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son has access to NHS care, which many times is neither easy or quick. One such case was an 80yearold man, who had lived off grid for decades in Spain. He had no residency or any paperwork and was no longer able to support himself nor pay for medication and was increasingly found in emergency waiting rooms for pain that he could not bear.
The consulate was able to help place him in the UK for healthcare provision and he was fortunate that he was found a nursing home to go to.
The BBF was able to pay for his return flight as well as help with the costs for his passport.
It was a modest sum which although not the happiest circumstances allowed him to re ceive the care he needed.
There are many more like him.
We can only help them with your generosity, any donation goes a long way for people like him.
If you would look to support our work please write to me: olaf.clayton@britishbenevo lentfund.org.
THE claim that one convicted rapist transitioned to become a woman in a bid to avoid male prison in the UK has reignited the currently ever burning topic of trans rights.
Let’s be clear; the level of respect any one human being is entitled to can never have anything to do with their race, gender, sexuality, or other inherent characteristic. However, the issue of whether trans people can compete in their new gender’s sports’ categories, change in their dressing rooms in shops and serve time in their prisons is one that sees an almighty clash of rights, most often between women and trans people.
While it wouldn’t be right to dismiss the needs of a trans person to be treated with respect in their new gender, it can never be right to make other women fear for their safety. Especially not in surroundings in which control over your own space and safety are at a minimum, like prison.
Whenever issues surrounding equality are brought up for the first time, there is often a period where the courts (and often the general public) take time to work out how this should be balanced. When gay marriage was first introduced, there were multiple Christian businesses who asserted their own rights not to recognise this as a Christian concept.
In short, there’s always a clash when one set of rights ends up conflicting with another.
With tensions getting higher and higher over the trans issue though, and with the safety of both women and trans people being put at risk in the fallout, let’s hope there is a resolution to this one sooner rather than later.
LET THEM EAT CAKE? NOT IN THE OFFICE!
Norajohnson Breakingviews
THERE are always zillions of press articles trying to debunk commonly held views about which foods are bad for us. Salt in your diet causes high blood pressure. Carbohydrates and red meat are bad. Dairy products fattening. Brown bread better than white. And everyone needs tons of protein.
Each “report” producing more waffle than a Belgian baker. Dark chocolate, coffee, red wine: good for you because they have antioxidants which neutralise the free radicals in your body. Next week, that earlier study was flawed, they’re actually bad for you: too much sugar (like cakes). Next month, they’re good for you again. Then, those findings were over hasty; it's still bad for you. Frankly, practically everything that feels/tastes good is probably finally going to somehow make you ill anyway.
Trouble is, this “research” can mean different things to different people. We’re all individuals and what works for some doesn’t work for others. Anyone who says otherwise is a bit like men claiming they only used to read Playboy “for the articles”...
Meanwhile I’m off to the gym for my regular 90 minute session. And that’s no myth! 15 minutes of cardio,15 minutes of weights. And 60 minutes of talking myself into it.
Nora Johnson’s 11 critically acclaimed psychological crime thrillers (www.norajohnson.net) all available online including eBooks (€0.99;£0.99), Apple Books, audiobooks, paperbacks at Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca cancer charity.
