LETTERS to the EDITOR
Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or of the BDRA. Information is published in good faith but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience arising from error or omission
Dear Trevor
As the 90th Anniversary of The Armistice, which brought to an end the fighting of the First World War, approaches many of us will be reflecting on the events of those years long ago and remembering those who died. For nearly fifteen years I have been researching the men from Billericay and the surrounding area that fell during The Great War. For the last two years I have printed the Roll of Honour which the Royal British Legion has kindly distributed at The Remembrance Sunday Service in Billericay.
I decided that the 90th Anniversary would be an appropriate time to publish my research to date. From the beginning of November my book entitled “ A Book of Remembrance; Billericay and District” will be on sale. It covers the area of Billericay, Great Burstead and Little Burstead and provides a brief biography of 122 men, including all those commemorated on each of the local memorials, together with a number of other men who had a connection with the area but, for whatever reason, are not named on those memorials. The book comprises 192 pages of which 63 will be in colour. It will cost £10 plus p&p where appropriate. Copies of the book will be donated to the local senior schools, the Cater Museum, the local library, to the Essex Record Office and the Essex Regiment Museum. Any profit from the project will be donated to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.
I hope readers will be interested in remembering these local men who gave their lives to ensure that future generations would continue to live in freedom. If you wish to purchase a copy please contact either Karen Dennis, 6 Newlands Road, Billericay, CM12 0QD, telephone 01277 655871 or Pat & Peter Miller, 320 Mountnessing Road, Billericay, CM12 0HB telephone 01277 659206.
Yours sincerely
Karen J Dennis.
8th September 2008
If we can cut through the “flower euphoria”, I write to correct the many assumptions and inaccuracies contained in J. Hubbard’s letter, and others, to The Resident.
Her claim that I had failed to mention that I was the “Exhibitor” had already appeared in the press as indeed was the £2,700 which could have been placed at serious risk had there been an accident on the stairs or the balcony leading to possible litigation. She obviously could not have checked the other newspapers.
Her claim” I suspect he was put out that he could not have his exhibit where he wanted it” – I checked with the organiser that the position of my exhibit was acceptable before I left the church. She really must deal in facts rather then creativity unless she thinks that I sneaked into the church unobserved and placed the exhibit unnoticed.
My exhibit was dismantled and repositioned in my absence and without good mannered consultation. This was followed by a fait accompli telephone call on the Friday evening, prior to the opening on Saturday and was carried out by a ham fisted vandal who, during the operation, seriously damaged my exhibit. She is, of course, welcome to examine the exhibit by prior arrangement. It was for the above reasons that I removed the exhibit. The festival organisers have a duty of care for the exhibits on loan to them and the cavalier and rude treatment that I experienced is totally unacceptable.
Fortunately, over recent years the disabled have been welcomed into society by giving them the opportunity to live a more fulfilling life including access to facilities previously denied them. Mrs Bennett’s claim that her husband and herself accepted the restriction imposed on them, does not make this acceptable to many other disabled people who have fought and continue to fight for equality in society. The current Para-Olympic Games in Beijing is a formidable example.
The letters and comments concerning the festival are predominantly concerned with the flowers hence my contention that a title “Billericay Flower Festival” with a fund raising tea room would have been far more appropriate and not teetered on the edge of the Trades Description Act. If my exhibit had been a flower display would it have been dismantled flower by flower in my absence, without consultation, and placed elsewhere?
Cllr Terence Gandy
Billericay West Ward