Don’t send me to Slough formy vaccination

I have lived in Crowthorne since 1965, and will be 80 in June, when a birthday celebration has been planned. I live alone, but had two daughters, both of whom live in the Wokingham area.

I have been reading of the so-called successful introduction of the covid vaccination programme in our area and was delighted to receive a letter from the Bristol NHS officer inviting me to book an online appointment to have both jabs.

I entered the required details including my postcode and was advised that my appointment could be either 7pm or 8pm in 10 days time on a Friday evening at a location in Church Crookham, a village between Fleet and Farnham.

I decided not to proceed as I needed something nearer.

The next day, I tried again and was offered an appointment in Slough, which is the last place I would wish to visit at the present time, due to their high infection rate.

I also tried the following day and was offered the Slough location again, or Wembley Arena, Epsom racecourse or various locations in the London postal area, all of which I refused to proceed with.

Imagine my surprise when I read in your paper of all the local services being provided in the Wokingham area, when my Crowthorne postcode is sending me to Slough, Wembley, Epsom or London.

I have decided to wait until my GP surgery makes contact with me, but goodness knows when or where that will be.

The other surgery in Crowthorne is sending their patients to be vaccinated in Birch Hill, Bracknell.

I assume NHS Bristol has no geographical knowledge of the area, hence the postcode lottery of the arrangements being offered.

I now fear that I will be unable to have my two injections before my birthday celebrations in June, which will need to be cancelled.

Terry Sparkes, Crowthorne

The Black Boy Pub

I have never been in the Black Boy Pub but am aware where it is.

I was astonished when I read in Wokingham.Today that the powers that be who engineer political correctness which has got completely out of hand, want to rename this pub. I wonder if any readers realise that the name is meant to mean a ‘chimney sweep boy’.

After all the Water Babies were renowned in this area.

I expect they will feel a bit stupid when they realise the meaning of The Black Boy.

Keep the name for goodness sake and forget political correctness.

Moira MacDougall, Wokingham

The name was called after a chimney sweep boy I have been told. Nothing to do with political correctness. Douglas MacDougall, Wokingham