Letter four...

Though I've enjoyed writing these last two letters I want to assure you all that I'm not planning 100 days of writing private letters to people important solely in my own life. There'll be some of that of course. I'm also taking requests to write to persons others feel would appreciate the letter. Thanks already to suggestions from Ricky and Evan. Today I want to address a letter to the many people affected by the closure of the Corus Teeside Cast Product Plant. Corus' closure will see the end of Teeside's steelworks industry which used to be a huge booming part of the livelihood and economy of the area. The closure will mean that a minimum of 1, 700 people will lose their jobs which are at or directly linked to the plant(according to the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/8395120.stm), and possibly up to 8,000 more from surrounding industries. As I wrote to Lubna Hussein in my first letter, I have no real grasp of this situation but I do understand the awful impact this will potentially have on the livelihood of people in the area and the lives of their families. So this letter is really for all those who are facing the possibility of losing their jobs in the near future:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm writing to you to share my heartfelt sympathy for the horrible situation you may currently be finding yourself in due to the closure of Corus Teeside Cast Product Plant. I know that this time is already one of economic hardship, and that this may be potentially adding on to a whole host of other problems at this time.

I'm still a student and therefore the recession hasn't necessarily had exactly the same impact on me as it has for people who are employed by companies affected. And I'm still only in a position where I need to truly worry about myself - though to be honest who really stops worrying about their close families? And who out of us are not already getting scared about the job market we're stepping straight out of university into?

However I realise that your position is currently so very different to mine. I understand that you may be terrified about the prospect of losing your job. You may be already making cutbacks in all possible areas of your life. You may be getting concerned about providing for your family, your children, looking into what kinds of benefits are available etc.

I'm not writing to tell you not to worry. I'm not writing to tell you I, or anyone else, is going to step in like a Good Fairy and sort everything out. I'm writing to say that people get through these situations all the time. Just listening to the radio today, reading the newspaper and talking to people there have been a lot of measures already put into place to aid you through the tough times ahead if, indeed, your worst fears in regards to losing your job are realised. People all over the country are concerned about how this will affect the Teeside area, helplines have been set up, re-training opportunities are available, similar types of employment firms are being sourced to show them where to find people with your skills. And -although it's not ready for when you all really needed it- there are the beginnings of the creation of a recycling plant which will allegedly be employing many people with backgrounds in the steelworks.

So, I'm just writing to say that maybe you'll be okay, maybe you have tough times ahead but please do hang on in there because help is out there and, as long as you keep looking for it and making efforts to find it I'm sure things will ultimately work out for the best.

Please try to keep this in mind over the Christmas period and try to see opportunity rather than just the problems facing you.

Kind Regards and All the Best,

Lucy