Letters - January 10, 2019

What has happened to mail in our town?

I have not received four Christmas cards posted to me from other towns.

Have any other Gazette readers in the FY1 postal area had a similar shortfall?

If they have, then Royal Mail should offer an explanation.

Ian Jackson

Park Road
Blackpool

Just what are the Post Office playing at?

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Already they have collection boxes up and down the town where the only daily collection is at 9am.

Now I find my nearest box at Harcourt Road in South Shore, is also to revert from a 4.30pm clearance to 9am. Where is the sense in this? People are not getting up in the middle of the night to write letters - possibly of great importance - so they can get them delivered the following morning.

We, who have no facilities for emails, fax or any other modern means of communication are at a decided disadvantage and it could now take up to two to three days to reach their destination and thereby lose out against modern technique communicators.

And all this while we are paying ever more for stamps.

Instead of setting boxes at the ludicrous clearing time of 9am they should be making the final collection nearer 9pm - and even adding extra collections during the day as once I believe they did.

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Has the local head postmaster never heard of the word progress?

Neil Kendall

Stamford Avenue
South Shore

MAINTENANCE

The crematorium 
is still in bad state

Last year you kindly printed my letter concerning the neglect of the area around the niche walls at Carleton crematorium (pictured).

Visiting to lay wreaths last weekend I was disappointed to find that the area was as bad as ever, if not worse. The pathways are very slippy and dangerous being covered in thick green moss in many places and are littered with broken twigs and branches.

Surely the crematorium garden staff could walk round periodically and tidy the paths and grassy areas?

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Does no-one ever remove dead flowers plants and litter? A crematorium should be respected and maintained by a local council.

Myra Jones

Barnoldswick

APPEAL

You could be due extra allowance

Last August we set out to raise awareness of Attendance Allowance.

This is a non-means-tested benefit to help with disability-related daily living costs. It is available to those 65 or over who do not already receive personal independence payment (PIP) or disability living allowance (DLA).

We pointed out that thousands of elderly people who could be entitled to this extra tax free allowance do not make a claim, possibly due to the kind of public perception of being scroungers. So far, as a result of our first campaign, we have secured payments of Attendance Allowance worth over £300,000!

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If you have ever wondered if you could be entitled to the Allowance it’s not too late to find out as Benefitanswers are again offering a free check to see if you could qualify for this Allowance. If you are over 65 and would like further information ring 03302234773 or email [email protected]

June Bennett

Via email

HEALTH

Chance to provide peace of mind

The NHS 10-year plan is encouraging but the government must now address social care and its integration with the health service.

We welcome the plan’s focus on helping people back home more quickly. We also support the focus on preventative public health measures.

But these must now be supported by a similar emphasis on good social care. Greater integration and a fit-for-purpose social care system would reduce demand for hospital services.

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Social care allows people to live independently for longer and is proven to save the NHS many millions of pounds per year.

We eagerly await the social care green paper. After numerous delays by a succession of governments, this is a chance to turn the crisis around and provide clarity and peace of mind for today’s and tomorrow’s older people.

Jane Ashcroft, CBE

Chief Executive of Anchor Hanover – England’s largest provider of care and housing for older people