Greyhounds are not disposable items

Reading the article in Wednesdays Swindon Advertiser, I came to the conclusion once and for all how despicable and sleazy the whole greyhound racing ‘sport’ is.

I say ‘sport’ in inverted commas, as its no sport for the poor greyhounds risking horrific injuries and death just to satisfy a gambling wish for some.

Potential race fixing, and serious welfare issues, have worried several animal charities for many years with RSPCA, DogsTrust and Blue Cross, three large organisations taking a stand and demanding a ban on greyhound racing.

The racing fraternity will no doubt say that greyhounds are looked after well and retired at the end of their racing careers, but many have very sad outcomes.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a hound running free, but greyhounds are not disposable items to be used and abused just so humans can bet on them thus fuelling the gambling industry, which itself causes so much anguish through addiction.

Virginia Allan

Wareham Close

Toothill

Yellow trumps blue on the doorstep

Last Thursday’s Liberal Democrat victory in the Wiltshire Council by election in Salisbury St Pauls ward with a staggering 64.8 per cent saw the Conservatives pushed into third place behind Labour with just 16.6 per cent of the vote compared to 18.5 per cent for Labour.

Wind in our sails and credibility restored that the Liberal Democrats can again be a force to be reckoned with, not just in local politics but also on the national stage.

With the latest revelations that Sunak knew about ‘Bully Boy’ Gavin Williamson’s behaviour and still asked him to join the Tory cabinet, we know that not much has changed among the blues at Number 10 Downing Street.

On a personal level I found it interesting when I met a clutch of Tory canvassers including the candidate in Salisbury last Thursday, that two of them were wearing yellow.

When I remarked jovially that 'at least they were wearing the right colour', they replied “this way we don’t get the doors slammed in our faces.”

Not that I would want this to happen to anyone, it does perhaps show clearer than anything else that the tide has indeed changed in British politics.

Dr Brian Mathew

Wiltshire Councillor

Lib Dem Wiltshire Parliamentary Spokesperson

Poppy pebbles strike a chord with public

STARS and influencers, such as Sophie Ellis Bextor, Anneka Rice and Sammy Winward, are showing their support for Remembrance Day this year by backing a national poppy pebble painting initiative, led by the Forces Employment Charity.

Poppy Pebbles invites schools, veterans and the public to paint a poppy on a pebble and place it on a war memorial, or headstone of a veteran, as a way of commemorating Remembrance Day.

Those taking part are encouraged to undertake research, identifying and visiting war graves in their area via the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, finding information about the veteran buried there.

The Poppy Pebbles project started life as a mindfulness activity during lockdown for some of our more vulnerable veteran clients. We found that the idea really struck a chord with the public and it now sees people taking part all over the country.

Visit forcesemployment.org.uk/poppypebbles

Colin Back

Forces Employment Charity

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