Pleasing the lycra luvvies
What if any difference will the Rotherhithe Bridge really make to a seriously congested area – probably one of the worst in London.
A cycle and pedestrian bridge. We need another proper river crossing for motor vehicles in this area,why the need for another cycling folly.
Boris Bonkers has completely brought most of London to a standstill with his super highways – why another ton of money spent on a scheme that will have zero impact in the reduction of congestion / pollution? The Garden Bridge without the garden to all intents and purposes. Pleases the lycra luvvies though!
Carole Brady, via email
Flood the Legion to support Sean
Sean the poppy seller will not be selling Millwall poppy badges any more.
The new powers that be at poppy appeal headquarters, have confiscated the badges he had made and will not allow him to sell them.
They said they are cracking down on sellers because some are having them made for their own gain all over the country.
Now, I understand their point with other sellers, but Sean is well known to them, and has been doing this for years. He gave them over £65,000 that he raised with his badges last year alone, and was also awarded with a OBE from the Queen for his services to charity last year.
I suggest we flood the Poppy Appeal with emails (info@britishlegion.org.uk) voicing our disgust over this matter, the way they have treated him as a loyal fundraiser is disgusting!
Mr Smith, via email
Youth mental health
I? led a debate in the House of Commons on Young People’s Mental Health.
Arising from the Youth Select Committee Report into Young People’s Mental Health, which was published last year and responded to by the Government in January, this debate was granted by the Backbench Business Committee.
MPs raised a variety of case studies from their constituencies, with powerful contributions from across the House.
I?was joined by Barbara Keeley, Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Social Care) in calling for the Government to act to ensure that young people’s voices are listened to, and that the Government follows words about parity of esteem with action and leadership to ensure that funding promises are delivered on and the recommendations of the Youth Select Committee Report are enacted with all possible speed.
“One in four of us will experience mental ill health in any given year. That means that mental health is something that affects every one of us. All of us have a friend or family member who has mental ill health, and many of us will experience mental ill health ourselves. In my life, I have known close friends and family members who have suffered from severe anxiety that impacted on their daily lives, clinical depression, and eating disorders. There are few worse feelings than the worry for a loved one who seems unreachable in the pit of depression; except perhaps the worry when that loved one is a child. All any of us wants for our own children and the young people that we represent is that they grow up happy, healthy and resilient to the stresses and strains of our world. So watching a precious child struggle with clinical depression, severe anxiety or an eating disorder is absolutely devastating…
The charity Young Minds reports that three quarters of young people with mental health problems may not get access to the treatment they need. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, or CAMHS are, on average, turning away nearly a quarter of children referred to them for treatment by concerned parents, GPs, teachers and others – and this is supported by evidence from the Association of Colleges who report that, of 127 Colleges responding to a survey many reported real difficulties referring students on to health services in times of crisis, with 61% of respondents reporting that their relationship with local mental health services is only ‘fair’ or ‘not very good/non-existent’. The thresholds for support are going up at precisely a time at which demand for services is increasing – and this has the potential to create a ticking time bomb of mental ill health for the future.
Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood
We are looking for talented composers
We at Hearts in Harmony thave launched a competition for talented composers to write an original theme composition for us.
Composers have until 15th January 2017 to submit a brand new composition, based on the chosen theme – the charity’s motto – “United with One Creative Beat”.
The winning composer will be rewarded a cash prize of £888.88 and the composition will be performed by an orchestra at one of Hearts in Harmony’s future events in 2017.
The theme song should be a ‘classical-crossover’ composition, which is adaptable, pop-sensitive and can be enjoyed by a wide audience. Moreover, the song should communicate the importance of music to all walks of life.
The composition should also be previously unpublished work, five to seven minutes long, with an advertising jingle of approximately 10-15 seconds. The instrumentation must be for an orchestra; strings, 2222 (winds), 4231 (brass), percussion players with at least a piano soloist and a vocalist either mezzo soprano or soprano.
Entrants should complete the application form downloadable from this link and send together with original submission in PDF format, accompanied by Live or MIDI recordings in MP3 format, by 15th January 2017 to hello@heartsinharmony.co.uk.