w w w. t h i s i s c ro y d o n t o d a y .co.uk CCR-EO1-S2 Advertiser, F r i d a y,M a rc h 9,2012 39

IN BRIEF Girls beat off Thousands of competition S H I R L E Y: Aspiring accountants from Coloma Convent Girls’ School, in Upper Shirley Road, beat off competition from ten other London-based secondary items left on schools in the regional heat of a competition. Assuming the role of chartered accountants, the students worked in teams of six to analyse, discuss and decide on the next business steps for a fictional town’s buses org anisation. The students had to prepare Passenger joy when reunited with property presentations to show to a business panel in a bid to go By Ross Lidbetter Other items left behind ranged through to the national final of ro s s . l i d b e t t e r @ e s s n m e d i a . c o . u k from wallets and laptops to cam- the ICAEW Business, eras and MP3 players. Accounting and Skills FROM 18 single gloves to 330 pairs Mr Martin says he is not sur- Educational competition. of glasses –more than 5,500 lost prised by the high figure with items were handed in to people rushing about their daily Tales of travel READ ALL ABOUT IT: Children at Norwood Grove Pre-School enjoy bus garages last year. l ive s. The most common left-behind But he added that passengers C ROY D O N : An English teacher a good book CRDC20120301A-001_C items were books, with 1,169 for- were grateful when items were and author spoke to an audience gotten by passengers. retur ned. about the highs and lows of While smaller items like the 293 Consider able travel and adventure writing last keys can easily be missed by the We d n e s d ay. naked eye, one retired Croydon He explained: “There was one Jonny Muir, who is a teacher bus driver recalls pushchairs and middle-aged lady who left her at Royal Russell School in Coombe Lane, gave an illustrated even suitcases being left behind. Passengers handbag on the bus and there was LOST PROPERTY: talk to a capacity audience in the Henry Martin, once the bor- left over 5,500 items last year a considerable amount of money ough’s favourite bus driver with i n s i d e. s ch o o l ’s Performing Arts an internet fan club and hundreds The statistics come from the “A passenger handed it to a bus Au d i t o r i u m . of adoring passengers, said: “I’ve garages in Farm driver and it was taken to South He answered questions and NOVEL JOY: Learning books can WELL-READ: No such thing as a been in the office when they’ve Road, and bus station. signed copies of his three books be magical CRDC20120301A- Gruffalo CRDC20120301A-003_C brought in buggies or suitcases. Croydon, as well as on the bor- “When she came to collect it she a f t e r w a rd s. H o l i d ay ough border in Beddington Lane. d i d n’t actually faint or collapse, It works out at about 15 items a but she was overcome with emo- Enjoying a good book “You can’t believe it –we say to d ay. tion and we had to get her a cup of School reunion them ‘are you going on your hol- The majority were handed in at coffee with lots of sugar. C ROY D O N : Pupils who attended YO U ’RE never too young to enjoy in Gibson’s Hill, , were i d ay ? ’ the busy South Croydon site on “That makes you feel very Lady Edridge Grammar School a good book, as these children at taking part in World Book Day “But there is something picked the Brighton Road. proud that we could reunite her for Girls in the 1960s are invited Norwood Grove Pre-School last Thursday. up every day. The figure there of 1,897 lost with that.” to a reunion next month. p rove d . Its main aim is to encourage “If you’re on the late shift then belongings included 292 bags, 267 The figures were sent to the The event will take place from The youngsters at the pre- children to explore the pleasures yo u ’ll see everything when you pieces of clothing and 128 umbrel- Advertiser by Transport for Lon- noon on April 1 at The Milan school, based at The White House, of books and reading. got back.” l a s. don. Bar, in North End.