Tag: letters

Letter: E.A.R – Be Deaf Aware!

Dear Sir/Madam, 

It is Deaf Awareness Week (1-7 May 2023) and RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are calling on everyone to be deaf aware! 

People who are deaf or have hearing loss have individual communication needs and you should ask how best you can communicate with them. RNID is encouraging people to use E.A.R. to help them remember simple tips they can use to make communication easier: 

·        Environment – reduce background noise or move to a quieter area. And make sure the room is well lit if the person relies on lipreading.  

·        Attention – use simple gestures such as pointing, waving or a light tap on the shoulder to get someone’s attention. Face the person you’re speaking to so they can lipread, and speak to them, not their interpreter or anyone else with them. 

·        Repeat and rephrase – if someone doesn’t understand you, try repeating what you said or rephrasing it in a different way. If this doesn’t work, you could write it down, or speak to a friend or relative if they ask you to. 

Following E.A.R. can make the difference between your friend, family or colleague being part of the conversation or left struggling on the side-lines. 

For support or information, please visit rnid.org.uk 

Yours sincerely, 

Teri Devine 

Director for Inclusion at RNID 

Letters: Give a cat a new home

Dear Letters Editor,

I am writing to encourage your readers to consider a moggy when thinking about giving a cat a new home.

Our latest survey revealed 38% of cats acquired in 2022 (or 600,000 cats) were pedigrees, such as Ragdolls or Scottish Folds, while 47% (or 750,000 cats) were moggies (cats produced through non-selective breeding such as a domestic short or longhair). This is the narrowest gap that we have seen between pedigrees and moggies in memory.

As a result, Cats Protection is celebrating moggies this spring and encouraging would-be owners to look past a breed or current social media led trends. Moggies have just as much personality and affection to share as pedigrees, they also tend to be less expensive both at the outset and over the course of their lifetime.

There are thousands of moggies needing new homes across Cats Protection’s network of branches and centres who are all vet-checked, microchipped, neutered if old enough, and arrive in their new homes with four weeks’ free insurance.

Further details of the benefits of welcoming a moggy into your life can be found at www.cats.org.uk/morethanjustamoggy; we also have lots of good advice about acquiring a pedigree cat including some potential pitfalls at www.cats.org.uk/pedigrees.

Yours faithfully

Dr Kit Sturgess

Chair of Trustees, Cats Protection

Letters: Thanks from Cats Protection

Dear Editor

I would like to send my personal thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have been supporting Cats Protection since 2018.

During that time, funds raised by players have enabled us to help and care for around 10,000 cats and kittens in our adoption centres across England, Scotland and Wales, while they await their forever homes.

In addition, they have also helped us provide cat behaviour expertise to our cat care volunteers and staff and adopters; run our Paws to Listen grief support service to help bereaved cat owners; and speak up for cats to help create positive change for cat welfare via our advocacy work.

Thank you to all the players of People’s Postcode Lottery for your ongoing support. Together we create a better world for cats.

Anyone wishing to adopt a cat or support Cats Protection, or seeking advice on cat welfare, can find out more at www.cats.org.uk

John sig

Yours sincerely,

John May,

Chief Executive, Cats Protection

Letters: We must invest more in children’s mental health services

Dear Editor

As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have mental health problems, we would like to congratulate Humza Yousaf on becoming First Minister.

It was however disappointing that the issue of mental health featured little in the SNP leadership campaign, but now that he is in office, we would urge Mr Yousaf to focus on this vital matter.

As many will be aware, we were already experiencing a mental health emergency in Scotland, even before Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis took hold. These have worsened an already devastating situation for many children and young people, resulting in a perfect storm of challenges as demand soars.

There is no health without mental health, and already overstretched budgets are having to stretch even further to keep pace with escalating inflation. In the face of a mental health tsunami, we would urge the Scottish Government to prioritise spending on services, reversing the freeze on this year’s mental health budget and boosting the workforce.

With the resultant personal cost to those concerned and their families, as well as to the economy overall, we need to invest more, not less, in our mental health services, ensuring that our children and young people receive the high-quality care they need when they need it.

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Bell, LOVE Learning

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

42 Charlotte Square

Edinburgh EH2 4HQ

Tel: 0131 603 8996

Letters: Support NSPCC Scotland

Dear Editor, 

The NSPCC supports thousands of children in Scotland and the rest of the UK every week. 

Our practitioners help children and families through difficult times, our Childline counsellors help young people when they feel they have nowhere else to turn, while our Helpline staff offer support and advice to parents and carers and adults who are concerned about the safety of children. 

Locally, our campaigns teams and Schools Service staff and volunteers are working in communities to deliver workshops such as ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ which shares vital messaging for adults and children to help prevent child neglect and abuse. 

Many people are surprised that the NSPCC relies on public donations for around 90 per cent of its funding, which makes our fundraising staff and volunteers essential to be able to continue our vital work. 

We understand that the cost-of-living crisis is making life financially difficult for many across the country and people may feel unable to support the NSPCC through a regular charitable donation. However, there is an alternative. 

By leaving a gift in your will to the NSPCC, you can help to share the most powerful legacy with future generations – the gift of a safe and happy childhood. You can help to make sure that more children are safe and supported.  

Your donation will help us stop abuse, neglect and exploitation. It will fund Childline and Helpline, education programmes in schools here in Scotland, and help us invest in community projects that support families facing tough times, equipping them with the skills to nurture happier childhoods. 

Details on how to leave a gift in your will to the NSPCC Scotland and ensure that we continue to be there for children for years to come are available at www.nspcc.org.uk/support-us  

Yours sincerely, 

Paul Cockram

Head of Fundraising, NSPCC Scotland

Letters: Scottish Apprenticeship Week

Dear Editor

This week marks Scottish Apprenticeship Week (6th-10th March), a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on the vital role apprenticeships play in supporting people, employers and the economy.

Modern Apprenticeships allow people from diverse backgrounds, no matter their background and abilities, to gain and develop skills for every business no matter its size or sector.

The rewards of getting young people who are disabled or care experienced into work are well worth it. They bring passion, skills, dedication and drive to the workplace.

Recruiting a Modern Apprentice enables employers to fill the skills gaps that exist within their current workforce, as apprentices begin to learn sector-specific skills from day one, developing specialist knowledge that will positively affect the bottom line.

However, as always, we can do more and support for businesses and other employers is key as it is they who clearly make the vital difference.

As we mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we would urge Scotland’s employers to look beyond the label and take on a Modern Apprentice who may have an additional need, taking advantage of the excellent skills offered by many of these young people.

Yours faithfully 

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Bell, LOVE Learning

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

42 Charlotte Square

Edinburgh EH2 4HQ

Tel: 0131 603 8996

Letters: Awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms is devastatingly low

Dear Editor,

Persistent bloating. Abdominal Pain. Feeling full quickly. Needing to wee more often.

The level of awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms is devastatingly low, and not knowing what to look out for could lead to a delayed diagnosis of the deadliest gynaecological cancer.

Did you know these symptoms? I didn’t before I was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer.

I write to you today as we need to increase widespread awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer to help improve early diagnosis rates. Right now, just 1 in 5 (20%) women can name persistent bloating as a symptom of ovarian cancer1, with only one in three (34%) contacting their GP if they experience it2.

If I’d have known the symptoms, I would have seen my GP a lot earlier.

I began to experience pain in my abdomen, similar to period pain, the summer before my diagnosis – along with needing to wee more often and changes to my bowel habits – but I just dismissed it due to my age.

I never had ovarian cancer in my mind. 

It was initially suspected as IBS, but a CT scan and ultrasound later confirmed the cancer, which had spread.

My experience has shown me that so much more needs to be done to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms in order to save lives. If diagnosed at the earliest stages 9 in 10 women will survive3, but currently two thirds of women are diagnosed late, when the cancer is harder to treat4.

That’s why this Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month (March), together with Target Ovarian Cancer, I want everyone to know the potential significance of the symptoms: bloating, abdominal pain, feeling full quickly and needing to wee more often.

Editor, share the symptoms with readers this month. Help to stop this disease devastating lives.

Find out more by visiting https://targetovariancancer.org.uk/get-involved/ovarian-cancer-awareness-month or read my full story here.

With best wishes,

Helen Hills

Letters: Government must reconsider proposed mental health budget cuts

Dear Editor

As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have mental health problems, we share the concerns of many over a proposed £38 million cut to mental health spending in today’s final vote on the Scottish Budget (Tuesday 21st February).

It should be noted that we were already experiencing a mental health emergency in Scotland, even before Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis took hold. These have worsened an already devastating situation for many children and young people, resulting in a perfect storm of challenges.

It therefore beggars belief that, in the face of a mental health tsunami, the Scottish Government is set to cut the mental health budget. Combined with this, an already tight budget will have to stretch even further to keep pace with soaring inflation.

With the resultant personal cost to those concerned and their families, as well as to the economy overall, we need to invest more, not less, in our mental health services. The situation we are currently in could potentially lead to a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.

To address this, we must ensure our mental health services are protected and would urge the Scottish Government to reconsider these cuts and commit to increasing investment, ensuring that our children and young people receive the high-quality care they need when they need it.

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Bell, LOVE Learning

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

4 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JE

Remember to use up stamps without a barcode – not valid after 31 January

After 31 January, ‘everyday’ stamps without a barcode will no longer be valid. So, if you can find your old ones, this is your last chance to use them.

Or, if you prefer, you can swap them.

For more info visit http://RoyalMail.com/barcodedstamps

Letters: Urgent need for autism commissioner

Dear Editor

As a group of organisations who support vulnerable children and young people, many with autism and a learning disability, we would add our support to concerns relating to a delay in a Scottish Government commitment to establish a commissioner to promote and protect the rights of autistic people.

Currently too many of those with autism and learning disabilities are struggling to get the support needed, with their human rights breached, and a commissioner is vital to help them fight their corner.

However, with a delay in public consultation on this until late 2023, there is a real concern that the delivery of a commissioner is simply not being prioritised.

While not by any means a panacea, a commissioner for autism and learning disability would be the first of its kind in the world, established in law to champion the human rights of autistic people and people with a learning disability.  

It would be a powerful voice, improving access to services and advocating on people’s behalf when they cannot. A commissioner would also close the current gap between what the law says and what actually happens, delivering improvements. Importantly people would also have recourse when the system falls short and fails to deliver for them.  

Many of those with autism and learning disabilities feel invisible, and such a role can help people live good lives with choice and control, free from discrimination. We would urge the Scottish Government to develop a sense of urgency on this vital matter.

Yours faithfully

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:

Kenny Graham, Falkland House School

Lynn Black, LOVE Learning

Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius

Niall Kelly, Young Foundations

4 Queen Street

Edinburgh EH2 1JE

Tel: 0131 603 8996