July 25
Well done for a great Skate Jam I am superintendent of the Bury St Edmunds St John Ambulance, and we were on duty on Sunday at the Skate Jam.
What a brilliant event – there were 100-plus children and young adults at the event, which was organised by Simon Pickering, youth, community and development officer from the council, and run by Hardcore Hobbies.
All these children and young adults were having a wonderful time – why are there not more of these events around? Simon organised the event so well, everything went well, from noon to 7pm. Music was supplied and there was graffiti spraying, which also was fantastic.
We were pleased to be part of this event and, hopefully, will be able to support it next year.
Well done Simon, you did an excellent job for the young of Bury and their skills on skateboards, BMX bikes, skates and scooters were absolutely brilliant. Long may the event continue.
Enid Gathercole,
Superintendent,
St John Ambulance.
Let's have a bandstand
Yet another Sunday afternoon has passed with Bury Concert Band having to rely on the vagaries of the British summer in order to entertain their group of stalwart supporters, as well as passers-by in the Abbey Gardens, in Bury St Edmunds.
For the second successive Sunday that we have gone along to support the concert band, the programme has been interrupted by heavy rain showers and the musicians having to try to contain their music in the gusting, swirling wind. Expensive instruments and sheet music have had to be rescued and protected.
Consideration should also be given to the goodwill of the musicians, who give their time freely to entertain the public in such conditions.
A bandstand in the Abbey Gardens would cost a very small proportion of the venue, already deemed to be a white elephant, currently running over budget in the Cattle Market development.
When the issue of a bandstand in the Abbey Gardens has previously been raised I recall some reference to it not being possible to dig adequate foundations for a bandstand. With the technology available today, I am sure this should no longer be an issue. However, if this remains a sticking point I am able to point the appropriate planners in the direction of a very good architect, who I feel certain would be able to overcome such a problem.
Let's hope common sense can prevail and that the beautiful Abbey Gardens will once more be graced with a bandstand.
David Riches,
via email.
Pitch was not mowed
I noticed a few weeks ago that the football pitch in Heldhaw Road, Bury St Edmunds, had had its grass cut. Well let's clarify this – it had been cut around the pitch, leaving the playing surface long.
At the time I did not really think much about it, until on July 12 there was a football tournament on the pitch.
The people who arranged the tournament spent a lot of time setting up the pitch, the gazebos, barbecue, refreshments and organising teams, coaches, goals and the awards ceremony. They spent a lot of their free time doing this and it was a good event.
However, on top of the normal arrangements they had to transport a small ride-on lawnmower to the pitch and cut the grass themselves and rake all the grass clippings off the pitch to make it playable.
This took all of Friday evening and half of Saturday, not for one or two people but a fair-sized team.
I suppose one could argue it was closed season for football, but this pitch is used all year round and for all sorts of things. Local children play football, cricket, frisbee and rugby all the time. During the school holidays it is used for organised coaching sessions.
Why, then, does our council not keep this facility up to an acceptable standard?
Health and fitness are supposed to be paramount, but for some reason this pitch was left to lay fallow. It would have taken the council groundsmen far less time and effort than those dedicated dads to maintain the pitch.
I guess it was an attempt to save a few pounds from our council's coffers, after all, it does win awards for efficiency.
Ashley Page,
Sutton Close,
Bury St Edmunds.
Businesses need help
Do any readers think there is any connection between the arc and the case of St John's Street, in Bury St Edmunds, where there have been a few shop closures?
Having spoken to a few people who run businesses in said street, including the Mind people, who vacated No. 15, the general opinion seems to be that the council is charging too much in business rates for St John's Street.
Has the council got any plans for this street and the other town centre streets to help them to compete with the arc?
After living in Ipswich most of my life, I can say these centres never fare well and I can't ever remember a single one being fully used. As for the local shops around them, they all end up empty.
Bury is a beautiful town, it would be a shame to see it end up full of fast buck bars and eateries, of which there are already too many.
Please do something to save the small business people of this world before it's too late.
Richard Wisbey,
Abbeygate Street,
Bury St Edmunds.
Speaking out for deprived
Deprivation, as defined in the dictionary, is to strip, dispossess and keep from enjoyment, due to lack of facilities. It is in that context I refer to the article Hidden areas of deprivation (Bury Free Press, July 18) with some disbelief.
Stanton has the benefit of schools, a shop, country store, pub, post office, doctor's surgery and regular bus services to Bury St Edmunds and Diss. Barningham has a similar mix, but neither could be described as deprived areas.
Consider then, the situation of the small villages in our locality, for example Hepworth. There was a time when we had a school, shop, post office and two pubs. Not anymore and never to return.
So what, you may say. Most people these days have cars and can travel to work, to the supermarket, leisure centre and places of entertainment, and will, I hope – if the price of oil does not go through the roof – continue to enjoy this freedom of movement.
But, consider and spare a thought for the elderly living here. Surely they must qualify as living in a deprived area?
I, therefore, speak out for the old, the disabled and the disadvantaged, who need to rely on younger relatives and friends to get about. And who, on fixed incomes, see with dismay the continuing rise in the cost of living and wonder whether they are seeing the gloomy prospect of economic euthanasia.
P Rudge,
Hepworth.
Crash driver did not stop
On the morning of Thursday, July 17, while cycling to work, I was involved in a hit and run collision with a silver saloon car.
I approached the double mini roundabout at the bottom of Parkway, from Cullum Road, and signalled to turn right down Westgate Street. I was wearing a fluorescent jacket and so should have been clearly visible.
While manoeuvring through the roundabout I was hit from the side by the car and knocked to the ground in the middle of the road. The driver carried on down Cullum Road with no apparent thought for what had just occurred.
Fortunately, I managed to brake sufficiently so that the collision was only a glancing blow. Amazingly, I managed to walk away from the incident without any major injuries, simply bumps and bruises and some minor damage to my bike.
I would like to thank the gentleman and woman drivers who both asked if I was okay and the woman cyclist who stopped to check I wasn't hurt.
At this time, when we are being encouraged to get out and be active, save a bit of money and help the environment by leaving the car at home, cyclists and pedestrians would hope drivers are a bit more aware and appreciative to their needs.
I hope the driver of the car reflects on their decision to drive away from the incident. Next time, the cyclist or pedestrian might not be so lucky.
K Johnson,
Townlane Road,
Bury St Edmunds.
Bus route was changed
Re: ROY Day's query about the bus stops being on the wrong side of the road (Bury Free Press letters, July 18).
The reason is the buses used to come up King's Road, then on to the Westley estate, stopping on the left each time.
For some unknown reason, this route was reversed, so the buses go round the Westley estate first, then down King's Road. Thus, we have a bus stop on the left now which is never used, to bring people home from the town.
E Wicks,
King's Road,
Bury St Edmunds.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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