May I please make comment regarding care homes which have been in the news media of late?

From personal experience I know the heartache, worry, anguish and absolute despair that is suffered when you have to face the fact you can no longer care for the one you love and the only solution is to turn to a care home. For many people that is something never experienced, but for those that have to make that choice an added worry is put upon them by cases printed in newspapers and seen on television regarding ill treatment, neglect and cruelty.

While I appreciate that such treatment is appalling and needs to be brought to light, every coin has two sides and the balance should also be reported.

I was pleased to read your report by Emma Dunn in Saturday’s Adver regarding good care at Ladymead Care Home at Wroughton – but that is an isolated report. I am referring to the media in general, not trying to knock our local paper.

It is uplifting to read of good things. My daughter has worked in a care home as a carer for 23 years at Park View Care Home, Blunsdon, and I know her care and dedication to her work is second to none. In fact she won the Dignity in Care award a couple of years ago and also for the South West region last year. The home itself won an award last year also, but little mention is made of such good things.

The impact such good reports have on people who sadly have to make such a very hard decision is unbelievable. Little help or thought is given to ease people through what is one of the most difficult and heartbreaking times in their lives.

So please Adver show both sides with equal measure and help families come to terms with choices they have to make when faced with situations beyond their control. It is something the media does not usually consider.

Pam Williams Queensfield Swindon

Local matters

Your correspondent Bart Borchardt (Letters May 10) attempts to make a connection between the profligacy of the Conservatives in frittering away £400,000 plus interest and fees on the failed wi-fi project and the last Labour Government’s failed IT systems which cost the country billions of pounds.

What the comparison confirms is that local and national government politicians are not to be trusted when it comes to spending taxpayer pounds. It simply beggars belief that Parliamentarians and Councillors waste so much money on vanity projects and then have the gall to claim they need more money.

However, may I urge a note of caution in any attempt to muddy the waters between local and national issues.

Local elections should be about local matters and just as it was a nonsense for the Trades Union movement to suggest that the NHS was in danger if the horrid Conservatives won local council seats, so it would be silly to assume that Labour councillors would act in the same manner as their national counterparts.

The reality is that ‘apathy’ rules in local politics, there is no single reason for the lack of engagement but it is clear that many people do not think there is much of a difference between the parties and worse that most politicians would say anything to get elected but fail to honour their ‘promises’. Des Morgan Caraway Drive Swindon

Leave politics out

I note that the Labour Party has selected “their (my italics) official candidate” for the post of elected police commissioner for Wiltshire; and that the Conservative Association is “in the process of shortlisting candidates” (Adver May 14) .The election is due to take place in November.

What a shame that the post of police commissioner is to be ‘politicised’,just as many feared it would be. Such a position should not be associated with any political party, the holder should be seen to be independent of party ‘pressure’.

However, I note that the correct title of the post is “police and crime commissioner”, so I presume the incumbent will not only commission police, but will be able to commission crime as well, thus maintaining a nice balance!

Malcolm Morrison Prospect Hill Swindon

Election thanks

Can we through your letters page thank those Central Ward residents who supported the Labour Candidates Junab Ali, Julie Wright and Bob Wright in the recent Council elections.

We appreciate the support and intend to repay their faith in us with services for the entire ward. We will act for all residents and hope to rebuild faith in local democracy. We are already setting about honouring our commitments and residents will have a greater say in their ward priorities.

Our relationship with residents has to be real and to enable this our contact details are: Cllr Junab Ali 33 Cottington Close SN5 8PX junab@hotmail.co.uk 07985 195893; Cllr Bob Wright 28 Southbrook Street SN2 1HF bob.wright.gov@ntlworld.com 01793 481366; Cllr Julie Wright 28 Southbrook Street SN2 1HF juliecaseworker@hotmail.co.uk 01793 481366.

Also via facebook centrallabourteam and by email centrallabourteam@gmail.com.

Again thank you for the honour to serve and we hope our work and good relationships with residents can benefit all in need.

Cllr Bob Wright Swindon

....and again

We would like to thank the people in the new ward of Walcot and Park North for electing us as Councillors to serve the community. We are deeply proud to serve the people of the Walcot and Park North.

We also would like to thank our fellow candidates for standing and we wish them the best for the future.

We are delighted to have won and are looking forward to working hard to tackle anti social behaviour and litter; press for regeneration of Sussex Square and the Town Centre; campaign for better youth facilities and tackle youth unemployment; and fight to repair roads and sort out parking problems.

We will also to keep in touch with residents all year round, with our regular Walcot and Park North Matters newsletter. We will be holding regular surgeries and public meetings across the ward as we work with the community to improve our ward. If you have ideas for the community then we would love to hear from you.

Thank you once again.

Cllr Mark Dempsey Cllr Steve Allsopp Cllr Abdul Amin Labour Councillors for Walcot and Park North c/o 20 Bentley Close Park North Swindon

Rocket the best

What nonsense from A Reeve, re Stephen Hendry’s retirement. There's no doubt about it that Hendry is/was a very good player, and a scholar and a gentleman. You don't win seven World Snooker finals by being average. But the greatest player? I don’t think so.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is by far and away the most exciting and talented snooker player ever. Has Hendry or anyone else ever played as well left or right handed as Ronnie? No, of course not. At the recent World Championship won by ..? oh yeah Ronnie, his illustrious commentating and pundit peers were describing him as the greatest.

Compare his lightning speed around the table with that of the monochrome Peter Ebdon, Graeme Dott or even dear old Terry Griffiths. Nobody, apart from Jimmy White and Alex Higgins in their prime, have even come close in terms of excitement and ability and the greatest tragedy to date is that Jimmy never won a final.

Of course A Reeve won’t rate these either. Why? Because they are “establishment rebels” not afraid to cock a snook at the hierarchy if they disagree with the sometimes petty officialdom.

Ronnie O’Sullivan far more than he needs snooker, and Barry Hearn and his cronies would do well to remember that although they appear to be raising the snooker sponsorship bar again by obtaining the vast, bottomless wallets of Chinese sponsors. Not everyone, including Hendry I might add, wants to chase the far east dollar.

Malcolm Martin Wessex Way Highworth