Congratulations on a kind and moving gesture
Steven W Beasley, Retiring chairman, Hebden Bridge and District branch of the Royal British Legion.
I WOULD like to thank all those who attended the Remembrance Day parades in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd on Sunday last.
Every year the numbers seem to grow, and this year was no exception, particularly at Mytholmroyd where it seemed that the memorial garden would not be sufficient to hold all the people.
I also thank Hebden Bridge Band for lending their support to the occasion at Hebden
Bridge, and to Hebden Bridge Junior Band for doing the same at Mytholmroyd. Additionally, I extend grateful thanks to West Yorkshire Police for controlling traffic, and Calderdale safety eardens for their support, as well as to the churches of St James’ and St Michael’s for bringing dignity to the events, and to the youth groups that provided the guard of honour at the churches, and to others who contributed to the success of the events.
We have moaned about the flood defence work being carried out in Mytholmroyd that has blighted the lives of motorists, seemingly for years and set to do so for some time yet. But on
Monday, November 11 (the actual day when the Armistice was signed in 1918 to bring about peace) I was emotionally moved when I witnessed the entire flood defence workforce heading for the memorial garden; all 50 or 60 of them, in full working gear with hard hats in hand, come to honour the two minute silence at 11 o’clock. This group of tough looking individuals formed a large semi-circle in the garden that encompassed a class of small schoolchildren from Burnley Road Academy, in what seemed like a protective haven for the children.
Seeing the two very different groups together like that with the common purpose of remembrance, was uplifting and emotive, that hardly made it easy for me to give the address. I particularly thank the contractors VBA and the Environment Agency for allowing this to happen – it was truly a very kind and moving gesture and they are to be congratulated for it.
Holly Lynch had offered the hand of friendship to the Duchess of Sussex recently when she is under such severe public scrutiny and equally pleasing that the Duchess had responded by telephoning Ms Lynch.
It was only a couple of weeks ago, in the Courier, that council leader Tim Swift asked for people to show more kindness to each other, responding no doubt to tales of horrific trolling being directed at female MPs and others in public life trying to their best for those whom they represent.
It may be that Meghan is a woman of great privilege but everybody needs an arm around our shoulder from time to time when they feel under pressure.
It was therefore saddening to read Benita Hoffman’s letter in the Courier of November 7 saying that she and her family would not be voting for Holly Lynch in future for, effectively, showing this act of Christian kindness.
Holly Lynch is not my MP but I have encountered her over the past few years due to my (or her) involvement in the St Augustine’s Centre in Hanson Lane, Halifax Renaissance Town Team, Calderdale in Recovery and
Bank in Halifax received a surprise visit from Extinction Rebellion climate activists. Dressed as cleaners, with mops and brooms, the activists began to ‘clean’ the bank, to demand the multinational bank clean up its ‘dirty’ fossil fuel investments. This was part of a national day of action, with similar events taking place in branches across the country.
The protesters were highlighting the role of Barclays bank as the largest financer of fossil fuels outside the US. Barclays is also Europe’s largest financial backer of the controversial technique of fracking, which was recently halted in the UK amid concerns about earthquakes close to fracking sites.
Fossil fuels are causing climate chaos. We have to find another way to live, if we want people on this planet to have a future. This is an emergency – we can’t just keep pretending that we can carry on as we are with no consequences.
We need to face up to the truth, and act on it.
Alison Bath (Calderdale Extinction
Rebellion)
Halifax and District Rail
Action Group and I can tell Ms Hoffman that Holly is, unlike some MPs, very much in favour of getting things done in her constituency and is never slow to get involved when she sees an opportunity in which she can press the case or genuinely help.
In my experience, I would say that, putting party politics aside, if you look for an MP who works for others at all levels of public life and not for herself, you will not find many the equal of Holly Lynch.
l Have your say: newsdesk@ halifaxcourier.co.uk