SIR – I thought I’d gone mad after reading Clive Smith’s response to my letter about the Calais migrant crisis.
Allegedly my letter was ‘regarding the Middle Eastern turmoil’ and I ‘…made generalisations about what brought it about’. He implied I claimed ‘…we are not responsible…’ for the Middle East’s unravelling.
Strange. My letter didn’t even mention the Middle East, let alone its turmoil, or its causes thereof. It’s online if anyone chooses to check. Maybe Mr Smith’s agenda got him so hot-under-the-collar, it steamed his glasses.
Whatever he read, it wasn’t my letter.
Indeed, consider his ascription ‘…to extrapolate that we have no responsibility to help these refugees is immoral and illegal’. Notwithstanding my having not mentioned the things about which he fantasised, his use of language and timeline is confused. My alleged ‘extrapolation’ (take a deep breath) comes from (stay with me) the contents of his own letter (?), which he hoped to ascribe to me (!). You couldn’t make it up.
His pub-bore history culminated with a confused inclusion of the UN’s 1951 declaration on refugee status. He obviously forgot that according to the Geneva conventions, as well as EU and International law, alleged refugees are supposed to claim asylum for processing in the first safe country they enter (not the 3rd, 4th or wherever they see fit).
A desperate Mr Smith fell on his sword with a toe-curling mention of the Holocaust, as outrageously out-of-place as it was yawningly typical. Dear oh dear.
OWEN CLEARY
Worcester

Political point scoring over crossing
THE new crossing in City Walls Road has not “suddenly sprung up” as quoted in the Worcester News (September 2).
It has been under construction for a number of months.   Might I suggest that
 the time to question the folly of building it only a short walking distance from a well -established similar crossing was during its construction.   For local councillors to question its viability now smacks (in my view) of political point scoring.
DAVE SKELTON
Worcester


Many thanks for all your fundraisers
PENNY Ha’Penny Horse and Pony Rescue would like to extend our sincere thanks to a couple of groups that have recently helped raise some valuable funds to help with the ongoing costs involved in looking after the ponies in their care.
We would like to say thank you to Mo and the Malvern Under-13 Rugby Club who in July completed a day’s bag-packing at Morrisons. They raised a fantastic £325, with the generous donations given by all of the local people.
The next thank you is to Sarah Vivian and the students of South Worcestershire College’s Evesham campus, who recently took part in a sponsored walk and raised an amazing £206 in the process.
The college is about to start a new level 1 animal care course at the Malvern campus. This will mean there will be more opportunities for local people to learn about what they love and start out on a career path helping animals in the future.
Every penny raised and donated to the rescue is spent on the horses’ feed and care.
These two most recent donations have been put towards a farrier visit and our latest vet bill.
Thank you again to everyone who took part in these two events, and to the generous people who donated to each of the fundraisers.
It really is truly appreciated by the horses, Sue and me.
LAURA PENNY
Malvern

It’s time to tackle the weekend rubbish
WE are pleased to note that the weekend rubbish mounds in the central business district of Upton have again hit the headlines.
More than five weeks ago the Business Association once again raised the matter, and wrote to our two Malvern Hills district councillors asking for this issue to be addressed for resolution.
A change in the collection day schedule has also been on the town council’s priority list for almost three years, as part of its Four Pillars Community Plan.
I would therefore urge Councillor Angela Conway to use her position on the council to assist us in having a meeting convened with the council to resolve the problem once and for all.
We do not accept the argument that the collection schedule cannot be changed.
MIKE OSTICK
Upton Business Association


No consultation on train time changes
I AM writing to make readers aware of proposed changes to the railway timetable that will affect passengers in Honeybourne, Evesham and Pershore.
From December 18 the 1552 from London (1649 from Oxford, 1735 at Honeybourne, 1744 at Evesham, 1752 at Pershore) is to terminate at Moreton-in-Marsh.
Those of us living in Honeybourne, Evesham or Pershore will have to get a train 30 minutes earlier  or 40 minutes later.
The latter train stops at more stations so increases the journey by 10 minutes.
I am not aware of any consultation with passengers about this change and there has been little publicity.
If you want to make your views known, contact Mark Hopwood, First Great Western’s managing director at mark.hoopwood@firstgroup.com.
SALLY CHESTNUTT
Evesham