Pugwash

One daughter forgot - just a phone call to say sorry but forgot ( not worried as her mother in law died recently and had her funeral on Friday so understand it slipped her mind). Other daughter addressed her card as 'Mum' and was going to give it to me yesterday at a family lunch, which had to be cancelled due to her sister's M in L death, and will now be making a fleeting visit next Sunday from Sussex.

BOL is a very good venue but as it is open to all members of the public - they do expect children to be supervised and not go running about whilst hot drinks and meals are being served. There was an incident some time back when a toddler bumped into a table/person with a hot drink and got a nasty burn which resulted in him/her being taken to hospital. Also - to remind people that it is a place of business and it is not really on to buy one coffee and sit there for 2 hours chatting to friends whilst kids run around. As it has a disabled loo and access - many elderly/disabled people use the cafe who may be a bit wobbly on their feet. Has spaces for buggies too on the premises.

Although I alays told my kids never to talk to sreangers, if someone says good maorning to me I usually reply. Also if you are not sure of someone - a smile as an acknowledgement is just as good.

This is a popular nursery and has long waiting lists - they have recently expanded their building so may now be able to take more children. You need to put name down asap

When did you last read about some local issue penned by the Dulwich Society in the local papers?, Admittedly there have been some articles from Peckham Society. Stan Hardy - chair has been interviewed many times by SLP and SNews regarding issues affecting ED, his letters regularly appear on the pages of those newspapers. he was also a judge for SLP 'Local Heroes' . Ken Hoole a founder member of EDS has been a very forceful figure in the area, challenging Dulwich Community Council decisions, the previous PCT, Chief Executives of Kings and Maudsley Hospital and many other . Other members are working quietly on behalf of EDS in the field of mental health and maternity provision, scrutinising policies and questioning health officials. When the AGM date is known, it will be advertised in EDF - if you are that interested you will come along and join and seek election for the committtee - it is 'old and tired' and could do with some new blood, You can examine account books going back to the 1990s. If you think that the present committee is fiddling the books or doing something underhand or illegal - then report them to the Charity Commission

Whilst the Community Centre in Darrell Road is fully wheelchair accessible and has 2 disabled toilets, we are fully booked on Saturdays until 5 pm with a Saturday School on the premises from 2 -5 pm. Christ CHurch Barry Road maybe able to help - it has a ramp from the street, side entrance and disabled loo.

Once the date and venue of the EDS AGM is organised, details of meeting and request for renewal membership subscription will go out to members.

I do not see where people get the idea there is ?5000 in the EDS accounts because I cannot see that figure anywhere. If people are that concerned about the EDS they should come to the AGM and get themselves elected onto the Committtee and can examine all the accounts and reports for the last several years. Annual reports for charities with an income of less than x amount per year are not required by the Charity Commission so will not be published online. ( I cannot remember the amount off hand) Over the past few years the EDS has been very involved with the closure of ED Hospital and proposed plans by PCT and Ken Hoole ( former Chair) has been very active in this area - those of you who have attended Community Council Meetings over the past 5 years plus would be aware of this. The closure of the Emergency Clinic at Maudsley Hospital was another big campaign involving EDS along with other locaL organisations. The current chair, Stan Hardy, also attended several meetings with other committee members around the closure of the Elderly wards in Maudsley and the closure of Holmhurst Day Centre. EDS committee members were also involved with the exposure of waste products being dumped in Nunhead cementary, also submitting proposals for health services in ED. Committee members were also involved with LINC, the redesign of maternity provision in Southwark, saving of ED Police Station, the original 100hour pharmacy and needle exchange at DMC. To a lesser extent the new 100 hrs proposal for pharmacy and needle exchange at DMC. campaigning with others against the removal of the Betty Alexander Clinic for Older People from Dulwich Hospital to Kings. In addition there is the regular perusual of planning applications and submission of amendemnts/comments/objections etc. I have not been actively involved with EDS via its committee for last 10 years although I have been a member for some time, so cannot give you further information.

You can join throughout the year but the membership year is currently April - March, so if you pay now for 2012/13, you will need to pay in April for 2013/14. As far as I know - we do not have a web link as of the current committee - none have the skills to set up and maintain a web page. This was something that we hoped a new committee would do.

When the AGM date is agreed. it will be advertised on the EDF - if you wish to join - the AGM is the best place to do so.

The East Dulwich Society was set up by a number of local residents in 1974 who were concerned over the changing face of the area with buildings changing use, planning applications being approved withour being challenged or debated by local residents etc. You will find there is a full description of the history of EDS on the Forum - 6/10/2009. Despite advertising on the Forum - meetings and AGMs- there has been very little interest shown by ED residents to want to preserve this organisation and committee member numbers have been falling over the past few years. Committee members, to the most point have been involved with EDS since 1974 and have either died, become frail, or moved out of the area. Whilst there are a number of paid up members, none seem to wish to become committee members and be actively involved. The few of us which remain also sit on various other committees based in East Dulwich. The Society's Chair has now moved out of the area, and the remaining committee members are now all 60 plus. Despite advertising on the Forum and having regular letters in SLP and Southwark News re ED Hospital site, Police Station, Maudsley Hospital etc which receive some feedback, and having representatives at most of the Dulwich Community Council Meetings over the past few years, younger residents are not attracted to the society. Funds from membership monies are mostly used for hall hires, catering, newsletters, stationery and affiliation fees to various public bodies. The AGM will be held in April - probably at the East Dulwich Community Centre, date to be arranged, and should local residents be interested enough in joining and forming a new ( and hopefully younger) committee, they would be welcomed. The constitition is the original one and badly needs updating, shortening and redefining area.

You maight find it helpful to contact an organisation like MIND or SANE to see if there are any self help groups locally which you can get some peer support. Hubby has bi polar and CBT never really worked for him. I had depression after my first child - but it was not diagnosed until 4 or 5 years later- I carried on working etc but never really felt 100% mentally. Was very aware of my tendancy for depression ( was under maudsley following a relationship break up for 6 months as I refused to take anti depressants) when had daughter no 2. But this time I had a very supportive partner who wanted to be very involved as a parent and had 5 months off work rather than the 6 weeks with first child.

We had the ED police attending a BARA meeting recently and they advised that there had been 21 burglaries over the past few months in the area. Most had been at rented properties where the landlord had failed to install preventative measures i.e. window locks, mortice locks etc. Shared entries where tenants are not automatically double locking the main door and flat doors not having sufficient security locks. Also properties with side entrances.

I have a dropped kerb to my house and my front garden could technically hold 2 small sized cars. My neighbour applied for a dropped kerb but because his house is just beyond a bend an a main road, this was refused. I am just before the bed but it used to infuriate me that people parked on the bend and I would have to swing out when turning left which put me in danger of the oncoming traffic coming the other direction. When the road was resurfaced, the council put double yellow lines in front of my drive. My daughter parked in front of my car briefly as she rushed in to collect something from indoors and a parking attendant swooped. I went out and stated that I had given permission for her to park in front of the drive as she was only going to be approx. 10 mins. I managed to pursuade him not to give her a parking ticket for being on the double lines, but he informed me that technically that he could book me for reversing my car over the yellow lines into my drive. I argued that since I would not be 'parking' on yellow lines that would be rubbish as the dropped kerb had been there since before 1975 when I purchasd the house

I just tell them that we are catholic ( I'm not but hubby is)

ATOS prevented my husband who is also bipolar from getting ESA as when applied he was very depressed having been off work for 6 months and being medically retired due to frequent periods of depression lasting 26 weeks in one year (several periods of depression). When seen by ATOS was 'high'. Dr.kept asking him why I drove him to the assessment centre - hubby has never learnt to drive. Seemed to not undertand that hubby's poor attention and concentration span, and inability to consider what was going on around him would prevent him from driving and if he drove would be up on a manslaughter charge. ATOS Dr kept asking me if I had ever seen him attempt to drive!!. Could not get ESA or JSA as occupational pension was ?2 pw over limit allowed to earn. Signed on each fortnight and was pressurised to apply for jobs mainly in IT - hubby can only just know how to send an email as has never had cause in previous work to use IT. Hubby asked to go on a training course but they refused. It is hard to work with bipolar but hubby worked from 20 - 58 and had over 40 jobs - working in a factory to accounts clerk, to post room attendant, to shop worker, to home help

When our kids were little - playdates were OK but more frequently a couple of us or even a group arraanged to meet up at the park/swimming pool/ etc - all on neutral ground so less chance of one child claiming squatters rights.

We left 306 some years ago for the Gardens. Dr. Dewji was aweful and so were his locums. I did hear that the female doctor is exceptionally good.

I think a Lidl or Aldi would be beneficial - only the best supermarkets these days stock horsemeat!

Cannot open link

The East Dulwich Society still exsists but most of the members do not appear to want to attend meetings. I am the current vice chair and although membership money is forthcoming each year, active participation is not. The EDS used to have their AGMs at John Paul Centre behind St. Thomas More Church, but many felt it was too isolated place so it was changed to The ED Community Centre. There was a committee of around 10 people initially but deaths, moving out of district and old age have twindled the EDS down to around 5 people who meet around 4 times a year. New blood is needed and younger members ( we are all now over 60) to keep the society going. The AGM will be held in MArch/April at the Community Centre and I will put details on the Forum

When my grandaughter sat the exam - there were approx 1000 applicants and admission is based on exam results only

If finding a vein is problematic ask them to use a butterfly it is a finer needle.

Social work and teaching students have a compulsary child observation requirement to their course. Not sure how old the nursery child is but if quite young this maybe a suitable 'study' perhaps pay an hourly rate for picking up and caring for older child. Southbank and Goldsmiths Unis have social work and teaching courses. Students on these courses are also CRB checked.

As a diabetic I have to have 'fasting tests' - and one day I waited over 3 hours as only 2 staff, waiting room was full and people were sitting outside in the corridor and in the old X ray area. I mentioned the long wait at Dulwich to my GP nurse who advised me to make an appointment with their lady for a fasting blood test as dangerous to go so long without food. I now only go to Dulwich for non fasting tests - last time I went around 1.30 - was the only one there. At Kings the avergae wait is around 2.5 hours.