How to See Britain's Best Blooms, Watch Or Create Local London and Next Door News, Check Trains Times and Discounts living and travelling outside London - check train times and find fast lines and cheaper prices

Britain in Bloom contests have expanded to the overground and even London underground stations, encouraging treats for the eyes of the traveller.

Radiating out from central London, the suburbs and cities of the home counties connect with the capital and are creating their own hubs or culture and civic co-operation. Hatch End station is a winner of stations in bloom. The gardening group and local societies help with watering.  

Hatch End station has bookcase for borrow a book and lend a book when travelling. Litter picking days are organized with litter pickers loaned by the Council.

Whats App Group

 A whats app group links people in one street in Hatch End. Recently, two suspicious callers knocking on a door are instantly reported to every house in the road. 

You can start your own WhatsApp group for your street.

The Hatch End Association has a quarterly magazine which gives obituaries and articles on history and updates on planning applications, road accidents and council plans. 

Next Door Website

Around the London suburbs, such as Hendon, have a Nextdoor website for the area with updates. The same system operated all over the UK and elsewhere. 

When there is a lull in Covid, people start travelling. When there is a lockdown, we are all communicating on Zoom, whatsapp and email. 

So, all is humming. When you are looking for a hotel or home in another country or city, it helps to know the cost and time of travel to work and culture and tourist spots in the centre. 

Fast Train Times To Cities

For example, I met a man who lives in Luton. Why would you live in Luton, unless, you had a job at Luton airport? He told me that it was only about 35 minutes by train into central London where he worked. That was less time than it took me to the centre of London on the slow suburban train, or even changing twice on fast trains, from the suburbs such as stations around Harrow.

Cheaper Train Ticket Prices

The ticket seller at Watford was very helpful to my friend who was travelling towards London to Hatch End. The train fare, only four stops, was seven pounds. My friend, a pensioner, gasped, 'Seven pounds for just four stops!'

The ticket seller asked, "Do you have a London Transport Freedom pass? Or a network rail travel card?" She went through three types of cards which would qualify for a discount. Watford is on two lines south into London.

Neighbourhood Watch

Neighbourhood Watch is national wide in the UK and issues window stickers.

So, do you want to see blooms when you travel, brighten up your travels, find discounts, find a neighbourhood group or start one, off you go travelling by train, or let your fingers do the travelling on your laptop or mobile phone. 

Useful Websites

https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/ticket-types/off-peak-train-tickets

https://about.nextdoor.com/gb/

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass

https://faq.whatsapp.com/iphone/chats/how-to-create-and-invite-into-a-group/?lang=en

https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britain_in_Bloom

 About the Author

Angela Lansbury was born and bred in Britain, and has lived in the USA and Singapore. Her family has worked in or lived in Spain and Switzerland. 

She is the author of several book on public speaking and quotations.

She is a member of Toastmasters Clubs meeting on Zoom with visitors from the UK and USA, India, Sri Lanka, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Through the Toastmasters mentoring program Angela has connected with individuals in Vietnam and Romania, and Belize, a different connection each month. Please come to the next BHA Toastmasters meeting on the 3rd Saturday afternoon every month.

Angela is a member of Harrovian Speakers, London (two Monday evenings each month (BST or GMT) currently part in person and part on Zoom, and VP PR for BHA (1st Monday evening and 3rd Saturday afternoon Singapore Time; and TCA, one Tuesday evening a month, both currently on Zoom, as well as secretary for Singapore Online Dynamic which is online only and always, Friday evening 9.30 pm Singapore time.   

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Student and Senior Citizen Concession cards for travel and museum entry - what's in it for expats?

Problems
Many people work and live for years as expats overseas, eventually retiring, and don't realise that they are eligible for concession cards, don't get around to applying, or think the savings are too small to worry about and not worth the effort. But If you are interested in a concession card for yourself, a friend, relative or colleague, or member of your work or social group, it helps to know. How do you find out and apply for a Singapore concession cards - and who is eligible?

Pension Ages
UK age is currently 60 for women and 65 for men but it will increase gradually because the life expectancy is increasing. People are fitter longer, and living longer - more drain on the pensions. In Singapore the age is 60 for both men and women. (However, check the latest rules - they could change.)

In Singapore rules and regulations change fast, which is usually a good thing. In the UK changes usually happen slower, except of course the government's annual 'budget', which changes taxation.

One reason for the gradual change is that you can't have somebody preparing to retire at 60, then announcing on the day of their retirement that can't retire until 70, and their job, sale of their house and move overseas, cashing in of a pension scheme. The pension scheme, Personnel departments in companies deciding whether to employ older people or retire them, and families, need to be financially and psychologically prepared for major financial and social and work changes.

Answers
In Singapore most of what you need to know is on line or available at the larger mainline stations. After receiving a card you take it to the nearest MRT station with your NRIC (national identity) card to have it validated.
In the UK post offices have lots of application forms and knowledgeable staff.

Students
Students and schoolchildren, children under a certain height, might qualify for concessions in Singapore and other countries.If you are a mature student following a course, even though you are over 60, and not under 25, you may still be entitled to concessions by showing a student card, or another evidence of your studies.

Story
I found when I went to France and Europe many museums would not give me the concessions without a local pensioners card. I thought maybe concessions were only given to locals because local people had paid taxes, but tourists were a source of income. Equally, the person on the desk may be a rule follower, or constantly besieged by devious people with sob stories trying to bend the rules. In Hong Kong I didn't have my passport with me to prove my age, but a Hong Kong friend spoke to the ticket agent in Cantonese and obtained a concession ticket for my journey. I asked what my friend had said. It was something colloquial like: "You can see from her face that the old girl is no spring chicken. Do us a favour, love."'

Tips
Don't be put off by long wait times. The Senior Concession card in Singapore is said to take up to eight weeks. But two people in Singapore (Permanent Residents, known by the initials PR, and in the CPF (pension scheme for those who have worked several years in Singapore) and NRIC (national identity card) received their cards though the post in about a week.

Singapore
https://www.lta.gov.sg/content/ltaweb/en/public-transport/mrt-and-lrt-trains/train-fares-and-travel-cards/concession-cards.html

UK
http://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass
Brochures on concession fares for the overground services are on many stations. You have to pay £30 for the card. The saving is worth it if you take several journeys.
You can also get family cards and concession cards for many museums, art galleries, and theatres, joining individual museums or getting a collective ticket covering many galleries and events.
https://www.artfund.org/national-art-pass
Other concessions are available if you are registered unemployed or disabled.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. See my other posts and blogs, also Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram. Please like, follow and share my posts.

Lost Travel Pass - oh dear - that'll cost you

My family is having one of those weeks. Somebody loses something every day. Sometimes we manage to lose two things. The person who is condemning the other person for their carelessness then loses a vital business card. 

Lost your travel pass?

You may have to pay for a replacement. It can take more than 10 working days for your replacement pass to arrive.

If it's been stolen and you've taken the time to travel to your nearest police station (they've closed down many of them), you must give your police reference number.

If you don't have one, your missing pass is deemed merely lost.

To replace a travel pass costs £10.

Sad. Those old enough to claim a travel pass are not earning and getting on to the forgetful age where they lose things.

Also one of the early signs of dementia is inability to make decisions. (Is some of that due to not have the facts and forgetting!)

Okay - first step to recovery. Go to the post office or go on line to get the form.

Always keep it in the same pocket. If you switch jackets or bag or put it in a drawer write yourself a note on your notice board where you've put it. If you are worried about security, make up a code.

Disappointingly you cannot get a replacement on line in time to travel the same day. So if you think it may be in another jacket or bag, or under the car seat, on your desk, under the bed  ... keep looking.

For more information see
www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedompass/faqs

There's a feedback form. They say 'we would love to have your comments, questions and suggestions'. I think not. I don't doubt their goodwill. I doubt my ability to write concisely and politely. Maybe I could be concise - cut my reaction down to four letters.