Thank-you to 50 Backpacks

Well done to 50 Backpacks Vision and all the volunteers who have worked tirelessly packing tons of food and delivering it to very many needy and vulnerable people in Wisbech and the surrounding areas.

Many people would have suffered even more hardship without their valiant efforts. They have managed to do all this while observing strict social distancing rules as set by the government ensuring both the safety of themselves and the people they have delivered to.

Some of our local councillors should be looking at the example set by 50 Backpacks as their latest claim is that they have put in hundreds of hours running errands for people.

Sadly, social distancing was not on their agenda as they went round in a group in one car while shopping and delivering.

They also couldn’t help mentioning their efforts in a political leaflet sent round to many homes.

The difference is that those volunteers with 50 Back Packs have got on with the task in hand without seeking glory for their huge efforts.

They don’t need to use the crisis for any political purpose or gain.

So, I say a big thank you to 50 Backpacks on behalf of many local people for all they have done.

CLLR DAVE PATRICK, Wisbech

An inspiration

I would, through the letters page of your paper, like to personaly thank the chairman of 50 Backpacks, Spike Cee, for his dedication and support of the elderly and vulnerable of this town and surrounding area during the Covid 19 lockdown.

He has worked tirelessly to have packages of much needed food delivered to those in most deperate need, organising the appropriation, packaging and delivering of these food parcels free of charge. Well over 4.000 parcels of food (80+ tonnes) have been prepared and delivered.

He is a breath of fresh air as he has done this, expecting no recognition for himself.

I am proud to have been a part of his team in some small way and to have worked beside so many special people who have cleaned packed and delivered these food parcels.

It has been my pleasure and certainly an honour to have seen this group in action.

All this work has been on top of the usual work of helping the homeless and providing food for them three times a day.

I would also like to make a special mention to Terry and Owen who seem to always be there helping Spike.

Well done 50 Backpacks - you are an inspiration and a credit to Wisbech.

PETER FREEMAN

Castle is ‘not for amateurs’

Upon reading about a £50,000 funded study for Wisbech Castle and of the concerns raised by Taleyna Fletcher, I looked up the qualifications required to be an archaeologist.

It requires the following.

• A Bachelors’ degree for entry-level to an archaeological position such as a field assistant

• A surveyor, a museum technician, that they pursue a degree in anthropology, which includes a study of archaeology, cultural biological anthropology and linguistics.

These being the needed qualifications could someone please ask the Wisbech Castle management team, which of them have all or most of the above stated requirements to enable them to state ‘we know what we are doing’

The castle is a very expensive item, both to keep and cherish, it is not for amateurs.

I find this very relevant to my concerns as a retired Cambridgeshire county councillor and Wisbech town councillor

ALAN LAY, Wisbech

Iceberg on the horizon

I’ve just seen a new report (from Best for Britain and the Social Market Foundation) on the double impact of Brexit and Coronavirus, and feel like I’ve spotted an iceberg on the horizon that everyone else is ignoring.

The report shows that any change to our trade relationship with Europe during the Covid-19 recession will hurt the UK economy.

The North West and the Midlands regions of the UK would face a disproportionately severe impact should we leave the Brexit transition period without any kind of deal.

Brexit is done and we cannot stop it, but we can protect our jobs, our services and our local businesses.

However, our communities are already stretched to breaking point by the coronavirus pandemic and we desperately need time to deal with that before we can turn our focus to our changing relationship with the EU.

DEREK WILCOX, Cambs