Birmingham Evening Mail from Birmingham, West Midlands, England • 7

Letters will be considered for publication only it the names and addresses of writers are enclosed Preference witt be given to those willing to have their names and brief addresses published When a pen-name is requested reasons should be given Letters should be addressed to The Editor Evening Mad Cobnore Circus Birmingham B4 6AV but BRIEF letters can be phoned on Sundays to Thursdays inclusive between 5 and 9 pm on 021-236 3366 extension 231 The Editor reserves the right to abbreviate tetters if necessary Unused contributions will not be acknowledged unless a stamped addressed envelope is enclosed EVENING MAIL THURSDAY -MARd '8 T984 Raising cash hits us too hard I would like to voice my disgust at the way of raising money I am 19 living at home and unfortunately unemployed As my national insurance contributions have run out I am Special tribute for an atheist father CHURCH FIGHTS HORRORS Regarding your article about the Reverend John Linford and families conducting their own funeral services I agree with what he says Three years ago I lost my husband who was an atheist Myself and my family therefore thought-It would be hypocritical to have a service My children got together to write a moving obituary of the life and personality of their dad We had a close friend of the family to read it at the crematorium Also during the reading we had a silence for those who wished to say a prayer and quietly in the background one of my husband's favourite tunes was played during the reading We all found this very moving At the same time I was proud of my children for writing it It gave me great comfort Davis Rednal having lo claim social security at the rate of £2455 per week Of this £310 is allowed for housing benefit in other words to pay my parents for my food and keep I have been informed however that as from April 1 I will no longer receive this housing benefit nor will any other 18-20 year-old iiving at home The amount was hardly enough to pay for my keep but as it is being it is a big blow to me I have written to several people to complain but I would like to compile a petition to send to the Chancellor of the Exchequer If anyone else In this predicament would like to help please write to me Atkinson 119 Southam Road Hall Green Well done Anne A real trooper a title that certainly can be applied to Princess Anne after her visit to Africa as president of Save the Children Fund The poignancy of the film on Central TV on Sunday showed the ravages of disease Regarding John views on the Church and politics How can any caring Christian rest If he Is not free to express views on the horrors of abortion euthanasia and the very Immoral law which allows doctors to prescribe contraceptives to girls under 16 without parents being consulted? By objecting to such things the Church is concerned with saving souls as Mr Butcher says it should Mrs Walters Oxford Road Acocks Green John Butcher is not very logical in calling for the Church to keep out of politics How can that be when the Archbishop and senior bishops have seats in the House of Lords? I suspect he is being rather naive in suggesting politics should be divorced from religion Frank Popplewell Esme Road Sparkhill starvation and deprivation The stark presentation by Princess Anne was sifperb and her perception and wit were first class Heaven knows she had littlfe to smile about as she mixed with diseased i children and talked to adults in advanced stages of leprosy The elders made is plain that they had always expected her to come I found such faith very touching During her 10-day tour penetrating more deeply than any other royal before her she investigated everything What gladdened me above all else was that Princes Anne did not stand op ceremony at any time and obviously give two hoots hov she looked I think Princess Anne earns every penny of her Civil List award An idea has been floated fhat the Queen should honour her daughter by making her the princess Royal Having watched Princesss efforts on behalf of the STCF I consider that this action rwould receive national! support Myianwy Edwards Stratford Road Hall Green for a party or wedding and I can just imagine how upset a bride in all her finery will feel if she has to belt up over her veil and dress Will the Queen have to use a belt or will she be excused on the grounds she needs her arms free to wave to the public? Mrs A Fearn Waterloo Road South Yardley Sad memory Reading about the remembrance tours to Arnhem brought back vivid memories to me I was on holiday in Holland with my husband when we went to see the graves of soldiers and airmen who were buried there We were very sad at seeing so many and some were only youths of 17 years The graves are beautifully kept by the Dutch people and all have fresh flowers It is nearly 30 years since our visit but I shall never forget Mrs Nicholls Old Oscott Hill Kingstanding III county but who for? Dogs! They are allowed to run free and unattended over acres of grassland that should be left foul-free for the rest of the community to take pleasure in I have three energetic young children and the very mention of going to the park horrifies me as I know at least one of them will slip skid or tread in the foul stuff What is more the job of removing the mess from ridged sole shoes and zips is one I really hate Pram wheels shoes car interiors carpets are all targets for this revolting mess The Mail spoke recently of cleaning up the city with fines for litter louts Well what about the law simply being upheld? Dog owners should be responsible for their own animals excretions and clean up their mess Dog mess has become a daily problem for me and I am sure many other people particularly parents of young children feel the same Parks could have an area marked out for dogs which would help enormously Dog owners it is your choice to have them and they are your responsibility Stephanie Sedgwick Reservoir Road Selly Oak John Butcher donate to the Tory Party should also be able to choose not to Louise Bradley Shop Steward 5169 Branch Merrits Hill Northfield Just get chopping David article (Mail March 1) highlights the sad story of tree-trimming in Birmingham If trees had been cut as much as the department there would be no problem I know why Coun Clark complains about the trees in Small Heath not being trimmed for 10 years We have been waiting more than 25 years to get most of Hall Green's trees done For heaven's sake let's get on with it! Wilkes Paradise Lane Hall Green Class hatred The Tory city council is going beyond all boundaries of civilised behaviour by sacking school-dinner ladies and re-employing them only on dictated terms (Evening Mall March 1) It is hard to see which part of population the Tory council hopes to rep- WTHIS MONTH PANDA COMES WITH A FREE SPARE ROOM resent It looks like the class hatred of a very narrow group of estate agents and accountants! The Tory group seem to do their accounting without any reference at all to the social problems which their policies will produce It is quite obvious that the many different people who protested about the end of hot school meals don't want a tough" policy on issues where children are involved The Labour party method of costing as with the proposed setting up of neighbourhood offices to process complaints is to examine priorities based on needs in the community and to make financial compromises that way The Tory method as GCHQ demonstrated is to dictate and ignore wishes David Sutton Secretary Brand wood Labour Party Change of fhind I noted the letter from Charles Gray of the SDP in Mail Roy Hattersley is more than capable of defending what he said and points out that his view has not changed in the last few years What I thought was rather strange was that the letter should come from an ex-member of the Labour Party part of the when he was a member who has since changed his attitudes Most of the Labour Party in this city has remained true to the principles of democratic socialism as outlined by Attlee Cripps Levy is not harsh Keith A Davies (Mailbox February 22) refers to the political levy Trade Unionists pay to the Labour Party A a shop steward he should know that the levy is a mere 52p per year a penny a week Even then it is not automatically handed over to the Labour Party The regional committee of the union is in control of the fund and the Labour Party has to request money Only if the committee thinks it is justified does it hand over money The 52p per year is nowhere near the amount that we have to contribute to the Tory Party from the profits of banks building societies and insurance companies made from money the public invest or borrow When we spend money in the shops we have no control over the profit that companies make and how much they donate to the Tory Party Mr Davies appeals to Tom King MP to give us the right to choose to pay the levy not the right to choose not to pay Perhaps Mr King should also devise some system whereby people who do not want to Help In a recent editorial the Mall asked whether the system of carrying donor cards was sufficient to deal with the problem of people awaiting transplants I do not think that it is I am just as likely to be killed when walkings down some of our country lanes as I am when driving down the motorway In the latter instance I am usually carrying my kidney donor card but I would seldom think of taking it when going for a short walk on a evening If I should have a fatal accident and I am not carrying a card who is to know that I am prepared to be a donor unless that Gaitskeil Crosland and Be van It is the Charles Grays of Birmingham that have changed their minds and gone in with the Liberals The people of Birmingham will treat them with the contempt that they deserve Dick Knowles Leader Labour Group Council House Birmingham Attack on freedom The Government has handled the Cheltenham GCHQ dispute very badly It is clearly an attack on the freedom of the GCHQ workers but whether it is justified I am not in a position to judge Trade unionists however who are now complaining about the attack on freedom are being hypocrites There are hundreds of people whose freedom has been attacked by trade unionists who face losing their jobs because they chose not to join a union What is the difference? A Wall Clydesdale Road Droitwich Messy problem Let the dogs stay for sake says Menzies By all means if the dog owners are made to take full responsibility for their animals I feel there are too many dogs already fouling our footpaths grass verges and parks Birmingham has some of the prettiest well tended parks in the Flying inland During the bad weather I noticed many seagulls flying around our house Perhaps they have come inland from the coast to escape the bad coastal conditions When we go to the seaside I can hear the Right Way I was so excited and pleased to hear the good news about the decision to double the weekly The Way We Were series to appear in the lunch editions on Thursdays as well as Tuesdays I have been cutting them all out and making them into scrapbooks and presenting them to senior community centres It's a pleasure to see their faces light up with excitement A Garrett Pit Leasow Close Stirchley Belt up! Once again the do-gooders are trying to take away our free will by pressing for the law to make us belt up in the back seat as well as the front Well I for one have no Intention of clamping myself into a belt when I am togged up gap loud cries all the time when we are on the beach Can anyone tell me why they make a sound when they come into our garden for food Seagulls have such distinctive cries that it is noticeable when they arp qilpnt Elizabeth Chambers (9) Shirley donors to from the 5-dpeed Panda mpg from the Panda Outsta ndng comfort with ample Itiggage space adjust to anything from a double bed or remove the leave 38 cuft of load space 12000 miles between intervals 12 months mileage warranty Six year warranty fPanda just £3095 5-speed just £3395 Generation Alreadythe Fiat Panda isoneofthe most versatile hatchbacks money can buy But buy your Panda from us this month and get even more for your money in the shape of a high quality 67" square tentthat sleepstwo in comfort Fix itto open hatch or use it on its own your choice But hurry alongand talkto us novy next month will be too late -numbers are limited 'Economy At a steady 56 mph COLMORE 979 Stratford Road Hall Green Tel: 021-778 2323 35 Sutton New Road Erdington Tel 021 350 1301 Birmingham Road West Bromwich West Midlands Tel: 021-553 7500 589 mpg Super 565 Comfort 'Versatility for 4 adults The seats cradle to a rearseatto major service unlimited anti-corrosion Comfort costs Panda Super lives Information is stored on a central computer to which the medical profession can have Immediate access? This method would also save relatives having to make a decision at a time of stress The present system seems a very haphazard arrangement Mrs Brenda Armitage Corner Cottage Weatheroak My mom is crazy about Cliff Richard She drives the whole family mad playing his records all the time She goes to his concerts and buys all his records When she sees him on the television she screams the house down Even my baby sister Vicky looks worried I don't like Cliff but I like Boy George Rebecca Smith (11) Sheldon Pandai PR'CES CORRECT AT Time OF GOING TO PRESS EXCLUDE DELIVERY AND NUMBER PLATES OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPT (ON FIGURES PANDA SUPER CONSTANT 56(nDF389mog4SL lOCKm CONSTANT 7Smph 42 6 7L 100Km URBAN CYCLE 4Q 4mpg: 7 OL lOOKm PANDA 45 COMFORT CONSTANT 56mpH 56 Smpg.