I READ with interest your article regarding the planned kite protest against the Air Festival.
It mentioned the risk of asylum seekers suffering from the sound of fighter planes because they have often left war zones where hearing these planes has been a regular occurrence.
Could I just add to that, for the sake of everyone who is less than sympathetic to the plight of people who have lost their families, friends, businesses, jobs, and their entire countries in some cases, that our own veterans can be affected by the noise of military planes. Those who have had to try to self medicate after trauma because of the woeful state of our mental health services have often found themselves in Bournemouth because of the rehab facilities.
I have been hearing the planes for the last couple of days, as we always do when the festival is on. I have also heard a dog crying in response. Yes, many dogs will not be distressed by the noise of planes, but American military wouldn't have designed an ear protection system for them unless their ears were damaged by the sound of military aircraft.
So whether you care about the planet, refugees, veterans, dogs or just Bournemouth's future, please join me in calling for the Air Festival to be brought up to date by replacing the planes with a cross BCP cycling festival, to run through all three towns, showing off our new cycle infrastructure and making the best use possible of our beautiful parks, clifftops and other open spaces.
Susan Stockwell
Britannia Road
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