I AM writing to you because I want you to help change the story about refugees.

Our local town of Harwich was proud to commemorate the Kindertransport last year in St Nicholas Church when we remembered that hundreds of child refugees were saved from the Holocaust of Nazi Germany and given accommodation at the then Warners Holiday Camp in Dovercourt.

These children grew up to make a positive contribution to our society.

We did not then ask, how much it will cost, what burden will it be?

We know now it was worth every penny; they have given so much to our country.

Today, councils and communities are offering similar respite to children and young people, but are being blocked by the Government.

We promised to take 3,000 (a drop in the ocean) but our present Government has reneged on this promise, cutting the number to 350.

Is this how we wish to see ourselves, citizens of a cruel, uncompassionate, nasty country?

Can we not return to our more humane character which we expressed at the time of the Second World War?

Our town is giving hospitality to one Syrian and three Afghanistan families.

Much support has been offered and willingly given. Check with New Beginnings.

This is a reality which our Government is unwilling to recognise when denying access to children.

Some of these children have been trapped in places like the Calais camp, allowing young children to become teenagers in this awful situation.

Now some sections of the the media is pretending they are grown-ups.

How ridiculous and post-truth this is.

What wonderful ambassadors against extremists they are.

Please give us some proper, true, pictures of the reality of child refugees and the chance for the many generous, kind, people of our country to express their compassion and hold out the arms of love to these desperate human beings.

May we be saved from inhumanity, fear and racism.

The media must do more to portray refugees in a more humane and dignified way, thereby encouraging our Government to do more to make the UK a place where refugees are welcome.

Rev Colin Knight Church Hill, Ramsey

  • Primark snapped up a central and accessible location

I NOTE a lot of your correspondents bemoan the cost of and the lack of car parking facilities in Colchester.

I also note the new Primark store is within a short walk of six public car parks.

Along with many other Colchester residents I went to look round the new town centre store.

There must have been several hundred customers looking round it in the first few days of opening.

One hundred shoppers in Colchester town centre might typically take between 25 and 100 car parking spaces, although the same number of people could reach the town centre on a two or three buses or a single train coming into Colchester Town station.

The new store has an attractive large mural on the wall by the escalators.

It shows the position of the store in a stylised street map of Colchester surrounded by other attractions in the town, such as Colchester Castle, Hollytrees Museum, Firstsite, St Botolph’s, St John’s Abbey Gateway, the Headgate Theatre and Colchester Art Centre.

In other words, Primark is announcing, pictorially, the company has chosen its site because it is central to several cultural attractions within Colchester’s town centre.

There is one form of transport depicted on the mural... a couple of bikes, with shopping baskets at the front.

B J Butler Guildford Road, Colchester

  • Lack of interest in homeless bus idea

I HAD tried to persuade homeless groups a bus shelter would help the rough sleepers excluded by the emergency night shelter.

Unfortunately I met either apathy or hostility to this concept.

I would rather be an anonymous supporter of a bus shelter group but saw no choice but to go public in last week’s letter.

The only recent support for a bus shelter I am aware of has come from Pete Hope of GO4 cafe.

He wanted to write a series of reports to be submitted to various committees, wait for the trustees to approve and, as I understand, hope to get official funding.

I had set aside funds so no donations would have been required to purchase and economically convert a double decker bus using volunteers.

I found only three people who have expressed their support.

Should a charitable group be set up by others to convert a bus it would get my backing.

However until that happens I will continue supporting more enlightened towns.

I will miss the fun of creating the biggest road legal motorcaravan in Colchester to provide a sanctuary for rough sleepers.

My promise a double decker would be converted by December this year will be kept but it seems unlikely in this town.

Andy Hamilton Acland Avenue, Colchester

  • Thief was dismissed after allegations

We would like it made known Ross Carr was dismissed from our company on the day the theft allegations were made against him.

We were devastated this has happened as we have been established in the town for 25 years and are proud of our reputation.

Darryl and Angela Jeffrey Harwich Glass and Window Company Empire Road, Harwich

Editor’s NOTE: Carr, 27, of De Vere Road, Earls Colne, was given a suspended prison sentence this month after he admitted breaching the terms of a court order after stealing jewellery.