‘I can no longer do nothing’
Christmas shoppers in Maidstone can’t fail to have noticed the sharp increase in the number of homeless people bedding down in town centre doorways. This week a letter dropped onto my doormat telling me that I am to receive an unsolicited gift from taxpayers, of a £200 Winter Fuel Allowance, as a reward, it seems, for reaching a certain age.
I’m sure that there are many elderly people who really do benefit from the WFA, but I am equally sure that in this relatively wealthy town, there are many like me who don’t need it.
I can no longer wring my hands and walk by on the other side. I am not a big fan of virtuesignalling so I am asking to remain anonymous.
More important is my decision to donate my £200 to a local homelessness charity. I will also Gift Aid my donation so that HM Government can add its £50 to my donation.
I urge others, who also feel that pang of discomfort when their WFA turns up, not only to do the same, but to consider the policies and government priorities that have created such an unequal and unfair society.
Name and address supplied
The only person I could hear clearly, was the Army Commanding Officer – the rest of the spoken service was, unfortunately, just an indistinct mumble. I believe that the only PA speakers were set up behind the Salvation Army Band, and were too low in height, and volume, to adequately carry the sounds, over the top of people’s head, to those of us further up the Tonbridge Road.
Perhaps an additional set of speakers, near the War Memorial, would help? We normally end up standing on the bridge over Maidstone West Station, for the service, and can hear everything, but I can only assume that this year, there must have been a far greater number of people taking part in the Parade, which is, of course,
wonderful, and may have been the reason why we were much further away.
I don’t know who is responsible for arranging the PA system (possibly, Maidstone Borough Council?) but I hope that, for future years the organisers and suppliers are able to improve the system.
Doug Baguley
Western Road, Maidstone