THE new bridge over the cut at Old Malton opened in June 2018 only to collapse in November 2019. Construction has now opened again courtesy of the drainage board.

The eight new notices illustrating the routes of the public and permissive footpaths have been torn down and disposed of after only being there for two weeks. It appears the notices did not meet with the approval of someone.

I am not a whiter than white person, but was brought up in a farming community and told where there is a footpath with signage to use it or alternately walk at the outer edge of the field causing minimal damage to crop 1.5 metres from the boundary fence.

I estimate that out of a 20-acre hay meadow between Old Malton church and Lady Spring Wood, the farmer loses approximately one acre of hay each year as a result of walkers disrespectfully walking at will across this field.

With dog fouling being a major issue, I have asked the local council for more dog waste bins, which appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

M Kitching, Old Malton

Countryside poem

AS my nine-year-old daughter and I took our daily exercise, she asked if she could write a poem on my I phone using just her senses of sight and hearing to capture the beauty around her.

We would like to share this with your readers and bring a little brightness to them of what we can see and hear in the beautiful countryside in which we live in.

“It is a beautiful day in Slingsby, I can hear the birds singing and the engines of the car. Going for a walk in the sunshine mum and me I’m not sure how far. I can see the spring flowers on the village green, when seeing a butterfly flutter by I wonder where it’s been. The paths and roads are very quiet as we walk past, it’s a strange time while it lasts. Horse grazing in the field, as we pass by, want to give them a sweet to crunch but they seem a little shy. Corn is growing all around as far as I can see, pretty blossom, hedges tall, both higher than me. Bees are buzzing, birds are tweeting what a lovely sound, pretty, blue forget-me-nots growing above the ground.”

Jill and Poppy Wass, Slingsby

Help for parents

BECOMING a parent can be an incredibly exciting journey.

Although rewarding, it can be tricky too. Preparing for changes ahead or facing challenges such as anxiety and depression can be daunting for many new mums and dads as they adjust to their new role.

Quality peer support, where experienced mums and dads help other new parents, offers a unique and invaluable contribution to healthier pregnancies, positive births and the best start for babies.

Evidence shows it is particularly effective when it sits alongside clinical care, especially for reducing stress, coping with labour and birth and building confidence as a new parent. That’s why we founded Parents1st UK (parents1st.org.uk), a charity which promotes quality parent-to-parent support during pregnancy, birth and beyond.

We’ve launched an online community hub with knowledge, free guidance and resources about designing and delivering a perinatal volunteer initiative for practitioners, volunteers and parents.

No-one should face the journey of parenting alone and connecting people can make a huge difference, giving babies the best start in life.

Celia Suppiah, Basildon