They pave paradise for so-called ‘drives’
RECENT years have seen the deliberate destruction of the English front garden in the once called ‘leafy suburbs’. When the suburbs first appeared, housing estates were built with side or rear access which became utilised to build garages on properties. Nowadays these are largely ignored. Why? Instead, front gardens are completely destroyed to make way for the motor vehicle. Large amounts of soil, flowers, shrubs, fencing and walls are taken away. To where, I ask? And what happens to it? Gardens are stripped bare with not a green leaf in existence. Birds, bees and butterflies receive no welcome here. Flooding often happens as the water often cannot drain away from block paving or Tarmac. To complete the barren landscape, a dropped kerb is installed – a potential risk to pedestrians. Other drivers trying to park on the dropped kerb may be prosecuted. To further exacerbate the situation, vehicles which used to be kept by businesses at work premises are now being kept at home addresses and the front garden – sorry, the drive! – is often used for this purpose. Other vehicles seen include caravans, ice cream vans, even a horse box has found its way onto ‘the drive’. The euphemistic ‘drives’ are summed up in Joni Mitchell’s song Big Yellow Taxi: “You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”. The overall impression these days are of naked, exposed gardens with no proper boundaries, isolated and with no living things. No longer a Shangri-La, just a shambolic mess.
Jill Shaw
Coundon
Let’s bring back nursing cadets
I READ with interest Mr Bevan’s letter (Apr 7) regarding the shortage of nursing staff and agree fully in replacing the State Enrolled Nurses (SENs).
I would go one further and say bring back the nursing cadet system for youngsters from the age of 16 years to 18 years.
I started as a cadet. We spent two days in nursing school studying Latin, maths, hygiene, anatomy and physiology etc. The remaining three days we worked various departments which included outpatients, linen room, occupational therapy, x-ray department and the path lab.
At 17+ we gained a white belt and were let loose on the wards. We were allowed to tidy linen rooms, make beds, learning what type of bed was required for the different illnesses, clean bed pans after testing urine specimens etc.
At 18 years we became student nurses. We knew how the other departments worked and the pressures they had. We had learnt along the way how to set up all the specimens plus many other things.
I understood cadets were phased out because it was not economically viable but I do not understand how this was checked out. In my class, three of us left. One later became an occupational therapist, one a radiologist and I went back to nursing at 18 years and left on retirement as a nurse manager.
Nursing auxiliaries often began because of home commitments but many went on to train as SENs. Whilst working one ward, three nursing auxiliaries went on for further training. One went to Edinburgh University for a nursing degree, one did SEN training and one became an SRN. These all became qualified people and started out with jobs that fit in with home life.
R Marriott
Millisons Wood
City not renowned mass high culture
I AM somewhat bemused by calls for a civic/concert hall in Coventry, (Letters, Apr 20).
Exactly what type of entertainment would take place there? Since most of the headline pop acts go the Ricoh Arena, I assume we are talking about the kind of high-brow entertainment available at Warwick Arts Centre.
There is about as much call for this in Coventry as there is a John Lewis or other expensive department store. It is a city not renowned for mass high culture. The footfall would be extremely low and such a place would have to be either expensive to attend or be heavily subsidised. As a rate payer, no thank you. Richard Allen Whoberley