Tag: letters

Happy birthday, Tony!

tony

It was standing room only at North Edinburgh Arts yesterday when local man – and regular NEN contributor – Tony Delahoy celebrated his ninetieth birthday.

Tony, who is originally from London, was joined by friends, family and community colleagues for an afternoon of live music, food and conversation at the Arts Centre. The star of the show remains in good health and has promised to keep those letters coming in for years to come! Speaking of which ….

Dear Editor

According to the Tory/Lib government, because I am now old I am a drain on the economy – a burden on the nation.

Their solution to ease that burden is to restrict what I can buy, by allowing drastic price rises of most items needed, particularly gas and electricity. This continuous lowering of the quality of life will lead to an earlier death for many.

It would seem whatever hardship is imposed, little is being done or can be done; this is wrong thinking – by adding my voice to yours and yours and yours we can, together, change things. Of all people, the elderly know this is a basic truth – it is only through a collective voice that any progress will be made.

This collective voice can be expressed in many ways: through pensioners organisations, forums, trade unions to councillors, MPs and MSPs, demonstrating on issues of concern –  even calling for a boycott of stores that are pushing up prices too steeply. There are so many ways of protesting.

As the numbers of elderly people are growing, so is the power of their vote – and it is essential we use it. All politicians, councillors and officials must be made aware they cannot ignore or sideline our serious concerns.

Tony Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Happy birthday, Tony!

letter

Letter: Divide and Rule

Dear Editor

The Tory/Lib government are trying to make scapegoats of people on benefits. They are playing one section of people against others, for example:

  • people on housing benefit getting large sums of money, but neglect to say it is the landlords who get the money via the tenants
  • people on disability benefits being classed as layabouts, being forced to undergo a work capability assessment test by a private organisation
  • people on Working Tax Credit, benefit being cut
  • Job Seekers Allowance, benefit being cut.

People on these and other benefits have been slandered and labelled undeserving, and – if these benefits were cut – all would be well.

This divisive campaign by the Tory/Lib government did initially fool some people into supporting benefits cuts, but now the real target can be seen: it is everyone’s income, wages as well as benefits.

The following quote may sound very familiar: a group of unemployed men wrote to the Poor Law Commission in January 1835, asking for help. The Commission responded as follows:

‘the amount of relief, you must be aware, ought not to be as to render the situation of the pauper equal to that of a person living by independent industry: a practice of making allowance for idleness equal or nearly equal to the wages of industry must tend to make pauperism preferable to independence’.

Tony Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letters: paying the price

Dear Editor

Every week people when shopping find prices are rising quite sharply; there is no hiding this fact.

Government spokespersons express surprise at the inflation rate of nearly 3%, which is based on a lower calculation anyway. Perhaps the world in which they live a rise of 10p or 20p on an item means nothing.

More and more people search for cheaper ‘own brand’ items when shopping – sometimes it works, other times the size or weight has been reduced so the price rise is hidden.

If th Government can put a freeze on wage increases or restrict them to 1% or 2%, then they can restrict price rises to the same level; this can be done in the name of ‘fairness’, to which they constantly refer!

This restriction on gas, electricity and oil suppliers is long overdue – the increases they have announced for starting this winter are amoral and shows their complete indifference to the hardship being caused.

Pressure must be put on officials of all kinds – whether they are MPs, MSPs, councillors, gas and electricity companies or supermarkets – to take very seriously the question of price rise restriction.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

Letter: Word of praise for recycling service

Dear Editor,

With all due respect to  Mr Pickering’s  laudable concern for the impact on working conditions of privatisation, may I venture a word of praise for  the recycling service implemented by the   Council, now augmented by the long overdue and very welcome provision of  food recycling?

Surely a very positive outcome of fortnightly collections could be a heightened effort on the part of all responsible citizens to reduce the bulk  of their refuse.  While I concede that it is comparatively easy for  me to reduce the bulk of my refuse given that  my family have grown up and left home , nevertheless I take pride in the fact that with determination and commitment to caring for our environment, I now  find it possible, given the comprehensive provision  of recycling services, to put out  my green bin – containing at most two black bags of refuse –  only once  every second month.

As citizens we  cannot with impunity continue piling mountain upon mountain of stinking refuse into landfill.  It distresses me to witness householders  loading  up their green bins with    recyclable material when the Council is providing such  detailed support in terms of recycling bins and literature, and when there are recycling points within walking distance of all able-bodied inhabitants of North Edinburgh.

Joyce Gunn Cairns, West Pilton

Letter: Unity

Dear Editor

UNITY

Unity is strength – this truth us demonstrated in the struggle to defend the NHS by both users and those who work in providing the services.

Those who are trying to privatise the NHS have a glint in their eyes of making vast profits – what a disgusting attitude, when every penny is needed to treat people both old and young.

Unity also needs expressing by people in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Liverpool, London – in fact everywhere, who have the same problems of needing regular work and wages and decent working conditions to be able to make life as it should be.

This unity of needs must be expressed as strongly as the unity in support of our NHS. Private companies aching to take over the NHS and other public services and their Tory and Liberal political supporters can and will be defeated.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letter: Individualism

Dear Editor

In some respects we are all individuals; we like to feel and think we are in command, but a quick look at reality shows how dependent we are on others. We cannot exist in modern times as an individual.

We need those who work in the electricity industry, the gas works, water pumping stations and sewerage systems – that is before we step outside the door!

Then there are the transport workers, road and highway workers, distribution workers for all kinds of goods, papers, petrol, etc – and this is all before we get to work!

At work the same reliance takes place: we are individuals but must work collectively.

This is why the policy of the Conservative Party is so wrong and destructive. They believe that individualism should motivate people, but that can only apply to those that have the means to do so.

It is an outdated idea being used by the Conservatives today; it can be seen in their wholesale destruction or privatisation of public services that have been built up over many decades to match the growing realisation that collectively things can be done that as an individual would be impossible.

From any angle the Conservatives are backward thinkers; they either cannot see it or they are just intent on setting back the clock to the ‘good old days’ when workers knew their place in the world, and were grateful to the employers in letting them live.

A Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letter – kind Pilton kids help poor Roman feel at home

Dear Editor

It seems we are always reading stories about our local children behaving badly, and I am not unaware of the social problems that do exist in West Pilton, but I thought for once it would be nice to hear praise for our local kids, hence my writing to you.

I have lived in West Pilton for nearly 20 years now. I’m fairly well known to a lot of the neighbourhood kids, because I have always had dogs and am out in the park with them every day. I sometimes also have pink hair, which the bairns seem to appreciate! I have never, ever had any problems with any of the local kids, but recently I have come to appreciate them all the more.

I have two dogs of my own, and I have recently started fostering dogs for various charities based abroad. My most recent foster (probable adoptee!) has come from Romania, and he is just plain terrified of everything, but so very gentle, showing no signs of aggression at all. In the week and a half I have had him he has really gained confidence in the house, but outside is a very scary place for him. He is scared of traffic, not sure about other dogs, but mostly it is people that terrify him. One can only imagine what he has gone through to become so traumatised.

I’ve been taking him out for three daily walks though, as he needs to overcome his fears to become a truly happy guy. We meet a lot of children when out for our walks and many ask if they can pet my dogs, and usually this presents no problems. With Roman it is different. He is so scared, he flattens himself to the ground and trembles all over. But when I tell his story to the children we meet, and explain that he is so scared because people have been very mean to him and that he expects to get hurt; but that he is gentle and will respond to love and a soft hand stroking him. I can honestly say that without exception, the kids have been interested, saddened and willing to help, being very quiet, respectful and sweet to him.

I just know the more people we meet who can be this kind to him, it will not be long before he is a happy, bouncy, playful dog who will have learned to love life, maybe for the first time ever. So I want to thank all the kids who we have met, and all those we are yet to meet. And their parents, who have clearly taught them to be kind and loving to animals. Hopefully one day soon you will meet us in the park, and Roman will have the confidence to come up to you and thank you himself!

Jenni (by email)

Letter: Muirhouse must not be divided

Dear Editor N.E.N

I am writing regarding the residents of Silverknowes Eastway who want the walk-way shut off to stop access from Muirhouse Drive.
Silverknowes Eastway is part of the Muirhouse EH4 area and the housing was built on the land that was formally Silverknowes Primary School which was in Muirhouse Gardens. When the area in Muirhouse Gardens was developed for housing it was part of the planning application that it would have pedestrian access to the Linear Park as part of Central Muirhouse regeneration, and that no part of Muirhouse would be divided or excluded.
I fail to see what Davidson Mains and Silverknowes Association or Almond have to do with issues in Muirhouse.
John Davidson
Resident of Muirhouse (by email)

Letter: Building barriers is not the answer

Dear Editor

I am writing  express my anger regarding the proposal from residents of Silverknowes asking to brick up three access points leading to Muirhouse following incidents of antisocial behaviour being blamed on Muirhouse residents. While I disagree with vandalism and antisocial behaviour, blocking pathways will not be the solution to this problem. This could have the adverse effect on the problem. Unfortunately lots of this behaviour is happening all over the city.

I recall this same group opposing the building of the new Craigroyston High School close to their homes . What do these people want? A Berlin Wall within North Edinburgh? They are not an elitist group who can dictate what they want.  The majority of people from Muirhouse are decent people who strive to improve their community and retain good links with surrounding neighbourhoods. Perhaps the answer is getting activists groups together within the neighbourhood to consult with each other . This could hopefully help to resolve the problem. Building barriers between communities is not the answer.

Anna Hutchison (by email)

SILVERKNOWES EASTWAY ‘barriers not the answer’

Letter: Calling all crafters!

To all the crafters in North Edinburgh:

I’m a local resident and enjoy crafting. Crafting can be a really satisfying but lonely hobby at times – I run a small craft club as part of my volunteering at Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre on a Friday from 11am-3pm.   It’s the type of club that you can bring your own crafting to do at your own pace over a cup of tea and chatting to others – it’s friendly, welcoming, informal and fun.   We do have a supply of crafting goodies if you want to just have a go at something and there is always our supply of craft magazines to thumb through to get inspiration and ideas from!
All it costs is £1 – only £1, and that includes the tea/coffee and biscuits!
If you would like any more information why not drop into the Muirhouse Millennium Centre and speak to me, give me a call on 467 3578 or if you prefer email enquiremuirhouse@gmail.com is where I am!
Eileen Carr