AN OPEN letter to Rachel Maclean
Dear Rachel,
I broke the rules during the Covid crisis. It wasn’t a party or a get together with friends. It wasn’t drinks after work or a birthday cake.
I watched my mother die from cancer in a hospice that she was very lucky to be able to find a place in.
I wore a mask, gloves and an apron, and every time that I went into her room or left they were thrown away and refreshed.
Just before she passed away I left for a few seconds because it felt like she didn’t want me to be there for her final moment.
She couldn’t talk but I had told her that it was okay, and that she could go to sleep at any time that she wanted.
I knew that this would be the final time that she closed her eyes.
A couple of moments later I had to rush back in because she was gasping a final breath.
This is when I broke the rules. I didn’t put my gloves on to hold her hand, and I didn’t put an apron on either. In truth I can’t even remember if my mask was on or if I had ripped it off.
Since then I have often thought about how even though it just wasn’t important, I was breaking a rule. I have had plenty of time to think and reflect.
Sometimes things happen that hurt people deeply. Sometimes people think that if they pretend not to listen, then the actions we chose to take will go away.
Boris Johnson and his refusal to take responsibility for his parties are not one of those things.
The anger that I hold for his contempt of people like my mother and the thousands of other people who suffered, lost their lives and the people who are left behind will not diminish until he does the decent thing and resigns.
He broke the ministerial code and he has broken any decent moral code also.
Rest assured that should you continue to support this man who has been fined by the police for breaking his own laws, no one will forget and no one will forgive.
From a Local Voter saddened and angry
ON MAY 10 the Queen will be in Parliament delivering this year’s Queen’s Speech announcing the Government’s priorities.
I believe that plans to improve our democracy should be at the heart of that speech.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of democracy around the world. In response to this, the Government should take steps to strengthen and modernise our democracy at home.
Measures that would help include a fair voting system that ensures no party can achieve absolute power on the basis of a minority of the votes. We also need change to ensure more transparency and accountability of our elected representatives.
With trust in politicians at an all time low, this Queen’s Speech needs concrete action to begin the process of restoring trust.
I hope our local MP will support the calls for change made by Unlock Democracy and other campaign groups.
P Merricks, Redditch
FURTHER to the advert promoting JBM’s Roundhill Solar Farm in the Redditch Standard I am writing to say Stock Green and its surrounding countryside are a popular leisure area for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.
Cyclists and walkers come from Redditch and as far as Birmingham and their experience is unlikely to be beneficial surrounded by solar panels and high deer fencing.
JBM say they will be enhancing nature however we already have deer, badgers, buzzards, barn owls and many other species of wildlife.
Deer fencing will block their paths and the panels hide much of the bird’s prey.
Planting 127 trees in an area of over 250 acres will do little to improve the area and beehives already exist at several properties around the site.
The proposed picnic benches are sited close to people’s houses and likely to create litter.
Access to the area will be by foot and therefore their educational facilities are unlikely to benefit families unless they are prepared to walk from a distant car park in Inkberrow.
M Butcher via email
ON Wednesday, May 4 road works commenced on the A441 Birmingham Road by the Abbey Stadium for approximately 17 weeks renewing water pipes under the road.
This road has been dug up more times than Mussolini and is now becoming more than a joke.
Can I make a suggestion that the buses only route Park Way to Church Hill Way is opened up for residents of Riverside and Abbeydale to allow access to the M42 whilst this work takes place.
It will relieve the congestion on the Sainsburys island thereby reducing emissions of stationary traffic and make the morning commute for these residents a little easier.
Once the work is completed can I also suggest we build a shrine to the temporary traffic light gods.
S Jones, SKJ Trading
I THOUGHT the letter N Braithwaite on the Government Rwandan policy (Redditch Standard) was a bit offensive as it appeared to liken the Home Secretary to a creature?
After all some creatures are sentient beings as recognized in the Animal Welfare Bill.
I Welch, Redditch
