Scrapping HMS Plymouth...a non news event?
If HMS Plymouth is scrapped it would be a stupid loss for everyone. However there is no reason to make the process easy for Peel Ports or Plymouth City Council!
For those who care...and maybe who have a bit of spare time on their hands, there are a few last actions that will be more productive than shrugging, or looking at your shoes and whistling.
(1) The imminent scrapping of HMS Plymouth is not in the news in any significant way, (so well done to those on-line publications and discussion boards who have picked up on it...like this one). This is a highly satisfactory situation for Peel Ports and Plymouth City Council, especially as it is the 30th anniversary of her deployment to the Falklands.
In order to change this situation start contacting your local press with the story. It's really very easy (scarily so) to get a story into print (or on-line, or on the air). Journalists are under resourced, and overworked, so these days they are reduced to copying each others "copy" or copying stories from news wires like AP. All you need to do is to telephone them and offer the story that is already available on sites such as "Demotix" or "This is Devon", after all you will see it replicated almost word for word at other news sites on the internet. This obviously works best if you are a former sailor having served on HMS Plymouth as then you can give them a unique quote/comment/personnel angle. This should be replicated, not only in Plymouth and Birkenhead, but also at any town that has an interest or association with HMS Plymouth (Portsmouth, Falmouth, Rosyth, etc). For those that care, and who have a personnel story (like some of the commentators here), remember that local papers, radio stations, and news sites do not have to be local to you. You can e-mail to a paper in Merseyside the same story that you e-mailed to a paper in Scotland.
(2) E-mail all of the local councilors and other politicians in Plymouth, Birkenhead, Portsmouth, etc, (where ever you live basically) and briefly explain the situation and request that they reply with their position on the matter. You will get their contact details from the internet. Just send a brief e-mail to question what they have done so far on the matter, and what they intend to do next. Use the same e-mail for all politicians, as they probably don't talk to each other much, and certainly don't listen, when it comes to conversations about historic warships. Also they are often not very knowledgeable about the World beyond local politics, so keep it simple for them. Think of this as an investment. When their agents come a pestering you at election time you can then berate them with something.
(3) Last but not least...Peel Ports! You may want to let the bile flow with the e-mail you send to them. Then forward it to everyone in your address book, and ask them to send it to Peel Ports as well. If you can afford the price of a stamp then send them a letter. That way they have to pay someone to open it.
Just a few ideas ... I'm sure you can think of more!”
