The real impact of the closure of day centres at Christmas
By Charles Henley - 06/12/2011
Announcements of impending closures of day centres in North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Kent, and at Remploy units elsewhere brings into focus a problem that will face many adults with learning disabilities and their carers not just this Christmas, but at a lifetime of Christmases ahead. More Stories
Family history - national, international and beyond!
My great great-great-great grandfather's family surname was ROTTENBURY, variously RODDENBERRY/RODENBERY/RODENBY; he lived most of his life in Sunderland, though he was born in Dorset c.1770. I have recently discovered a distant cousin who tells me that some years ago he corresponded with one of our relatives in America, namely RODENBERRY, creator of the science fiction series Star Trek.
It was with great interest therefore that I read the article in the December issue which mentioned Gene, stating that his body was cremated and his ashes taken up in a satellite and shot out into the atmosphere.
Letter regarding Calling All Men
How wonderful to see an older person recommending Couchsurfing - I was beginning to think I was the only 'mature' Couchsurfing host around! I became a member a year ago, assuming that only older travellers would want to stay with me....
Letter from the NJS
Crimes against the public, especially vulnerable pensioners, will continue until complaints are dealt with seriously through the justice system.
Back my calling for and petitioning of the Ministry of Justice to create a ‘National Justice Service (NJS)’.
What the NJS will do.
The NJS will directly interact with or replace all public and private organisations, quangos, ombudsman and CAB services dealing with complaints from the public, integrating them in a one-stop shop.
Drugs trials..?
Editor
I am against the proposals to let Drug companies to have the medical records. I see that he is looking to gamble with untrialled drugs on the most vulnerable as it could result in the sick being forced to take part in these trials or lose their benefits.
There has been make problems in releasing drugs which are not safe. Thalidomide is one that always comes back, but 5 years ago a voluntary drug trial had a severe impact on the volunteers.
Credit cards
Dear Editor,
Peter Smith (Letter December 2011) writes of being refused permission by Tesco to open an on line account because he didn't possess a mobile phone.
I had a similar experience recently with Google. I'd had my e mail address hacked into, and tried to get myself a new e mail account with them. But one of the compulsary boxes that had to be filled in demanded either a text or mobile details, which I couldn't supply.
Spend, spend, spend?
We are hearing from Cameron about his care for women but nothing about the fate of the elderly who have saved for their old age and now see their savings halve every ten years and earn little interest in the meantime.
Privatisation of the National Health Service by stealth?
I think more pensioners and older people should be aware of the circumstances of my recent experience with the NHS as regards to availability of medication on prescription, which is presently free to the over 60's, but which I think is about to change radically.
Access to private medical records
As for Mr Cameron's intentions to release our medical records to private companies, this can only have one purpose. It is to make it easier for private companies to cherry pick the most lucrative parts of the NHS. How can he possibly do this without our consent? One answer is that he will try to change the law.
A wish of birthday happiness
Many Congratulations on this your 20th Anniversary. I work as a volunteer at Age UK, Banbury and get the newspaper there. There are so many interesting and pertinent information for the older age group. I thoroughly enjoy reading it from cover to cover.
Autumn
Dear Thomas,
I appreciated your uplifting comments in the face of much doom and gloom, especially reference to Remembrance Day which recalls the sacrifices made by the few for benefit of the many – which still happens today of course.
I thought perhaps my poem below would be appropriate for the season and highlights that things can change for the better.
Kind regards,
Bill Newham
AUTUMN
Autumn leaves fluttering down
The cost of driving on Britain's roads
Dear Editor,
While everyone's attention is on the damage caused by high fuel prices, a
new report effectively proposes imposing road pricing on our major roads
(both new and existing). [1]
It can even be read as suggesting them for our local roads, ultimately
forcing drivers to pay to travel on roads everywhere. [2]
It's only a few years since nearly 2 million people signed a petition
Where are those traits of integrity, honesty and decency we once held
Among my favourite books and movies are: 'All Creatures Great and Small' and 'Home Run'. They both deal with different topics, but have running through them a common thread: Both are stories of acceptance of one's lot but not giving in to them, armed with fortitude, resilience and bravery.
The first book is of Yorkshire farmers families battling the terrain and the elements in Yorkshire and also austerity brought on by a recession and war.
Tax cuts? Let the pensioners have it
Dear Editor
You wrote in your editorial for the October 2011 edition of Mature Times that “we all know that cuts are needed if the country is to climb out of this economic pit.”
Ruth Wood echoed this view in the letters page: “I know we all have to take
our share of the cuts.” It is worth noting that tax evaded in the UK could be as high as £69.9bn a year, according to research conducted by Richard Murphy on behalf of The Tax Justice Network.
Calling all men - you have not been left out!
Men reading the letter (MT November) describing the organisation "Women Welcome Women World-Wide" may be interested to know that there are alternatives from which they are not excluded.
For almost three years I have exchanged hospitality with people from eight different countries through the CouchSurfing website (www.couchsurfing.org). Normal services are free, but there is a charge for features such as having your address verified. Members have a profile which includes not only what they write about themselves, but what people they have met write about them - information which is very useful when deciding whether or not you want to host someone and when searching for possible hosts.
