YP Letters: Ban deluge of plastic bags from charities

HOW I agree with Jayne Dowle’s column on the banning of supermarket plastic bags (The Yorkshire Post, August 14). I always keep a supply of reusables in the boot! However, I would also include the “charity” plastic bags pushed through letter boxes at very regular intervals.

During 2016, I counted the charity bags (how sad is that?) and we were the recipients of 55 such bags, 11 of which were from the same charity. These comprise a large sack which is probably the equivalent of three carrier bags, each contained in a small plastic envelope which is only any good for sending to landfill.

In order to do my bit for the environment, I put them on a shelf in the garage and have more than 100. Sometime I will need to dispose of them.

I would suggest these are much more of a problem to the future of the planet than plastic carrier bags and should also be banned.

Occasionally words fail me

From: Ross Taggart, The Avenue, Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees.

AS it is well known that your readers tend to be people of no little erudition, possibly one among them could inform me of the etymology and proper usage of a word now widely employed in spoken English, the meaning of which is, I confess, thus far wholly unknown to me.

The word in question, as far as I can gather by careful listening, is “buttyair” (sic). It seems to be used to conjoin parts of a verbal statement, possibly with the object of reinforcing that statement.

One of your correspondents has lately pointed out that the repeated use of the word “like” in speech is not merely a meaningless filler, as I mistakenly believed it to be, but is in fact a system of punctuation.

Accordingly I fear that my ignorance as regards to “buttyair” may excite derision among your readers, but that is a risk I willingly accept in the search for knowledge.

Look out for slavery signs

From: Steve Oversby, Director, Barnardo’s East Region.

RECENT headlines have raised awareness that modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK is much more prevalent than previously thought.

It’s important to remember that traffickers do not care how young their victims are and that trafficked children are some of the most vulnerable children in this country. They are often moved away from their family and friends, only to be exploited for someone else’s gain.

Barnardo’s has provided support to children of all ages who have been trafficked. They might have been sexually abused, used as cheap labour or domestic servants, or have been forced to commit crimes.

It’s vital that professionals can spot the signs of trafficking and keep children safe. And we would echo the National Crime Agency and ask that members of the public look out for signs of slavery including visible injuries, a distressed appearance and any indication someone is being controlled by another person.

Call students to help in A&E

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

I WAS delighted to read (The Yorkshire Post, August 21) that Leeds NHS is teaming with Leeds Beckett University to let speech and language therapy gain experience in dealing with real patients, thereby helping to reduce waiting times for this valuable therapy.

Why can’t we use our medical students in the same way to reduce waiting times in A&E? When I was a fourth year medical student, we were detailed to clinical sessions where, after the patients had been triaged by the doctor on duty, we saw and treated patients with simple sprains, cuts etc, minor injuries that really do not need to be dealt with by a junior doctor.

This experience proved invaluable after we had qualified and were left to deal with all sorts of injuries and medical conditions. It also reduced the waiting times for the patients. Bring it on.

Muslims must root out terror

From: M Jones, New Croft, Fulford Road, York.

THERE are many Islamic areas and it seems strange that Muslims choose to live in a Christian country.

Whilst we show no animosity towards them, we are entitled to ask if they think that the leaders of their faith are doing enough to denounce terrorism. Similarly we wonder if our Muslim friends realise it is their responsibility to root out these murderers and those indoctrinating them.

Straighter bat

From: Arthur Quarmby, Mill Moor Road, Meltham.

IS the country becoming a little over-sensitive? If Geoffrey Boycott had said: “Had I been a member of the West Indies team I would have been knighted decades ago”, then he would have been quite right, and there could surely have been no objection.

As it was, he expressed the same fact in a careless manner. Nothing to get so excited about, surely?

Think bike

From: Allan Ramsay, Radcliffe.

IF the NHS is to give free bicycles for hitting exercise targets, they need to make drivers show more respect for cyclists.