Harry Potter and the Otley Readathon

The sense of community spirit in Otley was at the forefront. It was a thoroughly sociable and enjoyable weekend and it more than achieved its aims. That was to raise money for the charity Breast Cancer Relief, to raise awareness of breast cancer, to read continuously the works of Harry Potter to date, to involve many individuals and groups within our community, to give children the opportunity to read out loud to an audience and to have lots of fun whilst doing so.

I would like to thank the following firms and individuals who donated towards the event and made it possible:

Trevor Wallis, landlord of the Bowling Green pub and his wife, Judith, for the location and electricity and their total support; Richard Houldsworth (Builders) for making and supplying the stage set; Curlew Marquees for agreeing to supply the marquee and heating at a cut rate; Tom Jones and his friends for erecting the marquee; Garf Jones for the fantastic painting of the backdrop of the stage set; All Saints Junior School for the loan of the stage; 2nd Otley Scout Group for the loan of their trestle tables, benches and chairs; Just Books and Manor Books for donating the books; Durham Shopfitters for the loan of the Harry Potter mannequin; Jack and Rosie Woods for Harry's clothes; The Dress Circle for Harry's wig; Safeway for the Potter potion; Captain Value for paper cups and plates; McDonalds for paper cups.

Bondgate Bakery for its seemingly constant supply of delicious bread; Teale's Bakery for the yummy rolls; Hardaker's Bakery for the tasty loaves; Morrisons for the french sticks; Save Garage for supplying a large cylinder of gas; Casey's Camping for supplying a water cylinder; Jill and Robin Martin for the loan of the caravan.

I would also like to thank the following schools for taking part: All Saints Junior School, Ashfield Infant School, Bramhope Primary School, Prince Henry's Grammar School, St Joseph's Primary School, The Whartons Primary School, and all the other schools who encouraged children to come along to the event.

Finally, I would like to thank: my team of coordinators who did a brilliant job; all the readers who took part; Fay Barker from Calendar for coming along to read; Phil Coyne, our town mayor and councillors for joining in and reading; Anne Marks for galvanising her team of soup and cake makers and the Harry Potterbanner; Corrin Latham for organising the All Saints Junior School team; The Maynard family and Pickburn/Perkin family for all their help; Sally Moore for her help with the library window; Linda Nicholson for her amazing collection.

All my family for all their support; and finally, a big 'thank you' to everybody for their support in making the event such a success.

Over the weekend we raised more than £1,800 in donations and food sales which was tremendous. We are still accepting donations and they can be paid directly to Barclays Bank, Otley, to Sue Robins re Breast Cancer Relief 203713 00857076.

Sue Robins

1 East View Terrace

Otley.

Reflections

SIR, - With the dawn of a New Year, I thought it would be an appropriate time to reflect on the activities of our Labour-run town council over the last few months.

The Labour Party was never slow to criticise their perceived view that the Liberal Democrat town council had done nothing during the last two years, but, quite frankly, what has it done?

The answer of course is very little. From the 17-point action plan (admittedly to cover a ten-year period) they produced in 2001, what do we see?

An Enhanced Maypole Area - a project started and continued by the Liberal Democrat Group

Improved play areas - the Riverdale Road playground is now funded by Otley Town Council with no financial risk, thanks to negotiations by the Liberal Democrat Group.

A railway station in Otley - a project started and continued by the Liberal Democrat Group.

Do we have improved local bus services?

Do we have more provision for young people?

Do we have increased employment opportunities? Etc., etc.

Absolutely not!

I was in the chair of the Environment and Economic Development Committee of the council until June of 2001. What has happened to it since then?

A sterile agenda, with the only new initiative being an anti-litter campaign. Other plans, including the introduction of farmers' markets, safe routes to schools, and campaigns for better road and traffic management in Otley have been quietly discarded and not replaced!

Don't be fooled by these empty promises

Coun Lawrence Ross

30 St Richard's Road,

Otley.

Legal changes

SIR, Few people realise that a Government consultation is taking place, with only until January 31 to respond. As someone with years of work in the legal system, I feel obliged to speak out.

Our legal tradition is one of fair trial by one's peers. Innocence is presumed in the absence of evidence of guilt. Far from being 'modernisation', some of the proposals in the Auld Report would take us back to the Dark Ages.

Most sinister of all are moves towards allowing convictions based not on evidence but on 'hearsay' (i.e. rumour). It is doubly worrying in regard of proposals towards centralised trials by professional judges (as in continental systems) at the expense of trial by juries and lay magistrates, who are ordinary people.

Through agreeing the European Arrest Warrant, the Government has already jettisoned the protection of our legal system by permitting holidaymakers to be dragged abroad without any evidence.

Like the planespotters, they stand to be detained for long periods before being tried for relatively minor crimes.

Readers should write opposing these measures to: Criminal Courts Review, Lord Chancellor's Department, Selbourne House, Victoria Street, London SW1A 6QW. For a fuller summary, please send me a SAE.

ANNE PALMER (Mrs)

c/o New Alliance,

PO Box 13199,

London SW6 6ZU.

Adoption plea

SIR, - The New Year opens for Adoption-Yorkshire, the adoption service of Catholic Care, with a new initiative to encourage more people to consider adopting children. Many people who have adopted say it is the -most challenging and rewarding thing they have ever done.

This campaign aims to challenge some of the myths surrounding adoption so more children can be provided with a safe and loving family who will support them throughout childhood and beyond.

This year, the Wharfedale and Airedale area will be one of the areas that the initiative will focus on in the search to find parents for family groups of two to three children, three years to six years old, but especially families of three children because, nationally, there are considerable numbers waiting. Also children, six to eight years old and babies with Down's Syndrome.

The children's needs vary and all sorts of people are needed to care for them. Catholic Care accepts applications from people of any or no religion. Many people are surprised to hear that they are too old to adopt at 50-plus.

Usually, it is expected that by the time a child becomes 18 years old its parents will be in their early 60s. The important thing is that adopters are able to meet the needs of the children by providing security and stability throughout childhood and beyond.

The adoption team are looking forward to hearing from people who would like to find out more about adoption. They can be contacted on Freephone 0808 144 2650 or by visiting www.adoption-yorkshire.org.uk

Vera Ogden

Adoption Team Leader,

Catholic Care,

11 North Grange Road,

Headingley,

Leeds.

Swing to right

SIR - Whatever Malcolm Naylor may think of Mr Blair (letters January 10), it wont alter the fact that at the next election there wont be a left wing socialist in sight.

Yes it will be conservative Mark I or Mark II, no small thanks to Mr Blair for the alterations.

F Dickinson

Larkfield Road,

Rawdon,

Leeds.

Real reasons

SIR, - We now know the true reason for Blair's excursion to India. It was not, as we were led to believe by Blair's propaganda machine, as an emissary of peace, but to sell arms for profit.

The sale of 60 military aircraft for £1 billion to India was the purpose of his visit. In spite of all the propaganda, he was there to make a quick buck no matter how many people get killed. Hypocritically, he has poured petrol on to the flames of conflict for the sake of capitalism.

And then we wonder why the West is hated so much. Having supplied arms and military training to Sadam, Bbin Laden, and military radar equipment to a country which cannot afford to supply its population with clean water, the continued sale of arms shows the true morals of Tory Labour. How much longer do we have to tolerate such hypocrisy? When will the public realise we do not have democracy and this country is ruled by a capitalist mafia whose first priority is the accumulation of wealth, no matter what the cost in human life?

We continue to kill innocent people in Iraq and Afghanistan and the numbers of victims are being withheld by our 'freedom of information' Government.

The Americans hold prisoners of war in Cuba against the rules of the Geneva Convention, and build bigger radomes at Menwith Hill whilst our MP is given publicity for such important matters as assisting a lollipop man, an issue which could be handled by any competent councillor at a fraction of the cost.

Is this the level our democracy has sunk to? Are we not fools to tolerate such hypocrisy and are we not all guilty, by our apathy and inaction?

More than ever before, this country needs radical reform of its democracy and this should be our number one priority before Blair leads us all to disaster.

Malcolm Naylor

21 Grange View,

Otley.