IN RESPONSE to Mr Porteus's concerns regarding the current refurbishment of Washington Town Centre Library (Letters, May 30), I can confirm that significant work is underway.

While it may appear from the outside that no work is taking place, inside the building has been stripped and prepared for refurbishment.

Now, asbestos tests and a number of structural tests must be completed fully for a building of this age before contractors can start the refurbishment.

The development is on schedule and will be completed in approximately one year. The temporary relocation of the library to Washington Leisure Centre, along with extended hours at Washington Millennium Centre Library and Washington Green Library and six additional, mobile library stops, have proved successful with our customers who are excited about the new development. Information about the refurbishment and a timetable for the work will be positioned on the hoardings to advise passers by of progress.

With designated areas for reading, study, access to PCs, sound and vision items, a "heritage" area and a meeting room, this new, completed refurbished, library will be a major asset for the people of Washington.
Councillor Mel Speding,
Culture and Leisure, Portfolio Holder
Sunderland City Council

Big shoes to fill
SHEILA Ellis's election victory at Houghton has had a lot of attention lately in these letter pages, so I thought it was about time to be gracious by belately saying a big thank you to her defeated opponent, Joe Lawson, for his 10 years representing the Houghton Ward.

He was a good councillor who worked hard for people in the ward and his knowledge in the transport area, in particular, will be a big loss to residents constantly battling to improve our bus services. Mrs Ellis has big shoes to fill.

Nevertheless, I'm happy to join with your correspondent, George Rowe (Letters, May 30), in congratulating Sheila and wishing her well. But some of what Mr Rowe wrote alarmed me.

As a resident of Colliery Row, I wish to point out that Mrs Ellis was elected to represent the Houghton ward, not Houghton town, and that the ward boundaries include Fence Houses, Dubmire, Chilton Moor, Colliery Row, Mulberry Park and Newbottle as well as the western half of Houghton.

The residents of all these areas and the 55 per cent of voters who didn't support Mrs Ellis in the election, are entitled to expect that she will represent them, too, and not just confine herself to the interests of the town.

People are worried that Mrs Ellis may neglect them in favour of pursuing the Rats agenda, which Mr Rowe's letter seems to suggest when he said that the election was a victory for Rats.

It would be scandalous if Sheila Ellis does follow George Rowe's advice to work with the two Copt Hill Ward Independents for the benefit of Houghton town rather than working with her two Houghton Ward Labour colleagues to benefit the whole of the ward. She would then be guilty of putting her Party's interests before the good of the people – precisely the same offence she often accused Joe Lawson of.
Mrs K Dobson,
Colliery Row,
Houghton

Dedicated man
FROM one failed candidate in Washington East to another, can I give my support to Neville Padgett.

I know how committed Neville Padgett is as during the Washington East By-Election which I lost, Mr Padgett was my right-hand man. Neville then went on to be the Labour Party Candidate in the May 2008 Election and he has continued to work (unpaid) for the people of Washington East.

Neville is a hard-working, dedicated, family man he is well-know locally and could give the three Conservative councillors some tips on how to get things done. Coun Cuthbert and his fellow councillors should look at their own record before they criticise a decent, hard-working, loyal Labour party member.
Coun Dianne Snowdon,
Washington Central Ward

Garrison Field HQ
I AM writing in reply to an Echo letter (May 31), re: an article on 125 TA Anti-Tank Regiment, from a gentleman who stated he used to hear them parading on the Garrison Field and saw them leave for France and return from Dunkirk and I wonder if he has named the regiment correctly.

I was in the 47th Cold RA Battalion RE TA 388 Company RE TB searchlights and we trained twice weekly at our headquarters at the Garrison Field under Major WE Blackburn, Commanding Officer, until we received our calling out notice on August 24, 1939, and left late that night in the darkness in a convoy of buses for an unknown destination.

We had the same experience the previous year when the crisis took place and the Prime Minister returned from Germany, waving his paper, the Pact of Peace, and we were only away a week when we returned home and were stood down.

It was different in August 1939 as I and many more had to continue with our duties until demobilisation in 1946.
W Snowball,
Maria Street,
Sunderland

And they call this justice ...
RE Brent's mum, the Johnson family, my own family and the hundreds of families wronged by our so called justice system; also the letter printed in the Echo (June 25) I've Been There.
Part of the letter reads: "Pain cannot be eased when revenge is sought".
Well most of us are not likely to know if this is true or not because of the sentences handed out to the scum who carry out these vile crimes.
My own family was left devastated almost two years ago when a drug fuelled driver ploughed into three members of my family.
My dear niece Paula was killed, her daughter was injured and my granddaughter Danica was gravely injured and spent two months in hospital.
She has endured 12 operations. She, sadly, had to have her right leg amputated. She also had horrific injuries to her remaining foot from which she suffers pain every day.
My granddaughter's life has been changed forever. The past 19 months since coming out of hospital have been filled with non-stop visits to different hospitals in the North East as well as travelling up and down to the other end of the country and this is besides the numerous stays in hospital.
So, to the idiot who caused this and to the people who hand out these ridiculous sentences, I say come and spend a week in Danica's life and you might think twice before handing out these insulting sentences.
Re I've Been There (Echo June 25), we've been there too, only the difference is we are still there and will be for a very long time yet. My granddaughter has a very long way to go, yet remains positive and brave.
I try not to think too far ahead because it brings home the reality that this idiot who devastated my family could be out and living on the very street we live on and where he caused this devastation, probably in three years time. And they call this justice ...
He'll be out and will carry on with his life like nothing's wrong and we're the ones whose lives have been affected by his actions.
My granddaughter's life has changed forever. Even a simple thing like going to the bathroom during the night becomes a task, as she is half asleep then has to start putting on her prosthetic leg. I hear every bit of the process going on, even down to the last click to say her leg is on correctly, then off she goes. She then has the hassle of taking it back off to get back to sleep.
I could go on forever about the daily tasks Danica has to go through but what I really want is for all these idiots, like the person who ruined my granddaughter's life and the scum who murdered Brent Martin, Kevin Johnson and the hundreds of other victims, is just think about your actions and the heartache and devastation you all leave behind while you are all living the life of Riley in prison.
That brings me back to the justice system. If you make prison a punishment and not a holiday then maybe things would change. Better still, just give a life sentence out and let it mean life; meaning keep them there till they die.
Finally, to the Johnson family and the hundreds of people who have joined them in their Enough is Enough campaign and their Walk for Justice, you all deserve a pat on the back. I wish you all the very best and if my time wasn't taken up trying to get Danica back to full health again, I would be there alongside you all.
Keep up the good work and maybe one day we'll all be celebrating by getting the law changed.
L Green,
Danica's grandmother,
Ford Estate,
Sunderland

DURING 1967-68 Barbara Dunn met Sheila Wilson from Shakespeare Street Southwick and Maureen Parkinson from Pennywell at Royal Infirmary Pre-nursing course. Any information on their whereabouts please email, donnelledunn33@hotmail.com.
Donelle Dunn

I AM trying to trace a girl I met years ago, she was the sister of a friend of mine, Mr Douglas Chapman, and she used to live on the Ford Estate. I have some family photos which I think may interest her. Her maiden name was Chapman and her brother was a fitter at J.L. Thompsons.
Would she, or anyone who knows of her, please phone Bill on 0191 5679565. Thank you.
William Ross,
Solar House,
Sunderland

I WOULD like to locate Marie Heath. She is about five feet tall, used to live in Tilbury Road, Thorney Close, Sunderland and favoured North and South Shields a lot. She would be in her early sixites now.
Another person I would like to find is Kathy Kean (married name Old), who will also be in her early sixties. The last I heard she was housekeeping in Whitburn Terrace, Boldon.
JA Stott,
40 Wear View,
Hunwick,
Co Durham DL15 0LE

ON behalf of a friend in Essex I am trying to trace Billy Gray, 118 Coy. Company, RASC BAOR 15. They were stationed in Herford/Germany between 1954-57.
M Birkelbach,
Ashwood Terrace,
Sunderland
Email: marsitim@btinternet.com
Telephone: 5679221

I AM trying to find out any family links with the Lindon family in Sunderland. My Father left Sunderland in the 1930s. His name was John Davies Pearson Lindon known as Jack.
If anyone can help please contact me on 01803528411 or email john@crazycampers.co.uk
John Lindon,
4 Waterleat Close,
Paignton,
Devon TQ33UN