Letters to the Editor

Do these 'artists' really expect the public to share their understanding of contrivances which, at the end of the day, are nothing more than the product of their own personal foibles?

I would urge potential participants of this enlightening experience to remember that old children's story The Emperor's New Clothes, and the message therein.

Does the Factory provide the opportunity for visitors' written comments?

I'm sure that would be an experience, were the Keighley News be permitted to share some.

MRS MURIEL CROOK,

Ryecroft, Harden.

SIR - I am pleased to inform you of a new band which was being formed in Bradford on Wednesday this week. This band is being specially created to cater for boys and girls between the ages of 8-15 years old.

It will be a Scottish pipe band, with junior pipers, drummers and highland dancers. The idea of creating the band came from members of the City of Bradford Pipe Band, who are regularly asked by young people how they can learn to play the bagpipes and drums. However, it is believed that young people will not come forward to learn when the Bradford Pipe Band consists mainly of adults.

To overcome this problem, the new junior band (the official name is yet to be decided) will be sponsored and tutored by members of the Bradford Pipe Band but will perform separately, under the guidance of the adult band.

The practises will be at Frizinghall Middle School, Salisbury Road, Frizinghall, and will be from 6.30-7.30pm. A small group has already been formed, and they were starting to learn to play on Wednesday. The Band will be pleased to welcome any boys or girls who wish to try to play or learn highland dancing, and they should come along next week. For any more details, contact the Band Secretary, telephone 01274 678678.

BRIAN SLACK,

Beechwood Avenue, Wibsey.

SIR - I was not at all surprised to read an article about Ann Cryer MP being severely critical about Pakistan's nuclear programme.

Clearly it is allowed for Britain and its allies to hold and test nuclear weapons, but not right for anybody else. Of course, like many other Labour MPs, Ann Cryer does not want to discuss the real reason behind the arms race on the Indian sub continent, and that is the issue of Kashmir.

Seventy thousand men, women and children have been killed by the brutality of the 700,000 strong Indian military presence in Kashmir. You would not be at all surprised if I told you that it was a labour government that was in power when this problem was created, and at the last general election many promises were made by labour MPs that their party would help solve this problem.

Extra judicial killings, rape, torture are to mention just a few methods deployed by the Indian army to suppress the will of the Kashmiri people for the right of self determination.

Unfortunately, this does not fall within the barriers of Labour's ethical foreign policy and they remain ardent supporters of the Indian government.

I would just like to remind Ann Cryer that there are many thousands of Kashmiris within her constituency, and they are not going to forget.

M AMIN,

Sangat Centre.

SIR - My husband and I, now aged 93 and 83 respectively - (2nd row extreme right of Down Memory Lane P10 KNews Feb 4) - wonder how many of the group of Keighley Road Club members are still around!

DONALD AND MAVIS LEE,

Westburn Avenue, Keighley.

SIR - Barmy Bradford again, £63,000 salary, plus pension, plus car? To a 31 year old, to promote Bradford.

It is a disgrace that the population of Keighley will have to help fund this totally inflated salary level for a position which does not have to show a profit.

The attractions Bradford has to promote are both based in Keighley, Haworth and the moors and the Worth Valley Railway.

Isn't it time for a return to a Keighley based town council, where any money raised can be spent in Keighley for the benefit of the Keighley population?

DAVID LYDEN,

Keighley.

SIR - The Marie Curie Centre, Ardenlea in Ilkley, by the end of this year will have re-located to Bradford.

Although I understand people's dismay and sadness about us leaving the town which has been our home for 37 years, the picture is anything but doom and gloom.

Marie Curie Cancer Care will still be providing the very special service for cancer patients and their families for which it is renowned. Some residual services will also be retained which will not be in-patient related.

I feel it is important that the community is aware of what work Marie Curie is doing, and myself and colleagues feel it is important that we spread the word.

We would be delighted to come and talk to groups and organisations about the specialist palliative care available and what we are about as a charity.

All they have to do is pick up the phone and call the fundraisers office on 01943 817395 or write to the Fundraiser's Office, Marie Curie Care, Riddings Hall, Riddings Road LS29 9LW.

BRENDA DOYLE,

Fundraiser, Ardenlea Marie

Curie Centre.

SIR - Re Laurie Sloane's letter Keighley News Feb 4 - 'The real issue'. I believe a little bit of help is worth a great deal of sympathy.

Do the women of Silsden know there is a vacancy on Silsden parish council (see details in the window of Silsden Library)?

Right now Mrs Benita Smith is the only woman out of a possible twelve councillors. For some reason women do not seem to last long in this area.

I, like Laurie Sloane, am a big believer in equal rights, and admire women who stand their ground in traditional male dominated organisations and institutions, while at the same time bringing up a family and at times contributing to the family budget by working. So come on women of Silsden, make a start by finding a candidate then going out and voting for her.

NORMAN RUSHWORTH,

Oak Tree Court, Silsden.

SIR - I refer to the article regarding the Keighley born gentleman now living in Tyne and Wear who is disgusted with the state of Keighley town centre and its environs. May I say at once that I heartily agree with his comments. I returned to the town 12 years ago on retirement, after living in Kent and the Wirral for some 20 years, and I am amazed at the deterioration over these years.

One has only to walk from Victoria Park to the centre of town to see the abundance of household rubbish lying in the streets, alleyways, gardens and yards to appreciate the fact that something is seriously lacking with the local authority's commitment to its constituents.

The centre of town, particularly alleyways, although not restricted to such areas, is littered every day of the week with fish and chip cartons, drinks cans, cigarette packets etc, which if it is ever removed is immediately replaced by the 'caring people' of the town.

As for Cllr Thorne's comment that everything is rosy because the town was awarded the Yorkshire in Bloom and Town Centre Partnership awards. All I can say to that is that I sincerely hope that the Executive Member for Culture, Heritage and Leisure managed to escape tripping up over the judge's guide dog!

FRANK WELLS,

Westfield Crescent,

Riddlesden.

SIR - In answer to Barry Thorne's remark about the town centre flowers in bloom in summer, why can't we have it nice all year round?

I came back to Keighley after being away 18 years. I wish I had never come back as it is disgusting. I am not surprised at strangers' remarks. I only came back because my children and their families live here.

MRS J CUTHILL,

Elmwood Drive, Ingrow.

SIR - Mr Dermot Fell has been very unfairly treated in your recent article. To imply he has only private patients when he has confirmed 2000plus or 95 per cent are NHS, I wonder how true a representation is the rest of the article.

Mr Fell is an excellent dentist who couldn't treat me better if I were private. I think it's wrong when you have a dental practice that states 'NHS patients welcome' displayed outside its premises, and when we know it is increasingly difficult to obtain NHS care elsewhere, to print such inaccurate information.

CAROL ALLARN,

North View Street, Keighley.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.