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DOULA'S ROLE: I think it's a shame that the roles of Doula's have been brought up because of one of them 'arguing' with the Anesthetist who appeared tonight. He was very right in saying that every one needed to know their role and it IS the role of the Doula to be there to support the mother.
Lynette John-Roberts, Bexhill on Sea, 2nd December 2009
It's appalling that a Falklands veteran is reduced to selling his medals and other memorabilia in order to make ends meet. It's time our servicemen and women were looked after properly, we owe them so much.
Frances Salter, Amesbury, 1st December 2009
I have to point out that the government is not helping since they withdrew the 125mg glass for wine from circulation in pubs and restaurants replacing it by the minimum 175mg unless this was a measure decided by the brewers.
Why not get this reversed and reintroduce the minimum 125mg glass? As things stand this does not give the right message to drinkers and makes life more difficult for the police.
Maurice Peter Hatchwell, Isle of Wight, 1st December 2009
Everyone should try to stop someone who has been drinking at all from driving, try to take the keys or call the police giving the number of the car. My son-in-law was unlawfully killed in 2000 by a driver who died at the scene who had an alcohol level of 140 and was trying to open a bottle of cider between his knees as he drove.
Enid Woollett, Portsmouth, 1st December 2009
This debate has gone on long enough, we are forever having the annual police "crackdown" on drunk drivers and at what cost to us as a taxpayer? Police resources NHS etc. The facts are this any alcohol (or drugs) in your system limits the ability to drive a vehicle responsibly. So lets save enormous amounts of money and change the law, to NO drink and driving.
Yes it would be inconvenient, but it would provide Jobs within the taxi system, allow more funding for public transport, maybe allow Pubs in outlying areas to subsidise travel to their outlets and reduce the possibility of drink drivers at Christmas and through the rest of the year.
Nick Glanville (Ex licensee), Portsmouth, 1st December 2009
I'm all in favour in texting the police on suspected drink drivers, and not just for the festive period. I am a disabled driver and if my car should be involved in a drink drive incident, I am not able to exit my vehicle as quickly as an able-bodied person is.
Licensees should have the powers to hold the keys of all motorists who drive to the pub / hotel / restaurants and consume the smallest amount of alcohol. If people can't walk or use taxis, they deserve all the punishment they get and more.
Michael, Reading, 1st December 2009
My sister was killed by a drink driver there is no excuse for it!!! I have never felt shame calling the police and I will continue. You are putting everyone at risk!
Graham, Southampton, 1st December 2009
If you saw a drunk person walking down the street with a lethal weapon would you phone the Police? YES - hence try and stop the drunk driving a car - if not successful report them.
Tommy, Waterlooville, 1st December 2009
I heard about the lady who took her son out of school and wrote an online blog about her son being bullied, the comments the headmaster made was exactly what the headmaster said to me when I was bullied throughout secondary school and if only the headmaster's and teachers throughout the country know what it's like to be bullied then maybe they would actually do something about it, they do nothing but deny they have bullying going on in their school's and reward the badly behaved children something really needs to be done!
Lauren, Rustington, 27th November 2009
Schools need to crack down on bullying I was bullied at school and nothing was ever done about it! I am back at college and I am doing so well because I feel supported and happy I am hoping to go to uni after I have finished my course. Im glad I didnt let the bullys win.
Good on that mum I hope the school takes notice of this and do something about it and I hope her son or daughter doesnt give up.
Ruth, Horsham, 27th November 2009
As an 83 year old film buff, I was amused by the studio crews' look of horror as the picture of Gordon Harker a veteran actor of the 1930 period was displayed behind them on this evenings news item re train crash. The most memorable line that I heard him utter was in a movie of 1935 called "The Phantom Light", when he was confronted by the lighthouse keeper (played by Herbert Lomas) he was about to replace, he took one look at him and said "Cor blimey King Kong!"
Frank Wells, Worthing, 25th November 2009
Your report on Farnborough Airport claimed it was the oldest in the country, I thought that Shoreham was the oldest registered airport in the UK.
Mike, Worthing, 11th November 2009
The council should be praised for trying to do something positive for Boscombe. This country needs some positive encouragement of groups willing to take bold decisons, particulalry at this time.
Sandra Robertson, Woodlands, 3rd November 2009
I would like to say to the young lady who had acid thrown in her face that she still looks a beautiful young lady and admire her for her brave attitude.
Lisa Jones, Poole, 29th October 2009
You reported that Dorset County Council cannot afford to provide a railway barrier pedestrian crossing at Wareham. This sounded like a much needed facility for both safety and convenience reasons. Yet they managed to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on the unnecessary replacement of two sets of traffic lights in Ferndown (they were perfectly adequate before and the end result now is that we have long queues of traffic for up to half a mile).
They also recently replaced a pedestrian crossing at a cost of tens of thousands of pounds - I am totally at a loss regarding the benefit. Perhaps in these days of financial austerity somebody should be looking at their priorities.
Mick Martin, Ferndown, 29th October 2009
Re using local treatment centres:
Four weeks ago my husband fell over in the park and dislocated his shoulder. We did not call an ambulance but went to the Gosport minor injuries unit. BIG MISTAKE! It could not be treated at Gosport because there was no intravenous pain releif available, and he waited an hour for an ambulance to take him to QA, where he waited another hour and a half before the shoulder was re-set.
Moral - if in doubt do call an ambulance.
Linda Buck, Gosport, 28th October 2009
Now the so called protestors at Didcot Power station have all been arrested. When they come before the courts will they have to pay the costs for the policing operation and the power companies increased costs? Or yet again will it be the hard working law abiding public that will have to foot the bill. a point to remember that these criminals could cause power cuts and that can cause deaths with the elderly and people in hospitals.
Peter, Didcot, 28th October 2009
The item regarding the A&E department in Portsmouth rise in patients numbers and the waiting time to unload ambulance, raises an question which was not asked.
How many of those amongst all of those waiting would have originally gone to the now closed Haslar?
Jane, Alford, 28th October 2009
Re: the story about more housing is needed. I think this is just the National Builders Association trying to drum up more work for their members. There are so many empty houses and loads of land with planning on yet to have new houses built. We don't need more green land built on.
The problems is the prices and lack of mortgages. If prices were lower to the level affordable for the young first time buyers then houses would sell and we would not need to have social houses which do not get FTB onto the housing ladder as all their money is spent on rent. I stayed at home and saved the deposit before I bought my first home - then I had second hand furniture, no holidays etc. etc. until I could afford them. I saw something recently about a Council giving mortgages from their affordable housing money - much more sense than to trap people into rental markets.
Robin, Crawley, 27th October 2007
[Great South Run]
Please spare a thought for all the people who were stuck in traffic in the Portsmouth area. It took over 2 hours to get from the M275 to the Isle of Wight ferry and with no sign whatsoever of any police or any other agency directing traffic, which would have helped considerably.
The consequences to the environment of all of this traffic crawling along don't bear thinking about. If towns and cities can't cope with events such as these perhaps on environmental grounds if nothing else, they should be moved or stopped altogether.
Les Rayner, Ryde, 25th October 2009
[RE: Three sisters lose weight after gastric band operations]
I am totally against this sort of procedure being undertaken at taxpayers' expense, likewise with cosmetic surgery when facilities would be better used on genuine medical and surgical problems. If they want these sort of operations then they should pay for them out of their own pockets.
John Cook, Winchester, 22nd October 2009
I was interested in the story of the man who had a stroke and had to wait for a whole hour for an ambulence to arrive. I live in north east Hampshire and when my husband had a stroke 6 years ago we had to wait 4 hours for the ambulence. Despite being a nurse, or perhaps because of it, I was very upset and worried until they finally arrived. He was taken to Basingsoke totally paralysed on his left side and was in hospital for 6 weeks. Fortunately he made a very good recovery but it could have been a very different story.
Andrea Hay, Headley, 21st October 2009
Thank you for running the story regarding the closure of Birch Lawn Care home.
My mother is resident in Whitehaven Lodge the other home in the city which is to close.
This decision was made last October by Southampton City Council. The residents of both homes were told they would close, although the council said they had consulted the residents.
It is extremely ill thought out by the council as they have targetted the most vunerable part of the community who are unable to defend themselves. Residents of both homes have moved on to other homes, dispersing the "mini communties". Unfortunately, some have now passed on, leaving this earth in a worried state.
Dawn Robins, Thatcham, 20th October 2009
Boris Johnson is not the Lord Mayor of London!!! And never has been, the Lord Mayor of London is Ian David Luder.
David Rogers, Horsted Keynes, 19th October 2009
If ever a report summed up the attitude towards care of the elderly in this country today, it was the one of a care worker receiving a suspended sentence for her appalling treatment of an 89 year old man. Suspended?! She should have been locked up and the key, if not thrown away, at least hidden for several years.
Penny Dallamore, Camberley, 19th October 2009
[Harvest Festival in a supermarket]
It's good to know I'm in good company - I'm one of the chaplains at ASDA's Andover store and I've organsied an all-day harvest festival event instore tomorrow - with displays, activities, food-tasting, and competition in addition to a 'God-slot'.
The Revd. Mary J. Vickers, Andover, 16th October 2009
What a shame so little time was given to report the homecoming parade in Alton today. It was a fantastic event with a great turnout of public, including many local schools there to cheer the soldiers returning from Afganistan.
A Merritt, Alton, 16th October 2009
I am so angry to learn that the old age pentioners have lost their appeal to stay in their old people care home. Don't these councils realise that at their age of 106 can stress them so much that the can give up the will to live, especially if they are all seperated.
If these councils did repairs and works as it was need, there would not be in this situation to have to move these vonerable people out of their homes. People don't realise that when you get to a certain age in life, everything has to be in its place, they like to know that the TV is in its place, in the kitchen everything is to hand. It is not a matter of carefully moving them it is the whole situation that stress them.
Laraine Bashford, 7th October 2009
Your sports reporter this evening, said that only Southampton of the South's teams remained in the Johnson Paints Cup. Swindon won their match yesterday.
James Croton, Upper Stratton, 7th October 2009
My daughter was paying £5 pd last year in Basingstoke Hospital when my grandson had to be admitted for a week, surely they can use a stamp system to differentiate from people using the Hospital from the ones who want to park to go shopping.
Tina Cotterell, 1st October 2009
Did you have to show that soldier spitting! It is a disgusting practice that can spread diseases. It should be banned in streets and footballers as well.
BKW, Newbury, 22nd September 2009
Your Afghanistan piece suggested that personnel from RAF Odiham are only just about to go to the region - I would point out that there have been Odiham-based personnel there CONTINUOUSLY from the beginning of the current operations.
Neil Bausor, Hook, 22nd September 2009
Yesterday you ran a report on one of the lads that left Ford's back in May, and he was talking about how hard it has been for him to get work, in the same report you had another lad who with all his qualifications could not find work but what I am not sure of, if this lad was an Ex-Ford worker.
I left Fords in May after working wit the company for 30 years, and I find it very hard to listen to these people who talk about losing there job from Fords, they did not have to leave the company! But they see the money and think they can just walk into a new job.
I took the deal and within 2 weeks I had a new job working at SETA “Southampton Engineering Training Association” Fords was a good company to work for, they put me thought my Apprenticeship and paid for me to do a Degree.
Michael Needle, Southamton, 18th September 2009
Can anybody tell me what affordable housing is? Affordable to who? for instance can anybody earning less that £20k afford them, or are they affordable to £30k, or £40k etc?
Bill Smitth, Southwater, 17th September 2009
Why retire. Just because of a skin condition? In 1980 I sustained 45% burns from an industrial accident. I had 9 major skin grafting operations. I was lucky and made a full recovery. I now work as a self employed painter/decorator, coming into contact with various chemicals etc and although my skin isn't "normal" having received grafts to my hands etc, I am still able to work normally. This country with its political correctness gone mad...
David Trent, Bordon, 15th September 2009
Your story on the lady who had pancreatitus and has had her gall bladder removal operation cancelled a number of times.Your report said that she had suffered acute pancreatitus, a condition my wife suffered and spent 6 months in Poole hospital, 11 weeks of which were on life support equipment in intensive care and the high dependency unit.As my family know this is a life threatening condition and if it is determined that the gall bladder needs removal, I cannot see how such a delay can be justified.
Ron Bolton, Wimborne, 14th September 2009
You gave the impression that farmers' markets are more expensive than supermarkets. This is often not the case. At our markets you can find beef at £9/kg as opposed to £10.50/kg in supermarkets, and it's grass fed, hung for three weeks and Aberdeen Angus. Many other things are cheaper particularly if you compare like with like - our sausages contain meat, not mechanically recovered rubbish.
Martin Pook, Dorchester, 9th September 2009
The redevelopment of the Mosque on the London Road in Camberley may well be out of keeping with the Edwardian surroundings of the area, however, why is no-one making a fuss when the church next door, which is a far more noticeably Edwardian structure is also being altered in a totally untraditional manner? This becomes even more bizarre when its considered that unlike the Mosque, many of the people who attend the church do not want the church to be modernised in this way!
What else could be expected from Camberley Council though, which judging from the state of development over the last 20 years seems to specialise in this kind of fait accomplis, unsympathetic hodge-podgery.
David, Camberley, 8th September 2009
I, too have a Warm Front problem.. On 7th October last year I initiated cavity wall insulation with them. After many abortive visits, they did the front and back walls of my end terrace house, saying they couldn't finish the side wall as it needed my neighbour's permission to pitch their ladder from their garden, despite nothing being said about this at the original survey. I obtained this eventually in May, but they still haven't completed the work. I fear yet another cold winter.
Anne Brodie, Cowes, 7th September 2009
Concerning the lady who has been waiting for a year for Warmfront to fit her new boiler. We originally claimed for a new boiler and heating system (we only had coal fire) in 2006. Because of numerous cock-ups such as them changing contractors, mis-information and them losing our details, they started the work beginning of this year (2009) and it was all finished last month. All this time my husband had been suffering a serious illness and is still unwell. At last we can look forward to a warmer winter, indoors at least!
Vicky Beckett, Gosport, 7th September 2009
In your 'science is fun' item this evening (4/9) the presenter said the egg went into the bottle because the matches heated up the air, which then cooled down, creating a vacuum which sucked the egg into the bottle. May I suggest it was because the matches burnt up the oxygen (Approx 20% by volume) which created the vacuum.
Jim Passmore, Whittlebury, 4th September 2009
[RE: Osmington White Horse] Why perpetuate this 18th Century vandalism - has anybody noticed it is carved into a beautiful Dorset 'quilt' ridgeway.
Doug Odgers, Owermoigne, 4th September 2009
That "man" on the white horse [Osmington] is none other than King George 3rd.
Bethany (aged 12), Dorchester, 3rd September 2009
Re: parking signs in Worthing. Having replayed the excerpt from the news several times in conjunction with a visit to the governments traffic signs web site (page 47). It would seem that this sign is not compatible with the examples on the site. The wording on the sign should have been "Resident permit holders only 10-11am 2-3pm Except Bank Holidays".
Ian Johnson, Shoreham By Sea, 3rd September 2009
With regards to 'confusing parking signs', a general rule of thumb is to remember that parking signs only state when you CANNOT park in a certain place, otherwise park away!
Daryll Murphy, London, 3rd September 2009
[Mega-shed at Pyestock] Surprise, surprise. A labour government has overturned a planning decision by a conservative council. Exactly the same thing has happened and will happen again when TAG want to blight our lives with even more aircraft movements in the same area. These are political decisions that make a mockery of democracy. No matter how clearly the general public voices its concerns, this government will tell us what we are going to have.
Eileen Barker, Farnborough, 2nd September 2009
[RE: Soviet cold-war invasion maps] The Maps found in the store could have been for readied to a forward location for a possible European campaign: but it is the tip the iceberg as the Soviets had full global coverage compiled form a mix of all commercially sold maps they could collect, intelligence and surveillance reports, Ariel and satellite photography. In the UK the OS maps produced originally for military and then civil government works then amended for commercial sale were the main stock for this soviet programme.
On these government property is highlighted in black like offices, schools & depots for aiding navigation to government places as well as highlighting all resources that could be requisitioned for civil-defence planning of both natural and political disasters (like invasion, chemical explosions and flooding). So crown buildings like post-offices and BBC facilities would have been simply highlighted for attention by soviet planners and invaders.
Govanus, 1st September 2009
Nice to see a REAL overtake of a cyclist demonstrated on South Today's 6.30pm program! Unlike the silly woman who was 5mm from killing me today had I not jumped into a side road in Southampton!
DJ Cook, Southampton, 1st September 2009
I am so pleased that justice has prevailed and that the private prosecution mounted against Mr Hill has been thrown out by the magistrates at Chichester Court. Whilst I do not condone the death of any animal I fully understand his having reached the end of his tether. My only regret is that her costs have been paid by the good old taxpayer.
Jean Strickland, Walberton, 28th August 2009
On the lunchtime news you spoke about resident parking in Brighton. Unfortunately the council representative was very economical with the truth. For over £100 a year residents do NOT get 24/7 parking. After 7pm resident places are free for anybody to use. On sundays parking is free for anybody. This means residents paying an extortionate fee cannot easily park close to home after a day out or weekend away.
Peter Huggins, Brighton, 25th August 2009
Why are we wasting money and troops lives on developing flat bottom British Armoured Cars when for years the American V Hull Cougar and Buffalo which deflects the blast sideways and has shock absorbing floors and seats .Which has brought many American soldiers safely back to their families I sent the details to the Minister 2 years ago he did not reply.
Philip Pearce-Smith, Holbury, 13th August 2009
Where on earth do First Great Western think their passengers are going to find all the extra money from for their train fare and parking charge increases? We are living in times of a huge recession with people facing the prospect of losing their jobs and are already struggling to pay their household bills. These train companies seem to think that their passengers have got a bottomless pit of money which is not the case, it is about time that the Government intervened on behalf of all rail passengers.
Not all passengers need to travel in the rush hour and are therefore being asked to foot the bill for losses train companies make in peak time travel which the Government can regulate. For far too long rail passengers have had to face rail fare increases whether they like it not, it is about time that this was put a stop to. Passengers have had enough of constant increases.
Steve Fuller, Hove, 13th August 2009
What happened to the meteor shower then? My neighbour and I (and Oscar the dog) spent an hour under the stars lying in the car park on a sleeping bag and saw just three! Well. you can do mad things when you're pensioners!
Mary, Chichester, 12th August 2009
In listening to the people compaining about the Vestas Factory on the Isle of Wight, I am suprised that no one has mentioned the fact that they should indeed look in their "own back yard". It was not too long ago that the people of the Isle of Wight demonstrated about not having a wind farm on the Island. I would have thought the BBC would be neutral and mentioned this fact.
David Warburton, Hamburg, Germany, 8th August 2009
I saw in your programme last night that today you will be sharing memories of the Fastnet Race 29 years ago. I remember this well - not because I was taking part in the race, but because my husband & I were cycle touring on the IOW and spent a very scary night in a tent on an extremely windy and exposed camp site. There was nowhere to hide (we didn't have a car), and we had to peg our bikes to the ground to stop them being blown away by the high winds. Inside our little tent we could yell at each other and still not hear what the other was saying and we were terrified of being hit by falling trees and debris.
Come the morning all was quiet ... and ours was the only tent still standing on the campsite (everyone else had taken refuge in their cars).
I know this is nothing like what the sailors had to endure - just goes to show what a tough lot they are!
Sarah Stevens, Bicester, 8th August 2009
Gamekeepers were responsible for the near extinction of many British Wild animals - the Wildcat, the pine marten, golden eagle, red kite, hen harrier to name a few. We are slowly helping some of these species to recover, despite the continued illegal poisoning of many species particularly in Scotland.
It is total nonsense to talk of this profession in terms of conservation - to conserve an animal in order that you can destroy it has no ethical basis and does not help the natural world.
A Hollaway, Petersfield, 7th August 2009
You reported gamekeepers almost as "nature gods". They are interfering with the natural balance of nature, not promoting it. Breeding birds and rearing them in a "caring" way just to release them to be shot is abhorrent.
L Hunt, Horsham, 6th August 2009
