Dear Editor, At NSPCC NI, we know it has been a challenging year, particularly for parents trying to juggle all the responsibilities that life has thrown at them during the pandemic. With all of the lockdowns, home-schooling and closures of childcare facilities, many parents have had to bridge the childcare gap by taking […]
Dear Editor, As we move into summer, we are all looking forward to returning to doing some of the things that we consider ‘normal’, but that we haven’t been able to do for some time. This is largely thanks to so many people having taken up the offer of the COVID-19 vaccine, and […]
Dear Editor, There seems to be a perception that GPs are hiding in their surgeries, avoiding patients and twiddling their thumbs during this pandemic. I’d like to tell you, from a GP’s perspective that nothing could be further from the truth. As a GP of 25 years, this winter has been one of the busiest […]
Dear Editor, Imagine a fire has just swept through Northern Ireland. With concentrated effort from everyone in society, it has been largely put out, but we aren’t out of danger yet – small secondary fires continue to burn and if these fires aren’t attended to, they can spread just as quickly, causing even more devastation. […]
Dear Editor, As a nation, we are facing the biggest health crisis we’ve seen for generations. The worry, stress and changes we’ve all had to endure over recent weeks have been difficult and we should be in no doubt that there will be more challenges ahead. In the midst of these challenging times, […]
Dear Editor, On behalf of Concern Worldwide, I would like to thank the people of Newry and local volunteers for your kind support last year in helping some of the most vulnerable people living in the world’s toughest places. Thanks to your commitment, children like five-year-old Yasmiin Hassan from Somalia are alive and […]
Dear Editor, As many of your readers will know, stroke is devastating and affects more than 4000 people each year in Northern Ireland. Stroke is a leading cause of disability but unfortunately many stroke survivors and their families struggle to access the services and long term support they need. At the Stroke Association, […]
Dear Editor, I welcome the coverage that you have given to the very important issue of reshaping stroke services across Northern Ireland in recent weeks. It is important that as many people are aware of the pre-consultation process as possible and have the opportunity to have their say. Over the last two months we have […]
Dear Editor, On behalf of Concern Worldwide, I would like to thank the people of Newry for their kind support last year. 2016 was a challenging year – one in which climate change, conflict, migration and natural disasters dominated the headlines, and where every minute of every day, 24 people, mainly women and children, fled […]
Dear Editor, It is 150 years since Dublin-born Dr Thomas Barnardo founded the first ever children’s charity with the opening of a home for boys in the East End of London. Today Barnardo’s is still working to provide safer childhoods, stronger families and positive futures. In Northern Ireland we support over 8,000 children, young people […]
