Food banks and a funeral by Angela Caldin
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks which provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty. It campaigns for change to end the need for food banks in the UK where more than 14 million people are living in poverty – including 4.5 million children. There are more than 1,200 food bank centres in the UK providing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. I find… Read More
Good luck or good management by Susan Grimsdell
I always find it strange that people who are incredibly lucky and end up with a disproportionate share of the nation’s total wealth, hardly ever attribute any part of their success to luck. In fact, if you tell successful people they have been lucky it makes them angry and defensive. They believe their success is entirely the result of their own talent and hard work. Luck breeds success However, there’s a body of research that shows the opposite, that there is a strict correlation between luck and success and in fact the… Read More
Helping those who can easily help themselves by Susan Grimsdell
Helicopter rescue I searched on Google but could not find the cost of operating the Westpac Helicopter service. However, I did discover that for Greymouth and Christchurch the total is $10 million a year. Let’s estimate that for the whole country it’s $100 million a year. Westpac takes a billion dollars from New Zealand in profits every year, year after year. $100 million is 10% of that. Westpac gets incalculable benefit from the advertising associated with its helicopters. Very positive advertising too – nothing negative about running a rescue helicopter service! Why… Read More
Dog rescue by Angela Caldin
I’ve recently discovered a new time-wasting Facebook-based activity which can keep me distracted from important tasks for hours on end. A while ago, a short video of an abandoned dog found in a precarious situation popped up on my newsfeed; an intrepid and persistent rescuer overcame enormous difficulty to finally succeed in saving the poor animal from its desperate plight. After a visit to the vet to treat wounds and combat infections, the rescued dog, plied with food and loving care, made a complete recovery and went off to a foster home… Read More
Look on my works ye mighty and despair by Angela Caldin
A corpulent man with an orange face stood on the Truman balcony at the White House wheezing after a slow ascent of the steps. He pulled his shoulders back and puffed out his chest, telling the world not to let the virus dominate their lives. Little comfort for the families and friends of the two million who have died. He peeled off his mask in a gesture that might have been rehearsed several times in front of a mirror, before going inside to let droplets of infection fall freely on members of… Read More
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