What are people across Huntingdonshire commenting on this week?

What is the connection between Freddie Mercury, and with one, if not two of the Maji. The wise men who brought gifts for the baby Jesus when he was born. The answer is, their religion.

Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Balsara of the Zoroastrain faith, a religion that was formed by the Prophet Zarathushtra in Persia some 500 years before the birth of Jesus.

Apart from ancient Judaism, Zarastrianism has the distinction of being one of the world's most ancient religions.

Older than Christianity or Islam. Older than Buddhism. Only Hinduism can claim antiquity. For more than a thousand years it was the official religion of the Persian Empire. The three Maji or wise men who brought their gifts at the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, made their journey from Persian lands where the only neutral religion at that time was Zorastriamism.

So, when Freddie Mercury wrote and sang "Thank God for Christmas" I think he meant it.

Neville Lawyer

Rodney Road

Hartford

A huge thank you from Santa and the Rotary Club of St Ives.

After 14 evenings, three weekend static events, and numerous visits to groups and Christmas festivities, our Santa Sleigh rounds, we had great fun. We met so many lovely people, and the excited youngsters really made it a year to remember.

Once again, the smashing residents of St Ives, Earith, Colne, Needingworth, Somersham, Bluntisham, Fenstanton,and Hilton, plus no doubt many other visitors to St Ives, have been so unbelievably generous that we have raised £10,812.57, a fabulous amount of money which will make a real difference to many of our local charities and good causes, and we will be delighted to tell everyone how this money is spent over the coming months, and the support it provides..

From Santa and all his elves we hope the new year is kind to us all. Thank you all so very much.

Alan Ward

Rotary Club of St Ives

No praise for parish council

After reading the latest newsletter from the Hemingford Grey Parish Council I have to respond to the article on page 2.

The unauthorised access to Daintree Green was mentioned earlier in the year. The statement that "swift action was taken" is quite something else. I suggested three years ago this needed posts erected as cars were being driven over it at night and they point blank said 'no'. I suggested other options and they were again declined.

If they had bothered to listen in the first place it would have been avoidable.

The council has quite a turnover of people so maybe some of the current members are not to blame, but please don't make out that you acted swiftly when you did nothing for three years.

I also asked you to clear shrubs from the mini roundabout as it was difficult to see round it and you said 'no' and then a few months later it was cut down.

You should not be praising yourselves up over Daintree. You got what you deserved.

Steven Hunt

Old Pound Close

Hemingford Grey

Hospital is not broke so don't try to fix it

I am at a loss to understand why the Trust that runs Hinchingbrooke Hospital has received a Requires Improvement rating from the CQC.

Over the last few years I have had to be admitted there both as an in-patient and an outpatient and have found the hospital to be excellent in every way. Courtesy, kindness and efficiency from. All the staff have been exceptional at all times. Obviously due to lack of funding and low salaries more nurses and HCA's are needed. As is usual, with all the bureaucracy there are probably 'too many chiefs' and administrators on higher salaries than they deserve and not enough staff to cover patient care.

Every member of staff be they doctors, nurses or assistants without exception are running around trying to do too many jobs - but nonetheless it all seems to go smoothly - or has always done so for me.

As to the report of closing the Mulberry Ward - that is something I fail to understand as if the funding from that is going to the Trust and it's worked thus far - and is not broken - why close it? Surely that's another useful fund for the NHS! So if it's not broken why change it?

Frances Parish

Honey Hill

Fenstanton

Thanks for honesty for my lost cash

On Friday, December 20, I was in Waitrose, in St Neots, I had in my inside jacket pocket an envelope containing a cheque and a quantity of bank notes which I was intending to pay into my bank account the same day.

On leaving Waitrose I did some other jobs, when I discovered that the envelope containing the cash and cheque to be missing. I retraced my steps without success.

As a final check I went back to Waitrose and spoke with the person on the customer services desk. After explaining my problem the lady checked the found property book and to my relief said it had been handed in. I asked if the finder had left any details, sadly they had not.

I would like to appeal to the finder of my envelope containing the cheque and cash to come forward via the editor of The Hunts Post, so that I can thank them and reward them for their honesty.

Philip Moores

11 Merlin Close

St Neots

Join us in declaring for climate change

I was encouraged to read the two letters by Cllr Dick Taplin and Cllr Steve McAdam, mayors of Godmanchester and Huntingdon

respectively ( Letters page, January 1) saying that the climate crisis must be our top concern in 2020.

Declaring a 'climate emergency, as St Neots Town Council last year was a great way of getting this message across - not only to our communities but also to our government.

Across the country, it has proven a vital means of saying 'we are making this issue a priority - and we want you to know it'.

I invite Cllr Taplin and Cllr McAdam to demonstrate leadership by asking their councils to declare climate emergencies.

The media will report on it. The public are encouraged to take the crisis more seriously, and you are uniting with hundreds of local

authorities and local councils across the UK who have done the same - giving a strong message to the government. St Neots is listed

on there. Do check out the climate change

website at: www.climateemergency.uk. You will be inspired - every week new councils are declaring and

many of them are sharing their

action plansand ideas. Residents here have said how the St Neots'declaration has stirred them to do more in their own lives.

So please, we urge you to join us in shouting outabout this. This is an emergency.

Christine Green

Deputy town mayor, St Neots.