THIS weeks letters to the editor.
I PICKED up a copy of this week’s Standard and was surprised to find the front page suggesting that ‘Redditch has a brighter future under the Conservatives’ and an encouragement to vote Conservative on May 4.
I found this strange, but then realised that it was a (very expensive?) four sided wrap-around from the Conservative Party, with the actual Standard inside!
As the wrap-around had the same ‘The Redditch Standard’ heading as the paper itself, am I to assume that the paper is urging me to vote Conservative?
If so, isn’t that contrary to the idea of an independent local paper?
If not, then I wonder how you would defend your decision to allow the advertising wrap-around with the ‘Standard’ heading, given its obvious implication.
P Toolan
Hunt End
MONEY certainly does ‘talk’.
The proof was plastered all over the four pages of Tory propaganda encasing last weeks edition of The Standard
Presumably The Standard were paid a very ‘pretty penny’ for printing the claims and lies that the public has now come to expect from the Tories.
Thirteen years of looking after themselves and the richest in our society.
It will be the last edition of The Standard that I ever pick up and read.
What has improved in Redditch and in Redditch Borough Council?
Has your standard of living improved over the past 13 years?
Let’s see what happens in the coming elections
Goodbye Redditch Standard
Paul Smith
Compton Close
EDITOR’S NOTE – As stated in the letters above, the Conservative Party paid for the wrap on last week’s paper.
There were also adverts from other political parties inside the paper and have been in previous weeks.
Each of the parties had the chance to take out whatever advertising they wished to, as is completely within the law.
It was clear that this was paid for advertising and nothing to do with the editorial in the newspaper and on the website which we pride ourselves on being impartial, fair and balanced at all times.
IN my view this closure of Lidl in the Redditch town is wrong for the following reasons – the store is well placed for footfall custom and eliminates extra pollution from vehicles having to travel out of town to reach the new store.
For those who do not have the convenience of owning a vehicle the town store is a must.
I too use this store and appreciate its position and feel many other folk do too. Please please please rethink the closure decision.
Summer Hibbert
FOR many months the people of Studley have suffered as a result of the building work taking place near to Priory Place.
For a long time the footpath between Priory Place and Marble Alley was closed – on several occasions Alcester Road has been restricted to one-way traffic, and vehicles attempting to get to the Co-op have frequently been held up.
At the end of this work I imagine McArthy Stone will expect to make reasonable profits so perhaps they could, in part, repay a debt to Studley residents by way of a donation through the Parish Council.
Bernard Richards
Studley
TO mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week a campaign led by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership, the NSPCC is urging expectant parents from across the Midlands to sign up to a free service that offers mental health support to new mums and dads.
Mental health problems during and after pregnancy can be common for parents, with one in five mums, and around one in ten dads, finding themselves experiencing anxiety, depression and low moods.
The NSPCC’s Pregnancy in Mind supports parents who may be experiencing, or are at risk of developing, anxiety or depression during or following pregnancy.
This short virtual programme, hosted by our NSPCC Midlands Hub, is for parents-to-be who are between weeks 12 and 26 weeks of pregnancy.
Parents attending the programme will learn techniques such as mindfulness meditation, active relaxation and coping skills, as well as being able to build and strengthen growing relationships with their new baby.
Additionally, the virtual sessions provide a supportive environment for parents-to-be to meet and gain support from the practitioners and each other.
To find out more about the Pregnancy in Mind service, phone 0115 960 5481 or email [email protected]
Sandra Garthwaite
NSPCC Direct Services Team Manager for the Midlands
BRITAINS asylum bill has hit £2billion in the year since the Rwanda deal was struck.
Most of the cash has gone on hotels and other accommodation to house them, equivalent of £6million per day.
This comes when hard up taxpayers, whom are footing the costs, struggle at home with rising costs.
Our roads are a mess, we need money to go into our NHS our schools, and more.
The mass amount of people flocking here has become out of control.
It must be combated we cannot simply go on.
B Ellis
Via email
