The Fens areas have quite a few Tesco stores: let's start in the north, with Wisbech, and then head south - March has two, there's one out at Downham Market, Ely has a large one, Huntingdon has an even bigger one with an upstairs area, there's another at Ramsey heading out west a little, and then there is the huge one at Bar Hill, much closer to Cambridge but still within reasonable travelling distance. Other supermarkets don't get much of a look-in round here; there is an Asda at Wisbech and a Sainsbury in March, a Morrison's at Downham Market and a Waitrose at Ely. That is about it. Obviously Tesco has a monopoly in this area - and the other week the newspaper reports that there is to be yet another one, in the market town of Chatteris. Why would the local people need yet another one? It would surely have been more appropriate to have brought in some competition - an Asda or a Morrison's would have been much better and given more people a wider choice within their area. The paper was full of letters last week from local people who are complaining about it. I am beginning to hate myself for succumbing to Tesco's wiles to get us into the store, but I feel that I have to weigh up the economies of shopping there against the stand I would like to make by shopping elsewhere. I'm not really much good at making a stand as I am more driven by making the most of every penny for the children's sake.
And that brings me to the next point. £9K a year for 3 years, for two children: that is £750 a month for 6 consecutive years for their university education. Can't do it. Not a chance. We have been talking about it lately, and whilst we are saving hard into funds for their future, we and they realise that those funds are going to have to help support them whilst they are studying rather than being the means by which we pay for the courses. They realise that they will have to take out tuition fee loans in order to pay for the courses.
Today we have had the official opening of the new KS1 building at the school. My speech went off fine, and I was presented with a very post brass ceremonial key to symbolise the handing over of the building in to the care of the Governors. It was a lovely day, and the opening was done by a local Fenland celebrity, a boxer called Dave "Boy" Green who was a British and European Welter weight champion in the seventies!
A day at home tomorrow until I have to pick the girls up, so I will be doing a mountain of washing, watering plants, planting out some beans if the weather holds and starting a major clutterbusting session! I am also hoping to get another batch of eggs set in the incubator Friday so I must disinfect it tomorrow and get it turned on to get up to the right temperature. All go!
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3 comments:
Move to Scotland! No tuition fees (unless they SNP bend under pressure and introduce them in the coming session), no prescription charges, free eye tests for everyone - what more do you want? :-)
We'd move back like a shot!
BUT we have taken a long time to get lives re-established here in, connections made and relationships, friends, etc and what with the gym, and the school, and the church - I am reluctant to go through all that again! And the biggest issue - the timing! We should have done it before now if we were going to do it - we don't want to upset the EFG's education as she has started her GCSEs now, but she has next year to take her to the end of the compulsory secondary education, and then she'll want to do sixth form - by the time she's done that, the YFG will just be heading into the GCSE period and we'd be affecting HER then.......I just can't work it out - and then would the house sell at exactly the right time!?
It is shocking that people won't pursue their education because of fees.
I still got a grant when I went and student loans were just coming in. No tuition fees then.
My brother who is 4 years older than me survived on his grant and work pay in the holidays. Amazingly he left uni without a single debt.
Hope you can work something out and good luck!
Sft x
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