Firm should fund river restoration

The recent pollution incident at the Taw Hill pumping station which rendered 7 km of the river Ray ecologically dead, calls in question the adequacy of this facility which drains a large area of North Swindon and pumps effluent to the Rodbourne treatment works.

Since a previous incident, large storage tanks were installed at two locations on Queen Elizabeth Drive. The noise and traffic disruption caused by pumping these tanks out into road tankers has disturbed local residents over several days and nights.

Further development is continuing at Tadpole and Blunsdon and Thames Water needs to reassure residents that the pumping station and the main to the treatment works are still fit for purpose.

Wildlife in the River Ray will take many years to regenerate naturally, so although Thames Water may incur a substantial fine over the incident, it would show their commitment to the improvement in water quality if they were to finance the restoration and re stocking of the river in conjunction with the Environment Agency.

Richard Hailstone

Wicks Close

Haydon Wick

Rwanda not safe place for refugees

This September 5, the legal challenge against the Government’s inhumane Rwanda plan is back in the High Court.

Back in July, people in Wiltshire were moved to spontaneously come out to Boscombe Down to protest the flight that was scheduled to leave from there in secret after crying refugees were dragged onto the plane.

Since then, we have learned about the number of organisations and MPs who have warned that Rwanda is not a safe place for asylum seekers.

I have witnessed how so many people in our community have responded with care, compassion and kindness as the shocking crises in countries like Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine have unfolded.

We’ve welcomed asylum seekers into our community with love, care and kindness as our new neighbours.

Now we need to respond in a similar way to stop innocent refugees being deported to Rwanda by force and ensure the Government provides safer, more human asylum routes.

Join the #StopRwanda campaign on social media. Support charities like Care4Calais and campaigns like Stand Up to Racism who are challenging the Rwanda policy by raising funds and organising demonstrations against it.

Wendy Roger

The Pastures

Bradford on Avon

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