SIR – I read with dismay last Thursday (October 22) of the chopping down of trees along the A4440 Swinesherd Way, an act that got me thinking about the sad disappearance of trees in and around Worcester.
On Lambert Road, a number of trees have recently been cut down, along with a big tree on Comer Road, and even though these were probably out of necessity, I still find it a bit sad.
I hope these recent examples are not a sign of things to come, as there are many wonderful trees that I really enjoy photographing, especially along the River Severn (where sadly some lovely old trees also got the chop earlier this year!).
I went for a walk along the river today and captured a few, sincerely hoping that I will be able to continue appreciating and photographing them in the future!
DAVE DUNBAR
Worcester

Hoping for Labour to support PR voting
SIR – Labour has always supported the first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP) and opposed proportional representation (PR). It has meant that Labour and the Tories would be guaranteed a turn at governing the country resulting from the ebb and flow of political popularity.
The Tories know that PR would spell the end of Tory Parliamentary majorities. That is why they oppose PR so robustly. In the present Parliament if it was under PR, the Tories would not have a majority. 
I spent many years campaigning for the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform and was its vice-chair in the late 1980s. Part of my disillusionment with the Labour Party was the realisation that Labour would rather see Tories in power than have Labour-led coalition governments through PR. I hated the pointlessness of Labour governments introducing reforms that would be cancelled by an incoming Tory administration. 
I believe that UKIP and the Greens receiving 3.9 million and 1.2 million votes respectively to elect one MP each in 2015 is an outrage, even though I strongly oppose UKIP. That’s more than 5 million voters effectively disenfranchised save for the 2 MPs.
I don’t know where Jeremy Corbyn stands on PR. I hope he will recognise that the true interest of the people lies in supporting PR and keeping Tory minority governments out.
I also hope that people will see the injustice of the present system now and vote for the Green Party in support of proportional representation.
PETER NIELSEN
Worcester

A solution to school holiday problem
SIR – Your editorial in yesterday’s Worcester News was very thought provoking regarding pupils going on family holidays in term time.
It should be remembered that schools close for 5 days a year for staff training [known as Baker days after the Secretary of State that introduced them]
I understand that in parts of Yorkshire they lump all five days together, closing the school for a whole week. These closures are staggered over the school year, so that no more than two or perhaps three schools are closed at any one time.
The effects are two fold, as not only do staff benefit from a concentrated week of training but families can take holidays outside the summer school holiday peak, thus avoiding the premium prices charged by tour operators.
To quote a current advertising campaign the solution is “simples”. Come on Worcestershire, why not give it a trail.
CLIVE SMITH
Malvern

Call on MPs to back important drugs bill
SIR – On 6 November, MPs will have the chance to support an important piece of legislation that could benefit hundreds of thousands of patients across the UK. The Off-patent Drugs Bill would improve access to low cost, effective treatments for a range of conditions – from breast cancer to multiple sclerosis – and I would urge our local MP to support it.
The Bill would ensure that drugs which have fallen out of patent, but have since proved effective for clinical uses outside of their original licence, are routinely available on the NHS. With these drugs often being very-low cost, it makes economic as well as clinical sense for them to be more widely available.
Backed by the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now, along with a host of other charities including Prostate Cancer UK, Alzhiemer’s Society and Bloodwise, the Bill needs 100 MPs to vote in favour to take it to the next stage. With just days left until the vote, more work needs to be done to secure the parliamentary support it needs to succeed.  
Time is running out, so as well as calling on our MP to back this Bill that would help hundreds of thousands of patients, I would ask others to join me and add their support to the campaign by visiting breastcancernow.org/unlockdrugs
MARGARET PERRINS
Droitwich

Please bear in mind the patient’s rights
SIR – If A&E staff treat Daphne Bailey-Dean in future for her distressing and ongoing condition (Worcester News, October 20), perhaps they could bear in mind this quote from mental health charity mind – to demand respect, rights, dignity and and end to stigma.
P WINTERS
Worcester