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Not a recruiting day

I am writing as chair of the Swindon Armed Forces Day Committee in response to a letter (SA, June 13) by Martin Webb.

Armed Forces Day is a national event which takes place across the country and Swindon is joining in with this very important event in 2019, as we have done for several years previously.

The national event will be in Salisbury over the weekend of 28th – 30th June. But our local Armed Forces Day Swindon event will be on Saturday in Faringdon Park, Swindon, from 11am with the event finishing at 5pm.

Swindon Armed Forces Day is not a recruitment day for Britain’s armed forces, as Mr Webb claims.

The concept of the event is a chance for the people of Swindon to show support for the men and women who make up the armed forces community: from currently serving troops to service families, veterans and cadets. The UK armed forces defend the UK and its interests around the world. The three services are deployed promoting peace, delivering aid, tackling drug smugglers, providing security and fighting terrorism.

We will be opening the Swindon Armed Forces Day event with two minutes’ silence, to show our respect for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our nation. Showing support for the armed forces provides a much valued morale boost for the troops and their families. Our armed forces couldn’t do their job without the incredible support of their family and friends.

David M Bell, Chair Armed Forces Day, Swindon

Poisonous language

The language used by some of our politicians and much of our media has helped to drive the Brexit debate into the abyss.

Whilst campaigning for the People’s Vote campaign on the street, during the last three weeks I’ve been called the various sexual organs and human orifices, undemocratic scum, a leftie remainer freak, loon fascist Nazi EU robot (Leftie and Nazi within the same breath!).

Whilst I know that much of hatred and division is being purposely whipped up by websites associated with the Kremlin and white supremacist money from across the Atlantic, this does not excuse the belligerent, socially warmongering words of Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Mark Francois.

Farage talking about picking up a rifle and bayonet if Brexit is not delivered, Francois constantly referring to World War Two whenever he feels Brexit is threatened. Boris’s gaffes are so legion that his election campaign is not even allowing him to speak in case he destroys his own chances. Yet Boris knows the power of words, he’s a journalist!

(Just four years ago he was advocating EU membership for Turkey, now he’s prepared to crash us out with no deal!)

These people are about to control of our country? People who not only set us against our closest neighbours, against each other?

Steve Rouse, Wroughton

Road to nowhere

While Wellington Street looks a lot better, why does this council spend £800,000 on a street leading to a town centre where half the shops are empty and rubbish everywhere?

Some of that money would have been better spent on the roads around Swindon. They are disgusting, potholes everywhere.

People go to other towns to spend their money, they don’t come into Swindon. The town centre is full of charity shops and coffee shops.

When I think of what Swindon used to be like, it was a joy to go into town.

Not anymore.

Mrs L Townsend, Redcliffe Street, Rodbourne