Letters

I felt the answer to this was included in a news item of 1 April. It talked about the wages of sport personalities; one 20 year old was reputed to have turned down a salary of £120,000 a week, while another collects an ordinary person's lifetime earnings in a month. So, as well as encouraging entry into this area, we will also major in the other skills to be successful in modern life, such as grooming for reality and quiz shows with special classes for exceptional students to take the banking course.

Now some parents will look at the prospectus and may well have second thoughts as the academy has neither site nor staff. However, I can reassure them that historically these haven't been barriers to success and I can settle their doubts as one of the most important aspects of school life, uniform, has been settled.

While it may take a few years for the academy to be up and running, all I would ask parents to do is to express an interest today through the usual channels.

Bob Pixton

Abney Moor

Swindon

Like all Adver readers, I was appalled to read of the pending deportation of Jackey Collyer and Andy Carter. No doubt if Jackey was dressed like the teenagers from East London (who have been prevented from leaving the country by a court order) she would be allowed to stay. If you need to be earning £18,600 to remain in Britain, can we look forward to thousands of immigrants leaving en masse? I doubt it. I thought the Swindon Advertiser comment on that day was a well written piece of journalism; by contrast we had Jhavinda Kazim writing to say Muslims need their own space. The content of his letter was plain – no intention of interfusion with the British way of life. He says this would be a good thing for Muslims and most Brits think so too!

May I suggest Saudi Arabia – plenty of room there, or one of the hundreds of uninhabited islands around Scotland, e.g. St Kilda or Gruinard?

F Gleed

West View

Swindon

There was a very sad story recently of the couple who had their car window smashed at the crematorium in Swindon. They were attending the funeral of their grandmother, and the whole point of a funeral service is to help people move closer towards acceptance regarding the loss of a loved one.

Having their windows smashed during the funeral will damage the normal grieving process. Part of the funeral cost should in future include the cost of patrolling the car park to guard against such vandalism.

If the vandal is ever caught, then the punishment should take into account the extreme emotional vulnerability that people are suffering at a time of bereavement, and the need to maintain a tranquil atmosphere during the funeral services at the crematorium in Swindon.

Steve Halden

Beaufort Green

Swindon

I would like to pass comment on two letters recently published. 'The Focus is all wrong' from Mike Spry of 26 March, also, 'In danger of division' from Guy Green of 1 April. Mike Spry says: "Again and again we read in the SA letters page the same 'tirade' of half truths with personal and religious abuse in abundance." Apparently what Mike Spry writes is without blemish!

Name names and letters Mike Spry, not sly digs-honest debate! Guy Green says, "I fear all his comments will be to drive into a frenzy those commentators who seek to create division." Again, letters and names of the correspondents please Guy Green, not your usual comments.

Steve Nibbs

Milton Road

Swindon

I would like to say how pleased I am that Eastenders' longest serving cast member Adam Woodyatt, is appearing in this year's Wyvern pantomime, Snow White And The Seven Dwarves.

This will be the second time this gentleman has performed panto in Swindon and I would like to wish the Wyvern every success with this festive show.

Maisie Cotter

Bevisland

Swindon

Like most of Swindon I heard the good news about a new Honda Civic coming to Swindon but as a bit of a cynic I tend to mistrust most news items, so instead read between the lines.

I am the proud owner of my second new CRV and can honestly say they are the best cars I have ever owned. But as an ex trade union shop steward I have to take the role of agent provocateur on this one.

So, let’s look at this information from a different viewpoint and see how it shapes up. Honda make three models in Swindon but intend to take the Jazz to either Japan or India, depending on which story you read, and my next CRV will be coming from Canada.

This means Swindon will have all its eggs in one basket and if the new car does not sell well, or we leave the EU, then it could be goodbye Swindon.

Is Honda planning ahead just in case? I think so, with only one model to move or more likely to run down slowly, the next new Civic could easily end up somewhere like Holland or France which will still be in the EU.

Honda's responsibility is to its shareholders, not Swindon, and if the EU changes the rules on imports from Britain after we leave, then selling cars there could be a very hard job indeed.

Ask any business man or woman what they think about putting all your eggs in one basket and you will get the same reply from all of them - not a good business idea at all.

Can you imagine your stockbroker telling you to only buy one company’s shares or the local garden centre only stocking roses - neither would last long.

You need to have more than one string to your bow in order to play music that pleases everyone.

We build some of the best cars in the world here in Swindon but that will count for nothing if the rules change or the car does not do well in the showrooms of the world.

Sorry to be such a pessimist but life has taught me to look at both sides of the coin before it’s tossed into the air.

Roy Cartwright

Covingham

Swindon