Not so great British institutions

I hear that the Government intends to spend almost £1 million on the “official” plane used by Boris Johnson and other politicians to change the livery to red, white and blue; one that’s more representative of Great Britain.

People are complaining, but I can see where he’s coming from. It’s all part of “talking up” the United Kingdom now that we’re leaving the EU and resuming our role as a force to be reckoned with in the world.

Boris was doing the same thing at a much more mundane level when he talked of “the great British haircut” the other day.

I think we should all follow his example. I’m already doing my part. I’ve started to talk about the “great British food banks” and the “great British pay-day lenders”.

Don Reeve

Horder Mews

Old Town

Where have all the pollinators gone?

I ate my lunch in my garden today and for half-an-hour I saw not a single insect. There are runner beans and tomato plants in flower here, waiting invitingly to be pollinated to enable nature's process to get under way.

Not a bee, wasp or hover-fly, came in - unique in my experience for this time of year.

Has anybody else noticed this phenomenon?

Basil Jones

Grosvenor Road

Old Town

Remembering Dr Yanez

I was very sad to see in the Adver that Doctor Leo Yanez had died.

He was my wife's doctor right up until he retired. Like Doctor Yanez my wife was Spanish. When we married and came back to the UK to live, we registered with him as my wife didn't speak English at that time. So, it was the obvious choice and an excellent choice it turned out to be. Dr Yanez was always friendly and extremely polite. Plus, the fact he was an excellent Doctor. One couldn't fault him at all.

Back in those days we had some very good Doctors in Swindon, perhaps we were just lucky but I am certain we just didn't realise how good some of them were. I was always with the practise opposite the Town Hall originally.

Later moving to Empire House. Head of Practise was Dr Holland who was also a surgeon. He "Borned " me at home in Warwick road. The other Doctors in the practise were, Dr Quigley, Dr O'Connell, Dr O`Grady and Dr Holland who was I suppose head of the practise. Excellent Doctors all of them.

When I had Asian Flu at the age of 17. Dr O'Connell called at our home three times in a day. He and my mother bathed me down with cold water to keep my temperature down. I honestly believe he saved my life.

Can anyone today see a GP doing this for a patient? Those days are long gone and I believe the commitment to patient's health has to a large extent gone with it.

Yes, the NHS is a wonderful thing. But I believe there are too many administrators at GWH for a start. all on inflationary salaries. It should be the senior Consultant Surgeons and Physicians running the hospital. We see this tendency all over to put in Administrators. Consultants and a Good Matron run a Hospital And they know what they are doing. So, let's all show a little sympathy for the Late Dr Yanez family and all his old patients.

David Collins

Blake Crescent

Swindon