Best Wishes to John Braden

JOHN BRADEN, MBE – LOCAL MILKMAN AND FRIEND 

In this month's blog, our chairman, John Elvidge, tells us about the retirement of John Braden, a cherished and admired member of our community for nearly 50 years. 

This is why: one neighbour who ‘inherited’ John on moving here in 1992 speaks of his ‘reassuring presence’ and undemonstrative but spontaneous kindness to another neighbour, a widower who was living alone with very few visitors. John would deliver the milk into his kitchen with a friendly word. 

Another customer speaks of the posters that used to be on her classroom wall when she was five years old, back in the early 1950s. They were called People Who Help Us and there were three: The Policeman, the Postman and The Milkman. 'Nowadays we rarely see The Policeman who is busy elsewhere, the Postman seems to change every few months, but - luckily for us - The Milkman remains the same affable presence that we knew sixty years ago. What was once true for us has still been true for our grandchildren.' 

Another fan writes:  

John, who has been driving his ‘Milk & More’ van and timely serving his customers, is a jolly face to look forward to every morning. We have been his customers over a couple of decades. Our friendly experience – he is always cracking jokes - is pleasant to remember. We send best wishes for his retirement, a well-earned time of his life. 

Many people mention John's conversations on the doorstep, referring especially to his holidays - the animated anticipation and then the relaxed retrospect. But I can think at once of so many more topics that have arisen spontaneously: backache, stolen cars, computers, researching family trees, the state of the dairy business (no surprise there), the foibles of education, mental arithmetic and its superiority over calculators…has anyone known John get a bill wrong?  And the changes that forty years have brought to Raynes Park. 

We might go on getting the milk, but after February we'll surely miss the warm and generous chat that comes with it. 

Tom

West Wimbledon Primary School - Newsletters

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Parking Charges - Kingston Hospital

A Letter Received about KINGSTON HOSPITAL’S PROPOSAL TO CHARGE PARKING FEES FOR BLUE BADGE HOLDERS 

"I write to you as somebody whom I believe to be involved in a Residents' Association in [the] Kingston [area]. For those of you who do not know me, I'm James Giles, a community activist in New Malden and I am involved in a number of community organisations here.

"You may [not] be aware that, from 22nd January, Kingston Hospital is set to introduce parking fees for those with blue badges, i.e. disabled people. Until this point, parking has been free.

"The Kingston Independent Residents Group (KIRG) has launched a campaign to reinstate free parking at Kingston Hospital for blue badge holders, branding proposed changes by the NHS Trust a ‘disgrace’

"I ask you if you would please be so kind as to distribute the link to this very urgent petition to your members and residents. It is so important that we demonstrate to the hospital the damage that this will cause to the most vulnerable in Kingston.

http://kingstonindependents.org.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/news-and-updates/urgent-petition-to-save-free-parking-at-kingston-hospital-for-disabled-people/

"If you are not on-line you can write to:  Cllr. M. Clark, at 135c South Lane, New Malden, Surrey KT3 5HQ.  Cllr. Clark is the Kingston Councillor who will be addressing this matter on the Health Scrutiny Committee.

"Thank you in advance for your support.

"James Giles"

Raynes Park Bereavement Service

The Raynes Park Bereavement Service was launched on Monday 24 November 2014.   

The service provides free and confidential one to one support to people who have had a bereavement, recently or in the past.  

This service is provided by volunteers who have been vetted, trainedand are supported by professional counsellors.  It is being provided primarily for people living in the Raynes Park area, but it is open to requests from elsewhere.  The service is managed by Christ Church, Raynes Park, and is open to people of all faiths and none.   

The service is accessed by calling 07914 263420 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..   The volunteer will then arrange a meeting at Lambton Road Medical Practice for as many times as needed.  (If someone is housebound arrangements will be made to see them in their own home.) 

No Wheelies Please

From the No Wheelies Please - Merton Group 

The results of two surveys (one borough wide, and the other by the Apostles Residents' Association) have indicated that over 90% of the respondents reject the Council's proposals for fortnightly waste collections (from October 2018) and the introduction of 68,000 wheelie bins across the borough. 

The NO WHEELIES PLEASE - MERTON group, have instigated a non-party-political RESIDENTS' REFERENDUM to enable residents to make known their preferences for the frequency of dustbin waste collections, and for 80 litre, lidded, recycling bins in a uniform colour, instead of wheelies and open topped boxes. Thephotos on the website say it all! (but there's loads more info at- www.nowheeliesplease-merton.org.uk. 

Having gathered the first thousand signatures, the group will be trying to secure face to face negotiations with the Council and Veolia Waste Management (who are taking over Merton's waste collection service this month).

Postal Collections in Raynes Park

Whilst most of us use the post less than in the past, it may just be worth remembering where there is a later postal collection locally, should we need it at any time.Latest Postal Collections in London SW20 and Surrounding Area

 

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