LETTERS: The importance of George Eliot - The Coventry Observer

LETTERS: The importance of George Eliot

Coventry Editorial 18th Nov, 2017   0

I would like to add my voice to those of Professor Rosemary Ashton and Mr Giles Foster (9 November 2017) in urging everyone in Coventry to join the efforts of the George Eliot Fellowship, the Coventry Observer and the Coventry Society to reverse the decline of Bird Grove, the writer’s home for seven years. As critic and editor of one of her novels and all of her poetry, I too can attest to George Eliot’s importance as a one of the greatest writers in the English language, and the momentousness of her connection with Coventry.

With your support, it may be possible to convince Coventry City Council that the restoration of Bird Grove is extremely desirable, for a number of reasons: promoting a home-grown cultural icon with an international reputation; encouraging visitors from around the world to visit Coventry as part of their George Eliot pilgrimages; and, giving further impetus to Coventry’s application for becoming a City of Culture in 2021.

Giles Foster lives in Bath and writes about the benefits brought to that city by its connection with Jane Austen. I live in Canterbury and can point to the many ways we profit from our associations with Geoffrey Chaucer and Christopher Marlowe. Coventry can do the same. Remember the film, Field of Dreams (1989), where we learn that ‘If you build it, they will come’…?

So I urge you to join this newspaper’s excellent campaign, and perhaps petition your local Councillors, to further advertise the plight of Bird Grove, thereby encouraging your Council to take all necessary action to turn things around, giving the house a bright and welcome future.




Dr. A. G. van den Broek

Vice-President of the George Eliot Fellowship


With just six weeks to go until Christmas, Dogs Trust is urging people not to fuel a cruel puppy trade – albeit unintentionally – by purchasing an illegally imported puppy.

The warning comes after record number of puppies were seized in just one week during a covert operation at the UK border with many more expected to be smuggled into the country undetected as devious importers hone in on the Christmas trade.

As the UK’s largest dog welfare charity we exposed the horrors of the illegal importation of puppies earlier this year as the demand for in-trend breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs continue to help fuel this sickening trade. We’ve seen cases of bitches being smuggled across pregnant as importers find sinister new ways to get them through the border undetected.

Despite many people’s purchases being well intended, unbeknown to them the internet has become a thriving marketplace for advertising illegally imported puppies. As a result we’ve produced some buyer advice to help people make sensible choices and avoid being tricked into buying puppies which have been illegally imported from Central and Eastern Europe.

Illegally importing puppies needs to end now. We urge the Government to improve this failing legislation. This includes increasing penalties for those illegally importing puppies and a significant overhaul of the pet checking system at ports. Members of the public can support our campaign by visiting www.puppysmuggling.org.uk.

Paula Boyden

Veterinary Director, Dogs Trust

In addition to the terrible human deaths and casualties that have been inflicted by indiscriminate use of air weapons, many pets have also been the unfortunate victims of air weapons.

Cats Protection’s air gun licensing petition has already received over 76,000 signatures and we would like to thank all of those who have signed the petition.

Cats receive life-changing injuries from air guns such as limb amputation or loss of an eye. A 2016 Cats Protection survey of vets found that 46% of reported incidents result in fatalities.

We welcome the government’s intention to review the regulation of air weapons licensing.

We are asking the government to licence air guns in England and Wales, bringing us in line with Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Our monitoring shows nearly four cats a week are reported as killed or injured by an air gun in the UK – the actual figure is higher as many remain unreported.

We would like to encourage those who haven’t signed up to show their support by going to our website: www.cats.org.uk/airgunspetition

Jacqui Cuff

Advocacy and Government Relations Manager, Cats Protection

 

Business Directory

From plumbers, to restaurants, we can provide you with all the info you need.

Announcements

Weddings, Birthdays, Bereavements, Thank you notices, Marriages and more.

Buy Photos

Buy photos online from the Coventry Observer newspaper.

Subscribe

Receive a weekly update to your inbox by signing up to our weekly newsletter.