RIDDLESDOWN RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION

THE RIDDLESDOWN RECORDER ON THE WEB

Below are the contents of the April 2004 Recorder (except photographs and adverts).

Editor’s notes

The last issue contained an article by Richard Ottaway, our MP. This time, to even things up party-politically, I asked Councillor Hugh Malyan, Leader of Croydon Council, to write – see page 18.

   Thanks to all contributors of whom we have had more than usual for this issue. In particular,  they are due to JDW for his clever and amusing poem (page 21) , to FW for her evocative recollections of Riddlesdown (page 11), to Tony Chivers for writing on being blind (page 20) and to Odette Bailey for her dramatic cover photo. I am also grateful to Harvey Smith for his past and current articles, and his hawk-eyed proof-reading of the Recorder in which no abused apostrophe is safe, nor any hyphen attempting to stand in for a dash – or vice-versa. He writes on the new Health Forums on page 28. In the last issue he wrote on the Primary Care Trust/GPs Link Person scheme and it should be added that he was one of the first eight Croydon residents appointed to the new Primary Care Forum.

   Please send in material for the magazine – articles, poems or photographs with relevance to the Riddlesdown area. They will all be considered for inclusion. Articles should be kept to around 700 words or less. If, because  of lack of space,  they cannot be included in one issue, they will be at the head of the queue for the next.

   In recording in the last issue the birthday of Mrs Mina Hardy, one of our vice-presidents, we inadvertently gave her age as 95. She was in fact then 98, and soon will be 99. With apologies and more congratulations to her. Ron Catt writes on page 14 of Mina’s long connection with the area and the RRA.

   If anyone would like the magazine to record significant anniversaries of residents, births, marriages and deaths, please let me have details by the publishing deadlines (end of February and August).

Nick Bygrave

 We have had several of the missing Riddlesdown Recorders given to us for the archive. The numbers still needed are:
1930s/1940s: any.
 1950s: 29, 33 36, 37, 40, 42 to 45, 58 to 62, 64
 1960s: 69, 73, 76, 86 to 88.
1970s: 117 to 120, 122, 123.
 1980s: 132, 136

THE COMMITTEE REPORTS...

Chairman
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School car park
In my last report, I mentioned that the application by the school to build and access a new staff car park via Dunmail Drive and along the public footpath had been rejected by Croydon.  The school, unhappy with Croydon's decision, appealed directly to the Secretary of State.
   Unfortunately, after several months of delay, the Inspectorate has ruled in favour of the school.  It is interesting to note some of the Inspector’s comments. The Inspector felt  that, in his words, “there was a severe shortage of parking places at the school”; currently the school has parking on site for approximately 75 cars. The Inspector also considered the issue of safety and the potential pedestrian/vehicular conflict on the busy public footpath. It was his view that while the additional vehicles driving along the busy footpath was a disadvantage, he did not consider this outweighed the merits of the scheme – presumably to relieve the severe shortage of parking. Unhappy with the appeal decision and the potential implications for both the public right of way and the green belt, we challenged the Inspectorate to clarify their decision in respect of both the safety and security of the public right of way.  A letter of clarification received from the Inspectorate, while confirming the school had achieved planning permission for the car park, also pointed out that the school might require further permissions from Croydon if they wanted to upgrade the footpath to a Byway open to all traffic. 
   These permissions require the school to address the issues of footpath safety and security to the satisfaction of Croydon Council.  To further the situation we have subsequently held a meeting with the school, the council and our local councillor.  At the time of this report the situation is still unresolved although all parties involved have a better understanding of the situation.  The Association’s view is clear: we want the school to access the new car park across its own land and not over the public footpath.

   However the rights and legalities of the situation are far from clear, especially as the school has obtained the permission of Laings (now Wimpy) to drive over their land.  

   With this in mind, the association has indicated to Croydon and the school our minimum requirements, should we be unsuccessful in our attempt to change the route. These are:

·   the footpath is fully secure at all times to prevent travellers, joy riders and fly tippers. 

·   the integrity of the footpath is maintained and marked, ideally with wooden posts sunk into the ground every two meters to form a safe walkway for pedestrians and school children.

·   the school maintains this section of Dunmail Drive, including cutting the undergrowth and the clearing of litter to ensure the footpath does not become overgrown and unpleasant to walk. 

·   the school agrees that they will not in future use this section of Dunmail Drive to introduce a new one-way system around the school, which, incidentally, if introduced, would turn Dunmail Drive and the footpath at certain times of the day into a busy road. 

   We are currently awaiting a response from Croydon and will keep you informed on the website. 

Telephone masts
The new telephone mast in Dunmail Drive is up but not yet on line.  The mast, while not in an ideal location, has now been painted green and hopefully in time will be hidden by the surrounding trees. We hope the new mast, when on line, will address the concerns of some residents in regard to the lack of 02 network in the area. 

   However, even before the green paint had dried, 02 were back with a yet another application – this time for a 3G mast.
   For those of you unclear about what 3G is, the term is used to describe the next generation of mobile telephone systems which allow for the transfer of data as well as voice. The advanced technology of 3G offers internet access as well, and the ability to view video footage.  This particular application was for a 15-metre mast located on the pavement – street furniture they call it – right next to the Railway Bridge in Lower Barn Road. The intended use for this site was to provide coverage along the railway lines, and therefore a 15-metre mast was required to rise above the topography of the immediate vicinity and above the mature trees that line the railway.  In my years of experience as a commuter, you are lucky to get a seat on the rush hour trains, let alone have enough room to connect up your laptop to the internet via your mobile phone.  The Association therefore felt that the limited benefit to the internet-connected commuters travelling up from Oxted was by far outweighed by the concerns expressed by our local residents.
   It should also be noted that the reason for the new mast in Dunmail Drive was to improve the 02 network coverage in the area including Lower Barn Road. The Association objected to the application with the full support of our local councillor and the scheme has subsequently been rejected by Croydon.  However, do not hold your breath; under powers available to the telecommunication operators, they are able to carry out certain developments without making a planning application to the local authority.  We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you advised on the website.

Fun Day
We said it would good, but, with over 600 local people enjoying a sunny day on the Downs, it was brilliant. The question is: can we make it better? And the answer is yes!
   This year we are teaming up with the Corporation of London for a combined Fun and Countryside Day. Not only will we have our usual donkey rides, Punch and Judy, jazz band and all the rest, we will also have, thanks to the Corporation of London, a full range of country craft stalls, shire horses, hay-making, horse and cart rides and much more. 

   It promises to be big, bold and brilliant.
   The important date for your diary is Sunday, 20 June, so pack a picnic, chill the wine, remember the sun cream and join us up on the Downs for a great free day out. See Notice Boards and website for details.
Rolling Rubbish
It has been announced that this very popular service for residents will come to an end. The Council have indicated that they are proposing to axe the service offered to residents’ associations around the borough in an effort to save money.  We are also led to believe that the Council is considering closing the civic amenity site at Purley Oaks for two days a week for the same reason. It is a pity that these services, so useful to many local residents, face cuts. We have lobbied the Council, and will continue to do so, together with our neighbouring residents’ associations, to restore these well used local services. We will keep you informed on the web site.

Waitrose
I am informed that the new Waitrose store now under development will be open before the end of the year. While on the subject of shops, a quick word about our local ones.  It will have not gone unnoticed that the tailor’s in Lower Barn Road has closed.  I understand that the premises will now be used as offices. Local shops are an important part of the community, especially for the elderly and the frail and those without transport.  We are indeed fortunate in Riddlesdown to still have a local Post Office, a Pharmacy, a ladies and gents hairdresser and two excellent newsagents/convenience stores.  Remember, shops only survive if we use them.  

   Thanks for listening.

                                            Brian Longman

Treasurer

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The final 2003 accounts and financial position is shown on Page 16. Balances stand at £13,147 in total.
   Thanks to Atif Khalil for auditing the accounts. 
                                              Nick Bygrave

Secretary
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I took over as RRA Secretary this year and my role so far has involved attending meetings and taking notes. RRA committee members are elected annually at the AGM, so I am willing either to continue as Secretary, or if anybody else is interested in taking on the role, then I am also happy to hand over to somebody else who might have more time to get involved in more RRA activities.
   Riddlesdown is where we live and issues here affect us all, so please do try to spare a few hours to attend the next AGM.

                                  Karen Whitehead  MBE

Planning

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Residential applications/School
Above the average number of residential planning applications have been submitted to the Council over the last six months and all of these, with decisions updated weekly, are available to view on the RRA website:
    www.riddlesdownresidents.org.uk.
  Don’t forget to look at the site regularly to see if your immediate neighbours, or someone near you, are submitting an application. Normally if you abut the applicant or live close by, the Council will write and advise you that an application has been submitted but this does not happen in all cases.

   At the time of writing, the Council’s decision on the development of a two bedroom detached house in Riddlesdown Avenue is still awaited, although a decision is imminent. We have recently learnt that Riddlesdown High School have been successful in their appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment in respect of their application for new car parks fronting on to Dunmail Drive (see Chairman’s Report for more details).

   If you intend to submit a household planning application to the Council in the near future and you have not appointed an agent to act for you, then they have a Duty Planning Officer available at One Stop, Taberner House who will give informal advice. This service is available between 9am to 1pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They will give advice to customers who seek confirmation as to the type of application required for their proposal, based on the information made available to them. Further information on this is available on the Council’s website www.croydon.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can ring the Planning Department on 020 8760 5404  (South Area) to seek further advice. The Council have also recently introduced a new Householder’s Planning Application Form (Form PCHF), which has slightly simplified the layout of the previous planning form. It can be downloaded from the Council’s website or collected from Taberner House.
Commercial applications

In areas adjoining Riddlesdown, the first phase of the new building at Sainsbury’s in Selsdon is now complete and the Library, Community Hall, Day Centre, Contact office and part of the car park are open. For the moment, until the store is completed, the temporary entrance to the underground car park is in Old Farleigh Road. This temporary car park will be open at all times, but only providing a maximum of 41 spaces, and for the moment is free for two hours. The new car park access road from Addington Road will be the permanent entrance, with traffic control on Addington Road. The parking control and costs for the new 265-space car park are still to be agreed with the Council. The new store is due to open on 7 June 2004 and no doubt traffic chaos will descend on Selsdon when this happens.

   Waitrose have completed the sale of the land from the Council at Sanderstead (formerly car park and Focus Do It All) and demolition of the site has been completed. At the time of writing, ground works have commenced for the new 2,691 sq m store and 170-space car park, although full final planning details still have to be agreed with the Council. The nearest DIY stores now for Riddlesdown residents are on the already congested Purley Way at Five Ways, Valley Park, Beddington Lane and West Wickham (Coney Hall).
Purley Hospital
An application was submitted in October for the redevelopment of Purley Hospital comprising:

·   the demolition of existing buildings

·   erection of a 6-storey building with ground and 1st Floor retail units with maximum of 26,000 sq ft floorspace, and four floors above providing 49 one-bed and 31-two bed key worker flats

·   erection of 5 storey healthcare facility with basement parking

·   erection of 4 storey buildings to provide 48-two-bed flats with basement parking

·   provision of 80 retail, 50 Healthcare and 64 residential parking spaces

·   formation of vehicular access onto Brighton and Pampisford Roads
   A decision from the Council is awaited.

Capella Court

An application was also submitted in September, for a change of use of Capella Court (island site formerly Royal Oak Centre offices, Brighton Road) to a residential conversion, to form 75 one- bedroom, 15 two-bedroom and 5 studio flats, formation of landscaped area on the roof and provision of 17 car parking spaces on the ground floor and 50 parking spaces on the roof of the Royal Oak Centre. The Council’s Development Control Committee have just refused planning permission, although officers had recommended approval. There was strong opposition from local residents, Councillor Graham Bass and the Purley and Woodcote Residents Association. Part of the building has been let at the beginning of the year, to a computer software supplier and a specialist insurance broker so it may be unlikely the owners will consider an appeal.

Purley town centre

With regard to the Purley Town Centre Regeneration, the consultation carried out by Transport for London showed that the majority of people supported the major works, which included taking traffic away from the gyratory and via a new road through Tesco’s car park. It would take traffic away from Russell Hill, make Banstead Road and Foxley Lane two-way traffic and create a new pedestrianised area and bus/cycle routes between Tesco and the High Street. Over 175 comments were received from the residents of Purley and the scheme design is being amended to incorporate some of these. The latest developments are that the Council are still trying to obtain agreement with Tesco before making a policy decision possibly this spring; budgeting of expenditure would be between 2005/2007. It of course remains to be seen whether the timetables are adhered to, bearing in mind the delays to the Coulsdon bypass which has just begun construction.

                                              Phil Thomas    

Transport

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Is the “Fat Controller” working for us?

Many of us (even those unfamiliar with the Thomas the Tank Engine stories) have sometimes wished that the Fat Controller’s hand was evident in the running of our railway services. We are not alone and, following the opening of the new £4.5 million Edinburgh Park Station, questions were asked in the Scottish Assembly regarding why toilet facilities were not provided.

   I can report that a Fat Controller seems to be active on South Central. Recent actions have included:

·   Having Riddlesdown Station announcements reduced in volume outside main travelling times.

·   On at least one occasion stopping the fast service after cancellation of the 8.15am to London.

·   Reminding the bus contractor that any rail replacement service is to call at the station (rather than in Mitchley Avenue) and that, as the bus is hired for the day, a departure for Purley every 30 minutes is more acceptable than one an hour.

·   Thinking seriously about passenger needs, and how to attract more passengers.

   It is a pleasure to be able share good news, after the period since Connex were told that they were not preferred bidders to run the South Central Franchise, and I remain in contact with South Central Trains to obtain more.

Buses

New buses were introduced on the 412 Route last year and I have had one resident’s letter, a copy of which will be handed to our London Buses contact on his next visit to the East Surrey Transport Committee. More comment will be appreciated so that all Riddlesdown concerns can be put to London Buses. 

                                                  John Rapp       

Membership

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Firstly thanks to our Road Stewards who, among other things, have enabled you to read this.

   Since last February a lot of people have moved to Riddlesdown, and we have many more children.

   Riddlesdown is getting younger and I would like to recruit some new Road Stewards to replace those who are no longer with us or whose responsibilities have increased, so they no longer have time to do this special task.

   I am happy to speak to any of you who feel you have a few hours (a year) to spare for your neighbours (and the Association). Like existing Road Stewards – I cannot manage without my super band of helpers – your work will be appreciated.

                   John Rapp

Rolling Rubbish
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Dustcart News – no more service

As many of our members will be aware, for some years Croydon Council has been trying to save money by stopping the Rolling Rubbish Service.

   Knowing that Rolling Rubbish is popular, the Council has recognised that it cannot stop the service just to save money. They have been looking for other reasons to support stopping it. One is that all Croydon areas should be treated equally. There are some areas in Croydon who wonder why they do not get this service. However, rather than going for equality of service provision, the Council is going for equality of non-service provision. Taking their approach to its logical conclusion would leave us hoping that none of the street-lights in West Norwood fails.

   The other reason is recycling, and the Council is saying that Rolling Rubbish only produces a product suitable for landfill, as opposed to the various streams of pure waste items (clear glass and newsprint are two classes of pure streams) that can be counted towards its recycling target.

   There is also the fact that this part of the Borough does produce a high quantity of plant material, and while a clean (inside and out) dustcart, that can be loaded with plant material only, and go straight to the Council’s composting area would be ideal, it may be that skips placed around the area are more likely to be provided.

   The responsibility for ensuring that only plant material is placed in them would fall on the Association – too much (or perhaps any) other material might cause even that service (if given) to be withdrawn.

   This Association has not been alone in telling the Council that Rolling Rubbish is appreciated, and should continue.  As at least 70 tonnes have been collected per annum, now may be the time for residents to write to the Council asking for the service to continue, and for its plans for alternative support.

   I have enjoyed getting to know my keen and cheerful volunteers since I took over the dustcart, and take this opportunity to thank them for all their support to our community, Dave Slimming, and myself over the years.
 

PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT THE DUSTCART UNLESS AN ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE.
 

                                              Margaret Rapp

Environment

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Rubbish Disposal

Did you know that the Council will make a special collection of bulky items of unwanted furniture? If you phone Taberner House (020 8686 4433) you can have up to seven bulky items collected at one time at no charge. You need to phone at least two weeks ahead of when you want the items collected, and they will need to be put out on the pavement, or within sight of the road, the night before the collection date as they start at 4.30am. Should you have extra items and you have ‘used up’ your free allowance, you can arrange for up to seven further items to be collected for £20, and eight to fifteen items for £30. Glass items are  not accepted.
   Old fridges can be collected for a £10 fee; again they need to be put near the pavement the night before collection. Up to three fridges/freezers can be included for the£10.

Green Card System

Have you heard about this? It saves you phoning Taberner House about blocked drains, pot holes in the road, faulty street lights or vegetation overhanging the pavements. Pre-paid green cards can be obtained from your local library or the One Stop desk at Taberner House. You just need to tick the box relating to the problem, fill in the full details and your name and address, and post it to Taberner House at no cost to you. Hopefully the problem will be dealt with within a few weeks.

                                               Diana Chitty                                                                     

Social

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Forty-six children attended this year’s Children’s Party and had as good a time as ever. The Fancy Dress Parade had its usual array of inventive costumes from Spacemen to Wizards. The winners were:

Best Home Made Costume:
   Luke Hedgecox, Spaceman

Most Original Costume:
   Laura Evemy, Christmas Recycling Plant

Six Years and under:

   1st. Aaron Hedgecox Alien

   2nd. Georgina Dunn, Jill in the Box,
   3rd. Tim Edwards, Milky Bar

7 years and over:
   1st. Louis Day, Paper Boy
   2nd. Ben Jackson, Bookworm
   3rd. Adam Jackson, Sydney Harbour Bridge
   4th. Zoe Winton, Insy Winsy Spider.

      The judges were Rev. Dawn Rowland, Mrs Chris Whitmarsh and Mr Gerry Swailes.

   The Parade was followed by teatime and then the DJ led the disco and games. Lucky Dip finished off an enjoyable afternoon. Many thanks to all the people who helped.

   There are some  photographs of the party on Page 29 and they are also on the website in colour.   

             Janice Kedwards

 Crime and police
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Information from the Police and Neighbourhood Watch.

Bogus Callers (distraction burglaries)

Bogus callers have been up to their tricks in Croydon and in most cases getting away with a scam or stealing money and valuables. Do not think this could not happen to you – that’s what most of the victims felt. The people that come to your door can, and do, look quite normal and they are very good at conning their way into your home. They are well-organised gangs; they target the most vulnerable. They know a lot about the local area even though they themselves are not local. It might be a female saying that she is visiting a neighbour but they are not in and she has lost her purse with the keys to the house and she would like to borrow £10 to have a taxi home and she will bring back the money shortly. Obviously she is not seen again and she may have done this to quite a few people. It could be a couple of nicely dressed men with a form of identification, saying they believe you are not getting the correct pension and could they come in and discuss the matter. Well, once in the house one of them wants to use the toilet or a drink of water and, of course, he visits other rooms and things go missing. There are many different stories, all called BOGUS CALLERS, so take care and do not become a victim.

   Remember, if it is an important matter most officials phone first to make an appointment, they do not just turn up at your door. Always keep the chain on the door when speaking with people that you do not know and are not expecting, especially if you are alone in the house. Even better look through the window and talk to them that way. Tell them to leave their details and you will contact them. You choose the time when you want any visits, not just let them turn up unannounced. Do not be embarrassed to look after your security; you feel very silly afterwards if you are a victim and you could have avoided becoming one.

Fighting anti-social behaviour

   Our Police are working hard in our area. A big effort is being made on anti-social issues. They have had good success in obtaining anti-social behavioural orders against some known problem youngsters. It is early days but the magistrates have been supportive and this has given the Police some hope of having a positive effect over the next year.

   We can expect to see more Police and Police Community Support Officers patrolling the various wards in the future. Three wards in the Croydon area will see their police presence increased from one constable to one sergeant, two constables and three support staff. They will obviously be based in the wards that need them and that choice is now being made. Because our area is not a ‘high’ crime spot we will not be one of these wards. We must be careful as the criminals in the ‘hot’ spots may look to other areas; keep your house and garden as secure as possible. Do not become the easy target.

‘Fishing rod burglars’

It looks like these villains are at it again. They go through the letterbox and carefully lift the keys to the house and car; all nicely left on the table in the hall saying come and get me. They open the door, collect a few things and drive away in your car. Those with an outside porch should lock the door of the porch. You could consider a wire mesh cage on the back of your letterbox or even better do not leave the keys in view of the door.

Security advice is available

If you are worried about your security and are over 60, phone the Crime Prevention Office 020 8649 0170. They will visit the property and give you good advice on security matters.

   For those of you who have email and want to receive crime messages direct from Croydon Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association, log on at:
      cbnwa@ btconnect.com

They will email to you the latest crimes being committed in ours and the surrounding areas. It is better to know what is going on rather than finding out the hard way.

   If you do not have email why not ask a friend or a member of the family to log on and let you know what is being sent out. You can now register at the library, so, as the old saying goes, ‘where there is a will there is a way’.

   Keep safe.

From our committee member attending the Police Consultative Group

Website
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This is now in its fourth year of existence and  seems to be getting a respectable number of accesses.
   The Message Board could benefit from more contributions. For those of you who have not yet written anything to the community or to us, please do have a go. You have every chance of initiating an interesting exchange of views, and of finding out what concerns other residents of Riddlesdown                      Nick Bygrave  R

LIFE IN RIDDLESDOWN FROM 1945 – AS I SAW IT
FW  records some childhood memories of post-war Riddlesdown

Our old Riley Kestrel chugged to a final halt only 50 yards from our new home in Riddlesdown Road. It was a dark night in December 1945, and pouring with rain. Mum, Dad and the two of us aged six and three, and a few meagre possessions had arrived from Preston where we had been living for the past two years safe from the bombs in London. The car had been taken out of wraps only the previous day, and alas, never went again. It had done its job and brought us to Riddlesdown.
   We went to Mitchley House School in Riddlesdown Avenue for two or three years. The fearsome headmistress was Miss Green, ably assisted by Miss Elphick, who visited our house every Tuesday lunch time to teach Tony and myself to play the piano. I hated every minute of the piano lessons, but Tony went on to become quite an accomplished player. In 1947 our baby brother was born and, when he was old enough, he went to Coronilla School in Mitchley Avenue. Miss Green had decided she couldn't cope with another member of our family!

   Playtime in those days consisted of marking out hopscotch pitches on the pavement opposite our house in Riddlesdown Road, and on some days there would be a dozen or more children playing hopscotch on four or five pitches. Rival gangs had fights with ‘weapons’ of bicycle pumps shooting berries. Climbing trees in the woods of Purley Downs Golf Club behind the Riddlesdown shops was another favourite pastime of local children. No fence there then, and the businessmen travelling to work on the train from Riddlesdown Station used to walk down through the woods from Westfield Avenue and Court Hill as a pleasant short cut. On Riddlesdown itself there were many little ‘camps’ made under lone trees surrounded by holly bushes, and furnished with orange boxes as tables and chairs. We had tea parties with biscuits and orange squash. In those days even young children were allowed out to play on Riddlesdown. Most of us took our own dogs, if we had them, and it was never considered unsafe to be without an adult supervisor. Nowadays, those same ‘camps’ are still in use, but the children are older and use them to smoke cigarettes in secret.

   Riddlesdown during that time was, at the Whyteleafe end, covered with quite tall hawthorn scrub, and only the top path was passable with difficulty. There was no car park or gates and the whole length of ‘Riddlesdown Road’ into Whyteleafe was driveable, although there were enormous potholes and ruts down at the far end. By now it is 1952ish. At the top of the hill, opposite what is now the gate to Riddlesdown School there was a natural spring, long since disappeared.
   At the end of the track up the side of the school playing fields was a pig farm. This was run by Walter, a German ex- POW. He lived with his wife in Hamsey Green. He let me help with the pigs and, in return, lent me his little horse to ride.
   I also drove Bess with her milk float on my own all round Whyteleafe, Kenley, Purley and South Croydon, picking up the pig bins from restaurants. Can you imagine these days a twelve-year-old driving a pony and trap in the traffic in Purley?
   On Sundays I would occasionally ride Bess home to Sunday lunch, tying her up to a tree outside the house to graze while we ate. Then I would use her as an excuse. I had to take her back to the farm so I would not have time to go to Sunday School!  Sunday School was held in the old wooden estate office situated on the corner opposite what is now St Edmund’s Church, and we older ones used to be taken over the road to Mr Goddard’s house at 4 Lower Barn Road at half time for Bible class.
   Around the built-up area of Riddlesdown itself, there were many little plots and small fields that have now been built on. In Riddlesdown Road, round about No.97, was a small field called the goat field (for obvious reasons) and halfway along Honister Heights was a larger field which contained a beautiful Arab Horse called Florian which a friend of mine was allowed to ride. I was very envious! Many of the footpaths have been altered and incorporated into people’s gardens. I wonder how many people realise that the footpath which starts at the junction of Mitchley Avenue and Riddlesdown Road and goes down behind the houses in Hill Close, once continued on between the back gardens of Riddlesdown Road and Avenue to emerge half way up the ‘Orange Path’ – the original name for the path and steps which now go between Riddlesdown Road and Riddlesdown Avenue. In those days it was surfaced with orange sandy gravel, and was very steep with no steps – wonderful for sledging in the winter!
   It was about this time that we moved to Hook Hill in Sanderstead, so Riddlesdown was left behind for me for about seven years. I returned in 1961 to live in my present house in Purley Bury Avenue, complete with a husband and eventually two children and two dogs, one a police dog which went to work with my husband.
   Riddlesdown Common had changed quite considerably. There was a gate and car park, and all the scrub had been cleared from the far end. However, with my two children and the little dog, we had many good times walking the common and the fields behind, towards Hamsey Green.
   On many occasions we went down into the Yew woods, and sat on the high bank waiting for the steam trains to pass, with the children waving to the drivers and the drivers waving back. The pig farm had gone by this time, although some of the buildings and sties were still there in the undergrowth. The field where the horse was kept was all grown over, and still is. And the school was about to be built. Apart from that, the rest of those fields and woods are more or less as they were all those years ago. The goat field has now gone, as has Florian’s field in Honister Heights.
   The above is a small potted history of my life in this lovely area. I still live in the same house in Purley Bury Avenue with my daughter and five well-behaved dogs (at least I like to think they are), and can be seen most days walking on Riddlesdown doing my bit picking up litter left by today’s children.   R                                                  
 

THE THINGS RIDDLESDOWN RESIDENTS DO

ANN ANDREWS,  a local qualified practitioner, writes on alternative therapies

Are you stressed? Do you want to relax? Lie back in your favourite chair, feet up and head supported. With some gentle music playing, a fragrant candle burning, or oil in a burner, you could be starting to relax, unwind and feel good.

   Complementary therapies do just that. Stress is the cause of many modern day illnesses and, if only our stress levels were reduced, we would feel much better and have less health problems. These therapies are not new but thousands of years old. Aromatherapy was used in China and Egypt five thousand years ago and is one of the most gentle and versatile healing arts. Using the therapeutic properties of the essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, a whole host of physical and psychological complaints can be relieved. From stress to skin disorders, from respiratory problems to digestive complaints, essential oils can be selected according to their specific healing properties and applied in many ways, such as with massage, in a bath, steam inhalation, vapourizers, compresses, gargles and creams and lotions.

   Around the 17th century, medicine was becoming scientific and complementary therapies fell into disrepute. People began to associate them with witchcraft and superstitions. Doctors were now starting to favour chemical drug therapy.

   Complementary therapies treated the body as a whole – holistically. Conventional medicine treats body and mind separately. This is evident today in medical practice – headaches are often treated with pain-killers instead of looking for the real cause of the problem which could be due to bad posture, toxins in the body from food or pollution or even sinus problems. We are then faced with side-effects from modern drugs, and slow recovery or even no recovery.

   Reflexology, another holistic therapy, is becoming very popular and again originated in ancient China and Egypt. This is a treatment given on the feet and, sometimes, hands.

   The soles of our feet contain a map of our body which has the reflex points of all the organs and body parts on it. By applying pressure  with the thumb or finger on the reflex points, imbalances in the body can be corrected both physically and mentally. Reflexology is a simple form of therapeutic treatment which is very effective and helps the body to maintain good health.

   Interest in complementary therapies is now on the increase, as people do not want to take conventional drugs but to go back to the ancient forms of treating our bodies holistically and feel better for it.

   Complementary therapies do not cure serious illnesses; for those we need the advanced conventional medication and the expertise of our specialist doctors. Aromatherapy and reflexology can provide relaxation and help reduce stress alongside the drug treatment.

   Let’s treat our bodies to some relaxation therapies and feel good in ourselves. R

MRS MINA HARDY

Friends of Mina Hardy will be pleased to know that she is happily settled in a care home near her daughter and family in Yorkshire.

   She had been reluctant to leave her home, which she set up with her husband Ron when the houses were built in 1938, but in her 99th year she has surrendered to the family's advice.

   They had joined the newly formed Residents’ Association shortly after settling in, and were soon members of the Horticultural Section, the Gramophone Society and the Dramatic Society .They were apparently keen gardeners and are named frequently in the list of winners at the Association’s horticultural shows.

   They appear on the list of Committee Members in Recorder No 35 dated June 1952. Ron was President from 1965 until his death in 1980, and Mina served on various sub-committees in the early days, was active on the Committee, and in the spring of 1995, she became vice-president and continued to attend most of the meetings while she was able.         Ron Catt, ex-RRA Chairman R                          

Cllr HUGH MALYAN, Leader of Croydon Council, writes...

The opportunity to write a few words in your informative magazine is much appreciated. My brief has been to be brief but to cover a wide range of areas.

   The issue on everyone's mind at this time of year is council tax. Last year, because the Government changed how it distributed grant, Croydon received one of the lowest financial settlements in the country. We were left with an £11 million shortfall. Since the Government currently pays for about three quarters of our spending this had a disproportionate impact on the level of council tax. Even so, because we have always been prudent at budgeting, bills were still below the outer London average.

   This year the situation is a little healthier –but not by much. So, in order to continue improving and expanding the services that matter most to people, we have been looking for savings elsewhere. This has been a tough exercise that, in some instances, has involved curtailing highly regarded and popular services. But it's been essential if we're to focus on your priorities while still keeping council tax around the London average.

   Although higher external costs means we're having to pay much more for street cleansing and waste disposal we believe the extra money is being well spent. We weren't satisfied with the performance of the previous contractor. Under Cleanaway the local streetscene has improved enormously. Many residents have told us they welcome the large number of cleaners out on the street making good use of their brooms and barrows.

   Because our ongoing research tells us that the appearance of the environment is such a critical issue for residents, we have put enormous effort into clearing graffiti, removing dumped cars, tidying fly tips and generally smartening the borough. I am pleased that Smarter Croydon has caught on so widely. It's helping to stimulate pride in our borough and allowing people to be more responsible for their own surroundings. However, being obliged to devote so much energy to repairing damage and restoring amenities that a selfish minority have spoiled is frustrating. Imaginative use of CCTV and introduction of neighbourhood wardens show how we are trying to prevent or catch those whose anti-social behaviour spoils our environment. I am quite determined, however, that we cannot afford to ease up on putting things right. The quality of surroundings is a primary reason why people choose to live in a particular area. We're committed to reinforcing that choice.

   While Riddlesdown remains a thriving and attractive part of our borough, I know many residents are interested in what's happening in the town centre. Croydon's reputation as the driving force behind major projects is undimmed. Tramlink has been a wonderful example of council finding a creative solution to congestion. It's also been a magnet for further investment and regeneration. Extending the Tube to West Croydon, bringing fast links to the city via the East London Line, will be a similar stimulus.

   The face of Croydon will change dramatically as the Park Place shopping centre, Gateway arena and a modernised Fairfield build on the recent renaissance that started with the revival of Grants, and was accelerated through the arrival of the Jurys Inn and the new Centrale.

   Our determination to create the welcoming climate and conditions for a successful Croydon is not being achieved at the expense of our caring side. By far the major proportion of the council's spending is devoted to raising educational standards among our young people and caring for the vulnerable and needy.

   When the council's performance was independently assessed by Audit Commission inspectors, Croydon was judged a 'good' council. That verdict recognises that we are doing a pretty good job compared to most other authorities but can still improve. While the conclusion could have been more

generous about our strengths, I will never be satisfied that we can't do better. Our customer focus project will affect every user of our services. Through wider use of the latest technology it will help us provide a streamlined, upgraded service in which customers are regarded as the very essence of our business.

   If residents in Riddlesdown have anything more specific they wish to raise, I will be glad to respond directly. I can be reached via ...

                                               Hugh Malyan

                         020 8686 4433 Extn. 2344  R

TAKING A BLIND BIT OF NOTICE

Tony Chivers writes on losing his sight

Eleven years ago, when I was 69, and twelve months after my wife died – I finally found I couldn’t see at all. Up to then I had managed to play croquet with her occasionally at the Purley Bury club, and get into Croydon and London on my own. But I never recovered from increasing tunnel vision and glaucoma.

   I was registered blind in 1989 when I still had some vision, and for the past five years I’ve needed hearing aids.  Some 95 per cent of registered blind people are in fact partially-sighted. So at first I had a long cane from the Croydon rehabilitation people. Now that I can’t see at all I have a symbolic, short, white cane for when someone takes me out; it alerts passers-by and I can use it to feel for steps.

   Braille isn’t for me. Nor is a blind dog – I’ve never looked after a dog and they cost £20,000 to train.  Things I can’t do any longer include playing my flute. I needed to read music for that. Through lack of practice my lip is now too slack to play.

   I used to do jobs about the house: making things like a shoe rack, a toy chest with drawers, a potty chair, and plumbing in sinks and a shower. I can’t now, nor can I garden – though I do, with guidance, pick runner beans and fruits. A gardener comes every so often and a cleaner every other week.

   I’ve been very lucky with friends and neighbours. My next door neighbour has been most kind for years now – taking me shopping, opening my post, handling my finances. One or two others invite me for a meal now and then in their homes or at a restaurant, and I try to reciprocate. They take me to  local events: the Neighbourhood Partnership meetings, for instance, or a concert, or to talks. Several friends visit me fairly regularly for an hour or two’s chat. When people knock on the door or ring they have to give me plenty of time to answer.

   I discovered the St Edmund’s Church Caring Group recently and even though I’m on the edge of their area one of their volunteers will always drive me to the doctor, dentist, hospital or supermarket. I went on their Wisley outing last summer and their tram trip to Wimbledon. Croydon is lucky to have so many volunteer groups.

   A new friend, good at technical things – like putting my radio and talking clocks right – wants me to try a computer that speaks. I’m still thinking about that; I’d probably go wrong too easily on my own.

   Technology, of course, is a blessing: audio books from the library and the RNIB’s Talking Books scheme; Talking Lids tell me what’s in tins (“Baked beans” it will say, in my voice); and my invaluable mini-computer Voice Diary which stores information and telephone numbers. I can hold it over the telephone mouthpiece and it will whistle the number electronically.

   My library of CDs I don’t play very often now. There’s so much to listen to – and the magnetic strips on which I record the titles, and which I use to identify wines, are going out of supply.

   The railways have a special service to meet disabled people on and off trains, important for when I visit my son’s family in York and my daughter’s in Bristol – though if something goes wrong it’s a bit worrying. But passengers are usually most considerate. Once when I had a problem, a gentleman I had chatted with stayed with me on the platform and carried my bags. When we said goodbye I discovered he was a General.

   I keep in touch with friends from long ago by exchanging audio tapes. I like quizzes. I can usually follow Countdown on TV but I think I’ll write to Carol Vorderman to ask her to make her p and b and d more distinctive.

   When I was in Mayday, a social worker suggested Wiltshire Farm foods instead of Meals on Wheels. Chicken thighs I find easy to manage, and meat pies, and I can boil up the vegetables. I use ‘bump-ons’, stick-on rubber studs, to mark positions on the gas controls. I often do egg, bacon and sausage for breakfast – hoping I’ve put the egg on the toast.

   I read a lot, using audio: most recently a life of Menuhin, a biography of Tom Sopwith, the aeronautical pioneer, and David Lodge’s Nice Work. And I dream a lot, and in colour. Then I can see again and it’s like going to the pictures.

   Some fifty years ago I remember thinking how terrible it would be if I ever lost my sight. Now that I am blind, I find it’s not as bad as I imagined.  R

Cartoons by ARV                                       

FARE ENOUGH by JDW

I'm freezing cold and wet right through
From standing in this wretched queue.
It's forty minutes overdue.
Oh, how I hate the 412.

 When school chucks out the air turns blue,
Out come the phones that trill and coo.
The bus becomes a mobile zoo.
Oh, how I hate the 412. 

But wait, here comes a change of view,
My Freedom Pass has just come through.
Those sixty years, oh how they flew.
I say, is that a 412? 

At no expense the one-man crew
Becomes my personal chauffeur who
Will whisk me off to pastures new.
I rather like the 412.                    

NOTES FROM THE COMMON

One would think that with Riddlesdown descending into dormancy the winter would be a quieter, more reflective time for the Corporation of London keepers.  Nothing could be further from the truth!  Granted the tractors and mowing machines are oiled up, serviced and put away in the equipment sheds at HQ, and we are no longer tied to the summertime schedules of monitoring butterflies, orchid populations and other rarities living on the site. However, it is during winter when the majority of the woodland and scrub work gets targeted: cutting back paths that are overgrown, coppicing overstood hazel and clearing invasive bushes from around the precious bits of grassland that give our Common the lauded SSSI status (Special Site of Scientific Interest)!

   It is a time when the volunteer group comes into its own!  Much of the activity of felling, cutting, and clearing is ideally suited to large groups of people, punctuated by drifts of wood smoke from the wood-burning kettle, a roaring brash fire and sounds of conservationists in their element.

   We chose November to relaunch our own dedicated volunteer group. Since 1995, a small band of regulars have assisted in various projects throughout Riddlesdown and occasionally on neighbouring Kenley Common. By last summer, numbers were down to just two!  After some word-of-mouth recruitment and a change of name and task day, the new “Downsfolk” met on 7 November  to coppice hazel down by the track beside Paddock 1 – six strong!  Twice monthly since, on the 1stand 3rd Friday, the renewed and reinvigorated team have met up, and after a warming cup of tea and a briefing at the site office have undertaken a whole programme of vital conservation projects.

   One day deserves special mention.  During National Tree Week, tens of thousands of people across Britain head out into their local patch to plant native trees.  This year we were able to participate in this vast initiative by planting out 13 new juniper saplings into the newly created glades of the Famet Close grazing area. The project had great significance for two reasons. Firstly, it was the culmination of five year’s work by volunteers who back in winter 1998/1999 collected 200 juniper seeds from our last remaining cluster of this nationally rare shrub, and who have nurtured the slow-growing seedlings through to the stage where they are ready for planting out. Secondly, seeing the small trees in place indicated the final stage of the project to open up the area of grazed downland which has been created to hold these fascinating, but floundering rare residents of Riddlesdown.

   The Downsfolk are looking to recruit two more volunteers to their ranks.  No previous experience of conservation work is necessary, nor is the need to stay all day, if only a couple of hours are available. Please call Shaun on 020 8660 8533 to offer your assistance – a hot cup of tea in a woodland glade, and congenial company awaits you!

________________________

 The keepers and volunteers would like to welcome Sarah Clifford to the team at Riddlesdown.  Sarah, formerly a volunteer with the BTCV in Croydon, and ranger at South Norwood Country Park, started in December as the Riddlesdown to Whyteleafe Countryside Area Warden.
Shaun Waddell, Corporation of London Keeper R

ALAN PEARSON

Many residents will remember Alan of Riddlesdown Road who, sadly, died last year.

   For many years he was a Road Steward, keen golfer, cricketer, hockey player and, for twenty years, the organiser of the Sanderstead Horticultural Society’s two annual flower shows. To mark Alan's life the Society have arranged for a Birch tree to be planted in the Wettern Tree Garden, Purley Oaks Road, near the site of the Summer Shows, with an accompanying plaque which will be unveiled at this year’s show on 26 June.                                   Colin Jones  R

DID THE DINOSAURS EVER WALK ON RIDDLESDOWN?
Martin Whitehead, local  geologist and resident, writes on earlier and larger
Riddlesdown residents  

Over the last few years there has been a resurgence in interest in all things dinosaur with a plethora of newspaper articles and television programmes admirably led by our very own BBC. Basically, dinosaurs sell, always have done and probably always will, because nothing quite captures the imagination of adults and children alike more than the concept of rampaging prehistoric giants out looking for their lunch!

   They ruled the earth for over 180 million years which, compared to our own human time scale, is an eternity and they roamed over all continents. But what about the parish of Riddlesdown? Did dinosaurs once wander in the area of our little part of the globe?

   We are all familiar with the chalk in our area. The chalk was deposited in ancient late Cretaceous seas during the later period of dinosaur existence; however, beneath the chalk there are sediments of early Cretaceous age. These sediments were deposited in a mixture of marine and continental environments i.e. under the sea, and on the land and these can be found not very far from Riddlesdown in the tract of land where the A22 decends rapidly towards the M25 just beyond the end of the Caterham bypass.

   In this area and towards Merstham, sandstones have been mined from Roman times onwards, and provided the building stones for Canterbury Cathedral, the Tower of London, parts of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. There is very little surface evidence of the mines’ existence but on ascending the A22 towards Croydon (on the dual carriageway immediately after leaving the M25), you will notice on the left a little set of concrete bollards, on the left hand side of the road, which appear to have no purpose. Those bollards mark one of the entrances to the old stone mines.

   Now what has this got to do with dinosaurs in Riddlesdown? Well, quite simply, in the stone mines, dinosaur remains are known to exist despite the fact that the sediments that contain the remains would have been deposited in the sea or possibly on a beach –  i.e. dead dinosaurs washed into the sea from nearby land. In fact, deeper in the rock record of Surrey and Kent, beneath those that have been mined, sediments that are known to have been deposited in lake and swamp environments are world famous for their dinosaur remains and it is more than likely that these sediments would be found at depth beneath Riddlesdown Common. Age equivalent sediments are known from a borehole at Warlingham and one at Addington, which brackets Riddlesdown quite nicely. That being the case, then dinosaurs such as the large herbivore Iguanodon would almost certainly have wandered over the Riddlesdown area, albeit in a lush tropical swamp with unrecognisable plants. If the herbivores were here.......then so too the carnivores! R  n

NEW HEALTH FORUMS NEED YOUR VIEWS

New independent Forums for patient and public involvement in health were set up throughout the country in January. Every NHS primary care trust and hospital has one – there are 572 in all.

   The Forums are made up of ordinary members of the public, appointed by the Commission for Patient & Public Involvement in Health. The aim is to learn your thoughts on local health and so influence existing health services and indicate new ones that might be needed. The Forums are also interested in your ideas on how health decision-makers can become more responsive to patients and the public. That should be welcome news to anyone who has ever written off in frustration!

   There is one forum for primary care and one for Mayday hospital. Mayday's will have a representative on the primary care forum. The forums replace the previous public 'watchdog', the Community Health Council, but, unlike that council, have the new legal right to visit and inspect NHS premises. In effect, that means members of the public can check up on what is happening.

Everyone's views
The Forums must reflect the views of everyone including those whose views are not easily heard. They must "take account of and promote diversity and equal opportunities" and be familiar with the primary care trust's race equality scheme. But, advises the Commission, "views are likely to be relevant and more likely to be taken into account by decision-makers if they clearly reflect the wider community views".

   Apart from being able to visit and inspect NHS premises – from GPs' surgeries to hospitals – Forums have the right to be given information from NHS bodies within a month. That's one to please those who feel responses should be speeded up.

Sanctions
Forums can check if recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are working. This is a local authority committee with powers to examine health services ''as part of their wider role in health improvement and reducing health inequalities". Forums can refer health concerns to this committee and to the Strategic Health Authority, which is also independent. But the idea is to work with the various NHS bodies, not against them, to work with local health service agencies and join forces with other Forums.

Duties
Forums have numerous responsibilities –rather too many for the initial eight members to do everything at once! But the aim is to build up to about 20 members, giving plenty of room for working groups.

   The Forums support their local communities over health issues, especially groups in danger of being ignored or overlooked. They promote the idea of the public being involved in decision-making, monitor how well the NHS is doing in involving and consulting the public, and are a channel for giving patient and public opinions to the NHS. They have a wide remit for monitoring and reviewing health services and checking up, for instance, how the Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS) and the complaints body are progressing. They also hold public meetings where you can air your views, and they publish an annual report and accounts.

   What Forums look at is decided by majority vote. Early decisions by the Primary Care Forum were to monitor the new organisation of GPs' services, find out the experiences of the Link Persons at local practices, and begin to contact many of the community bodies likely to have views on particular aspects of health services.

Knowledge System
The Commission itself is setting up a computer network called the Knowledge Management System, a web-based working tool that allows users to find, give and share information about local health issues. It will have public discussion boards where you can find out what your local Forums are doing, raise local issues and contribute your views. Allied to this will be a new 'Our Health' network for people nationally to give their views. Through these the Commission will identify trends.

Make contact !
So suddenly there are going to be more ways for you to say what you think about local health services. If you want more information about the new Forums – perhaps you'd like to join one? or if you want to write to a Forum member – contact Scope, the main support organisation in the South East: 020 8823 9370.                                      Harvey Smith  R

TWIN TOWNS – WHAT ARE THEY AND CAN WE BE ONE?
Nick Bygrave writes about Twin Towns

While out driving, I  sometimes idly wonder what town twinning is all about. What does Westerham get out of being twinned with Bonneval, or Gouvieux with Dorking? How does Perth and Kinross manage with no less than six European twins, among them Bydgoszcz, Pskov and, more pronounceably, Cognac?

   I usually conclude that it probably means junkets for council officials, maybe some useful exchange trips for children, and undoubtedly increased council tax. But not knowing much about it, I did some research and found this view to be somewhat cynical.

   There is a definition of town twinning as a friendship agreement involving co-operation between two communities in different countries, endorsed by both local authorities. The twinned communities organise projects and activities around a range of issues, and aim to develop an understanding of historical, cultural and life style similarities and differences. This involves a wide range of community members and often involves direct people-to-people contact. 

   One has to hope that this is not just rhetoric. A senior-citizen-resident such as myself is not apparently affected by town twinning. I cannot recall the last time I was invited to a twin town and I certainly have never issued an invitation to anybody in one.

   Apparently the concept began in Europe, with the first recorded UK link in 1920 between Keighley and Poix du Nord in France. The number  increased significantly after the Second World War to aid the process of peace and reconciliation, and again in the 1970s and 1980s following  UK entry into the then EEC. My heart sank a little when I found that the European Commission became involved and set up a town twinning grant in 1989. I have to ask if the accounts have been audited.

   In the early 1990s communities started to re-evaluate and redirect their twinning arrangements  more towards economic and technical aspects, as well as creating more multi-lateral relationships. I did not discover what this means in practice.

   There was further twinning between West European and Central and Eastern European towns as UK local government sought to encourage the growth of democracy and a free market economy. More hopefully, twinning has responded to problems in conflict areas, such as the Balkans, with community links and technical cooperation partnerships with towns there.

   Currently, there are over 2000 twinning links in the UK, 50% with France, 25% with Germany, the rest with communities all over the world, including the USA, China and the Commonwealth. These are complemented by informal partnerships and project-based activities, many led by community groups, in particular with Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian sub-continent.

   I did not know if Croydon had any foreign siblings and could not recall seeing any road signs indicating that it had. But I discovered that our twin was Arnhem, Holland, with an informal link started in 1946 and formally established in 1985. Apart from some survivors from the 1944 Arnhem operation living in Croydon, there is apparently no direct military link between the two places. However, the 1944 volunteer 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment is now part of the TA 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment which has long had a unit based in Croydon. The Arnhem Gallery at Fairfield Halls is another connection.

   Over the years, many local organisations have established links in Arnhem. These include schools, sports clubs, youth groups and businesses. Organisations mutually decide how frequently they hold exchanges and do so without unnecessary bureaucracy.

   Purley seems to have no link with anywhere. Nor indeed does Riddlesdown and strangely enough, neither do big cities like Paris, New York or Rome.

   So maybe we should get in before anyone else does and twin Riddlesdown with Paris. Clearly, the RRA Committee should leave on a fact-finding tour and meet the Mayor, if not the President. We shall of course invite them back, so will need offers of B&B for the Mayor and Jacques, maybe with a morning walk to the Common, taking in the Riddlesdown sign on the way.

      Meanwhile, I have emailed the Chairman of the Croydon-Arnhem Link suggesting that there could be scope for local Residents Associations to twin with Arnhem equivalents and asking for some contacts. I have also registered our interest in a link on the Croydon Town Twinning website. No response from either so far. R

COMMUNITY PAGES - THINGS TO DO, JOIN, AND HELP WITH
Short pieces on local associations, events and activities are included here free of charge. New material is required for each issue please. Space is limited so please get contributions in early – first come, first served. Please keep to 250 words or less.
 

CROYDON GARDEN WILDLIFE SURVEY

This survey of wildlife in Croydon gardens, run by the Association of Croydon Conservation Societies, is continuing for another year. The numbers of people taking part are down slightly this year, and more are needed to ensure that the results obtained provide a good representation of Croydon as a whole. You do not need to have a huge “wildlife friendly” garden to take part; small gardens in built up areas are just as good for the purposes of this survey.  

   Although it covers a wide range of wildlife including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and birds, you do not need to be an expert in every field; a knowledge of one area, or just a general interest, is sufficient. If you would like to take part or get some more information, contact Malcolm Jennings on 020-8684-4000.

SANDERSTEAD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Saturday 26 June is the date for this year’s
Summer Flower Show, to be held in a marquee at our usual venue, Wettern Tree Garden, Purley Oaks Road at 2pm. As  well as our usual competitions for flowers, fruit and vegetables, we will be entertained by the band of The Royal Hospital Chelsea.                    
   Although this is a guaranteed wonderful afternoon out, I am sure residents would
enjoy it even more if they were actually competing. We have classes for gardeners of all ages and levels of skill as well as a programme of lectures, visits and a horticultural advisory service.
Membership costs £5 per household. Contact Valerie Burley 8651 5837 for further details.

AGE RELATED SPOILERS

Why do all advertisers think everyone drawing any sort of pension is penniless, witless and at death's door? They think nobody over fifty wears jeans, trainers, or drives anything faster than a stairlift, and that pensioners are all broke and worrying about their funeral arrangements. Yet every cruise is wall-to-wall silver tops, so are mid-week pub restaurants, and SAGA is running a gold mine.

   The reality is that most house-owner pensioners have paid off their mortgage, possibly down-sized their home and are busy SKIing. (Spending the Kid's Inheritance.) They are not wealthy, but they have given up high fashion, they have lost the must have urge, and are left with some surplus cash.             They spend it on travel and fun while they are fit enough to enjoy themselves.

   So be prepared all you pre-pensioners. When you get there, expect a depressing postal flow of funeral plans, catalogues of incontinent gear, the latest in Zimmer frames, and advice on how to get meals on wheels. Bin the lot, turn off your mobile phone and get out there and enjoy every joyful minute of freedom. Better still, join our local social club and enjoy our speakers, trips up to London's places of interest, walks, ten-pin bowling, pub lunches and a crowd of new friends. We meet at St.Edmund's Hall, Mitchley Avenue. For details ring 01883 344292.

John Rose. Chairman, Association of Retired and Persons Over Fifty (ARP/O5O)

PURLEY BURY CROQUET CLUB

On a summer’s day if you feel like a walk, do feel free to visit our club in Purley Bury Avenue. You will be made very welcome, and may even be inspired to come and learn how to play. Coaching is available.

   Our social activities are very varied and, in the winter, our two Chicago bridge drives are open to non-members. For enquiries, please phone Penny on 8660 8239.

ST.EDMUND’S CARING GROUP

Recently we did a leaflet drop to each household telling residents about our organisation, and asking people in need, or people who could afford to offer some time as volunteers, to contact us. From this we hope to have new volunteers to enable us to keep up our high standard of care.

   The John Ruskin Choral Society have kindly agreed to give a concert of popular and folk songs in aid of our caring group. This will be on Sunday 20 June at 3pm at St.Edmund’s Church Hall. Tickets will be £5 for adults, and £2.50 for children. Your ticket includes afternoon tea. To help us with catering, if possible please get your tickets in advance from Penny 8660 8239 or Barbara 8660 6747. A few tickets will be available on the day.