Viewpoint: We all must try to live up to Sir Nicholas Winton's legacy

We are the problem, as well as beneficiaries

What a difficult experience Malcolm Stretten endured at Wexham A&E (Opinion, July 4). Not known as a moaner, he felt, understandably, the need to comment on his frustration at queueing for hours to get the treatment for which his GP had sent him.

Within the piece lies the clue to the problem.

Malcolm is gracious enough to acknowledge how good the local hospitals are, mentioning Windsor, St Marks, Wexham main and Heatherwood for praise.

At Heatherwood, with no A&E, all resources go on operations on limbs (knee and hip replacements are the stock in trade), skin cancer and cataract removal, gynaecology and the like.

Most patients are over 50, and a very substantial percentile are of pensionable age.

They praise the treatment they receive, commenting on the quality of the facility, both in terms of the building and the care they receive.

This percentage of the population, the over 50s, is fast growing, thanks in large part to the success of the NHS in its tremendous care for people.

When the NHS began over 75 years ago, male longevity was around mid 60s.

It's more than 78 years now.

The costs of state pension and health care for this group are staggering, yet at every general election, this group and others reject the prospect of paying more tax.

People want more for less.

Both main political parties have increased funding both on state pensions and healthcare, often at the expense of other social care, such as providing adequate social housing for the young (thanks to Margaret Thatcher's jolly wheeze of buying votes through selling the local authority housing stock).

It's good that Malcolm recognises the contribution people from overseas make to the NHS - without them, the service would collapse.

On the other hand, it was a little disappointing that he hinted that ‘the ever-increasing tide of immigration’ bears responsibility for the A&E crisis.

Most immigrants are working age and provide the tax revenue which keeps the whole show on the road.

Next time you go to your GP, take a look at those in the waiting room, and you'll see that the resources are taken up predominantly by the older cohort of society.

As well as the beneficiaries, Macolm, we are the problem.

JAMES AIDAN

Sutton Road

Cookham

We all must try to live up to Sir Nicky’s legacy

‘The kind of hero we need’

The July 4 Advertiser carried the story of the enduring legacy of Sir Nicholas Winton.

Juxtaposed was the current news of six Claires Court Year 9 pupils saving a man's life, saving him from drowning once he'd capsized in his kayak.

As a school, we are really proud to have renamed our four houses after the great men and women locally whose careers included giving a sense of pride to our town.

When Sir Nicholas’ son Nick visited the school 18 months ago, we learned just how much help his grandmother Barbara Wertheim gave to the Kindertransport project.

As with our other three houses – Astor, Grenfell and Spencer – the name Winton inspires our boys and girls onwards.

Sir Nicholas (pictured) once said: “Anything that is not actually impossible, can be done, as long as one is determined that it shall be done.”

And as the academic principal of Claires Court, I genuinely hope that the hands-on outdoor education our students can take part in continues to make a difference in Maidenhead.

This week, Year 12 have been doing just that, assisting in clearing the Remembrance area at Braywick cemetery. The ongoing development of Maidenhead as a town in which we are proud to live needs us all to be as determined as possible to live up to Sir Nicholas Winton's legacy.

JAMES WILDING

Maidenhead

Trust the people with a vote that truly counts

It has been 12 months since the 2024 General Election, which saw Labour win a landslide on just 34 per cent of the vote.

In the early days of his premiership, Starmer named restoring trust in politics ‘the battle that defines our political era’.

But the latest British Social Attitudes survey report shows that only 12 per cent of the public trust governments to put country before party.

Democracy is in crisis.

Our system is producing government after government elected on only a small minority of the vote, and people have had enough.

Rebuilding trust starts with representation.

No wonder the same survey shows that support for changing the voting system is at a record 60 per cent.

This is not all about Labour.

In 2029, there is a very real risk we could wake up to a government that under 30 per cent of the population voted for.

Whether it’s Farage, Badenoch or Starmer, no one party should speak for Britain alone.

This is why I am part of Make Votes Matter, the campaign for Proportional Representation.

It is time for politicians to trust the people with a vote that truly counts.

MARTIN RICHARDSON

Ray Mead Road
Maidenhead