Letters, contributions and comments sent in to the Advertiser this week.

Constant threat of violence

Hugo Pierre, TUSC (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) mayoral candidate, writes:

I would like to express my sympathies to the parents of the four young victims of stabbings in the two days just before the weekend and hope that all of them recover from their wounds.

Unfortunately, the threat of violence is a constant fear for many parents with teenagers, like myself, who want their children to be confident and independent but also safe on the streets.

I remember the brutal racist beatings, attacks and tragically deaths of young people that took place in the 80s and 90s.

We are yet to find out the reasons for the current attacks but in my view austerity and cuts play a major role in this anti-social behavior.

In a borough with a high youth population, with high levels of overcrowding and poverty, cuts have worsened the situation. We all know central government spending cuts have hit council services.

In passing these on the mayor has axed £700,000 from youth services, cut but then had to re-instate some Tower Hamlets policing support and reduced student bursaries.

A mass campaign to defend these services and building more could have a positive impact on bringing young people together.

We must help to protect our planet

Cel Spellman, actor and presenter on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), writes:

Younger generations must lead the way to protect our planet.

Robert Swan, a British explorer, famously once said that “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”. This quote has always stuck with me, because I believe this mindset is one of the key reasons why the state of our planet’s health is currently at breaking point.

The time for hoping that someone else will fix the problem has now passed. We find ourselves in a crucial and pivotal moment for the future of our planet. Our current path does not make for happy reading.

These issues can seem too big, too overwhelming and too complex, however – we all have the power to make changes and I think young people are at the heart of this.

I’m proud and grateful to support schemes and initiatives, such as WWF’s Green Ambassador Awards, that help and inspire young people to care for, love and nurture our precious world.

Together we can make a difference and drive positive, direct action that will help us in the fight against climate change and creating a happy future for us.