Letters to the Editor

They were the "talk of the town". Not for their unruly behaviour, which is all we seem to hear about young people nowadays, but for the friendly, gentle way they dealt with sick and disabled people in their care.

To begin with they think they are going on holiday but they soon learn this is not so. They are there to work, sometimes beginning early in the morning, with free periods now and then, finishing the day pushing the frail and disabled people in wheelchairs in the torchlight procession.

A gentleman asked "Who pays for these boys and girls?" He was amazed to find they gave up a week's holiday, worked so hard and paid for themselves. I felt very proud to be associated with them. Well done. Next year's pupils will, I am sure, keep up the good work.

MRS M FARRAR

Address supplied

SIR - Obviously the Keighley News of May 27 wasn't put together on April 1, but was its front-page story, "Pupils stay ahead of the dark side of playing out in the sunshine", some sort of spoof?

Where, I ask, as one leaden June day follows another and slugs multiply in the wetness, is all this sunshine that modern children need protecting against?

At risk of attracting more warnings of the dangers of this life whose very pleasures we can no longer enjoy without being fearful, I recall the simple summers of my childhood, when we seemed to have a lot more sunshine than we have now.

We were encouraged to get out into it as much as possible wearing as little as possible -- it was deemed good for us!

IAN DEWHIRST

Raglan Avenue, Keighley

SIR - May I through your paper thank the Keighley Gala Committee on an excellent event. Particular attention should be made to Councillors Brian Hudson, Joyce and Gerald Newton and Graham Mitchell, who allowed the veterans to use the open top vintage bus, thus allowing the people of Keighley to see and applaud their veterans from all services who served in the Second World War.

As chairman of the Keighley branch of the Royal British Legion I was very proud to march with these fine men and women.

After the parade they were all taken into Victoria Hall to be met by the Mayor of Keighley, Councillor Tony Wright, and Lady Mayoress Councillor Rose Thompson, who thanked them. They were then wined and dined.

To finish off a great day, a cake was cut to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of the war. Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Keighley salute you.

G J METCALF

Chairman,

Keighley Branch,

Royal British Legion

SIR - I would like to thank, through your paper, all those people who helped the Haworth Riding for Disabled Group on Saturday, June 4, in the Keighley Gala Procession.

We, as a group, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It was through team work that we took part, as our original float let us down through a misunderstanding and we had to make other arrangements at short notice, and it was a credit to all of the 22 people who took part.

The Joint Project Group who have been riding with us for three years made a large contribution by helping to make their own garments and take part in the procession, a first for them. They did some research at Leeds Armouries with us back in March and the results spoke for themselves. All our fabrics were purchased from the Keighley Market and all hand made.

A big thank you to the people of Keighley who lined the route and treated our horses with the great respect they deserved.

The stewards were marvellous, as usual.

What we don't understand is why don't more groups take part? We work out a plan A and plan B, our own risk assessment for if anything goes wrong and so far we haven't had to use plan B, which is to simply pull out and come home if anything is amiss.

We are now looking forward to next year's Gala and we hope it won't be the last.

JACKIE BUTTERFIELD

Secretary/Organiser

HRDA

SIR - I was surprised to learn that hospitals in the Midlands were no longer to have the Bible in their bedside cabinets.

I was even more surprised to learn that this was due to possible risk of the MRSA infection and also that the Bible may cause offence to non-Christians.

The first reason seems absurd to me. One wonders why other books, periodicals and magazines usually found in hospital waiting areas are less likely to be infectious.

Unfortunately, the second reason may be a desire to be over politically correct. This is especially so when according to my understanding there have been no complaints highlighted and it is just a thought that the Bible may cause offence.

Muslims are not offended by it, as it is a book they respect. They believe in the truth of all the Israelite Prophets, including Prophet Moses and Prophet Jesus (peace and blessings of God be upon them).

Jews, Christians and Muslims ought to speak out in protest. The Ahmadiyya Community hopes this policy will not become universal.

A change in policy would also be out of line with a government initiative that wants to encourage individuals to learn more about the major religions of the world.

Mujeeb Rahman

AHMADIYYA MUSLIM

ASSOCIATION

Shann Avenue, Keighley.

SIR - I should like to correct some misleading information published last week on page 11, under the heading "Patients can breathe a little easier".

This was about the presentation of a wheeled walker with oxygen supply presented to Ward 1 at Airedale General Hospital.

Firstly, the apparatus is to help relieve patients suffering from respiratory problems -- not from acute chest pain.

Secondly, the Breathe Easy Aire Valley Group -- a branch of the British Lung Foundation -- is not a group set up to raise cash. Yes, we do fundraise but we are a support group for people suffering from any form of lung disease. We meet on the first Friday of the month at the ESMI Day Hospital at Airedale General Hospital between 2-4pm -- any new members would be extremely welcome.

Thirdly -- the paragraph regarding the Lung Exercise Project, I should point out that this is not yet up and running -- we do need more volunteers with lung conditions to enrol.

To this end, if anyone is interested in joining either the Breath Easy Group and/or the Lung Exercise Project, please contact either Malcolm Phillips, Chairman, on 654979 (evenings), e-mail: malcolm@phillips4273.freeserve.co.uk or Lynn Greatley, Respiratory Nurse, on 292024 (daytime), e-mail: lynn.greatley@anhst.nhs.uk

B McCOACH

West Fell Road, Keighley

SIR - re the letter published in the Keighley News last week by Aimey Gerrard on Cancer awareness.

As someone who has during the last year and a half seen both my daughter and my wife diagnosed with cancer I wanted to thank and fully support Aimey in both her participation in the event she mentions, and also her comments about cancer awareness.

I remember when I was Aimey's age the mention of the "Cancer" word resulted in the conversation being immediately shushed up and the subject abruptly changed.

As this terrible disease will affect an enormous number of people, I believe the more people know about it the easier it is to come to terms with the situation if and when it arises.

I know for a fact that it was a lot more bearable sitting down with my 10 year old and telling her that her mum had cancer with her knowing that the disease is in a lot of cases very treatable than it would have been if all she had heard previously was that it was an inevitable death sentence.

Unfortunately her knowledge came from her own experience in fighting the illness and not from me, my wife or her school lessons.

Steve Hewitt

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

SIR - How long does the weeds, sorry grass, have to be on council owned strips of land before Bradford Council mow it? Answer, who knows.

It is currently at four feet tall, and growing, on Vale Mill Lane.

Despite a complaint to Bradford Council and asking local Councillor Peter Hill to intervene, this area has not been mown for over three months. In addition on the same road the paved area has so many weeds that it to will soon become a weed/grass area, again this area has not received treatment this year. This lack of service to an area where I suspect that all council tax bills are paid in full leads one to question if we are getting value for our money!

The local Councillor told me that Council employees are "empowered" to take decisions on complaints, oh well another bit of spin.

MD Yeates

Longacre Lane

SIR - Traffic Congestion in Keighley. I have contacted your paper on numerous occasions re aspects that I believe would improve the appalling traffic congestion we face on a daily basis.

These aspects have always been based upon upholding the law and would therefore not have cost any money, eg getting traffic wardens doing their jobs and stop people illegally parking especially on yellow lines, double parking. The illegal use of disabled parking badges, disabled parking bays and stopping so called disabled drivers, legal or otherwise, from parking on a corner and or pavement. To assist the powers that be, I have even named the streets and places these incidents take place on a regular basis. Sadly, little if anything has been done to help the situation.

One installed improvement that certainly should keep traffic flowing is the filters at traffic lights, that is assuming they are working, my observation is that the ones at both ends of Cavendish Street are constantly out of order, (could I ask the question, why is there not a filter from North Street into Cavendish Street?) The one set at Worth Way and South Street fairs no better.

I am not sure who pays for the cost of their constant repair, but I would suspect it falls to us the general public. In the private sector the supplier would be responsible for putting it right and for paying compensation.

I guess as in the past I will not receive any comments, from the powers that be or even those who are supposed to be responsible for these services.

DICK TAYLOR

Greenhead Road, Utley

SIR - I have been living in Canada for 35 years but have very fond memories of John Hulse.

He was responsible for giving me the confidence to achieve a successful life. He taught me (in a special evening class) to spell and write. He showed a confidence in me that allowed me to increase my self-esteem and therefore, my ability to accomplish worthy objectives.

Peter Walton

Calgary, Canada