Bellingham and Downham in Lewisham, Votes ‘Yes’ for Phoenix

[davidwcummins]

Lewisham Council tenants and leaseholders in the Bellingham and Downham area are celebrating the results of a ballot in favour of the transfer of their homes to the country's third Community Gateway Association and the first in London.

The Result
More than half of all tenants voted, and 68.7% of those chose the Community Gateway model for the management of their homes, which is set to take over as new landlord in the late summer/autumn of 2007.

Investment and improvements
The vote came after two years of consultation with residents and steering group members in the Bellingham and Downham areas to set up a new housing association, named Phoenix by the residents. In the meantime, we will keep you up to date with any news and offer ways to become involved even before we ‘go live’.

Season's Greetings and a Happy Phoenix New Year

[Dickie eagle]

davidwcummins, sir, you do realise that the cheap outlet for your local politics is moving us ex-pats (who don't give a toss ) out of our favourite venue, we don't want local politics thanks. Oh yes may I quote ? :-  one day when you feel you're important, and that ego is really in bloom
                that moment too when you realise YOU are the most knowledgable one in the room
                put your fist in a bucket of water, immerse it up to the wrist
                take it out,and the hole that remains ,is the measure of how much you'd be missed

                                                                                                    Dickie........................

[Pauline]

davidwcummins, sir, you do realise that the cheap outlet for your local politics is moving us ex-pats (who don't give a toss ) out of our favourite venue, we don't want local politics thanks. Oh yes may I quote ? :-  one day when you feel you're important, and that ego is really in bloom
                that moment too when you realise YOU are the most knowledgable one in the room
                put your fist in a bucket of water, immerse it up to the wrist
                take it out,and the hole that remains ,is the measure of how much you'd be missed

                                                                                                    Dickie........................

Yes Dickie - well said - I have absolutely no knowledge or interest in what this person is on about. 

[mike]

I guess that these posts are more relevant for residents living on the estate who were previously renting from the council, and now have a new landlord. It affects my mother-in-law, for example, who lives round the corner from us, and has been following the transfer of ownership with interest, wanting to know if it means things will get better, worse or stay the same.

I do agree that the "spin" in the messages is rather overt, but in fairness to David, I do appreciate him posting in the forum, in the hope that they may be of some interest to some people, so I hope that the ex-pats and ex-residents will forgive and forebear the political messages...!

I'll ask my mother-in-law to give us an honest assessment in a few months as to how Phoenix are doing, so we can see if the reality matches the promise.

Mike

[Dickie eagle]

My apologies Michael, I had inadvertently assumed that as the forum was subscribed mainly by ex-pats and deportees that it was "Our" forum  and forgot we were outnumbered by "Readers ", wish they would subscribe to give us a better idea of Downham today . My younger brother still lives in the old flat but I haven't visited him since my parents died, that is some 30 odd years now . My sister in Northover died last Autumn so there is even less  incentive.though I will have to visit Hither green to find Brendas Family, I'll pop round to introduce myself Mike   'bye now    Dickie................

[davidwcummins]

I thank you for your understanding, it is not about politics, it about peoples who still live in Downham and Bellingham, having a decent home to live in, just in Downham there are many homes without Double Glazing, with old kitchens and bathrooms that are over 30 years. This is their chance to have for their homes brought in to 21st century.

Lewisham Council takes our rent, but don't do anything to improve the way we are living, that is why Downham and Bellingham tenants and leaseholders who still live here, have set up this new housing association to better ourselves and their children.

Again I thank you for your understanding, we just want as many peoples in the area to get involved, and I do believe there are many residents, who pop in and out of this website, I also believe this website was for the peoples of Downham as well as ex-pats.

You may not give a toss, but peoples who live here do. THANK YOU

[mike]

Hi Dickie - no need to apologise - the fact that so few current residents contribute to the forum means that the ex-pats and ex-residents have quite rightly owned it, and I am very grateful for all contributors - regular and occasional alike.

I'm always reflecting on the fact that the people who particpate here, and have positive things to say about Downham tend to be those who have moved on - like many things in life, one only appreciates a thing once it has gone...

Please do come and see me any time you are nearby - it would be great to meet you in person and have a drink - although the choice of places to drink on the estate are severely limited these days!

Mike

[Brenda]

Funny, isn't it?  Even when I was a little girl, I thought I was so very lucky to live on Downham.  Still did even when I left it as an adult despite my horizons having widened and seeing how many people lived in comparative (and real) luxury.  Is present day discontent due to people's expectations being higher which leads to their disappointment when these expectations are not fulfilled.  I'd  love to see some contributions from present day Downhamites giving their points of view and telling us about life on Downham today

Bren

[Pauline]

Funny, isn't it?  Even when I was a little girl, I thought I was so very lucky to live on Downham.  Still did even when I left it as an adult despite my horizons having widened and seeing how many people lived in comparative (and real) luxury.  Is present day discontent due to people's expectations being higher which leads to their disappointment when these expectations are not fulfilled.  I'd  love to see some contributions from present day Downhamites giving their points of view and telling us about life on Downham today

Bren

Yes, Brenda - I would love to hear from those still living on Downham.  I too thought how wonderful to be living on Downham, I felt 'safe' there.  Coming home from the cinema or London late at night, I never felt completely at ease until I set foot on Galahad Road on my way home.
A visit back some years ago - I felt how small everything was, the roads and the houses, but I guess that is because our eyes have become so used to vast expanses of 'nothing'.  We have so much room to expand.  The parking outside houses is impossible.  When I was young nobody had a car!  We would play in the street from morn to night without seeing even one!  But I recall front gardens now being turned into parking areas.
Roads marked for parking, and narrow throughways for vehicles - a nightmare.

[Brenda]

Yes Pauline, I am sure I, too, would feel everything was in miniature on Downham now. Even when I visit the first suburb we lived in near Melbourne - which seemed so open when we moved there - I find it has shrunk! 

I remember well those days of playing safely in the street uninterrupted by traffic. In the unlikely event a car came along, it was quite exciting.  And of course, even more exciting was that huge roller thing that came along to lay new tar.  Then there was the occasional chimney on fire and the subsequent cleaning out of it by the chimney sweep who always had an audience of children waiting to see the brushes appear.  What simple things gave us so much pleasure!

Cars were just beginning to proliferate when I left Downham.  It certainly was an estate not made for them.  But then, I don't suppose for one moment the designers ever thought we working class folk would be able to afford such a thing as a car.

Bren

[Dickie eagle]

A little bit of luck with my trawling, I have downloaded "Virtual Earth "  and thouroughly recommend it to all my friends you can "Overfly" most of the world and UK is a dream. I have even followed the Thames up river to Tower Bridge, then swungbackand followed the old Tram routedown the Old Kent road to New Cross on to Lewisham, Catford then Downham, and everything in detail. A click will switch you from a Map to an aerial view or a 3-D view  . Try it    - enjoy a trip home folk -  and those living on the estate can see if their grass needs trimming        dickie..............

[Pauline]

A little bit of luck with my trawling, I have downloaded "Virtual Earth "  and thouroughly recommend it to all my friends you can "Overfly" most of the world and UK is a dream. I have even followed the Thames up river to Tower Bridge, then swungbackand followed the old Tram routedown the Old Kent road to New Cross on to Lewisham, Catford then Downham, and everything in detail. A click will switch you from a Map to an aerial view or a 3-D view  . Try it    - enjoy a trip home folk -  and those living on the estate can see if their grass needs trimming        dickie..............

Dickie I just downloaded virtual earth - it's good.  But you get a better definition with Google Earth. http://earth.google.com/.  I followed our friend the Quaggy until it disappeard underground, to reappear as the Ravensbourne. It was stange to look down on Downham and see the cars, the station and the schools.  Mallory sure has changed!  It used to back onto my house in Geraint Road.  I have also visited all the sites of London, New York, in fact you can go almost anywhere.  Some sites are clearer than others, metropolitan areas are great.