KestonKid

Fond memories of Monkey Music with Rebecca - still going on at Goose Green Community Centre and also at the centre in Dulwich Park.

If you google Downhills Primary School there are several items explaining what happened there. History now, as it was given by Mr Gove to Harris Federation to run. It all depends whether or not you think that state schools should be run by an elected local authority, or by a private organisation. The Guardian today has an article by Rajeev Syal about a free school and its troubles.

Thank you to LondonMix for the info about the National Literary Trust. No problems at all with what sounds a thoroughly good thing. Forgive me for being slightly suspicious. I am sure there is a hidden agenda circling Heber School - the situation sounds so similar to that at Downhills Primary School in North London. My interest is that of a Heber grandparent (Year 5 now). Zoe Williams in today's Guardian says it all far better than I could.

May we know for which educational charity LondonMix volunteers?

A fine structure. And we do need a cheap hotel don't we?

One local charity you might consider is Dulwich Helpline & Southwark Churches Care. Based at Dulwich Hospital, it supports isolated older people in Southwark. I do some volunteering for them and find it both rewarding and fun.

Yo Zebedee!

My email also bounced back twice so I went to the practice yesterday in person to find out what was going on. It seems that they recently changed their email address. The receptionists were perfectly nice and helpful but not much bothered! The whole place had a rather odd look - big sign warning patients not to attempt to discuss more than one complaint per appointment. Surely it is well known that patients can have two apparently separate conditions wbich should be considered together. The appointments screen had an "out of order" sign on it.

Getting close to jumping ship

Uncle Ben - may I join others in thanking you you for your helpful and sympathetic post. Always a pleasure to hear from you.

Another Big Up for Niko. He came at 9.30 last night to sort out a blocked pipe. Quick, reasonable, and a good bloke as well.

Not quite sure that knotweed is no threat to buildings. Our insurance company takes a dfferent view about the weed in our our two neighbours' gardens and asked me to contact their housing associations to suggest that they took action. This duly took place (twice) last year - a contractor came and injected it all - yet it has now reappeared and further treatment is being arranged.

No Virgin reception on Melbourne Grove this pm.

Anyone else affected?

Where was this?

There is an Oxfam Bookshop on Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill. You can get Nectar points as well!

Mrs TP is spot on. Mountains, molehills and so on.

Dulwich Multitrade, 296 Lordship Lane, tel: 02084807162 are terrific and can do absolutely everything - no need to bring in any outside contractors. We have used them several times and have found them to be reliable, efficient, pleasant and also reasonable pricewise.

It's been a favourite spot for dumping stuff for years. The back lane behind the shops is apparently not the council's responsibility so although in extremis they have cleared it now and again they are not keen. The problem seems to be not so much the shops - the bike shop for example put out their cardboard rubbish but are meticulous in getting it swiftly removed. Oddly (or not), fly-tipping seems to have got worse since the fairly recent appearance of a painted message on the wall reading "No Fly Tipping".

Anyone in the Melbourne Grove area experiencing problems with Virgin broadband?

I asked about donating some (new) books a year or two ago and was told that the policy was that they would take only books which they already had in their system.

Thought it was a great improvement all round. The four terminals in the lobby are really easy and quick to use, and the main ground floor room seems bigger and lighter. There is one desk for enquiries though so users, as before, can still speak to a real person.

Had Pavel around again today to finally sort out a problem for an elderly housebound neighbour. Always good to know he's on tap, and not only reliable and reasonable but but a very nice guy as well. 07834268783.

Yup, G4S are the go-to people, following their Olympic triumph.

Hear Hear!

ED Warehouse, Zenoria St?

An elderly neighbour had computer/printer problems this week, and having sought help from Pavel a year or two back we gave him a call and he turned up the next day and fixed things. He is very capable and very pleasant. And didn't charge a lot. Highly recommended. His number is 07834268783.