MUSIC LIVE

AS THE sounds of the recent BBC Music Live event fade, I would like to say thank you on behalf of Stockton Male Voice Choir to some of the organisers who made the event such a success. Carol Cook, from BBC Newcastle, Barbara McGuckin, of Stockton Learning Towns, and Jill Anderson of Stockton Borough Council worked tirelessly to make sure that the event worked.

From my point of view, it worked extremely well. As a direct result of the publicity given to the event by your newspaper, Stockton Male Voice Choir has benefited from an increase in membership, although we are still looking for a musical director.

The choir also wishes to say thank you to Victoria Hobson, from Stockton Library Service, for the assistance she gave and the use of the conference room at Stockton Central Library, and to Muriel King, from Stockton Museums' Service for the use of the ballroom at Preston Hall.

Thank you also to all local newspapers who helped with publicity for the various events which took place. Your input was invaluable.

Hopefully, the success of BBC Music Live 2000 locally will be repeated in the future. Certainly, we enjoyed taking part, and hope that our audiences got as much pleasure from listening to us. - Vince Carroll, Chairman, Stockton Male Voice Choir.

HOSPITAL RADIO

I AM very disappointed by Alan Milburn's comments on hospital radio (Echo, July 28). His statement: "Entertainment restricted to volunteer-staffed radio stations is over" does our service no justice and is quite insulting.

Allow me to put the record straight. The local hospital radio services at many of the larger hospitals in the UK are provided entirely by volunteers who invariably have to raise their own funds to set up the operation and to keep it running.

This is still the largest single voluntary activity in the country. People give up their time freely to visit patients, chatting and collecting requests in order to provide a local entertainment service.

However, it is much more than just entertainment and information. At a time when people are feeling unwell, a mixture of emotions such as loneliness, fear and depression can affect them. The aim of hospital radio is to lift the spirits, boost morale and take their mind off their problems for a short while. In this way the healing process is assisted.

We know this to be true as we have received many complimentary comments about hearing one's name, favourite piece of music or a comedy sketch on our service.

Whilst I have no wish to get political, I must say that I have witnessed the state of the hospital radio apparatus deteriorate gradually over the past ten years. Whilst there is an ageing factor to consider, there has been diminishing maintenance carried out on the system year on year and we are now at crisis point.

I do not believe that this is the fault of the NHS Trust, it has been given much higher priorities and limited budgets and the current Government plus the previous one are equally to blame. I hope that the latest round of funding will allow the balance to be redressed, it is long overdue. Please, in future, do not be so keen to dismiss what many people consider to be a very worthwhile service. - Mike Smith, Station Manager, Darlington Hospital Radio Skerne.

NATIONALISM

AS A British Nationalist, I want to thank Peter Winstanley for the many eloquent letters he has written defending foreign asylum seekers and their cost to the taxpayer of this country.

Having stood for Parliament on a Nationalist ticket, no one is more aware that without bleeding-heart hacks like Mr Winstanley, many Britons would go about their business without feeling that they were ever foreigners in their own country.

I would like to extend a personal invitation Mr Winstanley. The Socialist Workers' Party is a select group of insidious nation-wreckers. Its members are people to whom I'd like to show my special appreciation because without such as them Britain would still be an homogenous, morally law-abiding, democratic society, respected the world over for its ancient customs and traditional way of life.

I invite Mr Winstanley to join the Socialist Workers' Party by directing his considerable writing talents towards their left-wing rag and away from The Northern Echo, my morning paper. I very much hope you'll feel able to join the noble SWP, Mr Winstanley. You could become one of their most valued supporters/journalists and, together, you might help destroy western civilisation. - Andrew Lightfoot, Bridlington.

WRVS

DO you wonder what you'll do with your time once you finish work? Maybe you have retired and have gaps to fill in a previously busy schedule. Whatever the case, I would like to ask you to give some time to help others through WRVS (The Women's Royal Voluntary Service).

June 18-20 was Senior Volunteers Action Week, and WRVS invited me to volunteer at a tea bar in the accident and emergency department of a hospital near my home in Brighton. During the time I spent there, I made lots of new friends and have the satisfaction of knowing that I was able to make a real difference in my own community, simply by volunteering.

One hundred thousand WRVS volunteers are active throughout Britain, making them one of the biggest volunteering forces in the country. Many are over 55 and get great fulfilment from the help they can give, through hospital projects, Meals on Wheels, emergency support, prison visitors' centres and many other activities.

Doctors recommend that people of any age, especially senior people, need to be active to remain healthy. I'm of a certain age and still enjoying a busy schedule of public appearances and charity work, so there's no excuse!

Why not try a taster of volunteering, give WRVS a call on 07714 898573 and ask to get involved. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I recently spent volunteering for WRVS, and can definitely recommend it. - Dame Vera Lynn LlD, M.Mus, Women's Royal Voluntary Service.