LETTERS - Crazy paving and charity support

‘New pavements a waste of money’

I WRITE regarding the new pavement colours on Unicorn Hill. They look good – for now. But why?

They look great for now but they will not withstand the constant use of vehicles crossing them to park in front of the various businesses, including a taxi business – next to the Wetherspoons.

And I give it a year, max, before they have been dug up, then patched with tarmac or concrete.

And why here?

What few visitors Redditch gets, arriving at the bus and railway stations, do not walk up Unicorn Hill, they go into the Kingfisher centre, use the lifts and escalators and completely bypass Unicorn Hill.

Even if they did walk up Unicorn Hill, the new pavements do nothing to improve or disguise the awful, filthy appearance of the businesses next to the Wetherspoons, which look only marginally less slum-like than the block immediately opposite the Kingfisher centre.

This is the block that includes the assorted food outlets that you would only visit if you were suffering from a particularly serious bout of constipation or the hideous monstrosity that is the bridge over the road.

They are a criminal mis-direction of a huge amount of public money that would have been far better spent almost anywhere else in the town centre.

Dave Barker, Redditch

‘Watch out for animals on roads’

AS THE days draw in and the clocks go back, the darker evenings create more hazards on our roads for animals.

Sadly, more animals are hit by cars during the winter months so we’re asking drivers to be cautious when they’re out and about.

Stick to the speed limit and be extra vigilant in residential areas where cats could be crossing the road, as well as areas with wildlife warning signs.

If you hit an animal on the road, put your hazard lights on and stop somewhere safely. Never put yourself at risk to help an animal.

If an animal is injured, then it’s important to get them help as quickly as possible.

Knowing who to contact for help or how to safely transport an animal yourself, will help ensure animals in need get help quickly.

Here’s what to do depending on what sort of animal you hit:

Cat – If safe, please carefully pick them up to check for their owner’s contact details (such as on a collar ID tag) or take them to a nearby vet so they can be scanned for a microchip and receive any urgent medical treatment;
Dog – You must report the incident to the police. If it is safe to do so, carefully and slowly approach the dog to restrain them and move them to safety. If they are wearing an ID tag, please contact their owner. If not, please contact the dog warden;
Horse or farm animal – You must report the incident to the police. They’ll also be able to assist in moving any other animals to safety;
Small wild animal, such as a rabbit or pigeon – If you can locate the injured animal safely, please carefully pick them up (wearing gloves or using a towel or coat) and put them in a box with air holes to transport them to a local vet for help;
Large wild animal, such as a badger, fox or deer – if you can find the animal, please do not approach them, but contact a local rescue organisation or vet for guidance. Alternatively, contact the RSPCA for advice at rspca.org.uk/reportaconcern or 0300 1234 999.

Thank you for doing your bit to help animals and to create a better world for every kind.

Steve Bennett,

RSPCA Chief Inspectorate Officer

‘Engineering can be your future’

AS A fast-growing sector with great prospects and significantly above average pay, young people unsure of what career path to take, should take a good look at engineering and technology – the opportunities are likely more wide-ranging and attractive than they’d imagine.

Tomorrow’s Engineers Week (November 11 to 15) is a community-wide campaign, running every year since 2013, showcasing modern engineering and technology careers to young people, their teachers, parents and other influencers.

Run by STEM charity EngineeringUK, its success lies in the support it garners from professional engineering institutions, employers, educators, government departments, practitioners and thousands of individuals, all seeking to attract more young people from all backgrounds into the sector.

Engineering and technology employs 6.3million people across the UK with faster growth predicted up until at least 2030 in all regions compared with other occupations, and these people are working to improve all our lives, for example, through better medical technologies, renewing our national infrastructure, and addressing climate change.

Vocational routes such as T Levels and apprenticeships offer fantastic pathways in, alongside university studies.

This year’s Tomorrow’s Engineers Week will help more young people better understand the breadth of opportunities available for all sorts of people with all sorts of skills, from problem solving to creativity.

A toolkit for schools and local employers offers great free resources from lesson plans to short videos plus the chance to chat to a panel of early career professionals working in engineering and tech.

Unfortunately, most young people don’t have a good understanding of the amazing opportunities available to them in engineering and technology, so whether you’re an engineer, a STEM expert, an educator, a mum, dad, or carer, please help them to find out more.

Dr Hilary Leevers,

Chief Executive of EngineeringUK