Next Time, She Might Go Before She Leaves Home..?

Natalie Turner, of Kirkby Drive, Ripon, was travelling on the 36 bus from Ripon to Harrogate to visit a friend on December 13, when she had to get off the bus for medical reasons.

Miss Turner explained she was ill to the driver and needed to leave the bus in Ripley to use the public toilet.

Despite holding a valid £4.80 bus ticket, the bus driver told her she would not be allowed back on the bus or on the next bus if she left to use the toilet –so the 19-year-old student had no choice but to walk along the dark rural route to Harrogate in minus two degrees.

 And mum is, of course, furious. And does, of course, charge straight into the fray in the local newspaper:

Miss Turner’s mum Vikki, 46, said she is “appalled at the blatant disregard for a young girl, travelling alone, in extreme temperatures in the dark along a lonely road.”

Mrs Turner, a nurse for a GP practice in Ripon, told the Gazette: “Natalie didn’t have any cash on her and was only wearing a short skirt with tights and a leather jacket instead of a coat.”

Bit hard to see how that's something that's the fault of the bus company.

H/T: APILN

I Don't Suppose 'Standing On Your Own Two Feet' Is An Option?

A young woman has taken on the fight against homelessness after being thrown into the situation herself.

Jessica Chipperfield said she left her father's home in Addiscombe after his partner learned she was gay.

Jessica, who is sofa-surfing between friends, said: "I want to raise awareness of homelessness so people can understand the reasons for it – it is not the person's fault.

"Young people need to be given better advice and help in their way, rather than getting pushed and shoved about."

Jessica is 20. Yes. 20.

And the 'help' she thinks she ought to be given? Well, she was indeed given it.

Jessica said she was also spurred into action after being disappointed with help she received from Croydon Council over her housing problems.

She said: "They gave me an information pack and told me I can get rent for £290 to £340. There is a lack of help and advice."

No, there's not. That's it. That's all you are really entitled to. You are 20 years old, you should have a job and be independent.

She said: "At the moment I have not got a job and people are saying to me because I am homeless I cannot get a job."

What stopped you before you were homeless, then? And what is it you really want?

A Croydon Council spokesman said it was sorry Jessica was disappointed with the service she received from the council but families with children had to come first.

He said: "Like many local authorities, the council currently has a shortage of temporary accommodation and has to prioritise families with children and those who are deemed vulnerable."

Ah. Of course. You want a 'free' house.

Domesticated: unable to fend for themselves, tame, dependent...

...and that's not just the dogs:

...as any Siberian husky dog owner would confirm, despite their intelligence, it is not safe to let them off their leads.The active, energetic and resilient breed have an independent intelligence with an instinct to run, run and keep running.

So, to keep them safe, you need an enclosed area for exercise, or a LOT of your own land.

The Huskies In Hull group, which was formed to bring husky dog owners together, is now appealing for a place they can let their dogs off their leads safely.

And by 'appealing', who do you think they imagine should provide it?

Yes. That's right.

Mike Gibbs, group co-ordinator said: "You can't let them off their lead unless it is in a secure area.

"We need somewhere enclosed. An ideal place is a tennis court or something similar with a 6ft fence.

"The dogs need exercise, a walk with a lead is not good enough.

"They are not the type of dogs you can just sit on your lap and expect to be good.

"If you do not let them exercise, they get frustrated, they chew carpets and furniture and eat just about anything."

Well, Mike ol' chum, shouldn't you have thought about that before you chose your preferred pet?

Mr Gibbs said: "We do not see why the council can't provide some sort of doggy playground where we can let them off their leads safely, without charging us to do so.

"If they can't, we are ideally looking for someone who has enclosed land somewhere in Hull who wouldn't mind us bringing the dogs for a run-about.

"If anyone has any land we could use, that would be brilliant."

Anything else you'd like, Mike? Someone (the council, perhaps, font of all bounty  it seems) to provide you with free Pedigree Chum as well?

Firemen Aren't Social Workers, And Cops Aren't Mindreaders...

In March, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service was called to Jess's house when she set her bedroom alight. Realising something was wrong, the attending crew manager filed a PN1 form, an internal document used when officers come into contact with a child they believe might be vulnerable. However, his concerns were not shared with health professionals or social services.

The paperwork was lost in the system. Would it have made a difference? Doubtful, as she was already well known to the appropriate authorities:

Jess first came to the attention of social workers in October last year after she accused her dad of hitting her. An investigation showed her claims were completely untrue.

Soon afterwards Jess began to self-harm and, on November 23 last year, she was referred to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Meetings continued until February 29, when Jess and her mum both felt things had improved and she was discharged.

She then set the fire. Did her parents take any action, or did they think 'Oh, well, the fire service'll do it'?

The officer argued any changes to a firefighter's role, such as expecting them to identify children at risk, must be properly thought out.

He said: "The fire service has to evolve and nobody's got any problem with that. We're all happy to evolve if the training is given properly.

"If we're going to take these things on, we need the correct training, not half an hour on a wet afternoon."

Maybe the best thing to do is...not take them on? Stick to the job you are paid and trained for?

Meanwhile...

It's two years since their daughter was murdered, but for the first time Joanna Yeates' parents have criticised the police investigation that eventually caught her killer.

*sigh*

The body of the 25-year-old landscape architect was found by dog walkers in Failand on Christmas Day 2010 after she had been missing for eight days.

Her parents said they now think police were not aware that their daughter's killer, neighbour Vincent Tabak, had been alone in his flat on the night she vanished.

They began treating him as a suspect only after a phone call to detectives from his girlfriend Tanja when the pair were away on holiday in Holland for new year.

Yes, that's right. They started treating him as a suspect when evidence emerged of his involvement.

Before that, how could they possibly do anything? I'm as fond of armchair quarterbacking as the next blogger, but let's be realistic here!

What Do You Call People Who Just Don't Learn?

A former York postman is recovering after a dog bit his finger as he was pushing a leaflet through a letterbox.

Yeah. I know...

He and his wife aren't exactly rocket scientists, mind you:

Mal said they drove off to a nearby hair salon, Classic Cutz, where owner Terry Smith wrapped the finger in kitchen roll to try to stem the flow of blood before they drove on to York Hospital.

A....hair salon?!

He said he had told police about the incident but the law did not allow for any action to be taken over dogs attacking people while on their own premises.

It seems I'm not the only person who lacks sympathy:

AMAJET says...

I dont see why the owner should be classed as an 'irresponsible minority'?, how can you possibly train a dog not to find 4 wiggling sausage fingers to good an opportunity to miss when someone shoves them through your door. Moral of this story is don't shove your junk mail through our doors. It's appalling how much rubbish gets posted through these days. Btw sorry to hear about your finger.get well soon.

Quite!

cityforthepremier says...

Well done Fido for making a stand against junk mailers. What a shame you can't bite those PPI tossers phoning every bloody day too!

Now there's an idea...

“We just can't get our heads round what happened.”

The family of a teenager who died in a road accident while his moped was being followed by police have called for a fresh investigation. Relatives of Kyle Bartlett have asked the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to release statements taken from the police after the fatal collision.

The calls come as the family still believe that the police were to blame for the accident, which saw Kyle and his 15-year-old friend come off the bike while being followed by a police car.

They are in a minority, though. Everyone else can see the writing on the wall.

An IPCC investigation has already concluded there is no evidence to support the accusation. And a jury sitting at a two-day inquest returned a verdict of accidental death earlier this week.

So, what’s the issue?

Kyle's auntie Shelley Crisp, from Meir, said: "Although we accept the verdict we are not happy with the outcome because we feel there are still a lot of inconsistencies. We feel there are still a lot of things that don't add up in the police statements."

Such as?

The deputy coroner ruled that Kyle could have stopped if he had wanted to. But Mrs Crisp, aged 37, said: "As soon as we came out of court I was on the phone to the IPCC asking if we can have access to the police statements.

"We don't feel that we have had justice for Kyle because it is still unclear what happened. "We can't get closure until we have seen the witness statements for ourselves."

It’s not ‘closure’ (Ugh! How I loathe that particular Americanism..) you really want, is it?

Kyle, a former pupil of Blythe Bridge and Endon High school, had intended to join the Army. Shelley, a telesales supervisor, said: "He was just your typical 16-year-old lad who loved life. Everybody who knew him loved him for his massive smile."

Yes, yes. They always are, aren’t they?

Shelley said: "It has been devastating because he had his whole life ahead of him. Instead, he suffered for his own stupidity. We had to bury him on his 17th birthday."

Make up your mind, Shelley! Wasn’t it ‘the fault of the police’ a scant two paragraphs ago?

His aunt added: "We are going to keep fighting for this and I hope the IPCC will agree to our request. We just can't get our heads round what happened."

Oh, I think you can, if you try.

Nice Try, But Consumption’s Not Obligatory…

A Swansea solicitor has hit out at "ridiculous" nightclub drink promotions after three men "miraculously" escaped serious injury after a road smash.

Mark Davies was representing Rhys Beck, a 20-year-old who admitted crashing his car after drink-driving.

And what sort of promotion was this? Do they hold you down and force alcohol down your throat?

Mr Davies said his client, of Glanmor Terrace, Penclawdd, had been out with friends at the Oceana nightclub and when he ordered one pint of beer, he was told he would receive two extra pints for free, as part of a promotion the club were running.

Mr Davies accepted his client had willingly drunk the alcohol before deciding to drive his Renault Clio, but said the promotion was "quite frankly asking for trouble".

Umm, why? If I get offered two free tins of beans when I buy one at a checkout, I don’t feel obliged to cram them all down my throat. I might give them away to someone else. I don’t even feel obliged to take them in the first place!

Why didn't he simply refuse them, or offer them to his friends?

"His intention wasn't to consume a large quantity of alcohol but he wanted one drink. When confronted with two more for free, it's often that people will consume the other two. He didn't believe he was over the limit," added Mr Davies.

So….he was only going to have one because he was driving (which is sensible, and responsible), and he knew that more than that would put him over the limit. But, when faced with free beer, he suddenly thought these two pints somehow wouldn't count?

He’s not too bright, is he?

Mr Davies said: "It's a shame this young man comes before the court as he's of clean character, he's educated and is waiting to go to university."

Ah. Well, why should lack of intelligence stop anyone from going to university these days?

Meanwhile, police in Swansea have said they are concerned about cut-price drinks promotions in the city, and are working with the council and bars, pubs and clubs to try to ensure "safe and sensible" drinking.

Superintendent Phil Davies said: "Drinks promotions are a concern for the police. "While we have got no legislative power to stop them, we are working closely with the local authority and licensed premises to encourage safe and sensible drinking."

Well, perhaps you could start by pointing out what utter rubbish is being spouted here by Mr Beck’s mouthpiece?

That’s It, I’ve Had Enough!

Enough of this mawkish ‘poverty’ pleading, that is:

Telan’s family had lived in their one-bed flat for almost three years. Before that, Kia and her son had lived in a privately rented two-bed house in Acomb.

A fulltime mum, she paid the rent out of benefits.

RIGHT! Stop right there – no, she didn't.

WE paid. The general taxpayer. Those of us working and paying tax into the system, either with our own families, or childless.

Then, Kia said, the landlord decided to put the house up for sale. The asking price was £113,000.

“I didn't have that kind of money.”

Her tenancy agreement offered her no protection, because she was at the end of her one-year contract. The city council offered her accommodation at the one-bed flat in Chapelfields. Kia was told she could reapply for a larger property once her son reached the age of two. She did so.

But with almost 4,800 people on the authority’s housing waiting list – hundreds of them assessed as being a greater priority than Telan and her family – and with only 500 or so council properties becoming available every year, the wait dragged on.

Ah, but Kia didn't see any need to wait, clearly! She wasn't letting the grass grow under her feet, no sir!

At first, when there were only her son and herself in the small flat, it wasn't too bad, Kia said.

But then her partner, Simon, moved in too – and Telan was born. There were four of them in a cramped flat.

No. Not just four humans.

It was the damp and mould which bothered Kia most, however. The bedroom wall was wet with condensation, and covered with mould. Kia and Simon tried keeping the windows open, and cleaning and washing the walls with anti-fungal solution.

But the mould always came back. She complained repeatedly to the council, who sent a workman round to install humidity-controlled fans, which Kia says didn't help. The authority says it advised the family on how to reduce condensation.

It accepts that part of the problem was that there were four people and a dog living in a onebed flat.

/facepalm

And then…tragedy!

Telan died at 9.43pm on October 6, 2012, at York Hospital, after suddenly being taken ill at the family’s one-bed council flat in Chapelfields. Shortly after feeding her from a bottle and putting her down in her cot, her mother heard her coughing.

She rushed through to find the little girl had stopped breathing. Telan was two days short of being 11 months old. …

Nobody knows yet why Telan died. An inquest has been opened and adjourned, while histology and toxicology tests are awaited.

But while ‘nobody knows’ it seems everybody is willing to speculate and use this to their own ends. 

Especially the grieving mother and the ‘poverty’ pressure groups.

“Personally, I think the conditions of the flat may have contributed to what happened,” she said.

City of York council does not accept that. The little girl’s death was a tragedy, said Steve Waddington, the authority’s assistant director for housing and community safety.

“It is very, very sad. But there is no evidence to suggest that the damp and conditions in the property have been an influencing factor in Telan’s death.”

Whatever the cause of the little girl’s death, her short life highlights the huge extremes of wealth and poverty that still continue to blight our society – even in a city as apparently prosperous as York.

No. No, I'm sorry, but it doesn't.

What it does highlight is the incredibly bad life choices made by some people who have been raised from birth and conditioned to believe that there is no such thing as personal responsibility, or deferred gratification, or ‘living within your means’.

Someone else is always at fault for anything bad that might happen to you. You are never, ever to be held responsible.

Kia has now been offered a larger flat.

“It is too little, too late,” she said.

Oh, don’t worry love, I'm sure you’ll soon fill it full of the fruit of your loins…

The comments, as you might expect, are filled with the usual responses, which all seem to separate out into typical groups.

There’s the barely-coherent comments from Kia’s peers, like her, self-absorbed, deluded and entitled:

roxywright says... Feels for kia and her family,Kia is an inspiration to other womenthey knew kia had a son so why put her in a one bedroom flat? But instead they insisted on dumping her in a one bed flat which was absolutely stupid of them.My thoughts are with kia and her family xxxxxxxxxxxx

There’s the ‘move over, grandad!’ mob, looking enviously at the elderly to move aside for the younger generation:

inthesticks says...

Re: above quote from Tracey Simpson-Laing; "Legislation coming into force in April 2013 could impact further those people living in overcrowded conditions, as households eligible for housing benefit in registered social housing will be expected to contribute more to their rent if their number of bedrooms exceeds new Department for Work and Pensions guidelines.”

Have I misunderstood something there? Surely this is for people who have too many rooms for their needs and will encourage people claiming housing benefit to move to a smaller home. Did I miss your point, I don`t see how that impacts on people in overcrowded conditions. If i`m being thick and havn`t read that correctly then will someone explain why it will impact on people who are overcrowded? However, people on housing benefit would almost surely need help with the costs relating to moving, have you considered that Tracey? Also, as I understand the new legislation, no one dares to mention asking anyone of pension age to pay extra for unused bedrooms to encourage them to move (even those who are eligible for housing benefit, which is what the criteria is), because they are scared of the public outcry I assume, but there are hundreds of them, just in York alone, in council houses that are way too big for them.

There’s the ‘tax the bankers!’ mob, hoping that more can be squeezed out of the modern demon Golden Goose before it finally has enough and flies off:

anybody says...

What an indictment of our society in the 21st century! We can bail out banks and pour any amount of money into them, yet small innocent children have to live and then die in this type of inadequate housing. City of York Council has a duty to its residents of council properties to renovate and restore so that people can live in a healthy, damp free and warm environment. What a useless response in this case to send out workmen with fans! Shame on all those who oppose and obstruct the building of new affordable homes built to modern eco standards.

Mmm. As Longrider points out, though, Kia’s dog would be the first thing to have to go in that scenario!

Then there’s the ‘we are all to blame!’ merchants:

Mr Happy says... 4:15pm Wed 21 Nov 12 It is tragic that in 2012, a young baby has to spend its entire life in a damp, mouldy home. Every child is born helpless. But every single child is precious and needs the help of all in society, whatever the wealth and status of their parents. Whatever the reasons behind baby Telan's tragic death, she was failed by the society we live in.

And occasionally, one or two who ask the same questions I’m asking:

Daisy75 says... 11:37am Wed 21 Nov 12 This is a terrible tragedy, and an awful loss for the family. However, presumably she knew the size of the flat before she moved boyfriend in and had the baby. If the flat was in such poor condition, why did she bring another baby into the world until she had better housing? I appreciate she was hoping the additional boyfriend and baby would boost her up the housing list, and she didn't anticipate this terrible outcome, but it was obviously an unsuitable situation for a newborn. I'd also be interested to know if her partner has a job, or are they both living off the State?

What a pity these comments are in the minority. I hope it doesn't mean that the attitudes are, too.

Or our society is doomed, isn't it?

I Guess I Was Wrong – Roll On, Compo Culture Bandwagon!

The 79-year-old spotted the pies at a Morrison's supermarket and called out to her husband that she had found them as she stepped forward to reach them, but then fell over the low unattended flatbed trolley.

Mrs Palfrey, of Callington, Cornwall, remains disabled, with one arm shorter than the other, and it was over two years before she could carry out even basic domestic tasks.

Yesterday, Appeal Court judges awarded the traumatised pensioner, who still has to take pain killers, £44,000 damages, ruling that the trolley, which had been left in the centre of an aisle when the stacker went off to help another customer, was dangerous.

I... What? I thought we were kicking this compo culture stuff into touch at long last?

Now the trolleys used at thousands of DIY stores and supermarkets have been declared 'dangerous' by top judge Lord Justice Moses.

In a ruling which threatens to cost retailers millions, Lord Justice Moses said that low-slung, L-shaped, flatbed trolleys - of the type ubiquitous in Homebase, Ikea and other stores - pose a foreseeable risk of serious injury to shoppers.

 It's not going to 'cost retailers millions', is it? Those costs will be passed on to us, the consumer.

Lord Justice Moses said: 'Shoppers walking up and down aisles in supermarkets are expected to be attracted by what is on the shelves; they do not expect to have to look towards the ground.

'Their attention will be on their shopping and other shoppers.

'Mrs Palfrey was intent on indicating to her husband that she had found the pork pies and all of that would have deflected her attention away from the long, low-based, trolley.'

Oh, FFS..! These things aren't small! Or easy to miss, so long as people are sensible. Just how are shops supposed to restack the shelves without them?

Maybe Mrs Palfrey should have been less intent on the pies and more on what was going on around her?

On top of Mrs Palfrey's damages, Morrisons now face having to pay the enormous legal costs of the case, which have been estimated at close to £200,000.

Except they won't. As I've already pointed out.

So, thanks for nothing, Mrs Palfrey. Next time I go to Morrisons, I'll have you to thank for the increased prices and the fact the staff haven't restocked the shelves quickly...

Still, at least she didn't get a staggering £800k!

Don't Let It 'Pain You', Coroner...

Picture the scene - a tragedy in King's Lynn:

More safety measures have been proposed at a Norfolk town's annual fair after a three-year-old boy was killed by a car.

Awful, terrible, more must be done!!

West Norfolk Council has backed proposals to increase the number of stewards and barriers at the event.

Plans would also see the fair, held in Tuesday Market Place, shortened from 14 days to nine.

Councillors recommended that the fair was moved from its traditional Valentine's Day opening to begin on the first weekend of February half-term in 2013.

No expense must be spared! Set up the JustGiving page to pay for a lavish funeral!

On Wednesday 15th February 2012 at 5:30pm a three year old boy called Rio Bell, had his life so tragically cut short by a driver, as the Kind’s Lynn Mart in Norfolk.

But look at how forgiving the parents are to the evil motorist:

More than 150 people attended Rio’s funeral service which was held by the rector of Kirkley the Rev Andrew White and saw his white coffin enter to the R Kelly song If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of time.

In a moving eulogy he said: “In the time I have spent with members of the family over the last few days, I have been struck by the total absence of anger and bitterness or any need for revenge.”

Oh, saints they are, surely?

Cometh the inquest, and - although I'd forgotten the case - I found I was following a reporter covering it for 'Look East' on Twitter:

Hmmmm....

O...kay....

'Independent'? He was three! Not of an age where you are expected to be traffic-smart, which it why it's the job of the parents to do it!

The press couldn't not report it, could they?

“I don’t wish to add to the distress and anguish of Rio’s family, but the primary responsibility for young children must rest with those having care of them,” he said.

“At the time of this tragedy, Rio was not under suitable control or supervision. He should have been under very close and direct control.

“Under the circumstances, he should have had reigns (sic), been in a buggy or had his hand held.

“It pains me to say that.”

It shouldn't.

Perhaps someone would like to set up a JustGiving page for the poor bloody driver?

What Future..?

Mark died just seven days after the birth of his daughter Mychalina on July 11…

Oooh, the name kind of gives the game away, doesn’t it?

… and had been on a night out with Frayne before they went back to a flat in Goole to take heroin.

It proved to be a fatal mistake. And not – for once – due to contamination with anthrax.

Mark's fiancée Stephanie, a student child psychologist, was due to marry him at Christmas.

She claims to have been unaware of his drug use. Which is, well, possible, I suppose.

She said: "We had been together for two years. He had never done drugs, this was all a total shock to me.

"When they told me he had died, I felt like I had been ripped apart. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with him and now Jake's actions have stolen my future and my daughter will never know her dad."

Ummm, hang on. ‘Jake’s actions’..? No. Not just his…

It does take two to tango, doesn't it? Mark was a willing participant in a risky activity.

Stephanie said their daughter still won't be old enough for her to explain what happened to her father by the time Frayne is released from prison.

"I just want to protect her but I cannot save her from the day I have to sit down and tell her what Jake did," she said.

"I will have to say to my daughter, 'That man killed your dad'."

Don’t forget to add ‘because your dad was too stupid not to see the potential risks and so agreed to take illegal drugs’. I mean, surely a future child psychologist doesn't think hiding the truth is a good thing?

I'm not convinced this poor kid’s future isn't already sealed.

Doughnut Wars!

A primary school which refused a healthy free milk scheme is instead flogging its pupils fattening doughnuts in the playground.

*GASP* Call the ….well, who?

Cuddington Croft Primary School has already sold sugary Krispy Kreme doughnuts twice this year to children…

Hang on! Eating doughnuts (even those ghastly Yankee things) twice a year is hardly likely to be perpetuating the obesity ‘crisis’, is it?

… in an attempt to raise funds for school projects. Meanwhile, the school opts out of a European Community subsidy scheme to offer under-fives free milk, needed for healthy bones and teeth.

Oh noes! How can it possibly turn down an EU directive!

Astonished parents claimed the doughnut sale could encourage vulnerable children to buy more and increased the risk of obesity.

Note that the term ‘parents’ is used – however, it seems to be just one that has a bee in her bonnet about this.

Paula Dolijanin, a health visitor, of Cheam, said the school’s inconsistent stance on healthy eating confused young minds.

Oh?

The mother-of-three said: “Young children are vulnerable to such organisations through daily life, but I find it unacceptable that these organisations are welcomed into a position of trust inside school grounds. “They are allowing Krispy Kreme to push their product in the school at the expense of children’s health, but yet it doesn’t offer milk, which is good for healthy bones and teeth. “It’s sending mixed messages to children.”

Oh, boy! One of those.

A school spokesman said the provision of milk was not viewed as a priority because of “significant disadvantages in relation to the logistics, administration, storage and distribution of the milk including the implications of spillage during warm weather”. He said the school had examined the provision of free milk and felt while there were “marginal benefits” , the disadvantages “would have diverted valuable staff time away from the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum in other areas”.

They’ve clearly had run-ins with this woman before:

The spokesman said: “We are more certain, however, that the vast majority of parents at the school believe they should have free choice as to what they will and will not buy.”

Ouch! In the comments, the battle rages:

Twopenneth says...

A rather hysterical article I think!! The "Health Visitor" mentioned is a parent whose name I have seen bandied around on whinging correspondence before!! Just don't buy the Donuts if you don't want your kids to eat them - everything in moderation I think. How many other Primary schools in the area have a swimming pool where all the children (including the 3 year olds in the nursery) have weekly lessons? I don't know of any others. Cuddington Croft is great at promoting physical exercise and healthy living and is a fantastic school. I think us parents can ensure our under 5's get the calcium they need too without having to be provided with it and as the school points out, the kids get free fruit which I know is very popular.

Oooh, controversial! We can’t put Ms Dolijanin out of a job now, can we? She does have at least one supporter:

healthyeater says...

I am astounded at the negative response to such apparently obvious issues. The provision of milk to young children was a decision taken by health care professionals. What authority or qualification does a local school head have to override such a decision? Children are a blank canvas - if you tell them fruit is a treat then they will want fruit. If you tell them donuts are a treat then they will want donuts. It is not difficult to see that companies such as the one described are exploiting children in what should be a safe environment. They want children to consider donuts a treat so they keep buying them - otherwise known as a loss leader.... If the donuts are for the mothers as stated above, then why not provide them for the mothers in an environment where the mothers are able to make an informed decision…..maybe at the gym….so they can work off the 200 Calories before it causes them any serious health issues – that will be 30 minutes on the cross trainer per donut!! Education is not something which should be taken so lightly. We need to give our children the best start possible and protect them from those who either too ignorant or too lazy to resolve such situations themselves. I praise the efforts of the "Bully" parent you mention. Without such people, teachers might still be selling Coka Cola in the hallways, smoking at the school gate, and beating children with canes. Society needs people who are prepared to fight for what is right and not hide behind the established norms.

And with that, the blue touchpaper is lit!

mumster says...

In response to the post by 'healthy eater' Cheam (who in most of the Mum's opinions is actually Paula Dolijanin, the health visitor, of Cheam quoted in the article!) I am a Cuddington Croft Mum who regularly chooses to eat Krispy Kremes & buys them for her children but still adopts a healthy lifestyle so we really don't need someone like you telling us we should be buying our donuts at the gym to burn off 200 calories! Get off your high horse & do something useful for our school instead of whingeing please. Whilst there are ongoing major concerns about the safety of our children as a result of the recent attacks in the area, you and the Guardian should be more concerned about protecting our children from strangers rather than Kripsy Kremes.

Safer, clearly, to get between an angry grizzly sow and its cub than between a Cheam parent and the Krispy Kremes!

mumster says...

I wonder which stall Paula is volunteering to help on at the PTA Summer Fair at Cuddington Croft tomorrow? Presumably the salad bar?

Ouch! Miaow!

Someone purporting to be the lady herself shows up in the comments. I suspect it really is her, as the insufferable sense of righteousness dowse tend to give it away:

Paula Doljanin says...

There seems to be some confusion after the recent publication of my comments in the Guardian and although I feel it is necessary to clear up some basic facts. I believe the school is generally a good school and recognise their achievement in attaining good inspection results. I appreciate all the efforts made by the school in provision of fruit and the focus on healthy lifestyles in PSHE. I also realise there are a number of issues at the school which are being discussed at the moment such as the issues with Mrs Flynn, the security concerns and the high staff turnover. Please realise that I am a Health Visitor and so, my professional interest is in all health related issues. I have discussed the staff issues with many people and feel that issue is being progressed at the right levels. I have discussed the security issues with Surrey Police and believe they have that under control. I have chosen to focus on those issues where I can offer the most assistance to the school. These are the hygiene of the toilet facilities, the provision of drinking water in the toilet facility, the provision of milk (as provided under the European School Milk Scheme) and the impact that eating habits will have on Children's long term health. When dealing with issue at any school, there is a simple process you should follow. Initially, it should be raised with a teacher. If unresolved then you should raise it with the Head. If still unresolved to your satisfaction then you should go to the Board of Governors. I have followed this course regarding the European School Milk Scheme and I am still unhappy with the outcome. As such, I have raised the issue of the School Milk and the donuts with the Surrey Council, the District Councillors - Nigel Petrie (also a Governor) & Christine Howells and our County Councillor - David Wood. I will continue to raise this with professionals in this aspect of Child Health until I feel I have received a reasonable outcome. When evaluating the long term benefits of milk, it is simply not good enough to say that it is too difficult. When contacted by the Guardian, I gave my opinion regarding the doughnuts and the milk and also raised a lot of positive points about the school. I did not see the final story before it went to print and had no say in which comments I would be quoted on. In any case, I am happy to stand by my comments and have not acted under any pseudonym when stating my case. I am prepared to state my beliefs and be judged accordingly. I can understand why some others have used that approach when stating that allowing corporations into schools is acceptable. The House of Commons Health Committee published a report on Obesity in 2004. This can be found at: http://www.publicati ons.parliament.uk/pa /cm200304/cmselect/c mhealth/23/23.pdf. For ease I have copied the following statements for your review.

 (Ed: huge wall-o-text snipped for brevity – you can read it at the original comment if you really want to)

Against the reports recommendations, the Government has set this as an issue for local determination so it is the responsibility of all parents to make their views known. I believe parents should make an informed decision so please review the House of Commons Health Committee report and make your opinion known. The school dinners should also be reviewed and I have not yet looked into them with sufficient detail to form an opinion. The point here is not about freedom of choice - if you want doughnuts.....buy them at Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Morrison's or Sainsbury along with your alcohol, cigarettes and ****. If you think it is worth saving a few dollars (Ed: Huh? Wrong currency, love!)now at the risk of your (and my) Children's health then that is your right but please do not think I will stand by and allow that to happen without voicing my opinion. Finally, the PTA did a great job today. The school fair was enjoyed by all of our family. We caught up with lots of parents and made good use of the bouncy castle. We did not have any fairy floss or doughnuts but stuck to the home made cakes and soft serve ice cream - I don't believe their was any impact on our level of enjoyment! I am happy to discuss this further.

Got that? Good!

The increasing irritation with this dogmatic, ‘I know best!’ approach is clearly getting on the parent's tits:

astonished2 says...

Unfortunately all i read then was..blah blah blah!!When you start hiding behind tedious quotes people stop listening. Its interesting that this parent has taken her issues so far and yet nothing has changed? Is it actually because this whole thing has been blown out of all rational propotion? I am interested to know whether this parent lets her children have birthday cake at their birthdays or at their friends birthdays..or is that banned ? Isn`t this about the old adage...everything in moderation. Please do not assume other parents are not as caring or concerned about their children as you are. We are all intelligent, articulate people who can make sensible decisions for our children without the forceful input of a ` health visitor`. I am so glad you were not my children`s health visitor as I would probably have found you pushy ,forceful and actually rather intimidating. Your professional role should be to monitor and offer guidance to new parents...not ram your views down people`s throats and make them feel inadequate for allowing their children an occasional treat.`

Well, well, well. Ms Dolijanin certainly knows how to make friends, doesn't she?

I would tell her you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, but she’d probably claim honey had too many calories…

Let's Hope Not, Mrs Redmond, Eh?

Though sadly, I fear you're right.

'We have listened as our daughter was portrayed as being a drunken liability when, in all honesty, she did no more than what many teenagers do of a weekend - she went out to celebrate her friend’s birthday.

'The only liability that night was a train guard whom Georgia had the catastrophic misfortune to encounter.

'For he had very little, if any, regard at all for our daughter and her safety.'

Well, it is Liverpool, and they don't call it 'Self Pity City' for nothing, do they? It's always someone else's fault, someone's always to blame, no matter how blitzed the victim is.

A blood analysis following her death showed she had 236mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood in her system - the legal driving limit is 80mg.

She also had 0.083mg of the drug mephedrone, or Mcat, in her system at the time of her death.

I wonder if Mrs Redmond will have the decency not to complain the next time her train is late because guards terrified for their jobs won't let them leave the station if anyone's closer to them than a few feet, just in case they too are far too drunk to be cognisant of their own safety?

Or run shrieking to the newspapers if the railways decide (and who could blame them?) that catastrophically drunk passengers are too much of a liability and so refuse them entry at the ticket barriers?

Probably not.

Compo Culture On The Run?

Jack Hales was walking towards a slide at the indoor water park when he felt a sharp pain in his left foot. He looked down to see three or four pebbles on the floor, Stoke-on-Trent County Court heard yesterday.

Jack, who was 10 at the time of the incident in February 2009, suffered soft tissue damage to his left heel and was in plaster for two weeks after doctors mistakenly thought he might have chipped a bone in his foot.

Solicitors representing Jack, now aged 14, took Waterworld 2000 Ltd to court after claiming staff had not done enough to keep visitors safe at the time of the accident.

 How are they supposed to prevent this?

They claimed the pebbles had been on the walkway for more than two weeks but had not been spotted or removed by staff.

Really? Blimey, they must be worse at tidying up than me!

But in throwing out the claim, district judge Glynis Crowe said she was satisfied the company had maintained its duty of care. Staff logs read to the court showed walkways had been checked for debris every half hour on the day of the accident, and no problems had been reported.

Well, well, well...

“The main issue is whether the accident occurred due to what has been described as a want of care by the defendants,” said Judge Crowe.

“The defendant said the facilities were checked on an hourly basis by the duty manager, and every 30 minutes by supervisors.

“There were also 16 lifeguards on duty at the time, whose duty it is to make sure the floor area was tidy. On the balance of probabilities the pebbles had not been on the walkway for more than two weeks as suggested by the claimant. “The tiles are quite light in colour, so they would have been quite easy to spot by staff.

“I find the pebbles were deposited close to the time of the claimant’s accident, but it is impossible to say by what mechanism. I'm satisfied the defendants have discharged their duty of care.”

 Me too.

She added: “It’s unfortunate that the claimant suffered the injury but the defendants are only bound to do what is reasonable.”

At last! It might be time for the compo culture to think again.

Speaking outside court, Jack’s mum, Maxine Hales, who lives in Belmont Road, Etruria, said: “The pebbles shouldn't have been there in the first place.”

Never mind, love. Perhaps you can sue the doctors for misdiagnosis instead?

Wait…Now It Takes A Village To Raise An Adult?

A "code" which could help prevent people becoming victims of crime has won backing from all the candidates to become the first Notts Police and Crime Commissioner.

"Caroline's Code" is being developed following the murder of Caroline Coyne last July.

Ahhh, yes. That’s this case.

When police came in for a lot of unfounded criticism for telling her they weren't a taxi service. Even though they were perfectly correct to do so. They aren't a taxi service!

After Thursday's verdict, Jason Stansfield, who helped bring Caroline up while in a relationship with her mother Mandy Coyne, wants public, transport companies and taxi firms to sign up to the code, which obliges passers-by including bus drivers and the public to try to help people at risk.

This is actually the law in France and some other countries. It doesn't stop bad things happening. They still do.

Conservative candidate Tony Roberts said: "That 'neighbourliness' does seem to have gone now. You have to think about the potential consequences of ignoring that person. This could make us all more aware and a bit more sensitive and something good could come out of it in the end."

Really? You don't think there might also be some adverse consequences to allowing every slapper in the county to decide that they don't need to worry about their taxi fare home - nay, even getting a taxi at all - and they can, instead, depend on the kindness of strangers because it's mandated in law?

Paddy Tipping, the Labour candidate, said: "I'm very supportive of the idea of the code. I'm concerned that not just on this occasion but with what happened at the Forest Recreation Ground there were serious consequences that could have been avoided."

The incident he's referring to is this one, when a woman who didn't have the full bus fare was refused and later, as she walked home, raped. Why didn't she have the full bus fare? Who knows. We can guess...

Mr Stansfield, 42, said: "If it does take off it could be rolled out nationally and become a pilot project.

I'm still determined that there will be an attitude change."

Perhaps the 'attitude change' you should be aiming for is this one:

"Ladies! Considering going out on the lash? Make sure you don't drink so much you can't get home safely! Especially, don't drink your taxi fare home money!"

This has been a public service announcement.

So...I'm Helping Pick Up The Tab For This Instead?

Oh, and you too, if you are a motorist:

James Williams, 26, of Stoke Gifford – who was described as a "very unhappy young man" – caused massive damage to the outside of the House of Fraser store in a crash in December 2008 which almost cost his own life, as well as that of another driver whose car was in his path.

Lord Justice Ward told London's Civil Appeal Court yesterday that Mr Williams drove his Ford Puma at speeds of up to 100 mph along the M32 and Newfoundland Street before deliberately swerving into a low wall.

The car span into the air, bounced off the roof of another car waiting at a junction and smashed into the shop window.

The other driver was lucky to survive:

The driver of the other car, Jamie Haynes, also suffered serious injuries, including a fractured shoulder, four fractured spinal vertebrae, a broken rib and punctured lung.

His Audi A6, which was waiting at a red light, was pushed on to its side, writing the 11-year-old car off, the court heard.

Williams was prosecuted:

Mr Williams, of Fabian Drive, was later jailed for 21 months for dangerous driving and causing criminal damage.

He was also banned from driving for five years and ordered to take an extended driving test before ever getting back behind the wheel.

And after that, the 'fun' begins:

The crash sparked a legal battle between the shop's insurers, Bristol Alliance Limited Partnership, who initially covered the cost of replacing the vast windows, and EUI Ltd, with whom Mr Williams had a motor policy.

EUI fought the case tooth and nail – insisting they were not liable for the damage as it had been caused by Mr Williams' "deliberate act" – and yesterday finally triumphed in what is likely to be seen as an important test case for the insurance industry.

Allowing EUI's appeal against an earlier ruling against the company, Lord Justice Ward, sitting with Lord Justice McFarlane and Dame Janet Smith, said that what Mr Williams did fell outside the terms of his policy and his vehicle was therefore uninsured at the time.

So...as he's now an uninsured driver, guess who'll be picking up the tab? Yup. That's right. Me and you, via the MIB and higher premiums!

In his ruling, the judge described Mr Williams as "a very unhappy young man".

Yeah, I'm pretty unhappy too, now.

Hull: Darwin Award Capital Of The World…

The mother of a boy who died after running in front of a bus in Hull city centre wants improved road safety measures.

Well, at least she isn’t asking for buses to be fitted with pedestrian airbags! It’s not entirely clear what she is asking for, though….

The calls come after last week a woman was involved in a collision with a bus on a pedestrian crossing where two countdown timers were introduced weeks previously.

A woman. Not a child, not even a teenager. An adult. Albeit one of those modern adults MacHeath describes, infantile and prone to immediate gratification of their desires, however foolhardy.

And this isn't even the usual excuse of there being ‘no safe place to cross’:

Colette Scholes, whose 14-year-old son Jack Fisher died in April 2008 after being hit by a bus as he ran across the nearby Brook Street junction with Ferensway, said more needs to be done to prevent accidents.

"Even with the new timers, people are still risking their lives crossing the roads," she said. "I think everyone could be doing a bit more to prevent accidents."

And by ‘everyone’, I think you must surely really mean ‘Hull pedestrians’? Because there’s precious little the local council and the bus companies can do that they haven’t already done!

It just doesn't seem to be sinking in, even with people who should know better:

Two years after Jack's fatal collision, pensioner Colin Lyon lost his life at the crossing in Margaret Moxon Way. An inquest heard he failed to look properly before crossing the road.

You can almost feel the palpable despair of the transport chief:

Graham Hall, assistant head of transport and asset management, said: … "I would urge people to take care and only cross when the green man shows as it's for their safety.

"Pedestrians may have to wait a few moments but it's better than being seriously injured.

"The countdown timers have been recently added to give pedestrians a ten-second warning to when the red man appears and traffic will start to move again."

Sadly, I fear they've only provided the lemmings of Hull with a challenge: ‘Beat The Clock!’