IlonaM

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The SDCAS Crowdfund campaign is now live: Help Save Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers! "I’m proud to be an advice volunteer at Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers (SDCAS), a community that welcomes and supports refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers in Southwark. Right now, we’re facing the toughest moment in our nearly 30-year history. Unless we raise funds this September, we may not be able to keep offering the hot meals, English classes, advice, and safe community space that so many people rely on. That’s why I’m asking you to support our emergency Crowdfunder: 👉https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-sdcas Even a small donation, or sharing this with your friends and family, will make a huge difference in helping us to reach our £70,000 goal and keep SDCAS open. This place means so much to me, and to everyone who walks through our doors 💛.Thank you for your support in spreading the word. ... Be sure to tag us @SouthwarkAsylum on Facebook and @sdcascommunity on Instagram We really value your support, £70K is an ambitious goal but we know our dedicated supporters can get us over the line! Our sincere thanks in advance from all of us at SDCAS. Best wishes Judith Arkwright"

Depends where you are. At the south circular end of Underhill I have alternating flight paths - planes fly directly overhead for a week, i.e. over my house, and very intrusive, then the flight path moves and I can see them flying over higher up Underhill/East Dulwich but can't really hear them. Then they come back again, and so on ...

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cat-vegetable-onion-deadly-health-anaemia-b2817541.html#comments-area '... Researchers call for spreading more awareness among pet owners about the dangers linked to common foods toxic to cats, such as onions, garlic, and chocolate. They urge pet owners to keep these foods securely stored away from their cats, and raise awareness within their community.'

Have you though of the Mayhew? https://themayhew.org They are based near Kensal Green in north London. Otherwise Dogs Trust?

Melanie Schweizer of the Global Sumud Flotilla details the aims – and anxieties – of the largest humanitarian convoy to Gaza since the blockade began. Dear Ilona, “The time for debate and hesitation has passed; starvation is present and is rapidly spreading.” This was the urgent warning of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) last week as it formally declared famine in the Gaza Strip, where at least 281 people have died from hunger — of whom 114 were children. At the same time, thousands of humanitarian aid trucks sit idle at the border, blocked by Israeli occupation forces. The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has 6,000 trucks on standby, waiting to be allowed entry. Across the border, more than 1,900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers while searching for the little food that enters Gaza. After 22 months of genocide, life expectancy at birth in the besieged enclave has fallen by 35 years. That’s why we’re sailing to Gaza: To break the siege. The Global Sumud Flotilla represents a historic moment: The largest civilian and humanitarian fleet ever to sail for Gaza, prepared within the shortest time frame in history, and formed through the unprecedented union of four major grassroots movements — organizers and participants of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the Global March to Gaza, the Sumud Convoy, and the Asian Sumud Nusantara. This coalition brings together thousands of individuals from across the globe, including lawyers, doctors, nurses, journalists, parliamentarians, and human rights defenders. Together, we embark on a mission to deliver life-saving aid directly to the population of Gaza, and to challenge an unlawful blockade that constitutes one of the gravest crimes under international law. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has, since 2006, organised ships to sail toward Gaza in an effort to break Israel’s illegal siege. Some vessels succeeded, others were intercepted, and one in 2010 was attacked with lethal force, resulting in the killing of ten participants. Despite repression, this coalition has kept the maritime path of solidarity alive. The Global March to Gaza mobilised in March 2025 and brought over 4,000 participants from across the world to Cairo to march to Rafah. Simultaneously, the Sumud Convoy gathered participants from Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia and organized buses to join the Global March. The march and convoy were violently obstructed, with hundreds detained by Egyptian authorities. The initiatives, however, proved that international civil society is ready to act en masse in solidarity with the people of Palestine. This was cemented by the formation of the Asian Sumud Nusantara, which expanded the network even further, demonstrating that resistance to genocide is not confined to one region but reaches around the world. The unprecedented coordination of these four movements signals that humanity recognises its responsibility to act when our leaders not only fail to prevent atrocity but aid and abet the erasure of the Palestinian people. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Since October 2023, the population has faced indiscriminate bombardment, mass displacement, and deliberate starvation. Even as they continue to resist the occupation, the people of Gaza face an increasingly dire situation. The blockade, imposed and tightened by Israel, prevents food, medicine, and essential goods from reaching two million civilians. The result is famine, disease, and mass death. This is not just a humanitarian crisis — it's a deliberate policy, enabled by impunity. International law is clear: The Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 23, obliges parties to allow the free passage of consignments of medical and hospital stores, as well as essential foodstuffs, intended for civilians. Additional Protocol I, Article 70, requires parties to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief. The San Remo Manual, Rule 102, prohibits blockades that have the effect of starving civilians or denying them essential relief. The Genocide Convention, Article II(c), recognises the deliberate infliction of conditions of life calculated to destroy a group, including through starvation, as an act of genocide. The Rome Statute, Article 8(2)(b)(xxv), defines the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime. The International Court of Justice has issued three binding provisional measures (January, March, and May 2024), requiring Israel to allow and facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza without obstruction. Despite these clear obligations, states have failed to act, and Israel continues to enforce a blockade that has been condemned by UN bodies, humanitarian organisations, and legal experts worldwide as unlawful collective punishment. The Global Sumud Flotilla is a popular response to their crimes: An insistence that where governments fail, we will act. Our flotilla is humanitarian: It carries food, medicine, and essential supplies; it carries no weapons. It is peaceful; our ships are unarmed and transparent in their purpose. It is lawful: it exercises rights enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including the freedom of navigation on the high seas (Article 87), the obligation of peaceful use of the seas (Articles 88 and 301), and the right of innocent passage through territorial waters. Our mission does not fall under any exceptions that would allow interference under Article 110 of UNCLOS. It is not piracy, not slave trafficking, not illicit broadcasting, and certainly not a military action. It is the lawful transportation of humanitarian aid. Our participants are protected civilians under Article 4 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Any interference, mistreatment, or arrest would not only be a grave violation of their rights but also engage the legal responsibility of the state committing such acts. The Global Sumud Flotilla therefore demands: An immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire. The lifting of the unlawful blockade of Gaza. The guarantee of safe and unhindered humanitarian access by sea and land. Accountability for violations of international law, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. A free Palestine, finally granting the Palestinians the right to self-determination. This mission stands in the proud tradition of global civil resistance against systems of oppression: Gandhi’s salt march against British colonial rule, Nelson Mandela’s struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and Rosa Parks’ defiance of segregation in the United States. Liberation has never followed a sudden moral awakening among the ruling class. It follows a struggle which mobilises at scale. The Global Sumud Flotilla is such a mobilisation. It is historic because of what it represents: International unity against genocide, the assertion that law must be practised and not merely proclaimed, and the refusal to remain silent in the face of famine. We sail because governments have failed. We sail because silence enables atrocity. We sail to defend international law and uphold human dignity. The Global Sumud Flotilla is a peaceful and humanitarian mission. It carries not only food and medicine but also the hope of millions: That humanity will prevail over indifference. Melanie Schweizer is a lawyer and Member of the Steering Committee of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

"One of the most disturbing features of the Gaza genocide has been Israel’s attempts to prevent the truth from emerging to the world. But Palestinian journalists, writers and filmmakers are resisting these attempts, against incredible odds. [PSC] are supporting the release of a major new film - “From Ground Zero: Stories From Gaza” - in cinemas across the UK from September 12. It features the extraordinary work of 22 Palestinian filmmakers living through the unimaginable reality of the genocide. Please support this film in your local cinema. There are 84 screenings already scheduled and more are being added. Click the link below to find your local screening. “From Ground Zero” is a collection of short films ranging in length from 3 to 6 minutes using a mix of genres including fiction, documentary, docu-fiction, animation and experimental cinema. They capture some of the diverse experiences of life in Gaza from the perspectives of Palestinian artists. Above all, the films demonstrate the steadfastness of the people, their shining humanity in the face of tragedy and persecution, and their ability to maintain hope for freedom and justice. We cannot allow Palestinian voices from Gaza be silenced or go unheard. On Friday 12 September at 7.15pm, the London premiere will be hosted at Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel, including a Q&A with Director Rashid Masharawi and PSC Director Ben Jamal. Book your ticket at the link below. https://www.genesiscinema.co.uk/event/100618 “From Ground Zero” was taken off the lineup of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on political grounds after initially being accepted. But as this film release shows, the voice of Palestinians cannot be so easily silenced. The film itself will help strengthen Palestinian voices as all proceeds from the film go to the Masharawi Fund for films and filmmakers in Gaza. We too will never be silenced in our solidarity, campaigning and uncompromising demands for freedom and justice for Palestine." Direct link to information about film, trailer, and UK screenings link: https://www.cosmiccatfilms.com/from-ground-zero

Have sent you a pm

'You’ve shown time and time again that you care about what’s happening in Gaza. If you could put it into words, what would your message of solidarity with Palestinians be? You can now pick up a free postcard in your local Oxfam shop to write your message – expressing how you feel about the atrocities happening to people in Gaza. Post it back to us, and we’ll take it to the Labour Party Conference in September. Many MPs will be there. So will the Prime Minister. This is a big opportunity to speak up for Palestinians and show the breadth and depth of the UK public feeling about this. Roba, an Oxfam colleague in Gaza, has been sharing her experience. It’s hard to read, but it’s important these stories are heard: “You can’t truly understand what starvation is until you’ve felt it. Until it is no longer just a word, but a daily reality that consumes life. There is nothing more soul crushing than hearing a child cry. Not for toys, not for luxuries. But simply for a loaf of bread. That tiny little voice bidding for something so basic. So human. We’re not demanding anything grand. We’re seeking the bare minimum to stay alive. And when you can’t answer that cry, when all you have are empty hands and a heavy heart, it leaves a mark that never fades.” We’re seeing a shift from our government. But they’re not doing enough. Despite changing their tone and acknowledging that there is a risk Israel has breached International Humanitarian Law, they are continuing to allow the sale of arms to the Israeli government. They need to see and feel your emotion. People are starving to death. People are being shot at whilst collecting aid. People are being displaced, time and time again. And Israel's decision to take direct military control of Gaza City marks a dangerous escalation. Israel continues to illegally occupy the Palestinian territory and this latest plan is a brazen act of erasure carried out in full view of the world. When will our government take action and say ENOUGH? So please, share your message. You can even add your name and postcode if you’d like us to try and get your postcard in front of your own MP. Ghada, our colleague in Gaza, said: “Every action, every voice, adds to a movement that can’t be ignored. This is not just about politics. This is about humanity. It’s about solidarity. It’s about refusing to stay and be silent.” We will never stop speaking up for Palestinians in Gaza. Thank you for being here, Charlotte Campaign Engagement Manager'

Thanks for all your suggestions. I'm thinking of ricotta fresca which comes with the little draining basket. I'll try Cheese Block and research further afield. Camisa used to be on Old Compton Street and they used to have a second bigger store behind Goodge Street station for a while - not sure if still there. I'm talking donkeys years ago! Very traditional deli. Was just remembering the old Italian neighbourhood near Chancery Lane - that might be productive!

Thanks for your suggestion David. Lina's a bit of a hike for me! I used to love them and the Flli Camisa when I lived in central London. I use the smooth ricotta for cooking Ligurian spinach and ricotta pie - delicious!, but enjoy the more rustic ricotta as well.

I used to get a very good Ricotta (made relatively locally) from a deli under the Brixton arches - just like I buy from local producers when I'm in Italy, rather than the creamy variety one buys from Galbani etc. Does anyone have any recommendations for a good (not creamy) Ricotta, please.

https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/latest/kindnessindex/2025/onekind 'The quickest way to help sick or injured small animals is often to take them straight to a vet. Knowing what to do if you find an animal in need can make a big difference. We’ve produced an easy-to-follow video guide to teach you what to do. After that you can claim your free Local Animal Hero badge. ... Do your bit for animals in need! Would you know what to do if you found sick or injured wildlife? Our Kindness Index shows more than half (54%) of people would not feel confident knowing what to do if they came across a wild animal who needed help. That’s why we’ve produced a video guide to show when and how you can safely take animals, whether they are wild or pets, to a vet and when to call others to help. Watch our easy-to-follow video to learn how to become a Local Animal Hero, and be prepared to help an animal in need. Then claim your free pin-badge ... What will you learn? Our video guide will show you: Which animals are safe to pick up yourself How to safely pick up and handle small sick and injured animals How to transport an animal safely to a vet When to call for help from others How to build an animal rescue box' '

https://rnli.org/safety/float

Something prickly in the planter! I've seen a woman of a similar age do it at least twice to a front garden over the road on Underhill.

Was down there this morning, crossing from bottom of Court Lane over to the post office. As someone with limited mobility I'm more concerned about cyclists wizzing through along Carlton Avenue to/from Dulwich village seemingly without thinking about pedestrians. One cyclist stopped to let me over, another wizzed around him and kept going!

'Public urged to look out for exotic Jersey Tiger moths in parks and gardens As numbers surge this year, Butterfly Conservation said sightings in unexpected places tell an important story about climate change.' https://www.standard.co.uk/news/environment/butterfly-conservation-big-butterfly-count-england-fox-wales-b1241258.html

I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm sure you may have already investigated this route, but there must have been a coroner's inquest at the time. You could approach the charity Inquest which might be able to assist and advise you: https://www.inquest.org.uk/ IIona

Also Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers for client lunches or food parcels.

'Keir Starmer has recalled the cabinet from their summer holiday to discuss the urgent situation in Gaza. Strong words are not enough. Join [PSC] today at 1pm outside Downing Street to bang pots and pans and say: Stop starving Gaza. Stop arming Israel. ... We will be outside Downing Street today from 1pm, banging pots and pans to symbolise the famine Israel is deliberately inflicting on Palestinians, and to protest against Keir Starmer and his government’s complicity in genocide. Join us if you can at 1pm, and bring a pot to bang. Make sure Keir Starmer and his cabinet hear us loud and clear.'