Dear Editor,

I recall some months ago a report suggesting that the areas below ground in this part of the country with numerous closed coal mines, could be developed for commercial district heating schemes.

I have not heard or seen anything further of the topic since then. However a report in the "i paper" of May 25 has resurrected the topic of the potential use of this geo-thermal warming in other parts of the country.

I wonder has there been any further indication of the potential use being explored in this locality?

Regards,

Jeff Parsons

Westfield

Dear Editor,

With the advent of the current warm weather and school holidays, it would appear that Somervale's field is in use again.

I noticed that there were four black bags of rubbish by the cricket club litter bin on Saturday morning, presumably containing the previous night's revelry detritus. This may have been the work of a civic minded citizen or the actions of the attendees themselves, of course, for which they are to be commended.

However, I am wondering what other readers thoughts on this are.

Is it better to clear up, removing the danger of broken glass and environmental impact of cans, bottles, barbecues etcetera. Could this allow/promote the belief that there is a litter fairy ready to rectify the situation?

Or...

Is it better to leave the rubbish in place so that the next gathering is greeted with the mess that has been left behind..?

I really can't make my mind up.

Yours, in despair.

Name and address supplied.

Dear Editor,

Play is disappearing from children’s lives at an alarming rate. In the UK, research shows that children are experiencing less free play – and time spent playing outdoors has halved in a generation.

Opportunities to play are even more limited in many other parts of the world. According to the latest figures, almost one in five children globally live in an area affected by conflict, around 273-million children are out of school and nearly 138 million are engaged in child labour.

This squeeze on childhood will have damaging long-term consequences.

That’s why on International Day of Play (June 11), Right To Play is calling for international action to protect play for children and ensure that no childhood is cut short.

The benefits of play are indisputable. It is proven to be critical to children’s learning, development and well-being. More than anything, play makes childhood joyful.

In our global programmes, the power of play is transforming the lives of more than 4.7-million children every year, helping them to stay in school, heal from trauma and develop the critical life skills they need to thrive.

Find out more about the vital importance of play, and how you can help champion this basic right for every child, by visiting righttoplay.org.uk

Gillian McMahon

Executive Director, Right To Play UK

Dear Editor,

Following the recent local elections, now seems an appropriate time to remind councils what local government is actually meant to do.

People vote in local elections expecting competent delivery of local services: bins collected on time, potholes repaired, safe streets, functioning transport and support for schools and vulnerable residents. They do not elect councillors to posture as amateur diplomats or to spend taxpayer-funded time debating international conflicts far beyond their authority or influence.

Across the country, communities are facing serious and immediate challenges. Schools are stretched, elderly residents struggle with access to care and transport, roads continue to deteriorate and many town centres are visibly declining. These are not abstract political causes — they are the everyday realities residents deal with constantly.

Yet increasingly, some councils appear more interested in symbolic foreign policy motions, headline-grabbing declarations and ideological campaigning than addressing the practical concerns they were elected to manage. Such gestures may generate applause on social media and dramatic press releases, but they do little to improve the lives of local residents paying ever-rising Council Tax bills.

Local government functions best when it remains focused on issues it can genuinely solve. Nobody contacts their council asking them to resolve conflicts thousands of miles away before fixing broken streetlights, antisocial behaviour or crumbling roads outside their homes.

The election results should serve as a reminder that voters expect competence, accountability, and attention to local priorities. Residents want better schools, reliable services for older people, safer communities and infrastructure that works — not performative politics masquerading as municipal governance.

That is where councils should focus their time, energy and taxpayers’ money.

Ryan Mendelson, via email

Dear Editor,

As we mark Volunteers’ Week (June 1 to 7), I wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate the outstanding volunteers whose dedication and commitment are vital to the work of RNID. Their time, skills and compassion make a real difference to the 18-million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.

Through our community activities across the UK, around 600 incredible RNID volunteers take part in a diverse range of activities, helping us make life fully inclusive for people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

Our dedicated volunteers not only provide hearing aid maintenance, information on hearing loss and tinnitus at our RNID Near You drop-in sessions across the country, they also act as ambassadors by giving talks to local groups and organisations, helping to raise awareness of our work.

Over the past year alone, RNID volunteers have given more than 18,000 hours of their time, helping us to reach more than 47,000 people across the UK – which is a truly remarkable achievement, and we sincerely thank them for their invaluable contribution.

This Volunteers’ Week, we’re inviting anyone who wants to make a valuable difference to the lives of people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus to sign up to volunteer with us by visiting rnid.org.uk/volunteer.

Vicki Andrews, RNID