Your letters on recycling , climate change, a charity collection, a bank closure and the arrest of a head teacher

Police force not supported by the public

Steve Mackinder’s letter in Viewpoint on March 24 made compelling reading in the manner policing was carried out on the head teacher of a Lynn school leading to an arrest in front of pupils.

We live in a society where the criteria for judgement is unfairly ‘guilt by accusation’, even after exoneration.

It is also a hideous expression: “There’s no smoke without a fire.” The matter is sub-judice and the Lynn News editor has legal constraints on what he can report in advance.

What I can say is that when I was in the police 50 years ago, teaching staff under suspicion were approached after the children had gone home, where it was professionally and circumspectly dealt with away from young eyes.

In those days there were things which were kept away from pupils, but ‘equality’ has a lot to answer for, especially with adult sex education tuition in schools. The Metropolitan Police is under adverse scrutiny by the press, and there was a time when corruption was a term used by the criminal underworld, but now it is widely used in society. Overall a police force is weakened if it doesn’t have the support of the public, which currently is showing despair.

David Fleming

Downham

Let’s encourage more use of food waste bins

The recent article on the Government’s crazy idea to improve recycling figures made me smile as I tried to imagine where I would put my extra bins, having four already.
What was also interesting was the fact that although various types of recycling are mentioned for the new bins, there is no mention of glass, so is that not to be recycled any more?
The mention of food waste recycling was also interesting as it’s obviously something that was started in West Norfolk some time ago, but was forced to stop during Covid, and since then it seems less people are interested in starting to do it again.

I note in my own part of the street only a very few households put out a food waste bin, of which I am one of the few.
So maybe instead of worrying about separating recycling, thus inflicting more bins upon us, and which anyway is already being dealt with excellently here under the present system, the Government could take up a campaign on encouraging more use of food waste bins, thus ensuring less goes into landfill. And leave general recycling as it is.
And by the way, the collection of used batteries is another plus for our local council’s waste collectors and presumably another separate recycling initiative for which we do not need another bin.

Lynne Hubbard

Downham

He contradicts the scientific community

David Fleming’ letter on Climate Change (March 28 ) fills me with despair.

It is not an ideology but a scientific consensus on the causes and effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. He will be aware of the recent UN report of the overwhelming agreement of published scientific evidence.

After sneering at the various people and bodies who are active in trying to mitigate its effects, he quotes from an American right wing think tank, the Heartland Institute (not Heathland ).

All that needs to be said about that is that they were also involved with Phillip Morris in trying to negate the harmful effects of smoking.

Perhaps the editor should have added an advisory that the views expressed were not in agreement with about 95% of the scientific community.

John Martin

Lynn

We are one of the most vulnerable

The cost-of-living, National Health waiting lists and strikes all take attention from the climate crisis and the frightening loss of wildlife.

Yes, the cost of living and National Health crises should be on front pages but they should not eclipse the climate crisis. It should also be at the forefront of the news.

It is like a time bomb ticking and time to defuse it is running out.

The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report (IPCC) asks for “rapid, deep and immediate” cuts to emissions of greenhouse gases.

If we cut carbon and methane now, our future could be comfortable: cleaner air, cleaner rivers, cheaper energy, warm homes and more jobs.

If we delay, the future looks bleak, unliveable – heatwaves, droughts, food shortages and floods.

We may love West Norfolk but low lying and dry in summer, it is one of the most vulnerable places to climate change in the world.

It’s our choice. To quote the iPCC: “It’s a big task, and that is why every action matters, every bit of warming matters, every year matters, every choice matters.”

IPCC reports are based on tens of thousands of scientific papers assembled by thousands of scientists, engineers and other experts.

The scientists volunteer their time. They do not receive funding from vested interests such as oil companies.

Jenny Walker

Roydon

What if we created all this for nothing?!

David Fleming may well be right. What if climate change is a hoax?

What if we created energy independence, green jobs, cheaper energy, a sustainable future, cleaner liveable towns and cities, cleaner water, less pollution and healthier people for nothing?

Kevin Holland

Magdalen

Thanks to all who gave us their support

On behalf of Norfolk Goldwings Light Parade, we would like to extend a big thank you to all the people of Hunstanton, and surrounding areas, for supporting us on Saturday, March 25.

We raised £1,741.77 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Once again, thank you.

Our next static collection for EAAAA will be in Lynn’s New Conduit Street on May 20.

Paula Penn

Events, Norfolk Goldwings

Another reason to visit town is taken from us

So, Downham is soon to join the ranks of the ‘bankless’ market towns.

Lloyds is pulling out for the same usual excuses the other banks and building societies waffle on about when they shut up shop.

Lack of footfall and increasing use of online banking. Well, I suspect it’s what we call progress and we can look forward to the old bank site ending up selling cheap tat or becoming another charity shop or funeral directors, so it isn’t all bad news.

Luckily, the Post Offices will be able to pick up the pieces to salve the conscience of this banking giant who only last night was advertising on my telly that they’re “always by your side”…

Slowly and surely our daily lives and social interactions diminish as we retreat into our cars to drive to retail parks or sit on our sofas all day tapping away at our little plastic screens ordering stuff while advertisers relentlessly trot out disingenuous twaddle like being always by your side. Oh, the irony.

This loss represents a further enlargement of the hole in the ‘Downham Doughnut’ as
another reason to go into town is taken from us.

Goodbye Lloyds.Let’s hope your redundant staff find other jobs… I hear the charity shops always need volunteers.

Steve Mackinder

Denver

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