A CALL from John Charles began: "Do you fancy meeting me at Eden Park School, Robert?"

My brain did a little belly-flop as schools always trigger off a feeling of absenteeism and while maturity teaches you can't rectify youthful mistakes... that doesn't stop the ol' sailor feeling a little guilty.

John helps out at Eden Park School with football and swimming coaching, and he outlined a project the children and teachers are involved in, wondering if I'd give it a little plug in the column. No problem!

After hearing further details I quickly warmed to the human-interest shown by the schoolchildren and staff... and, of course, John.

At the school, he introduced me to teacher Julie Rushworth, who looked barely out of her teens.

Back in my schooldays, 'Miss' certainly didn't look that young or attractive.

Julie explained about Eden Park's close partnership with Huacaipay, a village school situated high up in the mountains of Peru.

For some time now, the Brixham school and the Peruvian school have corresponded by letter and email, forming a close association between teachers and pupils.

This concept must do wonders for building close international relationships with the youngsters of both schools.

Sadly, however, during the past couple of weeks the weather in Peru turned completely bonkers and the whole village was washed away one night during an horrific storm.

The 360 devastated residents took shelter in the village school, using the badly damaged building to eat, sleep and shelter the whole community.

Because of catastrophic events in Haiti the world's media has given little coverage to Peru's problems.

Consequently, because of their close association, the staff and pupils of Eden Park want to raise funds to assist their 'friends' thousands of miles away on the other side of the world.

John mentioned that while attending the television award ceremony, when he'd proudly won 'Unsung Sports Personality', he'd done a bit of autograph hunting among the other celebrities thinking, perhaps, to auction off the various famous signatures to assist in raising funds to help the flooded villagers in Peru.

Perhaps a coffee morning in somewhere like the Community Hall, which might include a bring-and-buy session of other sporting objects? Bring out your sporting souvenirs, lads.

Human kindness is a lesson we can all benefit from.

On leaving Eden Park, trying to establish where our first schooldays began, John kindly pointed out the course to steer to reach the old Drew Street School buildings.

The journey brought back a flood of childhood memories.

In my mind I'd pictured the school steps as being very wide, stretching upward for miles, but I discovered they were narrow and it took only seconds to reach the gateway leading to Cowtown city.

It was also frightening to realise that my first venture through those school gates had been almost 70 years ago! Oh dear! Anyway, congratulations Eden Park!

THERE are sceptics who quietly chuckle at organisations such as the Brixham Battery Heritage Centre Group.

They think it's a kind of sad Dad's Army who can't forget the war.

Mostly, such people seem to have forgotten about the long years of conflict and the constant threat of invasion.

Back in those dark days between 1940-45, when enemy planes zoomed across the Bay, dropping bombs and machine-gunning people in the street; when South Devon faced the threat of attack from enemy shipping, ordinary men armed themselves against the possible onslaught from the air and sea and courageously defended our shores.

Today, groups such as BBHCG, proudly maintain the memory of those who were prepared to lay down their lives in the defence of their homeland.

Each year, many thousands of visitors, together with locals and schoolchildren, visit the Battery Heritage Centre and take in the historic statements of military memorabilia that quietly reminds the world of those darkest hours back in the 1940s.

Torbay Council has been most considerate to the cause, along with HM Revenue and Customs.

Let's hope the Lottery people are just as sympathetic when they come to consider the group's application.

There are things from this country's past problems that can only be covered by those who care.

The 'Battery Headland' group's annual get together takes place at Chestnut Drive Community Hall on February 27. Starting at 7.30pm it takes the form of a 1940s night, with music from Silver Wings.

Refreshments will include bully beef and Spam sandwiches and strong tea.

The very best of British, gentlemen!

A RADIO programme the other evening, about the complexity of our language, reminded me of a German mariner friend who committed a bit of a faux-pas.

On the Jersey/Portsmouth potato trade we were both 'boy-captains'.

His German flagged vessel was half-a-knot faster than mine and charging across the Channel to Pompey each night, mostly he'd arrive first ... although not always.

On our day off we'd spend time together in St Helier and one afternoon headed for a harbourside cafe.

To practice his English (it wasn't perfect but better than my German) he said, "So, Curtis, I speak the order... ja?"

When the young waitress came, smiling politely, my friend said, "I would like to become a pot of tea."

I'm not sure who chuckled the most, me or the waitress.

Yes, I know it was wrong to laugh but...

He looked so hurt.

"So, Bobby, what I say wrong? Become? It means to get, yes?"

Ah! Not really dear friend.

A week later, however, he got his own back.

After several 'sherbets' in a Jersey pub he'd talked me into visiting a fancy hairdresser's in the high street.

The assistant was foreign and when I sat in the chair something was said in German.

In those days I possessed a full head of dark curls and completely relaxing, must have dozed off.

Waking up, looking in the mirror, all I could see was the shortest crew-cut in Europe.

Joining the ship at the next port, my lady refused to speak to me for a week.