Your letters - February 13

Diabetes: Important lessons to be learned

I WAS interested to read your report of the PCT defence of the 'Christmas Party' for diabetics, as I was one of the patients that has the disease, diabetes, and attended the lunch, not party.

It was in fact not a party, but, I hope a very constructive seminar - that involved a cross section of patients who live in the Hastings and Rother area who suffer from diabetes - that was followed by a Christmas lunch. In groups we gave and discussed our individual experience of our diagnosis and treatment of this very debilitating disease to the NHS reprentatives who took notes and assured us they were compiling a report of the services for diabetics in this area.

I myself fortunately receive very good care and monitoring, but it was clear to me I was the exception not necessarily the rule.

Unfortunately I was not diagnosed as diabetic, when first becoming a sufferer at the age of 65 - in my opinion due to lack of knowledge of the disease of an experienced Doctor GP (not in this area) ability to recognise the complaint.

Since it was not diagnised at an early stage I now suffer considerable pain and discomfort from a resultant complaint called neuropathy, for which there is no remedy nor hope of improvement.

By chance I happen to know that one of the drugs I am prescribed costs the NHS a considerable amount of money. That could, possibly, have been avoided if my diabetes was recognised and treated earlier and my suffering been less.

I feel therefore that any costs for consultation and correlation of information regarding diabetes and its treatment is a worthwhile expenditure.

I trust the NHS representatives will have or shortly be presenting their report to the PCT regarding this project and that it will satisfy Margaret Williams, chairman of the 'Hands off the Conquest', that it was a worthwhile project and expenditure.

As this was held at Christmas-time it seemed to me to be commendable that some elderly people suffering a disease should be treated to lunch after their effort to attend a constructive consultation - after all we haven't yet gone back to Victorian times.

John Kearn

Pebsham Lane

Strategic stratagem

HAVING studied the Rother District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy 160-page document covering the next 20 years, I would like to make a few observations. There is no mention of major improvements to the east-west A259 trunk road through Hastings and Rother district.

We know this road is in the lap of the gods, such as the government, Highways Agency and the East Sussex County Council.

This should not be a reason to not mention it in the said document. Individual transport has not yet been banned, and with the cleaner propulsion units on the horizon, the original bypass plan will raise its head again. A bypass will relieve the congestion in Bexhill, Battle, Hastings, Rye and Winchelsea.

I wonder how many people in this day and age have heard of the Folkestone to Honiton Trunk Road.

This Rother district document must have been conceived by strategists, strategically using a strategic stratagem. Very little black and white but plenty of grey areas.

The dictionary definition of stratagem is 1. a trick or plan for deceiving an enemy at war; 2, any trick of scheme. Definitely a politician's word.

When asking for planning permission, you present a plan, not a stratagem.

R Gillett

Holliers Hill

Reverse this decision

I WRITE again because since my last a month ago it has now been announced that the Bexhill-Hastings Link Road has been given approval and already compulsory purchase orders have been issued. I hope there is still time to get this reversed and prevent the waste of public money that would be involved.

This road as planned will not be all that useful for access to Hastings from Bexhill. Only those living in the centre of Bexhill and wishing to get to the North of Hastings and the Conquest Hospital and onto the A21 to the North will benefit.

It may reduce the pressure on the Glyne Gap roundabout from Bexhill but not Hastings, and will probably increase the congestion in Little Common and the west.

As has been said so frequently the only solution is to go ahead with restoring the planned Bexhill-Hastings by-pass and with it a good road eastwards to link-up with the M20 at Ashford. This would make it available for traffic from the M20 to go westwards to connect with Brighton and beyond.

It would almost certainly reduce the traffic going up to the M25 at Sevenoaks where congestion is always being reported in the press.

There is at present no alternative to this route which at present is the only east to west road in the southeast of our country.

But we are bedevilled by the umpteen committees inquiries etc. unlike other countries which seem to build good roads without too much delay.

Maybe they keep people happy by paying proper compensation to existing owners of the necessary land.

The only thing we can do is to lobby our own MPs and try to persuade them to get the powers-that-be to think again before it is too late.

This is so necessary to save the southeast from more traffic problems and improve the prosperity that many towns, especially Hastings, deserve to improve.

John Thurston

Horsham

Rallying memories

YOUR article on Robin Staples-Adams' motoring exploits brought back many happy memories.

Going back 45 years or so, I did a lot of rallying locally but in those days it was rather different.

You would turn up at the start, usually a pub, and a half an hour before you were due to leave be given the route.

This would include a collection of map references from which you then had to plot and devise the shortest route, as mileage was taken into account in deciding the winners. You would also have to pick up several other clues along the way.

Robin's reference to Castrol R reminds me of the many times when if we got to a cross roads in the middle of nowhere and were unsure of which road to take, we would get out of the car and walk 100 yards down one of the roads to try and smell Castrol R.

One of the regular competitors had an Abarth Fiat 500 which he ran on Castrol R and they were pretty good, so if the had been that way we knew we were probably on the right tracks.

I used to rally with a friend who had a Vauxhall Victor, not the first choice of vehicle but because of the nature of the completion we would be regulars in the top six. Those were the days.

Alan Malpass

Salvington Crescent

Pipefest setback

I THOUGHT I would write you a wee note to let you know that this year the Gael Pipefest will not go ahead. I have tried to organise this event again this year but with a thriving business and some minor but irksome health issues I cannot go it alone as I did last year. And due to local organisations letting us down last year in the marshalling department, the local police will not support the event. So it is with sadness and some relief that I have decided cancel the event for this May.

I will however be starting to organise for the next one as of now. So anyone out there who has organisational experience with this type of event, please come and volunteer. Your Pipefest needs you!

Pat Donoghue (Proprietor)

Edinburgh Bagpipe Company

The Gael, 21-23 Sea Road

Support for doctor

I WRITE in support of Doctor Kinch. He has been our family doctor for many years and has always been a great support to me and my wife, during some very difficult times over the years. To see his name splashed across the paper must be most distressing for him and his family, let alone his patients. I am sure they would all join me in sending him their support.

We all make mistakes and to see that he could have been conceivably 'struck off' is very alarming. My thoughts and support are with him and his family and wish them the very best of luck

As for Mr B and his family, I understand how they must be feeling but please give an excellent doctor the chance to carry on being an excellent doctor.

Selwyn Lippiatt

Ninfield Road

Lions Club thanks

I AM writing on behalf of the fund-raising team at Bexhill-on-Sea Lions Club to express our thanks to Hair Pro UK in Sea Road for organising a raffle and raising a wonderful 80 during the Christmas period.

The money was donated to the Lions Club and Sam Wilkinson-Aldous, the owner of Hair Pro UK, requested the money should go to the Youth Awards, for which we are extremely grateful.

The Youth Awards were started by a generous bequest approximately seven years ago and, although Lions have managed to keep the awards going every year since then, the Youth Awards Fund is now getting rather low. Contributions such as this by Hair Pro UK are very welcome so the Lions can continue to recognise, encourage and support local organisations actively involved with the Youth of Bexhill, and to help improve their facilities and activities.

Lion Avril Earnshaw

Scaffolders happy

LOOKING around Bexhill, it would seem that there is one business which is thriving in these difficult times - and that is the scaffolding business.

We see it going up all over the town and sometimes it remains in situ for months, even years.

Remember the West Indies blocks on the seafront? They were encased in the gloom for a year or two.

At present, Hastings Direct is smothered in scaffolding and one seafront apartment block, which was only built six years ago, has been covered in it for a year and a half so far, and there are countless others. At least some people are happy.

Mrs Brenda Morgan

Harewood Close

Heartwarming gesture

I WISH to thank the person who left a bag of shopping at this paper's office to help replace the food that was stolen from our freezer. They didn't leave a name but it shows there is still a great deal of kindness in this grey world. We managed to replace what had been taken so I do hope they won't be offended by the donation of the food to the homeless who at any time are far worse off than we will ever be and especially in this very cold spell. Once again, thank-you for your kind thought, it was so heart-warming.

Margaret Giltname

Ridgewood Gardens

Family research

I AM hoping to locate some relatives who lived in Bexhill. On the 1911 census Edwin Walker, aged 50, is down as living at 41 Reynolds Road, Bexhill, and is listed as a house decorator. With him is his wife Helen (Selina), born Newark, who was nee Menzies, also aged 50, and their son Edwin, aged 24, single, born Manchester, Lancashire. Helen (Selina) is my relative and I would be very interested in hearing from anyone who has information about this Walker family! My email is [email protected]

DOROTHY HOLDEN nee MENZIES

Dover

Instant gratification

Everywhere I see babies with dummies stuck in their mouths - contented babies, some asleep. And not only babies, but infants of three to four, running about. Worse than unnecessary, this is an education into expectation of instant and continuous gratification, to be maintained throughout life. What harm has this done, and is still doing, to the rising generation?

Ralph Hill

Little Common

Nursery appeal

AMBERLEY Nursery in Buckhurst Road in Bexhill, is desperately seeking two large rear tractor tyres. They are for the children to turn into cars, boats, camps, spaceships, castles, dens or whatever they want them to be! If anyone is able to help please call Mark on 01424 212472

Mark

Beach dogs plea

A FEW years ago you kindly published our letter requesting people walking dogs on the beach to keep them quiet. Sadly it had little effect, especially with the summer time ban of dogs on the beaches of Central Bexhill.

We would like to remind owners that pets barking on the beach between Galley Hill and Herbrand Walk are well within earshot of people in all the properties along there.

It is especially annoying, and indeed potentially damaging to health, to be woken as early as 5.30am morning after morning, and moreover kept awake as the dog walkers progress up and down the beach.

Please could you once again print this request for consideration from dog owners.

Following a warning form the beach inspector and our own experience of the militancy of some dog owners we ask that you do not publish our name and address. Name and address supplied

John & Heather Morrey

Name and address supplied

Early resolution required

I USUALLY work out of an office in Eastbourne and the 12-mile journey takes me about 25 minutes.

From time to time I have to go to the office in Hastings. The six-mile journey takes me 25 minutes.

The journey time is the same but the pollution I create by creeping along at under 10 miles an hour is significantly higher.

At times the air quality on Bexhill Road is hideous. Clearly an early resolution of the problem is required.

It can't be long before the more sophisticated Sat Navs start diverting traffic onto the only possible rat run - via the lanes around Crowhurst.

The proposed Link Road is a surprisingly innovative solution, utilising as it does the derelict land formerly used as a railway line.

It is not perfect and it will need a well-planned junction at the Bexhill end if it is to avoid becoming another 'pinch point'.

Nevertheless, if it diverts half of the traffic from De La Warr Road/Bexhill Road it will go along way towards addressing the problem.

The opposition to the Link Road comes from three groups.

l Firstly there are the environmentalists and fellow travellers. They oppose all roads on the basis we should put the clocks back 50 years and restrict personal car use to the favoured few while the rest of the population travels by public transport. It is unlikely to happen in my lifetime.

l Next come the conservationists (a.k.a. Nimbys) who see Combe Haven as an area of incredible beauty. I have to say I just don't see it. The area is pretty enough but there are a number of similar or superior areas within a 10-mile radius. The fate of moths, lizards and obscure plants leave me cold. Species come and species go. It is called evolution and I am more concerned about the health of the people who live on Bexhill Road.

l I have far more sympathy with the views of the last group - those who want a new road that by-passes Bexhill and Hastings completely. It is the best solution by a long way. Unfortunately there is not the political will to embark on such a costly scheme in the foreseeable future. Even if there were it would take the best part of twenty years to come to fruition.

The Link Road is not perfect but it is the only show in town. The last thing we need is any more delays.

Frank Wood

Collington Lane East

Expect seriouscongestion......

NOW the Link Road is more likely to be constructed, it is essential to know whether A259 through-traffic will be re-routed via the new road.

This should have been decided at a very early stage of planning as, if the A259 is unchanged, people who expect traffic reduction at De La Warr Road and through St Leonards and Hastings will be disappointed.

However, if it is re-routed, serious congestion can be expected along The Ridge with its hospital and three schools.

Traffic wanting the A28 to Ashford and Canterbury will logically use the Link Road, despite the three junctions to be negotiated after the end of Queensway.

These junctions will need to be improved, and maybe the new route should be numbered A28, ie.extended to Bexhill to link with the A259 there.

It is easy now to get the impression that the principal reason for the road is to serve industrial and residential regeneration behind Sidley and Pebsham.

Planning authorities and MPs are committed to this development, which could explain why they support the new road.

However, it is necessary that residents should now be told what the intentions are for through-traffic.

John M Taylor

Birk Dale