Medmenham MQs

[LeavingHome]

Just received notification that we have an allocation at Medmenham in, what I believe to be, one of the new build (how new is new?) type IV houses. Anyone able to pm me on the numbering system for them? ie. odd up the left, even down right or just incremental the whole way round - would like to work out which one it is if possible. Currently too many miles away to drop in and take a look unfortunately, and it looks like it has changed dramatically since we left HW in 2006.

Also if anyone is living in one, what's the difference between them and the old type IVs?

Possibly even more importantly, there was mention on a prior thread, albeit a couple of years ago, that there might be issues getting the children into Danesfield School - is this still the case, does anyone know?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Unmissable]

PM me (with your allocated address) and I will tell you all you want to know.

[ricardian]

Medmenham; brings back ancient memories of HQSC - HQ Signals Command - and CRAFT - Controller RAF Telecommuncations.
(Not forgetting the SPIDER certificate for Superior Performance In Determined Error Reduction)

[whowhenwhy]

I know that school places for this year's Year 1 are short, but places in Year 5 are wide open. Do you mind if I ask when you're moving in? I'm looking to move to Medmenham in July and am getting the waiting list run-around from DE.

[Jumping_Jack]

The more modern houses look nice but have less storage space inside. That said some do have double garages. When offered the choice (and had a look) we opted for the 'traditional' style MQ rather than one of the new ones (Type IV).

[LeavingHome]

Thanks for all the responses, very much appreciated. Due to time differences it's hard to get someone in an office - and lets face it, DE aren't exactly the most reliable for info and they don't have to live in these houses (normally) ... probably why they feel it's acceptable to allow a family to move into a MQ with an 18 month old, in late November, and have a boiler that doesn't work and hasn't for the prior 6 months - that's the last time we get someone to do a proxy march-in!!

ricardian I'm just a 'wife-of' I'm afraid, but that sounds a bit before our time I think!!

whowhenwhy

Similar time-scale, but we are coming back from OS so I think we were number 2 on the list last week, and got an allocation on Monday - where are you on the list?

Jumping_Jack

Thanks for the info - we didn't have any storage at all in the house in Bradenham (except for the understairs cupboard), so that isn't really a deal breaker for us - we were pretty brutal with our belongings before we came overseas anyway, so, assuming everything has survived four years of storage (not banking on it though), we don't have too much excess.

[whowhenwhy]

Number 6 unfortunately. Looking on Google Earth the new MQs look similar to the new build ones that are in Uxbridge. Anyone able to comment?

[LeavingHome]

6 isn't too bad - I guess there may be a few moves in July so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. Was that this week because if not you may now be number 4! :)

[Jumping_Jack]

Further to your Danesfield question, we found them very helpful. We too returned from overseas to Medmenham, the school understood our predicament (ie not having a comfirmed address) but registered our child for year one with no issues at all. Lovely school by the way.....

[LeavingHome]

Thanks again for the info Jumping Jack - I'm going to talk to them on Monday when the schools are back. It certainly looks and sounds like a lovely school - the children are very excited as it will mean a complete change for them (and me!).

[Bladdered]

Fantastic, we lived in North Close from 97-99 with garden backing onto the woods. Like a sanctuary from the madness of HQSTC (then). Marlow a lovely walk along the Thames and just a 20 min drive from work - they used to put on a bus but that was for the 9-5 ers. School was a bit anal - my 9 year old was bringing 3 hrs of homework home each night!

[LeavingHome]

Bladdered

The commute is the only downside for us - Mr LH used to cycle home for lunch when we were at Bradenham... at 4 years older, it might not be worth the attempt to Medmenham!!

Regarding school, my eldest is 9 and 3 hours homework is going to hit hard...they are home educated at the moment (due in the main to the low quality of local schools), and we can finish all the bookwork for the day in that time!

Here's a good one for you all - we have been told by the, in-country, M&S shippiping agent, that we have to ship our personal effects 5 weeks prior to us leaving the house...so, that leaves us with beds with no bedding; food, with no means to cook or eat it (well except raw, off the floor and using Korean rules; children, with no work, toys or anything. Am I being unreasonable or, am I right in my belief that, these people are utter Muppets?? :ugh:

[MIKTHENAV]

:ok:Best FQ I ever had. Double garage and en-suite. I felt embarrassed when I had to brief Air Officers on Airmens FQs which were less habitable than my garage. Also nice location for the Danesfield Club nearby and Marlow. Shame about the day job.

[LeavingHome]

MIKTHENAV sounds good - will hopefully make the transition back to UK life somewhat easier...

[Mr C Hinecap]

L_H - is there any way you could get someone else to 'do' the move at that end for you after you depart? Then you can use the (better) system at this end to have the minimum provided, which would be better than the minimum where you are. The schedules around the world are not too flexible for domestic moves. At least your receiving unit could have some barrack items in the quarter for you.

[Jumping_Jack]

L_H, are you moving from the States? In 2005 we moved from US to Medmenham, the Embassy provided us with a 'packup' to see us through the 5 week gap of kit moving to us departing (it ended up only being about 3 weeks in the end, one week of which was in the Virginia Beach Hotel & Conf Centre :ok:).

[LeavingHome]

Thanks for the suggestion Mr H - we don't actually need anything from barrack stores as we have a full complement of household things waiting for us in storage (assuming it's survived 4 years), so it's not an issue if they pack everything a couple of days before we leave and it doesn't arrive for 5 weeks after us, because we can have the storage load delivered on march-in - that's certainly the preferable solution as far as I'm concerned - hence the reason I can't quite understand where they are coming from on this one. Anyway, if push comes to shove we'll just do it ourselves, I believe that option is still (just) available.

[whowhenwhy]

Number 2 on the list - come on PMA, pull your finger out and send some more posting notices to people.:ok:

[LeavingHome]

:ok: Yay, you may even be number one and allocated by now! Fingers crossed.

[whowhenwhy]

Unfortunately not - gave DE more ear ache this morning asking whether they'd got something and we're still number 2. Apparently they've not been told of anyone else being posted out yet....:{

[LeavingHome]

:sad: 2nd is still better than 6th though I suppose - will you be moving far? One hope is PMA's favourite short notice posting - we had 3 weeks from posting notice to move when we came out here - great stuff with 2 young kids and 2 dogs, anyway, there's still plenty of time. How long before they have to offer you SSFA? - or you could just ask for somewhere above entitlement! :}

[whowhenwhy]

They're talking about leaving it another 2 months before SSFA, but with only being second I'm sure that they'll have allocated us a place before then. Given the lack of SFA I doubt that they'll allocate above entitlement. It'll all be good in the end.