YOUR VIEWS: Charity appeals, history teaching in schools and tax ideas

A mixed bag of correspondence from Inverness Courier readers.

Help to look after families of seriously ill children

We often hear comments such as “I feel totally isolated”, “life has been turned upside down” and “I have no idea how to control things” from the families we support.

Thanks to the rising cost of living, coping with a seriously ill or life-threatened child has become even harder.

Many are still struggling to cope with Covid, which remains a threat to a sick and vulnerable child.

In the latest survey of families supported by Rainbow Trust over 73 per cent of parents with a seriously ill child said their mental wellbeing has been negatively affected since the start of 2020.

Now the additional impact of the cost of living increase on families with a sick child means that some do not know how they will pay the bills, cover the cost of running life-preserving equipment at home and travelling to important medical appointments.

One struggling family told us they are having to choose between reducing therapy for their child or basic food and living items.

At Rainbow Trust we understand the pressure this places on the wellbeing of parents caring for a sick child.

By pairing families with one of our expert family support workers we can help to alleviate the immense pressure many families are under, providing practical and emotional support, whenever they need it, for as long as is needed.

With many families not able to rely on friends or family, the impact of our family support workers cannot be overstated.

This World Mental Health Day we are asking for you to please consider donating £10 by visiting www.rainbowtrust.org.uk to help fund an hour of emotional and practical support for a family struggling to cope.

Zillah Bingley

Chief executive

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity

Microchipping must be made compulsory for cats

Cats Protection is urging Scottish pet lovers to join its campaign for compulsory microchipping of pet cats – a measure which is already in place for dogs.

Compulsory microchipping would be a major step forward in feline welfare in Scotland, yet there are currently no plans for it to be introduced.

This is in contrast with England, where the measure is due to become law.

Scottish animal lovers are now being asked to join the charity’s campaign by using an online form oto contact their MSP to ask they support the move.

Compulsory microchipping of pet cats would ensure more cats can be reunited with their owners if they are lost or missing.

It also helps to identify cats which have sadly died in road accidents, and helps to reduce the pressure on animal charities which may find it impossible to trace the owner of an un-microchipped stray or lost cat, despite their best efforts.

We’re asking for the help of cat lovers in Scotland to send a message to MSPs that cats deserve the same level of protection as their canine counterparts.

Animal lovers can fill in a simple form on Cats Protection’s website which will send an email to their local MSP telling them to support compulsory microchipping of pet cats.

To find out more, please visit: www.cats.org.uk/scot-chipping.

Alice Palombo

Advocacy & government relations officer for Scotland

Cats Protection

Do the young know too little of our common history?

Conversations with young work colleagues have revealed to me that a complete ignorance of even pivotal events in British history is sadly the norm.

Indeed, the answer to the late Tony Hancock’s question: “Magna Carta – did she die in vain?” can only be, sadly, yes.

The starting point was when a friend sent me a meme based on the Bayeux Tapestry.

While older people recognised the source and got the joke, youngsters not only had never heard of this historic work of art, but I soon discovered that the majority of them hadn’t even heard of the Norman Conquest!

Asking them about whether they knew what the Reformation was drew a similarly blank response.

One or two recognised the name John Knox, but what he had actually stood for was a mystery.

After that I felt sure that the Industrial Revolution and the Anglo-Scottish Enlightenment would also draw a blank.

Several of the key events and developments of British history are not just crucial to our identity but, because of Britain’s impact on the world, of significance to people everywhere.

Rather than celebrating Black History month, what is actually needed is a Basic History month to educate young people about the key events in British history, which are part of the common inheritance of all British citizens whatever their ancestry or creed.

Otto Inglis

Crossgates

Fife

Tax relief idea for necessary private health treatment

Too many people who live in Scotland are being forced to pay privately for dental and medical treatments.

These people have been paying National Insurance and taxes for many years.

Having read this far up will jump the First Minister and her loyal followers who will quote “It’s much worse in England”.

That is irrelevant since the NHS has been devolved since 1 July 1999 and the SNP has controlled Scotland’s devolved legislature since the 2007 election.

Taxation is a devolved issue so Nicola Sturgeon, famous for her “Where Scotland leads others will follow” utterings, could steal a march on Westminster and announce that those forced to go to private doctors and dentists for treatment will be able to claim tax relief at 21 per cent.

Clark Cross

Linlithgow

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