community Council about it a year or so back.

Since our Community Council Members read this site - perhaps they can bring it up at the next meeting. Or should someone ask a question under the Soap Box rule.

Owning 3 cats (including one with 3 legs and poor sense of direction) I always worry when they are out a long time. Count me in on the cat watch (or any other pet watch). We have a cat flap and frequently find 'guest cats' enjoying lunch and even sleeping on our beds.

We are dogless for the time being, the first time in about 10 years (we have had 4 retired greyhounds) and are a little out of touch with dogs and their owners - so loose/stray dogs in the area may not be so easily recognisable to us.

We are the top [art of Barry Road, backing onto Plough Lane and Landells Road.

Have lived on Barry Road since 1975, I am at the Library end. Can be difficult with parking at times as many of the houses are converted to flats. Neighbours on either side both had underpinning done about 8 - 10 years ago, but we ( touch wood) have been ok. Only really noisy if you have windows wide open - we have double glazing in the front but not the back.

My end of Barry Rd is fairly friendly - on first name terms with at least 5 houses'occupants, who all have been around for many years. BARA is the residents' association that covers Barry Road and surrounding area from Lordship Lane to Upland Road. Mixture of family housing and flats - with a scattering of council properties/Housing Association properties.

I too popped in yesterday and found things more affordable than the SNUB tent, Came back with some books and spices. Did not have enough money on me to buy cheese but thought the warehouse had potential. Once all the stall spaces are let should prove an alternative venue to NX Rd.

I lost my chimney and part of the stack which lodged in the roof above my daughter's bedroom. A few trees were blown down in Barry Road, and a few cars crushed.

George Hammond was a popular local Bobby and was well known and loved by all who attended the East Dulwich Community Centre (known in those days as Alleyn Community Centre). There were local fund raising events to purchase a scanner for Kings. George was stabbed in 1985 - I remember the time as being part of the Community Centre, Les Reid ( now long departed) and I were responsible for the social events and we had a fund raising night in February 1986 and raised almost a ?1000 for the scanner . Remember the date well as I had to apply for a drinks licence at Camberwell Court and when they saw I was 8 months pregnant - magistrate asked one or two questions and rushed me out. I had my daughter 2 weeks prior to the fundrasing night and she slept in her pram in the centre's office. George went to live in Forest Hill - Honor Oak Rise I think it was, where he died some years later.

Badgers Bakery at the Dulwich Library end of LL is good- various types of bread (organic/rye etc) reasonable price.

Do a good line in celebration cakes which have to be ordered. You can get Polish bread in Vals Grocers next to Red Apples newsagents.

Barry House was originally Greystones / Greystokes? Nursing Home but after several national newspapers published details of physical abuse and neglect of a resident there who died as result of this, local authorities were wary about using it for older people. It started to take in younger physically and mentally disabled people but again ran in to trouble with NHS/LA for poor practice. Relatives began taking their loved ones out and social services rehoused the rest.

When it first opened Barry House was a hostel for homeless people - unfortunately some of the early residents were so anti social, picking fights in the street, attacking bus drivers, children out of control - police being called out several times a day. Barry House took in Asylum seekers who were for the most part, no trouble. Home Office funding was withdrawn at one time and they went back to housing homeless people. I did hear that they refused to take homeless people after around ?40,000 of damage was done to the premises, with furniture being ripped and broken on a regular basis.

Home Office have funded them again but they seem to be a 'stopping off ' venue, and the mini buses transport them to more permanent sites/venues. Nobody, as far as I can tell, (I live opposite) instructs them to be off the premises at 8 am.

Residents and staff tend to be friendly - very rarely trouble there now.

Any concerns about this hostel or its residents - ask to speak to Martin, who is one of the Directors.

I am in 2 minds re CPZ - they can be a boon but depending how they are done. In Clapham, when I worked in Lambeth a few years ago- each couple of roads were given different zones i.e. Roads A- C would be classed as Zone 1a, D- F =Zone 1b. Resident with Zone 1a badge not being able to park anywhere in the Zone would end up in Zone 1b and get themselves a parking ticket. Much better to have an area designated as one zone and having several streets to choose from.

As an essential car user working with elderly, mentally ill and other vulnerable people - I can get called out on an emergency anytime between 9 - 5 pm and without my employers purchasing a borough wide resident parking permit for me (and colleagues)I would be spending my time roaming the streets for somewhere to park whilst my client could be in need of medical attention.

I think the current resident permit cost in Southwark is around ?75.

Betty M, Chris and Peggy are still around ( and attending BARA events) and Eileen M is an absolute scream - my husband and I still laugh over her comments made years ago whilst getting some jeans for her son from a local jumble sale. Too rude to print here and would not want to embarass the lad.Pity Alan moved away he was a frequent attender at BARA meetings.

The lady in white used to attend the Maudsley Day Centre at 10 Upland Road, have not seen her for years but my boss saw her a few months ago in Camberwell.

The 'diversity' of East Dulwich is generated in part by those who have purchased housing here - which tends to be more expensive than Forest Hill and Sydenham. For the most part newcomers come with the salaries to attract the larger mortgages and who expect a standard of shop which 10 years ago would only have been found in Dulwich Village/Blackheath/some parts of Clapham. Us 'oldies' who have either grown up in the area, or purchased property when East Dulwich was 'down market' are a mixed bag- we are to some extent income poor but asset rich. My family could not afford to shop in some of the recent 'high street'/ North Cross Road type establishments. On the other hand, ED has gone from being 'bed sit land' to rented flats and houses which are attracting a variety of classes/cultures/ethnic backgrounds/income levels which add to the regeneration of East Dulwich. As a residents' association, BARA receives a grant from Southwark Council to provide a meeting place for Southwark Council Tenants and Leaseholders, and to hold events relating to improving housing/living/environment/quality of life of these residents. As BARA is opened to all residents- regardless of tenure, we have a mixture of ages/ethnic backgrounds/income/owner occupiers/social housing/ private tenants.

Their interest in joining us varies from wanting to integrate into a new area, to improve community relations and social cohesion and to improve the local environment.

The diversity of ED comes from the acceptance (to the most part) of all social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. An American colleague complimented us on how well 'strangers' are accepted within the local community and that we were more hospitable/friendlier than most of her fellow Americans. The East Dulwich Community Centre (where BARA is based) has seen over the past 2 years more organisations being developed reflecting the diversity of the area - The Afro Caribbean Elders Group, The Southwark Muslim organisations, A Bangladeshi Group, and the Milan Association which embraces all cultures.

None of my children live in ED - they cannot afford either the rental rates of a property - or to purchase a family home, they now live in Orpington, Sussex and Essex where a 3 bed terrace house can still be purchased under ?195,000. I would think those who are moving out of the area are moving for economic reasons and not really by choice.

timtim Wrote:

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> What's all the commotion? Never heard so many

> sirens. And two helicopters overheard. Hearing

> all this from Barry road area, but it sounds as

> though is going from LL

We are at the top of Barry Road near LL - agree it appears to be LL area - heard the helicopters but just stuck my head out of top windows back and front - all quiet on the western front now. They were having a band playing at the Plough tonight- perhaps there has been some agro. Mind you we usually hear the punters quite clearly even with TV on- so could not be the Plough