As you might be aware from his recent letters in The Mercury and the News Shopper,  local resident Paul Taylor is collecting memories of the two St. Winifred’s Schools in Lee Green.   All Paul’s brothers and sisters went to St. Winifred’s, his youngest sister has been school secretary there for more than 20 years, and his late mother played the piano at the school for ballet classes.

Paul’s keen to hear from any ‘old girls’ or ‘old boys’ who have memories, stories or photos of their time at St. Winifred’s that they’d like to share - anything that would capture a moment or a memory.   Both schools are included - infants and juniors (the school split in 1969 when Effingham Road became the infants and the new school on Newstead Road became the Juniors - just as it is today).

Paul’s about halfway through his project - it’s not an official history, just a collection of what you have to offer.   How it will turn out depends very much on what Paul receives from local people, so I promised him I’d mention his project here and in E-Focus.

You can email memories to Paul’s colleague Terry at terencegibbs {at} onetel(.)com or send them via post to Paul at: Paul Taylor, Flat 2, Syon Lodge, 132 Burnt Ash Hill, Lee, SE2 OHY. 

This sounds like a really interesting project, so if you can help Paul out, please do!

I went up to the Party in the Park on Saturday and visited the Lee Manor School Parents and Friends Association stall - who tell me they are holding a summer fair at the school this Sunday from 2pm until 4pm.

There are all sorts of activities planned - including a DJ, raffle, tombola, plants, nearly new, music stage,  hot food, craft making, treasure hunt, and face painting.   They’re also screening the Wimbledon Final - so no excuses for not coming along!

Entrance is £1 for adults, free for children, but all children must be accompanied by an adult.  

I’ve already bought my raffle tickets and have my fingers crossed for the Zero Degrees beer kegs…!

Plus - if you’re at a loose end on Sunday morning, FUSS have moved their clean-up day to Sunday - Paul has the details.

Here’s the latest list of local events from E-Focus - another busy round!

• Forget Glastonbury - there’s a party in the park this Saturday, 28th June, from 11am until 6pm at Manor House Gardens. More details on Pistachio’s website at http://www.pistachiosinthepark.org.uk/index.htm
• There’ll be a fine food festival on Sunday 29th June from 10am until 4pm at Cornmill Gardens, opposite Lewisham Train/DLR station. Expect the finest local and fair trade produce.
• The Quaggy Waterways Action Group are holding a clean-up on Sunday 29 June. Meet in the Clarendon Rise Car Park at 1.30 pm Click here for more details. Waders should be booked in advance. Please contact Matthew Blumler by email matthew {at} qwag.org(.)uk or phone on 020 8318 6044
• The next meeting of the Manor Park User Group will be a ‘walkabout’ in the park on Tuesday 1st July starting at 7 pm. They’ll be discussing issues such as anti-social behaviour involving dogs in the park with one of Lewisham’s Animal Welfare Officers, how the park is managed and maintained by Glendales, summer activities in the park, and the possible development of the disused building in the park for youth activities. You’ll be very welcome to join the user group - more details from Paul
• Lee Green Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel will be holding their AGM at Lochaber Hall on Wednesday 2nd July from 7 pm onwards. Lee Green Ward Safer Neighbourhood Panel is made up of representatives of the local community, and the Panel is responsible for setting the policing priorities for our Police Safer Neighbourhood Team. Why not come along and find out more about the Panel and what it does, and meet our Safer Neighbourhood Team? At the meeting you can find out how to stand for membership of the Panel - they’re particularly keen to find a secretary!
• FUSS will be having a clean up and planting day in Staplehurst Road on Saturday the 5th July Sunday the 6th July from 10.30 am. Meet in Staplehurst Road and please bring gloves, trowel, broom and rubbish bag if possible.
• The Manor House Gardens User Group are holding a meeting on Tuesday July the 8th at 7.30pm in the park café to discuss the Northbrook School proposals. Officers of the school, council and development partners have been invited.
• Lewisham People’s Day is on Saturday 12th July from 12noon until 7pm at Mountsfield Park. More details at www.lewisham.gov.uk/peoplesday or call 8314 7321. Note there’s no public parking on site apart from blue badge holders and it’s a no-dogs event.
• FUSS will be at People’s Day on Saturday the 12th July in Mountsfield Park to raise much needed funds for the planters in Staplehurst Road. FUSS would be very grateful for any donations of books : videos : DVDs : jewellery : ornaments and usable bric-a-brac. Items can be handed in at either the Station pub, or left in the porch of 85 Manor Park from Monday 23 June until Monday 7th July.
• The next meeting of the Lee Manor Society is on Wednesday 16th July at 8pm. Details are to be confirmed - keep checking www.leemanorsociety.org for details.
• The Lee Manor Society are opening the Ice House in Manor House Gardens on the first and third weekends of each month until the Open House Weekend of 20th and 21st September. Opening hours will be 3pm to 5pm.
• The Thirst Friday Café: There’ll be coffee, cake and good company between 9.30 and 11.30am every Friday at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Handen Road. Why not come along and bring your friends!
• You can find details of Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi classes at the Stark Gallery on Lee High Road at their website: http://www.starkgallery.com/yoga-classes.html

You can get this list straight to your in-box every fortnight by signing up for E-Focus using the box on the right.

I went along to the Mayor and Cabinet meeting tonight as a new round of Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) consultations were on the agenda - including here in Lee Green.

There are three consultations proposed:

• To extend the recent Hither Green East CPZ to cover Kellerton Road and the section of Manor Lane between Soutbrook Road and Kellerton Road.  See map here.
• To extend the Bankwell Road/Old Road CPZ to cover a larger area from Murillo Road up to Brightfield Road.  See map here.
• To introduce a new CPZ covering Holme Lacey and Dallinger Roads and a short stretch of Manor Lane.  There’s a possiblity this might be a two hour CPZ.  See map here.

I’d stress that all that’s been agreed is to consult on a detailed proposal for these areas.  Nothing will happen without a majority vote by residents in favour of the scheme.

The timetables for consulting aren’t firm at present.   The Hither Green East extension and the Bankwell/Old Road extension will be consulted on first - they’re the joint top priorities in the whole borough (though they’re numbered 1&2, it’s been confirmed by officers and the Mayor that they’ll be consulted on together).   Holme Lacey and Dallinger will take a bit longer - it’s priority 8.   If you want to be kept up to date on progress, check back here, or subscribe to E-Focus using the box on the right.

Have a good read of the report, and feel free to let me have your thoughts.  As I say, all that’s been decided is to consult, and I’m well aware there are usually strong opinions for and against parking controls!

Residents along Southbrook Road will be aware that Transport for London proposed earlier this year to install fixed stops along their road to serve the 273 route.

Following objections from residents, the plans for Southbrook Road have now been revised.    Stops will now be situated outside the Northbrook pub and the small industial estate opposite, with no stops outside residents’ homes.   Southbrook Road residents should receive a letter from TfL to this effect in due course.  

Unfortunately retaining the hail and ride system is apparently not an option, as this is being removed right across London.

Stops along Fernbrook Road will now be located:

• Opposite Hither Green Station where the timetable frame is now (Petts Wood direction)
• Just west of the junction with Fernbrook Crescent (230b) (Petts Wood direction)
• Outside the Manor Cafe (Petts Wood direction)
• Outside 65/67 (Lewisham Direction)
• Opposite 68a (Lewisham Direction)
• Directly outside Hither Green Station (Lewisham direction)

Manor Park will proceed pretty much as planned, with an additional set of stops to be located on Staplehurst Road in the area people use at present to board and alight.  

If you’ve ever walked down Southbrook Road, you’ve probably noticed the walls outside the flats at the Burnt Ash Road end.     Well, not so much the walls, but the lack of them - as the photo to the right shows.

We’ve made sure Lewisham Homes are aware of the problem - including through a walkabout last year - but due to tight budgets, they’ve been unable to fix them up to now.

However, the launch of Lewisham Homes’ resident-led programme has meant we might be able to secure some funding.    There’s half a million pounds up for grabs, and bids for funding will be judged by fellow residents.

Sven and I popped round tonight to chat to residents about making an application.   Every resident we spoke to agreed to sign a petition to show their support, and we agreed to sort out the forms to make a bid for the walls to be repaired.   We’re also going to expand the bid and ask if Lewisham Homes are prepared to fund entryphones for the front doors to the block.

We want the bid to have the best chance of suceeding, so we need to demonstrate as much support as possible.   I’m going to ask the Lee Manor Society and our Safer Neighbourhood Team if they’ll support the application.   If you live in the local area and support our bid then do add a comment below and I’ll make sure they’re all passed on to Lewisham Homes.

Just a quick post to say I’ve decided to turn on the comments facility on this site.  Hopefully it’ll give people a chance to have their say on my posts and turn the site into more of a conversation.   

I’m sure people won’t abuse the facility - but we’ll see how it goes.