This week's letters to the Advertiser: September 15, 2016

If there's something you want to get off your chest on a hot local topic, don't hang about! Send your views to editorial@helensburghadvertiser.co.uk and we'll publish as many as we can in next week's print edition!

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The Clock Tower has been a part of Helensburgh life for 170 years starting out of course as a Church of Scotland Church and when the Church moved out it became a United Forces Canteen for some years.

Local builder Angus Trail purchased it to build the Tower Place development on condition that he retain the tower itself and the clock. The tower was then sold to the Loch Lomond Stirling and Trossachs Tourist Board, of which I chairman for many years, with the same conditions imposed, and served as the town's visitor centre.

The local tourist board was subsumed by VisitScotland who ran the visitor centre until it was taken over by Visit Helensburgh.

The finance for the purchase from Angus Trail came largely from Dumbarton District Council, of which Helensburgh was a part at that time, and with contributions from the local tourist board, traders and members and was, therefore, funded 100% by ratepayers of this area

In fairness to the present VisitScotland tourist board this property purchase was made many years ago and there is probably no-one on the present board who knows the background to the funding of this project. I feel now that it is my duty, as chairman when the Helensburgh Centre was closed, to draw their attention to that background.

I would like to see the tower taken into community ownership and a trust set up to run it. This would possibly require a feasibility study to investigate all aspects of this move and I would hope that perhaps the Council's local area committee, Chamber of Commerce and Community Council could perhaps facilitate this.

We have all seen how successful such an approach has been with the Hermitage Park project and I believe this old building could form an important focus for the people of Helensburgh and a feature of the future pier development.

I have, therefore, contacted VisitScotland and asked them to give consideration to a) withdrawing the clock tower from the market to allow time for a period of consultation and discussion and b) to returning the building to community control with no charge in view of the fact that it was the ratepayers of this area who paid for the building in the first instance.

These views are my own personal opinion and I hope it will give food for thought and others may come along with much better proposals.

Billy Petrie, Helensburgh

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AS a driver it concerns me to see so many cyclists ride their bicycles on the roads where we have perfectly good and serviceable cycle paths. I work at Faslane and at the end of the day there are high numbers of cars leaving the base to return home to Helensburgh, Rhu and further afield. Having so many vehicles on the road, at going home time, it becomes frustrating when drivers are forced to slow down and await their turn to overtake cyclists who choose to ride on the main road rather than to use the cycle path provided.

Only last month two cyclist lost his life’s on local roads, one at Duntocher the other near Fort William. Figures produced by RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) show that in 2014, there were 113 cyclist deaths and 3,401 Seriously Injured on the roads of Britain.

As drivers we’re told that we should take consideration for cyclists on the road, and I’m sure most drivers do. However, when there are perfectly serviceable cycle paths provided specifically for their use, cyclists should stay off the road and stay safe.

Derick Gray, Cove

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JOHN Swinney has recently revealed the named person scheme would be delayed by a year. It follows the Supreme Court ruling elements of the policy “unlawful”. However, he added that councils who were already running the scheme should continue. How can local authorities be expected to keep running a programme judges have described as illegal ? Rather than delaying the named person scheme the SNP should abandon this Orwellian power grab. Polling overwhelmingly shows that we Scots do no what state sponsored guardians for our children. It's time the SNP started listening.

Alastair Redman , Portnahaven, Islay

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On a recent visit to Helensburgh Pier we noticed that no litter bins were present. At the Pier head there were plastic carrier bags full of rubbish, rubbish from where? Day out on Waverley ? Or is this Argyll and Bute trying to save money by reusing plastic carrier bags?

Brian Maguire, Clyde Street, Helensburgh

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I AM writing to ask your readers to pop their kettles on and roll out their best bakes to support people with epilepsy. Epilepsy Action’s Tea Break will see hundreds of people coming together on Friday, October 21 to raise funds for the 600,000 people living with epilepsy in the UK. There are 53,000 people living with epilepsy in Scotland.

Every cup of tea shared and slice of cake bought at an Epilepsy Action Tea Break will raise vital funds for the charity’s life-changing work. By coming together with an Epilepsy Action Tea Break, people can help break down the isolation that people with epilepsy can face. The funds raised could help support Epilepsy Action’s nationwide network of Coffee and Chat groups. Offering support and a friendly listening ear, these groups can be real lifeline to people living with epilepsy.

Holding an Epilepsy Action Tea Break couldn’t be simpler. Everyone who signs up to hold a Tea Break gets a handy toolkit, containing everything you need to help get your ideas brewing and make your day a success. To request your free pack, visit epilepsy.org.uk/teabreak or call the fundraising events team on 0113 210 8824.

For more information and support about epilepsy, readers can call the Epilepsy Action Helpline on freephone 0808 800 5050.

Carl Foster

Fundraising events officer

Epilepsy Action

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THIS October I will be stepping out in my best PJ’s to celebrate Humphrey’s Pyjama Week (3-7 October), and hopefully raising lots of money to help children with brain injury. And I’d like to invite your readers to join us.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, teacher, childminder or nursery assistant, we’re inviting everyone to get their pyjamas on, play games and help raise money for The Children’s Trust to help children with brain injury across the UK.

Register online and you’ll receive a free Humphrey’s Corner pack full of games, puzzles and ideas. It’s brilliant fun with a suggested donation of £2 per person. Visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/humphrey or call 01737 364303 for more information.

Sid Sloane from CBeebies

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TEN years ago, I set up the Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs with the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability to recognise the many talented and ambitious disabled people who have set up their own businesses.

This year I am making the prize even bigger! The winner will walk out with £30,000, and there will be four runner-up prizes.

We are also expanding the entry criteria, so everyone can apply, not just disabled people. If you, or someone you know, has a company that creates work, products or services for disabled people, we want to hear from you.

The award is now open, and we are keen to hear from all types of businesses, even if still a start-up. Apply now or nominate someone, before the deadline on 10 October 2016 by visiting facebook (Stelios Philanthropic Foundation) or go to www.leonardcheshire.org/stelios

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, c/o Leonard Cheshire Disability

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SUNDAY was National Grandparents’ Day and I would like to take this opportunity to urge everyone to get in touch with their own and let them know how special they are.

When we ask our volunteers at Contact the Elderly what motivated them to join our charity, that provides free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties, many tell us that as they no longer have any living grandparents or ones that they can visit regularly, they love the opportunity to spend time with people of a similar age. Our volunteers say it reminds them of days gone by and how special grandparents are. They also come away from our tea parties feeling as though they have inherited a whole new set.

Our free monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties rely on our volunteers and the impact the small amount of time they donate makes an immeasurable difference. Our guests as we call them, are always so grateful for the chance to get out and meet people like them, as well as from all walks of life.

Contact the Elderly recently celebrated the launch of our 100th tea party group in Scotland, a major milestone. We now have a network of more than 1,100 kind-hearted people throughout the country giving more than 1,000 older people in their local communities the vital lifeline of friendship.

Demand for our services is growing and we continue to appeal for more volunteers to join our ranks and help end isolation among our older communities. We also know there are many more older people who would benefit from our tea parties who we have not been able to reach and would appeal to anyone who might know someone to get in touch with us to find out about our parties.

Morna O’May, Head of Service – Scotland, Contact the Elderly