Your letters - October 8, 2010

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Is Christmas early at superstore this year?

I noticed that on the Jempson's website they say that one of their values is to "Glorify God through our work".

I also noticed that in that in mid-September, the Jempson's Supermarket in Peasmarsh were selling Selection Boxes, tinsel and other Christmas ephemera.

How does this "Glorify God"?

Barbara Leadbetter

Main Street, Northiam

Planning to beat future floods

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Anyone who knows Rye, knows how susceptible the alluvial hinterland to the former island is to flooding through natural weather and climate cycles, especially at high tides, and how after the 1960s floods the banks of the Brede, Tillingham and Rother were raised to defend the town and the valleys. (Rye Observer 1/10/10).

My memory doesn't quite stretch back to the 13th century when 10 years of tempestuous weather caused the Rother to change its course and destroy Old Winchelsea, but it could conceivably happen again, quite naturally.

The River Boards, bless 'em, planned for such eventualities with sea defences the effectiveness of which is illustrated in the infamous 25 inch Official Rother District Council 'Local Plan Inset Map 32 of Rye', dated January 2001. I happen to have it spread before me; it clearly shows that the land below Love Lane, Military Road, and all the way to Winchelsea may become one huge paddling pool at 12 feet above mean sea level, ie: a 3 foot flood - not unknown in living memory.

The good news is that those in Love Lane will have fresh fish daily, at their doorstep, and that Rye's watering hole, 'The Globe Inn', will remain dry, metaphorically! The bad news is that Rye's 15 other pubs and the entire citadel of Rye, towering above by some 70 feet, including St Mary's Church, is shown totally submerged in 'the flood zone'!

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Now I've seen some miracles, but this prophecy really will be worth watching for it will be on the scale of the Red Sea dividing for Moses, but without Hollywood's special effects!

Perhaps the cartographers at Rother and The Environment Agency know something we don't, which may explain why "Noah's Ark" is moored, ready and able at Hastings railway station?

Now, where are my water wings...?

Barry M Jones

Bixley Lane, Beckley,

Hospice shops open for business

The St. Michael's Hospice Shops at 31 Cinque Ports Street in Rye have recently been refurbished and are now looking very clean, bright and inviting.

One shop is selling men's clothes, furniture, bric-a-brac, books, cds and dvds, and the other ladies' clothes and bric-a-brac.

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We have also started selling designer labels and high-class clothes, bags and shoes which are, of course, more expensive but still very good value, so do come along and have a browse. All our takings go to support St. Michael's Hospice which is such a worthwhile cause."

Jan Weston

School Lane, Peasmarsh

End of the questions over hall?

Many readers will be relieved to learn that I have decided to call off my exhaustive attempts to obtain an answer from Carl Maynard, leader of Rother District Council, to my question 'Why did you feel it was appropriate to use your power of discretion in authorising the 50,000 grant to the new hall in Udimore despite the fact that none of your own guidelines were satisfied ?'

Others, mainly those who have not forgotten their principles, and who were agog to hear the answer will, I'm afraid, be disappointed.

Maybe it's me, but I find it impossible to conduct a meaningful dialogue with people like Mr Maynard and various other inmates of the Rother Palace of Fun & Varieties in Bexhill.

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One of them, who you would think should know better, wrote a letter to me so full of obtuse and rambling excuses why my question need not be answered, that it caused ripples of mirth from those who read it.

So I have decided that the game is not worth the candle.

It was a shame that I was not allowed to speak to Mr Maynard by Chairman Turgoose at the Udimore Parish Council meeting on 29th October.

This was the second time he had done this to me and in doing so has clearly shown how his cards are stacked.

I had merely intended to inform Mr Maynard of my decision. I do not know how the news will affect him but whatever it does, it will leave him more time to become even more important than he is now.

Tony Bridgland

Udimore.

Chance to end 1000 years of struggle

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The Battle of Hastings anniversary is upon us again and it's time to reflect on the liberties and freedoms lost on that fateful October day in 1066.

The conquest that followed sparked a thousand year struggle to wrestle power away from an overly centralised political elite and put it back in the hands of the people.

From Magna Carta, the Peasants' Revolt, the Chartist movement, through to the Suffragettes - ordinary people have literally put their lives on the line to win our freedom, rights and the vote.

The next chapter in that long struggle is about to begin, where simply having a vote is not enough, we need that vote to be fairly counted.

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The current "first past the post" system may have served its purpose when Britain was a two party state, but things have moved on and many constituencies (ours included) routinely have 5, 6 or more candidates.

The consequence of this is that hundreds of MPs are elected with less than half of the votes cast and this woeful situation desperately needs reform, so that all MPs have a legitimate mandate to represent their constituents.

The Alternative Vote (AV) system will deliver that mandate by ensuring that all MPs receive backing from over 50% of their electorate.

It's time for us to take back parliament and demand that our votes are fairly counted ...if you agree, you should vote yes in next year's AV referendum.

Clive Bishop

Asten Fields, Battle

Thanks for thirty years of practice

To the patients of the Northiam & Broad Oak Surgeries.

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After over thirty years of General Practice in Beckley, Broad Oak and Northiam I have hung up my stethoscope and I want to thank all those who donated so generously to my presents and the two charities.

Dandelion Time: a farm based project near Maidstone which helps 7-16 year old children and their parents, with serious emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Also The Oliver Curd Trust which provides respite holiday homes, locally, for families of children suffering with serious illnesses.

Each charity received 2,000. I also want to thank all those who sent cards or presents or helped or came to the Beckley Village Hall on the afternoon of 30th September to give me such an amazing send off.

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I wish to express my profound gratitude to all who helped make the occasion of my retirement so memorable.

The event was orchestrated by the Northiam and Broad Oak PPG ably lead by the chair Ken Smith.

It has been my privilege to work with trusting, tolerant, often good humoured and responsible patients. To provide general practice backed up by a high quality Practice Team which will continue to work for the patients with my successor Dr Sally Parnell who will I believe serve them well.

I wish all of them the best for the future.

For many reasons I have been a fortunate man to have lived and worked amongst you.

Dr John Carroll

Stonepit Lane, Sandhurst

Help with growing my family tree

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Can anybody help me track my relative, please? If anybody can recall Harold Joshua Jempson who was married to Gertrude - her maiden name was Hailstone

Also if they remember his brother Albert if you think you can help me then please write to me at Allan Jempson, Flat 19 St, Richards Court, Bellingham Crescent, Knoll Estate, Hove, Sussex BN3 7FW, or you can email me at [email protected] You can also find me on Facebook.

Any help with this would be of great help.

ALLAN JEMPSON

by email

Where is the link road evidence

AN article in The Economist of September 25 quotes the Labour leader of Hastings Borough Council as saying "the mooted new road link to Bexhill would reduce onward journey times to Brighton and London."

But where is the evidence for such a statement?

The main argument in support of the link road is that it will enable areas of Bexhill to be developed for industrial parks and social housing, both of which would result in an increase of traffic along the section of A259 from the traffic lights in London Road, Bexhill, through to the Little Common roundabout and along Barnhorn Road.

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Yet at times this stretch of road is already severely congested.

Spending 100 million to transfer a bottleneck from one section of the A259 to another would not be a sensible way of spending our money.

D W WOOLLER

Collington Rise, Bexhill-on-Sea

Tackling arthritis in the workplace

ARTHRITIS is the biggest cause of physical disability in the country. It is a painful disease that affects around 10 million people of all ages – it does not exclusively affect older people.

But although arthritis is relatively common, this condition is still widely misunderstood and is often dismissed as just 'aches and pains'.

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This year, World Arthritis Day (October 12) will cast its spotlight on employment.

A recent Arthritis Care survey found that 34 per cent of people with arthritis who are aged 18-64 say they struggle to cope at work. Staying at work can prove particularly challenging for people who are in regular pain, but, with the right support, they can remain in their jobs.

Employers play a key role in improving the working conditions for employees with arthritis. We are calling for employers in the area to sign up to our Employers' Pledge, which is available to view at arthritiscare.org.uk. Employers who are already supporting our Pledge include BT and the Royal Mail Group. By signing the Pledge, employers are committing to make a positive difference for people with arthritis at work.

Our recently-updated Working with Arthritis booklet provides information on how to stay in – or return to – work. People with arthritis can get their own copy of this booklet by calling our free and confidential Helpline on 0808 800 4050, 10am-4pm weekdays. They will also be able to discuss any concerns they may have about work.

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I do urge your readers to get in touch with Arthritis Care for information and support, and to raise awareness of arthritis among their community.

Neil Betteridge

CEO, Arthritis Care

Thanks for garden society support

Can I thank the members of the Iden and Playden Garden Society for their support and encouragement during my twenty year chairmanship of the society.

Also can my wife Janet and I say thank you for the kind sentiments, card and gift voucher, accorded us last Saturday.

Chris Mears

Hiham Road, Winchelsea

A brief moment in rhyme

I've been waiting for this.

It's ten minutes past ten.

I wait a few seconds more,

ten seconds to be precise,

Yes it's ten seconds past.

Then I look at the calendar,

It's Sunday the tenth of October

in the year of our Lord

Two thousand and ten.

So it's all the tens then.

It's 10:10:10 on 10/10/10.

Well at least it was

a short time ago.

It won't happen again.

Thinking about it,

a thousand years ago

that two was not there.

It was actually the year 1010.

RAY RIPPINGALE

Firle Road, Little Common

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