Letters to the Editor

SIR - Regarding your story headlined 'Village 'misled' over psychiatric hospital' (T&A, January 11), I think it is disgusting not letting the Bierley residents know about the change of use to this building.

Alan Mainwaring admitted the original application was for a residential nursing home saying that there were no significant objections received. Of course there wasn't as we already have a nursing home next door to this building.

Did the Council not think though that people should have the right to know what is now going to happen?

Bierley is supposed to be a regeneration area with lots of new houses being built including 23 proposed houses directly opposite this site. How many people do you think will want to move into Bierley now?

I know full well why they didn't bother to let us know. Hundreds of people would have objected to the change of use but it is easier to sweep this under the carpet.

A Darby, Delaware Court, Bierley.

Pointing the way

SIR - I am grateful to all the people who complained so vociferously about the screening of Jerry Springer: The Opera.

If they had not done so I and scores of thousands of others might have missed it!

When will these latter-day Mrs Grundys realise that the only outcome of their hysteria is to massively increase the audiences for the object of their hand-wringing and breast-beating?

One might construe this result as poetic payback for their misbegotten attempts at mind control.

I make no apologies for indulging in a quiet smile that "Springer" is playing to packed houses on the stage, and has won every theatrical prize on offer, all richly deserved.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.

Recycling riddle

Sir - After reading about how we should use our recycling bins to dispose of unwanted cards and wrapping paper, etc, I ask the question: Don't the people concerned with recycling read their own policies?

We are not supposed to put cards, envelopes, wrapping paper or cardboard packaging into our bins, only newspapers, white office paper, letters, junk mail or brochures.

Every year I dispose of my unwanted cards through collection points. This is only once a year. What happens the rest of the year?

Also, we are now left with nowhere to recycle our clean yoghurt pots, foil, cardboard, cereal packets and spread containers.

I try to recycle everything and, as usual, I will take my cards where I can and continue to save what I can.

Perhaps the recycling officer can tell us what to do after Christmas with cards, paper, etc?

Shirley Harrison, Musgrave Drive, Eccleshill.

l Bradford Council's Recycling Officer Gerry McDermott said: "Several months after the paper recycling scheme was introduced in Bradford, UPM Shotton (our recycled paper purchaser) contacted us to say our paper was of a good quality.

"They therefore said we could also include light cardboard in our loads. This includes card used for cereal boxes and food packaging, but it must not have any plastic attached to it.

"Christmas, birthday and other greetings cards can also be put in paper recycling bins, as long as the design does not include any foil or glitter. This also applies to Christmas wrapping paper

"These changes were publicised in the T&A and the Council's Community Pride newsletter sent to all homes in the district.

"Brown cardboard used in packaging for electrical goods and DIY flat packs cannot be put in bins. It should be taken to one of our recycling centres.

"We are currently running a trial collection of plastics with paper collections in the Eccleshill area. If anyone wants to find out more about it they should ring Gerry McDermott on 01274 438883."

Carry on donating

Sir - On behalf of the members of the Disasters Emergency Committee we are writing to thank readers for their response to the Tsunami Earthquake Appeal. More than £100 million has been donated by the British public, with nearly £5 million from Yorkshire alone.

But much remains to be done and we need more money. The DEC is asking the public to keep donating online at www.dec.org.uk, by telephone on 0870 60 60 900, or at any high street bank or post office.

The year 2005 offers an unprecedented opportunity to tackle the injustice of a world in which survivors of a tsunami die from diarrhoea, cholera and malaria because they are poor.

Our hope is that the generosity shown to the tsunami victims is the beginning of a real determination to do more to end the avoidable suffering which natural disasters, conflict and poverty inflict on so many men, women and children.

In 2005 charities are joining faith groups, trade unions, campaigning groups and celebrities in a global call to 'Make Poverty History'.

Earthquakes and tsunamis may be unavoidable. Poverty is not.

Steve Chapman, Cafod Regional Manager; Lindsay Pearson, Christian Aid Area Co-ordinator; Jonathan Dorsett, Oxfam Northern Campaigner; Gill Thurgood, Tearfund Regional Manager.

No Euro rip-off

SIR - I am not yet eligible for a congratulatory card from the Queen and I can assure Barbara Rudd (T&A, December 30) that I am fully compos mentis, but at the risk of being called obtuse I am somewhat puzzled by her objections to the Euro.

If my interpretation of Ms Rudd's remarks is correct it's rather sad that in today's climate she should equate a megalomaniac with a group of democratic politicians and I will not dignify them with further comment.

As for prices going up and never coming down, the only solution is competition, ergo a free European market with a common currency.

In the same edition T Hill states that "the common herd" was ripped off with regard to decimalisation but whether you were Lord Toff or Joe Blogg the price of a loaf of bread was the same.

So if there is a valid point to all this, it escapes me unless converting 9s-11d to 50p was considered as exploitation.

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford.

Not all selfish

SIR - I feel I must write in answer to M Myers' letter (T&A, January 8). I understand part of his letter about the fireworks, also the hate and greed in other parts of the world.

But has Mr Myers had his ears and eyes shut these last few days and not seen and heard about all the generous donations that have been given to those poor distressed people in the Indian Ocean?

I have donated myself and I am a pensioner and I'm sure many more pensioners have done the same.

So do not class us all as selfish and self-centred, Mr Myers.

Mrs M Wheelhouse, Eskdale Rise, Allerton.

Victims first...

Sir - Well done Philip Davies for saying that the rights of householders should be top priority when it comes to defending themselves, loved ones and/or property against burglars.

Of course, criminals should forfeit rights when they break the law. Many victims of crime are the weak, elderly and vulnerable and I am shocked that the Labour Attorney General does not place their fears, safety and consideration over any so-called rights a burglar may have.

His stance is tantamount to granting a thieves' charter to the law-breaker. Surely the law-makers' first duty should be to defend the weak?

No wonder crime is spiralling out of control under this Government.

Angela Holmes, Keighley Road, Cullingworth.