ECJ

26 Feb, 6-8pm, Station Hall Herne Hill. Edmund Bird (heritage advisor to Transport for London) will take us on a fascinating dive into London's history in this 50 minute talk, focussing on how London's transport shaped the growth of our capital city. The talk is being given in memory of 18 year old Ruby Fuller, a lifelong resident of Herne Hill, pupil (and head girl) at Charter North Dulwich, and a huge fan of the London Underground. Ruby dreamed of working for Transport for London one day, but half way through her A levels, she became poorly and was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. She died in May 2020, a few months after her 18th birthday. You can book to attend in person (?10) or via Zoom (?5 - live or recorded). https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-story-of-how-londons-transport-shaped-the-growth-of-our-capital-city-tickets-236676605097

If you don't have any plans tonight, how about a live online comedy show featuring the fabulous Mel Giedroyc plus Kerry Godliman, Isy Suttie, Ria Lina, Elis James and James Gill. Just ?5, all proceeds to Ruby's Live Kindly Live Loudly Fund with Children's Cancer & Leukaemia Group, in memory of local girl Ruby Fuller, who died of leukaemia aged just 18. We're fundraising to support research to improve outcomes for young people with blood cancer. Details here: https://www.livekindlyliveloudly.co.uk/post/always-be-comedy-evening-8pm-22-january

Hi everyone We've been left out of pocket by ?5.5k by Elliott Sheppard of ES Roofing, Bromley. He took ?5.9k from us as a deposit last September and has failed to carry out the work as promised. (He made a very basic start, removing some of the old roof, but no more than that - perhaps ?00 of work.) His company has now been dissolved (though he is still advertising the company as being in business - you can find him on Checkatrade with lots of glowing reviews.) We were incredibly stupid in not doing enough research (we checked his references, which were good, but if I'd looked at Companies House info I could have seen he was in financial difficulties and I'm fairly sure he knew he was about to go bust when he took our money.) Anyway - please don't use him and please do your homework better than we did! We're now ?5.5k out of pocket with a leaking roof that we can't afford to fix unless we get our money back.

Last year, Charter North Dulwich student Ruby Fuller very sadly died of blood cancer aged just 18. Her family have set up a fund in her memory with Children's Cancer & Leukaemia Group to support research into better blood cancer treatments. South London comedian Isy Suttie heard about Ruby and her story and wanted to help; together with James Gill of Always Be Comedy they've organised an online comedy gig as a fundraiser (opting for online as the safest bet given Covid uncertainty). The gig will feature Mel Giedroyc (Bake-off, Eurovision, Mel & Sue, Let it Shine and SO many other things) and Kerry Godliman (star of After Life, Derek, a regular on Taskmaster & Live at the Apollo). Tickets are just ?5 with all proceeds to Ruby's fund with CCLG. Eventually Ruby's family hope to raise ?0.5m - roughly the amount the NHS spent trying to save Ruby. Feel-good covid-safe entertainment for a fiver - what more could you ask for? Details here: https://www.livekindlyliveloudly.co.uk/post/always-be-comedy-evening-8pm-22-january

Hi, we're looking for someone to lay some paving in our garden (SE19, Gipsy Hill), about 30 square metres in total. Please get in touch if this is something you could do or if you can recommend someone. To be completed by end of August if possible. Thanks

We've handed them over to the police now. We concluded that you'd need a bit of training to spot the fakes, hence the idea of having one person in change of checking and changing ?20 into ?10s.

At last week's Charter Christmas fair, there was a conman using fake ?20s (and trying to use fake ?50s). We rumbled him but failed to stop him getting away (and also failed to get a photo, which we're kicking ourselves for now!) The fake notes were hard to spot (we only realised after he bought 2 hot dogs in quick succession with 2 x ?20 notes); they have holograms and strips but the colouring of the Queen's head is a bit different; you can only really tell in bright light and when you have a real note to compare it to. Apparently one way round this is to have a 'bank' at the Fair where people can change their ?20s for ?10 notes and the person doing the changing knows how to spot a fake. That's what we'll be doing next year!

This is a brilliant Fair - this Thursday from 5.30-8.30pm, free mulled wine, great music, food and loads of stalls. And the tombola is brilliant - last year I won over ?50 in vouchers having bought ?5 of tickets!

Hi Elisa, are you able to send me your contact details? I'm looking for a tutor for my 12 year old. Thanks.

Yes, best to get there early to guarantee there'll still be wreaths for sale and to get your hands on the tombola tickets! Plus there's free mulled wine but only while stocks last...

This is one of the best Christmas Fairs going. There's a free cup of mulled wine for every (adult) visitor, and the tombola is amazing - last year I won a Jigsaw handbag, a voucher for Ed and a bottle of fizz - that was a tenner very well spent!

There is a campaign to encourage people not to leave their engine idling - see https://idlingaction.london/ (LB Southwark is one of the boroughs taking part). They sometimes run action events where they target an area with lots of people leaving their engines running, and handout leaflets about the harmful effects of this. (It's illegal to leave your engine idling unnecessarily - see https://www.confused.com/on-the-road/driving-law/stopped-parked-engine-running-idling-breaking-law-police-fine)

Re; catchment for the Charter - it's approx 1.8km from the school (but not fixed as it depends who they get applying - basically 180 places for the kids who live closest to the school).

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We're in the process of choosing a secondary school for our daughter and I'd love to hear people's views/experiences. We're in the catchment for the Charter, which we've looked at and seems great; but know various people locally planning to fork out for Jags/Alleyns (if they can get a place). Are these schools really worth ?14-15k a year more than the Charter!? (Not that we could afford them anyway - but interested to hear what people think!) How does Kingsdale compare? All views/experiences gratefully received!