Cathedral’s events drag it into disrepute
THE decision to allow Gatecrasher to perform in the nave in December demonstrates how far Coventry Cathedral has moved in the direction of becoming an entertainment venue.
Over the past year or so there have been boxing matches, gin festivals, charity fashion shows, theatrical performances and raves in this sacred space.
The secular events held at the cathedral are damaging its reputation nationally and internationally. Who, viewing some of the promotional material of raves in the cathedral, will really take seriously its claim to be a centre for peace and reconciliation?
They are far more likely to conclude that it is doing exactly what the apostle, Paul warned against, i.e. ‘conforming to the world’.
When Basil Spence designed the Coventry Cathedral he linked the old and new cathedrals with a giant empty cross, a potent symbol of the resurrection and of new beginnings. This is what the Cathedral needs now – a new beginning.
It should abandon the secular events that are dragging it into disrepute and instead adhere to purposes worthy of its calling – spreading the Good News of Christ and helping to turn Coventry into internationally renowned centre for peace, reconciliation and social justice. Valerie Flynn Hillfields
Overflowing rubbish bins
HAVING just returned from a weekend away, it was no surprise to find that several large waste bins at the brand new student accommodation block next to Aldi on Cannon Park were overflowing with bags of rubbish piled around them.
This accommodation was only completed this year and so this is the first intake of students. I dread to think what state the bin area will be like in a few months’ time.
This is just more evidence of landlords not providing enough waste bins for the amount of students they accommodate and causing yet more rubbish to add to this already heavily littered city. Margaret Wall Cannon Park
We need action on plastic immediately
I THINK it’s about time humans had a real, grown-up debate about the consequences of living in an everexpanding, throwaway society, where it seems no one is willing to take responsibility for the damage we all cause to our environment.
In the recent BBC programme Drowning in Plastic, biologist Liz Bonnin showed, in horrific detail, the extent of pollution in our oceans and the damage it causes to fish, sea birds, reefs and organisms that inhabit our seas, explaining that the damage is going to be irreversible unless action is taken urgently in all countries across the world.
We must all ask ourselves why we have allowed our so-called modern societies to ignore a problem that is poisoning our planet. Also, ask why recycling systems are an unregulated mess that successive governments have failed to tackle, and why the present government says it will take till 2025 to find an answer to the problem.
There are seven categories of plastics and about half are recyclable but until these plastic products are standardised and easily identified by a recycling logo, nothing will change. So with that in mind let us all start demanding that our politicians take immediate action and not wait another seven years to sort it out. Shout loud and clear, after all it’s our planet, and we are running out of time. Bob Arnott Holbrooks
Why can’t homeless keep things tidy?
I WOULD like someone to go down to the fountain in Broadgate.
There is a homeless person there, lying surrounded in filth. There is that much rubbish, it’s a disgrace.
What do visitors think when they see this? Why can’t the person put things in a bin and keep tidy?
Outside my block we have a woman sitting, begging. Police have been out to her, but she is so stubborn. It makes my blood boil when I see people giving her money.
You printed an article a while back telling people not to give them money. I was told they can get between £100 and £200 a day. It is outrageous – perhaps you could do another article on this matter. Especially this woman outside my block. M Thurston City centre