Readers' Letters (From Craven Herald)

Readers' Letters

10:00am Friday 11th May 2012 in Readers' Letters

Rescued kitten sold on internet site

Sir - We are a small animal charity and would appreciate it that our name is not included in this article.

We were shocked to see an eight-week-old kitten for sale on an internet shopping site, especially when only a few days earlier the tiny kitten was still being cared for in our own sanctuary.

The kitten was one of two shown on our website needing a home, so there was no mistaking the kitten because the exact same photo was used on the shopping site. The difference was that it had a price tag on it.

The kitten was originally homed to someone from the Kendal area and the charity had been reassured that the new owner was keen to provide it with a good home. Yet when the sanctuary manager tried to go and see that the kitten had happily settled into its new home, it became clear all was not as it appeared to be. By then it was too late, the kitten had been sold.

Hopefully the kitten has been purchased by someone who really is willing to give it a loving home and offer it the care and attention it deserves. Yet all our volunteers at the sanctuary are left with the uncertainty of not knowing whether he is safe or not.

Anyone tempted to buy pets over the internet should make sure that the seller is giving the full background and correct details, and is not being sold for a quick profit.

Please contact the paper on (01756) 794117 if you purchased a black and whitemale kitten off the internet around the middle of April this year from someone from Kendal.

The charity would just like to know that he is being cared for properly and also are able to supply further details regarding this kitten.

Name and address supplied

Mindless individual

Sir - The mindless individual who left a Gulden Draak beer bottle in the gutter in the parking area by the Parish Church in Barnoldswick, on Wednesday (evening?) cost me £104 for a new tyre.

The glass bottle with white plastic covering burst instantly deflating the tyre when my wheel went over it. The incident resulted in me not being able to attend the funeral service at Ghyll Church, of a dear friend.

The situation saddens me as the day before I had spent the morning, with a group of villagers, picking up litter from the paths and roads in our village.

I would like to make a plea to people who discard bottles of any kind in the street to do so in one of the many litter bins provided. Also to anyone who sees unbroken glass bottles to either pick them up (wearing suitable protection) and dispose of them safely. Broken glass should be reported to the Council immediately.

Broken glass can be lethal!

Tony Carroll, Giggleswick

Not much different

Sir - I have been away for the winter looking all over the UK and parts of France for a house I like I can afford.

I return still hopeful for the summer to Craven, still lovely. But have I really been away, I muse.

Naturally, I bought the “Raving Herald” (to use a colloquialism) and see the same old wrangles. Viz, the spat over the wind turbines near Gargrave (an area far too expensive for me, its hinterland fiercely guarded by the anti-turbine brigade in their country houses). I wonder how much of the rest of the inhabitants would even notice the turbines – obviously a colossal money-maker for the backers else they’d give up. Forget the waffle about green power, it’s lots of the green pound they seek. The wrangle over Skipton Town Hall's development has not gone away, either, the council facing a potential £200,000 legal fee from the chosen developers - another capitalist venture being stymied by the common man saying clear off. Having been in business it makes me question the way the town is being managed.

Then there are the stallholders facing eviction from the front of Rackhams (far too expensive for me) because suddenly the landowner wants rents which have not been paid for many years. Did the stallholders really think they could maintain free occupation, or did they just not want to ask? And what piffle to suggest it could be the end of the market. Pay the rent and you can stay.

Finally, a sizeable story with a picture of a buzzard that has flown off from a falconry centre. A buzzard no less. The skies are full of them. A bit of free publicity for the centre to boot. Deja vu? We are advised to throw a blanket over it. Ha, that’s a good one. Meanwhile, the poor bird is possibly entangled by its jesses in a tree. Barry Shalg (mobile home, legally parked here and there)

Talking newspaper

Sir - Please ask your readers, “Do you know anyone who can’t read the Craven Herald?” Craven Cassette Talking Newspaper has been providing weekly audio recordings of The Craven Herald FREE to blind and partially sighted people for over 34 years.

This week the charity held its Annual General Meeting and I pledged to try to increase listener numbers.

All you have to do to receive this service is telephone myself or my wife on 01756 794298 and provide the listener’s name, address and telephone number. One of the volunteers will bring a speaker and demonstrate the service at a pre-arranged time to suit the listener and any carer.

In addition to the weekly Craven Herald recording an audio version of The Dalesman magazine is also sent out to all registered listeners as well as those who just want that recording.

Recordings are made by several teams of volunteers. The charity would like to recruit one or two more teams and would be particularly interested in forming a team from down the Aire Valley or in the north of Craven, such as Settle. Teams usually consist of three or four volunteers, with one being in charge of the computer-based recording system and one in charge of selecting the articles to be read.

I will give full training and attend recordings until a new team becomes self sufficient. The computer operator needs little more knowledge than how to turn on the computer and operate a mouse, clicking on icons that resemble an old analogue tape recorder!

The team would record about six to eight times per year on a Thursday or Friday on dates to suit the team – hardly onerous and giving great satisfaction that you are contributing to help blind people keep in touch with what is happening in the community. Again if you can help, please telephone me on the above number.

In this time of austerity here is an opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives without having to put your hand in your pocket.

Richard Breare Chairman of Craven Cassette

Making money

Sir - Wind turbines have little to do with saving the planet but much to do with making money and making it at the expense of you and me, the payers of the electricity bills.

The tempting subsidy forces people into “fuel poverty” while enriching landowners and energy companies. We already pay over £1 billion extra for our energy while gas electricity generation costs a tenth of wind power. We have plenty of gas with the likelihood of finding further vast reserves on our doorstep.

Turbines are incongruous, ugly structures and we should resist attempts to wreck the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire. Tourists do not come to North Yorkshire to look at wind turbines. If this application is allowed to succeed, we can expect a plethora of further applications all over this area.

Roderic Mather, Wigglesworth

Minister’s indifference

Sir - Copy of a letter sent to Julian Smith MP: It is disappointing to read today that Government has postponed a decision on social care for the Elderly. According to the Financial Times, there will be no decision on this during this Parliament. It will be 18 months until substantial change takes effect.

I raised this as you will recall at your surgery recently. I stressed the importance for your constituents as there are far more elderly people here than the national average.

As you know, Age UK assess the situation as “at crisis point” now with thousands of elderly people being “at risk”.

As numbers grow, and council resources are cut, this crisis deteriorates. You said a White paper would be published this spring; I suggested this might not happen because many in your party want to reduce the role of the state. My fears seem well founded.

The effect on the NHS locally and nationally is likely to be dire, as so many patients are elderly and require an improvement in community services, or extra costs will fall on the NHS. Please will you insist in Parliament on your constituents’ behalf on a change of government policy?

The least ministers could do is to change policy on capping council tax. This policy benefits the owners of the most expensive houses (who live mainly in the South), but makes it impossible for North Yorkshire CC and other councils to meet the needs of old people, as set out by Age UK. Mr Pickles’ preference for weekly bin collections shows his indifference to the needs of the elderly.

Government policy on this is harmful to the economy, has already destroyed the jobs of many low-paid workers in this area and damaged services, including bus services.

Bob Holland, Cononley

Real forecasters

Sir - Like Mr Mason I too have noticed the lack of swallows and swifts. But also why were the rooks two to three weeks late in building their nests, in the tops of leafless trees?

The answer is the recent weather. These birds (and animals) know far more about weather than our overpaid, urban button-presser (no longer pen-pushers) experts who forecast our weather will ever do.

Talk about cutbacks, this is where they are needed Bryan Capstick, Hellifield