Your letters: Socialism, rewilding and a nostalgic look at student life in the 1950s

PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Students and staff at Nearwell, a boys’ boarding hostel for students at Shrewsbury Technical College, pictured around 1953 or 1954. Among those pictured is Richard Jones, who stayed at Nearwell from 1952 to 1954 while studying agriculture. He later recalled leaving college at 15 and immediately returning to work on his parents’ farm at Burwarton. Richard supplied the names of many of those pictured, including Miss Hamer, the cook, Edwin Golden, Dennis Cookson, John Morris, John Bannister and fellow student Sarah Jones. Nearwell stood on the site where Shirehall was later built before the hostel was demolished to make way for the new development. Do you remember Nearwell or know anyone else who stayed there? | Picture courtesy of Richard Jones

placeholder image — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: Students and staff at Nearwell, a boys’ boarding hostel for students at Shrewsbury Technical College, pictured around 1953 or 1954. Among those pictured is Richard Jones, who stayed at Nearwell from 1952 to 1954 while studying agriculture. He later recalled leaving college at 15 and immediately returning to work on his parents’ farm at Burwarton. Richard supplied the names of many of those pictured, including Miss Hamer, the cook, Edwin Golden, Dennis Cookson, John Morris, John Bannister and fellow student Sarah Jones. Nearwell stood on the site where Shirehall was later built before the hostel was demolished to make way for the new development. Do you remember Nearwell or know anyone else who stayed there? | Picture courtesy of Richard Jones

Readers share their views on the economy, socialism and the future of the countryside

Socialism is bad for the economy

David Clenton (Aug 25) thinks socialism is great. Can he tell me of even one occasion when a Labour government left office with the economy in a better state than they found it?

The great crash in 2008 happened under Blair and Brown, who paid huge money (taxpayers money) to bail out the banking sector, They had been in government for over 10 years at the time, in control of the banking sector, so could not use their favourite tactic of blaming the Tories (but they still did).

Liam Byrne left a note on treasury desk saying 'Sorry, there is no money left'. Blair and Brown also used private finance to build schools and hospitals, which were then 'rented' to taxpayer at huge cost for 30 years. This put many hospital trusts and councils under great financial pressure. Even now the bond market interest rates for UK are at an all time high after only two years of Labour. Welcome to the real world David.

Chris Smith, Horsehay

Let all nature reclaim the land

Wildfires have raged across Europe causing immense damage and destruction. In the Midlands wildfires have also become news worthy for a number of reasons; (Star: ‘Why has the West Midlands had so many fires?’).

In most cases wildfires can be attributed to human activity from global warming to an unintentional careless use of a barbecue. Human activity has changed the environment and continues to do so. With the recent 'glorious twelfth' one should raise questions about the intensively managed heather-dominated moorlands in the UK that are primarily managed for a handful of 'hoorah Henrys' to take a pot-shot at red grouse.

Kerryn Little's research, supported by the Affric Highland project, imply that the nations uplands should not be treated as a theme park for a few 'toffs' intent on 'bagging a brace or two of grouse'. Instead of burning, draining and manipulating the moorlands we should allow nature to do what it did successfully for thousands of years before the 'driven shoots' were introduced: that is rewild. Raised water levels, native woodland regeneration and a reduction in upland grazing would reduce the intensity of wildfires.

With a reformed Labour government it is now time to 'stop the grousing' about rewilding, stop managing the nations uplands for the benefit of commercial interests and simply let nature reclaim the moors: and, of course, increase the areas where the public have 'a right to roam'.

Roger Norton, Monkmoor

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