LETTERS
I refer to your recent article regarding the development of the Cooperative building.
The developer Neil Edginton has previously stated that, “we will be keeping the facade”. He had also given assurances that the important engravings on the columns by artists John Skelton and John Trawbridge will also be protected.
Given these assurances, I was shocked to see that his builders appear to have drilled a large masonry bolt through the centre of one of these protected heritage public artworks.
I have raised this with the Coventry Society who wrote to Mr Edginton but they have received no response. It is quite possible that this attachment will further damage the artwork.
Is this a demonstration of the credence which we should attach to the promises of developers?
Vincent Hammersley
Most people are aware that we need to keep kids active for 60 minutes a day. For kids to lead a healthy lifestyle, they need to move as much as possible — and if they have additional needs, this is just as important.
With Walk to School week starting on the 21st – 25th May it would be a great opportunity for Coventry parents to push the benefits of two feet over four wheels.
Childhood obesity is now a bigger issue than ever in the UK. To have a chance to remove cars and traffic off our streets for a five-day spell could make all the difference for the future health of kids around the city.
In 2017 alone, 400,000 children and their families took part in the challenge. Let’s see how many Coventry can add to it in 2018.
Tim Mayer
Conservative Councillor Westwood Ward
I want to encourage your readers to unite against dementia and take action to fix dementia care in Coventry.
An Alzheimer’s Society investigation has discovered that 50,000 people with dementia were admitted to A&E across the country in the last year, because inadequate social care is leaving them unprotected from falls and infections. This is a 70 per cent increase in the last five years, which tallies with cuts in social care funding.
Successive governments have shirked the issue of our threadbare social care system. People with dementia are now forced to rely on services so starved of funding that they’re unable to protect them from harm and the doors of A&E, let alone provide specialist care and support.
There are 4,887 people over-65 living with dementia in Coventry and this number is expected to rise. The government must work out how it will deliver high quality social care to everyone with dementia who needs it, and at a fair price.
Find out how you can take a small action to make a big difference and help fix dementia care at www.alzheimers.org.uk/daw.
Tony Refson
Alzheimer’s Society Services Manager – Coventry
In the run up to National Volunteering Week (1- 7 June), Cats Protection would like to extend our thanks to the many thousands of volunteers throughout the country who offer their time and expertise to help cats and kittens across the UK.
In 2017 our 10,200-strong volunteer network contributed an incredible 5.5 million hours, each volunteer gifting a wealth of expertise and immeasurable passion to the charity. Their dedication enabled Cats Protection to help around 200,000 cats and kittens nationwide.
Cats Protection is always on the lookout for new volunteers to join the UK’s biggest cat community. Though a large part of our work is helping cats, through fostering and rehoming, our volunteers have the opportunity to become involved with a range of interesting activities such as organising fundraising events, helping with publicity or managing funds and resources to benefit the greatest amount of cats. Volunteering can offer the chance to develop skills such as time management, interpersonal skills and teamwork, making CVs much more attractive and of course helping cats!
Anyone who is interested in becoming a volunteer can go to our website https://www.cats.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering to find out more.
Julie Meredith
Cats Protection Head of Volunteering Development
