Letters - March 21, 2018

I have watched the starving seagulls during the winter in concrete car parks, busy roads, bins etc. Human actions are putting pressure on birds’ habitats, including gulls. Gulls are being forced to adapt to urban life as their natural habitats are being destroyed by coastal defences and cleansing of cliff faces, as well as the collapse of the fishing industry.

The RSPB informs the public seagulls should feed off fish. The first port of call is for them is to learn to follow trawlers and hang around fish quays. However, oceans have been over-fished. There were 130 trawlers operating out of Fleetwood. The fishing industry is only a fraction of the size it was 45 years ago.

All the fish seagulls have today is the few scraps washed up on shore by the tide.

It is human behaviour to blame for the demise of their natural food source.

As for ‘snitching’ on neighbours feeding birds, this could lead to disputes. It is wrong to recruit neighbours as snitchers. As for gull patrollers issuing fines for feeding birds I would avoid that part of the seaside.

Gulls are very clever and have good memories – their place is nature, but humans are killing it slowly.

Pat O’Connor

Portland Road
Blackpool

ROADS

Town’s gateways need a revamp

Why does it not surprise me that visitors are not coming to Blackpool as they previously did?

We have just been along the prom from St Annes to Fleetwood and several hotels are boarded up; some have suffered the effects of winter and are under scaffolding, roads are blocked off and are mostly in need of repairs.

Our own road in St Annes, which has been used both by sand lorries and the No.7 bus route, is now in a very sorry state.

To add insult to injury, pensioners from St Annes are unable to use their passes on the Blackpool trams.This is a Government assisted facility. Blackpool, open your eyes and turn this anomaly back into the holiday town it always was.

Carole Kettlestring

St Annes

HEALTH

Lack of investment is national disgrace

Despite NHS staff facing unprecedented workload pressures and severe shortages of staff, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has indicated that if a small rise in salary is to be awarded, nurses will have to forgo a day’s annual leave. This is in a context of a pay freeze enforced for the past few years, meaning that their meagre pay rise has been well below inflation. How mean-spirited is this?

On top of this, the cuts imposed by this government means that funds for essential continuous professional development have been slashed. Time out for professional updates and ongoing development of knowledge, skills and standards is essential. Annual leave provides opportunity for work life balance and to refresh motivation and energy levels. Also to prevent burnout and disillusionment.

Nursing bursaries have been abolished and nursing students now have to take a loan out to pay university fees for their training, whilst working on the wards for 50 per cent of the time as students without pay. This will impact on those people who would wish to train as nurses in the future especially mature students.

Addition to all this is the pressure caused because foreign students who came here to work have now returned home; because of the prospect of Brexit, they feel unwanted in this country

The nursing profession is currently in crisis and these dreadful decisions by the government will make things worse.

This parsimonious approach and lack of investment in nurses who are the backbone of the NHS providing round the clock care, support and treatment, is a national disgrace.

It will potentially impact on every family in the land and everyone should be aware of this very serious state of affairs.

Malcolm Rae OBE

via email

ENTERTAINMENT

I’m not blue, even though Ken’s gone

One of Ken Dodd’s songs was, “Please don’t talk about me when I’m gone”. Well, Ken, I’m sure we all will be talking about you for many years to come.

Today’s comedians take note: Ken Dodd entertained people for years and, at his shows, for hours, without using bad language.

He was funny, articulate and had a beautiful singing voice.

Although (it’s said) he didn’t like parting with money, he was generous to charities.

To be a good entertainer I think you need comedic timing and sincerity from the heart, not foul language from the mouth.

RIP Ken….

Grace Robinson

via email