Write-Place

I have just been writing a letter to an old friend of my mother's. Well, this lady is the mother of a girl I went to school with (and haven't seen for about 30 years) but the lady goes to my mother's church and betwen them they share family stories and pass them on. My mother came to visit me last week and brought with her a letter to me from this lady and a selection of old journals and magazines from a writing group she attends.So my letter is a one of thanks to her. But how do I address her? My mother calls her by her first name (of course) but to me she always has been "Mrs... " "or Hazel's mam," or even at one stage in our lives, "Guider" when she was leader of the Girl Guide Group I was a member of. Of course, I have addresed her as "Mrs..." and then went on to explain this to her. Should I need to explain to her why I have not called her by her first name ? Maybe not, and maybe when she receives the letter she will find it ...

How do those of us who are trying to embrace a philosophy of doing what we believe to be good/right deal with the anger and despair that we feel over the injustices all around us? Would you rather give the world a hug, or a slap in the face? Would you rather get up there and battle, or leave it alone for the sake of a peaceful life? I am sure that many of us can relate to this. It isn’t just my worry, it’s a human question. We all fight with our anger over issues in our own lives as well as in the wider world. Often, it leads us to the depths of despair and we feel any effort on our part is futile. So we give up. But anger is a powerful emotion, and when it is channeled properly, it can be a force used to positive affect. Rather than ranting at the world – or worse, allowing the anger to destroy you inside by keeping it hidden, we need to find a way to use it and work for change. "The reasonable man attempts to adapt himself to the world and the unreasonable man attempts to adapt ...

I had a feeling that as soon as I wrote the phrase “…I was incredibly proud to be British” on this blog , the other day, that within a short space of time I would have reason to question my views. And yes, I already have these reasons. I read that a 16 year old student from Qatar is beaten and left for dead by a drunken mob, which police have confirmed was a racist attack. Mohammed Al-Majed, died from his injuries two days later. He was on a visit to Britain to learn about it’s culture and traditions. There’s little that can be said about this appalling tragedy which wouldn’t sound patronising to the family. An 18 month old baby boy is critically ill in hospital after his five year old sister accidentally shot him in the head with their father’s air rifle. Do we need to discuss why the air rifle was even in the home? A schizophrenic who was locked up indefinitely 10 years ago, for killing Police Constable Nina Mackay, is back on the streets in preparation for his permanent release. El...

I must admit, I have been rather cynical recently, of the government’s rules and regulations on immigration and gaining British Citizenship. (What you - cynical? I hear you say with more than a little irony) The“British Citizenship Test” which began in 2005 – the year my husband and step family came to Britain to live – didn’t inspire me with much confidence of what the government thinks constitutes “being British”. But if you want the passport, then you have to read the “Life in the UK” book then take the test on society, history and culture. A 45 minute test, which costs you £34, of questions that many people born and educated in Britain struggle to answer, doesn’t seem to be the best way to integrate people from different cultures into a culture that is difficult to define – but there you go, that’s what you have to do. Almost 60m people live in the UK. By what factor do the native-born English outnumber their Scots or Welsh neighbours? A) 9 to 1? B)7 to 1? C) 6 to 1? Blowed if I ...

To : Cllr A Rushforth , Maltby Town Council, Rotherham I am writing to take issue with you over the comments that you have made and are quoted in The Star, Tuesday August 19th 2008 I quote “Town Councillor Amy Rushforth ….who was not at the meeting when Mr Morton was suspended said “This confirms what I said at the start of this episode that the suspension of the clerk had not been done correctly and there would be repercussions about what they had done” What THEY had done? Who are THEY Cllr Rushforth? Are you not one of THEM yourself? Firstly, I am concerned that you feel able to comment on events at a meeting that you did not attend. Everyone appreciates your unfortunate personal circumstances of late, but you have not attended any Maltby Town Council meeting now since April and four months is an extremely long time to keep track of the happenings within the council, even when attending and minuting meetings, which many residents are doing recently due to disputes concerning record...

I do wish people would stop describing the worst areas of our country and communities as “like Beirut”. Areas which are constantly suffering from anti-social behaviour and criminal activity are often referred to in this way. A newspaper report tells us that residents in the Page Hall area of Sheffield say that they are living in a “hell hole which belongs in downtown Beirut, not 21st century South Yorkshire”. Note - not even just Beirut, but downtown Beirut. Now I am not for one moment suggesting that Page Hall is not experiencing serious problems (as are many areas, with the numbers of incidents increasing) There are reports of appalling behaviour, with partying till all hours with loud music, people living far too many to one house to be either healthy, safe or legal, car racing, rubbish being thrown on the streets and into others gardens and other totally unacceptable ways of living within a community. They are particularly despondent and despairing that the efforts that were pu...

It would be good to be able to comment that Maltby Town Council, amidst it’s current situation and disputes, is turning around for the better. However, this does not seem to be the case. The last full Town Council meeting on 23rd July had, yet again, members of the public and councillors being verbally abused and treated with total disrespect by certain councillors. A meeting of the Environment Committee last night, showed one of these same councillors - in the public gallery for this meeting- and her daughter, treating members of the public with the same appalling attitude and disrespect. The Chair of this meeting handled this by telling everyone to be quiet so that the meeting could continue. Though this is fair enough comment for the immediate situation at a meeting, it does nothing to resolve the real problems. No matter how much people in Maltby want the council to move forward and be supportive of the town and it’s residents, progress cannot be made until past and present grievan...

How often do you congratulate yourself ? On anything at all ? It’s not often I do. In fact, without being pious or sanctimonious, I don’t think I have ever really said “well done me”, even if what I have just done or achieved is something that I would definitely have congratulated someone else on. We say it to other people all the time, often at times when it’s really unnecessary. It’s your birthday, congratulations ! Like you did some major thing for the sake of mankind. All you did was just “be”, for another year. Well done , you just won a tenner on the lottery ! Thankyou, it took such a lot of effort to buy that ticket when I was in the supermarket. One I saw today – My Blog Is One Year Old ! (and a flurry of well dones, and good for yous followed) Wow – you mean a year ago you started writing down your thoughts hoping others would read them, and you have written 6 pieces since? Such stamina. I’m not saying we shouldn’t say well done when someone has achieved something or som...

Recent turbulent times have seen residents’ attendance at Maltby Town Council meetings increase, but many of the public and councillors themselves are still unhappy at the shortage of answers. Eight councillors, still legally serving on the council and innocent till proven guilty of what is alleged to have been committed (if the British system still works that way) A Town Clerk, who was suspended then resigned. Continuing unresolved questions about minutes, receipts and the signing of cheques. An unsettling and inappropriate attitude and approach to colleagues and the public by certain councillors. The question of the signing of the cheque for the Maltby Festival compared to the signing of the cheque for the Bede Playgroup is still being raisedand still no answers are given. The issue of user’s access to the Edward Dunn building is also still being raised - some users are concerned that whilst they have a room booked they are unable to gain access because of the doors being locked. Th...