Readers’ letters

Misinformed?

Dear Ed, – In your latest edition (Gazette May 26) Energy 4 All’s Paul Phare appeared to suggest that opponents of his company’s proposal to erect 125 metre high wind turbines very close to the villages of Kilncadzow and Cartland were guilty of mis-information.

This is a phrase he would be very familiar with as many of statements made during their public presentations and to the local press have time and again fallen into that category.

In last week’s article he states ‘the community benefits will be for Kilncadzow and Cartland’ which contradicts earlier statements that benefits would go to the wider community, this taking in a 10km radius which involves Lanark, Carluke and further afield; but, in any case, monies from this project might have to go to the SLC renewable energy pot for them to re-distribute.

He also claims to have engaged with the local community with presentations held locally but these attracted minimal attendances mainly due to the lack of publicity and advertsing by Energy 4 All.

Very few homes for the Kilncadzow show (October ‘10) were leafleted and, considering the large populations of Lanark and Carluke, a very small percentage of those were in attendance at these venues (April 2011).

This however has not discouraged Mr Phare from claiming that all the communities had been properly consulted and were in favour of the plan. His further attempts to engage with the residents at a drop-in event at Kilncadzow village hall on May 16 were met with strong opposition as many relevant questions put to him were not properly addressed; and, as one of the company’s technical experts had failed to turn up, the villagers of the communities concerned left Mr Phare in no doubt as to their feelings, with almost every one handing in a letter of objection on leaving. – Yours etc.,

LAWRENCE LOVELL,

Craigenhill Road,

Kilncadzow.

Lost the right?

Dear Ed, – I sympathised with the plight of the gentleman living in Miller Street who has to take a taxi to the new health centre, in spite of the fact that he only lives yards away from it, as was featured on the front page of last week’s Gazette.

I, too, find it a long way around now to get to where I want to go at that end of town, having used the old pathway for twenty plus years!

The fact that the path has been in existence for that time leads me to believe that the NHS do not have a right to block it.

The legal position, I think, states that to become a right of way, a route must have been used by the public for twenty years and link two places (using public roads ie, Miller Street and Chapel Street).

Located routes used for walking the dog or for access to the shops, schools or other local amenities are deemed to be Rights of Way.

The fact that a gate was put in the back fence, at the Miller Street end, leads me to believe that the NHS might have suspected that it should not block this access. – Yours etc.,

LYNN MCSTAY,

Shieldhill Road,

Carluke.

Hotel thoughts

Dear Ed, – I was recently sent a cutting from the Gazette by a friend in Symington, Mairi McQuid, re Wyndales. It is with a touch of sadness that we read the latest news about Wyndales.

For nearly 18 years my wife Judith and I had the pleasure of looking after the people of Clydesdale and Scotland and needless to say we made many friends.

We are now happily retired in Italy and this year will be the second year of production of our small vineyard.

To our many friends and to Wyndales we wish all the very best and if any of you find yourselves near S Margherita di Staffora come and see us and we’ll be delighted to share a bottle of our wine with you. – Yours etc.,

ROBERTO MARCHESI,

S Margherita di Staffora,

P Pavia,

Italy.

Foster plea

Dear Ed, – I have been fostering with my wife Julie for 16 years. We believe that every child deserves a good start in life. I can honestly say that fostering is so rewarding we wouldn’t consider doing anything else.

Hundreds more foster carers are urgently needed across Scotland, for children of all ages, but especially teenagers. Without more foster carers children face moving a long way from their family and friends and being split up from their brothers or sisters.

I feel proud to have been able to make a difference to the lives of so many children.

Foster Care Fortnight (May 16-29) has just raised the profile of fostering, but new foster carers are needed all year round.

I would urge anyone who has ever thought about fostering to get in touch with their local fostering service today, or visit www.couldyoufoster.org.uk or call Fosterline Scotland on 0141 204 1400 to find out more. – Yours etc.,

PHILIP COGHILL,

Foster Carer and Trustee,

The Fostering Network Scotland,

2nd Floor Ingram House,

227 Ingram Street,

Glasgow G1 1DA.

[email protected]

Vintage appeal

Dear Ed, – I am writing in the hope that your readers can help me. I work for a small animal charity in Edinburgh and we are trying to raise funds for our work with an online ‘vintage’ clothes store.

I wondered if it would it be possible, through the pages of your newspaper, to ask if any readers have vintage or designer clothes or jewellery, from the 1970s and older, which they no longer need?

If they would like to consider donating them, the address to send them to is OneKind, 10 Queensferry Street, Edinburgh EH2 4PG.

We also have a website if anyone wants to look at the work we do to help animals – www.onekind.org

Considering the type of charity we are, we cannot accept items made of fur, feathers or leather. However, anything else would be greatly appreciated.

If any readers want to find out more they can call me on 0131 225 6039 or email me at [email protected] and I will be happy to tell them more. – Yours etc.,

FIONA NEWTON,

Edinburgh.

Musical RAF

Dear Ed, – Were you ever a musician in the Royal Air Force? The RAF Music Services Association is looking for new members.

We wish to contact any retired and former musicians who served in any of the RAF established bands or orchestras, including the WRAF band and the RAF voluntary bands.

The Association was formed in 1987 as a way for members to renew their friendships with former colleagues.

Membership includes a magazine twice a year full of news and reminiscences of the RAF Music Services past and present.

Members also have the opportunity to attend the Annual Reunion each summer.

For full details of membership please contact John Dablin on 01296 433763 or by email at [email protected]. – Yours etc.,

JOHN DABLIN.