Children suffer when families fall into debt
I’VE just shared The Children’s Society’s latest podcast with my MP. Could M.E.N. readers please do so as well?
We know from recent media coverage that this is a vital ongoing local issue since The Children’s Society found that children living in families with problem debt are five times more likely to be unhappy than children who don’t.
Currently there are an estimated 5,151 children living in families who have fallen into problem debt in Rochdale and there are 10,000 such children in our town in dire need of breathing space so that families can repay their debts and children don’t pay the price with their mental health.
Parents’ alcohol abuse damages the lives of 700,000 teenagers.
We also know, thanks to a recent report, that alcohol abuse is also a major issue for Rochdale – it is the second highest borough in Greater Manchester experiencing benefits claimed due to alcoholism, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Government cuts to funding for local children’s services hit them hard.
Nationally one million teenagers are experiencing seven or more serious problems – from violence at home to threat of eviction.
Too often, they’re forced to struggle alone. But without help, their lives can and do get worse.
They may resort to running away or turn to drugs or self-harm. Despite rising numbers in need of help, drastic government cuts mean funding is short by a catastrophic £2bn.
The upcoming Autumn Budget is an opportunity for this to change.
Please take some time to share this podcast with your MP and ask them to call for local children’s services funding to be increased.
You can find the link at childrenssociety.org.uk. Andrew Wastling, Rochdale
Shopmobility here to help
TODAY (November 15) the Christmas lights are being switched on in Merseyway, Stockport, and for the festive season our town centre charity, Shopmobility Stockport, will be accepting day memberships on Tuesdays and Fridays through until January 2.
This means that anyone with a disability or mobility problems can become a member for the day at a flat rate of £5 – and this is open to all, not just people who live in Stockport. We provide mobility scooters, manual wheelchairs and power-chairs (electric wheelchairs) so that you can shop independently or with relatives and friends between 10am and 4pm.
At least one form of ID will be necessary showing the user’s name and address (a utility bill or the top part of a bank statement no more than three months old, or a driving licence or bus pass).
Pre-booking is essential by ringing 0161 666 1100 on those days or our gift shop Hoot on 0161 285 6362.
Stockport is a lovely place to shop and is very disability-friendly.
Don’t worry if you have never used a scooter before – we will show you how to use it safely, and you can have a great shopping trip in our friendly town.
You can even visit the brand-new Redrock development which is due to open on November 24. Stephanie Ormerod, Vice-chairperson/trustee, Shopmobility Stockport
Wrong view of history...
WITH regards to the letter from Owen Cooper questioning Manchester University’s right to hold a session with regards to the 100-year anniversary of the Balfour
Declaration (‘University should not be holding this event,’ Viewpoints, October 24).
These views have encouraged many Arabs to continue with their denial of the right of Israel to exist.
The use of the words ‘occupied territories’ when referring to Judea and Samaria, is clearly incorrect as they have been ‘reclaimed’ from Biblical times.
If you wish to deny this then you will have to rewrite the whole of the New Testament, which itself, describes the origin of the Christian religion from out of the Jewish nation.
It is to be regretted that the Arab population living in Palestine did not welcome the Jewish refugees from Christian Europe.
I suggest to Mr Cooper that he should look to the history of all the old colonial empires – North and South America, Australia and New Zealand – and read up in particular with regards to the vicious violence and the massacre of entire tribal groups that occurred.
Now these countries ARE living on occupied lands. Saul Woodrow, Whitefield
Manager is not on the ball
HUNDREDS of ex-footballers who are still around, especially those who played grass-roots football, must be rocking with mirth at Pep Guardiola complaining about the ball used in city’s Carabao Cup tie (‘Pep reveals his players were not having a ball,’ M.E.N., October 25).
In days gone by, it could be out of shape, repaired, often with a leather lace that cut heads when heading it, and in the atrocious conditions that often prevailed, the players provided entertaining games, injuries were minimal, and in wet conditions the ball became heavier by the minute. Fred Born, New Moston