Acknowledge efforts of voluntary groups
I HAVE been following the media coverage of the marketing situation in Rye.
In the last few weeks I have seen letters and quotes from the Chamber of Commerce and Rye Town Services kindly thanking me for my contribution to marketing Rye.
What has not been mentioned and is, in my opinion, very important is an acknowledgement of the various groups and volunteers who organise some of the other well-attended events in Rye.
The Bonfire Society bring thousands of people to the town each year; the Rye Festival attracts many visitors from all over the country to Rye every September; Peter Cosstick and his team do a fabulous job promoting and organising the Rye Christmas Festival; Christopher Strangeways encourages many repeat day visitors with the weekly Farmers Market (and hopefully with the new Rye Produce Market, October 11) - not forgetting the Maritime Festival and Medieval Conference organisers.
These groups spend hours of voluntary time arranging very special, beneficial projects that help to market this town, bring in visitors and provide entertainment for residents too.
These organisations all use their own methods of advertising and public relations.
They have websites and weblinks, they send out press releases that reach the national media, produce guides that are sent out nationally and internationally, they have national travel fair representation by 1066 Country Marketing group and all benefit from the local press. Their marketing programmes are very effective.
The events they organise offer great marketing opportunities for the rest of Rye's business community. Accommodation providers can and do use these events to attract business.
Marketing policy may be in limbo at present but I do not agree with the comments that nothing is happening to promote the town and whatever decisions are taken about the future I think it would be very sensible to acknowledge and utilise the benefits brought by the many volunteers who help Rye.
Lorna Hall
Rye

Benefit campaign
MANY blind people are being 'cheated' by not being allowed to claim the same level of benefit as wheelchair users. A group of local campaigners are off to the Houses of Parliament to lobby MP Michael Foster about this issue on October 15.
It is almost unbelievable the Government can say it understands the force of our argument and is sympathetic to our aims yet is unable to commit to making a change to the Disability Living Allowance system at this time.
It is not even that the Government can't find away to make the change, they have.
I know some blind people (who can't drive and in many cases find it impossible to use public transport) are missing vital hospital appointments and job opportunities because the benefit they receive doesn't cover the cost of taxis.
On a day-to-day basis not being able to get out independently stops many blind people from doing basic things like getting their own shopping, meeting up with friends, joining local clubs. This has a massive impact on the quality of people's lives.
I support the Royal National Institute of the Blind's campaign calling for a change to DLA - a state benefit that currently allows people with other disabilities who can drive to claim its higher 'mobility rate' worth £47.75 per week.
People with serious sight loss are only eligible to claim the lower rate of just £17.75 per week.
We will ask Mr Foster for his support for the many in this constituency who could benefit from this change. This situation is unfair and unacceptable. If any other readers would like more information about the campaign they can contact RNIB on 020 7391 2096.
CHRISTINE WARD
Hill Top Drive, Rye

Wings Appeal
THIS year's street collection for the Battle of Britain Wings Appeal raised a total of £1133, which, when included with other sources of Appeal income, the overall total raised by the Battle Branch of the RAF Association for this Appeal is approaching £3,000.
This money, as part of the national total raised by the RAF Association, is used to provide a range of welfare services to serving and past members of our Air Forces, their spouses and their dependents who are in need.
I would like to extend my thanks to all who supported this Appeal by way of donating or helping with collection activities.
Your generosity and practical help resulted in close on a £1,000 increase above our 2007 collection and reflects well on all concerned.
Peter A Roberts
Chairman
RAFA Battle Branch

Shameful decision
I WAS dismayed to learn from Sue Prochak, Lib Dem Leader on Rother District Council, that the Conservative Cabinet is pressing ahead with a massive spend on Bexhill seafront against the wishes of many residents, and before a proper consultation has taken place.
This is further grist to the argument that rural areas in Rother are losing out.
Liberal Democrats are arguing for a portion of the money that the Tories will spend in Bexhill to be given over to improving public loos and tourist information centres across the district.
We are also continuing to press for area budgets and more localised decision-making.
No wonder the Tories are trying to kick Area Committees into the long grass once again.
Shame on them.
Nick Perry
Parliamentary campaigner
Hastings & Rye
Liberal Democrats

Club donation
I WOULD like to say how much the donation of £1,000 from the Bexhill 100 Motoring Club will help the MS Society of Hastings and Rother.
This is the second year that the branch has benefited from all their hard work at The Bexhill Classic and Custom Car Show.
The kind and generous donation is spent in our area, on members, support staff and subsidising therapies such as counselling, hydrotherapy and domiciliary yoga, all from qualified therapists.
We at the MS Society, Hastings & Rother, are very aware of the long hours spent on planning the Polegrove show by the Bexhill 100, let alone the hours and hours of polishing and maintaining these beautiful cars, by their owners, all to provide local charities with some much-needed financial assistance. Thank you Bexhill 100.
PETER NOWAK
Committee Member
MS Society
Hastings & Rother

Link Road ironies
FURTHER to recent letters about the proposed Link Road and A21 improvements, I understand why people living on the Bexhill Road favour the Link Road but I am surprised that more is not made of the downside of this road.
Apart from the clear adverse environmental effects on Filsham reedbeds, (the largest reedbed in the whole county) what of the adverse effects elsewhere?
Presumably traffic travelling east will continue its journey via The Ridge in Hastings which, with its three schools, general hospital, fire station and crematorium is already overcrowded, particularly at school entry and exit times.
Traffic travelling north will go via the A21 but it seems that the improved link between Queensway and the A21 is not due to be completed until two years after the completion of the Link Road, and the A21 has certainly not been improved by the de-dualling of the Flimwell bypass.
It appears that people living in East Bexhill and West St Leonards may benefit at the expense of those living in North Hastings and Ore, and of course there is no relief for Winchelsea and Rye.
The traffic situation was not good before the opening of Glyne Gap complex and was made even worse by this decision.
What has happened to proposals to have a rail station at Glyne Gap?
I could go on….no car park at Hastings station and inadequate parking at Battle station.
Hastings is definitely a poor relation as regards transport links but the Link Road is not the solution.
LYNN JENKINS
Austen Way
Guestling

So many questions
HAVING read the reassuringly informative and sensible letters submitted following Mrs Merifield's baffling profession to love the Walland Marsh wind farm (Mailbag, September 25), I realise that somehow I missed the process that allowed this development in the first place.
It seems to have been very rapidly and quietly accomplished. Would that the Government acted so swiftly in other areas...
However, I would be most interested to learn the following:
* When was this proposal first mooted and by whom?
* Specifically, what agencies and councils dealt with the matter?
* What time scale was involved?
* How was the public notified of the plan and what steps were taken to secure local (and national) opinion
* Who owned the land and how much was the landowner paid, one assumes from public funds?
* Did anyone, at any time, among the planners alert the public to the impact the wind farm would have on the coastal landscape?
* Did they even realise? Or care?
* How does the development fit with the commissioning of coal and nuclear power stations in the region?
* Who should one contact to learn the above, or are myriad agencies involved, none of whom, no doubt, would be prepared to act as the central source?
* Assuming all this information is accessible, who can benefit from it, to prevent such half-baked vandalism occurring elsewhere?
* Finally, can we assume that the proposal to develop Lydd Airport is now dead, given that the windmills lie in the westerly flight path of air traffic? Or will we hear that the Government is going to permit expansion to meet the apparently huge demand for air travel (despite the faltering world economy)? In which case, watch the pages of the Rye Observer for news of a thoroughgoing aviation disaster,
Frank Barnard
Tillingham Lane
Peasmarsh

EU Friday factor
THE vice-president of the European Parliament, Diana Wallis has revealed that at least 60 MEPs continue to sign to be present for the monthly Parliamentary session in Strasbourg on Fridays even though the Parliament doesn't meet on Fridays!
Therefore each MEP claims 200 Euros for....nothing - and who pays; well it's us, the EU wallies, for belonging to this corrupt European Union!
Since 2004 we have had to donate 820,000 Euros to this Friday fiasco, (£641,223.00). Yes, that is more than £641,000 we put in these rich MEP bank accounts for not being there!
When, oh when is this country going to wake up to the fact the we are being fleeced hour on hour by bureaucrats and fraudsters that we have little chance of removing from office imminently under our current voting system.
It's these European sewers that siphon money from our local public toilets!
TONY SMITH
Ashburnham
near Battle

Thanks to Conquest
MAY I please thank everyone involved in my care last week while an inpatient at the Conquest Hospital in Hastings.
The ambulance men, staff in A&E, MAU, Wellington Ward and Newington were all fantastic (particularly the male domestic on Newington who sings all the time for cheering me and a lot of others up considerably!).
I would also like to thank Dr Rademaker and his team for diagnosing and sorting out my problem quickly and for helping to make a distressing time much more bearable.
Last, and by no means least, I would like to say how blessed I am to have such lovely family and friends.
They have been amazing at rallying round, helping with children and the school run, visiting and generally just taking on the day to day stuff so I didn't have to worry about anything.
Thanks so much, you've all been great - I don't know what I'd do without you!
Jo Lyons
Battle

Icklesham Oscar for Paul
WITH thousands of fans all over the world, I mourn the death of Paul Newman - a great actor – and a generous philanthropist.
Few people know that among the thousands of young people helped by his Charitable Foundation, Paul Newman wanted to help the youngsters of Icklesham.
I wrote to him in early 2007 to tell him how Icklesham had an old village hall originally built in 1919, which had no permanent stage, no modern lighting or sound equipment.
I told him how we had a nucleus of talented local youngsters, eager to act and perform, but we knew that, without attractive facilities to encourage them, their enthusiasm would soon fade.
I described the need to provide healthy creative activities to absorb their energy and talents to divert them from possible anti-social behaviour.
The performing arts fills this need, giving them fun and a sense of achievement while, at the same time, bringing local entertainment to the village, in particular to the older members, who took such pleasure in seeing the local youngsters performing.
Imagine my excitement, when Mr. Newman personally instructed his Foundation to make US$10,000 available towards permanent theatrical equipment in the new hall, subject to their approval of the plans.
Like me, he hoped that with his name as a benefactor, other great stars would follow his example.
Sadly, in October 2007, when the reluctant decision was taken to refurbish the old hall, which will still have no permanent full stage, the criteria would not match the Foundation's requirements and Mr. Newman's generous donation had to be declined.
The announcement of his death reminds me of his prompt and generous response to my request.
I remember the handsome blue-eyed actor of course, but to me he will always be the man who cared deeply about young people - even those in Icklesham.
A fine actor of course – but more than that, my Oscar goes to Paul Newman, a generous philanthropist and great human being.
ANN RACHLIN MBE
Icklesham

The Ragwort challenge
TONY Smith does well to draw our attention to the spread of the poisonous weed Ragwort (Mailbag, September 26) and gives startling details of the difficulties in eradicating it.
However, these could have the negative effect of discouraging readers from tackling this pernicious plant, feeling it to be a hopeless task - also maybe fearing to touch it. Although remnants of roots will re-sprout, the plants usually pull out quite cleanly and easily, especially when the soil is damp.
A neighbour counted 40 plants on his land last year, removed them, and only a dozen or so returned this year, so it is well worth going at them.
One important point is the Ragwort is particularly toxic - to horses and cattle - when dried, so it is vital to dispose of uprooted or mown plants (in landfill rubbish) and not leave them lying. According to correspondence in BBC Wildlife Magazine, there seems to be no danger to humans in handling them.
So we can try to clear out our own patches and nearby verges, and hope highway authorities and farmers might do likewise.
I'm trying gradually to make the neighbouring lane, where I walk, a Ragwort-Free-Zone, and it is rather satisfying!
CynthiA Reavell
Friars Bank, Guestling
Ragwort: Typically two to three feet tall, yellow daisy-like flowers, and ragged-edged leaves.

Preparing for Formula 1?
WHO had the marvellous foresight to build a chicane into Battle High Street? Are we to host a Formula 1 event in Sussex?
We have been told this is to facilitate speedier access for pedestrians to cross the road, thus allowing faster traffic movement through the town. Surprising - as we are constantly being told traffic should be slowed down.
Coaches are now finding it difficult to negotiate the turn back into the High Street, but then we have also been told coaches are a nuisance on the Abbey Green anyhow.
We will finally lose the coaching visitors which will have an impact on our struggling businesses and they will go elsewhere.
Apart from this we have lost five valuable parking spaces in the town centre.
In my opinion, this new layout is a complete and utter waste of money which could be better used to fill the numerous holes in our county highways.
Dennis Campbell
Battle