Living in Norwich, England's first Unesco city of literature, I was appalled to read about our possible withdrawal from Unesco in an article today ('The UK's withdrawal from Unesco is historical and cultural vandalism', Emily Thornberry, The Guardian 13/11/2018). At a time when our need to collaborate and co-operate is greater than ever, as is the need '...to build peace though international co-operation in education, science and culture' (Unesco.org), I am shocked and concerned at this decision. Many of us will have visited some of the 31 Unesco World Heritage Sites in the UK (perhaps without even realising it) and its successes and priorities are surely worth our involvement.

The unitary authorities in Southend and Basildon & Thurrock have listened to local people and rejected the local STP plans, a huge reorganisation of our local NHS driven by massive cuts. https://www.theenquirer.co.uk/more-protests-over-planned-nhs-cuts-and-proposed-hospital-merger/ Although we won the first battle to keep A&E services at Broomfield, these current plans will see many emergency patients, once stabilised, transferred to Basildon. In one way these plans are far worse for people in the Chelmsford and the mid-Essex health area, than they are for people in Southend. Southend at least has a direct train route to Basildon. If you want to get a train to visit a relative in Basildon from here you need to go via London. The public transport links are woeful. Chelmsford to Basildon by public transport is bad enough. Halstead to Basildon is virtually impossible. Yet support from friends and family is vital for patients in recovery. Councillors in Southend and Thurrock have put our representatives with responsibility to scrutinise these plans on Essex County Council to shame. Our county councillors now need to step up to the plate and stand by the people of mid-Essex. It needs to be made quite clear to the health secretary that Chelmsford and mid-Essex rejects these plans every bit as much as Thurrock and Southend.

So many societal problems could be avoided if we treat the new and younger generation well and nurture them through the Education System and into adulthood. But this requires adequate funding. Why do Britain's roads deserve vastly more money in the Budget than our schools?

Many men exhibit no signs of prostate cancer, but a simple blood test may identify this issue. Prostate cancer is a huge killer in the UK which needs early diagnosis and It is often missed by the NHS. Every 45 minutes a Man dies of prostate cancer... many go undiagnosed until it is too late. PSA testing is currently only recommended if you have symptoms, but many men do not have any symptoms. When mammograms were recommended for all women over 50 because breast cancer was a huge killer, I like many others, fought hard for this screening, I feel that it is now time for standard screening to be introduced for prostate cancer. Years ago, we were told that mammograms were unreliable, but we now know they have saved millions of lives. Surely it is time for prostate cancer to be treated equitably and at minimal cost. This is a simple blood test which could save lives... it is not foolproof but is better than the current uncaring approach. Currently the NHS does not support this testing as they describe it as unreliable, however... 1. Every man I know who has had symptoms has been sent for a PSA test as the first stage diagnosis (why would the NHS use this if it does not work ?) 2. I know 5 people in my circle of close friends who have all had their Prostate Cancers picked up by PSA testing. Two had other symptoms, three had no symptoms at all, just a raised PSA level. 3. My doctor has been very supportive and has allowed me a PSA test - I know of 5 men locally (who attend another medical practise) who have had their request for a test denied this year.

Our sister city, Guangzhou is implicated in the Chinese Communist Party’s multi million pound forced organ transplant industry. Evidence has been found that many forced organ transplants have taken place in Hospitals in Guangzhou. BBC Points West report organ harvesting in Bristol's twin city Guangzhou 17 10 18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXYjTW6UB5w&t=1s Bristol and Guangzhou have been sister cities since 2001, an agreement signed between Bristol City Council and Guangzhou Municipal Government. However, the sister city relationship is managed by Bristol City Council, Bristol and West of England China Bureau and supported by a number of other organisations in the city. This sister city relationship emphasises economic, educational, technical and cultural collaboration. The CCP uses its influence to entice foreign cities with prospects of economic gain. These sister city deals are managed by business associations that come under control of the Chinese government, leading to a soft stance on human rights violations, accepting dis-information, self-censorship, and in the worst cases, acting on their behalf. A sister city deal consequently supports the CCP’s violations of universal rights, and allows unethical practices to be normalised. This cannot go continue, especially so in Bristol which has improved leaps and bounds in the area of human rights over the years. Many years ago Bristol made the mistake of putting commerce before ethics, even today, citizens are still learning from the past, and finding ways to rectify the social construct where possible. In 1984 the CCP put in a place the ‘1984 provision’ which allows executed prisoners to be organ ‘donors’, this bill violates international guidelines already in place. 2001 reports on organ transplant showed a sudden increase compared to previous years. In 2006 an Independent investigation by Canadians David Kilgour and David Matas (Bloody Harvest) concluded that forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners has taken place on a large scale across China. Falun Gong is a spiritual practice of the Buddha school, based on the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. In 1999, a widespread crackdown on Falun Gong started, practitioners were arrested and asked to denounce the practice. Those who did so were released. Those who did not were tortured. Those who still refused to recant after torture disappeared into the Chinese gulag- China's network of labour camps, detention centres, psychiatric hospitals, prisons, and black jails, sometimes referred to as the "Laogai System." Within this Laogai system, prisoners of conscience- Falun Gong; Uyghurs; Tibetans; and House Christians are used in a state run illegal mass organ transplant system unlike the world has ever seen. Part of this extensive Illegal organ transplant system is taking place in our sister city Guangzhou. Our relationship with Guangzhou goes against the collective vision we have for our beloved city. Efforts are being taken nationally and internationally to confront these crimes against humanity, yet we have an opportunity to take the lead and take an ethical stance. To cut ties is one step closer to turning the tide, it can help saves lives. Cutting the tie with Guangzhou will be heard in Beijing, it can help our city officials from being unwittingly complicit in this genocide through business ties to the CCP. We believe we have an opportunity in Bristol for it to live up to our name- Bristol is meant to be a city of sanctuary meaning people are welcome, free from violence or persecution. Bristol told to de-twin from China’s Guangzhou over ‘forced organ harvesting’ https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-told-de-twin-chinas-2117845

The proposed zip wire will have a huge impact on the landscape's character and loss of beautiful tranquility. Planning officers had recommended the plan at Honister Slate Mine be refused due to the impact on the landscape. But the Lake District National Park Authority's planning committee went ahead and approved the zip wire. The views are outstanding and would be spoilt by the 1km-long (3,400ft) zip wire. The zip wire had previously been refused permission in 2011 and 2012.

Reducing plastic waste in any way possible has become a vital necessity for the future of our planet, and returning to glass bottles would be a substantial help.

To pursue a "Greater Sheffield" region on Manchester-lines is to disregard Sheffield's small-town feel, to create an unnatural identity over the top of a stronger and older regional sense of self, and fails to serve the people of Sheffield. The Northern Powerhouse project has failed to revive post-industrial communities from within; to attempt to revitalise South Yorkshire by expanding its influence to a non-diverse, middle class commuter belt is an insult to the old steel and coal communities of the area. Sheffield can either choose to be a city that serves those outside it or serves those within it. Sheffield does not have the financial or political clout of Leeds. No, Sheffield and Rotherham make things. We can either be the failed pseudo-capital of an ahistorical creation, or the industrial and engineering centre not just of a devolved Yorkshire, but of the UK. Sheffield does not have, and does not want the economic basis to be a regional capital. Sheffield wants jobs, and jobs that play to our strengths-what is the point in trying to be something we aren't, a financial and business centre, when we are already the Steel City? The choice of the councils is not one that affects merely municipal politics, it is one that affects history. Sheffield and Rotherham are being erased-piecemeal from Yorkshire and both the rest of the county and the two areas stand to lose. Since 1974 there has been a cynical and apathetic treatment of regional identity in the UK. The exit of Middlesbrough from Yorkshire demonstrates that once a city leaves, it doesn't come back. Sheffield and Rotherham councils are choosing to dilute their Yorkshire past rather than play on its strengths. At a time when the national vision of England both is weaponised by the fringes and reflects the landscape, language and lifestyle only of the South, surely it is wise to invest in existing identities that stem from place, not race. Sheffield's diversity and multiculturalism is better mirrored by West Yorkshire than Derbyshire. Yorkshire identity has played a great role in the integration of new communities elsewhere in the region, couldn't it have the same effect in Sheffield? A Yorkshire Mayor would not only reinforce Yorkshire's proud history, but encourage often isolated communities to participate in shaping the future of such a rich heritage. For those living in the rest of Yorkshire, remember what Sheffield has and will give you: Pulp, steel, Arctic Monkeys, The Full Monty, Sean Bean, a member of Monty Python, the setting for multiple TV series, and three England footballers. We are the quaint but stoic arthouse of Yorkshire, and will stubbornly remain so.

Alan is a war hero if it wasn't for his genius we wouldn't be here today to live the lives of such liberty

Students are struggling to cope with such a lengthy exam and it is impacting their results. One of my students collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of their exam (it was their second exam that day and they had been writing for over 5 hours). We urge you to consider dividing the exam into 2 separate exams. This will help students to improve their ability to focus and will also prevent students with access arrangements for extra time from suffering almost 4 hours in a drama exam. We should be testing their knowledge not their stamina!

Many users of the Thornes Park Athletics Stadium and the park itself, regularly need more than 3 hours parking. Both Gymnastics and Bowling sessions run for 3 hours or more, changing and set up time has not been factored in, athletics meets sometimes last all day. The Council is supposed to be encouraging people to have healthy lifestyles and should not put obstacles in their way.

At the Chepstow Town Council meeting on 12 September 2018, a discussion was had about the possible removal of the gun tribute to Able Seaman Williams. Two town councillors openly questioned the connection of the memorial gun to Chepstow Town and a third called for a vote, on removing the gun there and then. Fortunately, a vote was not taken on the night. The discussion point was not on the formal Agenda nor captured in the Minutes with the Town Council dismissing the discussion as conversation. The memorial gun was gifted to the town by King George V to mark the outstanding bravery and in memory of William Charles Williams who was also awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Relatives of Able Seaman Williams still reside in the Chepstow area today. Chepstow Town Council lists that one of its roles on behalf of the community is to undertake 'the regular cleaning of the Town's War Memorial' presumably the Cenotaph and memorial gun. Given the current state of disrepair to both, it is clear the Town Council have failed in this regard. In minutes dated September 2016, Action 88 - a resolution was made to accept two quotations which had been sought for the specialist repairs and cleaning, Action 89 provided a full report to be tabled at the meeting on the memorial - requests for this report (89) have been made but not yet provided. Further action has happened since, and after enquiries were made this week, it was confirmed that specialist cleaning will not take place until March 2019. There has been no confirmation however on when the repair work will be undertaken on the gun which gives residents cause for concern. We the undersigned, are outraged that the Town Council is even considering, without any public consultation, removing such an important, historical structure and vehemently oppose any attempt to remove or move the gun. And we are outraged that the Town Council has not undertaken its duties in respect to the war memorial particularly given that this year sees the 100 year anniversary of the end of WW1. The plight of the gun and it's dire state was highlighted in the Chepstow Beacon on 2 November.