Travel problem to country parks

Cllr Ruth Clark, Fairlop ward, writes:

I read with interest Mr R Emery’s letter.

I totally agree with his comments with regard to public transport not even being a consideration when trying to visit Fairlop Waters from Goodmayes.

Transport links to our two country parks are not good, therefore most people have to drive and then have to pay to park – that is if you are lucky enough to own a smart phone.

Most local parks are easily accessed by residents by walking, but the country parks are not. The country parks give a totally different offer to residents than normal local parks yet the public have to pay.

I have long been asking for two hours free parking at the country parks and will continue to do so and I know that the residents support me.

I have been told that if two hours free parking is introduced there will be a loss of revenue to Vision, well in my opinion, they seem to find money for other things so let’s put our residents first and make the country parks more accessible to families who may be on a low income, to the elderly who may not have smart phones, to the daily dog walking groups who meeting and parking costs them far too much and to all our residents that should not be excluded because of the cost or bad transport links.

Remember Fred?

Christine Grant, Moulton, Suffolk, writes:

My uncle Fred Peters is in a care home in Mildenhall Suffolk and he is in the early stages of dementia.

Fred often asks about his work mates from Tate and Lyle.

He is 82 and I can’t give him any information about his life or friends who he worked with.
I know it’s a long shot, but anyone who knows Fred and can give me snippets to pass on to him would be great.

Fred used to live in the Custom House ward.

If you have any information, no matter how trivial, please email me at christinegrant55@gmail.com

Population figures

Will Podmore, Clavering Road, Wanstead, writes:

Iain Duncan Smith MP wrote (Recorder) that there have been reports of “an 85 per cent decline in population size” in China’s Xinjiang region.

Dr Adrian Zenz, the go-to source for claims about the Uighurs, stated: “In Kashgar and Hotan, two of the prefectures that make up the Uighur heartland, combined natural population growth rates fell by 84 per cent between 2015 and 2018, from 1.6pc to 0.26pc.”

A fall in a population’s growth rate is not the same as a fall in population size.

Council motion

Morris Hickey, Long Green, Chigwell, writes:

I am not in the least surprised that the notice of motion about health service pay (letters) failed to receive universal support at the March meeting of Redbridge Council.

The current council leadership does not present notices of motion. They present instead an entire speech masquerading as a notice of motion.

What your correspondent does not tell us is that the Conservative Group in Redbridge attempted to move at least three amendments, all of which were ruled out of order.

It is also to be noted that your correspondent is from Mayfield Labour – the great leader’s fiefdom. Such a coincidence...

For what it is worth I am a member of the Conservative Party, having first joined some 70 years ago, and served as a councillor in Redbridge for 24 years.

I deplore and reject the derisory offer of a one per cent pay increase for NHS workers.

It trivialises those who have been exposed to personal risk and danger in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Given the circumstances of the past year, no pay rise is likely to appear as entirely adequate compensation for what the staff have endured, but it does not have to be placed at the level of a Whitehall farce.

In my view, the government has to be both fair and reasonable in this matter and should make a realistic offer.

Nightwatch toolkit

Lynn Gradwell, director, Barnardo’s London, writes:

The past few weeks and months have been incredibly difficult for businesses in the hospitality sector, which have been forced to shut their doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

We all know the closure of pubs, bars and restaurants has had a dreadful economic impact on the livelihoods of so many people, so the return of London’s night-time economy is to be welcomed by all who work and live in this great city.

But at Barnardo’s we know from our long expertise as the UK’s largest children’s charity that there is another side to the bustling fun of London’s night-time economy; one sadly where those who seek to harm and exploit children and young people use the hours of darkness as a time to operate.

That’s why Barnardo’s is raising awareness of its free Nightwatch training programme as night-time businesses seek to reopen.

A new toolkit will support the Nightwatch training to safeguard children and young people from exploitation by increasing awareness among businesses and services working in the night-time economy.

The toolkit explains what child exploitation is, why businesses should care and what people should do if they have concerns that a child is being exploited.

It includes a helpful checklist for businesses including hotels, licenced venues and taxi drivers to ensure they are fully equipped and knowledgeable about how to spot the signs of exploitation and how to respond to prevent children from being harmed.

We are all too aware that child exploitation is under reported and using this toolkit could be the difference between someone coming to harm or receiving the help they need.

Barnardo’s has provided training to over 1,000 night-time workers in London, including the Met Police and Transport for London.

It has created a vital network of eyes and ears after dark that will help keep children and young people safe.