Albert Square and St Stephen’s Association

We want to know!!

Lambeth is offering up to 2 cycle hangars for safe storage of bikes in Aldebert Terrace and one in the entrance road to Albert Square. Let us know your thoughts by signing Lambeth’s form.

To see where they propose to put the storage contact your ASSA member (see website) or call Peter on 020 7582 4483 or 07876 561252 to see the plan and sign before 27 March.

Read Full Post »

Read Full Post »

Read Full Post »

While the official crime rate might be falling, the incidence of online fraud and telephone, internet and mail scams continues. Please be aware of the following.

Phone scam – attempted credit card fraud
Reported last week by one resident:

“A man phoned purporting to be DC Robert Bain, Warrant Number CAD 68905 [there are no such warrant numbers: warrant numbers are pure figures – CAD is what comes at the beginning of crime reference numbers, standing for computer aided despatch].

“He told me my cards had been compromised. Two persons had been arrested, one male one female and six people had been affected – I think he said they were bank employees and had been able to access my card details though they didn’t actually have the cards. He asked various plausible questions and I answered one about which bank branch I used most frequently.

“He then said that before he went onto the next steps he wanted me to check what he had told me by dialling 999 as soon as I had put the phone down, ask for “police” and then give them his details so that they could authenticate him. I put the phone down and dialled 999 but realised – partly as a result of a mistake he made – that he was still connected, then hung up properly, waited for a dialling tone and dialled 999 again – got someone who immediately told me it was a scam and sent round two officers to take a statement.

“It seems to me that the crucial point is: NEVER FOLLOW AN INSTRUCTION TO HANG UP AND DIAL UNLESS YOU HAVE HEARD A DIALLING TONE FIRST.

“The caller will not be disconnected unless HE/SHE hangs up, so you can dial 999 or anything else but you will just get back to them (or their accomplice). “

This scam in one of many variations detailed in The Little Book of BIG SCAMS, now in its second edition and available online to read at: www.met.police.uk/fraudalert (for a paper copy, call 020 7230 1228). The website also has a business fraud edition of the scam booklet, along with latest fraud alerts and valuable information on how to protect yourself against a broad spectrum of fraud. 

Microsoft phone scam – still making the rounds after several years …
… with callers trying to convince you that there is something wrong with your computer and offering to help you
figure out the problem right there and then. Typically, they guide you to revealing your IP address, which
would give them access and control over your PC.

Fraud reporting

Any kind of fraud should be reported to Action Fraud:

• www.actionfraud.police.uk
•  0300 123 2040

 – unless a crime is in progress, about to happen, there is a chance of apprehending the perpetrators or they are
known, still in the area etc, or the crime involves a vulnerable person, in which case:

• dial 999 in an emergency

Otherwise, dial 101 or visit your nearest police station.

Read Full Post »

All residents of Albert Square, Wilkinson Street and Aldebert and St Stephen’s terraces are invited to the annual general meeting of the Albert Square and St Stephen’s Association to have your say about what’s happening in the area, elect a new committee and decide on the issues for the coming year.

ASSA AGM

TUESDAY 15 JULY 2014

8PM – tea and coffee from 7.30pm

ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH

• Neighbourhood enhancement
• Cycle parking
• Communal bins
• Crime and safety
• Filming
• Community events
• Tube noise
• and more …..

 WANT TO PLAY A PART?

We always welcome new members on to our committee. If you would like to take part, find out more or nominate someone, please contactPeter Edwards on: superedwards3@gmail.com

Read Full Post »

The Friends of Vauxhall Park’s Summer Fair is on Sunday 22 June 2-5pm. They urgently need helpers for the various attractions. Maybe you have a post A/GCSE teenager hanging around eating too much toast – they’d love to get them out from under your feet for the afternoon … In fact any underemployed family members and friends most welcome!

Lots of fun promised and wonderful food and entertainment (including the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and football coaching by Chelsea FC!

Please contact Polly Freeman on 7720 7568 or pollyf@talktalk.net

Read Full Post »

ASSA currently has no representatives from St Stephen’s Terrace or Wilkinson Street on its committee. This means we have a considerable gap in raising issues of concern to all residents – including traffic calming measures, disruptive noise from tube lines etc.

If you live in one of these  streets and would like to become involved, please contact Peter Edwards on: superedwards3@gmail.com

But we are also keen to hear from any resident who wants to get involved, so if you live in Albert Square and Aldebert Terrace we are always happy to hear from you too.

Not a committee person?

If you’re not a great one for committee meetings but would like to get involved in organising and running ASSA’s community events – such as the forthcoming Trash or Treasure event on Saturday 10 May or our Summer Event in Albert Square Garden on 7-8 June, there’s always room for you! Please contact Rosemary Ellis on: rosemary_ds@hotmail.com

Read Full Post »

Play your part in brightening up our neighbourhood this Saturday 23 November, 10am – 1pm

With the assistance of Lambeth’s Community Freshview team, ASSA has arranged a neighbourhood clean-up for Saturday, 23 November, from 10am to 1.00pm.

The idea is that as many local residents as possible turn out to tidy up our streets (Albert Square, Aldebert Terrace, St Stephen’s Terrace and Wilkinson Street) and generally give the area a facelift. What does that mean? Things that you could do might include:

• weeding between the paving stones and around trees/lampposts on the pavement outside or near your home
• cutting back hedges or shrubs if they are overhanging the footpath
• scrubbing out graffiti on walls and lampposts – we hope that Lambeth Crime Busters will help in removing the worst graffiti
• help our street cleaner by clearing away any litter or rubbish
• checking out communal features, such as the seating and raised flower beds outside St Stephen’s church

Bring your own tools if you have them, but don’t worry if you don’t as some tools will be available from Lambeth, and neighbours, on the day.

This is also an opportunity to get rid of any unwanted items you’ve had lying about in your garden or area. There’ll be a skip where you can dispose of them, along with the rest of the rubbish.

AND THEN THE SOCIAL SIDE

Afterwards, do come along and meet your neighbours over a glass of wine and some bread and cheese, kindly hosted by one of our residents in Aldebert Terrace (we’ll let you know the address on the day).

Read Full Post »