Dear Editor,

Your publication regularly reports the policies carried out by Somerset Council and subsequently printing letters from your readers questioning these decisions.

Here are a few examples that the council need to answer for.

Where are the electric scooters? Exulting how these will be good for the community. Of the rental, available for only three days a week, been rented for the ridiculous price of a thousand pounds a week.

Andrew Brown, via email

Dear Editor,

I was really pleased to hear that the government has decided the UK should participate in the educational Erasmus Plus project starting next year 2027, and I hope it means that many students will take up the exceptional opportunities that the programme offers for study and travel abroad.

This is especially true knowing the initiative is primarily aimed at students from less wealthy backgrounds and offers guarantees of funding. This was not the case in the past, when it was not always made clear to students or parents, so I hope that this important information will be promoted more effectively in future.

Of course, there are those detractors who will point to the Turing Scheme, set-up a few years ago, which we were told would be more beneficial than Erasmus. True, it certainly offers more international travel, but the funding level is considerably lower, making it less effective for those students who would most appreciate the chance to study overseas; it's also tge case that Turing provides fewer inward opportunities for UK universities to enjoy.

I was never able to take part in the original Erasmus scheme myself, but I was fortunate to work for companies that operated across different borders, so I do know first hand the benefits of working abroad. Despite having only the most minimal language skills, I was able to visit many different countries, and participate in their culture; this helped me to broaden my horizons, and advance my skill set in many ways not immediately obvious.

So, can I suggest to parents with older teenagers that you should discuss the prospect of taking part of their higher studies abroad via Erasmus from next year. With finding jobs ever more difficult, anything that makes the individual stand out has to be advantageous; and the wealth of experience that the young people gain overseas will last a lifetime as well as improve their career prospects in all sorts of interesting ways.

Regards,

Tony Sutcliffe

Taunton

Dear Editor,

This August, I’m inviting your readers to join me in supporting Breast Cancer Now’s Afternoon Tea fundraiser and raise money for life-saving science and life-changing support.

Every nine minutes, someone in the UK hears the words “you have breast cancer” and in 2024, my beautiful daughter, Jenny, was one of them. She was 41 years old and mother to a two-year-old daughter and 10-month-old son. Jenny underwent a lumpectomy and radiotherapy. Throughout everything, Breast Cancer Now have been incredible.

Whether it's sharing information or giving time to speak with Jenny on the phone, there was always someone there to support her, answer her questions and listen to her fears.

She used Breast Cancer Now’s Moving Forward and Someone Like Me services too.

Fast forward to where we are today, Jenny is doing really well and has finished her treatment. We all realise, however, that the journey for Jenny will continue.

Our family knows only too well the devastating impact breast cancer has. But we’ve also seen firsthand the progress that has been made with research, support and treatments over the years.

When Jenny was just five years old, her birth mother passed away to breast cancer. She was 33.

My husband was left to bring up Jenny and her sister. His mother had already passed away from breast cancer at 51. And Jenny's maternal grandmother and aunty have also had breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Now’s bold vision is that by 2050 everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live and live well, but I know that the future can’t happen without funds, so I wanted to do something to help.

Breast Cancer Now’s Afternoon Tea is a lovely and joyous campaign – who wouldn’t want to have tea and cake? The first thing I did after signing up was set a date and called Jenny to ask if she’d like to be my guest of honour.

We were both quite tearful. Jenny had come through her treatment, and I thought it was an opportunity for us to come together and celebrate that things were looking positive.

Friends, family and neighbours all came together at the community hall to raise funds, awareness and celebrate Jenny.

The beauty of Afternoon Tea is you can take part however you want. So why not host your afternoon tea this summer? There’s no pressure to put on a big fundraiser.

Sign up now for your fundraising kit with everything you need including bunting, posters and games at: breastcancernow.org/cuppa or search ‘Breast Cancer Now Afternoon Tea’.

With warm thanks,

Sarah Howard

On behalf of Breast Cancer Now