HERE is a poem I wrote for Black History Month:
Black History
A concrete celebration of life
Each day each month each year,
As brothers and sisters we unite
Escaping destruction and fear,
Ancestors fought a long brave battle
To stand up for our rights,
Past relatives released the shackles
So we can shine like lights,
This world is here for all of us to carefully explore,
Abolish the uneducated minds washed up on the sea shore,
Hundreds of years have passed us by
Social justice still on the table,
But we keep our minds sharp and words in our heart
To diminish societies label,
We have come so far the path is wider
But bricks need cementing in place,
Teaching the history engraving the words
Around culture, ethnicity and race,
Black history is more than just a month,
It is embedded in my skin,
I thank my brothers and sisters as we unite,
my mother my next of kin.
S Bibb, Solihull
SOLIHULL residents should be demanding honest answers from Councillor Ian Courts, the Tory leader of the Council.
Why is the local authority continuing to use the centralised Track, Trace, Isolate and Support system(TTIS) run by Serco and Deloitte when its performance is getting worse by the day?
Why is he continuing to refuse to publish the minutes of the Council’s Covid Task group?
What is he seeking to hide from local people?
Is it fact that he knows the system is not working, but as a loyal Conservative he cannot bring himself to admit that the government’s Track, Trace and Isolate system is in disarray?
But his real duty should be to tell the people of Solihull the truth, that things are getting worse by the day and that the government’s imposed national system is not capable of coping with the rising tide of infection.
Only a locally based system run by Public Health has a real chance of turning the tide and safeguarding the lives and health of the local community.
T Mandrell, Solihull
CLOSURE of Kent’s Hairdressers.
As a customer of many years standing I wants to say how sorry I was to hear that another part of Solihull’s history has disappeared and to say ‘thank you’ to my stylist and all the staff for your service and support when my wife passed away.
I also wanted to say how disappointed I was to hear you were only notified by email that your jobs and livelihoods had disappeared.
I am sure closing the business was not an easy decision to make but failing to show compassion to your staff is inexcusable, especially in these difficult times.
Good luck to you all and Thank You.
J Smith, Redditch
I AM acting on behalf of the authorities at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery Busan South Korea, where more than 800 British servicemen are buried.
The authorities there wish to obtain photographs of those servicemen interred there and also of those who died but have no known grave (200+) copies of the photographs will be placed in the mansa records,and, will also be displayed on the walls of the cemetery Hall of Remembrance, for all time.
The following names are just some of the young men from the West Midlands who gave their lives in the Korean War: Pte. Robert A Astell, Lt. Peter M Park, Cpl. Richard F Musgrave, Pte. Francis J Ferriday, Pte. Frank Collins, Pte. Frederick T Barclay, Pte. Norman A Birch, Pte. Michael O’Gara, Cpl. Ronald G Davies(RM) Pte. John Cain, Pte. James Rogers, Kenneth P Jordan (RN), Fus. Derek E Tamblyn, Gnr. Vernon F Bayley, Spr. Ronald Harvey.
Any family,or friend, who lost a loved one in the Korean War1950-53, and wish to take part in this project can send the photograph to me Brian Hough 116 Fields Farm Rd. Hyde, Greater Manchester, SK143NP, .
If more details are required you can contact me on 0161 368 5622,or 07467037742.
You can also email [email protected].
May I thank you for any help that you can give in this project.
B Hough, Hyde
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, and that is bound to have an impact on people’s mental health.
Many blind and partially sighted people have faced anxiety, sadness and even fear about the unique challenges they have experienced – such as problems social distancing, difficulty shopping without guidance and isolation from losing tactile contact with friends and family during lockdown.
That is why the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has worked with Mind to launch Emergency Mental Health Sessions for local blind and partially sighted people to mark World Mental Health Day.
The sessions are completely free and offer people with sight loss the opportunity to speak to a counsellor for an hour over the phone about however they are feeling and any problems that are on their mind. It doesn’t have to be about their sight at all.
If you or someone you know could benefit from speaking to someone, please call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999. We can set up a chat within 36 hours and the service can be used as many times as needed.
It’s been a tough year and it’s okay not to be okay , but you don’t need to suffer in silence.
A Hawkins, RNIB
WE welcome Letters to the Editor. Send them to: [email protected]. Please remember to include your name and address.
