LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

With school holidays upon us, please spare a thought for the older generation, especially those with limited mobility.

Used to doing our shopping and errands during the day, we suddenly find ourselves competing with scooters, skateboards and bikes on the pavements.

Left lying outside shops these are a trip hazard, and it is unnerving to be walking (slowly) along a street and suddenly have a young person hoon past you on some form of wheels. Often one comes on either side, leaving little space to get out of their way.

If you have children, and let them roam around during the holidays, please take five minutes to remind them to be courteous to others, and aware of our needs on the streets. T SMITH.

It was great to see some young children getting a close look at some lambs in last week’s paper. Growing up my brothers and I always had pet lambs and learning to care for them was a great lesson for us all. I encourage all parents to give their children the opportunity of owning a pet lamb, calf or other animal as the lessons learned last through life, of caring, empathy, commitment and love. A DAVY

Thank you. Thank you Emma Helleur for your beautiful article on the importance of mental health and body acceptance.

Like you, I have spent many years ashamed of my body, feeling inadequate and ugly compared to the parade of stick thin women on television and in magazines.

I was no size 6, but nor am I am size 30. I, like many New Zealand women, sit somewhere in between, a size 16 in most clothing brands. Yet I felt elephant sized.

I felt ugly and unattractive because everywhere I looked the only female role models were minute compared to me and I felt I didn’t fit in with this country’s idea of beauty.

How often have I stood in line at a shop in town to hear someone tell another woman “you look great, have you lost weight?”

Or when I walk past someone on Broadway and I hear them mutter to their friend “who ate all the pies..”

yes, that has happened to me. In Stratford. More than once.

I’ve been at the swimming pool and heard someone refer to me as a whale. I’ve been in the supermarket and heard someone comment I should be buying less food. I’ve heard a child, no more than 8 or 9 say “that lady is fat” as I walked past.

Weight loss surgery is becoming more and more common, with women younger and younger taking it up. Well done to them if it is for health reasons, but I worry they are buying in to the idea that beauty only happens when you can wear size 10 dresses.

I hope everyone reads Emma’s words and understands the point. By fat shaming, people are telling children beauty is related to size, and that is a dangerous message. Please, tell your daughters and sons they look fantastic, no matter their size, and recognise the beauty of good mental health. NAME WITHHELD ON

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