Help give nature a haven

MANY of us have treasured the natural world during lockdown. We have not been allowed to visit restaurants or cinemas but we have got out into the countryside or visited urban parks.

And now the Daily Express, with the help of our wonderful readers, is determined to buy Horse Common, a 91-acre woodland and heathland in the New Forest in the hope that this “secret forest” will provide a home for some of our most threatened birds.

We are joining forces with green entrepreneur Dale Vince and the RSPB to transform this mixed woodland into a haven for – among others – the nightingale, lesser spotted woodpecker and willow tit, as well as toads and newts, marsh orchids and butterflies.

We are thrilled to launch this campaign and believe that our readers will rally to the cause. Our appeal is backed by BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham and the goal initially is to raise some £90,000 towards a total cost of £450,000. Indeed, Mr Vince yesterday kick-started the campaign by donating £5,000.

“Our wildlife needs all the help it can get. Together we can rewild Britain – one piece at a time,” said the Ecotricity founder. We can – and we will.

I KNOW lots of you don’t like to ask or talk about cancer.

I was talking to somebody last week who every time they wanted to broach the subject, looked for another word.

PLEASE, everyone, don’t be afraid to use the ‘C’ word. The more it is used the less frightening it becomes.

I’m still doing my chemo and I imagine in the next week or so I will be scanned to find out if it’s doing any good or not, and of course I’ll let you know.

Meanwhile I’m happy to report no real after-effects from my Covid jab. But I’m disappointed to hear all the negativity about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

While they supposedly tested it on younger people, it was said all along that it would have an effect on more serious Covid conditions and prevent many people going to hospital.

So as far as I’m concerned it’s a win-win situation. For goodness sake have the jab.

LIKE many people, I’ve been watching with interest the strange political process in the US. Whether you loved or hated Donald Trump you have to admit that he got everybody interested in politics.

What I don’t understand is why some would wish to continue chasing him now he’s out of politics. All the Democrats seem to want to do is give him more and more publicity.

Mind you, Mr Biden and his continual wish to jog everywhere in the White House to prove that he’s fit is the most annoying thing I’ve seen a politician doing. The best thing the Americans could do is ask us to govern them again – or maybe give the country back to the rightful owners, the Native Americans, who had it nicked by us Europeans centuries ago.

You might think our political system in this country is bad but all you have to do is look to America and realise that we could be a lot worse off.