Letters - February 26, 2016

The payout was, no doubt, strictly according to their rules, which are there for everyone to see if they make the effort to look. Most don’t, however, and the fact is that most players would appreciate a reasonable chance of, perhaps, one or two thousand pounds, coupled with an outside chance of, possibly, a million.

With the mind numbing slogan “More numbers to chose from”, which fools nobody with half a brain, Camelot have now pushed the chances so far over the horizon that no sensible player would risk their cash.

I have organised a syndicate for more than 10 years with seven shares. We never lost an unsustainable amount and on two of those years actually made a small profit.

The price doubled to £2 and all the members gritted their teeth and carried on. The extra 10 numbers, however, shoving the odds from 14millionto one to 45million to one have broken the camel’s back.

Having witnessed the constant weekly rollovers which demonstrate, with millions of lines submitted for every draw, just what the chances are, the £700 we jointly put in every five weeks has now been withdrawn.

Mike Mogilnicki

Westby

EUROPE

European funding is our money anyway

Your article (Gazette, February 24) asks “How has being part of the EU helped us here in Blackpool”, and goes on to describe how Blackpool has benefited from European funding, giving the impression the EU has done us a favour by granting us millions of pounds for various projects.

Gordon Marsden MP and Cat Smith MP are singing the EU’s praises over these issues, but it should be recognised we are only getting back some of the £400 million per week we have been contributing to the EU under the terms of our membership.

If we left Europe, all that money would be ours!

It is issues such has this that a previous correspondent described as “muddying the waters”.

I agree with him about the public being inundated with confusing facts and figures, and suggest that people question matters they do not understand before believing them to be true.

There are many with vested interest who would like to see us stay in the EU, but we should not be hoodwinked by these people into believing it would result in Armageddon should we leave. There are uncertainties, but it will not be the end of the world.

Great Britain has survived many upheavals in its past and it is my belief that being OF Europe but not IN Europe is the way forward.

Derek J Bunting

Birkdale Ave, Blackpool

ENVIRONMENT

Can no one answer my litter question?

Several days ago, you published my letter in which I expressed disgust at the litter strewn state of many of our local streets and lanes (Your Say, Gazette, February 17).

In this letter, I asked why those streets and lanes in Blackpool have not been rendered litter free as a result of the efforts of the community service workers.

I also asked whether anyone could tell me what work for the benefit of the community is, in fact, carried out by the small army of wrongdoers who have been ordered to do such work as a community punishment.

I expected a response to my query, but no one has answered.

Surely someone on the Fylde Coast must know what kind of work these people are carrying out for my benefit and for the benefit of my fellow citizens.

Can someone please provide me with some examples of such work?

A law abiding citizen

charity

Make some noise to help fight cancer

As an ambassador for Target Ovarian Cancer, I’m passionate about the importance of shouting about the symptoms of this disease. As we gear up to Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month this March, I’m asking readers to help us START MAKING NOISE to spread the word.

Gazette readers can get involved with Target Ovarian Cancer’s fundraising efforts in loads of ways throughout the month. We’re getting friends and family together to ‘bake some noise’ with coffee mornings. Or maybe you’d prefer to ‘dress louder’ and impress friends and colleagues by wearing something shocking.

Target Ovarian Cancer is offering readers free balloons, posters and symptoms information to make your fund-raising a success – call 020 7923 5474 or visit www.targetovariancancer.org.uk/startmakingnoise

Gaby Roslin

Target Ovarian Cancer Ambassador