Mr Bonus is a cheeky chappy – and gorgeous – and 96 years old. I met with the Big Lottery people to visit one of the projects they funded to the tune of £200,000 in Muswell Hill.

First and foremost, therefore, let me say thank you to the Big Lottery – because getting money out of the Government or Haringey Council for anything in Muswell Hill is like blood from a stone. So set in the socialism of the last century – ‘toffs on the hill’ is their attitude – and because overall the area does not rattle the deprivation cage almost nothing comes their way – although the need and the entitlement is there.

Anyway – before I depart on a rant – back to Mr Bonus. The grant was granted to Muswell Hill Methodist Church and was used mainly for a lift and renovations to the North Bank House – which adjoins the Church itself. Not only are the rooms beautiful, with high ceilings and set with windows over-looking beautifully kept gardens and estate – but the lift is big enough for wheelchairs, buggies and lots of people – meaning that all four floors of the North Bank House could be brought into community usage.

And there we found a baby / mother cafe (started and run by mums with babies), toddler groups, tiny groups, the Health Visitor refugees from the closure of Fortis Green Clinics, baby weighing – and the Vintage Club – with whom I spent a very, very pleasant hour. No doubt, Mr Bonus monopolised my time. Having said a few words – I then went to sit in turn at the four tables – where Muswell Hill’s older residents come once every two weeks for tea and a talk or activity.

Reading their program for the next year (including a Strictly Come Dancing) session – they have a fantastic time. I alighted first at the men’s table. Perhaps they stick together through scarcity – or for mutual protection! Mr Bonus came and sat next to me as he is more or less blind. I think he was flirting – or at least I did – until he told me that he lived at the Paddock which I visited only last week.

I said to him – why weren’t you there? He said he didn’t want to miss his meal at the drop-in centre so chose to go there rather than wait for me. So – that puts things in their right order.

Lest you think 96 means old – let me tell you – Mr Bonus not only walk everywhere but is on the button and then some – and campaigning. And you know I love issues.

This is his issue which I will be taking further. Last Friday, there are five elderly residents of The Paddock who go to Weston Park Community Centre for a meal at lunchtime. Haringey Council provides their transport to and from. The transport people rang up and said that they could take them there but could not bring them back – so that anyone who couldn’t get back should not go. These people depend on this meal – so Mr Bonus’ point was twofold. What on earth did Haringey Council expect them to do – just not eat? Why was there no alternative provision of a meal? And obviously, because there wasn’t – they all did go because they needed a meal – and had to pay £6.00 roughly each to get back by cab.

It’s hearing on my travels to hear from the elderly in my constituency all these small in the picture of the world – but huge in individuals lives – issues that add up to what makes life difficult, sometimes unpleasant and upsetting for older people. So that’s why I am on this mission.

Huge gratitude to the lottery for spending their money so wisely. They were delighted too – to see how brilliantly the funds had been used. And full marks to all those at the Methodist Church for all their hard work and commitment. Truly brilliant.

Press called for comment on Haringey Council sending out a press release on a reduction in the number of parking tickets they have issued. Given the number of people who get ticketed wrongly by Haringey and come to me to sort it out (they still haven’t refunded the fines they levied on two of their illegal yellow junction boxes) the question really should be – how many do they write off out of the number issued due to wrongly issued tickets? And should Haringey not be fined every time they get it wrong?

No doubt Haringey are feeling a bit sore at the moment because of their poor record on confusing signage and illegal yellow junction boxes – let alone their own wardens not understanding their own signs. I suspect the timing of this ‘good news’ story is not coincidental!

You may have recently read about the horrific crash of a coach into two flats at the bottom of Muswell Hill. Here I am pictured with Andrew Smith and his wife – from one of the two flats which suffered catastrophic damage. There was also a young mother and baby in the other flat when the accident happened. A miracle that no one was killed.

Anyway, this morning I had requested a meeting between a top council officer and the residents of the flats to try and get proper action taken to protect them from further carnage. The accident itself was caused by a coach or lorry going uphill, running out of petrol and being advised by the police to reverse free wheeling back down. The vehicle went out of control and hit the flats as you can see – crossing the pavement and sweeping a bollard out of the way.

The bollards were installed a few years ago following an earlier campaign with residents and myself as this is an accident hotspot. Likewise – finally after about eight years of campaigning – a speed camera was installed on Muswell Hill about fourteen months ago. Seemingly – neither of these measures have quite been enough – although very welcome and undoubtedly better than before.

So – about six residents of the flats and two council officers (a head of traffic policy and an engineer) met this morning. First question was – what more could be done to prevent vehicles going out of control?

The anti-skid surface that was applied last year apparently hasn’t taken and is deemed to have ‘failed’ so the contractor will be obliged to come back and redo that job. But the officers will look at all sorts of records to establish causality – so that they can come back with proposals to improve the engineering to prevent it happening. No doubt the speed camera will have helped a bit – but clearly not enough.

The second thing they will consider is what measures can be taken to improve the safety should something go wrong and a vehicle go out of control? The hill and the camber make it virtually certain that under those conditions it is the bottom of the hill residences that are in line of fire.

So – we now wait for Haringey Council to assess the record and come back with proposals. It was a good meeting – and whilst passions are high – I felt that it was a positive meeting. We shall see.

It may be that the funding for any improvements will come from Transport for London – in which case I have offered to nag at the highest level. But it may be that it will come out of Haringey budget. We will have to wait and see.