Letters, December 18, 2015

During an after dinner walk through the Cliff Park estate in Gorleston on Sunday with my wife, we saw a lady clearing up after her dog had had a poo on the footpath.

She picked up the poo using a plastic bag, tied a neat bow using the looped handles of the bag and then placed the bag and its contents against the nearest lamp-post. When we confronted her about leaving her pet’s excrement she just ignored us and continued on her way.

I have often seen bags of dog poo hanging on trees and just thrown onto banks and grass verges but I have never witnessed this thoughtless act. The people who do this anti-social act must think there is some kind of “Dog Poo Fairy” that just waits around every corner to clear it up for them.

If you are one of these thoughtless dog owners you should be ashamed, you bring into disrepute other responsible owners who take it home or dispose of it in a proper way.

JOHN HARRISON

Email

Thanks for your donations help

May we through your letters columns thank everyone, individuals and companies alike, who have kindly supported us over the past year, either by way of generously sponsoring or attending our events, holding events themselves, making a general donation or in memory of their loved ones, and especially to those who have held a bucket for us, enabling us to raise £40,000.00 which will be earmarked to be spent in this area, in providing vital cancer support.

We wish all concerned a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year.

Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Macmillan Cancer Support Committee

Come along to our Christingle

Everyone is familiar with the phrase “Christmas is coming”, and also, as we approach our 37th Christingle Service at Great Yarmouth Minster, with the phrase “Christingle is coming”.

This year’s service is on Christmas Eve at 3pm, once again we are combining Christingle with the annual Crib Service.

At Christingle, families, friends and children come together to bring their offerings for children and young people in need - in return those presenting a Christingle envelope, containing monies the children have collected, will each receive a lighted Christingle to process, in candlelight, around the church. This procession makes a memorable climax to a truly children’s Christmas service. A great moment for both children and adults!

We do hope many, many of you will come to the Minster Church of St Nicholas on Christmas Eve.

We make 300 Christingles, but if you wish to make your own, as we know some groups do, please do so. All proceeds go to the Children’s Society. We thank you for your support over the last 36 years - please continue - your help is needed more than ever.

JANE FREEMAN

Christingle committee member

People helped when I fell down

I would like to say a big thank you for all the help and kindness shown to me when I fell in Market Gates Road on December 4. So many people came to my aid, and if I could I would like to thank each and everyone personally. It’s hard to say a special thanks but the lovely couple who stayed by my side until the paramedic arrived showed me that true spirit of human kindness still lives. I shall be out and about again in a few weeks thanks to you all.

P GILL

Caister on sea

Memorial bench thefts sadness

As most people know, the Raynscourt Hotel is to be demolished and replaced with a large car park.

After my late husband, Aleyn Jordan, died in 2003 the Raynscourt allowed me to have a plaque dedicated to Aleyn with the following quote on one of their outside benches: “Dedicated to the memory of Aleyn R Jordan, so rest here a while and remember the warmth of his smile”. Owner Kay Rockach also had a bench with a dedication plaque to her parents.

Today I learned that some sick, evil, no-conscience individuals thought it was fun to steal both benches.

I was also informed that Kay, Mike, Donna and Paul of the Raynscourt were intending to leave the bench outside my house as a surprise gift.

Guess the thieves have no Christmas spirit or any goodness either. I would however, like to thank the Raynscourt for providing me and Aleyn with friendship, work and warmth throughout the many years I worked there.

VALERIE JORDAN

email

999 call brought speedy response

I would like to convey a very big thank you to the three paramedics and the ambulance that arrived within minutes to my 999 call for my husband Ken who had collapsed at home on Sunday, December 13.

I would also like to thank the James Paget Hospital for their quick attendance to him at the ambulatory ward and their kindness. You all work so hard and it was very much appreciated. He is now recovering well at home thanks to all of you.

LYNDA HOUGHAM

Scratby

Who would miss the theatre?

The greatest benefit to tourism in the borough is the provision of decent public toilets, they are an essential. Visitors won’t visit without them. Whoever came up with the loony idea to close them?

The loss-making St George’s Theatre is a money pit and will remain so in my opinion, you’ve only to look at the National Theatre and the Royal Ballet to see that without grants and subsidies they would die.

Maths is not my strong point but the total attenders to 118 shows works out about 75 bums on seats per show (forgive me if I’m wrong), whereas more people use the public toilets per day by far.

If the theatre closed altogether who would miss it? You wouldn’t notice a fall in numbers of holidaymakers for sure.

That’s an idea, close it all winter except for panto season and open it in the summer for holiday shows but whatever, don’t throw good money after bad. Best advice, spend money on attracting visitors and keep the toilets open and make them something to be proud of.

G A PITCHFORD

North Market Road,

Winterton on Sea

Theatre is a force for good

I read the article (Cash to go to town theatre, December 11) with vested interest as I am, as your readers might remember, a volunteer steward there. I am aware this welcome move from the borough council in possibly allocating more funds, might find detractors in the community.

I can only reiterate as my small role allows that the presence of this prestigious and iconic theatre in our town, is undoubtedly a force for good and projects a cultural and totally feel-good factor for the town.

As Barry Coleman states, considerable progress has been made and it is becoming a coherent and cohesive part of the identity of the town. Visitors from all over the county and country visit and are bowled over by this beautiful building. Their mouths literally drop open as they appreciate the construction and the care taken in this lovely conversion. It is a sad indictment in the report to the councillors there is a low level of cultural participation in the borough.

This should be a wake-up call because there are groups and organisations in the town who do promote the arts.

There is such a need to support local theatres and if any of your readers have not yet visited, I would suggest the pantomime, Cinderella, this year is a very good place to start. I can assure you this will not prove disappointing and will be a great experience for the whole family and oh yes you will enjoy it!.

I do obviously appreciate that economic times have been challenging not only for the council but the inhabitants and theatre visits are sometimes viewed as luxuries and have to be discounted.

But sometimes this can be perceived as a false economy because of the actual pleasure, a night at the theatre can and does have cannot always be measured in money terms but has immeasurable benefits of well-being and being part of an audience that is relishing and enjoying the experience. Time and time again stewards have been so pleased to see such relaxed happy faces leaving the theatre and you just know they are well on the way to becoming one of our growing army of regulars.

I would say thank-you to the council for their on-going support and also to the very hard working and dedicated Trust, along with the permanent staff who do their upmost to make St George’s Theatre and the café bar the great place it is. As Mr Coleman says it is fast becoming a beacon in the community and is diversifying with imagination and in a coherent and successful manner. Hopefully the necessary additional funding will be accessed and self-sufficiency prove the ultimate and desirable destination. So please support your local theatre and be a part of its continual and well-deserved success in our community.

JUDITH A DANIELS

Winifred Road,

Cobholm

Community must pick up litter

I was astonished to read the letter in last week’s Mercury from an anonymous reader complaining about litter being left in Belton. This person wrote he/she walks most mornings and returns with at least two or three cans. All I can say what a lucky person he/she is to live in such a fairly litter-free area.

Yes, I would consider that to be litter-free and well dealt with. Come to many other villages and towns and there are areas where there is a huge amount of litter on a daily basis and volunteers go out to help the official person try and keep the places tidy. I live in a village south Nottinghamshire, and there are regular walking groups – and yes, we pick up litter as we go. I’m a member of the cardiac support group.

I am pleased he/she picks up the litter on their walks most mornings. This is what a community is all about; doing things for the community and not moaning when, with the large area the official “litter picker” has, cannot be covered in one day. And the fact of life is when one area is cleared and the litter picker moves onto the next, some villagers will have dropped more litter in the previous area. Come on, let’s be sensible.

Mr P GUNTHER

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Memories of Grandpa song

The Eighties supplement photo in the Mercury dated December 11, ref a4127-17, is Emily Osbourne and Wroughton School Choir who had been chosen to record the video of Howard Blake’s Grandpa. Emily was the little girl on the video. My two daughters were in the choir.

LINDA SIMPSON

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Praise for the Big C people

We would like to praise the Big C shop in Regent Street, Great Yarmouth. We haven’t been attending very long but when we do attend we are made so welcome to chat amongst different people without ailments, we now feel like going back everyday.

We would like to praise the staff of the shop, and we would like to make a special praise for the staff above the shop where we are made so welcome by Jane, Mel and David etc. Also a special mention for Penny the nurse at Park Surgery who recommended us to the Big C. May we say a big, big thank you and we would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a healthy happy new year.

RONALD and LILIAN TILLBROOK

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Stay away from new mum seals

It is with great sadness to hear the mother seal at Horsey had abandoned her twin pups. It is understandable as once made public, cameras, reporters and public flocked to see them.

I noticed one cameraman was only feet away and with heavy plant machinery doing defence work is it any wonder she did this, just fed up with it all? Can they not be left alone in their breeding time?

Mrs J GALAGHER

The Pastures,

Hemsby

Youngster tried to snatch bag

May I through your newspaper say a very big thank you to all the wonderful people who came to my assistance when I was attacked by a youngster trying to snatch my handbag on Pier Plain, Gorleston at 2.30pm in the afternoon. I put up a fight, even though I am 78, and he didn’t get the bag but I was badly bruised and shaken and marvellous people appeared to look after me.

I have received flowers and good wishes from people I do not know and you have all restored my faith in human nature. Thank you all so much, you are my heroes.

Also thanks to all police officers who arrived promptly and were very supportive.

Name and Address withheld

Who stole my garden gnome?

I would like to thank the kind person who stole a big gnome out of our front garden while I was admitted to hospital last week. I am upset about it as it was a present from our children. I am sad he is gone.

K DRAKE

Braddock Road,

Caister on sea

Eighties picture shows handover

Ref the picture in the Mercury’s Eighties supplement, December 11, Page 9. It shows the handing over of the old Coastguard Rescue centre at the end of the pier in Gorleston, now Coastwatch, to the Auxiliary Coastguard, as the MRCC was moving to Havenbridge House where it remained until closing in 2013.

The officer on the left with the beard was Bob Hapgood, the then district officer, and the officer on his opposite was station officer Ray Teft.

COLIN TOMLINSON

Ex District Officer

HM Coastguard

15 big bags of litter a week

Re litter picking in Belton and Browston. In reply to last week’s letter yes, there is still a litter picker in Belton and Browston. I am employed part-time only.

Two or three empty cans is minimal to the amount of rubbish I collect. On average it is 15 big bags a week. The times I go out vary and I can clean up in the morning and even on my way home people may already have dropped litter again.

The job is getting harder as people are now putting garden rubbish in the bins around the village as they can’t put it in the black bins. This result is the bins over-flowing.

Browston is not a small village. I litter pick Browston at least once a month. If you walk both ways litter picking on both sides of the road you cannot do Browston in one day. Only last week I collected seven bags from Browston.

I also have boundaries that I have to work to.

You only have to look at the area where I leave my rubbish bags for collection to see the amount of rubbish that is collected. I do not leave them around the village next to the bins as they do in Bradwell. I use my own transport to take the bags to an agreed pick up point to keep the village looking tidy. Only last week the residents in Belton were concerned about the amount of bags that were left in the gateway.

DAVID SKIPPER

Village Caretaker

Fun fellows made my night

While I was late night shopping in Great Yarmouth, and watching so many people enjoying skating on the ice rink, I met a lovely pair of crackers in Trespass. They were shopping for sunglasses the way you do in December.

After taking a photo and chatting, I said I would send the photo to my brother in Australia, they insisted on making him a Christmas video to send to Perth. It was brilliant and funny, they sang and wished him Happy Christmas and even managed a joke about the cricket ashes.

My brother is delighted and plans watching it on the TV screen on Christmas Day.

These lovely fellows created lots of fun and huge smiles here and in Australia. I would like to thank them and wish them a very Happy Christmas filled with fun and kindness.

SALLY SIMM

Orwell Crescent,

Belton

PLEASE NOTE: The Mercury is publishing a day earlier next week, so letters for these columns will need to be in as soon as possible. Email them to anne.edwards@archant.co.uk or post to 169 King Street, Great yarmouth NR30 2PA. Thank you.