Letters 
 
4:10pm Wed Sep 08, 2010
Sport is now featured on the Advertiser’s back page, an overdue recognition of the leisure segment in all our lives.
Will the new school academies raise standards in education?


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3:28pm Thu Aug 26, 2010
Thousands of visitors attended the fifth annual Newark Food and Drink Fayre on Sunday.
Playing field home to bad behaviour
— JOHN NORMAN, Balderton (Full address supplied).
I suggest Mr Brian Fenton has the wrong idea about the children, as he calls them, causing mayhem on the Balderton playing field (Playing Field Patrols Called Into Question, News Views, August 27).

As a daily user of this fine facility I see the litter, mess and vodka bottles that these so-called children repeatedly leave behind, even including, I am disgusted to say, human excrement, not counting the damage done to the trees and shrubs.

So it is not hearsay as Mr Fenton alleges.
Colour concern
— JOHN SWAIN, Lover’s Lane, Newark.
In the words of Prince Charles, a carbuncle has appeared in Northgate, Newark.

How the planners and conservation people allow this to happen amazes me.

Just opposite, developers have made a great job of refurbishing the old brewery.
Natural selection
— D. BARKER, Southwell (Full address supplied).
In the last sentence of his Credo piece, Nature Is Proof Of God’s Work (Advertiser, August 27) Mr Roy Parsons seems to question Darwinian step-by-step evolution.

Natural selection operates by gradually tending to favour the survival of beneficial characteristics — for example, the quicker gazelle will, on average, tend to evade being eaten, and so have the chance to reproduce and pass on its very slightly superior genes.

Another example is that of swallow chicks, for whom the individuals with the most animated gaping response to the parents’ arrival at the nest with food, will tend to be more likely than their siblings to fledge early enough to build up adequate energy reserves to cross the Sahara.
Bird box appeal
— JOHN LUDLAM, Mickledale Lane, Bilsthorpe.
Could you spare a couple of hours a month to support nature conservation?

The RSPB needs volunteers to help place their pin badge collecting boxes in local shops, restaurants and garden centres.

Badges are bought for a suggested donation of £1 raising valuable funds for the RSPB’s conservation work.
High praise
— (Mrs) C. LEE, Newark (Full address supplied).
The Summer Picnic and Brass Explosion at Riverside Park, Newark, were a welcome tonic at the end of the summer holiday.

Best of all, they were free, and thanks go to the organisers for keeping them that way in this age of austerity.
Running total
— WIL CHUNG, fundraising and marketing manager, Beaumond House Community Hospice, London Road, Newark.
At the time of writing, the Sunflower Run for Fun has raised over £15,000 in aid of Beaumond House Community Hospice, Newark, surpassing my initial target of £10,000.

On behalf of patients and staff, I want to thank all who took part.

The total equates to 3,000 patient lunches, 750 nursing hours, 375 sessions of complementary therapy, 122 community care night sittings or 71/2 days of total running costs of Beaumond House.
Fine facilities
— J. JACOBSON, Boundary Road, Newark.
I have recently returned from a small island, Bornholm, which belongs to Denmark.

It has tiny villages and harbours but wherever I went they had well-equipped and clean toilets. It puts Newark to shame.

No wonder the market is looking a sad sight compared to what it used to be.
Summer sounds
— JOHN STEPHENSON, Marton Road, Newark.
Congratulations to Newark Town Council for the Sunday summer band concerts.

Large crowds gathered at the castle to hear excellent performances, including one from our own Newark Town Band.

A big thank-you also goes to all the bands for providing us with such enjoyable entertainment.
Rental regulators
— PAUL DERRY, Grange Road, Newark.
According to the article, MPs’ Concern Over Lack Of Protection (Advertiser, September 3) MPs are looking into the lack of regulation of the lettings market.

Are MPs the best people to look into this, bearing in mind the recent scandal about some of their own properties?
Badge at last
— D. PRINCE, Balderton (Full address supplied).
Common sense has prevailed and Lance-corporal Johno Lee has his disability parking badge.

It’s a shame that, despite losing a leg serving his country, he had such a battle with bureacracy.
Ban roadside parking to improve safety
— JEAN RAWSON, Wheatsheaf Avenue, Newark.
I was very interested in the article about the irresponsible parking around Newark’s KFC and McDonald’s restaurants (Mother Highlights Safety Fear, Advertiser, August 13).

Obviously there is a time limit on parking at McDonald’s so a lot of people park on the roadside in Harvest Drive.

The big wagons, and even coaches, have nowhere else to park so they too park on the roadside in Harvest Drive.
Centre use
— PETER HOLLAND, Meadow Road, Balderton.
I agree with your correspondent who criticised Balderton Parish Council’s decision to pay a private security company to patrol its playing field (Playing Field Patrols Called Into Question, News Views, August 27).

What a brilliant idea to let organisations use the village centre in the evenings, not just youth clubs but other groups too.

If the council is looking for more income, it could come from the centre being used in the evenings.
Police question
— NEIL ALLEN, Balderton parish councillor, Bullpit Road, Balderton.
Your correspondent, Mr Brian Fenton (Playing Field Patrols Called Into Question, News Views, August 27) asked when members of Balderton Parish Council walked on the village playing field.

I use the field regularly and also make use of it and its excellent play equipment at least once a week with my young nephew.

What Mr Fenton should be asking is how often the police walk the field and deal with the problems of anti-social behaviour.
Super service
— D. PRINCE, Balderton (Full address supplied).
What a great attitude Mr Tony Pollard showed to make sure Michelle Watson got her wedding dress in time (Going The Extra Mile To Save Bride’s Big Day, Advertiser, August 27).

There’s a lesson for us all there.
Looking ahead
— (Mrs) HELEN ROBERTS, Southfield, Balderton.
As I listened to what the MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, had to say about the funding of Newark schools, I could see ten and 11 year olds through the window having fun at the Grove School’s Science Week.

Volcanoes, fuels and crime investigation; most of the topics affect us here in Newark so isn’t it great that we are already teaching the next generation about them to help us all in the future?
Service charge
— GEORGE LILLYWHITE, Private Road, Southwell.
PICTURE a famished family entering a restaurant in Newark and asking the landlord if there was a nice table to be had.

Imagine the landlord as he turns, his brow black with indignation, and points wordlessly to the clock behind the bar like Scrooge’s third ghost.

My goodness, it’s one minute past two in the afternoon.
Hardwork required for higher grades
— MICHAEL WILSON, Queen Street, Balderton.
Congratulations to all those students who have received their results from AS, A, GCSE and BTec examinations.

Their hard work following good teaching has resulted in another improvement in standards.

Their success is not because the examinations have got easier but because they have worked hard and their teachers have prepared them well.
 
Hotel hitch
— C. R. BLOODWORTH, Edward Avenue, Newark.
Plans for a new hotel on Castlegate, Newark, were unanimously passed by Newark and Sherwood District Council, despite objections from Newark Town Council, Newark Civic Trust, Millgate Conservation Society, and a number of nearby residents (All Agree On Luxury Hotel, Advertiser, August 20).

I note that Nottinghamshire County Council highways department opposed a drop-off point at the front of the hotel.

This, if allowed, would have caused chaos.
Parking limit
— A. MUMBY, Wyke Lane, Farndon.
Your correspondent, C. R. Bloodworth (Hotel Parking A Problem, News Views, August 20) pointed out that the hotel proposed for Castlegate, Newark, was not a good idea.

There is no parking available nearby and Castlegate is already over-congested and a poor place to stop.

Mr Bloodworth is quite right. He is also right in pointing out the congestion on Newark’s roads is a matter requiring serious attention.
Cleaning power
— MARK WRAITH, Rowan Way, Balderton.
One of this country’s best known cleaning products bears the slogan: “Kills all known germs. Dead.”

Does the copywriter responsible think tautology is something you study at the Vienna school of cake making?
Clear case
— CHRIS GANGEL, Newark (Full address supplied).
As a town councillor and forces veteran it was with deep concern that I read the reported facts concerning Lance Corporal Johno Lee (Blue Bade Snub For Hero, Advertiser, August 27).

Johno is a war veteran who lost a leg in the service of his country.

He has purchased a suitable vehicle to assist his rehabilitation and mobility.
Badge disgust
— ROBERT ELLIS, Balderton.
I am disgusted that one of our young men who has lost a leg fighting for our country, who comes back home and raises money for other heroes, runs into bureaucratic nonsense, or should I say no sense, and ends up with parking tickets Blue Badge Snub For Hero, Advertiser, August 27).

Shame on Nottinghamshire County Council for allowing this to happen.
Village vision
— BOB RENSHAW, Boughton (Full address supplied).
The demise of the Sherwood Energy Village company is to be regretted.

There are those who have not agreed at all times with Stan Crawford’s pragmatic approach (all politicians have their detractors) but I have no doubt that without the vision and persistence demonstrated by him and his supporters, this flagship development would have been nothing but a dream and the Ollerton area would have been the poorer.

I think it is also safe to say that had it not been for the collapse of the housing market, the project would have continued to grow successfully and I am sorry that RBS, itself having been saved by taxpayers’ money, felt unable to offer more support.
Sports ground
— JOHN STEPHENSON, Marton Road, Newark.
It would be a sad day if Newark’s Elm Avenue sports ground was to be used for anything other than sport (facing The Boot, Advertiser, August 13).

The doubts over its future must have come as a shock to all involved with the teams that use it, including the coaches who do such fantastic work with the youngsters.

This ground is steeped in sporting history and is a nursery from where youngsters progress to compete at senior level.
Playing field patrols called into question
— BRIAN FENTON, Hawton Lane, Balderton.
Instead of spending money on security patrols to protect a playing field from children, Balderton would be much better served if the parish council opened the village centre and used this building as a youth club to give young people somewhere to go and something to do in the evenings.

The money spent on security patrols could be used to pay for a youth worker to supervise this activity.

The parish council has £10,000 that was supposed to be spent for the benefit of the village’s children.
Toilets closed
— (Mrs) MARGARET COBB, Palmer Road Sutton-on-Trent.
Further to my letter, Children’s Safety Must Come First (News Views, August 13) I have made another visit to the park on Tolney Lane, Newark.

The problem with the single gate always being opened is still ongoing, but on this particular day the toilets were locked at 4pm on a warm and sunny afternoon.

The park was still very busy and as most people know, when the young, and not so young, have to go they have to go there and then.
Back to future
— PETER MASON, Talbot House, Newark.
Isn’t it amazing that some things don’t appear to change despite the passing of time?

I refer, of course, to Newark Town Club where last week’s 100 Years Ago column recorded that it was hoped the appointment of a new secretary would turn around the fortunes of this beloved institution in the town.

A century later and the president, Ian Randall, is still trying to get a new team together and pull the old club round again.
Twilight walk
— ANN AKRILL, Marie Curie nurse, Newark (Full address supplied).
As a local Marie Curie nurse, I am inviting local walkers to take part in a fabulous evening of sunset strolling, picnicking and entertainment, taking place at Boughton House, Northamptonshire on Saturday September 4.

Walk Ten, Boughton House, is one of a series of twilight 10k walks taking place at stunning locations around the UK, many of which are usually closed to the public during the evenings.

Walk Ten, Boughton House, is supported by HomeServe, and will help to fund more nursing care for terminally ill patients in Newark.
Have your say on housing strategy
— MARY MOLLOSON, Main Street,
In respect of the excellent letter from the Farndon Residents’ Environment Group (Give Us Growth Referendum, News Views, August 13) may I suggest that the group writes to the Secretary of State for communities and local government on the same basis and perhaps makes the following amplifying points:

The concept of Growth Points originated with the last government as an inducement to councils to accept greater housing growth in their areas above that generated by local need.

Members of Newark and Sherwood District Council negotiated such a Growth Point for Newark without informing the public, let alone consulting them on the idea.
Lorry warning
— ANTHONY SYME, Fiskerton (Full address supplied).
In 2006 Nottinghamshire County Council gave Staythorpe Power Station permission to burn oil for 20 days in the event of interruption of the gas supply.

This oil would be brought in by road.

Now npower has applied to have this permission extended to the use of oil as a commercial alternative to gas for 20 days every year.
Appeal caution
— COLIN SOUTHGATE, Coddington (Full address supplied).
The Advertiser should be congratulated on championing the excellent entrepreneurial idea of Rob Taylor in his quest to raise £1m for Cancer Research (Let’s Make A Million, August 20).

I would like to wish him all the best, but would urge some caution with his intended method.

It is not such a unique idea to use internet-based appeals.
Priority case
— WILLIAM GRANNELLS, Wheatsheaf Avenue, Newark.
As a resident of Wheatsheaf Avenue, Newark, for more than nine years, I can confirm that the article, Mother Highlights Safety Fear (Advertiser, August 13) about lorries parking near the playground in Linseed Avenue is an ongoing problem.

I have written both to Newark and Sherwood District Council and the Traffic Commissioners in Leeds, who regulate the operation of HGVs.

The council did acknowledge my letter, stating they were forwarding a copy of it to Nottinghamshire County Council.
Pupils inspired
— J. MARSHALL, Newark (Full address supplied).
I reflect on the recent passing of Mrs Barbara Carver and I know I speak for many of my age on the truly inspirational teaching and mentoring that I received during our time at Magdalene High School.

Her leadership on school recycling was years ahead of its time and left a strong environmental ethos on me.
 

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