Readers Letters March ’22

We are always really pleased to get letters from our readers, here are some of the letters we received in February.

Dear Editor

A sea change for sport – January issue

As a sports professional of fifty years standing I would like to make a few comments about this article. The seventh paragraph which touches on the ‘historic culture’ and the ‘millions of women’ who miss out is not applicable to the modern sport and ignores the ‘millions of men’ who also miss out in their struggle to achieve sporting ambitions. The playing field is level although the financial rewards, tied to audience numbers, are still catching up. The main areas of female inequality remain commerce, politics and religion not to mention racism. Sport is not perfect but it is way ahead.

Women’s sport in the Western world is very open. Tennis, football, cricket, cycling, boxing, marathon running, skiing and the Olympics are all on the agenda for those willing to do the work to obtain sponsorship or simply participate. Look at the adulation and inspiration surrounding Emma Radacanu. And the ‘women’s card’ is now very attractive to sponsors in recognition of the vast market which lay untapped in my early sporting days. The real heroines who forced the changes are the likes of Martina Navratilova, Billie-Jean King, Ann Welch and Diana Britten MBE. The latter were personal friends of mine who I admired greatly because they both battled sexism at a time when it was not even in the vocabulary. Take five minutes to Google search for these two lovely diminutive ladies.

I admire Victoria but feel uncomfortable about the bias of her comments which are out of date in the west. The thought of promotion in schools with a feminist slant appals me and is misguided positive discrimination. Many women have rowed the Atlantic; the oldest at 64. If I were a woman who wanted to selflessly focus on equality and respect, I would address the more authentic problems perhaps starting in the world of Islam. Saudi, Afghanistan and Iran. But this would be controversial, unpalatable for sponsors and outside the comfort zone of sporting ladies who prefer to feel part of some historic ‘battle’ against men. The battle that never was.

Chris Freer


Dear Editor

After an irritating few days this week, we took heart after reading another of Steven Dunwell’s excellent articles – this month on phone scams, as we have received several recently.

The first call, last Monday morning, came from a caller named “Jenny” purporting to represent the Microsoft Technical Department and telling us we had to turn on our computer. Interesting as Microsoft is not our provider. The caller was insistent with an aggressive male taking over the call demanding I open the computer. As | explained to him, in a few choice words, as befits an ex-convent schoolgirl, nobody tells me what to do and I promptly put the phone down. We have received a further four calls, not including the one this morning, at 06:36. The callers are learning a lot of words they probably have never heard of – we all learn!

Well done Steven Dunwell with your comforting and relevant advice.

Yours faithfully

Mrs P Jones


Dear Sophie,

I have just picked up a February copy and wow! You have made my article look truly stunning. Everything about it is so wonderful – the layout, the background colour that shows Castanha to perfection. And I have already received an email from a lady who wishes to volunteer.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone who helped to make my humble article stand out so well.

Anne Hodges


Dear Editor,

Enjoyed reading this month’s two doggie stories – Pet’s Mate and My Dog’s Friendly!!!

Not everyone loves a dog as much as the pet owner. That’s okay. Dogs are clever. They are used to being admired and fussed over. If there is anything less, they smell it. I was bitten on the leg while walking alone one winter’s morning on a beach in the western Algarve by a dog that should have been on a leash. The unsympathetic owner said that the dog was a pet dog and that I showed fear to her dog. It was like being assaulted and robbed on the street. Now always fearful at the sight of an unleashed dog running towards me. It takes only one much loved, over exuberant, dog to cause the world of pain to a vulnerable person. 

Paul O’Byrne 

Praia da Luz


If you would like to send us your views on anything that’s going on in the western Algarve or if you have any suggestions to make about the magazine please email: sophie@tomorrowalgarve.com

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