Readers’ letters

Not forgotten

Dear Ed, – I refer to Margaret Young’s ‘Tribute to the fallen’ in this week’s Gazette.

In 2009 the ‘Book Of Remembrance’ for Crossford and Hazelbank was completed thanks to a grant from Supercounty.

This book, compiled by the late Andy Andrews and myself, shows the stories behind all the names on our War Memorial at Crossford, their connection to the community, who their parents were, where they had lived, where they fell, and where they were buried.

Many of these details are available from War Graves Commission Records, but we in Crossford also realised the need to complete these records before local memories and recollections faded.

This beautiful bound ‘Book Of Remembrance’ is housed in a locally-made display cabinet in Crossford Church, and I also have a copy at home which can be referred to whenever necessary. – Yours etc.,

DAVID ROBERTS,

Crossford War Memorial Restoration Group,

Crossford.

Preparing book

Dear Ed, – I am happy to assure M Young that the names recorded on Biggar War Memorial are not ‘only names’.

Biggar Museum Trust has an extensive archive of both World Wars as well as the Crimean War.

I am currently researching the stories behind the names for a book which will be called ‘Biggar at War’.

And I am using this opportunity to ask members of the public to get in touch if they have any information or photographs they would like to contribute.

Similarly, if anyone would like information about an individual serviceman, please contact me either at 220047 or 221050. – Yours etc

A MATHESON,

Biggar Museum Trust.

Squandering it

Dear Ed, – At the risk of sounding very much like Victor Meldrew, I could not believe what I was seeing when I read in last week’s Gazette that around £20,000 could be spent on creating, two “hedgehog roundabouts” on the approach to Lesmahagow with the money at least partially coming from that donated to the village by Tesco.

Although living outwith the village now, I am Lesmahagow born and bred and visit the village twice a week on average.

Over the years I’ve seen the village declining gradually with the closure of the mining industry, knitwear factory, hotels and shop after shop in Abbeygreen, with very little now remaining after the closure of the Co-op.

As far as I am aware, money donated to the village by Tesco has been ring fenced by South Lanarkshire Council for the development of the village centre.

Creation of “hedgehog roundabouts”, which incidentally are not near the village centre, but in close proximity to the Tesco store, is in my opinion squandering that money.

The money would be far better spent on the regeneration of the centre of the village and trying to return it to what it used to be.

It is time now for SLC and others to reconsider this madness, focus on the important issues within the village and let the hedgehogs go into hibernation. – Yours etc.,

JIM KELLY,

Address supplied.

Good first year

Dear Ed, – St Andrew’s Hospice Charity Shop in Lanark celebrates its first birthday on December 3 this year.

It has been a hugely successful year not only for the shop but for the fundraising team in general, which has to raise £49,000 each week to continue to provide the end of life care for Lanarkshire Communities.

Please could I ask you to convey my thanks to the local community and businesses that have supported the shop in the past year?

The contribution of high quality goods, support by local businesses and monetary donations in memory of loved ones have all contributed to raising the huge amount required to maintain the level of care at the Hospice.

It is most important to me that those who have supported the shop in its first year are thanked.

My thanks also go to my fantastic team of volunteers who work tirelessly to keep the shop a cheery and pleasurable place to browse, – Yours etc.,

CHRISTINE BROPHY,

Manager

Hospice shop,

Lanark.

It’s a dog’s life

Dear Ed, – PDSA’s new Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report revealed that millions of pets’ needs are being neglected.

This isn’t due to deliberate mistreatment – simply that many owners don’t fully understand what their pets need to be healthy and happy. Re a number of worrying findings in the PAW Report, one of which is that nearly a third of dog owners have been bitten or attacked by a dog.

Aggression is most often caused by a lack of appropriate training and socialisation when dogs are young, which can lead to fears and aggression in later life.

But the Report showed that many owners still don’t take puppies to training classes, or understand how to socialise them properly.

Pet obesity and a lack of preventive care are also issues addressed in the PAW Report.

Another stark finding is that many owners aren’t aware of the five simple things pet owners need to provide by law to ensure their pets’ long-term wellbeing.

All of the animal welfare issues the Report assesses are preventable.

As the UK’s leading veterinary charity, we can’t ignore this and want to do all we can to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of pets.

To help support owners we have launched our Better Life for Pets campaign.

We are urging all local pet owners, whether you have a dog, cat, rabbit or other small pet, to visit www.pdsa.org.uk/pawreport to read the PAW Report and watch our unique pet welfare animation.

It may just take one or two small changes but, with your help, we can make a better life for all pets a reality. – Yours etc

NICOLA MARTIN

Head of Pet Health and Welfare

PDSA – the UK’s leading veterinary charity