2013 SEED SWAP

Discussion in 'Swaps/Freebies' started by pamsdish, Dec 5, 2012.

  1. Madahhlia

    Madahhlia Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2007
    Messages:
    3,678
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Suburban paradise
    Ratings:
    +3,090
    Dear all,
    I'm afraid I have to confirm what Pamsdish has already told you. I have been hanging on and trying all avenues in the hope that the parcel would turn up but with no luck so far.

    The problem has arisen when my new front door was refitted but without the letterbox, as that had been mislaid by the firm, but has now been fitted. I naively thought that the postman would leave parcels in the porch as he often does or leave a red ticket, but that did not happen.

    I have been trying to deal with the local parcels office but they have not been very helpful. The most they will say is that 3 parcels were probably sent back to the senders last week and I fear the seed swap is one of them, even though they can only have had it a few days. Targets to meet, I'm told.

    Three other parcels are probably still somewhere in the local system. Nobody at the PO is willing to search the mysterious "upstairs room" where mislaid items are apparently put and they keep telling me contradictory things about where the missing items might be sent.

    As there was no return address on the parcel it will have been sent to the "dead letter" depot in Belfast where it will eventually be opened and clues as to the recipient/sender will be searched for. I'm told it is impossible for me to contact this depot, but I'm going to try anyway and have found an address/number for them. So it is not impossible that it will reappear if I can convince them to redeliver to the original address. If anyone put their address on a seed packet it might also turn up at their house, I guess.

    I don't know how to apologise for this mess-up. I'm so, so sorry and want to do what I can to start the ball rolling again. I'm going to spend a bit of money on some nice seeds to start the new parcel so if anyone has a suggestions for popular items, let me know.

    For the future I can only advocate putting a return address on the parcel and, ideally, sending by recorded delivery which is not too expensive but again, I can only apologise abjectly for not having foreseen these problems.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Friendly Friendly x 2
    • Jenny namaste

      Jenny namaste Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Mar 11, 2012
      Messages:
      18,537
      Gender:
      Female
      Occupation:
      retired- blissfully retired......
      Location:
      Battle, East Sussex
      Ratings:
      +32,279
      Madahhlia,
      It was not neglect or anything you did wrong that caused it to go "walkies" so I am sure no one on GC will consider it appropriate for you to apologise. You have made considerable effort to track it down and it could still turn up with one of us. We have all learnt a lesson as a result and, that's whats gardening is all about. Trying to do things differently - next time around,
      Jenny
      :grphg:
       
    • "M"

      "M" Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Aug 11, 2012
      Messages:
      18,607
      Location:
      The Garden of England
      Ratings:
      +31,886
      I can't speak for anyone else, but personally, I see no need for you to spend any money buying new seeds: it is *not* your fault!

      Be gentle with yourself, Madahhlia; these things happen and we learn and grow from them :grphg:
       
    • Bilbo675

      Bilbo675 Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Mar 15, 2011
      Messages:
      4,495
      Gender:
      Male
      Occupation:
      Gardener & Plant Sales
      Location:
      South Derbyshire
      Ratings:
      +6,654
      Hi Madahhlia, most definitely not your fault, so please don't feel bad about the parcel going missing. Usually if a parcel can't be delivered its held at the local sorting office for 2 weeks before being returned to sender (if there is a return address) and the postman should have left a red card like you mentioned, so obviously the postman is at fault here :rolleyespink:

      It still always puzzles me how post can go 'missing' anyway, surely these mail holding places or sorting offices don't have large cracks in the floorboards for things to fall down and never be seen again??!! :scratch:
       
    • "M"

      "M" Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Aug 11, 2012
      Messages:
      18,607
      Location:
      The Garden of England
      Ratings:
      +31,886
      Maybe; or, maybe Postie couldn't be asked to post it through the *right* letterbox, got bored, and just stuffed a load into someone else's. As happened to me recently!
       
    • pamsdish

      pamsdish Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Apr 5, 2008
      Messages:
      5,151
      Gender:
      Female
      Occupation:
      Retired
      Location:
      "Black Country Wench" in Margam,Port Talbot,Wales
      Ratings:
      +4,445
      Nobody is blaming anybody, these things happen, the concept of the seed swap is ,we all get thousands of seeds surplus to our needs, either from our gardens or from 100s in packets we buy, so we do not want any purchase of seeds especially for the parcel.
      We all share our love of growing and gardening.
      If any surplus seeds about if we all post them to Madahhila we can, I feel confident start another parcel, if the other turns up BONUS.
      So PM Madahhila for her address if you can contribute and we can keep the ball rolling.
      I will be checking out the P.O. site to see what is most economical method of signed for, recorded postage.
      Please in future put my address on back for returns, anyone who does not have it P.M. me and I will send it.
      Off now to root through my seeds as I have yet to sow anything due to being away from home a lot till April, I am actually leaving today for Norfolk then onto Brighton but will have time, I hope, to grab an envelope and some seeds to start off ,I am due the parcel soon and by then have more to add.
       
      • Like Like x 1
      • Penny in Ontario

        Penny in Ontario Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Sep 7, 2006
        Messages:
        6,233
        Gender:
        Female
        Occupation:
        Work for my husband.
        Location:
        Ontario, Canada
        Ratings:
        +1,668
        Not too worry Maddahlia, these things do happen, and somtimes even with a name on the back.:grphg:

        I'm going to hold off on donating anything right now, i have a bunch of seedlings on the go, and if all goes well, i have a bunch of seeds to donate in the Fall:blue thumb: , plus its getting too late for me to start anything over here now.:spinning:

        If this is going again in the Fall, then i will gladly donate to it.:autlvs: :spinning:
         
      • Peorthine

        Peorthine Gardener

        Joined:
        Feb 8, 2013
        Messages:
        124
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Bedfordshire
        Ratings:
        +122
        Oh no, such a shame it went missing!
        Madahhlia I'm sorry to hear about all the problems you get with PO at the moment :( Please don't worry though, it's not your fault! :)


        Ps. I can send some vegetable seeds, I have plenty I don't need!
         
      • Ariadae

        Ariadae Super Gardener

        Joined:
        Aug 18, 2008
        Messages:
        460
        Location:
        Shropshire
        Ratings:
        +679
        Very sorry about the parcel, but certainly not your fault mahdahlia. We've had problems with certain posties who are jobsworths and won't leave a parcel by the back door. Then the depot lady is also very unhelpful, and wouldn't even turn around to search a shelf for my husband. My daughter's recorded delivery degree certificates went missing en route from us to her, a distance of 150 miles, travelling all over the country and languishing in Leicester for some reason before turning up. birthday cards from south Wales to us regularly take over a week first class, and a cheque I enclosed in a Christmas card for someone never did turn up, expect someone got fed up with the Christmas post.
         
      • Madahhlia

        Madahhlia Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Mar 19, 2007
        Messages:
        3,678
        Gender:
        Female
        Location:
        Suburban paradise
        Ratings:
        +3,090
        Many thanks for all you comments, it makes me feel slightly better but I still want to get another parcel on the go asap.

        My regular postie is lovely and he would have sorted this instantly but he was on holiday for a fortnight at just the wrong time. I have experienced someone refusing to even check the shelf as he wouldn't be allowed to hand the parcel over - passport, driving license and Talktalk bill being insufficient proof of identity. I went back the following day and a pleasanter lady did check it and found a parcel, and handed it over - but not the right parcel. I can't imagine what sort of stress and conditions postal workers are under to behave as unhelpfully as this, and comments will be made to the appropriate "Customer Care" personnel, although they sounded just as ground-down and hopeless as the rest.
         
        • Like Like x 3
        • Loofah

          Loofah Admin Staff Member

          Joined:
          Feb 20, 2008
          Messages:
          14,366
          Gender:
          Male
          Location:
          Guildford
          Ratings:
          +25,155
          Ah well, it's happened and we'll move on. As everyone agrees- not your fault at all.

          So who shall we send all our spare seeds to to get another package together?
           
        • Madahhlia

          Madahhlia Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Mar 19, 2007
          Messages:
          3,678
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          Suburban paradise
          Ratings:
          +3,090
          I have got together the beginnings of another parcel and apparently someone has a few to send to me. Evil len is not joining in this time so i need Ariadae's address if s/he is interested.

          I have sent off a claim form to Royal Mail today. The local office has stopped replying to my calls.
           
        • rustyroots

          rustyroots Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Oct 18, 2011
          Messages:
          2,264
          Gender:
          Male
          Location:
          Solihull, West Midlands
          Ratings:
          +2,946
          Madahhlia

          It's not your fault at all. If you message me your address sure I've got some seeds I can send to add to the new parcel.

          Rusty
           
        • Ariadae

          Ariadae Super Gardener

          Joined:
          Aug 18, 2008
          Messages:
          460
          Location:
          Shropshire
          Ratings:
          +679
          I have pm'd my address to mahddalia
           
        • HsuH

          HsuH Super Gardener

          Joined:
          Mar 9, 2013
          Messages:
          645
          Location:
          South Gloucestershire
          Ratings:
          +3,257
          I've only been with GC for a month, but seeds swapping sound so interesting that I really want to join in. Any possibility to be accepted now or do I have to wait till June?
          :please: let me in now :please:
           
        Loading...

        Share This Page

        1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
          By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
          Dismiss Notice