Try your hand at Short Mat Bowls

Short mat bowls is an indoor sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a heavy ball along a fairly flat surface, to gain as many shots as possible by getting their bowls nearer to the jack than their opponents, and so outscore them. The game is a modern variation on lawn bowls, from which the game is derived.

Picture of a Short Mat Court at Romney Bowls Club
Why not try your hand at the game? You don't have to go all the way to Romney. A long established Short Mat Club meets at:-

Bromley and Downham Youth Centre

Valeswood Road

There is ample street parking outside and the 336 Bus along Rangefield Rd passes by the end of Valeswood Road.

From 1-4 every Friday

No equipment required just go along

For more details about the game visit the website of the English Short Mat Bowling Association at :- http://www.esmba.co.uk/index.html

Burglary in Ridgeway Drive Tuesday 21st May

Two men broke into a house in Ridgeway Drive yesterday evening. They smashed open the patio door at the rear of the house. They were disturbed by the owners returning home and, even though the police were on the scene very quickly, they managed to escape. The police later arrested two men and recovered property , including jewellery, taken during the burglary.

Bromley police are are targeting burglars in London. Their website contains advice and helpful steps you can take to protect your property. Follow this link to see the steps you can take to protect your home:-

http://content.met.police.uk/Site/crimepreventionbumblebee

Garden Bonfires

The recent dry weather has made it very tempting to have garden bonfires. These may be a nuisance to neighbours and spoil their enjoyment of their gardens. To avoid your neighbours complaining to Environmental Health you should follow the following guidelines. The London Borough of Bromley may take into account, when investigating any complaints concerning bonfires, whether the guidelines and in particular the minimum standards have been followed.

Guidelines

1) Compost as much garden rubbish as possible and burn only when there is no reasonable alternative method of disposal. Bag it up and take it to the Council dump where it will be turned into compost.

2) Avoid lighting fires in unsuitable weather conditions. Smoke hangs in the air on damp, still days and in the evening.

3) Avoid burning at weekends and on Bank Holidays, especially on warm days, when other people wish to enjoy their gardens.

4)  Garden refuse should be dry before burning and care must be taken to add material to the fire in small quantities only. Sudden heaping of large amounts of rubbish on the fire produces large quantities of smoke. The golden rule is to feed the fire little and often.

Minimum standards of care and conduct

1) Site the bonfire as far away from neighbours' premises as possible.

2)  Do not light a fire when weather conditions will cause problems. The fire should be lit only when the wind is light and steady in a direction which would cause the least annoyance - and never when the wind is blowing towards neighbouring houses.

3)Put the fire out if it is causing, or is likely to cause, any nuisance to adjacent residents.

4) Never add household rubbish, plastic or rubber materials to the fire, or use sump oil to set it alight.

5) Bonfires should never be left unattended. Do not allow the fire to smoulder; douse it properly with soil or water.

Free Esperanto Course

In Adult Learners' Week our thoughts turn to learning skills – whether for work or just for the fun of it. The Esperanto Association of Britain is offering a free postal or email course in the international language – marked by a network of voluntary tutors.

The free course is suitable for those who would like a quick taster, and gives an overview of the language in twelve bite-sized portions. Once the learner has received the first lesson, they simply return their answers. Then the tutor replies with guidance and the next lesson.

For details of the free course, contact: eab@esperanto-gb.org

Glass painting/Coffee morning Today at Burnt Ash Library

Glass painting/Coffee morning 

Coffee Morning with a talk by Sally Adcock about her glass painting hobby. There will be an opportunity to “have a go” All welcome, refreshments available. 

Burnt Ash library Thursday 16th May 11-12.15pm 

Adult Learners Week 18th-24th May at Bromley Central Library

Adult Learners’ Week is an opportunity for individuals and organisations to celebrate the benefits of lifelong learning. Whether you’re an individual looking at anything from improving your current job prospects to learning just for fun, or an organisation looking to help support adults with lifelong learning, Adult Learners’ Week is for you. Craft demonstrations at Bromley Central library Bromley Adult Education College will be doing a number of craft demonstrations at Bromley Central library throughout Adult Learners Week. All of the sessions (apart from woodcarving*) will take place on the 1st floor of the library in the Arts and Media space. They are demonstrations so anyone is welcome to turn up and see what each tutor is doing. Craft Date Time Embroidery Sat 18th May 10-12pm Woodcarving* Sat 18th May 1-3pm Beaded Jewellery Mon 20th May 10-12pm Cartoons Mon 20th May 1-3pm Painting without a brush Tue 21st May 10-12pm Lacemaking Tue 21st May 1-3pm Embroidery Wed 22nd May 10-12pm Sewing, Finishing touches Wed 22nd May pm Nail Art Thu 23rd May 10-12pm Watercolour Thu 23rd May 1-3pm Quilting Fri 24th May 10-12pm Cartoons Fri 24th May 1-3pm *Woodcarving will take place in Training Room 2

Burnt Ash Library Reading Group 30th May

The next meeting of the reading group at Burnt Ash Library is on Thursday 30th May 2013 at 2.15 pm and everyone is welcome.

The book to be discussed is:-

The sweetness at the bottom of the pie / by Alan Bradley

Police are baffled by the discovery of a dead body in Colonel de Luce's cucumber patch. Then a dead snipe is deposited on the Colonel's doorstep with a rare stamp impaled on its beak. Only the Colonel's daughter, the precocious Flavia, has the ingenuity to follow the clues that reveal the victim's identity.

Every one is welcome.

For more details visit the library or contact the librarians on 020 8460 3405 or by email at burntash.library@bromley.gov.uk

For details of other activities at the Burnt Ash Library see the following link:-

http://www.bromley.gov.uk/directory_record/34386/burnt_ash_library

St Andrew's Church Summer Fete 18th May

Bromley Police Vehicle crime initiative

Bromley Police have launched a huge proactive vehicle crime initiative this week, in response to a recent increase in theft from motor vehicle offences across the borough. The initiative will see increased patrols and enforcements, including both covert and overt policing patrols across the borough, especially in the areas that are experiencing high numbers of offences. Specialist MPS teams will also be supporting borough policing units to deliver the operation.

Bromley Police are also reissuing their warning for residents not to leave anything on display in their vehicles after the spate of thefts. Items stolen include numerous sat navs, laptops, iphones, ipads, handbags, wallets, golf clubs & power tools. One person even had a sat nav, iphone and £5,000 cash stolen from their vehicle.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Furphy from Bromley Police said: "We are urging people to take action to reduce their chances of becoming a victim of this type of crime and there are a number of steps that you can take to close down the opportunities for criminals to target you. Never leave anything on display when you park your car. An old coat or a plastic bag can tempt a thief - even if your coat or bag does not contain anything valuable, a thief does not know that and may still break a window or force a lock to get at it. Don't leave any purchases you have just bought on display in your car. Remove all property when leaving your vehicle unattended.

The most commonly stolen items include laptops, handbags, mobile phones, tools and sat nav systems. Remove your Sat Nav system from your vehicle completely. Do not leave them in the glove compartment or boot and make sure you remove the cradle that holds it and wipe away any suction marks on the windscreen or dashboard. An empty cradle or suction marks are a dead giveaway as to what may be hidden in the vehicle and may be enough of an incentive for a thief to break in. Our message is 'take it or lose it', never leave valuables in your vehicle.

Please also lock your vehicle. This may seem like common sense but every day we have reports of thefts from vehicles that have been left insecure.

This link shows how quickly cars can be broken into http://t.co/TIt1r1KSQV

Police advice is:

• Most vehicle crime is preventable. It can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. If at all possible, leave nothing on view.
• NEVER leave valuable items in your car - cash, credit cards, chequebook, mobile phones, vehicle documents or other valuables in the car. This includes your Sat Nav.
• Don't leave presents or purchases on the back seat.
• Always close the windows and sunroof; lock the doors and activate any security devices when leaving your car unattended.
• Always park with care, particularly at night or if you are leaving the vehicle for a long time. If possible, park in a busy, well-lit area.

Classic Film Club St Andrews Church, Burnt Ash Lane 16th May

Casablanca (1942)

Starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, 

Director Michael Curtiz

Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

Thursday 16th May 2013

 Doors open at 6.45pm film show at 7.00pm

Cost - a £2 minimum donation per person is suggested to include refreshments at the interval.

For more information ring:-
Brian at James Harper 020 8464 0080
Rev'd Angela King      020 8313 3434
Rev'd Liz Davis           020 6460 4672

Why not come and enjoy a local evening out?

Les Hanson- 1942-2013

We are sad to report that Les Hanson passed away in the early hours of Friday morning after a short battle with cancer of the oesophagus. 

Les was Chairman of LERA for several years from 1997 to 1999 and then continued as editor of the Newsletter until 2006. His wife,Lee has asked us to pass on this upsetting news with permission to include a notice in the next Newsletter. 

He played regularly in an orchestra. He was a good neighbour and he will be sorely missed not only by his family but his wide circle of friends and acquaintances.

If any of you wish to add your own memories of Les please send them to us by email to leracontact@gmail.com 

The LERA Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the the Links Estate Residents' Association was held yesterday in St Andrew's Church, Burnt Ash Lane.

The alter and window of St Andrew's Church

Due to the closure of the Community Hall the Reverend Liz Davis opened the church for the meeting. Liz welcomed the Association members to the church and gave an update on the progress of the new community hall. It is hoped that the demolition of the old hall will begin in June and that the work to replace it will begin in July or August. A model giving an idea of the new one can be viewed in the church. Liz also reminded us that the Community Fun Day will again take place this year in King's Meadow on Saturday 13th July. More details are available in our previous post at the following link:- community-fun-day-2013

Once a good number of members had turned up the meeting was opened by the chairman, Peter Skipp, seen in the picture below with the Treasurer, Diane Bex.

Peter led us through the items on the Agenda. The meeting approved the minutes of the last AGM which can be viewed on this link:- Minutes of the 2012 AGM

The meeting thanked Kath Goodwin, Shirley Rogers and Marion Glass who have given their time freely to the Association for many years but who have now stepped down. We also need to give thanks to John Paterson who acted as a street representative for part of Ridgeway Drive even though he did not live in the road. An appeal for volunteers to act as street representatives was successful and three members will take over a part of Ridgeway Drive and Upper Portland Road. Full details of the meeting will be provided in the formal minutes to be published later.

Following the formal part of the meeting there were presentations by one of our councillors, Ellie Harmer, and by members of the Safer Neighbourhood Team seen here in the picture below.

The SNT team, Diane Bex and Councillor Ellie Harmer

Councillor Harmer described some of the local initiatives involving Bromley Council including the Brook Lane Community Garden, Dangerous dogs in parks, the proposed Community Walk planned for 1st June and Careplus, which is a volunteer service helping older people in Bromley. More details of Careplus are available on the following link:- careplusbromley.org.uk/.

The SNT provided information about their initiatives and about crime in the area. They had also provided leaflets and booklets advising about shed security and how to avoid the many scams that operate via the internet, phone or cold callers.

There was then an open discussion which will be reported later but there was also an appeal for members to write to the Mayor of London opposing the closure of Downham Fire Station which will leave the area with a greatly reduced cover. To make your feelings known please complete the survey on the following web page:- london-fire-brigade/lsp5/consult_view

Click on the image to enlarge it

Following the meeting the members enjoyed refreshments and nibbles and were able to talk to Councillor Harmer, to members of the SNT and of course to each other.

LERA AGM Thursday 2nd May

The Annual General Meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday 2nd May 2013 in St Andrew's Church, Burnt Ash Lane.

The meeting will be held in the main part of the church and there will the usual nibbles and drinks following the evening's business. Come and tell us what you like about living in the Links Estate area. Also please tell us what LERA could do to make things even better.

Doors open from 7.00pm. Please remember to sign in when you arrive so we have a record of those attending.

Freecycle Spam Email

Hello everyone, this may only apply to you if you use Freecycle to recycle items you no longer need although I have received an email with a similar message but which was caught by my Spam filter. I have also seen warnings of similar mesages coming via Twitter.

Recently, we started to see a new scam appear from hacked accounts. These email could have been sent to you directly from people you have previously freecycled with. The message contains the following:

"Single Mom Makes $89,844/Yr in Her Spare Time on The Computer Without Selling Anything "

If you click on the link, it will take you to an internet address ending in hwork55.html

Do not click on it as you will be redirected to another site that looks completely plausible. Unfortunately you won't be able to leave the site without parting up with information about yourself.

If you get into this situation don't fight with the site just shut down your machine completely and restart it. If your browser has detected a crash and wants to reinstate a previous session just say no. If you have trouble getting your computer to shut down from the windows menu then just hold the power switch down for about seven seconds.

What you need to do:

o Anyone who thinks that their email account may have been hacked should change all passwords associated with their email account.

o Treat any email that looks suspicious as if it will be harmful to your computer.

o Make sure that you have up-to-date security software on your computer.