Good Old Boys #52

Time to count our blessings

It would do many of us good to consider how fortunate we are, compared with many of our parents.

My own poor mum died when she was not much over 40 and I was 11 in 1935.

There was no National Health Service then and unless you had real money, there was very little chance of you being taken into hospital and staying alive.

She died without even enjoying her grandchildren as my wife has.

Winston Churchill made a big contribution to us winning the last war, but many of us ex-servicemen and women and others decided that as good a war leader as he had been, we did not want his lot ruining our peace again.

So, overwhelmingly, we voted in a Labour Party which made sure our disabled did not have to scratch a living off the streets, selling matches etc, and gave them the chance of employment.

From that Government came our present NHS, which I am sure would have given my mother many more years of life to enjoy, rather than dying early from an illness that was never properly attended to.

But for the caring attention of the local doctors and staff, I doubt if I would be writing this letter today.

With free prescriptions at 60, the heating allowance, free TV licence at 75 etc, we have so much more to be grateful for than our parents ever enjoyed.

But many well-housed people only want to complain if there is any danger of more houses being built near them for our still many homeless. Let's count our blessings and appreciate the party that made so much of the above possible for us all.

DARBY SUTTON (War pensioner) Cromwell Close Old Marston Oxford"

Blame Parents

In reply to Michael Clarke (Oxford Mail, April 2), the Government should ban all forms of tobacco advertising.

It is a dirty, filthy habit and it costs the NHS millions of pounds to treat smoking-related illnesses.

My wife had a knee replacement eight weeks ago and I had a knee operation last year.

The treatment we had was excellent and we could not find fault with the NHS.

Mr Clarke also demands better deals for pensioners, but it was his Tory Government that took away the link between pay and pensions which is worth £30 today. It will be restored in 2012.

This Government has given the over-60s free bus passes, eye tests and prescriptions, and increased the heating allowance by £50 this year. Those over 80 now get £400.

Mr Clarke also mentions crime, but you cannot blame the Government for the number of crimes committed today.

Blame the parents who bring up their children.

My mother and father brought up five of us. We never got into any trouble and I brought up four children and they were never any trouble either - they were brought up right and proper.

So stop moaning, Mr Clarke - we still live in one of the best countries in this world.

G ROBERTS Green Road Eynsham