Mike Robbins

Mike Robbins is reported in Hallmark to have written a website for Lacey Green and Loosley. click The Internet for more

Lacey Green & Loosley Row websitewas written by Mike Robbins.

The remarks below are taken from The Internet.

Hallmark August 1998. Calling all Net-heads! by Mike Robbins

Hallmark November 1998. Mike Robbins reported " Internet Access is now Free"

Hallmark May 1999. Letter from Alan Phillips, e-mail alanp@za.ibm.com

Dear Hallmark,

Please can we have an on-line copy of Hallmark on Mike Robbins' website? As a house owner of Lacey Green, now residing for two years in South Africa, it would be nice to read the enjoyable articles in Hallmark on-line. I have a friend who sends Hallmark to me but of course this is after she as read it, and if the post delivers it. The Post Office in South Africa is very proud of the fact that they are able to deliver 80% of the post without it being stolen!

Regards Alan Phillips

Comment by Ted Janes in Hallmark May 1999 :-

Can I say how much I agree with the contents of Michael Hardy’s letter regarding Hallmark on the Internet. Personally, I have already had enough of the “w, w’s, dots and slashes etc., but we have to accept this is the modern form of communication, but surely not for a small village magazine that goes into every house in the Village, 80% of which like me have no idea of the system, or any likelihood of having the availability.

I trust that when the new Halli is up and running the practice of putting up notices on the notice boards or telegraph poles to invite us to such and such a function is not forgotten, and we do not have to “surf the Net” to find out what is on and order our tickets; if so I am afraid the dedication, commitment and support the Hall has received over the last 75 years will not be forthcoming.

Letter in Hallmark May 1999. by James Moorcroft. (click James & Linda Moorcroft for more about James).

Dear Sir,

Turning to “Letters to the Editor” I was very sad to see a much different, personal attack on someone I admire...Mike Robbins. Quite apart, from his invaluable contributions to past LGP productions (he has raised the quality hugely), his efforts in putting together and maintaining our village website, thereby bringing us into the 21st century, deserve hearty congratulations. At the very least they deserve a bemused “good for you”.

What is totally undeserved is the line by line demolition of Mike’s well intentioned article on the Internet, written so that others could benefit (free of charge) from Mike’s considerable knowledge and experience of computer-related topics. Turning (or surfing!) to the site itself, the writer would find that Mike Robbins is totally dependent on the co-operation of local organisations and residents to feed him news and information. He doesn’t make things up or attempt any journalism, merely acting as a “posting board” for items of local interest. He has succeeded by skill and effort in making it a visually attractive and lively site, well worth visiting time and again.

The website will not replace traditional media like Hallmark for many years. Hallmark is a great magazine which I (having Internet access both at work and at home) would not be without. The Internet adds a different dimension. Who knows - one day the Hallmark may read itself out to partially sighted folk.

I hope I have avoided making the kind of attack I am lamenting. I know Mr. Hardy plays an active part in our community for which we are very grateful. Maybe if the “Tele Cottage” in our new Village Hall comes to fruition there will be a chance for him, and all villagers, to visit our website. Then I think we could all agree to give praise where praise is certainly due.

Hallmark May 1999. The following letter to the Editor was written by Chris Saxton of White Thorn, Pink Road, Lacy Green :-

I was surprsed to see two and a half pages devoted to what appered to be a personal attack by Michael Hardy on Mike Robbins and the Lacey Green web-site. My rather extended family (in New Zeaand) finds accessing the Lacey Green Site and the on-line Hallmark interesting and informative. I'm sure they would be most unhappy if Michael Hardy succeeded in his intent to have their instant access to Lacey Green activities cut off

I think Mike Robbins deserves thanks, rather than critism, for providing at his own cost, a professional and good-looking web-site for the benefit of the village

Hallmark review of Mother Goose pantomime by youth of Lacey Green Productions team, Mike was mentioned as follows :-

"The Pantomime was directed by Alison Stacey, Rachel Panter and Peter Brookhouse, who must be congratulated, with the usual team of backstage people, not forgetting front of house and box office, backed their efforts. Mike Robbins on Sound and Magic Mike made a great contribution to the production and deserves a mention.

Hallmark May 1999. Extract from Parish Council report by Linda Moorcroft. "Thanks to Mike Robbins’ superb work, there are plans afoot to post the Parish Council minutes on the Internet so that the increasing number of villagers “on-line” can easily find out what is going on. Otherwise, the minutes are available to read in Princes Risborough library