Poor welcome to Dundee

Sir, - What has happened to Dundee Technology Park?

We visited Dundee last week and saw that at least two of the buildings have been badly vandalised.

This is a terrible welcome to Dundee for visitors as it is the first thing they see as they head to the town centre.

As a native Dundonian I am very disappointed that the town is being allowed to deteriorate in this way. Brian Wilson. 27 Laurel Way, Bridge of Weir. featured in The Courier.

However, Fife had its very own Gugging process for several years.

NHS Fife and Fife Cultural Trust ran cultural prescription programmes using photography, glass making and painting and drawing as therapy for people with both physical and mental health issues.

These programmes complemented the more traditional medical approaches.

I ran the photography course for two years and we even had our own photographic exhibition of students’ work.

So what happened to this amazing project that gave so many struggling people their self-esteem and confidence? Well, like so many other things related to the arts, funding was dropped and the courses were brought to a halt so all of these people who had benefitted were left isolated and forgotten.

No doubt many of these people returned to long-term dependence on medicine which costs much more than an art therapy course.

Until this country’s leaders wake up to the fact that the arts have an important place in society and its mental health, we will just see the usual short-term lip service paid to projects that other European countries take seriously. David Cruickshanks. 4 Weavers Crescent, Kirkcaldy.