Readers' letters - February 27

Carts, such as this one, were once used to sell milk but the times are changing says a correspondent

In times past, I remember bread was delivered to shops by horse and van, coal by horse and cart.

Traders used hand carts to sell fish, fruit, buttermilk et cetera in the streets.

There were small shops.

No technology in those days.

The shopkeeper would say “how are you today Mrs Jones?” or use first names and have a conversation laced with family topics.

Today in supermarkets, assistants talk kindly to  you, “can I help pack your bags?” but they have limited time.

We avoid being checked out by machines.

Our identity is affected by the buildings around  us.

At the end of our road, small shops at the corners keep changing.

I have also noticed, over the years, many of the  small shops on the main road have closed. Luckily we still have some small shops left and a couple of large stores.

Today there are many estate agents popping up around us which are needed to service the people on the move.

The provision, location and accessibility of shopping facilities are aspects of the environment which contributes to an individual’s feeling of well being and sense of community.

We have lost large stores like BHS and Woolworths – and many more could  go.

In the future, will we be sat at the computer ordering our food and goods online, with some being delivered by drones?

We seem to be moving in that direction.

How times have changed.

P O’Connor

Address supplied

No longer a ‘Great’ Britain

I can only assume, looking at the by-election result for Copeland, that people do not mind the fact that the NHS is being gradually destroyed or that libraries and museums are being closed all over the country or that social care funding has been cut.

What makes Britain ‘Great’ is not wars or the arrogant ‘British Empire’ – it is a sense of compassion for the vulnerable, our beautiful countryside and a respect for wildlife, and, of course, our NHS. If we no longer have these qualities then we should do what is honest and just call ourselves Britain.

For without kindness, without a decent health service or social care, without culture and heritage, without our beautiful green spaces (which are being destroyed and replaced by large, over-priced houses) ... we are not Great, whether we are in or out of the EU.

Jane

Via email

Money going to wrong places

I heard Britain has ploughed an extra £1.5bn in aid to India.

I was staggered to see that we have written into law that we must spend 0.7 per cent of our GDP– i.e £16bn/year and rising – and of this £300m goes to Pakistan which has its own space programme.

How ridiculous is this when we don’t look after our own elderly and homeless and can’t even afford to pay for our own health service?

This must stop, I understand that Theresa May has stated that it may be up for review and so it should be. Charity begins at home then we can look after others

Cliff Fazackerley

Address supplied

Go on Dechox challenge

Every year, heart and circulatory disease kills around 18,400 in the North West and currently, around 844,000 people in the region are living with its burden.

That’s why I’m calling on everyone to join me in signing up to the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) DECHOX campaign to help fund life saving research.

Every pound you raise by ditching chocolate will be crucial in helping fund the breakthroughs we need to end the devastation caused by heart disease.

Jake Quickenden

X-Factor and I’m a Celebrity star