Madam,

Health is so important. Two of last week’s letters relate to health.I swim to stay healthy...it is something I can do alone, in all weathers and relatively cheaply. I am a cancer survivor. I have survived, as has my partner and many of my friends thanks to the brilliant NHS in north Wales. I can swim locally thanks to the people who work tirelessly to ensure the survival of Harlech Pool. Swimming helps lessen problems with my lymphodaemia arm. All the friends I swim with, many well over 70, swim for their health. It is important that Gwynedd council understand that most people swim for health, not leisure....and also explain how they will provide school swimming lessons if they close more pools.

It is important that those who seek to use the NHS as a political football should understand that, if we are to run a 21st century health service with expensive everyday miracles like cancer treatment, the days of the cottage hospitals may have to go. None would be keener to support the advances in medicine than those commemorated by the early 20th century hospitals. Most people who read this letter will agree that we are very well served by NHS Wales. My English friends envy the service here.

I am very grateful to the Board of Harlech Ardudwy Leisure for enabling me to swim to stay healthy, and to workers in the NHS who have preserved my health over the past decades.

Yours etc

Rosy Berry

Cae Gwyn

Llanfair.