Spurned after coming to the NHS’s rescue

WHEN the disastrous shortage of PPE came to light during the early stages of the pandemic, the firm for which I work performed wonders to fill the gap in the needs of the NHS and care homes.

There was a remarkably rapid ramp-up in the production of PPE — from zero to five million protective aprons a day.

The newly appointed PPE tsar’s team visited us to learn how this was achieved and whether this approach could be passed on to other UK suppliers.

There is still a shortfall and a substantial stock has to be put in place in the event of a second wave of coronavirus.

New working practises have been adopted, existing equipment modified, £2.5 million has been spent on new equipment and additional staff employed.

However, it appears that it is the intention of the NHS to revert to sourcing PPE from China. My company has been notified our last delivery will be in September.

This will result in the immediate cessation of employment for 200 employees. This is despite the ability and willingness of UK producers to come very close to the price of the Chinese supplied product. They are shutting the door on UK suppliers who saved their bacon.

MIKE LLOYD, Wallasey, Merseyside.

Follow the rules

I WOULD love to hug my grandchildren. I would love to travel abroad, browse in shops and not have to queue.

I would love to have visitors and go to see my family. I would love a vaccine to be found and for the pandemic to end. But I must have patience, as must we all.

More than anything, I would love my grandchildren to have a world to grow up in. So I ask those who break the rules and don’t adhere to guidelines, think not just of what you want now, but of the future for us all.

MAUREEN RAE, Witney, Oxon.

AS A Royal Navy officer who worked my way up through the ranks, I’ve spent most of my life obeying orders and giving them.

I despair of the idiots who take no notice of social distancing and litter our streets. It is down to lack of intelligence and pride in anything, refusal to conform to advice or instructions and a complete disregard for others. ROBERT BLOOMFIELD,

Fareham, Hants.

First-class delivery

I AM livid at criticism of postmen (Letters). My son walks 15 miles a day to deliver the post. The service is depleted because many postmen are shielding.

He says the sorting office is like Christmas with packages piled everywhere, but there are no extra staff to deal with it.

Perhaps the whiners would like to accompany my son on his round in a heatwave and downpours. His customers clap him on his round, which he finds embarrassing as he says he is only doing his job.

M. FIELD, Guildford, Surrey.

Thanks for saving me

WHILE waiting for surgery for a pelvic mesh implant in 2011, I read the Daily Mail article that highlighted the devastating outcome of some women who had undergone the procedure. The report stopped me from having the treatment even though my consultant assured me it was safe and even phoned the newspaper to say the report was not accurate.

Thank you, Daily Mail, for keeping me safe.

Name and address supplied.

Jill of all trades

I AM surprised that Sarah Vine considered it racism when her friend was spoken to as if they were a wine waiter (Mail).

In my long career as a clerical worker, I’ve been asked to serve wine, make tea, get sandwiches, clear tables, wash up other people’s dirty crockery, keep the staff kitchen clean and provide thousands of glasses of water.

Once my manager, who was ‘working from home’, demanded that I help a secretary clear the car park of snow with shovels. Miss Y. F. D. DORRER,

Sevenoaks, Kent.

Life is tougher today

I, TOO, am a child of the 1950s, but in today’s very different world I would never consider youngsters to be snowflakes (Letters).

Yes, back then wages were poor, there was a lack of labour-saving devices and only limited facilities for hygiene.

Yet I received an amazing education that resulted in a successful career. Lockdown has caused hardship for thousands of families, with poverty, emotional distress, grief, anxiety, loneliness, isolation and fear.

Parents have been juggling working from home with educating their children, who are isolated from friends and grandparents.

The 1950s remain in the history books; the global pandemic will rewrite the history of the world.

JANICE HUGHES, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. I ALSO remember my Mum filling our tin bath once a week for our baths in the 1950s.

I was lucky that I went first and my two brothers followed!

BEVERLEY GRAVES, Herstmonceux, E. Sussex.

Honourable legacy

MY FATHER was one of many expats in the Colonial Service and spent a lifetime teaching.

To denigrate so many people who gave positive, constructive and altruistic service is as insulting as it is disingenuous.

There were educationalists, doctors, administrators, highway engineers, railway engineers, sanitation experts and water engineers who helped build invaluable infrastructure across Commonwealth countries to the lasting benefit of all.

JIM SNEE, Diseworth, Derbys.

Pension indignity

I CAN’T believe letters about women’s pensions were sent to their husbands (Mail).

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) treated them as mere chattels of their menfolk.

It seems to consider women of a certain age to be worthless, dim creatures it can ignore and treat with contempt when it comes to their pension rights. I am one of the 1950s women whose state pension age was increased without warning from 60 to 66.

The DWP claim they sent out letters to some of us notifying us of the change, but perhaps they sent them to our husbands!

I am not asking for handouts, just the money to which I am entitled, having paid full National Insurance contributions all my working life.

Perhaps Chancellor Rishi Sunak could give his magic money tree another shake so 1950s women receive the money we are due.

It would enable us to retire with dignity and free up jobs for the thousands of young people losing theirs because of Covid-19. Mrs DENISE TAYLOR, South Witham, Lincs.