Hope lost purse given to owner

I had just entered Morrisons in Gorleston and was approached by a gentleman holding a large red purse. He offered it to me saying he thought I had just dropped it on entering the store. The purse did not belong to me so he was going to hand it in at the service desk.

I hope the purse is reunited with its owner and I think the gentleman deserves a big thank you.

HEATHER EDWARDS

Address withheld

Three cheers for health services

Three cheers for the James Paget Hospital ambulance service and A&E department. I was unfortunate to need the help of both services on November 12 and they were brilliant.

The young doctor suggested we could do with some help from social services at our home which at first I refused saying we are not on benefits, not at all, the help is available for all and so it has proved, equipment loaned and guard rails installed free of charge.

My biggest surprise was home visits from the doctor at Millward Park Surgery; I thought this was a thing of the past.

I am very grateful for all the help we have received. Many thanks to all concerned.

K FARMAN

Bradwell

Hope elephant can be trained

How exciting to hear that plans for an outer harbour dates back 30 years with talks, then of spawning this white elephant.

During the period 1999-2004, government and European money was secured which would pay for the public sector part of the port which was to become the new outer harbour. By 2007 expectations of creating 1000 new jobs which would massiviely boost the local economy. By 2010 we were fully operational and then what happened?

The bottom fell out of everything. The keeper of the white elephant still had potential. But now a new keeper has come onto the scene who has for guidance, hindsight and forethought, which we hope does not turn out to be a case of déjà vu.

So let’s say good luck to Peel ports, a major international company. Let us hope our white elephant can be trained.

JACK DYE

Gonville Road,

Gorleston

Tell us about basic needs

The Yarmouth Mercury has in recent weeks featured Yarmouth councillors patting themselves on their backs at giving lots of planning consent for building thousands of new properties in this area.

We should question the ability of these councillors to look after the long term interests of the potential several thousand new residents and their children who will arrive.

It seems that our present councillors have little concept what a successful and adequate community really needs.

We must ask when will the basic vital infrastructure be set up for all these new extra citizens? Who is going to provide it? Where is the funding coming from?

Come on councillors let us have some answers to the following simple questions. Just provide us with the exact information on who is going to provide these facilities shown below.

These are just a few of the absolutely essential basic community facilities that will be needed for so many new residents arriving due to such a massive set of house building developments.

For the children two new primary and one new secondary school? For the increased population, a new wing with two extra wards and an outpatients department built onto the present hospital? Several playing fields large enough for football pitches?

Possibly two new areas for allotments? Several medium sized community centres?

A new rural residents burial ground? Public residential care homes or a community hospital, also local doctors surgeries and pharmacies, and several children’s play areas.

Then most importantly where will all the extra employment needed by new residents come from?

Councillors will claim that many of these basic community services above are not their responsibility, so will wash their hands of responsibility.

However, is it morally right to build so many new properties knowing there is little likelihood of a basic essential community infrastructure being not provided?

It seems that at present neither property developers nor county or borough councils are willing to provide the essential basic facilities that bind any community together making it work.

All we get are vague promises of no jam today but jam tomorrow.

Developers will continue to make big profits, while councils will keep claiming they have no funds to provide adequate community facilities.

Yet our planners will continue to give building consents left, right and centre quite regardless to the long term potential problems for new residents with a total lack of essential basic community amenities.

We know councillors have no formal training in community organisation and management but they must tell us exactly how they plan to provide the basic community facilities needed.

BRIAN E CALLAN

Busseys Loke,

Bradwell

Impressed with Christmas lights

We often criticise Great Yarmouth Borough Council on various subjects but I must say how impressed I am this year with the Christmas lights in the Market Place, especially on the trees near St Nicholas Minster. Well done council!

Mrs FERGUSON

Arundel Road,

Great Yarmouth

Theatre cash makes no sense

The “happy relaxed faces” leaving the St George’s Theatre noticed by the stewards are nothing like as happy and relaxed as those leaving any of the public toilets in the borough.

I am not advocating destroying or pulling the theatre down it is a fine building but throwing £20,000 at it when only used by so few people cannot be right or make any sort of economic sense.

I for one begrudge my money going to pay for someone’s heavily subsidised night out.

G A PITCHFORD

North Market Road,

Winterton on sea

Couple gave me a lift into town

Through your letters page I would again like to thank the couple who went out of their way to help me on Wednesday, December 23 at 11.23am at the bus stop at river walk on Caister Road.

I’m 68 years old and have an arthritic hip. I saw the no 1A bus at the traffic lights on Jellicoe Road, so I tried as fast as I could to get to the bus stop in time to meet the bus, but failed because I can’t run and in great pain. I did put up my hand so the driver could see me, which he did, but drove on because I was not at the stop in time.

My next thought was to reach the Jellicoe Road bus stop to catch the due no 8. By this time I was in great pain having to be as quick as I could, and as I reached the lights a blue Focus pulled up and a lady ran to me saying they had seen what happened and could they offer me a lift into town.

What a wonderful thought, as they obviously drove round the block to help me.

I didn’t ask their names but would like to say thanks again to my Samaritans for helping a pensioner in distress.

DAVID LEGGETT,

Email

The Pub on Prom came to rescue

I messaged the Mercury on Facebook about being let down by the Star Hotel for our Christmas dinner. Myself, my husband and my elderly father in law managed to get into the Pub on the Prom.

What can I say? We were greeted at the main door upon our arrival, by very friendly staff and a Merry Christmas not only that but by every member of staff as we were shown to the Green Room, that only opened two weeks previously. The room was set up to a very high standard, every attention to detail was done, right down to a Christmas card addressed to our family signed by all the staff, the tables were dressed and looked gorgeous. Crackers! Napkins! The lighting was amazing and the whole place looked amazing.

The staff couldn’t be faulted, friendly and attentive but not overly! Service was second to none!

The food, not only were they huge portions, of lovely quality food (so much so my elderly father in law could not finish the whole meal, which is unusual). I cannot say enough about the service and quality. They truly made my father in law’s Christmas and to my husband and myself this was worth more than words can say.

The place was full with everyone having a wonderful time.

And we would like to thank the Pub on the Prom and the staff for the amazing job they did. We will definitely use the restaurant again.

NICOLA and STEVEN CLARKE

Email

People of the UK must come first

The people of Cumbria and Yorkshire are suffering yet again – flooding, and not for the first time. We send money to countries all over the world, just before Christmas £11m earmarked for India and don’t forget the £56m a day to Europe just for membership.

Isn’t it about time money is spent to secure the homes and lives of people in this country from the destruction of flooding - after all it’s their money anyway.

Some may say that’s selfish, well maybe it’s about time the people of this country come first, their safety and well being.

I believe they couldn’t survive another year of flooding considering what a massive job the clear up and getting back to normal takes.

ALAN GREY

UKIP County Councillor,

Breydon Norfolk

Kebab leaflet on Christmas Day!

After my Christmas Day dinner of turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, sprouts, carrots and parnips then, like most of us at that time, feeling too full, I was so pleased when I heard the sound of the letterbox as yet another Kebab leaflet fell onto my mat.

Could someone please explain to me why? What is the matter with these people? Apart from some poor soul walking the streets on Christmas Day, do they really believe these leaflets help their business?

The only people who prosper by this is the graphic house who designs the leaflets, and the printers.

RICHARD ROBERTS

email

Any memories of Chippy Browne?

I love reading the Mercury online each week. It keeps me in touch because I lived in Caister from !952 to 1967 at 10 Coastguard Road with my grandfather, F S (Chippy) Browne.

He worked at Caister Camp and had much to do with the sea cadets. I have been unable to find anyone who can help me obtain some information about his history with the cadets. He had two ships in the harbour one was just referred to as the MFV and the other was the Ocean Empress. Colin Tooke had nothing and the cadets did not reply to my questions.

Does any reader have any information that could help. I would be very grateful.

JEAN LAVALLEE

Email

Martham Green carols thanks

More than 300 children and adults from surrounding villages gathered on Martham Green on Christmas Eve to sing carols from the Biblelands carol sheets and once again hear the Christmas message.

Organised by Martham Churches Together, the service was introduced by Barry Coleman, with members of all four Martham Churches taking part: Rev Nigel Clements leading the prayers, Rev Linda Turner giving the message with the aid of a huge cracker and Andrew Scott with the Bible readings.

The singing was led by the Norfolk Broads Concert Band who do a sterling job for everyone at this time of year.

A beautiful Christmas tree was erected by Allan Jeavons and members of the Fire Brigade, and Alan Moore’s family provided electricity and set up the sound system.

The collection buckets were rapidly filled with donations for Save the Children which totalled £450.

A special thank you to all who took part and gave so generously.

MARY COLEMAN

Thurne Rise,

Martham

Who teaches music at school?

On reading about the Annual Schools Carol Service in the Mercury recently, it brought back a lot of memories for me. For several of my teenage years, I was the accompanist for this wonderful event.

I was at the Technical High School (now Ormiston Venture Academy), at the time. We had a marvellous choir, trained by our very competent music teacher, Thomas Brooke-Wild. He was also my private piano teacher. Realising I enjoyed accompanying, he encouraged me in this, and I looked forward to this particular event very much. I eventually made private piano-teaching my career.

I wonder who teaches music at this school now? Perhaps someone will enlighten me, please?

MARGARET CROUCH, nee Balls

Norwich Road, Caister on Sea

Fracking mad to mine Broads gas

This is a beautiful world over which we have stewardship and this is an immeasurable responsibility.

We have to remind ourselves of the sort of legacy we are leaving our children and grandchildren. Staring us in the face is the fact the world’s resources of energy are limited and we need to look for new ways of creating energy.

So what can we do about it?

Begin making underground explosions in order to release a new supply of gas? Because in doing this we undermine the very ground we stand upon. This land we call home, England, the United Kingdom, our world.

Goodness knows, have we not done enough already to spoil this world and now we want to start to blow it up, destroy it?

I’m reminded of the man up a tree sawing off the branch he is sitting on, looks absurd doesn’t it. That’s what we are doing.

It is fracking madness.

FRANK WARNE

Email

Show wonderful but why pic ban?

I had the wonderful pleasure of going with my daughter Sarah and Nanny to see my grandson and his classmates in the Key Stage 1 Christmas performance at Ormiston Herman Academy on December 9.

What was and must have been a very emotional and proud time for the parents, grandparents and family to see their children perform on stage is an experience never to be bettered or forgotten a very special moment in life I certainly won’t ever forget and other family members won’t either.

Now to the thanks from not just myself but from every parent, grandparent and family members who attended must go to the pupils who worked so hard to make such an event so very good and special.

We must thank the principal Mrs Rutherford and the vice principal Mr Thompson and all the other members of the academy team who have worked very hard probably in their own time to help the pupils succeed in making this a lifetime memory of excellence at its very best.

I can certainly endorse how the principal, vice principal and teachers make the children feel safe and positive about themselves.

Everyone is encouraged to value and respect one another and the environment.

I also see very clearly they have a broad, balanced and creative curriculum and ensure high standards of teaching and learning that enable all pupils to reach full potential.

Finally, without taking anything away from the above praises and fantastic performance, I personally find it so disappointing no private photos or videos must be taken of the children’s performance.

I’m absolutely in agreement with this in everything it’s intended to protect the children’s safe environment.

But can I suggest maybe in the future, that events at Ormiston Herman Academy are covered by a professional photographer and video maker so that parents, grandparents and family members may have a permanent quality memory of such magical moments in a child’s life.

If done professionally and a charge made to cover the cost, I’m sure there is mileage in this and certainly interest and support to be considered in the future.

STEVEN GILDER

Burgh Castle

A big thank you from Broads Lions

On behalf of Father Christmas, his reindeers and all helpers and members of Norfolk Broads Lions Club, a big thank you to all who turned out to see the Sleigh and give so generously.

We had a very busy end November/December and visited Ormesby, Hemsby, Martham, Winterton, Caister and Scratby and collected £3,476. We also visited Tesco in Caister and received a further generous £938.

All money raised will go to good causes, Lions charities and much will be used locally. Thanks to all the local cadets who helped with the collections in the village. Happy New Year

STEPHEN PYZER

Lion President

Thanks for Open Christmas help

On behalf of Open Christmas Great Yarmouth I would like to thank every school, college, organisation, store, business and individual who generously donated money, goods and food to our Christmas Day event at the Marina Centre.

Also a massive thank you to all the volunteers who turned up on the day to help set up, serve the lunch, clear away and give their time to talk to and share this special day with so many people who would otherwise have been all alone this Christmas.

Thanks to the fabulous entertainers, to the staff at the Marina for all their help and to Retroskate for the venue.

We are a small committee of just five organisers but we could not run this event without the help of so many lovely people.

Running this event and witnessing the kindness of strangers really does restore your faith in human nature - thank you all so much and hopefully see you next year.

JOAN NAYLOR

Open Christmas