No welcome for unsolicited calls

I REFER to Peter Hyde’s long-distance call problems (Yorkshire Post, August 14). We share a common problem – deafness. That apart we are continually bombarded by calls, presumably from Asian countries. The opening gambit is invariably the same: “Good evening Mr Swallow, how are you today?” Invariably this is as we are about to start our evening meal.

My ploy is either to slam the phone down or put it aside and let them talk to themselves for a while at their expense. Unsolicited calls are rude, unwelcome and a pain in the neck. Anyone reading this in Asia, please take note.

Home first

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon.

where on earth does this and previous governments find the millions of pounds to give to all these overseas causes?

Now we are handing out aid to Syria, cash that could well be used here. I am sick of reading about prescriptions that cannot be had for lifesaving drugs due to post code restrictions as an example, so when are the likes of David Cameron and Andrew Mitchell, the overseas aid giver, going to put our post codes first and last? There will always be heaps of worthy overseas aid causes, let them be charitable, ie let us decide, but for state handouts, let that stay here.

Olympic victory

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

Several German friends have contacted me now that the London Olympics of 2012 are over. They told me that they marvelled at the whole event, were astonished at the number of medals that Team GB won and thought that the entire event had been an excellent advertisement for the UK.

One thing the Germans just cannot understand is why Education Minister Michael Gove and the coalition Government are going ahead with yet more plans to sell off school and college playing fields.