Readers' letters - May 3

I recently took part in a retired men’s fellowship group event at Fulwood Methodist Church, which proved to be stimulating and enjoyable.

We were asked to consider, what is commendable about Preston? What are the stand out social and environmental features of the city, with a focus on the past, present and future?

My own top five, from a long list, are: 1. The warmth, friendliness and generosity of the people and the well-established integration and positive relationships across diverse community groups.

2. Accessibility – for attractive areas such as the Lake District, The Ribble Valley, The Trough of Bowland and the coast. Also, the motorway network and mainline railway provides access to other places in the UK.

3. The number of quality parks within easy access. I expect that many rail travellers are impressed when viewing the Avenham and Miller Parks and the close proximity to the River Ribble (pictured).

4. The university, which enabled Preston to achieve city status and has brought opportunities for revitalising the city. It has raised the profile of Preston, both in the UK and internationally.

5. Sport, recreational and leisure opportunities with PNE and the Grasshoppers at the forefront of a huge range of community sports clubs and leagues. This includes the fantastic Guild Wheel, of benefit to families, and the gem of the Harris Museum.

We also recalled the substantial number of cinemas, theatres and dance halls, which provided fun and relaxation in the past, and well-known firms which provided employment down the years. We regretted the loss of open air swimming baths and pitch and putt courses, along with town centre cinemas. We also enjoyed feelings of nostalgia for the Whit Walks, parched peas, anniversary Sunday processions, street games and parties, Curly Helm and his Landau rides, Jack Shaw’s daily milk round in Ashton, with his horse Brenda pulling the float, and the terrific choice of ice creams available across the town.

I’m sure other proud Prestonians would enjoy sharing their own thoughts of what makes Preston so special a place to live in and their own rich memories.

Malcolm Rae OBE

Fulwood

ENVIRONMENT

Let’s all do our

part and tidy up

I have read many people’s concerns about the amount of litter and poop bags in our lovely countryside, villages and towns.

Yet there seems to have been no solutions put forward, just complaints and lots of head shaking.

I have seen the signs in the area threatening fines for leaving dog poop or litter but does anyone actually get fined?

There are miles and miles of paths and no effective way to police them all to ensure they stay clean.

I regularly see full poop bags right next to those very signs!

So it seems to me to be a very ineffective deterrent.

I have a proposal for all of us who hate to see other people’s thoughtlessness affect our environment, why not be the person to make a difference?

If you see litter, pick it up, bag it and dispose of it properly.

Yes, it’s not your litter or dog poop and it’s disgusting, but it may just give you a warm glow inside to know you are doing something good.

I have set the example to my two children to always have a bag in my pocket when we walk.

They have become so enthusiastic about our walks and cleaning our lovely countryside as we go.

It has really made a difference to our local footpath by the river

Brock.

On our first walk, we collected 19 poop bags (some hanging from trees), six

cans, three glass bottles,

four plastic bottles, a pair

of trainers, an old shirt, plastic bags, candy wrappers, crisp bags and a pair of shorts.

Each time we go we find less and less.

I get the impression that when people see litter there already they think it’s okay to add more but now it’s cleaner maybe they think twice before littering?

Maybe if we all start picking up as we go then we can really make a change.

Dr Angela Spar

via email

european union

EU should submit its accounts

So the EU member states have just announced that one of the pre-conditions of starting the Brexit negotiations is that the UK must pay a £50bn “ divorce settlement ”.

Notwithstanding we are not ethically or legally required to pay this, I just wonder how they arrived at this figure because, as we all know, for the past 40 years or so, the EU’s officially audited annual accounts have not been signed off ( settled ) because of financial irregularities.

We should respond to this by saying that up until the time we actually leave, we would be willing to consider honouring our financial obligations, but on condition they submit properly audited accounts (let’s be reasonable), say for the previous 10 years, so we can see how much money each member has put in the kitty and how much each member has received back, with receipts and tangible evidence as to what

the money has been spent on.

Of course, this will not happen and therefore we should reject this demand, which just adds more credibility to the fact that the vote to leave the EU was the right one.

This money would go a long way toward easing the pressures on the NHS and care for the elderly – to give it to the EU to be squandered would be madness!

Mike Gleeson

Fulwood

care

Make social care your priority

Please ask would-be councillors what they plan to do about social care when they seek your vote.

Across the country, fewer and fewer older and vulnerable adults are

getting the care they need – Age UK says at least 1.2 million people nationally currently have an unmet care need.

It is therefore vital that social care is a top priority for new councils and that they provide the best care possible for this sector of our community.

You only get an opportunity every four years to put your councillors and prospective councillors on the spot about issues that affect all of us.

This time let us make care of older and vulnerable people a priority.

Mike Padgham

Address

supplied

nostalgia

Looking Back photo dates back to 1950

Re: The photograph in Looking Back, I recognise the picture, it’s the corner of Berry Lane, Longridge (LP May 2).

I was born in the house next door to the shop. It was a chemist in those days in 1953, so I would date that photograph at about 1950.

Sue Rennie

Fulwood

traffic

Not spending as much as I once did

Will increasingly congested and stressful roads (thanks to new developments) mean I will save money by not wanting to shop as much as before?

Molly Clare

via email