Cause to whine

The winner of the Eurovison Song Contest wore a kimono and had waving cats on stage. I didn’t see the show but saw her pictures on the web, is it really so offensive to dress in one of these garments. She says she wore it because she simply liked it?

I once went to a fancy dress party as a member of Abba, ( the brown-haired lady), I found the whole thing a big laugh. Was I offending Abba fans all over the world dressing up like that or people from Sweden?

There’s some horrible things happening in the world, look at Israel or Syria, let’s worry about that first.

Jayne Grayson

Sheffield, S35

Thank you to the OPAT

My wife and I would like to thank the ‘OPAT’ departments of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital for the treatment during my stay and visits to them.

H Simpson

Sheffield, S9

School funding

It’s good to see the local press highlighting the shameful funding position faced by Sheffield’s schools.

The scale of difference between schools in different parts of the country is completely unacceptable – and it’s worse that it’s been going on for years with little public scrutiny because of the complex and opaque funding system. As well as a boost in funding overall, we urgently need a fair and transparent funding formula to ensure that Sheffield’s schools get a fair deal.

In March, the Liberal Democrats unveiled an exciting new education policy that included a pledge to increase funding for schools by tripling the early-years pupil premium, building on one of our key achievements in government. It would reduce the administrative and testing burden on schools, especially for younger children, and replace OFSTED with a lighter-touch assessment system focused on support.

If elected to represent Sheffield in Hallam, this would be one of my top priorities – children only get once chance at an education and we have to ensure our children can make the most of it.

Laura Gordon

Liberal Democrat candidate for Sheffield Hallam

A slip of the author’s pen?

The front page of the Star, May 17, 2018, has the banner headline “41/2 – day school week to save money” Full Story Page 7. Readers turning to that page are met by an article from Sam Jackson – Multimedia Reporter.

Her article puts the celebrated “whodunnit?” author Agatha Christie to shame.

It is a masterpiece in keeping your readers in suspense, titillating their imagination, leaving them gasping for more – and then bringing them down to Earth with a bump.

The reason for your reader’s disillusionment with the article?

A great deal of editorial space is given to the concerns of a Sheffield primary school headteacher and his having to face possible class time cuts and/or staff redundancies, in order to cope with budget cuts. The headteacher speaks passionately about his school, and questions whether he could morally stay in his position.

His cause would gain more support and sympathy from your readers if they knew which school he was referring to and his own name – after his heartfelt words surely he does not wish for it to remain anonymous?

Is he the culprit or is it a slip of the author’s pen?

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5

No digging here

The Star of May 17, nine-letter word “stupified”, the day after the posse’s letter was on Page 2, “pernicious”.

Was that a dig at us by any chance?

Anyhow we finished the quiz, word spiral and word wheel, smashed it, as we nearly always do. We might be mill hands but we’re not mental.

Tony Burgin

Sheffield, S6

Pride in Sheffield

What next for Carbrook Hall? Having spoken to Mr Fogg, the owner, I hope a dialogue can commence between him and concerned parties.

The first priority is a security response that is adequate to respond to what is a serious threat and probably an increasing one to an irreplaceable and singular piece of Sheffield Heritage which has, as many anticipated, proved vulnerable.

With ownership comes responsibility unfortunately, this is often not accepted and acted upon.

Who is going to stand up and show Pride in Sheffield?

Ron Clayton

Sheffield, S6

Medicinal use of cannabis

Once again, I fear, Susan Richardson, (May 16), has played Scrabble with the facts, this time with regard to the use of medicinal cannabis.

There is plenty of evidence that a few drops of cannabis oil can act as a great pain relief.

I have a good friend who is suffering from advanced cancer. He has tried all of the medicines subscribed from the GP and the only relief he can get from excruciating pain is a few drops of cannabis.

In the last week the Royal College of Nursing has voted overwhelmingly for the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal reasons.

40 countries including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and half of the USA, (not renowned for its liberal thinking), have legalised cannabis in some form. The UK is the world’s largest producer and exporter of legalised cannabis and yet it cannot be used at home.

I’m afraid that Ms Richardson has neither an understanding of the facts nor compassion for the poor souls whose only relief from pain is a small amount of cannabis.

Does she honestly think that a person who requires medicinal cannabis as a pain relief for cancer is going to go out and commit violent crimes or acts of terrorism.

I’m afraid that her use of inflammatory language and her inference that the medicinal use of cannabis is somehow related to horrific acts such as the Manchester bombing does her no credit.

Painkillers such as morphine and fentanyl are both legal despite being from the same family as heroin, so cannabis should be treated no differently.

John Scholey

Clifford Road