Your letters - October 21

SIR, – A huge thank you goes to the excellent young footballers of Alva and their kindly manager.
Four weeks ago I collected so many cans and plastic bottles from around the football pitches that I could not carry them to the bins. 
Another pensioner came to my aid – a good fellow called Bill who also regularly does a litter pick as his thanks for living in this beautiful area – and cleared the rest.
The following weekend I chatted to the manager of the Alva footballers and he promised to remind his lads and the visiting teams to check for litter after the match.
In the following weeks there has been no litter round the pitches. 
Wonderful. And well done the local authorities for providing recycling bins so that cans and plastic bottles can now be put to good use.
Of course, there is still the problem of the weekend booze-hounds.
It is enough of a puzzle that anyone can be in one of the most beautiful places on earth, under the glorious Ochils, and want to throw litter at it.
But deliberately smashing a glass bottle on the bricks around the children’s play area, so that glass is scattered to endanger little ones – how can anyone, however drunk, do such a stupid and nasty thing?
My heart was warmed by a four-year-old who was there with his mum and a younger sibling. 
As I slowly picked up the glass, searching for the smaller fragments, little Jack came over to help me. 
I had to tell this bright little lad that he must not touch the glass – I already had a very slightly cut finger to make the point – but he could, and did, help enormously by using his sharp young eyes to spot the tiny fragments.
After about 20 minutes we finished our task and Jack’s mother told me the special reason why Jack was so eager to help. 
He had been very excited at the prospect of a week’s holiday by the sea, but on his first morning at the seaside he had run down the sand and jumped into a little hollow.
A piece of broken bottle had cut his foot open. 
Jack had to have stitches in his foot and for the rest of that week he was unable to play on the sand or go in the sea. 
Jack is  a remarkably thoughtful little lad and with great youngsters like that growing up there is hope for the world.
I do believe that the pride is coming back to Clackmannanshire together with the realisation that this is an area which has the beauty to attract tourists and much needed prosperity. – Yours etc,
Jim Shemilt
Alva

Although some do not care about town

SIR, – It came as an eye opener to me when I realised just how accepting I have become about some people's behaviour.
Last week a friend visited and as we walked along Main Street in the early evening a mixed group of adults drinking strong lager and a young child were walking in front of us.
We were assailed with a tirade of foul, sexually explicit language and the miming of a sexual act. 
All of this took place within full view and the hearing of other members of the public and a pre-school child.
It was also interesting to see the town through the eyes of a visitor with discarded food wrapping, bottles and tins lying in the streets. 
Dog faeces on the pavements and the strong stench of urine in one area did little to improve the environment.
It strikes me that the plans to regenerate the town centre at the cost of  hundreds of thousands of pounds will do little for the wider community or address the wider social issues in Clackmannan.
Will this venture provide sustainable jobs or provide apprenticeships during the development phase? 
Will it bring more visitors to the historic town that does not have public facilities,cafe or picnic area? 
I seriously doubt it although the the value of some of the houses may increase with the facelift. – Yours etc,
EA.
Clackmannan

What a fantastic club as siblings set record

SIR, – May I respond to ‘Super siblings set new club record’, Advertiser, October 14.
I would like to congratulate four of the next generation of Tullibody Wrestling Club, namely brother and sister Grant and Iona Bridges, and Christopher Gibson and Callum Gibb on their success at the British Open Championships.
With two gold medals and a third and fourth place they should be very proud and what a boost for a small club like Tullibody Wrestling Club and hopefully it will encourage more young ones off the street.
The club has an astonishing record of achievements over many years and this recent achievement has to give Colin McLaren and Alan Harper great encouragement for the future and keep up that consistent record which many clubs in the country cannot match. 
For a Wee County we should be proud of them. – Yours etc,
Alex Scobbie
Tullibody

Help parents through the hardest times

SIR, – Last week was Baby Loss Awareness Week, culminating in parents who’ve experienced pregnancy or baby loss lighting candles in memory of their baby. These quiet acts of reflection and remembrance are so important.  
Equal to these moments of introspection is the need to talk about pregnancy and baby loss more openly. It remains one of the last remaining taboo subjects, but this past year has seen more conversations being started on the topic than ever before; the recent stillbirth storyline in Eastenders and Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that he and his wife had experienced recurrent miscarriage being just two examples of this in action.
The baby charity, Tommy’s, funds research to prevent miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth and is working towards opening Europe’s largest miscarriage research centre in 2016. I’ve been a supporter for many years, having myself experienced the pain of miscarriage during my first pregnancy. That’s why I’m passionate about doing what I can to help and why I’m honoured to be hosting the Tommy’s Awards for the third year running next March. The event is so important, not only because it brings pregnancy and baby loss out in the open, but it celebrates special individuals who’ve helped parents through the hardest of times.
Despite hearing some heart-breaking stories, the event is uplifting and hopeful as it’s the kindness and empathy of friends, families and health professionals.
So, if anyone would like to publicly acknowledge someone who has gone to great lengths to help them during a tough road to parenthood, why not put in a nomination? You can find out more at http://www.tommys.org/awards. – Yours etc.,
Katy Hill
Television presenter

We should do more to stay safe online

SIR, – This week is Get Safe Online Week where events are held across the country to  give people, particularly the UK’s most vulnerable citizens, advice on how to protect themselves against fraud while using the internet.
However, despite their best efforts, the statistics tell a worrying story. According to Financial Fraud Action UK, internet banking losses rose by an incredible 27 per cent over the last year, leaving the UK’s consumers £51.2 million out of pocket. This is despite the assurances of banks and other service providers that their online account management is the safest it has ever been.
Many people feel compelled to make the ‘digital leap’ after relentless pressure by many of the UK’s big businesses; in some cases people are moved online without even being consulted.
However, recent adopters are much more likely to be people who are unfamiliar with the perils and pitfalls of the internet.
While the internet undoubtedly offers many perks, if a user doesn’t have basic digital skills they are far more susceptible to being preyed on by unscrupulous fraudsters, particularly if they are using it to manage something as sensitive as their finances.
The Keep Me Posted campaign, wants everyone to have the option to manage their bills and statements in an  manner that is appropriate manner for them.
Not everyone is willing or ready to go online and the UK’s service providers have no right to make that decision on behalf of consumers.
While Get Safe Online Week is an admirable cause, we must make sure that such initiatives are in place to empower people to make this choice, rather than as a reaction to the bullying of big businesses. – Yours etc,
Judith Donovan CBE
Chair
Keep Me Posted