March was a trying time for guide dogs

We have also lost two of our guide dogs.

Amara, who was ten-years-old and a hard-working and loyal guide dog, had to be put to sleep after developing fits. She was due to be retired soon as she had earned her retirement, but, unfortunately, she never got that far.

Dennis, who was well known in Nationwide, Pegasus House and was aged eight, had to withdrawn from working due to a kidney problem and will be sadly missed by his guide dog owner.

It is difficult when you have had a guide dog on your left-hand side for a long period of time to suddenly find that they are no longer there and you have to try and get around without a dog. They are our eyes, our guide and, just as importantly, a very close companion and part of the family.

Guide Dogs as a charity makes a commitment to all the 4,500 guide dog owners in the United Kingdom to support them with a guide dog for the rest of their lives which is a big commitment to make — and all it costs us to have a guide dog is 50p.

The charity pays for the dog food and vet’s bill which costs £5 a day to support these partnerships. We have 20 guide dogs in the Swindon area and the annual cost to support these is £36,400.

We receive no Government funding and rely solely upon the support of the general public and businesses through donations and gifts in wills.

I would like to thank everyone for their support through this tough time and for your very kind generosity.

Without your support, we could not exist and guide dog owners in Swindon would lose their mobility, freedom, independence and confidence.

Thank you all once again and let us hope that the rest of the year will be trouble free.

Alan Fletcher Chair Swindon Guide Dogs for the Blind Godwin Road Swindon

Club condemned

How disgusting of Swindon Town FC to charge £25 for entry to the County Ground for walk-up supporters.

Having advance notice of this obscene charge (comparable with Premiership clubs), many Northampton Town fans boycotted the recent match with Swindon. Therefore, only 476 fans travelled to a game which traditionally attracts at least double that number of NTFC fans.

It is as if the Swindon board have ignored the fact that the country is in the grip of a huge recession.

The £25 merely acts as a tax on the loyalty of away fans. Moreover, the charge also applies to home ‘walk-ups’.

And I would hope that level-headed Swindon fans would join me in condemning this profiteering.

Those that don’t can have no complaint if Robins’ fans are charged £30 on their travels away in League 1 next season.

I also condemn STFC for their refusal to offer an armed forces concession on the £25 for NTFC fans.

Jack Palmerstone Barrack Road Northampton

Di Canio ‘great’

The season isn’t over but Paulo di Canio’s great. It’s not success we hope will come: it’s the excellent goals against record the team have this season.

This solid performance gives a style success I don’t feel that Swindon Town FC have had since the time of great managers like Glen Hoddle.

Clive Hooper Munsell Way Wroughton

Common problem

How many of us have gone outdoors into our garden and tripped over? Now how many of us have fallen over and injured ourselves that the injuries are so bad we require help and assistance? Now here is the problem, how do we get help? Do we shout and hope someone hears us. Do we call a friend to then realise we left the phone on charge?

Do we then have to lie there until someone finds us? Now, sadly, this happens to the elderly and if you were elderly it could be a very frightening experience. You fall over and call out but your voice is faint with age.

You shout as hard as you can but someone drilling or cutting the grass deafens your words. You hear kids playing in a local field and try to get their attention but they are playing and do not hear you.

Eventually, after you have been sat there for a few hours, a neighbour calls round and finds you in distress.

You are rescued but the experience has been very upsetting and now your confidence is shattered.

You are left wondering what could have happened if your good neighbour never called round. You could have died of hyperthermia or been in agony for days. Your confidence has taken a knock, now you need professional help but where do you find it?

You are elderly and do not want to make a fuss. This is a problem that is so very common but we do not realise until it is often too late. It could be your parents or, perhaps, you next week?

Is a lifeline for services like that the way forward for the elderly or for anyone who is in risk of falling over? We all take life for granted.

I wrote this as I have found my parents fallen over in the garden putting the washing out but also because a lovely lady fell over in our village last week and was stranded in her garden for over two hours and when found was taken to Bath RHU with a broken hip. Now I hear she is in Chippenham and I wish her well.

Mr Andrew Hungerford North Bradley Trowbridge

Sprinklers plea

May I share this information in the hope that local councils and developers will now look at this issue seriously?

Fire sprinklers save lives and there was a presentation in London on Thursday showing the results of a pilot project to fit fire sprinklers in a 13-storey block of flats.

The Government said it could not be done economically or without unacceptable disruption to the residents.

The trade proved them wrong and did the job in less than four weeks — and for only £1,150 per flat. Another case of the Civil Service misleading the politicians with duff information.

Nick Ross (ex-Crimewatch) is fronting the campaign to encourage fitting of fire sprinklers in domestic property.

I hope Swindon Council will look at this seriously now.

David Glaholm Former councillor for Penhill Bideford Devon

Do a walk of life

I am appealing to people to take part in a stunning walk through the Avon Gorge to help fight meningitis.

Meningitis UK’s Big Stroll is the perfect chance to pull on your walking boots to help save lives by raising money for vaccine research.

Join in the fun and meet new people on Saturday June 16, starting in Keynsham and finishing at the Avon Gorge Hotel with views of the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Meningitis can strike within four hours and its symptoms are notoriously difficult to detect. This is why Meningitis UK is solely focused on developing preventative vaccines to protect future generations.

To sign up, call 0117 303 3347 or visit: www.meningitisuk.org/bigstroll GEMMA LANGLEY Meningitis UK

Station ‘robbery’

I have lived in Wiltshire for over 20 years and for most of this time there has been a very shabby petrol station on the outskirts of Marlborough.

I have read all the issues with the owners but still residents put up with this garage.

Now enough is enough. I had to stop for some fuel in a borrowed car and I was ‘robbed’ of £1.79.9 a litre.

Why do the residents of Marlborough put up with this?

I am lead to believe that the owner has another station just outside the town which looks “bombed”.

Wake up, Marlborough.

PAUL LEVY Via email