MaryT

Just had a huge dump of overdue mail today; a birthday card sent on 11 March (that birthday is now long gone!), a missing SIM card, which had to be ordered again, overdue PCN correspondence from Southwark, meaning fines have been missed without me knowing (again!). This is a problem which stems back to the closure of the E.Dulwich sorting office over 5 years ago, although Royal Mail keep saying that they've now got it in hand. Rubbish! Local MP Ellie Reeves knows about it. Go ahead and email her please, as I've been doing! ([email protected]) I'm heartily sick of the problem; it has tangible consequences for people when the mail is so unreliable!

For those of you who don't know, the problem with Royal mail deliveries in ED has been going on since before Covid, when they closed our local sorting office. There are very some real consequences to residents. For example, for the 3rd or 4th time in recent years, I've recieved a PCN notice, 2 months late, so that the fine has increased from £65 to £195 in the interim. Our previous MP, Helen Hayes was fully aware of the mail delivery problem and tackling Royal Mail about this. The new MP, Ellie Reeves, seems less active. My emails are forwarded to Royal Mail, who give the same generic excuses they've used for years, sickness absence, recruitment problems, blah blah, all of which they say they are 'resolving'. My suggestion is that you email Ellie Reeves MP (or whoever your one is since the boundary changed) and ask them what they're doing about it!

The issue with mail delivery is getting ridulous. Once again, I've had a late dump of post, some of it over 3 weeks late. Like others, yet another parking fine which has escalated because it wasn't received on time. I'll now have to pay £170; and a Vehicle Tax reminder, the date of which has already past. None of us will get anywhere appealing these things with the issuing authorities by simply saying that the post was late. We ever can't prove that letters weren't delivered. I've emailed my MP yet again but I'm at the point of going to the Peckham sorting office with my protest placard!! Anyone else?

Same thing has just happened to me. Apparently, the Court issued a notice of enforcement for a parking fine that I'd already challenged. Didn't receive that correspondence; possibly it will come through the letterbox eventually, so I couldn't act on it. In the meantime, it's gone to enforcement agents. All of these processes are time sensitive and rely on post being delivered on time. Of course there is no action which can be taken against Royal Mail since it's impossible to prove that a specific item wasn't delivered. I've emailed our MP yet again on this issue (now Ellie Reeves MP) but I'm again left sorting out the mess created by our persistently unreliable local mail service.

Hmm. Had already realised that drugs for pets are way cheaper bought online from legit providers. Asked the Neighbourhood Vet for a repeat prescription worming tablet and this time they've quoted me £30.00 just to write the thing out! Have attended there regularly with my dog; boosters, spay etc all very recently so I think that charging £30 just to issue a worming prescription is excessive and unjustified. Wipes out most of the savings I make from ordering the drugs online - but maybe that's the point! Anyone else had this experience? Is it same at all local vets? Thanks all.

I am the owner of said dog! Thank you to those who asked after her. She's absolutely fine and none the worse for her dip, a veritable Wim Hoff of the canine world!! My partner was astonished to see all the fire engines rock up (not at his insistence!) but the team were brilliant as were the groundstaff. She had swum to the central island and much combined head-scratching could not work out how to safely retrieve her. I'll ignore all the sanctimonious, ill-informed commentary from those who weren't there and don't know what happened. Suffice to say she was not savaging any wildlife. Do feel free to tut and finger-wag in person; we are in the park most days with our friendly and (mostly) well-behaved dog.

TBH, I think this is a bit of nonsense by the supermarket chains. Looks environmentally friendly on the surface, but just allows them to get out of taking the urgent steps needed to eliminate unnecessary soft plastics. Have you seen the amount of soft plastic around your loo rolls, for example? In reality, most people won't remember to wash, sort and return their soft plastics. As Tomskip points out, Sainsbury DKH hasn't even bothered to put its bin in place yet! If its wrapped in plastic, I'm just gonna stop buying it!

Came sputtering back on this morning...

Is it just us? I suspect not since its become like an annual event!

Excellent! Thank you Blah Blah.

Well! As you can see, they braved the icy cold in Dulwich Park and a couple of excitable dogs who definitely hadn't got the message on 'social distancing'(yikes!) C'mon Dillan and Rocky! Nearly at 4K!

Ok,so not to be deterred by the snow and ice, Dillan and Rocky will be in Dulwich Park at around 10.30am tomorrow (Friday). Come say Hello, and bring your carrots!