Letters to the Editor - 05th May 2008

May 5 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Does the NML lack diplomacy?

WE HAVE read the news reports and the letters regarding the withdrawal of privileges from the Friends of the National Museums Liverpool.

We joined the two sets of Friends when they were set up and have supported NML in various ways since.

The first we heard about the current situation was when it was suggested we should look at the NML website, from which we learned that privileges were being withdrawn. Subsequently, we received a letter from the chair of the Friends confirming this. We have received nothing at all from NML, certainly not an invitation to join a new organisation.

If, as seems to be the case, the committee of the Friends disagreed with some of the NML’s policies and priorities, and NML thought they were wrong in so doing, then surely NML could have written to the Friends setting out the differences; then people such as ourselves could have decided if a special meeting of the Friends should be called at which such differences could be discussed.

We are afraid that the actions of the NML appear to be lacking in diplomacy.

Peter and Caro Urquhart

Arena risk factor

I ATTENDED the classical spectacular event on Saturday, April 19, and have the following grave concerns regarding the Echo Arena’s fire procedure, following the voice-activated evacuation signal given near the end of the performance:

1. Why did the orchestra continue playing after the evacuation signal was given? Surely the music must be muted by the fire alarm, or alternatively artists must cease playing on hearing the signal. This created an air of uncertainty as to whether to evacuate or not;

2. Why was there no follow-up advice following the initial evacuation signal? If it was a false alarm, say so or repeat the evacuation signal again. People would then know what to do;

3. Why is the surrounding corridor being allowed to have potential fire hazards introduced in an area that should remain sterile of risk?

I feel current procedures are putting spectators at risk.

Paul Williams, L18

Information, please

VICTOR JAMES SCOTT was the youngest Police Constable in the old Bootle Constabulary when, in 1941, he was, with others, awarded the George Medal for acts of bravery rescuing trapped householders during the bombing of Bootle in late 1940. At the time, he lived in Kimberley Drive, Crosby.

He died in 1981, and is buried at Sefton Parish Church.

I am researching his history from 1941, until his death, to be included in a record of the graveyard, which I am in the course of revising, and would be very grateful if any readers who knew of Victor could contact me.

At the same time, I am also attempting to identify an R Saunders named on the World War II memorial tablet.

Ralph Eric Saunders died on August 19, 1941, when the SS Aguila, commodore ship of a convoy heading to Gibraltar from Liverpool, was sunk by enemy action with considerable loss of life. It has not been possible to trace the R Saunders recorded on the tablet and Ralph may not be the person in question, but nevertheless I would like to hear from anyone who may have known this person.

I can be contacted on 0151 924 6269.

John Quirk, via e-mail

Unfair criticism

IN HIS recent piece about the Formby and Birkenhead Choral Societies, Liverpool Philharmonia, (April 19) your critic got a lot right. There was impressive singing by the soloists Victoria Byron and James Orrell and splendid, musical and disciplined singing from the combined actors. What I feel he got wrong was his criticism of sections of the orchestra, particularly the cello solo in The Armed Man, the percussion in the Bernstein and the orchestra in general.

The cello was played with assurance and sensitivity, creating perfectly the atmosphere for the Benedictus.

All percussionists are excitable, that is part of their stock-in-trade. These young performers were exciting, too, and played with a maturity beyond their years.

The large forces were handled well by David Holroyd and the critic should bear in mind that the only rehearsal the orchestra had was on the afternoon of the concert – a whole 2½ hours.

P Hill, Southport

Year of the Garden

WITH more gardens and garden centres per head of population than any other area of the country, Cheshire has a unique horticultural heritage and there will doubtless be many professional horticulturists among your readers. Cheshire’s Year of the Garden 08 is bringing their wonderful work to the attention of tourists from outside the county as well as local visitors.

Unfortunately, with the credit squeeze, rising fuel and food prices, and general uncertainty in the economy, Cheshire’s horticulturists may be finding 2008 significant for less agreeable reasons.

Working in the gardening trades has many rewards in terms of job satisfaction, but with pay and conditions usually at the modest end of the scale, some may be struggling to cope.

Help is at hand from the horticulturists’ trade charity, Perennial – Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society, which has recently introduced a debt advice service which is free, impartial, completely confidential and available to anyone who is working or has worked in horticulture. To access our professional debt advice service, call 0800 2 944 244 or email debtadvice@perennial.org.uk, or visit our website, www.perennial.org.uk.

Nerissa Deeks Perennial

Give it a good home

RE: CHARITABLE loss reader's letter (Daily Post, May 1). I was sorry to hear about the experiences of your 75-year old readers who made so much effort to give their unwanted but sound goods to charity, without success.

The same happened to me till I found Freecycle (www.freecycle.org) which has a large Liverpool branch. It's basically an email list designed to keep stuff out of landfill – you e-mail the group to ask if anyone wants whatever you have to spare. It has to be free, and legal.

Then you get emails from people who'd like whatever it is, and offering to collect – for anyone with internet access, it's great. I've found good homes for my unwanted goods, and saved the bother of taking them to the tip; I've been given some great things and I've met some fab people. And knowing that my old stuff isn't being shoved into a hole in the ground is good too.

If you go to the site, you can find and join your local group, free.

Carol Davis, Aigburth

It’s Labour’s fault

LABOUR protest that the current economic problems are global issues and nothing to do with them. Let me rid them of that thought.

Their invasion of Iraq started the oil price rises – compounded by the incompetence of the post- war inaction in the country which has seen around 2% of global production lost, this having an exponential effect on prices. With the credit crunch, everybody was aware of the absurd lending by banks, etc, but the Government took no action to forestall the inevitable consequences.

As for agricultural prices, after years of producing massive surpluses, at a massive cost to the taxpayer, over the past few years the Government has gone along with reducing EU agricultural production.

Mark Bill, via email

Free prescriptions

I AM writing to support Macmillan Cancer Support’s campaign for free prescriptions in England. No-one should be in a position where they can’t afford to pay for their prescriptions, yet for one in 10 cancer patients, aged 55 and under, who have to pay for their prescriptions, this is exactly what happens.

The Government is due to publish a consultation to review prescription charges soon, but they have already said they are not prepared to spend one extra penny on prescriptions. This means that any reform will inevitably involve some patients losing out – in effect, robbing Peter to pay Paul. I am extremely concerned that this consultation will be nothing more than tinkering with an inherently unfair system and call on the Government to make prescriptions free in England.

Mrs Edna Medlicott, Aintree

Dowdy Kirkby

I AM writing as a disinterested party. I do not support Everton and am not interested in football, nor do I live in or near Kirkby.

However, I have been following the sorry saga of Everton, Tesco and Kirkby. It seems to me that with all the bickering and procrastination Everton are destined to remain a modest, provincial football club with little prospect for growth. Meanwhile, Kirkby is destined to remain an unimportant, dowdy overspill town for Liverpool with no prospect of ever burgeoning on its own.

KH Shepherd, L18

Looking for photo

CAN you help? I am trying to find a photograph of the sandbuckets which were suspended over the fields between the Rainford by- pass and the village of Rainford, carrying the sand from the fields to the lorries which then took it to the glass works in St Helens.

The sand then became an ingredient in the process of glass making. I remember seeing these buckets when I was a child in the 1950s.

Fiona Henderson, L27

Here’s to the future

I WAS absolutely delighted to read that the developers for the proposed new site are offering local young people the chance to input their opinions about the proposed new development in West Kirby. It gives them the opportunity to take responsibility for their environment – and heralds hope that the next generation may take this exciting new venture even further.

Bernie Platt, via email