Church homes - a fitting legacy

I read the article about the proposed housing plans for St Luke’s Church in Cobholm (November 6) and being a long standing Cobholm “girl” they are naturally of great interest to me. I was very sorry when it was closed in 2012 and know it caused a great deal of heartbreak to some very dedicated Christian residents who felt let down by the whole sad tale of its closure.

My father, who ran a shop in Cobholm, had his funeral service there so I always felt an affinity to this sturdy little church with its friendly and responsive congregation. It was very interesting to read of its long community history but I must say if it has to be housing, the scheme proposed is a sympathetic one and will fill a void in the still communal beating heart of Cobholm. I would have hated it to have been demolished and soulless “little boxes” erected.

This scheme is empathetic and hopefully it will provide attractive housing, reasonably priced so maybe young people in the area can place their feet on the all too precarious housing ladder and then this will be a fitting legacy for our community.

Talking of community the Festival of Remembrance held in St George’s Theatre last Saturday was wonderful and us volunteer stewards were kept very busy as people flooded through the doors. It was in the very safe pair of hands of Tony Mallion who compered with

his usual consummate affability and I know Laura Goodman, the Mayor’s secretary had a great deal to do with its superb organisation.

Films produced by local schools were excellent and a real credit to our young people in the area who showed an interest and desire to know about our world wars. Also two young people from Caister Academy were interviewed and the legacy of all the conflicts still resonates as strongly as ever today. The Norfolk Fellowship Brass accompanied the singling of much loved hymns so adroitly and this service will now hopefully be an annual well attended fixture.

I must also congratulate the company of local people who produced Songs of Victory on Sunday night, again this was received by a smaller but no less responsive audience who so enjoyed the great singing interspersed cleverly with old films. The community coming together for this Remembrance weekend whether in the park on Sunday and at our lovely theatre unites us all and makes us stop and reflect on these still on going wars and conflicts in our still very troubled world of today.

JUDITH A DANIELS

Winifred Road,

Cobholm

Please can we turn back clock?

The many sad stories we read these days, and recent weeks have been unfortunately no exception, remind me why a friend of mine always makes a point of reading newspapers when they are a day old. Yes, it is so he can reflect smugly he is glad this sort of thing is not going on today.

But, joking apart, what a delight it was to see your Times Past supplement, a nostalgic look back at long-gone scenes, as you put it. I liked in particular to see all those people holidaying at home, the old cars with plenty of space on the roads, and people dealing directly with those next to them instead of somebody or something else on the infernal mobile phone.

Too late, I suppose, to close down one of the runways at Heathrow instead of building a third; or to limit cars to so many per household; or to reduce broadband frequencies so people can start relating a little better to one another in person. And now there is a very real prospect of a cashless society - just to cheer us all up a little bit more.

It’s only grumbling that keeps me so cheerful.

MIKE SPRAGG

Collingwood Road,

Great Yarmouth

Thanks for the hotel memories

The photo of the Station Hotel in the November 13 issue of the Great Yarmouth Mercury, Peggotty’s memory page, brought back memories for me. My parents, Eva and Charles Hobbis, ran the Station Hotel for 20 years. It was a lovely family house and garden as well as a hotel.

I was 18 when we moved there and when I married lived close by and our son was born there.

ANNE BULLENT

Email

Calling Styles class of 1983

A reunion of ex students from Styles School, Class of 83, has been arranged.

This is for the students that attended the Styles School when it closed in 1982 and had to move to the Great Yarmouth High School for their last academic year in 1983.

So far, through social media and the likes, we have tracked down 28 ex pupils, some from as far as Scotland and Sheffield and we know of one who now resides in America.

We still have 14 ex pupils to find and are hoping that family members or friends can let them know about it, as it would be a shame if they couldn’t make it.

The reunion is on Saturday December 5 at The Market Tavern, Great Yarmouth. We have agreed to meet from 7pm onwards. Partners are also invited, so if you know of anyone who was an ex pupil of this time, please let them know and ask them to contact Paul Salmon via email at p.salmon119@btinternet.com or on Facebook at Styles Class of 83.

PAUL SALMON

Caister-on-Sea

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Church activities at switch on too

In conjunction with the Christmas lights switch on this Sunday in Gorleston High Street, the Baptist church will be open from 2.30-4.30pm, all welcome to enjoy a free cup of tea and something to eat.

The church band will be playing with on-screen entertainment, plus Christmas things to do for the children.

We are nearly opposite to the library. Our normal service will be at 10.30am. All welcome.

BRIAN WILLIAMS

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The day I was all at sea over pier

Referring to the Mercury archives of the Britannia Pier extending into the sea I recall a situation previous to Easter 1954 when as a 26-year-old plumber I was repairing water pipes on the underside of the deck.

Working off a single plank I was anxious that I might either fall and be killed striking the iron structure or drown falling into the sea. Today I would be buried in the sand.

Incidentally on returning to work after the Easter break I disovered my work (and trepidation) was all in vain - the pavilion and other features had been burnt down!

DAVID KING

Falcoln Court,

Great Yarmouth

Lovely bowls club should stay

I have noticed that there have been several letters printed in The Mercury over the past few weeks regarding the possible closure of the bowling club at the Marina Centre.

I started bowling at my home club at Acle three years ago now and really enjoy it.

A couple of weeks ago I played in a team away against the Yarmouth club and what a fantastic time we all had.

What lovely, friendly, welcoming people they are and what a superb green they have at the Marina Centre, one of the best I have played on.

I now feel rather disappointed that this may have been the one and only time I may play at this lovely club.

I understand that it is proposed to remove the bowls club and use the space to make way for another gym facility at the Marina Centre.

I can’t help thinking that an expensive gym might turn out to be a nine day wonder and I am sure that it would not bring in as much money for the centre or appeal to as wide an age range as the bowls club does.

I urge the people making the decision on the fate of this obviously very well-loved and supported club to think sympathetically as they make their decision.

If they have already decided to close the bowls club please would they reconsider as I feel it would be such a loss for the people of Yarmouth if it were to close.

CAROLINE HINES

Aldis Road,

Acle

Heartfelt thanks for your care

Can I with the help of your newspaper please say a massive thank you to all the staff at Lound Hall for the care they gave my father-in-law.

On Monday I lost my father-in-law to a terminal illness. Just under a week ago he went to Lound Hall to spend his final days of his life. That final week showed me, that some people don’t get the credit they deserve and how hard some people really work. I can honestly say I have never met such a dedicated, hard working, loving, considerate, caring, supportive, just so many words I could go on to describe the staff at Lound Hall.

These people are a credit to their profession.

I would just like to say a big thank you from the bottom of my heart, for making his final days as comfortable as possible. Keep up the excellent work.

RICHARD NICHOLS

Laurel Drive

Bradwell

How will cuts affect old folk?

On behalf of Great Yarmouth Older People’s Network I would like to invite all of you interested in the possible 25pc cuts to Norfolk County Council’s Adult Social Services to come along to our AGM on Tuesday December 1 at The Priory Centre.

Paul Jackson, from Norfolk County Council, will present the current proposals and also gather views and opinions on what you the local people consider are the main issues and challenges the cuts could present for older people living in Great Yarmouth.

If you are interested in hearing about the proposed cuts please come along to the the Priory Centre at 9.45am for a 10.15am start. The consultation will finish at 11.15am.

Norfolk County Council will also be facilitating a number of consultation events across the county from November until January 14, in support of the ‘Re-imagining Norfolk’ strategic planning work, which seeks to significantly change the way in which adult services are provided, and to renew discussions on how the involvement of local people and communities in helping to improve quality of life for older people can be better supported and increased.

VALERIE PETTIT

Chair

Great Yarmouth Older People’s Network

c/o ComeUnity

135 King Street

Great Yarmouth

I was in the kind hands of friends

After spending two weeks in EADU and Ward 16 at the James Paget Hospital I feel I’ve made so many friends.

I wish I could have taken them home with me.

Such wonderful, kind and thoughtful folk, nurses of so many countries – Portugal, Poland, Italy Russia and so on.

My mind boggles at how clever they are. Not only do they speak our language they read it and fill in forms and tell us about their homelands, and are so very considerate.

What’s more they come to this country and take care of ‘old ladies’ like me.

I am lost for words as to how I can say ‘thank you’ it seems so inadequate, but I do thank them all from the bottom of my heart and of course this goes for the brilliant doctors and nurses and excellent kitchen staff who produced such first class meals.

God bless you all James Paget.

LIL JILLINGS

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Dualling is going at snail’s pace

With reference to the very first informative document on the Acle Straight from someone in the know.

May I thank Colleen Walker, chairman of the economic development sub committee, Norfolk County Council for the letter in the Yarmouth Mercury dated November 13.

After 60 years and over listening to tales of the Acle Straight and counting the fatalities over this period which if it were happening on any other eight mile stretch of road in the county bells would be ringing calling for something to be done about it.

But here, it appears, the main concern seems to be for the wellbeing of the little whirlpool ramshore snail which should really not be disturbed in the dykes beside the road.

Because to dual the Acle Straight this barrier would have to be relocated.

Now we are all aware of the speed of snail.

The committment of dualling this stretch of road has now taken on the mantle of the tortoise and the hare.

We all know who the two particpants were in this, let’s hope the result goes in our favour.

If we are in the A47 Alliance why has the Acle Straight not been included in the programme for 2015 to 2020. Why have we been grouped into 2020 to 2025?

Is it that this part of the A road has been downgraded to a B road being as it appears now, a road to nowhere?

JACK DYE

Gonville Road

Gorleston

Death is sad reflection on UK

In the 21st century 40-year-old Emidio Dos Santos lay dead for five days in a Yarmouth hotel. The cause of death bronchial pneumonia and malnutrition.

The Norfolk coroner states Emidio died of natural causes so no inquest.

From my understand an inquest should be called if:

No medical assistance given just before a person died

No medical examination was made by a doctor issuing a death certificate during a period of 14 days before death.

To draw attention to the existence of circumstances which, if nothing is done, might lead to future deaths.

An unnatural death is one that was due to omissions that led to a clear event which ultimately led to a person’s death.

Because the state through the welfare and benefits had stopped Emidio’s benefits since August therefore taking his means of sustenance, surely this must be a reason to hold an inquest.

To say that dying through malnutrition is natural in this day and age is a sad reflection of the state of humanity in the UK today.

My condolences to Emidio’s family.

LINDA POWELL

Ivy Green

Gorleston