Letters to the Editor

In National Volunteers Week (June 1-7) I should like to pay tribute to Macmillan's loyal band of volunteers throughout the Bradford district who turn out in all weathers to hold a collecting tin, organise coffee mornings, or think up other imaginative ways of raising money for the charity not to mention those who make time to help out with office tasks such as answering the phones, research, and sticking labels on envelopes.

Without their efforts Macmillan could not carry out its much-needed work. New volunteers are always very welcome, either to help with fundraising and administration or perhaps work in a cancer centre. If you would like to find out more, please ring me on 01274 365905.

Michelle Norcliffe, Fundraising Manager West Yorkshire, Bradford Macmillan Appeal, St Luke's Hospital Extension Block, Little Horton Lane, Bradford

SIR - We see Volunteers' Week as an ideal opportunity to say a very big "thank you" to all WRVS volunteers who give of their time and energy so generously.

More than 9,300 volunteers provide vital services across communities in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire delivering services such as Books on Wheels and Meals on Wheels, running convenience stores in hospitals and community transport schemes.

Around Britain, WRVS is active in about 270 NHS trusts providing comfort and convenience for patients, visitors and staff by running shops, cafes and ward trolleys. This has enabled WRVS to gift back £4.9 million to NHS trusts.

Our services are helping people remain independent in their homes and communities, particularly in later life - something many of us take for granted.

Thank you to all the WRVS volunteers, ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Your compassion, your time and your energy are very much appreciated, both by WRVS and the people you help everyday.

If you would like to join WRVS and help your local community, please call 0845 601 4670 (local rates).

Ann Stokes, WRVS Volunteering Manager, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire

SIR - Eighty per cent or more are in favour of the development of the former Wilsden Methodist Church, but the cause for concern is the council-owned green space at the junction of Main Street and Crack Lane adjoining the church.

More than 30 years ago houses stood on this green space and the occupants/owners at that time were served with a compulsory purchase order by the Council so the properties could be demolished.

Wilsden Village Society undertook one of its first projects: making the site more presentable with greenery etc.

Although still Council-owned, it receives little or no attention apart from the grass cutting. The present owner of the church site wishes to develop this as a car park and is willing to negotiate with all parties to retain some of the greenery.

It would seem beneficial to allow the site to be developed as it would rid Wilsden of one of the eyesores in the village centre and would also bring in revenue in the form of council taxes to the Council from occupants.

Norman H Barwick, Kingston Close, Wilsden

SIR - What an interesting comment upon today's soft-on-discipline society was a mother's desperate plea (Page 1, T&A, May 29) to the authorities (police, social services, drug rehabilitation, youth offending service) to help her control her recalcitrant son only to find that he already has a solicitor and that in any event nothing could be done to redress his problems without his agreement, which seems hardly likely.

Fifty years or so ago all young men awaited the summons to do National Service: two years of discipline, square bashing and duty for your king and country and a chance that some of them might lose their lives.

How nice at the time to have been asked if we would we mind considering the proposal and if agreeable would we turn up at the barracks and have a chat with the sergeant major, bringing along a legal chap as well.

Haven't times changed? And not for the better.

R J Lacey, Wrose Road, Bradford 2.

SIR - I always rely on your newspaper to give me a few laughs each week. This week was no exception.

1 So the terrible three, Eaton, Greenwood and Sunderland, make up the selection panel for the post of Chief Executive. Hope they make a better job of it than the last time.

2 Bradford Vision again, seeking a "Diversity Exchange Worker" at £25K. Perhaps Mrs Gandhi would like to explain to a poor, simple soul like me just what the post is. Seems to me they all have more money than sense.

Barry Foster, Gilstead Lane, Gilstead.

SIR - Your correspondent Michael Breen (May 22) argues that Bradford needs a "proper council working together." The Liberal Democrat group completely agree with him in that. The voters chose not to give one party a majority of seats and the elected councillors should work with that decision.

Unfortunately, it is the Labour Party who refuse to take part in co-operative working. They have not responded positively to approaches from the Liberal Democrats and have refused to take responsibility on the council's Executive Committee.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, Leader, Liberal Democrat Group, City Hall.

SIR - Mr Glennon is absolutely right (Letters, May 30). The courts should find out how much it would cost to insure the car that the driver has been caught in, then fine them that amount plus costs. If the driver cannot pay the fine then force them to sell the car. If the car is not worth selling then get it crushed. This will stop them from driving that car again and remove one more wreck from the streets.

If the person is in Court for a second time for driving without insurance then put them in prison because that means that person is a habitual offender.

Michael Lee, Shirley Avenue, Wyke

SIR - In answer to P Glennon (Letters, May 30) it is the case that most of the people in the Court File are poor, and also that income is taken into account when calculating fines.

If, as P Glennon suggests, everybody got the same fine and went to prison if they could not pay it, then after committing the same offence the poor would go to prison while the affluent would enjoy freedom.

Is it the wish of P Glennon to make poverty an imprisonable offence? That's how it looks.

L Hobsbaum, Willow Crescent, Bradford.

SIR - Not all the reasons for failure in our schools are the "education's" fault. In far too many cases the liberation of child-centred parent into a full-time pleasure hunter in merciless "pursuit of individual happiness" takes precedence over a more dedicated home life.

Only a loving, responsible family can teach, more by heart than mind, the difference of right from wrong and self-discipline.

One change is essential: reinstate the true partnership of schools and parents so that in future none of them can blame the other for any shortcoming in education.

K Novak, Kingsley Avenue, Bradford 2.

SIR - The city of Leeds is doing very well. The news that areas of Bradford now want Leeds postcodes is pretty scary.

Surely the people in these areas should be served so well by their own city that they should not wish to "defect".

Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire.

SIR - Having just read the story about young Niamh Sedgwick (T&A, June 2), I thought I must write and say how brave this little girl is, and how awful it must be for anyone to have to go through this.

But the reason for my letter is that I disagree with Mrs Sedgwick, right, about them being, "better able to cope with support from family and friends than a single parent."

Does she mean that we single parents do not get any support from anywhere, and have no family and family friends?

I am a single parent of two children, aged two and five, and although I couldn't imagine having to go through what this little girl and her family have gone through, I know for a fact, that if we were to be in a situation like this, we would get all the support we needed from family and friends.

Miss Holdsworth, Knowles Lane, Holme Wood.