SIR - I am a 85-year-old pensioner living on Fagley. I have lived here for many years now. I am writing in reply to a letter (April 10) in which Mr J R Smith says that he represents the pensioners of Fagley.

I can assure you that his views certainly do not represent mine or all the pensioners that I know in the area.

I am a member of Fagley Youth and Community Over 60s Friendship and Luncheon Club. We meet every Wednesday at the Fagley Centre, and organise trips out and events. The staff at the centre are very helpful and supportive to us. They put on a wonderful do for myself and my family on my 85th birthday.

We really enjoy our meetings there, as many of us would otherwise not have any social life, yet this person who supposedly speaks for us wants our centre closing down.

I have read many letters from Mr Smith in your paper and they are nearly always destructive and negative. We are very happy with our group and do not need somebody else speaking on behalf of us.

My advice to Mr Smith is to "get a life".

Francis Harrison, Fairbank Green, Fagley.

SIR - I never thought I'd read in a Bradford paper such offensive remarks as Les Brotherton's contention that the Valley Parade disaster fund somehow bought off the victims of the tragic fire (Letters, April 8).

As someone who was dragged over the Paddock wall by the hood of my coat, my recollection of the public mood is somewhat at odds to Mr Brotherton's. There was little, if any, clamour for legal action against the club. The fire was viewed as a terrible accident, nothing more.

The disaster fund, far from being a bribe, was an opportunity for ordinary folk to show support to those who suffered loss and injury. To suggest otherwise is sickening.

I trust Mr Brotherton's odious views are not shared by the bulk of Bulls fans and I hope they will quickly distance themselves from his outrageous slur.

David Pendleton, Editor, The City Gent, PO Box 56, Bradford

SIR - Keith Robinson (Letters, March 26) is right: the blocked gully situation is bad. Gully cleansers are an extinct species and many gullies have evolved into roadside window-boxes.

Every year or so there is a spasm of correspondence on this issue. The funny thing is, there is never any attempt by the Council to respond with an explanation or excuse. Mr Robinson's direct challenge to Coun Hawksworth may fare better, but don't hold your breath.

At the risk of adding to the Capital of Culture hype, let's hope we don't get any important visitors just after a heavy shower. Alternatively, the Council could set on a couple of gully cleansers and crew at a cost of, what, a farthing on the rates?

Jim Flood, Redburn Drive, Shipley.

SIR - I know and hear of people who insist in shopping at places such as the White Rose Centre, but when you ask them why they don't shop in Bradford they say because there are no decent shops.

Why is this? Because of those people who shop elsewhere.

Bradford does have a lot to offer shoppers, and I feel it needs to be promoted to encourage more local people to shop in the city centre.

A guide should be produced containing a list of all city centre shops, including department store concessions, markets, cafes, bars and restaurants, information on various shopping areas, all car park locations and tariffs, and a city centre map.

It should be distributed to every single household in the Bradford district and also to places such as Cleckheaton and to various tourist information centres.

Trade in the city centre desperately needs a boost and it is important that local people know what Bradford has to offer and that they shop in the city centre.

Jack MacPherson, Killinghall Road, Bradford 3.

SIR - Recently there has been a religious complaint by the Reverend David Herbert in that the words to the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers are now considered to be "too militaristic".

The words by the Rev Sabine Baring-Gould of Horbury were very quickly composed in 1865 in order to encourage the children to march up the very steep hill for a Whitsuntide service at Horbury church the following day.

Indeed, there was a letter published in the national press from a lady residing in Horbury whose ancestors has been very proud to march up the steep hill to the hymn's first airing.

On looking through some old 1940-45 newspaper cuttings, I came across a photograph of President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill's own words: "I chose the hymns myself... Every word seemed to stir the heart."

But for the enthusiasm of Churchill, above, determination and sheer guts, none of us (including the said vicar) would have known the joy of singing it.

Mrs Margaret Marsh, Penistone, South Yorkshire

SIR - So Eric Firth (against regional assembles), wants to put "England first", (Letters, April 5)! Well sorry Eric, but as a proud Yorkshireman I want to put England second. Anyone who thinks that unemployment in the North-East, Cornwall etc,, is "A price worth paying" to keep inflation down in the South-East can go boil their head.

Let's distance ourselves from those soft southerners (a little bit at least). They certainly distance themselves from us up here!

Take Germany: a Federal union with state parliaments. No problems here with democracy or national identity! Regionalism is also well developed elsewhere, eg Spain.

Are we so different as "little Englanders"? Destruction of our country, Eric? What? Now, that is very silly, almost contemptible, which is not a word that I would apply to our "masters" in wanting to devolve power closer to the people.

Don't be frightened to have more control over your own life!

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon.

SIR - For the past eight months I have been attending twice-weekly gym sessions at BRI's physiotherapy department. Throughout this time the department's staff, and the ambulance crews who have ferried me back and forth, have been helpful, courteous and friendly. The treatment itself, needless to say, has been of the very best.

How fortunate we are in this country to have such a fine National Health Service. I suspect that most of those who knock it aren't old enough to remember what life was like without it. May they never have to find out!

Margaret Holmes, Killinghall Drive, Undercliffe.

SIR - Alan Shorrock (Letters, April 6) complains bitterly that having seen on Ceefax an exchange rate of 1.61 euros to the pound, the Post Office only offered him 1.54 for his holiday money.

Alan's criticism of the PO is, however, unjustified because what he was looking at was Ceefax Page 24, which gives the commercial rates of exchange, whereas what he should have consulted was Page 247, which lists tourist rates.

He would then have realised that these are always six o seven cents less than the commercial rate, no matter which bureau de change you use.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.

SIR - It is commendable that M Zafar chooses to criticise the unruly elements of his community (T&A, April 4).

Previously criticism of the Asian community would have been construed as racist, but these old responses have been challenged by members of the Pakistani community like Mr Khan and now Mr Zafar.

It is most important that responsible members of the Asian community continue to voice their views and in the process isolate the unruly elements in their communities.

Alec Suchi, Allerton Road, Allerton.