LETTERS:
I was always told that we should look at history to gauge the future.
I can remember when Hall Green Parade was an excellent shopping centre. I can remember when the Robin Hood Parade was also populated with shops that we wanted to visit coupled with the local Police station.
Am I the only person that walks along Shirley High Street and sees the same thing happening. Large High St names have left the area. We have empty shop units.
We have shops displaying knotted pine curtains. I see cars being driven on the pavement and abandoned on the footpaths. I see a large bag of rubbish in the front garden of the community centre that has been there for over a month.
I see loose drains surrounded by large potholes. The High Street is looking very tired.
What I do hear is our politicians talking about how they have helped to paint some of the street signs in the area. I would like to talk about the demise of the Police Station but that would just cause me to feel even more saddened about the lack of care given to our area.
We are paying a lot of money to live in this area but I can only see small things that have a large impact on the area becoming large things.
I must go now. I am off to a take away after I have been to a charity shop.
Shirley Otter
Right now across the West Midlands hundreds of inspiring people are helping to transform young lives with volunteering work and supporting The Children’s Society.
This Volunteers Week (1-7 June) we would like to say a huge thank you to the 2964 supporters in the West Midlands who help our charity in so many different ways and support vulnerable children, often affected by a multitude of challenges in their lives.
There are 29,309 children living in the West Midlands classed as children ‘in need’ and 6,455 in care. The Children’s Society’s volunteers, campaigners and supporters make a real difference to so many young people by supporting them directly in our services, by volunteering in our charity shops, by organising events, donating and raising vital funds and awareness of our work.
If you would like to find out more about how you could get involved, visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-you-can-do or call 0300 303 7000. We are looking for volunteers to support young people, in our shops, to be event managers, speakers and ambassadors. Every hour volunteered, campaign action taken, donation made – it all makes a difference.
Matthew Reed
Chief Executive,
The Children’s Society
When the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince visited Britain last month, there was widespread concern over whether the UK was focusing on trade at the expense of human rights.
In our view Theresa May could have been far more outspoken about human rights during the visit.
We understand that the subject of executions in Saudi Arabia was raised on the visit, but the scale of the problem is daunting: Saudi Arabia executed 148 people last year, to add to the 300-plus it executed in the previous two years.
The majority of these executions came after deeply unfair trials.
We remain extremely concerned that the UK is generally unwilling to criticise Saudi Arabia over its use of torture, false confessions and unfair trials.
China, another major UK trading “partner”, executed even more – possibly thousands – in total secrecy, as capital punishment is a state secret in China.
No-one is saying the UK should be constantly lecturing other countries.
But Britain should definitely be standing up for basic human rights, including an end to the grisly business of beheadings and hangings.
Solihull Observer readers can find out more about Amnesty’s campaign to abolish the death penalty by contacting our local Amnesty group via www.amnesty.org.uk/groups/solihull or https://twitter.com/solihullamnesty.
Catherine Harris
Chair of Solihull Amnesty Group
