Letters from the Bury Free Press of Friday, September 28
THANKS TO OUR ‘TRACTOR BOY’
Re the Tractor Run and Bale Push (reported on Page 19) which was the brainchild of Lee Maddox.
Lee ‘Tractor Boy’ Maddox, as he is affectionately known, is the most amazing young man. Extremely patriotic and community-minded .
Some years ago a mutual friend was suffering from ovarian cancer and Lee started fund-raising for Target Ovarian Cancer – he has raised thousands of pounds in the past five years.
Coming from a farming background and knowing that I am a Samaritan volunteer, he also raises funds in many different ways for our Samaritan branch. Last Saturday he put on yet another fantastic event – his annual Tractor Run and Bale Push just gets better and better.
Eighty-two took part this year, setting off from Chare Farm, with kind permission of the Frost family, at 12.3pm with the tractors visiting surrounding villages.
This event brings so much joy to young and old alike.
The rides ended at the Dun Cow, Bardwell, where publicans Denise and Alan Nurse are equally community- minded. They transformed their car park into a mini music festival site, with local bands performing along with ones from as far afield as Dorset.
Before the music started, groups of four – children , ladies, men – competed in a bale push, with each winning team receiving a trophy, as each tractor did.
The bands stopped playing at 11.30pm. Rain could not dampen anyone’s spirits the most amazing day was had by all .
Lee’s efforts raised £4,000 which he is sharing between Target Ovarian Cancer, Samaritans and the air ambulance.
Being patriotic, Lee is known to say: “We will remember them,” and as the tractor run passed the Stanton War Memorial he laid a plaque thanking the fallen for the freedom we have had – 1918-2018, 100 years .
I would be very grateful if you could run this piece as a small show of appreciation to this remarkable chap, Lee ‘Tractor Boy’ Maddox. We thank and also will remember you.
Vivian Bewley, Bury & West Suffolk Samaritans
NO APPETITE FOR MORE FAST FOOD
I write to support the 25 residents of the Howard Estate who have written in to St Edmundsbury Borough Council, overwhelmingly rejecting the application to add an additional fast food outlet to the existing five already on St Olaves Precinct.
There is also massive social media anger that a building that has been their post office (which they desperately want back) for so many years, is proposed to be turned into yet another fast-food outlet. The additional traffic, noise pollution and limited parking will simply not support yet another establishment of this kind.
There are currently 12 shops in the precinct which serve the estate, and the building and land, including the six litter bins, are all owned by the applicant, London and Cambridge Properties Limited. Despite ongoing communication between St Edmundsbury Borough Council and the landowner, it is my understanding that they so far have not paid St Edmundsbury to empty the bins. This means that all six bins are constantly full and overflowing on to the pavement. This is not the type of commercial activity you would expect from a landowner which I find highly irresponsible, and yet they want to add another takeaway?
Part of my role as a St Edmundsbury borough councillor is to serve on the Suffolk County Council Health Scrutiny Committee. This is a powerful committee which scrutinises the health service provision in Suffolk. I will therefore point out that in 2016/17 there were 617,000 admissions to NHS hospitals in the UK where obesity was a factor, and obesity will eclipse smoking as the biggest cause of cancer by 2043.
Some 3.7 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and 4.6 million are living with it.
These statistics are very worrying, and should be considered by the Development Control Committee when deciding applications like this one, i.e. what short-term/long-term effect could this application have on the health of residents and the resources of the West Suffolk Hospital and associated health care services?
The people of the Howard Estate have spoken loud and clear, they want their post office back, or if this is not possible, they would like a café where the community can meet, eat healthily and stay for a while, or both? It will take a business person to grasp this unique opportunity, and give the people what they want, but what the majority do not want is yet another takeaway. It is my job, and the St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Development Control Committee’s job, to listen to the people.
Cllr Paul Hopfensperger, Independent Councillor for St Olaves Ward
WE SHOULD BE RECYCLING MORE
Cllr Hopfensperger is appealing for more litter bins on the Howard estate (Bury Free Press, September 21). I feel we should be pushing more for recycling bins everywhere in the town more than general waste bins in certain areas. We should be encouraging and educating all to recycle and have public recycling bins available everywhere as standard. We are so behind so many towns and cities on such an important issue. I know it will cost money to implement but it’s investing in everyone’s future – shouldn’t that be a priority for all and something for the council to lead by example?
Yvonne Cheesman, via email
SHOW DESERVED BETTER SUPPORT
A great show at The Apex on Sunday night by the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, but either there was insufficient advance publicity for the show or Bodyguard took its toll, which might have affected audience figures.
This orchestra’s music
covers a period starting back in the 1930s right up to and including the 1960s and I
would have thought Bury St Edmunds had more than its fair share of oldies (like myself) who, under normal circumstances, could fill The Apex several times over.
Orchestras that specialise in music from the eras mentioned are few and far
between, and need and deserve our support.
Name and address supplied
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
Although I am not a member of Open Britain I do take issue with your correspondent, Julie Pierce (Readers’ Views, September 14) who argues that a ‘people’s vote’ on the final Brexit deal is undemocratic. Clearly this does not make sense as democracy is not limited to a single vote frozen in time. If it were we would not hold elections at regular intervals and nor would we encourage the participation of residents in key decisions affecting their lives. For disreputable party political reasons David Cameron chose to hold a referendum two years ago in which a small majority was achieved by those wishing to leave the European Union. This does not mean that those who voted (both leavers and remainers) and those who chose not to vote should be denied the opportunity of reviewing their positions in the light of what the final deal has to offer.
Julie has suggested that when we voted two years ago we were all aware that there may be some ‘transitional discomfort’. This is a huge understatement. We now know that whatever the final arrangements, leaving the EU means that the economy will shrink for some years to come, and most people will be worse off. There will also be further cuts to our hard pressed public services. Austerity has already meant that many working people are having to rely on food banks to get by. A further cut in living standards will be catastrophic for some of our citizens.
In my view, the electorate has a right to be heard on an issue that has such huge implications (be it through a referendum or through a general election), once the terms of Brexit are known. That is democracy in action.
Richard O’Driscoll, via email
PEOPLE’S VOTE NOT FEASIBLE
Could Group Lead of pro-EU Open Britain, Christina Birt, and like-minded supporters, Helen Korfanty and Kay Thompson (Readers’ Views, September 21), inform us if they are actually prepared to fund their ‘People’s Vote’ for both campaigning sides and what the campaigning spending limits would be, please?
Can they ‘lay out their stall’ and the proposed campaigning timetable? I am intrigued about the practicalities and feasibility of another referendum on Brexit.
Also, if it helps, I know someone who could contribute 30 pieces of silver.
Ian Smith, Bury St Edmunds
PROMISES WERE WORTHLESS
Theresa ‘my way or the highway’ May says the EU should show her respect. She should look in the mirror. Liam Fox promised us a trade deal with the EU would be the ‘easiest in human history’. David Davis promised we’d get ‘the exact same benefits’ outside the single market as within. Boris Johnson and Michael Gove promised us £350 million extra per week for the NHS.
Now we know that these promises are worthless, Theresa May should show the British people some respect by giving us another vote. No-one voted in 2016 to be poorer and this is the only democratic way to sort out the sorry mess we’ve been misled into.
Tess Murdoch, Bury St Edmunds
THE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY VOTED
Well done Julie Pierce for setting out so admirably the ‘cynicism of the people’s vote’ (Readers’ Views, September 14). It is greatly misleading to even be called that, since ‘the people’ voted earlier – and knew what they were voting for – to get out of the ‘tyranny’ of the EU.
An earlier letter points out that our liberties have been eroded subtly throughout our dubious membership, so that we now take orders from the EU. And pay them vast amounts of money for the so-called privilege.
We need to regain our freedom and spend our money at home, as is badly needed.
What the ‘Remoaners’ are actually doing is causing more division in the Conservative Party and hindering the negotiations which will get us our freedom.
John Shayer, Shimpling
