Safe Water Campaign AGM

Here is Philip Booth's blog entry re the AGM:

Today was the Safe Water Campaign of Gloucestershire's AGM and over 20 people came to hear Stephen Peckham from 'Hampshire Against Fluoridation' talk at The School of Art and Science, Lansdown.

Photos: Stephen talking then below some of the audience and Rob and Jehanne playing Brown Spotted Teeth

Like previous AGMs we had our introductory song from Rob and Jehanne Mehta - Brown Spotted Teeth - we also elected officers - I've now stepped down from Secretary after quite a number of years - I will stay involved but we now have a new committee established.

Anyway Stephen talked about what maybe imposed on us here in Glos and how they fought the campaign against water fluoridation in Hampshire. Amazingly despite massive opposition for fluoridation there, including from Hampshire County Council and other Councils, the Health Authority still unanimously voted for fluoridating their water supply.

The latest news is that Hampshire campaigners have won the right for Southampton City Council to discuss fluoridation again at Court Leet - see here - that Council was the only body that supported fluoridation and the Health Authority have repeatedly quoted them despite all others opposing.....we are hoping that councillors who voted for fluoridation there might reconsider now that they know the polls came out so against fluoridation. The results of that will be known within 2 months and will hopefully be useful for the judicial review.....

Yes the other news is that the go-ahead has been given for a judicial review - see here - it should happen Jan or Feb next year. This is to look at the process - when MPs voted they clearly wanted public views to be taken into account yet the advice from theDepartment of Health ignored this and so the Health Authority there can ignore their own consultations showing the public don't want water fluoridated. We'll see - we are all hoping commonsense will prevail. It is utterly outrageous that the health authority can dismiss the views of the population and elected bodies in such a fashion.

Stephen's talk was wonderfully informative and knowledgeable - and without any sensation or nonsense that some campaigners occasionally get carried away with - he covered stuff like the York Review and their clear statements that it could not say whether fluoride was safe or effective - yet this is what health folk claim the York review said - amazingly it is the only review that the authors have had on occasions to issue statements saying the reviews findings were being misused.

Anyway it is late now but we learnt much from Hampshire's experiences and hope to ensure that there is no way that the people of Gloucestershire get compulsorily medicated with fluoridated tap water in the future. At our next meeting we will be looking at the next steps we need to take - join us - we need the help to build an effective campaign - call on 01453 763943 for more info.

West Midlands Against Fluoridation launch website

After a few months in the formation, West Midlands Against Fluoridation finally went live this week. They know there are a few glitches and would welcome suggestions for improving the site.
The url is: http://www.wmaf.org.uk

Closure of St Peter's Hospice

Letter, (slightly edited) appeared in Evening Post last week:

Dr Fox of the St John's Lane Health Centre speaks probably for hundreds, if not thousands, of Bristolians when he says the closure of St Peter's Hospice at Knowle will be a major loss to the South Bristol Community.

How far could that grossly overpriced consultancy job on a new name for the Museum of Bristol have financed the salvation of that institution?

Then add the £10 million or so, earmarked from NHS funding to promote fluoridation in our area - an unethical and arguably illegal interference with our right not to be compulsorily treated; and a plan which nobody needs, or wants, or is prepared to pay for.

And if anyone in politics and the health services wishes to argue about kiddies' tooth decay, how does preserving, on average, half a tooth per child per year - teeth soon to be lost anyway as children grow up - stack up against the reputation of human love, care and compassion offered to the terminally ill? In this respect, St Peter's represents the gold standard; an immeasurable asset to our sick and their loved ones. Yet another failed test of our convoluted priorities!

BERNARD J SEWARD

Missed opportunity on 'Any Questions'

Another letter to the Daily Telegraph:

One of the questions, on BBC Radio 4’s “Any Questions?” on Friday evening, concerned Living Wills and their legal effect with regard to the delicate issue of self-determined suicides.

The members of the panel included journalist Matthew Parris and the Health Secretary, Andy Burnham.

Parris who took first stab at answering the question stated quite emphatically, “You can’t treat somebody against their will.”

It would have been a golden opportunity for another of the panel members, Eric Pickles for example, to have jumped at Andy Burnham, reminding him that he, of all people, was doing just that in pressing ahead with water fluoridation – mass medication par excellence.

Treating countless numbers of ‘somebodys’ against their individual right not to be treated en masse; and doing it regardless of validated evidence of its downside effects; of majority public opinion and the outcome of any public consultations, has besmirched any notion of Burnham being seen as an ethical or honest health broker.

Being as he has no medical or other scientific qualifications,it begs the question as to why he was appointed to that cabinet position at all, unless it was specifically to steam-roller this act of public betrayal in the interests of what used to be called Labour Party Democracy.

Bernard J Seward

Sunflowers growth?

Letter to the Daily Telegraph:

On my Bristol allotment I have grown sunflowers with 15 and 18 inch (381 and 457mm) heads which needed staking to support their weight.

Stephen Dorey of Gloucestershire asks whether his water supply might influence his impressive multiple headed plants.

Not yet, Mr Dorey; but if Health Secretary Andy Burnham persists with his manic obsession to get more of of our supplies fluoridated, you will definitely see a difference.

It was the Dutch Bulb Growers Association which successfully petitioned to have fluoridation stopped in Holland because of its serious effect on its prime exports; daffs, tulips gladioli and lilies.

Extrapolated across English gardens, the agricultural landscape, environment and eco-system, we should all see a difference;
for the worse.

Bernard J Seward