ON Christmas Eve our son Peter Pickup, aged 17, could not have been more alive. He was in high spirits and looking forward to Christmas Day.

I was not feeling my best. I had a troublesome cough. My wife, Margaret, had an early morning appointment at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Peter went along with her. While they were there they looked in on Margaret’s Auntie Margaret, who sadly died a few days after and also a retired nurse, Sheila Dufton, a long serving member of the St John Ambulance.

In the afternoon Peter was playing happily in the front garden, clearing away the snow. He tapped on the window making smiley faces at me. He ran down to the chemist at Waterloo to get my prescription.

I took Peter and his mother to the midnight service at the United Reformed Church in Moldgreen. I did not stay because of my condition. I waited up for them returning. It was just after 1am. I went to bed first and Margaret and Peter followed soon after.

The next day, Christmas Day, Margaret went into Peter’s room about 9am to greet him and wake him up but was unable to do so. She called me in straight away and when I lifted him I found he did not appear to be breathing and was very limp.

Being a member of the St John Ambulance for the past 37 years I attempted CPR to no avail. Margaret immediately rang for the ambulance. They arrived in no time at all.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the coroner, Carol the police sergeant from Slaithwaite, the nursing staff at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, especially staff nurse Nicola, the paediatrician, Dr Yvonne Oade, the Rev Susan Macbeth of the United Reformed Church, Moldgreen, for their kindness, help and support to what was a deeply distressing experience for Margaret and myself.

Our son, Peter’s only fault was that he loved his parents too much and everyone he met. He was a friend to many, an enemy to none.

Peter did not choose to go that day but God wanted him. Peter, our beloved son will not be forgotten. We will remember him forever.

Stephen and Margaret Pickup

Almondbury

Glad to leave Marsh

WELL our wait is almost over. We are set to leave Marsh and move into our new home soon.

Since moving from Birmingham last September to be closer to our daughter we’ve seen the area go right down.

Our tyres were slashed along with seven others, bonnets jumped on and damaged, drugs galore, all in 10 months! The police have their hands tied due to lack of evidence!

The day can’t come quick enough to wave goodbye to Marsh for good. It used to be a lovely village, but not any more!

Steph

Marsh

Care record fiasco

I READ with interest your article on the Summary Care Record (‘Row over start of electronic patient records’ Examiner, July 3).

NHS Kirklees is deceiving its good residents.

The biggest myth of all when it comes to the Summary Care Record is that “the information is only accessible by staff directly involved in a patient’s treatment.’’

Anyone with an NHS smartcard and the appropriate permissions (RBAC roles) on the card can access any Summary Care Record.

Any doctor, any nurse, any pharmacist, any medical secretary, any receptionist. Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime. The security ‘alerts’ that are supposed to be generated when the system suspects that an inappropriate access to a Summary Care Record has occurred are hopeless.

The recent UCL report on the scheme showed that the alert system was almost unworkable. Even if an alert was generated, it will be ‘after the fact’ by which time sensitive medical data will have been viewed, copied, printed and sold.

Dr Neil Bhatia

GP, Yateley, Hants

Hopeless quest

INTERESTING that President Obama intends to spend billions of tax dollars on solar energy development.Š

Spain and Germany have given up on this hopeless quest.ŠCan Europe and the USA really learn nothing from each other?

Godfrey Bloom

UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire

Church’s generosity

ON behalf of the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust, the Fixby Friends Support Group would like to thank Quarmby Spiritualist Church for the use of their church to help raise funds for this very worthwhile charity which aims to build a children’s hospice and respite care centre.

Also many thanks go to Una, Sandra and Shirley for their outstanding efforts on behalf of the trust. Finally a big thank you to the Huddersfield Examiner for supporting Forget Me Not Trust and all other local charities over the years.

Deirdre Wilcockson

Trust Volunteer

Meltham hazards

I WONDER whether letting the Kirklees Highways Department loose on Meltham has made the place safer or not?

I regularly pass through and find the mini-roundabouts, numerous bumps (with a nice variation between high and low platforms and cushions) and proliferation of signs painted on the road have created a hazardous feeling which did not exist before.

Arthur Quarmby

Holme

Progress in the park

ON behalf of the Friends of Marsden Park may I thank the people and organisations that have made Marsden Park what it is today.

Firstly a huge thank you to Dave Cooley and the men/women of Kirklees Parks Department.

Over the last three years they have worked tirelessly and with passion when funding and time permits to work with us on regenerating Marsden Park.

They also did a fantastic job reinstalling and making a lovely feature of the newly refurbished drinking fountain which was funded by Marsden and Slaithwaite Renaissance Group

Secondly, to the Cuckoo’s Nest charity shop, Marsden, a massive thank you for their continued support with grants which help us to put on events in the park and buy equipment etc.

Thirdly, to Brian and Beryl Irving for their donation of about 200 plants and their help to the Friends and Junior Friends with planting these.

Fourthly, to the Meltham branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thank you for the huge amount of weeding, planting, litter picking and general tidying up their members did on June 26. This was one of their Helping Hand Days which they hold worldwide. A great time was had by one and all.

Last, but not least, a big, big thank you to the rest of our small band who make up the Friends of Marsden Park for their continuing commitment and enthusiasm.

All this work is leading up to the park’s centenary in 2012 and already local people and visitors are telling us how much better the park looks.

We hold our meetings on the last Tuesday of every month at the Mechanics Hall, Marsden, our next meeting being Tuesday, July 27 at 6.30pm. We would love new members, but, even if you can’t make that commitment, anyone is welcome to come to a meeting and tell us of any ideas they may have or ask any questions.

Our Summer Fun Afternoon yesterday featured lots of attractions including Marsden Silver Prize Band, the Fire Service, belly dancing, bowls tournaments, refreshments, a children’s entertainer, plant stall, face painting and much more.

Christine Martindale

Chairman, Friends of Marsden Park