Dear Mary

6 August 2011

Your problems solved

Q. I am a governor of a top girls’ school in central London. When we are invited by the headmistress to school events by email, one of the other governors replies to every person in the group email. Obviously this reflects rather badly on my fellow governor — either she has not grasped the significance of the ‘reply to all’ box or she honestly thinks we are all interested in knowing that she cannot attend this summer’s junior ballet demonstration. How can we stop her doing this without causing offence? It is just another unwanted email.

—B.L., Harrow, Middlesex

A. Deal with the nuisance tactfully in the following manner. Next time the headmistress invites you, click ‘reply to all’ yourself when you RSVP. Five minutes later, click reply to all again and email everyone, including the offender of course, an apology for having wasted their precious time by cluttering up their inboxes with an announcement which could be of no conceivable interest to them. Write ‘do forgive me. These things can happen all too easily when you press the “reply to all” button, but I must apologise as I realise how busy everyone is.’

Q. May I pass on a tip to readers? My 16-year-old son went to Camp Bestival last weekend. It was his first festival and, although far-sighted with regard to packing camping equipment, student railcards etc, he left his entry ticket behind. He telephoned from the (sold-out) festival gates but it was too far to drive with the ticket. It was late and he had nowhere to sleep other than the campsite. The solution? His older brother photographed the ticket and emailed the image to his iPhone. With this and a telephone call to the headquarters of Camp Bestival — which, unbelievably, was answered by a human — and also the credit card details used to buy the ticket, we were able to orchestrate his entry to the site. I must praise Camp Bestival for being so helpful.

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