Western Daily Press

Backs to the Wall to Defend Farmers

No doubt farmers will be chatting about their future in the great scheme of things. We are hearing about the crisis in agriculture and food production worldwide and looming food shortages despite, or because of, global warming and climate change.

What Do Mps Really Do?

We don't talk much politics in our village pub, mainly because it interrupts the free flow of conversation and beverages. That's not to say we don't take our politics seriously: we do! But we can't take our politicians seriously because most of them appear to be living off the fat of the land, if not on it.

Pounds 180,000 On Redesigning Site for Defra

Defra spent Pounds 180,000 redesigning its official website and changed the colour because a focus group (quango) said it contained too much brown and looked "too agricultural". The Countryside Alliance (who elected them?) said: "It is right that Defra wants to keep its website design current and relevant, but Pounds 180,000 on a redesign shows skewed priorities on where they are spending our money. The farming community will rightly be asking serious questions about its own department's comm...

Jones' Birdie Blitz Steals the Show in Tense County Final Epic

Hambrook's Trevor Jones retained the Gloucester and Somerset PGA Matchplay Championship by beating Chris Murphy, from Rodway Hill, by one hole in the final over the Cherington Course at Minchinhampton. Last year, he completed the double by also winning the championship, but he had to be content with second place behind John Goymer (Wheathill) this year.

Golf Round-Up

Filton's Roger Willett, pictured right, won this year's Gloucestershire County Seniors Open final over Minchinhampton's Avening course by carding 39 Stableford points off a handicap of 22. He said: "It is great to win such a prestigious tournament in my club's centenary year and it is a moment I will never forget."

Your Daily Stars

Your temper has led you to say some things which you now regret. Stop and take stock. The stars are ripe for reconciliation tonight; that is - if you can find the courage. Call my starline right now to reach your full potential. What you wanted to do with your career comes into question this week. This is mainly due to the fact that you have recently tapped into new talents which open up endless possibilities for the future. Call me now to hear how the planet Mercury promises opportunity.

Striped Jacket Is Debatable

Well it seems that Ed has finally hung up his boots and passed the baton over to me, his cooler, better-looking and generally more awesome younger brother, so turn it up to 11 and rock it out Olly- style ... ahem. Every year our school goes to somewhere in the country to take part in the Model United Nations, (MUN). MUN is basically when a lot of schools from around the country meet together and pretend to be the UN, in the schools you get assigned countries and I got assigned Sweden whose op...

Good Policy Is Child's Play

Suddenly, there's a great explosion of contempt for the state of our primary education system. It's amazing to see schools taking the limelight momentarily - but I'm disappointed it has all blown over so quickly. The Cambridge report into primary schools has given a detailed critique of what's wrong with schools and how they could be improved. It's rather damning and while politicians squirm, parents, teachers and the teaching unions are clamouring for change. In the past, I'd have nodded in ...

Cheep and Cheerful ; Bristol Author Geraldine Taylor Is Renowned for Her Books On Local Wildlife. Her Latest Offering Gets Up, Close and Personal with Some Feathered Friends On the Clifton Downs Lookatbooks

BIRDS, declares Geraldine Taylor, unite us as a nation, just as much as discussing the weather or football. To prove her point, she has produced a new book, The Coffee Thrush, packed with specifically local bird tales.

A Little Snapshot of History in the Year After Great War ; Your Say

I thought readers might like to see a photo of my mother, Gladys Lucy Goff Chapman, taken at Aldershot a year after she joined the Women's Army Corps on November 11, 1918. She lived in St Anne's. They appear to have changed hats.

Con Was Full of Stories ; Obituary

Cornelius Alphonsus Doherty, who was known as Con, was born in Fahan, Donegal in 1932. His family came to England when he was a baby and he was brought up in Knowle West, considering himself both a proud Irishman and Knowle Wester.

In Memoriam

Deaths

Our View

Today's archive picture shows the Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, officially opening the Chew Valley reservoir in 1956. Construction, which started in 1950, took over five years to complete. Sixteen farmhouses, eleven other smaller dwellings and 1,200 acres of productive farm land were lost to the waters. Taking its supply from copious Mendip springs, plus the River Yeo, the reservoir provides drinking water for the city of Bristol and beyond.

We Are Losing Our Religion ; Your Say

In reference to the story about prayers being banned at a council meeting, WDP October 23, I am amazed that anyone can be "shocked" at being asked to stand up and say a simple prayer. Is the same person similarly offended when attending a church funeral? Although we live in a multi-ethnic, multi-religion society, it would appear that our own long-standing Christian religion is continually criticised and denigrated in favour of other faiths. I wonder if the same complaints would have been made...

Superstore's Energy Waste ; Your Say

A recent whole page in your paper giving advice on saving power by turning off lights and stopping draughts made me recall my recent visit to the supermarket, where I saw hundreds of cars. The car park lights were still on at 10am, thousands of lights in the store, hundreds of fridges and freezers, and 30 TV sets all switched on. What a waste! This government just ASDA CO-OPerate to find a SAFE WAY to stop this waste before this country becomes TESCOland, LIDL Britain and cold enough for ICEL...

Vote with Feet On Fish Stocks ; Your Say

After a recent visit to newly opened Morrisons in Westbury I am truly concerned how little the supermarket chain has responded to the desperate plight our indigenous fish stocks are currently in. What concerns me is that cod, skate, bluefin tuna and other fish species are still on the supermarket shelves and there appears to be no ethical policy about changing customer eating habits.

Horse Owners Use the Hunt ; Your Say

Almost daily there are letters in the WDP for or against hunting. To all these people who think it will be completely banned and confined to the history books, I say take a trip into the countryside, look around you.

There Is a Price to Pay for Our Natural Beauty ; Your Say

Anyone who lives in the country recognises that not everything goes strictly to a plan - that is part of the beauty of country living. After the dry summer that we have just had, followed by autumnal heavy rain showers on top of falling leaves, we are always going to be subjected to flash floods. And of course dry summers and shrinking root systems followed by high winds regularly result in trees falling across roads, often leading to long delays and road closures.

Swrda has More to Give ; Your Say

I was disappointed to read the leader in last Friday's Western Daily Press about how public money is spent in the South West. While we work hard to create new jobs in our region, the work of the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) is about a great deal more besides.