LETTERS: Sheffield's Spider-Man already hero for workers

Your Saturday front page featured Gareth Lane protecting his partner and her child from a gunman and described by his fiancée as a real hero '“ better than Spider-Man.
Gareth Lane,from Sheffield who stood in front of a gunman to protect his partner Jen Dunstan and her 4 year old son Rio whilst out in Hathersage in Sheffield Picture Dean AtkinsGareth Lane,from Sheffield who stood in front of a gunman to protect his partner Jen Dunstan and her 4 year old son Rio whilst out in Hathersage in Sheffield Picture Dean Atkins
Gareth Lane,from Sheffield who stood in front of a gunman to protect his partner Jen Dunstan and her 4 year old son Rio whilst out in Hathersage in Sheffield Picture Dean Atkins

I just wanted to add that Gareth is already known as a popular hero for his work as a local activist and campaigner and excellent public speaker – particularly on behalf of people worst hit by austerity.

Until recently, he worked for the Unite Union on their little-known community programme, helping to mobilise people with no previous experience of campaigning to organise against benefits cuts and the bedroom tax.

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Now he is working for the Bakers’ Union to get better deals for those workers in the catering industry on zero hours contracts and minimum rights.

This is again a considerable challenge, given these ‘precarious’ workers mainly have little experience or knowledge of trade unions; their workplaces are mostly actively hostile to unions – and ever-changing work rotas make meetings or any sort of union contact well-nigh impossible.

I’d like to think that just keeping going, remaining always upbeat and positive against the odds in his campaigning work makes Gareth Lane another kind of hero, an everyday one – and yes, never mind Spider-Man!

Rosalind Brunt

Kearsley Road S2