Don’t dismiss what Friargate may offer
I WAS somewhat confused by the contribution from Matthew Batson on Friargate (Dec 27). Firstly, he is keen to suggest that Friargate is a product of the ‘local Labour leadership’. Friargate has been supported by both the Conservative Mayor of the West Midlands and the Conservative government nationally. Those with a long memory will also recall that the development was supported by the Conservative party when they controlled the council. More importantly though, I think it is worth countering the pessimism about Friargate. He has forgotten to mention that the Financial Ombudsman Service is already based at Friargate. If a major service like this is willing to relocate to Coventry, then it is far from hard to imagine others will follow. It is also important to acknowledge that the new arrangement protects the investment so far. It also means that instead of profit from Friargate going entirely to a private developer, it will come back to the taxpayer. Regardless of your political affiliation, I think it is churlish to talk down a good news story such as this. I think it is well worth acknowledging that any jobs and growth is good for the whole of Coventry. Personally, I am very glad to have woken up on January 1 to a Labour council, delivering growth and investment in Coventry. Dave Toulson Tile Hill
Taking the food out of pupils’ mouths
COULD this Tory government be any more despicable than it already is by literally taking food out of children’s mouths?
By means-testing low-income families who are on the unworkable Universal Credit, one million children could be set to lose out on free school meals. Families with three children earning more than a paltry £7,400 per annum will have to find an extra £3,582 to make up for the loss in free school meals.
This shows Universal Credit was never actually designed to simplify the benefits system, but is a means of cutting payments. Andy McDonald Tile Hill
Lottery players help us save pets
ON behalf of pet wellbeing charity PDSA, which has a busy Pet Hospital in Barkers Butts Lane, I’d like to say a huge thank you to all local players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
We have received fantastic support from players this year, which has helped to secure a better future for thousands of pets in the city, as well as providing emergency care and life-saving equipment. In 2017, the funding has helped us: See 71,000 pets brought to us with emergency conditions requiring immediate veterinary help. This included those treated at our Coventry Pet Hospital; ■■Purchase 34 items through a National Emergency Equipment Fund to repair or replace old clinical equipment, including a new ultrasound machine at Coventry PDSA Pet Hospital; ■■Host 52 pet first aid courses across the UK, which have equipped hundreds of people with potentially life-saving skills; ■■Promote PDSA’s online symptom checker, which has been used over 128,000 times. The free tool has helped owners with queries about their pets’ health.
Just like people, pets can suddenly fall ill, or sustain an unexpected injury. Whatever the cause, the emergency care we provide is vital. For some pets, immediate assessment and diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.
A total of £255 million has been raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery for good causes across Great Britain since the lottery launched. On behalf of us here at PDSA, and all the pets we treat, well done and thank you. Rebecca Ashman PDSA Senior Vet
Pointless posturing of nuclear powers
I AM becoming increasingly concerned in regard to the stupid posturing between American president Donald Trump and the even sillier North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
I would have thought that a more pressing problem is finding out which deity, of which religion, created a world complete with atoms and sub-atomic particles that are of no conceivable use to everyday living and are not even remotely referred to in the Christian Bible. For instance, why did the Christian deity create a world with such a minutely conceptual detail then not even mention it in his Holy Bible?
I am willing to accept that I may have missed something somewhere, but Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un seemed to have missed something more than I. Jock Brownlee Wood End