Letters, June 10, 2016

I wonder if there is anyone among your readers who plays keyboard and would like to support an eager singing group of adults at Centre 81 on Friday afternoons from 2pm to 3.30pm? We have the will and the energy, but lack the music. If anyone is able to help, would you be kind enough to call me on 01493 857707?

BRENDA TAYLOR

St Georges Road,

Great Yarmouth

Drivers getting flak on the buses

With regards to the new bus timetables I cannot understand why the No 9 via Cliff Park estate now has to go through the Shrublands estate as many older people with limited mobility who use the medical centre on Magdalen Way now have to go to the James Paget to get a No 8 to go the surgery.

If it’s not broken why try to fix it? If it’s a question of running times why not make it every 20 minutes instead of 15 minutes. The drivers are the ones that get the flak, not the ones who work out the times.

M STEPHENS

Leman Road,

Gorleston

Why not open our borders to world?

The tone of the referendum debate has shifted to immigration. It is the number one subject that people complain about and one that the Remain camp haven’t got an answer for. Although I have learned something interesting.

Remain argue we need immigration to make our economy grow. Apparently our economy only grows because of it. So basically the 28.4m Brits that go to work do not make our economy grow! It seems we all might as well not bother because we don’t have an impact on the statistics!

If we are reliant on immigration for growth and the Treasury believes we need high levels, why don’t we just open our borders to the world? If you want the biggest economic growth in the world invite 50m people to Britain! The argument on growth is a farce and the Remain camp do not factor in the social costs of immigration or the cost to public services.

I’ve also heard mentioned the old favourite that immigrants do the jobs Brits don’t want to do! Well I’ve worked as a cleaner, labourer, picker/packer and in agriculture as have millions of other Brits so I find such a comment insulting.

In the 1950s and 1960s we had full employment. An unemployment rate of 2-3pc and schemes to ensure everyone that could work did work! We invited immigration from the Commonwealth because there was a genuine shortage of labour and skills.

In Great Yarmouth there are 1,730 people on Jobseeker’s Allowance, 785,000 nationally. In total 1.69m people looking for work and a further 1.1m on the WRAG component of ESA who are capable of some work or limited because of injury or ill health. Wouldn’t it be better to get these figures down before inviting unskilled labour in?

Immigration does bring great benefits to Britain but surely quality over quantity is the right approach. Unskilled migration drives down the wages and puts unfair competition for unskilled jobs, discourages businesses from training staff and keeps productivity low.

Immigration levels within the EU are only going to increase anyone to say it won’t is a liar, as the EU continues expansion so does the number of people who gain the right to free movement.

ANDY GRANT

Ormesby St Margaret

Did you bump into any of the stars?

It might be difficult to comprehend now, but five or so decades ago, the Great Yarmouth region and its live venues played host to some, if not all, the biggest names in British rock and pop music of the time. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Pink Floyd are just three of many examples of this.

In recent months, the Halfway to Paradise exhibition at the Time and Tide Museum has successfully brought this particular era in local history very much into the spotlight again, and deservedly so. It’s a fascinating chapter in the area’s rich past, especially for people such as myself who weren’t around back in the day to witness or experience any of this first-hand. What about you? Were you there? I’m interested to hear from you if you were. In conjunction with Yarmouth’s new radio station, Harbour, I’m currently on the lookout for anyone with any interesting memories to share about those days. For example, maybe you bumped into Ringo Starr walking along Regent Road one afternoon eating a bag of chips, or let’s say, got chatting to Mick Jagger on Britannia Pier?

Feel free to contact me if you have anything to share. You can email me at mishmashsounds@hotmail.com, or call on 0796 4615934. Alternatively, you can drop me a letter or note the old fashioned way.

MATTHEW

Harbour Radio,

137 King Street,

Great Yarmouth

EU legislation protects rights

In these remaining EU referendum campaign days, Green Party activists in Great Yarmouth will be campaigning relentlessly to make sure voters know exactly how positive an influence the EU is having on workers’ rights including employment rights.

Unfortunately we’re not going to hear these reasons from David Cameron. In fact, he probably sees these workers’ safeguards as a continental inconvenience, in spite of his wish for the UK to remain in the EU. We’ve heard the benefits of free movement of people across the continent, including our ability to work or holiday in Spain, France, Germany and all over mainland Europe with ease and without the need for visas. Perhaps we’ve not heard enough about how the right to actually take a paid holiday is protected by the EU.

Additionally, it is EU legislation agreed with our European partners that gives us maternity and paternity rights at work. It’s also laws we created alongside other European countries that gives us our robust health and safety rules which go a long way in reducing injuries and deaths.

As the fight for gender equality continues, I want the EU in my corner. EU laws go much further than the UK’s original Equal Pay Act and enshrines the right to equal pay for equal work between men and women. Similarly, it’s European legislation that prohibits discrimination on grounds of age, sexual orientation or religion from the workplace.

Any UK worker should feel safer knowing that there is EU legislation that protects their rights, no matter who is in power in the UK. That’s why we’re making the case for a vote to remain in the EU.

KEN PETERSEN

Great Yarmouth Green Party

Hemsby

Brilliant work of ambulance staff

I would like to thank the ambulance service for their outstanding work, which is not recognised and appreciated enough. People are so quick to criticise when the service they receive is not satisfactory but when the service is very good nobody says so.

Just recently the ambulance service attended an accident I was involved in and they did a complete medical check on all involved; luckily only one person needed hospital treatment.

So because of the brilliant work they do, fewer patients and work are being taken to hospital.

LYNN ELLAMS

Email

No 7 needed in the daytimes

With reference to the No 7 Belton bus, and the lack of a good reliable service for the communities of Belton and Bradwell.

These villages have grown enormously over the last 35 years. Unfortunately the infrastructure does not grow at the same rate. There has only ever been two buses an hour, often a bus doesn’t turn up or is withdrawn, which is so annoying if it makes you late for work or an appointment etc.

The people of Belton lost their doctors’ surgery and were transferred to the Millwood Surgery at Bradwell, near the Rainbow store, so if you don’t drive a car, you rely on the bus or have to pay for a taxi, not a cheap option.

Now the No 7 is only to run on evenings and weekends, it is ridiculous. The service is needed even more during the daytime to enable people to get to work, school, appointments and to shop, it really doesn’t take Einstein to work that out.

I think the X11 could have been run on a trial basis, to run alongside the present services first, to judge the demand. That to me would have been the most sensible option.

MARLENE DELAY

email

Help trace group the Sons of Fred

During the course of research on two radio programmes regarding British R&B of the 1960s, I found that there was a group in Great Yarmouth called Sons of Fred. Little can be found on them and attempts to find out have drawn blanks.

According to one source they recorded for two EMI labels round about 1965 and had a single issued entitled Sweet Love. Does anyone know them or where the members of the band are now? We would love to hear from you. If so, please call 07776 445133 during office hours, or write to Alan Thompson, Teen Dreams: Groove Britain, Future Projects, 168B Motum Road, Norwich NR5 8EG.

ALAN THOMPSON

email

Voting reasons are our own

Despite politicians of all persuasions confirming it is neither racist or xenophobic to have concerns about the scale of immigration and the effect on public services, there still seems to be a pervasive attitude amongst those advocating a Remain vote, that this is the sole motivation of those wanting out.

This is a high handed and narrow minded way of stifling debate and aimed at making those wanting to leave question themselves or to feel embarrassed about how they intend to vote. I’d hoped this was something we’d left behind.

It is not racist to be concerned about the effects on housing, hospitals and schools or communities. Again, politicians of all spectrums have said this and a number have had to apologise when they’ve chosen to forget or ignore it.

Nobody on the Leave side has said all EU citizens have to leave and all leading figures have advocated the benefits of controlled migration. The GPs, doctors and midwives working for the NHS will still be working for the NHS should they choose to stay following a vote to Leave the EU. I hope they will choose to stay.

Those voting to Leave know their motivations and should feel confident in advocating a vote to leave without having their integrity questioned. It is not just the old, the British-born and those on the right of the political spectrum wanting to leave the bureaucracy of the EU and to regain our freedom as a country to make all our own laws.

Voters of all political parties want out and our reasons are our own, not for short-sighted remain advocators to insinuate and speculate at.

DARREN ALCOCK

Station Road North,

Belton

Buses gone, how about park limit?

Well done First Bus for taking off the double deckers from Kennedy Avenue/Lowestoft Road bus route. Also thanks to Cllr Graham Plant and the borough council for looking into restrictions of parking along Kennedy Avenue.

Hopefully these plans can incorporate perhaps “1/2 hour parking 24 hours a day”, as many cars are left overnight (and sometimes days) by either hospital staff or patients going for minor surgery and have to stay in for anything between one night and several days.

People have also parked across our drive on many occasions for hours on end, and when the police are contacted they really aren’t interested, resulting in our appointments elsewhere having to be cancelled.

Name and Address withheld

Chance to turn over a new leaf

Wonders never cease. For the last two weeks I have agreed with more or less every word written by John L Cooper in the letter pages of the Mercury.

We have a unique opportunity for the country to turn over a new leaf if we vote Leave in the referendum later in the month. Vote Leave for a new Prime Minister and for a new cabinet who will not play fast and loose with the truth. Vote Leave to secure our borders. Vote Leave to deport all the foreign thieves, terrorist sympathisers and ne’er do wells who have gained a foothold in our country.

Vote Leave for peace of mind and a chance to once again have a Great Britain of which we can be proud and which can hold its head up in the wider world. Vote Leave then all we have to do is stop exporting millions of pounds to Africa and India and divert the money to the NHS and other public services which are currently being starved of financial resources.

Might even get a couple of toilets re-opened in Great Yarmouth.

GORDON CRAIG

Highlands Pit Road,

Hemsby

Farmland homes answers please

I refer to the letter last week highlighting the hazards with access via Acacia Avenue to the new development of 55 houses in Martham. Please could someone in the council’s planning department explain via this paper why the specifications listed by the Highways Agency contained within the residential road and footpath standards, table 9, paragraph 6.5.1, “that in the light of problems due to accessing drives and the inability to pass parked vehicles in cul-de-sacs, these roads should be 5.5m wide. Acacia Avenue, the road leading to the new development is 4.8m wide”.

If this is the case, why has the development got the go ahead? Acacia Avenue is a small cul-de-sac with 15 garages needing to access it. In addition, there is on-street parking. Is the council prepared to take responsibility for an accident waiting to happen both in Acacia Avenue and the adjoining roads, one of which (Rowan Road) not so long ago was considered unsuitable for an earlier development?

I raised the point of access to my local councillor who did come to see me and my husband and who said if he found out anything further he would get back to us - he never did. I also wrote to Brandon Lewis MP who said the decision was for the local authority and the locally elected borough councillor to reach a decision.

Please could Brandon Lewis who this email is copied into, also explain why the development is going ahead in light of the above regulations. A previous statement by him made to me by letter said: “We must build more homes but do so in a way that is fair to the existing communities and residents”. The approval for this development is surely contrary to this.

JACKIE MATTHEWS

Email

Elderly are being penalised again

Why is First Bus company penalising the elderly yet again? They have changed the No 2 and No 9 routes and by the time it gets to the bus stop on Trinity Avenue it is hard to find a seat, with the Cliff Park and Brasenose Avenue people using the services.

People on the Shrublands were left behind as there was no room for them! But we all notice there are plenty of No 8s operating, let them still do the Cliff Park estate.

On June 1, some of us waited for a No 9 at Market Gates. When it arrived we were about to get on when the driver changed it to a No 5 and drove off. Why? It was our No 9 and the No 5 had already gone? People were very angry at having to wait for another 30 minutes.

What we need are some Anglian buses around these parts.

RESIDENTS

Rambouillet Close and Seawake Close, Gorleston

We agreed to join Common Market

Re in or out of the EU. I believe I am right in saying this country was never asked if it wished to be in the EU, but only if we agreed to join a common market, which is quite a different thing.

All young people should be made aware of this and realise that most people of that time would not have wished for what has happened, and the result has been disastrous for the people here today.

BARBARA TILDESLEY

Buxton Avenue,

Gorleston

Are you at loss at what to believe?

June 23 is so near but are you, like me, at a loss of what to believe? All the nasty things that “could”, “perhaps”, “maybe” happen if we leave.

But what is not being said by the Remain group, is what will be done to close our borders. Mr Cameron and Co keep telling us how terrible life would be if we vote Leave. No-one knows what will happen, it’s all assumption.

What is not conjecture is what the Leave group will do if we quit the EU! We will control our borders and still be in Interpol and NATO.

The Remain group cannot mention immigration as we would still be controlled by Brussels; we would have to put up and lump it. They know this but don’t have an answer.

The answer Mr Cameron is vote Leave. Our parliament will not have to ask unelected bureaucrats in Brussels if we want to close borders to halt this tide and we would be able to deport those 47,000 foreign criminals clogging our jails.

Our fighting units will guard our shores against terrorists and anyone trying to get in through the back door. Europe the single market will still want to sell to us as they do now but, unlike now we can sell to the rest of the world. We gave it a good innings at 43 years but we want out before the EU explodes.

JOHN L COOPER

Burnt Lane,

Great Yarmouth

We’re struggling to detach from EU

Britain struggled to be accepted as part of Europe, and is now in a struggle to detach itself. President Charles de Gaulle accused Britain of “deep-seated hostility” toward the European initiative and vetoed our first attempt to join the then common market in 1963.

A French general in 1940, he fled to England and had to watch as Churchill ordered his country’s fleet blown-up, and then with our Allies save France and the world from fascist and communist dictatorship.

Other big EU players make veiled threats that trading with them will be made difficult and expensive if we dare to resign from their exclusive club. Have some of today’s EU presidents inherited De Gaulle’s French-fry on their shoulders?

Germany probably regards the UK as a useful idiot and won’t appreciate losing the billions we pay into the unaudited EU money-pot; providing jobs-for-the-boys, housing, work and welfare for legions of economic migrants and refugees.

How many of the rich foreign elite care a hoot about the price of your loaf of bread or my pint of beer?

Western Europe, now a federation of states, many with dodgy economies, low wages, high unemployment and porous borders; when recent new members wake-up to the fact they’ve escaped the clutches of one undemocratic socialist republic only to end up in another.

The EU should be worried - our exiting may give others the courage to do the same!

IAN PORHCETTA

Great Yarmouth

Where did a Great school go wrong?

Great Yarmouth – Great High School. Where did it all go so wrong? I joined the staff of Great Yarmouth Grammar School – as it then was - in January 1962. The “Grammar”, as it was universally known, was a great school in which to teach and to study. It’s catchment area extended outside Yarmouth and Gorleston well into the rural areas of this part of Norfolk taking in, if my memory serves me right, something like 12pc of the over 11-year-old boys.

Discipline was very good, helped no doubt by the fact a severe breach of school discipline would inevitably be followed by a visit to the head’s study for a caning, the severity of which would depend upon the type of offence. I’m not advocating a return to this type of punishment but it was effective in those days! The cane was, however, only very rarely used.

The interaction between teacher and pupil was generally very good. The distinction between “them” and “us” had to be maintained but it existed within an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Some years later, I am not sure of the exact year but no doubt the Mercury’s Peggotty has that fact to hand, the “Grammar” became the High School – still an all boys establishment and it lost the input of some of the more academic “country” boys who were directed elsewhere.

During this period a new headteacher, Mike Leigh took over. He had many new ideas and changes were made where these could be seen to be beneficial for the wider spread of academic ability of the new intakes. Discipline was still good despite the loss of the cane and the pleasant, mutually respectful atmosphere of the school meant that teaching and learning could carry on with generally good examination results.

The next major change was when the school became “mixed”. The girls arrived! Things seemed to change remarkably little as the girls came in by years at a time and across the river the same happened with the boys. The most noticeable change was from surname to first name usage!

Teaching and discipline were getting more difficult but still the school retained a good teaching ethos so expectations and results were still quite good. So, what has happened to Great Yarmouth High School that it finds itself about to be “academised” if there is such a word? I am not vain enough to claim my presence on the staff was in any way responsible for the way the school ran in those far off days but we, all the staff, were a good team led by excellent headteachers and supported by the vast majority of the parents.

Parental support, especially in the matter of school discipline is absolutely essential and I did begin to notice in my final years of teaching that this support seemed to be falling off. There seems to have been a rapid turnover of headteachers in recent times.

I don’t know what lies behind these changes but a good, strong, consistent, leadership backed by parents is essential in any school to flourish.

JOHN LAITY

Caister on Sea

Never be part of Federal Europe

Before I even ask if it is legal for politicians to be manning the “Vote Leave” bench in the Market Place, I want to answer just four of the claims they are making by simply stating some facts.

Turkey will not join the EU. All EU countries have a veto. It is highly unlikely that Austria, France, Cyprus, Greece - to name a few - will let Turkey join. Even German public opinion, sympathetic to Turkey until now, has turned radically against it. It’s not going to happen.

EU membership does not cost us £350 million a week. In 2015 Britain sent £250 million a week. Still a large sum, but after we take out the money we get back from the EU, and the spending which is actually international foreign aid, the figure is this: £120 million a week or £17 million a day. There are 64 million people in the UK. That means we each pay about 26p a day. EU membership costs about a quarter the price of a kids cone on the market.

Britain will not be part of an “EU Superstate”. The PM’s treaty negotiation is free to read online. To quote: “It is recognised that the United Kingdom... is not committed to further political integration into the European Union.” It then goes on to explain more, but simply put: We are not and never will be part of a Federal Europe.

Britain will not be part of an “EU Army”. There are massive refugee crises on Europe’s eastern and southern borders. What we need is a co-ordinated response. This is not an “EU Army”, which very few EU states want. It’s the ability for several EU states to co-ordinate military resources to combat these crises, at need. We have a veto on what they do, and if an EU Army existed we would know about it because under UK law we will be given a referendum on it. It doesn’t exist.

Let’s leave out “protecting the NHS”, because many Kippers and Cons want a privatised NHS anyway. Believing that they will keep the NHS safe is like asking a man who wants to stab you to keep you safe from another man who wants to stab you.

Also, the people I spoke with at the Vote Leave bench confused five different international courts, confused the UN with the EU, and told me we had nothing to fear from Russia even though NATO “keeps us safe from Russia”.

Confused? They are, but I hope that the above clears up any of the confusion they have helped spread.

ANDERS LARSON

Vienna

Misinformation about EU costs

There appears to be a lot of misinformation about costs of EU membership and misunderstandings about Britain having more secure borders outside Europe.

As the breadbasket of Britain, East Anglian farmers enjoy EU subsidies and we enjoy other benefits which mean the actual cost of membership is around one third of the figures quoted and last year, Britain had a £5bn rebate on cost of membership and the fact that arguably, the benefits of EU membership outweighs the costs.

The EU has funded coastal defences against the sea ingression; left to our Government, much of Norfolk and Suffolk would have been written off, yet paradoxically, opinion polls suggest many of the beneficiaries of this vital EU funding will be voting to leave; how ironic?

Voting Brexit will not make our borders any more secure; we have already negotiated the right to secure and police our borders. The fact our border controls are paper thin, entirely due to our Government policy of fiscal austerity and nothing whatsoever to do with EU regulation. Customs border controls have almost been disbanded. There is no protection around our coast from Kings Lynn to Aldeburgh and the majority of the south coast.

Threats to Britain which should be of greater concern, is the way in which President Putin has rewritten the rules of European security, which threatens our allies and us. In response, Britain has even reneged on our commitment to NATO, encouraging our European allies to spend 2pc of GDP on defence, while refusing to meet that commitment ourselves.

The problems need addressing by retaining our EU membership, reintroduction and reinvestment in customs border force and RAF long range maritime patrol aircraft. The funding could come from chasing the obscene tax avoidance by multi-national companies rather than the relative pittance saved by cutting disability benefits and chasing benefit cheats. Britain is vulnerable and the blame lies not with the EU but Westminster!

ROGER HAYES

Bradwell

Please help us shake buckets

May I through your column on behalf of the committee of the Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Macmillan Cancer Support say we are looking for volunteers to become “Friends of Macmillan”. These volunteers would not be required to sit on our Committee but to hold buckets at collections and help at various events we organise throughout the year to raise money for vital services in the Yarmouth and Gorleston area.

If anyone would be interested in becoming a “Friend” please contact myself, either by email carolcalver@aol.com or call 01493 730990.

CAROL CALVER

email

Has bus company no compassion?

We arrived at our chalet on the Sundowners site on Newport Road, Hemsby and were then horrified to learn the No 3 bus has once again been withdrawn. Has this bus company no compassion, no wish to keep Hemsby great?

What about the elderly, the disabled, mums with young children, and people with no cars? Businesses will be affected.

Give us back our lifeline. Have they not heard of technology ie cameras, reversing alarms. Hang your heads in shame for treating loyal passengers in this manner. I urge people to protest strongly as soon as possible.

MARGARET MITCHELL

Email

Economy is the biggest concern

It is clear from letters recently published, that the majority of local correspondents are in favour of Brexit. Perhaps you will kindly allow a letter of support for a Remain believer.

While most of us are concerned with the immigration problem, it is my belief this would continue if we leave the EU. If it is so easy for migrants to enter Great Britain because of our EU membership, why are there so many waiting in France to enter illegally. They would surely continue to try this form of entry, if we no longer had the limited protection of the French.

We need immigrants. There are very few English people prepared to labour on farms and building sites etc. The immigration problem is important, but the economic problem is by far the biggest concern. Even Boris Johnson admits there will be economic problems if we leave the EU! The economy affects everyone, even the farm labourers and lowest paid individuals in the country. The wealthy will survive a recession, but the lowest paid will find it extremely difficult. Jobs would be lost, whatever the Brexit lot say.

As an OAP the vote is not likely to affect my standard of living for too long, but I am concerned for my grandchildren who will certainly find times hard if we leave the EU. My heart says Get Out but my head says Stay In.

MARTIN DODD

High Road.

Gorleston on Sea

How do we get to the surgery?

Now the No 7 bus service is gone, how do we get to the Falklands Surgery? People don’t ask to have an illness that requires a visit to our doctors perhaps more often.

I have no transport and it’s too far to walk. I do usually have a taxi home because being a bit slow I find trying to cross the very busy Beccles Road frightening.

For me a taxi both ways at £14-£15 is a lot of money.

Name and Address withheld

Small theatre and a big star on stage

I went to the Pavilion in Gorleston on Sunday evening to see Jimmy Tarbuck. What an experience! Small theatre and big star, and yes he is still a big star! Some of today’s so-called comedians could learn a lot from watching a master on top of his craft.

Audience participation and quick fire ad libs meant non-stop laughter! And then Kenny Lynch came on with a couple of songs. What more do you want on a Sunday evening in Gorleston? Well done Mr Tarbuck and well done Mr Lynch for supporting our local theatre and well done the Pavilion for staging a fantastic evening.

J MASTERSON

Email

Ex mayor would be humbled

Following the recent passing of my husband Tony Smith, a former borough councillor and Mayor of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, the whole family have been overwhelmed by the messages, cards, telephone calls and tributes of condolence received. During Tony’s time as Mayor, we met so many people, including lots of residents of Great Yarmouth, and I know Tony would have been humbled to know so many of them came to his funeral to pay their respects.

On behalf of the whole family, I would like to thank everyone for their love and support over the last year. This must also include a special thank you to all the staff at the Sandra Chapman Centre for their care during his visits, and also to the doctors and nursing staff at the Oncology Clinic and Palliative Care Team at the James Paget Hospital.

As Tony would have said, you are all outstanding!

SARA SMITH

Caister on sea

It’s sheer bedlam now on the buses

Who decided to alter the bus routes. It is sheer bedlam. Our No 9 bus pulled into Market Gates and was immediately changed to a No 5, so no bus again.

This often happens with what was the No 2. It is an on-going problem with this route. Now, when the No 9 picking up at the cliffs it’s very full when it gets to Trinity Avenue with people who could have caught a No 8. Shrublands people haven’t got a chance; we sailed straight through the other day without picking anyone up, which wasn’t fair on them.

Wish we had another bus service to compete against First. Bless the banana buses which were local and regular.

O JOHNSON

Address withheld

Need to adapt to changing world

As a former Labour councillor and previous supporter of closer integration, I’m voting to leave the EU as I believe the UK needs the flexibility to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

For those on the right this could be liberalisation with deregulation at the heart of government policy, or for those on the left it could be protectionism with economic controls put in place to protect British jobs and wages.

The EU is an expensive club that in a fast moving world is too big and too bureaucratic to react to changing conditions. I have no doubts that on leaving the EU the economy will be impacted by instability in the markets as speculators seek to make a quick million or two, however stability will return and the UK will need to elect a government that reflects the hopes and aspirations of the British people, thinking beyond just economics, building a country that I hope addresses inequality, tackles the big issues of population growth, protects the environment and places us at the heart of world affairs not stuck in an EU siding on a train going nowhere.

LEE SUTTON

Willow Way

Martham

Town has become absolutely filthy

I don’t often come to Yarmouth town, however this week I needed to shop. When I was walking around the town I noticed how filthy it has become with bird mess, litter, empty shop fronts and even weeds coming up between the cracks of the pavement. No wonder shops are moving out of this filthy place. What a nice place to come for a holiday!

It’s time to get the Great back into Yarmouth.

M SMITH

Hopton

Cycling children need helmets on

Now the fine weather is here it’s a pleasure to see schoolchildren riding their bikes to school. What saddens me though is the number of children not wearing helmets.

I tried to get our local MP to spearhead a campaign to encourage helmets. I phoned local schools and a couple of them put a note on their newsletter. One head said they couldn’t be seen to insist! Surely we are all aware of the heartache caused by serious head injuries. Schools, step up to the plate. Make it a rule. Helmets should be worn to and from school - or no bikes. Keep the kids safe.

MARIA COLEMAN

Ash Green

Gorleston

Thanks, but why do crisps cost 75p?

May I thank all the staff on ward 9 and those who visited at the James Paget Hospital. I spent 34 days in there. I am nearly 85. I could not fault the doctors, nurses, domestics, physios, porters and chaplains; services in the chapel were very nice.

Only one complaint and that was with the WRVS trolley which comes round the wards. I know they need to make a profit, but 75p for a small packet of salt and shake crisps? A small bottle of flavoured water and a packet of crisps cost £1.85. Have they not heard of sell cheaper, sell more?

Mrs V KEYZOR,

Potters Field,

Gorleston

Consider elderly, give us a service

Someone has sat in an office and decided “let’s re-organise bus timetables, and while we’re doing that, let’s change the numbers.”

My service is the No 9. Included in the route are four senior citizen complexes and as we are elderly it won’t matter if the bus drives by. We have another half hour to wait. We don’t have appointments to keep.

We have enough problems with the service; the last bus is at 5.30pm. There is no service on a Sunday or a bank holiday.

It’s summer and we would like to get to the cliffs, the bus runs there, even an hourly service would help.

We are not dead yet, nor do we have cars and our legs are not as useful as they were. Come on First, consider our problems, and give us a service.

M MOSS

The Close,

Bradwell

My thanks to staff nurse at clinic

I would like to thank Staff Nurse Mel, who works at the leg clinic at Gorleston Medical Centre. Mel is a super nurse who healed my legs that were full of ulcers and blisters. She is extra caring and very professional with a “can do” attitude. Mel chased up the lympthodema clinic for me to get my compression garments fitted - she goes the extra mile for her patient.

COLIN THOMPSON

Email

Town clinic gives me reassurance

I often think of writing to the paper but have never put pen to paper before. This time I need to add my voice to the threatened closure of the Greyfriars clinic in Yarmouth town centre.

I hope you are able to publish this without my name and address as I wouldn’t want to be identified. I live alone, am nearing 80 and although have plenty of friends I spend quite a lot of time on my own in particular walking through Yarmouth and going to see the sea once a week. I have a dodgy knee though, the kneecap slips sometimes and I have been to the clinic to have it pushed back.

Although it hasn’t happened again, the ressurance the clinic gives me about just being there for help encourages me to continue to be active.

Name and Address withheld