Pugwash

James is not the only ED Councillor - you have Jonathan and Rosie, and if being debated at the Dulwich Community Council - will have 8 other councillors so all political parties will be respresented.

One of the cancer charities will have a welfare officer who can assist with benefit claims.

I am one of those who have to have fasting blood tests but as a carer, cannot get there before 9 am - need to be at work by 10. Last time I went to Dulwich waited 2 hours and had to ring work up on my mobile to say I was stuck. Felt very faint when I came out as not having any food since 7 pm the night before. Mentioned this to my practice nurse who advised that I went to the GP surgery in future as a couple of times a week they have a HNA who takes blood between 8 - 9 15 - waiting time usually 10 mins. Since the surgery is nearer than the hospital I usually have a 8.45/9 am appointment. I pop into sainsburys or Tesco on my way to work to buy a sandwich.

A couple who have a good relationship with each other which rebounds on their children is a stable relationship regardless whether married or not. My daughter has been with her partner for 20 years and have 2 children who are polite, well adjusted and happy. In asking why she does not want to get married - daughter feels that as she does not have 'legal security' it makes them work harder at their relationship. Is afraid that the security blanket of marriage may make them less inclined to committ to each other. My father and stepmother - after 50 years together which included 35 years of marriage are now seperated as have come to 'hate' each other. Statistics are now showing more people 60 plus are divorcing. In my line of work I have seen more distressed/damaged children who are the products of a marriage - where each partner resents the other and only stay together 'for the children's sake' One cannot legislate on happiness, committment, good parenting,stability - it is up to individuals to work out what is best for themselves.

Why not drop a line to the Southwark News - I am sure they would love to run a story on this practice. Or contact Vanessa Feltz on Radio London.

Appetito meals cover both frozen or heated.Southwark Social Services use both. If you want to order ready prepared frozen meals try Wiltshire Farm Foods and Oakfields. Both have special diet sections and small portions.

DulwichDeviant Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A youth centre for the teenagers is what Dulwich > needs. There is already a youth centre in east Dulwich called the Post Box Youth Club run and funded by Southwark Youth Services, Wednes and Fridays 6.30 - 9.30 at the East Dulwich Community Centre, Darrell Road.

Member's Lobby, 160 Tooley Street, SE1

Unfortunately, Southwark Council uses call centre staff for many of their departments who are employed by contractors not Southwark Council - most of those I have speoken to are equally as bad. Also there is a service offered by the Registry Office that when you register a death, you can request help in sorting out other things such as council tax, rent, etc. Apparently they are very efficient.

Yes I have worked for private companies as sessional worker - some people were getting very good hourly wages and could more or less dictate their rates as they had the necessary experience the company wanted. My work was during uni vacations so as long as I was getting money to help me with my studies, I did not care too much if others were getting more than me. Found in some private companies it was who you knew, rather than ability to do the job was the way of getting up the ladder - for these individuals - it was being able to have a company pension with option of retiring at 55. I am happy to work till I am 70 as I enjoy my work - yes I am a rare individual who despite the hours and all the downsides, wish to continue working. Some private companies pay a crap pension - my Mum was in a pension scheme for 10 years and got ?80 per month. She did not complain as the low rate made her eligible for benefits including housing benefit. She worked with the exception of 2 years from 18 - 60 years of age but doing less than 36 hours a week was ineleigible to join a pension scheme. Obvioulsy the law has changed since then. I deal with some retired private sector workers - the guy worked with a few weeks ago, aged 74 was getting ?800 pm from a shipping firm he retired from aged 65. That is more than some public sector workers.

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As a Public Sector worker - I work from 10 - 6 (offical hours) but the past few weeks have rarely left the office before 7.30/8 pm. Although based in Camberwell, one morning I could be in Croydon, the afternoon in Bermondsey, eating a sandwich if I am lucky whilst driving between various bases.Lunch breaks tend to be 30 mins long as too much work to be completed by a 4 pm deadline. Our team work a 7 day week rota - weekend duty is from 8 am - 4 pm in contrast to the 9 - 5 weekday - you get one day off during the week in lieu Since earlier in the year we have lost 4 workers - 2 were paid for by Kings College Hospital as Specialist Workers, but Kings decided they could not afford to continue funding, we have a vacancy which we have been trying to fill for several months but very few applicants as the position is very demanding. Our support worker who dealt with practical things such as sorting out people's finances, purchasing clothes, closing down properties etc went on holiday in FEbruary and not seen since but will not be replaced, plus an admin worker was centralised at head office. Our IT system frequently freezes and breaks down - so many of us do our report writing at home in the evenings and weekends - we average 50 hours plus each week in a job that is supposed to be 37 hours. OK holidays are 5 weeks a year. I pay around ?2000 a year into my pension scheme and it is anticipated that I will pay another ?1000, I would not mind this if I could maintain or increase my projected pension but new proposals will see my pension decrease. I also to supplement my savings and weekly pension in retirement - have been paying into endownment insurances at around ?100 per month to boost up my savings in my mid/late 60s. I was on strike and what surprised me was the number of people in the shopping centres - workers like me who did not join the picket lines or marches, decide to do some early Xmas shopping (despite losing a day's pay) The mini boom for the retail industry on 30th was due to the strike. I hear Southwark Council is donating the pay deducted from striking staff's wages to various Youth Projects - what are the Tory Council's doing with strikers pay?

I wil lbe striking on Weds - as a Public Sector worker, this is the first time I have been on strike in my working life (42 years) I intended to retire at 66 so the new retirement age does not worry me. Just had my pension forecast - if I retire at 65 - will get just under ?13,000 lump sum for a 20 year service. I am a front line worker and work frequently from 10 am - 7./7.30 pm most evenings. Since earlier this year we have lost 4.5 posts in our team and the work load has increased 25%. In order to catch up with our paperwork, it is nothing unusual to find people in the office at weekends just to keep on top of things. We do not get paid overtimem. As we deal with very vulnerable people, often palliative, others disabled, others being abused, it is also emotionally draining. We frequently have to visit homes which are covered in faeces, blood and vomit, sometimes infested by vermin and fleas. We have been threated with violence and verbally abused, but are not allowed to seek redress from our employers. I and my colleagues have good salaries, but under the new proposals will need to pay another ?1000 plus per year and get a lower pension. We accept that we need to pay more and are willing to do so, but when you are advised that the pension you may eventually get in 10/15/20 years time, is significantly lower, than what is quoted for today........ - This is why I am striking.

Hubby applied for contributions based JSA but his occupational pension puts him ?3 a week over the limit. When I last signed on (many years ago) I had a compensation pension of ?80 pw but still got Unemployment benefit for 3 months. I read up the new rules for JSA even if contribution based JSA, you are subject to 'unearned income' rules.

James, The East Dulwich Community Centre has for the last few weeks, been picking up used baby nappies from its grounds. Not clear whether someone is disposing of the nappies by chucking them over the fence or whether foxes are getting into bags/bins. Should this be reported to environmental health? Are nappies classed as clinical waste and should they be in a yellow clinical waste bag and collected seperately by bin men? Generally 6 plus nappies each day sometimes more.

I hear that whilst people were petitioning against the DMC having a Needle Exchange and Pharmacy some years ago, a legal beagle did some company searches and found several companies ( including a pharmacutical distributing company) that belonged to the Guptas and others associated with DMC. There was also the selling of luxury cars from overseas which got delivered to Darrell Road for a number of months.

Hubby is under pension age and retired on medical grounds for a life long illness which has periods of 'normality' coupled with periods where he cannot function. Could not get ESA as on the day he was medically examined he was 'well'. Signed on for JSA - but as he gets a occupational pension of ?3 more pw than JSA - does not qualify. He signs on to have his NI contributions paid. Just has a card with details of his signing on and a letter to say he is not entitled to benefits. When well- goes swimming at least 5 times a week. Currently using his card which he purchased whilst in work. It would be interesting if he would qualify for ?3 membership

Hi James, The row of shops from the Plough to CP Road, could do with better lighting, especially around the funeral directors and Moulin Restaurant as they both lay back from the pavement. If the Plough Homecraft's lights are not on the whole area around there is very dim - especially near the bus stop.

last year whilst walking down by the Maudsley, I picked up a wallet, looked as though someone may have got out of a car and it fell out of their pocket. Since my office is 2 mins away, I took it back with me to open it up. Several bank and building society cards, a USB memory stick, a membership card of a private educational institute, plus money. Tried USB to try and figure out if was a student at the Institute of Psychiatry (opposite me). Could not open, googled the private institute and rang them up. Explained situation, gave them the membership number and my works phone. They rang back having located the owner, who then rang me. She was a visitor at Kings College Hospital but only discovered loss of wallet when got home. I gave her works address and advised her that she could not gain access to the building after 5 pm or before 9 am. Put the wallet in the office safe and informed our admin team who act as receptionists. Found that she collected the next morning - admin annoyed that she did not leave flowers or chocolates for me. Nearest Police Station was Walworth Road and it would have been more hassle to get there especially as I had appointments all that afternoon. If I had not traced her, I would have gone to the police the next day.

Baby or child observation over a period of weeks is also a requirement on Social Work Degree Courses. I did mine at a Camberwell Nursery - the only written project I got an A mark in. You do not realise until you do it, the changes occuring in the child over a very short period. It gave me a very good grounding when I had to undertake supervised parental visits for a case which went to court, having to memorise and record 6 hours a week how a toddler interacted with her parents.

Trevor and Simon - of 'we don't do duvats ' fame have been around ED for many years. Also used to see Fern Brittian's Dad, Tony in Sainsbury's.

We stayed at an organic B & B a few years back - all done out in art deco style - it was the marina end of Brighton. Cannot remember the name. Very nice - best breakfasts I have ever had

Caldecot Road is likely to be in Lambeth as most roads on the hospital side are

caldecot Road is likely to be in Lambeth.

Parking anywhere off LL is impossible, when I have my car serviced by Andrew in Shawbury Road, I come down the night before and park it near his garage, thec come down early the next morning to give him the keys