Letters - Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Did anyone see the Politics Show at 12.15pm on Wednesday, February 12?

If so, you cannot help but be moved by the presenter Jo Coburn, on the brink of tears, interviewing an elderly couple with regards to home care (or lack of it).

It turns out that the couple in question have used up all their savings and now have to sell their home to pay for home care for the poorly wife.

The most heartbreaking bit came when the wife turned to her husband and repeated the word “sorry” three times because she did not know the true financial cost of their predicament.

It made my eyes moist listening to them.

Politicians who run the country can’t realise how their policies affect your average Joe and Josephine Soap who live here.

When has privatisation ever helped bring down prices (which it was supposed to do), whether it’s gas, electricity, water, railways etc?

The only people to benefit are shareholders.

Some people in this country are struggling just to live from day-to-day and yet the politicians in power still spend our money like it’s going out of fashion.

Things could be so different.

Malcolm Tipper

via email

MOTORING

Don’t put a price on drivers’ lives

Being a member of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) and a driver for over four decades two thirds of that time professionally I cannot imagine for one moment what is so smart regarding these so called smart motorways.

In fact here is nothing smart about them at all and the quicker they are abolished the better before there are any more fatality’s or serious injury. Then the next step will be a complete rethink by putting the saving of money to one side and the safety of drivers and passengers as top priority.

To stand on a traditional motorway hard shoulder whilst vehicles are passing at 70+mph is scary enough I know I’ve done it but to sit on what is known as a live lane on one of these so called smart motorways with vehicles many HGVs thundering towards your vehicles rear end must be terrifying.

The elevated section of the M6 in the West midlands near Birmingham commonly known as spaghetti junction has a live lane running for 2.5 miles before a refuge area is reached. That part of the M6 is bad enough at the best of times but to be broken down on a live lane on this elevated section I cannot even imagine what it would feel like and unless one happened to have a spare parachute handy you would be well and truly trapped.

My message is very clear don’t put a price on people’s lives and make safety first paramount to all drivers and passengers.

Barry Carr

Fleetwood

APPEAL

Join Trek Transylvania

The son of a football legend is searching for kind-hearted hikers from across the region to join him on an awe-inspiring overseas challenge in aid of a children’s charity.

Graham Hill, whose father is Bolton Wanderers and England football legend Freddie Hill, is set to take on ‘Trek Transylvania’ to raise funds for the charity Children Today from September 10 to 15, where he’ll trek through the stunning landscapes of the Bucegi and Carpathian mountains and Piatra Crailui National Park.

Graham and the other participants will also have a chance to explore Bran castle – known as the home of Dracula – as well as the city of Bucharest during the six-day challenge event.

Graham has raised thousands of pounds for Children Today over the past 10 years by taking part in a number of international challenges, including hikes in the Grand Canyon and on the Peruvian Inca trail, as well as treks in Malaysia and Slovenia.

Children Today provides much-needed grants to young people and children with disabilities for specialised equipment, such as adapted trikes and specialised car seats, to help give them increased independence. However, the charity is reliant on public donations and fundraising as it receives no funding from the Government or NHS.

We know that the equipment we fund can truly be life-changing. £1,000 of sponsorship raised could help pay for a specially adapted trike to enable a child with cerebral palsy to go on a bike ride for the very first time.

The event is suitable to all abilities, although training is recommended. To sign up to the challenge, or for more information, visit https://www.childrentoday.org.uk/activities/trek-transylvania/

Hugh McCaw

Children Today