I have often been amazed and humbled at the reports in your paper of the dedication, personal sacrifice and sheer deter-mination that local people have gone to to raise money for charities and causes that this government, ie the one that says ‘we are all in it together,’ has not provided sufficient funding for. I ask myself why. I see my pension and savings taxed, but does that money go to the people and causes I hold dear?

Mr Drax (the term ‘Right Honourable’ is not appropriate) should take the opportunity not only to get himself photographed when a large cheque from a charity is presented but to distance himself from the austerity measures forced upon those who have the least ability to pay and to show an awareness of what is required in South Dorset.

The district nurse who attends to my daily care recently had the courage to parachute for a charity.

If her canopy had failed would our MP have taken her place?

Dorset should not have to rely on charity for essential services.

Bill Knight,

Overcombe Court,

Weymouth