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Category: Opinion

Lidice Unearthed

The Unearthed project to commemmorate Lidice
Today is the 72nd anniversary of the destruction of Lidice. Last year, the Unearthed project created a sculpture to raise awareness of, and remember, both the atrocity and the incredible generosity of North Staffordshire’s miners.

The story of Lidice is one that should be shared far and wide. If you don’t know it, see this blog post. If you do know it, tell others. Don’t let the atrocity be forgotten – it’s when we forget that we allow such things to happen again. But also, don’t let the miners’ generosity be forgotten – it can, and should, inspire future generations to be the best they can be.

As well as a beautiful sculpture, the project created a series of videos, which illustrate the story of Lidice.

Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

Corporate Covenant logo
The company that my wife works for has recently signed the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant. The covenant is a public pledge, made by a company or charity, to support the armed forces community.

The commitments made are not fixed, but the covenant always includes a core statement of commitment to two key principles:

  • No member of the armed forces community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen
  • In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved

Beyond the core statement, there are a number of options that the signing company can commit to. The intention is that the company will offer support in a way that is appropriate to their situation and circumstances. They can also add commitments that are not part of the template.

Bookshops, Amazon, and Libraries

Magazin Stadtbibliothek Mainz

It’s a commonly-held belief that bookshops are a dying breed, that ebooks and online bookshops (especially Amazon) are killing them. Many book lovers decry this turn of events, yet (in some cases) still continue to buy books online. Personally, I’m no more concerned by the closure of bookshops than I am by the closure of any other business. I am truly saddened, however, when I hear of libraries closing or being reduced in size.