Letters Week Ending May 19th 2006
Unity in our community I WOULD like to offer a big "welcome home" to the Karim family on behalf of myself and, I am sure, all those who were involved in ensuring their safe return home after their ordeal at Yarlswood Detention Centre, Luton, last week which, thanks to this newspaper, gained the front page headline in last week's edition.
The Karim family are very active and valuable members of our community and are much appreciated as parishioners of Holy Saviour Church, Nelson, as well as pupils at Holy Saviour Primary School and Fisher-More High School, and, in the case of Pearl Karim, a volunteer at the primary school.
It was a great shock to hear that police had come in the early hours of Wednesday morning to deport them, which would have meant a fearful and uncertain future for them.
As a parishioner of Holy Saviour Church myself who was called to attend the urgent meeting on the night of May 10th concerning the issue, it was wonderful to see the vast amount – over 250 – parishioners, staff and pupils of both schools and the relatives and friends of the Karim family who had all come, at short notice, to find ways of preventing their deportation and to offer prayers for them.
It was an incredible feat and display of support and unity in our community. So many people were very active in several ways, including contacting Gordon Prentice, our MP. at the House of Commons and by the actions of them and all who provided their support that night, we managed, with the great help of Mr Prentice, to release the family within 24 hours of the ordeal first happening! And if that wasn't incredible in itself, it was even more astounding that again, at very short notice, more than 200 people came again to the church to welcome and celebrate their return home at 8-30 p.m. on Thursday!
This was not only a great celebration for the Karims, but also a great celebration of the union of the people of many cultural backgrounds who had all come together to help them, as the atmosphere that evening was one of the utmost harmony and community spirit. It was, and will remain, a fantastic testament to the hard work and constructive co-operation of the people in our church, in both schools and so many other people in our community.
All the people who were involved in this event deserve many thanks for the tremendous amount of hard work that was involved last Wednesday and Thursday. Firstly, to all the people of Holy Saviour Church, the staff and pupils of both schools and the relatives and friends of the Karims.
The pictures and the stories on the front pages of Friday's Nelson Leader and Colne Times and on the regional news last Friday speak for themselves. Secondly, to Fr Chris Gorton of Holy Saviour Church, who has made a fantastic impact in our parish and community since he took over as priest last September and this certainly showed last Wednesday in our meeting that he called at the church.
And thirdly, to Mr Prentice, who ensured the quick and efficient release of the Karims and without whose help they would have almost certainly been deported. Thank you.
KATHERINE PARKER, Helmsdale Road, Nelson
Impressive
I'D like to thank Gordon Strachan and his wife for diligently recycling, and to comment on his letter last week.
Although we do expect residents to do their bit by using the improved system, we are making greater efforts, too. For most Pendle residents, things are in fact easier, because instead of having to carry bottles, cans and other recyclables to our recycling sites or load up the car and drive there, we now collect from people's doorsteps. As a result of demand from residents, we collect a wide range of materials for recycling including plastic bottles, cans, paper, glass bottles and jars, cardboard and textiles.
We've provided green boxes and wheeled bins including garden waste bins to thousands of residents and we're running the enhanced service with more staff helping out – at no extra cost to the council tax payer. This year we have expanded the scheme to reach 1,200 homes in our rural areas with our green boxes and garden waste collection.
In the main, residents really are recycling and the results are very impressive. Our recycling rate for 2003/4 was below 20% and we are now running at the rate of about 34% – well above Government targets.
It's nearly a year since we introduced full recycling in most of Pendle and most residents have enthusiastically welcomed the scheme. It is very important to recycle to preserve the world's resources and to avoid soiling our countryside with landfill sites.
Extra garden waste bins or green boxes are available for people who need them; call us on 661743 or e-mail operational.services@pendle.gov.uk for any advice and help.
Coun. John David, Pendle Council Executive member
In the shredder
BURNLEY, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust and the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust joined forces to send me a 20-page questionnaire.
The accompanying letter was co-signed by two senior executives and it informed me that one person in every 20 living in the areas served by the Trusts had been chosen to help with a survey. By answering the questions, it said I would help to shape the area's future health needs!
There are three reasons why the questionnaire went straight into the shredder. The first is that between them, the Trusts employ around 60 executives whose annual salaries total at least 2,000,000. Now I may have got it wrong, but are not these people being handsomely rewarded to ensure that our health service meets our needs both now, and in the future?
The second reason is that in Pendle alone, I know of at least four quangos or associated organisations which are also supposedly monitoring our health needs.
Last, but definitely by no means least, is that whatever boxes I ticked, whatever comments I made, not one Trust executive will take a blind bit of notice. For proof, one has only got to look at the proposal to move Burnley's A & E services to Blackburn.
My message to those who had the audacity to send out the questionnaire is – stop wasting valuable resources on pointless public relations exercises, and concentrate on eradicating MRSA, reducing waiting times, and treating elderly patients in a dignified manner.
D.WALKER, Barrowford
Holiday horror
LOCAL families can thank Labour and Conservative councillors for the nightmare of a nine-week holiday this summer. Despite opposition from Liberal Democrat members, Lancashire County Council scrapped the area's traditional July and September holiday pattern.
Families will be hit hard – holiday activities in short supply.; childcare difficult to arrange.; no vouchers for nursery children; dinner ladies to lose pay.; year 10 pupils to lose three weeks' school in exam year; risk of problems with bored youngsters.
With fellow Liberal Democrats, I've been campaigning for additional activities since Labour decided to scrap the Wakes Weeks. But the Labour-run County Council is now rubbing salt into the wound. They've refused to pay for any extra holiday activities.
Liberal-run Pendle is funding 50,000 of activities and Pendle Community Network is co-ordinating a similar level of funding, but that will only pay for a fraction of what is needed. There are thousands of children and their families who are being left in the lurch by Labour.
There's an opportunity to protest against this position when the County's Labour leadership face the public at 7.15 p.m. on May 31st at Colne Muni. I hope lots of people will go along and tell them what they think of their disastrous decisions.
David Whipp, Pendle and Lancashire County councillor
Morris Men
IN your article of May 12th, where I responded to questions asked by your reporter about Colne Royal Morris Men, I was in error in saying that we had been in existence for 25 years; the figure should have been around 40 years!
I learned the dance from Tom Hall, of Cotton Tree, who had been one of the dancers in the old team of the 1920s. At the time, I was working for AEI in Colne and I also met several others of the old team and was able to persuade four of them to come together one evening at Primet School and demonstrate the dance.
We have considerable information and several photos of the original team in our keeping and are pleased to be able to carry on a local and valuable tradition.
JULIAN PILLING, Secretary, Colne Royal Morris Men
Idiotic thinking
ON election day, I went to the polling station in Woodlands Road, Nelson, both to vote and to speak to candidates, as not one had come knocking on my door and leaflets were in very short supply.
As it turned out, I was unable to speak to any candidate as there were none there! Perhaps they can answer my question via your newspaper.
In 2000/01, the people in Pendle got involved in the million signature campaign, as covered by this newspaper, to try to bring in proper sentences for paedophiles and various other points concerning the problem.
Recently, at Burnley Crown Court, a judge remarked that as the children in one case were aged between eight and 11, perhaps they won't suffer the nightmares, etc. As they get older, that is completely idiotic thinking, leading me to think that in these sort of cases, the judges live in cloud cuckoo land!
My question to the candidates is: are they prepared to put the views of Pendle in general to Parliament as regards this subject?
This subject will, I believe, one day become a prime political issue. Why not make significant strides that people can see in the meantime that, in sentencing at least, children are being listened to?
MICHAEL N. BUCKLEY, Netherfield Gardens, Nelson
Indebted to Pendle
FOLLOWING the recent AGM of the Nelson and Barrowford committee of Cancer Research UK, I am pleased to be able to report that the committee raised more than 22,000 in the last financial year for their current project: the funding of a PhD student, based in Manchester.
The committee owes much of its success to the many friends and supporters, who consistently help at charity functions, as well as organising their own events. We are also indebted to the people of Pendle, who donate so generously throughout the year.
The only expense incurred by the committee is the cost of a small advertisement in the local newspaper; all monies raised go direct to our student sponsorship.
The new vision statement for Cancer Research UK is "Together We Will Beat Cancer" and as a committee we are dedicated to working towards this end.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank most sincerely all those who continue to support us. We could not do it without you!
KATHLEEN RILEY (Mrs), Chairman, Nelson & Barrowford local committee
Doing council's job
I ADDRESS my letter to Pendle Council who deal with our rubbish.
Since the inception of the current scheme, my wife and I have struggled diligently together, in compliance to the requirements but my point is: Why are we having to do part of the council's job without the benefit of reimbursement?
Is the council so dishonourable that it refuses to honour its duty to recompense us as is our due? I hope not and that it has merely been delayed!
Please bear in mind that refunds are necessary to everyone on the rubbish scheme. Let it be said that not everyone is fluent in gobbledygook or technical jargon. Please spare the hyperbole because some of us are not "au fait" with this language.
May I prevail upon the council to reply through this newspaper in order to reach a wide audience who have a financial interest vested indeed.
GORDON STRACHAN, Robinson Street, Colne
Thanks for votes
I WOULD like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the residents of Waterside who voted.
Also, my best wishes go to Mrs Edwina Sargeant, to whom I have promised to keep up the excellent work which she carried out.
Despite the low turnout, those who voiced their opinion clearly demonstrated that the Liberal Democrat party is the working political party which gets things done. I will carry on this tradition.
PHIL BOYLE, Laithe Street, Colne
Taxing matter
TRY to report an untaxed vehicle parked on the highway and used daily to the police and you are told to ring the DVLA on 0800 032 5202 as car tax is no longer a police matter.
After two months, the DVLA takes no action and a police officer confirms that unless the car is stopped, no action will be taken.
Therefore, to save your money on car tax by your car, do not register the purchase (the DVLA can then never find you) and use daily, driving away with no seat belt on and, of course, your mobile in your ear.
DISGUSTED TAXPAYER, Berkeley Street, Nelson
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Pendle
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South
