Letters to the Editor

My reason for writing is to ask your readers for their continued support for this very worthy cause. Last year, the Poppy Appeal raised over £21 million for the direct benefit of the ex-service community in need.

This year, the Royal British Legion faces new challenges as it will play a central role in helping the families of those British servicemen who have died in Iraq and helping those who are injured and traumatised to return to normal civilian life.

It is crucial that the funds are in place to ensure that the Legion can continue to provide this much needed help, as it has done now for over 80 years.

This year, the Royal British Legion has launched a special recruitment campaign to encourage more volunteers to help with the Poppy Appeal collection, an essential element to ensure that the appeal continues to grow to meet these new demands on the Legion's services.

Poppies will very soon be available to the public from hundreds of outlets in the Bradford Metropolitan District and I urge your readers to give as generously as they can to help ensure the success of this year's appeal.

The continued support of the general public is vital to enable the Royal British Legion to carry on its invaluable work.

Cllr Allan Irving Hillary,

Lord Mayor

SIR - The National Farmers Union gave qualified support to the takeover of Safeways by Morrisons.

Local farmers were pleased for a supermarket chain which espoused credentials supporting British agriculture and, indeed, actively supported British farmers by in store advertising.

Furthermore, we were happy that a local company, and a very powerful player in the food market should promote our industry.

Therefore, it grieves me to report the active promotion of Australian beef in its stores, notably the new Keighley branch.

Notwithstanding the environmental arguments against transporting beef 12,000 miles across the globe, the unnecessary use of finite natural resources in so doing, the dubious animal husbandry practices of a country that will transport 57,000 sheep on a boat to Saudi Arabia to have their throats cut, it is a stab in the back for Yorkshire farmers who have supported Morrisons in their bid for Safeways.

I am well aware of the supermarkets' need to provide choice for their customers. I would also not argue with the importation of a product from a Third World country as a support mechanism.

Indeed Irish or French beef would not unduly alarm me in the knowledge that we are all EU producers and as such can influence such marketing ploys, playing as we do on the same football field as the rest of Europe, albeit not a level one.

I would ask Morrisons is it really necessary to give the people of Keighley the choice to eat beef raised in Oodnadawalta or Wollongong when they'd surely be happier tucking into their Sunday roast born, bred and mated in the hills of Haworth, Oakworth and Denholme.

FRANK CHISLETT

West Riding County

Chairman NFU

SIR - Can I just take this opportunity to clear up the matter of Keighley being voted "40th worst place to live in England".

The list was compiled through a web site run by the editors of "The Idler" magazine and was based on nominations which could be sent in by absolutely anyone.

I myself voted for Wakefield, Bingley and Shipley. It was based purely on the idiosyncrasies/prejudices of those voting and included no hard data, no crime figures and nothing of any substance.

The entry for Keighley, in the accompanying book, reads thus -- "I'll tell you once and I'll tell you briefly, I don't want to go to Keighley".

That's it, no more! Nothing at all about a lack of parental control.

Brighton, St John's Wood, London, and Liverpool are deemed to be worse, based on the ramblings of those who could be bothered to e-mail in with their semi-humorous anecdotes.

I'm sure that the columns of the London Evening Standard haven't been full of people making themselves look silly by using the list to say how terrible London is?

So in answer to Mr Samuels's question in last week's paper about why Keighley was on the list, it was because one person sent in an e-mail that was sufficiently amusing to go in a book? Far more puzzling to me, is why Mr Samuels is being stopped in the street and being spoken to about issues in Keighley? Do these people have no one else to talk to at all?

Antony Silson

Skipton Road, Keighley

SIR - Once again the fireworks season is upon us and, while a huge amount of fun will be had, many pets, like many guide dogs, will be scared out of their wits by the noise.

The new Fireworks Act looks set to improve things with some parts of it being introduced before Christmas.

But in the meantime, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association would like to offer readers some tips, based on our own experiences on how to protect dogs from the distress that fireworks noise can cause on Bonfire Night.

Make sure your dog has been toiletted an hour or so before firework displays are likely to start; playing loud music can mask the sounds of fireworks and drawing the curtains will hide the flashes; give your dog a heavy carbohydrate-based meal in advance to make him sleepy later on; try not to change your own behaviour and give your dog attention when he is calm, rather than frightened; give your dog any calming medication your vet may have prescribed and make sure you follow the instructions.

Many owners will also have developed their own ways of helping their guide, assistance and pet dogs cope with the noise and it is always worth picking up tips from other experts.

And it can also help to encourage a safe and responsible attitude among those people who do use fireworks.

Let's help make sure fireworks are remembered for the pleasure they give, rather than the damage they cause.

Professor Gary

England

Acting Chief Executive

The Guide Dogs for the

Blind Association

SIR - Having read the various letters over the past two weeks relating to the Lund Park area in the Keighley News, I feel I must respond.

The comments made by the Lund Park Community Group suggesting that the recent reports are effectively "myths" is absolute nonsense.

During the past few weeks, I have had five people contact myself following incidents of abuse in the park. One caller says a gang wielding baseball bats chased him out of the park while walking his dog!

Since the formation of the LPCG, I like many others have failed to see the bolt of lightning come out of the sky and miraculously cure all the things that have been happening.

I am aware that the group has achieved some positive results but to sweep things under the carpet will achieve nothing.

At the same time, I don't think that the Keighley News has been unjust in its reporting as it is merely reporting fact.

Not all is bad news, however. During the past two weeks, the police community dupport officers have been maintaining a much-needed presence in the park during the evenings and I understand that they are getting to grips with the offenders, which is a good thing.

At last, someone is listening.

Cllr Mike Wilkinson

Keighley Town Council

SIR - I was privileged to be invited to the KAOS production of "Singing in the Rain" at Victoria Hall on Saturday.

The singing and dancing were superb and from the leading players to the two youngsters, everyone played their parts to perfection.

The stage crew handled the difficult and complex changes very well and the very competent front of house staff helped to make a wonderful evening.

May I also mention the Keighley Cougars and their magnificent achievement in winning the National League Division Two cup and with it their elevation to the First Division.

In Keighley we are fortunate to have such talented people to entertain us. Lets all give them the support they deserve.

Nancy Holdsworth.

Mayor of Keighley.

SIR - It is now apparent that in his expulsion of George Galloway MP, Tony Blair is now adopting the kangaroo court method to suppress any opposition to his self-imposed dictatorship.

This is not democracy, it is blatant dictatorship.

Political kangaroo courts are the principles of scum political power. Until the era of Tony Blair, I had been an active supporter of the Labour Party.

KEN MATHER

Greenhead Road

Utley

SIR - I am deeply concerned that Disney appears to have allowed People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), to exploit a poster for its latest animation, "Finding Nemo", to promote vegetarianism in youngsters.

PETA is an extreme animal rights organisation which has run high profile campaigns to get angling banned.

This latest partnership is irresponsible and potentially damaging, both in terms of nutrition and in terms of young people's perceptions of animals and conservation.

It seems that PETA wants children to believe that animals have human emotions, which research suggests they do not.

This campaign threatens the nutrition of a generation who need all the healthy dietary examples they can get in an age of junk food. Fish should be a key part of the diet, as many nutritional experts agree, and a marketing campaign aimed at destroying this message is immensely harmful.

Not only does PETA want us to believe that fish inhabit the "happy ending" world shown in this cartoon, but that fishing itself is at odds with the welfare and conservation of fish -- this could not be further from the truth.

No one does more than anglers to ensure that fish stocks and waterways remain healthy and flourishing. For a marketing campaign based in fantasy to challenge the reality of angling is both insulting and damaging.

Children need to be aware of the real world, not force-fed trite fairytales.

I will be writing to Disney to ask them if they really want to be linked to a group that advocates an extreme code of putting animals ahead of the rights and welfare of people.

If Disney truly has the welfare of young people at heart they should be promoting the sport of angling and eating fish, not denouncing them.

Charles Jardine

Director,

Campaign for Angling

367 Kennington

Road, London

SIR - Steeton Male Voice Choir (SMVC) is 96 years old. In that time it has given, and continues to give, much pleasure to its audiences and members.

It has also contributed greatly to fundraising for all-manner of good causes. Currently, for example, it will participate in the Yorkshire Imperial Cancer Research Fund's concert in the Albert Hall, London, in early November.

It can be safely assumed that the choir will celebrate its centenary in 2007 with an exceptional programme and will show its history, which includes activities at both home and abroad.

It is here that the choir appeals to readers for any mementoes and reminiscences.

At this early stage nothing is too small to be deemed irrelevant.

A programme, a lapel badge, a piece of uniform, a photograph, a newspaper article etc would be of interest.

Items are solicited either for loan or donation, please.

So, whether you are a former chorister, or an attendee at concerts, or the relative or friend of those who have retired to the choir-celestial, we should be gratified to hear from you.

A current choir member would be pleased to meet with anyone who might not have a tangible item to share but had a pertinent story to tell.

Telephone calls should be made to Peter Lofts, 01535 63 43 88 in the first instance, please.

PETER LOFTS

Winston Avenue,

Cross Hills