I SEE Huddersfield Fine Worsted Mill or Broadhead and Graves as it was known back in 1959 when I started work there on leaving school, is being levelled to the ground (Examiner November 21). Why?
Why should such an attractive architectural mill building be demolished when great big monstrosities of mills have been preserved and modernised all over Huddersfield in the past few years?
Kirkheaton mill fits in very well with its surroundings, and with its lovely church-like windows and stone mullioned frames, surely some of the facade on the roadside could be preserved and incorporated into any new development!
And what kind of development is being proposed? The residents of Kirkheaton do not know what is happening. If it’s for more housing I hope the town planners take into consideration the surroundings.
This demolition seems to be a repeat of a lot of old good architectural buildings being pulled down in the 1960s and which is deeply regretted now.
Let’s not make the same mistake again and lose such an iconic landmark in Kirkheaton, which is incidentally it’s only one apart from the church.
Please let us stop this before it is too late and it’s lost forever.
Mrs B V Walker
Kirkheaton
Help for pensioners
WHAT kind of person says “people should be top of the redundancy list and first to have their homes repossessed” ( Richard Huddleston, Mailbag Nov 26) and thinks Margaret Thatcher was a saviour.
They must be completely mad and with a protected secure income.
I have never voted Labour in my life but every pensioner in the country is now worse from Thatcher’s action of changing how pensions are calculated, at least this government is going to rectify this.
I think Thatcher is one of those myths that has grown but does not quite tell the truth.
She gave pensioners £10 to mollify them, but this government has now increased this another £60 and that is on top of the £ 250- £400 fuel allowance.
All this bunch of comedians in opposition can do is wanting to look after the taxation of their buddies who were responsible for the present plight the country is in, and not do anything to help the genuine people who need help.
DC
Salendine Nook
Home-Start needs you!
INTERNATIONAL Volunteering Day on December 5 gives us the opportunity to celebrate the contribution that is made around the world by people who selflessly give their time in support of a cause they believe in.
I personally would like to celebrate the many thousands of parents and grandparents in the UK who volunteer for Home-Start and help struggling families cope during a difficult time in the upbringing of a young child or children.
Home-Start understands the fundamental importance of meeting the needs of children. It’s a simple idea that really works – parent volunteers matched with other parents who are struggling with issues such as post-natal depression, multiple births, isolation and disability.
The current credit crisis means that families everywhere who already face difficulties will be under additional pressure. Yet, freedom from money worries is not the solution. Evidence shows that once a family earns enough to meet its basic material needs (about £15,000 a year), it makes no difference to levels of happiness or mental health how much more they have. What matters is the relationship you have with your parents in the early years.
That’s why I am appealing to your readers to support Home-Start’s Real Parents campaign, which is encouraging parents to volunteer their time to help other parents who are finding it hard to cope. They’re not looking for super nannies – just ordinary parents who can offer some support.
By volunteering just a couple of hours a week you’ll not only be making a difference to child’s life but will also reap the huge personal benefits that come from helping others. To find out more about the Real Parents campaign and how to become a Home-Start volunteer visit www.realparents.org.uk or call 0800 068 63 68.
Dr Oliver James
Psychologist
Kindness not dead
I WOULD like to thank the woman who owns the Linthwaite Mini-Mart on Manchester Road and the three off-duty nurses who attended at the scene shortly after my son Paul collapsed in the shop on Monday lunch-time and gashed his mouth open on the counter as he fell to the floor!
The woman from the shop was very shaken and one of the nurses rang for an ambulance and also attended to Paul at the scene.
Paul’s pregnant wife Lucy was very shaken and was unfortunately unable to help, but everyone else did a fantastic job, as did the paramedics when they arrived shortly after. Paul ended up with 15 stitches in and on the outside of his mouth which was ripped from the corner right down to his chin.
It is really nice to know we still have very kind people amongst us, once again thanks to you all!
Mrs Lin Ashpool (Paul's mum)
Linthwaite
A job well done
ON behalf of the Friends of Marsden Park may I say a huge thank you to Chris Thompson, of Kirklees Council’s parks and open spaces department, and his team.
Phase one of the refurbishment of Marsden Park is now complete and the Temperance Fountain re-installed.
We are hoping that funding will shortly be made available to proceed with phase two.
Phase one has made a huge difference to the look of the park and we are working closely with Kirklees to hold events there to encourage people to make use of its facilities.
Chris Thompson is moving on from Kirklees Council so we would like to wish him well for the future and thank him and his team for all their hard work and dedication during phase one.
We look forward to working with Chris’s successor and the park team during phase two.
Our next event is a carol concert in Marsden Park with Marsden Silver Prize Band on Sunday December 14 from 4pm to 5.30pm.
With mulled wine and mince pies available, this event promises to be a warming Christmas experience. Please, do join us.
Christine Martindale
Chairperson, Friends of Marsden Park
Desperately seeking Josie
I AM hoping to find a relative with whom we have lost touch.
Her name is Josie Brayshaw, a retired schoolteacher who used to live in Crosland Moor. She was married to Jack Brayshaw and, up until his death in around 2004, they lived in Huddersfield. I believe that she moved away after his death to live near her sister.
I have memories of her from when I was younger, but at that time I didn’t realise who she was, believing her to be simply someone my mum knew. It is only recently, from researching my family tree, that I understand how she is part of that.
Her father-in-law was my great great uncle and I know that he fought in the First World War with his brother Ernest, who sadly was killed on October 25 1918, so close to the end. I am hoping to find out more about this family and Josie may be the only person to shed any light on things. If any reader knows of her whereabouts I would love for her to contact me at 6, Far Croft, Lepton, Huddersfield HD8 0LS, tel 01484 609504
Leanne Bealham
Cutting the cancer risk
WITH the cold winter weather, many of your readers might feel in need of some warming comfort foods.
But many traditional comfort foods can be high in fat, which is bad news for the waistline. If we are putting on weight this can also have an impact on our cancer risk, as scientists say that after not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing you can do for cancer prevention.
Traditional comfort foods can be high in salt too and having too much salt also probably increases your risk of stomach cancer.
At World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) we have put together a Healthy Comfort Foods recipe booklet, proving that you can transform your favourite comfort foods into nutritious and tasty feasts by making a few simple changes.
We are offering the booklet for free to the first 100 readers who call 020 7343 4205 and quote 'media.' To find out more about WCRF and read more of our recipes, visit www.wcrf-uk.org/recipes
Lisa Cooney
Head of Education, World Cancer Research Fund
