Letters - Saturday February 27, 2021

How can we call ourselves a civilised nation when daily we read of killings and robberies?

We have a police service which is more interested in detecting coronavirus offenders than arresting shoplifters.

Stabbings are now so commonplace that they barely rate more than one mention in the media.

Burglaries are recorded but the detection rate is very low compared to years ago.

Police foot patrols are a rarity, so how are officers supposed to connect with the public?

Country bobbies are a thing in the distant past, but rural thefts of animals and equipment are a flourishing business for the criminals. Fly-tipping clearances cost councils millions.

The lack of visible police numbers plays a huge part in the current out of control crime figures.

Peter Hyde

via email

I worry at the extent to which Covid is preventing the police from dealing with common crimes.

If thefts, burglaries and robberies are not investigated, it is only going to encourage criminality and punish law-abiding citizens.

I can’t see how the police can deal with both crime and enforce the lockdown effectively to make a difference.

Henry Cobden

Address supplied

Lockdown

Helping young with eating disorders

During the pandemic, we have seen an increase in the number of children and young people contacting Childline regarding eating and body image issues. Some have experienced unhealthy eating behaviours for the first time, while others have suffered relapses or worsened symptoms.

We have heard about fears of putting on weight, a disruption to routines that previously helped maintain a sense of control over eating or body image problems and reduced access to support services, such as eating disorder clinics, therapists and social workers.

March 1-7 is Beat charity’s Eating Disorder Awareness Week. It’s a campaign to create a future where people experiencing binge eating disorder are met with understanding and compassion.

If a child is struggling with an eating or body image disorder it is important they know there are adults in their life they can turn to for help and support. This could be a parent, a teacher, a sibling over the age of 18 or a grandparent. They can also talk to a Childline counsellor on 0800 1111 or visit www.Childline.org.uk for advice.

It can help to remind them that everyone is different and not to compare themselves to anyone else. Accepting themselves is all about them noticing things they are happy and unhappy about and realise that is what makes them unique. Images they may see on TV, in magazines, in social media or online are often altered and airbrushed so what they are seeing isn’t always real.

If you are an adult concerned about a child you can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email [email protected]. Alternatively, advice can be found online at www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk and the NHS website.

Mubashar Khaliq

NSPCC Campaigns Manager

Viirus

Cautious is best...

For once, I have to agree with the way our Prime Minister is dealing with the relaxation of the current lockdown.

If he listened to those who are demanding faster easing, we would soon be back to square one with yet another spike in infections and yet another set of restrictions.

The problem lies with those who cannot obey the rules and have illegal parties or meetings that cancel the good the rest of us achieve. A step at a time is the way to go and to be ready to take a step back if required.

Peter Hyde

via email

Lockdown

It’s time to go to the hairdressers

How we miss our hairdressers and how we will be so pleased when April comes and we can get our hair cut.

Boris Johnson always cheers me up with his mad hair because, even though mine has not been cut for two months, it does not look as wild.

It is not easy to cut hair as my husband found out when I attempted to trim his hair. I cut above his hairline at the back and the sides looked as though they had been cut with a knife and fork. Roll on April.

Janet Berry

via email