National vote

Members of the National Trust are being ask to vote on a members’ resolution to end trail hunting, exempt hunting and hound exercise on all Trust land. This will be the second time such a vote has taken place in four years; the previous attempt defeated four years ago. Even then, only 1.2% of eligible members took part in the vote.

It cannot be right that during these difficult times, particularly for charities, resources are being wasted debating an issue which clearly isn’t a priority for the vast bulk of Trust members who represent a wide demographic of our society. Hunts who use the land for these lawful activities are required to comply with a strict licensing policy.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees have stated they are satisfied with the implementation of, and the compliance with, the licensing conditions. If you are a National Trust member and you believe Trust land should be open for all to enjoy, in line with the Trust’s mantra of “For everyone, for ever”, then please vote AGAINST this motion. Voting can be done online and closes on October 22, 2021. For more: countryside-alliance.org

Polly Portwin

Countryside Alliance

Badger culling in Berkshire

Sadly we had confirmation last month that a licence for culling has been granted for Berkshire – this is in addition to the culling that was seen last year to the north of the county under the Oxfordshire licence. So the cull is far from over - the senseless slaughter of this protected species will continue at least until 2025 and potentially longer – and now it’s firmly on our doorstep.

Thus far, nationally, over 140,000 badgers have been needlessly and cruelly culled as part of the Government’s bTB policy – a policy that has been a failure and done nothing to solve the bTB issue for farmers in what is a cattle based disease, and one in which 94% of transmission has been proved to be cattle to cattle.

Another 140,000 badgers are now due to be killed over the next 5 years, which is a travesty for this iconic mammal that has been part of our landscape since the ice age. There are those who believe that the badger population is out of control, but by DEFRA’s own admission, badger numbers are not based on any scientific study, but purely on “anecdotal” evidence. It is an absurdity to base a culling policy on a population assumption that has no grounding in hard facts and one which risks the local extinction of badger populations.

In addition to doing nothing to solve the issue of bTB in cattle, it is also immensely cruel. Anyone with an ounce of compassion should be moved by the cruelty of this ineffective and unscientific cull, one which leading vets and the RSPCA have long called for to be scrapped on grounds of cruelty alone and one which the Independent Expert Panel appointed by DEFRA to assess the cull, deemed “ineffective and inhumane”. It is additionally shocking that not a single one of the badgers killed during the recent culls have been tested for TB.

The answer to solving bTB in cattle should be to focus on the cattle themselves – one where farmers should be incentivised to develop robust biosecurity measures and one where the testing regime is radically improved. The Government needs to push forward with better testing methods and must speed up its plans for vaccination research and deployment for cattle – but most of all it needs to stop the badger “blame game” and stand by its commitment to end the culling of badgers for good.

Jill Hoblin

Chairman – Binfield Badger Group Berkshire

World Arthritis Day is marked

Arthritis is the most common cause of pain and physical disability in the UK, with around 10 million people affected, often finding their lives changing enormously by the pain of inflamed joints. This Tuesday is World Arthritis Day, a global awareness day held to raise awareness of the condition. I would like to share with your readers a little about arthritis, and how the charity I work for, Revitalise, based in Chigwell, Essex, are able to support people living with arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, causing joint pain and stiffness usually developing over time and frequently seen in the hands, knees, hips, feet and spine. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease, mainly affecting joints and tendons, with inflamed joints appearing swollen and red. The disease usually starts in the wrists, hands or feet, and can spread to other joints and parts of the body.

Revitalise specialise in respite care breaks for people living with conditions related to arthritis and over 150 different disabilities. Our centres are purpose-built and fully-accessible and every aspect of our guests’ holiday is tailored to their needs.

One of our guests, Tracy, was 27 years old when she noticed she was beginning to lose sensation and movement in both the left and right side of her body. Tracy was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines and arthritis. Doctors recommended that Tracy exercise, and swimming at the Revitalise Sandpipers hydrotherapy pool really helps her muscles and arthritis.

Tracy said: “When my illness got a lot worse, I was in and out of hospital a lot and couldn’t go on holiday. I’ve now been using a wheelchair for the last two years. I wish I knew about Revitalise sooner. The main thing that I come away with is confidence. I don’t feel afraid or scared that I am disabled – instead I’m made to feel that I can achieve things. People accept me for who I am.”

Treatments for arthritis vary person to person, depending on the condition and focus on reducing symptoms and improving quality of life. Many of your readers may find an accessible break with Revitalise to be a fantastic additional support and enjoy the varied activities and excursions we offer.

Revitalise have opened holiday bookings for 2022 which include exclusive Early Bird discounts, giving guests huge savings if they book early for Jubilee Lodge in Essex or Sandpipers in Southport. These breaks create a supportive but stimulating environment where carers and their loved ones can enjoy a quality break together alongside care support from the Revitalise team.

To enquire about the specialised breaks available at Revitalise, call 0303 303 0145, email bookings@revitalise.org.uk or visit revitalise.org.uk/early-bird

Rebecca Young,

Revitalise Director of External Affairs