Write to the editor

I must echo the thoughts of your columnists and say how happy I was to hear the news this week that Leonardo DiCaprio has finally got his Oscar. Truly deserved.

Tracy, Saar.

I was very surprised when I received a message from British Airways (BA) saying ‘that due to a lack of demand we will no longer offer our Skyflyer Solo (unaccompanied minors) service’.

I would have thought that ANY demand would warrant keeping the service. Of course this service was not free in any case as there was a surcharge for each direction.

I am sure this will be a major hardship for many expat families who either have children in boarding schools in the UK or where the family is split between Bahrain and the UK.

Unless a parent can find a willing friend, they will have to fly over to the UK to bring the child back with them and this will add both costs and potentially additional unnecessary UK resident days.

Given there are only two direct carriers on the BAH-UK route, and therefore fares in general remain high, I would hope that BA would re-consider this move.

Name and address supplied.

Women’s Crisis Care International (WCCI) has launched new and important services for all women living in Bahrain. All services are free and confidential.

WCCI provides specialised care and treatment for women who have been victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

They do so through a service called ‘crisis advocacy’, which they are providing in co-ordination with American Mission Hospital (AMH).

Hospital services are charged the same but anytime a woman who has been a victim of abuse goes into the AMH urgent care, 24-hours-a-day and seven-days-a-week, the hospital staff will automatically call one of WCCI’s 70 certified crisis advocates. The advocates speak more than 20 languages among them.

The crisis advocate provides emotional support and informational support to ensure that the victim knows she is not alone and to ensure that she knows what all of her options are, such as counselling, employment, legal assistance, immigration support, housing or food support, etc.

Furthermore, WCCI is also now operating a 24/7 telephone HELPLINE on which any woman can call and receive telephone crisis advocacy. Telephone advocacy is also for emotional support, and informational support. The HELPLINE number is 38447588.

Finally, stop by the new WCCI office in Seef to learn more about the programmes, receive free case-work counselling, or participate in one of their many varied training programmes. Drop-in hours and training programmes can be found on the website: www.womenscci.org

Women’s Crisis Care International, by email.