Early years staff are vulnerable key workers like teachers

Cllr Stephanie Nunn, Elm Park ward, writes:
Early Years providers, who care for children from birth to age five as detailed in last week’s Recorder, have lacked support from the outbreak of Covid and continue to do so.

In the face of criticism from Havering’s nursery, preschool and playgroup providers in last week’s Recorder, Cllr Benham, the cabinet member for education, children and families, said “We know how tough it has been for early years providers during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Really? If it were true that calls were being made to managers every fortnight as he claimed in the article, he may have grasped how challenging their situation really is. He speaks of the roll-out of free PPE; this is a first since March 2020. Previously PPE was offered at higher prices than were obtainable elsewhere.

Although schools have been closed to most children, early years providers have been told to stay open. There was no support at the start of the pandemic, staff were ill, there was a struggle for direction and PPE, and financial survival depends on numbers of children while rents on council premises have had to be paid.

The staff who work in early years are vulnerable key workers the same as teachers and I believe they should have the same value and priority when it comes to vaccination.


Terrible treatment of our nurseries

Coral Jeffery, Romford, full address supplied, writes:
I was so incensed on reading the terrible treatment of our local nurseries and playgroups by Havering Council.

How can they justify charging full rent when many of these provisions only have a small percentage of the usual attendance? These ladies are providing an essential service yet are treated with contempt by the local authority.

Without their care and dedication to the children of essential workers we would be in an impossible situation.

I do hope that Cllr Damian White, the chief executive and Cllr Robert Benham are reading this and will do the decent thing and give substantial financial support to these vital services in our community and ensure their viability.


St George’s health centre good news

Cllr Ray Morgon, Hornchurch Residents Association, Hacton ward, writes:
I am sure that your readers were delighted to read your report (February 5, 2021) confirming that a new health centre on the former St George’s Hospital site has moved another step closer.

As a Hornchurch Residents Association councillor for Hacton Ward (where the site is located), along with ward councillors both past and present, we have been strong advocates in having a new centre providing medical facilities.

In fact, a few years ago, we provided a questionnaire to members of our association asking for their views on what they would like to see on the site. Several hundred members responded and this information was collated and provided to the NHS/CCG to guide their decision making.

The new centre will provide a good mix of services for both local residents in Hornchurch, as well as the wider borough.

Given the rapidly growing population of Havering through over-development, this additional medical facility is welcomed and will hopefully ease some of the pressure on an overstretched Queen’s Hospital.

We will continue to work closely with the director responsible for this project to ensure it is the best that it can be and that the level of parking facilities can meet the needs of patients.


I have always understood why I voted for Brexit

L Cannon, Hornchurch, full address supplied, writes:
In reply to lan Sanderson’s letter (Recorder, February 5, reply to Roger Loveday’s letter January 29), I think he needs to read up on our history, instead of trying to rewrite it.

He says that it was the EU that came after the terrible experiences suffered in WWII to settle future differences (actually, it was the Common Market that was set up first, which morphed over time into the EU) .

I heard this story during the Brexit Referendum, but, it was NATO and the UN that were set up after the war, hopefully to prevent that ever happening again, which it has done.

Sadly, people like Mr Sanderson are still having a hard time accepting that, after a David and Goliath battle, where a huge fifth column in this country tried everything to destroy a democratic vote, the UK became a sovereign state on December 31 last year.

He states that there’s been 40 years of indoctrination by hostile newspapers, with non-resident, wealthy proprietors, as well as nostalgia.

Without churning over these type of [sometimes nasty] comments etc that Remainers continually threw at Brexiteers over the last four years, I’d like to tell Mr Sanderson that I wasn’t/never have been brainwashed in my belief, and I have always understood, and still understand what I voted for with Brexit.

In a democracy, it’s the majority that counts, however large or narrow the result.

Mr Sanderson also mentions that laws and services grew up which benefited us, the British people rather than those who govern us. He doesn’t mention laws, rules and regulations that were made over the years by faceless people we never heard of, or never voted for, and which including the ECHJ.

I actually took part in the vote back in 1974 on whether to join the original Common Market, voting against.

While being disappointed, I accepted the result. There was no gnashing of teeth, stamping of feet, throwing toys out of the pram or so much personal hatred that has been directed. Back then, the country accepted, and got on with doing what was best for us.
Mr Sanderson still maintains the best deal possible was being a member of the EU, it was a terrible mistake that we left etc. I really don’t think anyone believed that leaving was going to be easy.

There has been, and are going to be, many bumps along the way until we finally untangle 47 years.

It would be a lot easier if the EU, France in particular, stopped playing their childish games (ham sandwiches, wrong colour ink on forms etc). We need to look forward, there’s a big world out there, and Liz Truss is doing her best, signing up deals with many of those countries.

Another thing is that we can get back in partnerships with all those Commonwealth countries we had to turn our backs on when we joined the EU.

The EU is desperate to make things so difficult for us, so that other countries won’t follow us out of their union.

We only have to look at the disgraceful behaviour recently, over the vaccinations, to see what direction they are going in. Who do they think they are, talking to, and treating us as if we are still part of their gang, and Ms Von Der Leyen demanding we hand over our vaccines, to cover for the serious mistakes she/they have made, tells us all we need to know about their mindset.

It’s telling that there have been calls for Ms Von Der Leyen to be sacked, but hey ho, there’s no mechanism to do that.

Their behaviour has also caused serious problems in Northern Ireland.

Lastly, one prediction. Now that we have finally left, they will start making their serious plans (a European Army, as well as other ideas that they’ve kept quiet about during Brexit) to create an even closer USE.


We know how great our nation is

Terence F Matthews LL B (Hons), ex Royal Navy regular and retired police inspector, full address supplied, writes:
The letter by Ian Sanderson is the largest amount of rubbish I have read for years. Was he even a grown-up in 1972 when we joined the Common Market or when in 1975 the Labour prime minister Harold Wilson gave us a referendum to decide whether we wanted to stay in this Common Market?

If I and thousands of others had known it was a lie and we would become a part of a European state, with our laws and regulations overidden, we would not have voted to stay.

In 2016 we were not hoodwinked and voted to get out of a state run by unelected bureaucrats. Mr Sanderson has been brainwashed by 40 years of EU propaganda. If it was not for Covid-19 this country would be even better than the EU than it is now.

All the things the Remainers said would go wrong have not. Problems at the borders, blame the EU and its stupid officials at ports who are trying to obstruct our exporters but would scream bad faith if we did the same to them. Hypocrites!

Those of us who lived through WWII, the bombing, the rationing and lack of housing and interrupted education for five years, know just how great our nation is.

Instead of running our country down, the Lib Dems and their local candidate need to get behind the people of our union and help make our nation come back to what we were, a independent sovereign country, showing the world that we punched well above our weight and always will.

I am a English born man, a veteran and a proud patriot. Anybody who does not like what our wonderful country is doing, buy a ticket to the EU and apply for a EU passport.


Lib Dems opened way to leave EU

Cllr David Durant, Rainham and Wennington Independent Residents Group, writes:
The painful fact for Ian Sanderson is, it was his own party who triggered the general election that led to the landslide Conservative victory and a Brexit deal that threatens the unity of the UK (Recorder, letters February 2).

It’s a funny old world, but it was the former Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson (and SNP) who supported Boris Johnson in holding a Christmas 2019 election as she really thought she and the Lib Dems would win a landslide general election victory for Remain, but instead lost her seat and the party suffered an almost wipe-out!

And after resolutely holding out for a policy that respected the vote and got a good deal, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn finally succumbed to the Remainiacs in his own party who simply wanted to reverse the result of the EU referendum and as a result suffered the loss of the “Red Wall” seats.

But now rather than taking back control we have a disastrous Conservative nee communist government who are wrecking the health and economy of Britain. This outcome is worse than No Deal, but ironically now has the support of Labour and Lib Dems. As I said, it’s a funny old world!


Run London Marathon for Team Macmillan

Lynda Thomas, CEO Macmillan Cancer Support and London Marathon runner (2018), writes:
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, taking on an event like the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon is a huge personal challenge.

However, I know taking part and crossing that finish line is a feeling like no other, and I can guarantee every runner really does make a huge difference to charities like Macmillan Cancer Support.

Regardless of time or ability, not only can each of the 100,000 participants who sign up for this year’s record-breaking event feel immensely proud of their achievement, but also every pound raised and every step taken towards that finish line directly enables charities like Macmillan Cancer Support to edge closer to their aim to be there for everyone who needs it most.

Macmillan - who are hugely proud to be the official 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon Charity of the Year – would love to invite readers to consider joining #TeamMacmillan and run for us – and those living with cancer - in October.

For the lucky runners who have a ballot spot in this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon, please do consider joining Team Macmillan, and for those who may have missed out, there is still time to apply for a Macmillan charity place or sign up to the Virtual Virgin Money London Marathon.

To apply, visit LondonMarathon.Macmillan.org.uk.