Alistair McGowan and Heathrow	11 March 2009
Dear Richmond magazine, Can I quote Alistair McGowan in your recent piece: "We've since gathered thousands of signatures on a Heathrow petition... I'm doing what I can to raise awareness but more people really need to sit up and take notice for anything to change". In the previous paragraphs he said: "I've had a great time filming a TV show in Kenya". Could you ask him, next time you talk to him, exactly how he and his film crew / entourage travelled to Kenya and what did his venture, providing little more than entertainment to TV viewers, do to cut down traffic at over stretched British airports? Or maybe he'll be planning a trip to South America like that other person who has unusual methods of saving the planet, Prince Charles. It really is a case of 'do as I say, not as I do' with these people. Don't get me wrong, I fly abroad. But I don't go around telling everyone else how awful they are for doing what I do myself. If people were really bothered and wanted to cut greenhouse gasses, it isn't complicated: stay at home, take the train and ride your bike. People could stop global warming tomorrow if they wanted to. The truth is that they are more concerned with flying to Kenya to make television. Kind regards, David Continued... Letter by David

Vanishing Points	03 March 2009
Just writing to say what an excellent article Sarah Tucker wrote in the March issue of the Richmond magazine - the best thing by far in the whole magazine and on the subject in general. I look forward to reading future articles by her. Dawn Penso Continued... Letter by Dawn Penso

Guildford's Great War	26 November 2008
To: The Editor Dear Sir, I refer to the article Guildford's great war published in The Guildford magazine November 2008. There were numerous acts of bravery in WW1, some of which were not recorded or acknowledged. You may well have seen the recent BBC programme on Walter Tulls who died in the war, the only black officer in the British Army, who was recommended for the MC but was never awarded it. We have come a long way since then and as ethnicity is no longer the issue it once was, nor is 'cowardice' or 'desertion'. Those executed for 'cowardice', or 'desertion' (306 in number), have in the last few years been posthumously pardoned. While many were volunteers, some not even from the UK, it is now recognised, in what I and many others consider to be a more enlightened era, that their trials were in many cases flawed and lacked fairness. An internet search on 2nd Lt. Eric Poole suggests that there was substantial evidence that while he suffered 'shell shock' the main justification for his execution was that the Commander in Chief, Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haigh, whose ultimate decision it was, because hitherto, no officer had been sentenced to death and executed. In his diary, Haig confided: “Such a case is more serious in the case of an officer than a man, and it is also highly important that all ranks should realise the law is the same for an officer as a private.” On the internet, Julian Putkowski's article adds: Haig’s nonsensical excuses took no account of Poole’s medical history and the Field Marshall’s affirmation that military law was applied with equal force to both officers and other ranks was wholly unsupported by their respective rates of conviction and the severity of punishments. When it suited the British military authorities, shell shock and mental instability served to excuse murder, as in the case of Captain Bowen-Colthurst. Perhaps a little fairness is due to Eric Poole? Yours faithfully Raschid Abdullah Continued... Letter by Raschid Abdullah

cherkley court article	25 August 2008
The story about the drunken butler at Cherkley Court has been in circulation for many years, but it is usually attributed to Polesden Lacey, where the owner, Mrs Greville had two butlers who were notorious for thier love of alcohol and it was one of them who was said to have presented the note to Sir Austen Chamberlain. Continued... Letter by pamela buckingham

YOUR 10th ANNIVERSARY	22 July 2008
This is just a brief line to salute you on reaching your 10th year of publication. I always look forward to receiving the magazine in which well-crafted writing and graphics is contained within a beautifully-produced product. In fact, each issue is a veritable mine of local information! Congratulations and thanks to you all involved in the production of the magazine: may you continue to flourish for many years to come. Antony Gwyn (Richmond) Continued... Letter by anonymous

hot journey	19 June 2008
The train that arrived at Richmond on its way to Aldershot at 18 30 on June 18 was filled with some very unhappy passengers. The air conditioning was not switched on and of course the windows were closed which raised the temperature to over 33 degrees. When the train stopped at Richmond the guard admitted that he had 'forgotten' to push the air -con button ( he has his own area next to an open window) and frankly admitted that he could not care less anyway. The Richmond Station manager also gave the impression that it was not his business.... however much these guys are paid, its twice as much as they should be .. any comment from SW Trains? Continued... Letter by anonymous

Heathrow Expansion	27 February 2008
Hitler tried sleep depravation to defeat us in the last war, but not with the government's backing. Perhaps they should give them permission to bomb and straefe us! Then we will get no sleep. And they would achieve what Hitler could not. Continued... Letter by anonymous

Heathrow Expansion	27 February 2008
Just to reinforce, there should NOT be any expansion at LHR; indeed, the Government should actively plan a reduction in flight numbers on environmental grounds. The present couse is disastrous. I hope your campaign can add to the complaint data. Continued... Letter by anonymous

Heathrow Expansion	05 February 2008
Dear sirs Nobody building a London airport would build it where Heathrow now is. Why can't the Government show some vision, and, like Hong Kong did, build the new airport away from the crowded city centre in Kowloon, like in the Thames Estuary where they can expand it further when the commercial interests involved start pushing for the next 'phase, as they will. The noise and pollution with the attendant costs to people's health are already unacceptable, and BA and BAA want to make them worse. In terms of the Governments stated Health and Environment targets continued expansion make no sense. In terms of national security, expanding the numbers of 'planes flying over London makes no sense either. This is not joined up thinking and certainly not visionary in any way, shape or form. The Government is meant to look after it's citizens not just vested commercial interests. The economic arguments are spurious. Continued... Letter by anonymous

Child's play	08 January 2008
Dear Sam I don’t often read articles in ‘Guildford’ but your article on football was thought provoking.. My son is now 30 but I was appalled by some of the parent’s behaviour even 20 years ago but parent’s behaviour seems to have deteriorated since then. I have been a teacher for 40 years and the last 20 with young people with behavioural problems. Most of the boy’s problems were actually caused by their problems. The Dutch seem to have a much more sensible approach, skills are the tools to have a good game and just kicking a ball with no real understanding of the game is not going to serve the children in the long run. I wonder if the clubs could hold sessions on how to support their children. I don’t imagine these parents really understand how much harm they are doing to their children and they could learn to be a better parent and at the same time be a better supporter of the club. Courses could be provided by Surrey Football Ass with the emphasis on being a supportive parent to the child and the advantages it would bring to the club. I am sure there are people competent to provide such a course but I would think it should include role playing. Putting a parent in the middle of a group with the rest shouting abuse would quickly make someone realise how intimidating shouting is and crush a young child’s ego. This could be a very good and constructive opportunity to get some of these abusive parents to look at their parenting skills because if their behaviour is like this in public I imagine they could be abusive at home. No wonder such a high proportion of children give up and that is not a good lesson for life. Yours sincerely Continued... Letter by Tamsy Baker

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