Readers' letters - April 8

Without doubt, the greatest Preston Guild legacy is the Guild Wheel.

When I first heard about it in the lead up to the last Guild in 2012, I set out to walk it before parts of it had been completed and, while I got lost in places, I arrived home determined that I would introduce it to the primary school children of Preston in a way that would hopefully excite them to want to make full use of it as a safe cycling, walking and running route.

At the time I was head teacher of Our Lady, a primary school in Fulwood, and a member of Preston Primary Schools Sports Council.

I worked with them to organise a Guild Wheel event in September 2012, which involved the whole of the Wheel being occupied by primary school children from across Preston, running consecutively between schools and different points along the Wheel. It was a great event and was given full coverage in the LEP.

I know it had an impact on the children of our town and their parents because I see so many of them out on their bikes or walking, making use of this fabulous facility.

How sad I was to see a significant section, close to Our Lady & St Edward’s School, now seriously threatened by the new housing developments.

I really cannot understand how a city council, which can boast of such an environmentally friendly and health promoting facility, can approve developments that clearly threaten the safety of its townsfolk.

Every road that had to be crossed on the Guild Wheel had a designated crossing, up until now.

The old part of Lightfoot Lane has been reorganised to accommodate the new development with no thought or provision for Guild Wheelers.

And that is just the beginning.

I dread to think what lies ahead as more and more new developments get underway along the path of the Wheel. The Guild Wheel is unique and something that Preston can be proud of.

Preston City Council, get your act together and make sure that every crossing is made safe, both in the short term during construction and in the long term when developments are completed.

Emma McGrath, Fulwood

Cost of selling our industries

Recently I wrote a letter condemning our spineless Government, and David Cameron in particular, pointing out that since joining the EEC (Common Market) in 1973, virtually all our industries, utilities and media companies had been sold out to foreign buyers (LEP March 11).

Gold reserves sold off to the EU at a knock-down price, and the Chancellor handing over all financial powers to the Bank of England – now run by a Canadian. Since writing that letter, Germany has begun negotiations to buy the London Stock Exchange and Tata – an Indian company – is pulling out of our ‘ steel industry’ with a possible loss of up to 40,000 jobs, including many businesses and jobs dependent on Tata. As so much of our employment in this country is reliant on foreign-owned companies, should the Government not be investigating ALL such companies, including their financial position and their future policy planning in Britain?

The implications are mind- boggling as a result of the Tata affair. Does our Government not insist on certain guarantees before allowing ‘sell-outs’ to foreign buyers?

We used to rely on our elected government to lead and protect our country, now I question for whom they are really working? For over 40 years, Britain has had to follow EU orders on ALL the above issues. We must now leave the EU to protect our jobs, businesses and financial viability. Above all we must question the ‘ motives’ and ‘connections’ of the MPs we elect.

Harvey Carter, Newton

Remembering the Dixons

A while ago, I was reading the LEP when I came to the School Memories article (LEP January 5). I read so far and I thought, hang on, I know these people in the article.

The lady, when I knew her, was Maureen Dixon, and her brother’s name was Cyril Dixon.

Our fathers were in the East Lancs Regiment, and we were in India, in a place called Kasauli in the Himalayan mountains. We got on well with them. Cyril had a dog and I used to play with it.

In 1939, when Cyril’s dad got posted back to England, it upset me. It was September, war with Germany had broken out, and before they got home, the ship they were on was sunk and they spent some time in the water.

In India, when we got to know, a lot of people were upset, but we cheered up when we were told they were safe and well.

After spending the winter in Ambala on the plains, where it was warmer, we went back up the mountains because it was cooler. We were surprised that most of the troops didn’t go with us.

In May, my dad and others who were married were granted a week’s leave. After their week off, they went back to Ambala. There were other regiments there and, within 24 hours, they had all gone. They all landed safely in England two months later.

In September, we were told the troops who had been left with us could not guarantee our safety.

The day after, everybody was ready to go. After four days on a train, and six weeks on a ship, we landed in Greenock, Scotland.

I’ve spoken to Maureen and Cyril on the phone and hope to meet them in the future.

George Benson, Preston

BBC and the sins of the father

One can only feel sympathy for the Prime Minister. How mortified he must feel that, following his endeavours to eradicate tax avoidance and evasion, his late father is revealed as involved in the dubious dealings of a Panamanian Company providing this type of service.

Although it may well be that the son, in a fit of remorse on discovering this, has participated in the revelations of the Panorama programme and the Guardian newspaper. If not, the BBC may well be nervous at their next license negotiations.

Denis Lee, Ashton