SO the bus managers are moaning about the cost of running the buses and compensation, again picking on senior citizens because they are getting something for nothing. But are they?

They've had nothing all their lives. Had to work hard all through the war. Paid into everything. Insurance at work and tax for when we retired, then along came Maggie and cut the pension down.

Now we have a free bus ride and we all feel begrudged. A free bus ride – it's more like going on an assault course.

You get on the bus, don't take a couple of steps and you are flying along, no time to get hold of anything. The first two seats are dodgy, as you try to sit down they spring up and you end on the floor. No the wonder there are claims.

Why don't the managers try riding on these buses? I'm sure some of them have square wheels the way they bump and jerk. Even the bus drivers complain about having a bad back. The solution is, get some new buses and train the drivers to wait till people sit down before they move off. Give the drivers more time on the journey. Peoples reflexes are not as quick as they get older. You have it all to come to.
Live and let live

Wonderful night
MY BROTHER and I would like to thank everyone who attended the charity night we had recently in the Sappers Club, in memory of our Dad, John Gilstin. We all had a wonderful night and we raised £500 for the Northern Brain Appeal.

We would like to thank the three singers, John Taylor, Derek James and Jonjo, who gave their services freely. Special thanks to my husband George for organising the night.
Lilian Taylor, Colin Gilstin,
Roker Baths Road
Sunderland

Our Christian nation
WITHIN the space of a few days, I have heard three people on radio state that Britain is a "secular democracy".

This is not the case.

Britain is a constitutional monarchy and officially and legally a Christian country. We have an established religion, Protestant Christianity, and an established church, the Church of England, by Act of Parliament.

Every inch of English soil is part of a Church of England parish, with a Church of England church at its centre and an ordained minister of the Church of England living in the parish whose task, legally placed on him or her, is to "care for the souls of the parish", and who has the legal right of access to every home in the parish for pastoral duties.

How secular is that?

Our head of state, Queen Elizabeth the Second, was crowned Queen in the coronation service, which is totally Christian in content and takes place within the context of the Anglican service of Holy Communion.

By law, the monarch must be a Protestant. Look up the text of the coronation service and you will see that our laws are based on God's laws; the Bible is one of the "instruments" of our constitution; and the monarch (and therefore her Government, since we are governed by "the Sovereign in Parliament") is required to promise on oath to maintain the laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel, and to preserve the settlement of the Church of England. How secular is that?
Our national flag displays three crosses – the cross being the basic symbol of Christianity and the three symbolising the Holy Trinity of three persons in one God. How secular is that?

Being a Christian nation, we believe very strongly in freedom; we therefore practise religious tolerance, which allows people of other faiths to practise their religion here, provided that their practices do not harm our people. That is the only sense in which we may call ourselves multifaith or multicultural.

But when these words are used, the fact that we are a Christian nation should always be stated; otherwise people will be either misled or confused.

It has recently been observed that multicultural/multifaith actions lead to the ghetto-ising of minority religions – the very reverse of what was piously hoped for by the secularists.
AD Bull,
Linden Grove,
Middlesbrough

Never had proper job
DAVID CAMERON's wealth means he will never have to struggle with debts or worry about escalating fuel and food bills. Since birth he has led an idyllic and privileged life.

Like Prince Andrew, he attended Heatherdown, a most select preparatory school. Mr Cameron then went to Eton School.

Next stop was Oxford University where he joined the notorious Bullington Club which was an elitist dining club characterised by boozy dinners and allegedly subsequent debauchery.

On leaving Oxford, David was employed by the Conservative Research Department, and the rest is history. So he never really had a proper job and has been protected by a cocoon of wealth from the world of ordinary people.

None of the aforementioned should be detrimental to Mr Cameron's political career.

But it doesn't give him the licence to make unsubstantiated derogatory statements that the poor, the unemployed and the fat had only themselves to blame for their predicament.

This is a typical rant from a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He should try living in a rather more modest manner on dole money or the minimum wage. He would then realise how nonsensical his offensive words were.
W Quinn,
Millfield,
Sunderland

We all deserved a medal for war work
I HAVE been reading in the Sunderland Echo a few times about the Land Army Girls being presented with war medals.

I think they deserve a medal because they worked very hard and in the fields and on the farms as well.

But I also worked hard in an aircraft factory in the war and so did a lot of other girls like me. I worked all night shift.

So I think we all deserve medals. So how do we get our medals?

It says in the Echo that more than 30,000 women will be receiving medals or badges but there's no mention of any girls in other war jobs getting medals. So how do we get ours? I'm 87 years old.
Mrs Irene Pugh,
Redcar Road,
Red House Estate,
Sunderland

Tree killers at work
IT IS a pleasure to compliment all responsible for the summer flower display in the city and all who keep our grassed areas tidy.

Ryhope Village looks particularly lovely just now especially our village green and the green areas at the other side of the ward, higher up the village

I am, however, very upset to see that some ignorant people have stripped the entire bark from one of the trees on the village green and that tree is dying! I was shocked to see that they seem to be beginning to strip another of the older trees and I fear, unless they are caught, its fate will be the same.

What kind of mindless person wants to destroy something that has taken years to grow and is as beautiful and as harmless as a tree?

I also occurs to me that the tool they are using is probably a knife, what else might they get up to? Perhaps the next victim will not be a tree but a person.

I urge the villagers to keep a close look out in the village and report any incidents at once.
Concerned

Don't walk by
I CONGRATULATE your Women's Editor Linda Colling on her report on multiple sclerosis sufferers.

My son, Stuart, was diagnosed 12 years ago. He is one of lucky ones. He is on the drug Beta Interferon and still able to work. But we do know there will be tougher times ahead, hopefully a long way off.

I'm so proud of him, as a mother coping with this soul-destroying disorder. The Sunderland Branch of the MS Society is the nearest active group for MS suffers. My son and daughter-in-law found the group very welcoming. My daughter-in-law, Sharon and granddaughter Kate have done collections for the branch. I wish them success on future fund-raising events.

Please readers, give generously if you see a collection. Don't walk by. These groups are run by fellow sufferers and other dedicated volunteers for the comfort of all touched by the hand of fate.
Mrs Lilian Wood,
Peterlee

Kind builders
ON behalf of the Sunderland Branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society, I would like to acknowledge the kindness shown to the branch by the Federation of Master Builders in the North East.

I was able to meet a small group of representative members with their secretary, Barry Robinson, and they presented a cheque for £1,200 to me to be used locally for the benefit of Parkinson families living in the Sunderland area.

The money was raised at a social event organised at St Joseph's Church, Millfield, a few weeks ago, so a thank you is extended also to the people who generously gave money at the event.

The Sunderland branch of the society meet on the second Monday monthly at 2pm in Chillingham House, Roker, (near the National Glass Centre) and also have a Friendship Group which is held monthly.

Further information can be obtained from contact numbers 0191 548 6071 or 414 4883.
Jean Hutchinson,
Chairwoman,
Sunderland Branch
Parkinson's Disease Society

A BIG thank you to everyone who contributed to the coffee morning for St Benedict's Hospice at Beaumont Lodge, Hendon, which raised £370. A cheque was presented by David Mallam to Ann Oliver, co-ordinator fund raiser for St Benedict's Hospice.
David Mallam

HAVING visited Pat Thirtle's solo exhibition at Washington Arts Centre, I found it very interesting, with a special sense of humour and fully appreciate the great amount of work, effort and talent to create this original show.
Jimmy Chambers,
Rickleton Village Centre,
Washington

CAN whoever runs the lollipop people tell me why they have taken the lollipop man off where it is very busy on Thornholme Road, St Anthony's and put him on Front Road where there are hardly any pupils? Also, why is it when I go through the Tyne Tunnel the radio still plays, but when I go through the Alexandra Bridge it goes off?
Conn,
Sunderland

WITH the closure of the Leisure Centre and Newcastle Road Baths, I thought we would have to call it a day but a friend recommended the Raich Carter Centre.

My husband and I decided we would give it a try and to our joy were very surprised. A great pool, good parking area, training facilities inside and out, nice little restaurants with very helpful staff. I would like to thank Geoff and Toni for their helpful guidance, also manager Craig Jobson for advice given.
Mrs T Elliott,
High Barnes,
Sunderland