There are so many volunteers here

Without taking anything away from any group, it is worth mentioning some of the other voluntary groups around Blackpool and Cleveleys. I am involved with the friends of Jubilee Gardens in Blackpool. Coun Tony Williams and Coun Paul Galley lead the Friends of East Pines Park. Coun Lynn Walmsley is involved with the Friends of Branksome Field. Coun Patsy Ormrod and Coun Alan Vincent are involved with the Friends of the Towers. Vince McNulty chairs Clean Up Blackpool, while Brian Coope is helping form a new Blackpool South Community Forum. Sue Ridyard is involved in Friends of Kingscote Park and the list could go on.

Around the Fylde coast, many people volunteer in their community, with local charities or through organisations like the Lions, Rotary, or the Masons. I think they all need a pat on the back and a big thank-you from everyone. It is perhaps unfair to single on out one group for front page news, especially when most people volunteer for the reward of doing good in the community, and maybe a cup of tea at the end of the day.

Perhaps The Gazette may like to write a volunteer group article featuring the work and achievements of as many voluntary groups as possible. Just an idea to keep it fair.

Coun Danny Scott

via email

MARRIED LIFE

Single beds are one way to marital bliss

First may I thank Steve Canavan for the lovely response to the letter I wrote to him (The Thing Is..., Gazette, August 25)

Although I am 50 years older than him, I seem to have lots of experiences that he is having now. For instance, about the single beds on his holiday in Donegal. When my late husband and I moved here in 1964 we had the same troubles.

I was kicked because he was running in his sleep, and had my face slapped and duvet cover pulled to the floor at his side, so one morning I got up and went round the corner to a small warehouse of beds and mattresses.

I told the man I wanted two single beds and two mattresses. He asked when and I said now, so he and his lads carried them to my house and installed them and got rid of my double bed.

I paid him and he went and we were happy until my husband died, aged 80, in 2007.

All my old lady friends are fans of Steve’s and look forward to Thursday’s Gazette.

Mabel Burgess

Westwood Avenue

Blackpool

ENERGY

US and China need to fund renewables

Fantastic news. The USA and China, the two biggest polluters of our world’s atmosphere, have finally accepted the Paris Agreement agreed in April.

It was so important they accepted the fact that between them they produce 40 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions. At last they have, and it is now essential they join the world wide movement to reduce air pollutants and protect the world for future generations without delay.

Many states within the USA have adopted the policy to move to renewable energy and have greatly benefitted from this change. I have no doubt this evidence has influenced their national government to accept and join the worldwide move to renewable energy.

The two countries now need to set in motion quickly the reduction of and the reliance on dirty, non-renewable energy, such as coal, gas. oil and nuclear.

Hinkley Point, the Chinese-backed proposed new nuclear power station, should be scrapped. We already have several moth-balled old nuclear sites, surely it’s senseless to build more power stations producing spent fuel which then has to be stored for a thousand years? Funding should be directed into renewable energy projects.

Climate change is not a thing that may one day happen. It’s already happening. This is a problem that already exists and will increase in severity unless the world alters its reliance to non-polluting renewable energy.

Jack Croysdill

Blackpool North/Cleveleys Constituency Labour Party

ANIMALS

RSPCA should cut out the red tape

TV images of the RSPCA, as in The Dog Rescuers, seem to be about animal protesters.

The truth is all about red tape and animals having to satisfy specific criteria, before anything gets done. All one can hope for when calling the RSPCA is to be given other numbers to call, or to go online. It is a shame for animals in need, as they have no sense of bureaucracy.

Susan Barker

Fordway Avenue

Layton

COMEDY

Love laughs of Max Wall and Dick Emery

Jayne Dawson’s column about the BBC’s new sitcoms on Saturday (Saturday Slant, Gazette, September 3) brought to mind memories of Max Wall and Dick Emery, running through to Mrs Brown’s Boys – everything in between was a natural progression! !

Racism in comedy didn’t exist in the 50s or 60s, and after suffering two world wars, people tried to get back to normality, and laughter was an integral part of that. Having said that , there’s “comedy” on now that I find as funny as fishing in the Sahara. I agree (hesitantly ) with Jayne that most remakes don’t work!

Brin the trotter

address supplied