I REFER to a news report giving a comprehensive overview of Swindon residents’ health of 27 March. This review makes no mention of the strength and power of the mind that plays a positive and highly significant role throughout life’s journey, to enrich the heart, soul and the ever challenging quality of life.

Seven years ago, following two major operations on my left leg, I was registered severely disabled. However, my mind stepped in and said “no, you’re not — get on with it girl!” And so my mind is as active and alert today as it has always been and keeps my body in check.

I firmly believe that to have an absorbing hobby and/or stimulating area of interest will nourish and sustain our mental ‘workshop’ beyond the need for pills, drugs and daily visits to the doctor’s surgery.

A tremendous example of a life well endowed intellectually, who lived life to the full, was a gentleman called Harry Beckhough, who lived in Marlborough and died recently at the splendid age of 101!

Harry was a colonel in the Intelligence Corps and a code breaker at Bletchley Park during WW2.

He has been described as a wonderful campaigner for many organisations who was very well known and highly regarded. His conversations and breadth of knowledge were always stimulating and uplifting, a gem of great maturity and dignity.

The great importance of mind over matter cannot be overstressed. It is the jewel in the crown beyond every physical disability and all who are impaired, whatever their incapacity, deserve the utmost respect, not to be patronised or treated differently, everybody’s life is precious and of equal value.

All who are privileged to care for our fellow beings, from the cradle to the grave are in a position to stimulate the mind of those in need, to inspire and make them feel valued with the crucial empowerment of tender loving care, to make the gift of life a truly wonderful journey.

MARY RATCLIFFE

(90 years young)

Old Town

Swindon

THERE are several correspondents to the Adver letters page who yearn for the return of the death penalty to the UK. This is never going to happen.

According to a recent survey by the British Social Attitudes, support for the death penalty has fallen to 48 per cent. In 1986, support stood at 74 per cent.

Many times, I have heard it said that the death penalty would act as a deterrent. If this is the case, why is it that countries around the world, i.e. America and China amongst others, that still use the death penalty still have crimes committed that is punishable by death?

The death penalty, like war, is legalised murder.

MARTIN WEBB

Swindon Road

Swindon

SOME of your readers might be interested to know that in April last year an Anglo-Saxon document, dated to just before the Norman Conquest, was discovered. There were difficulties of translation due to the presence of idioms and vocabulary not usually associated with surviving Anglo-Saxon literature, but the following is generally reckoned to be the best possible rendering:

“These Danes – they came over here, stealing our women and plundering our monasteries and what did that King Alfred the (so called) Great do? He went and signed a treaty with them! We’ve been paying for his stupidity and reason ever since! Even our noble Anglo-Saxon language has been so corrupted by Danish that it is rapidly turning into something called ‘English’. And now our good King Harold has to go rushing away to deal with yet another bunch of would be Northern immigrants when he should be staying here to deal with that Southern menace William of Normandy. Now if he gets his foot on our shores, we’ll probably all end up speaking French! We might even end up being part of Europe!”

It must be noted that the authenticity of this document has been questioned.

FRANK HARVEY

Waite Meads Close

Purton

Swindon

REGARDING the letter ‘Give us our own space’, I had to laugh at this, sorry. I don’t know if Mr Kazim was born in this country or not, but when you live in any country in the world, you abide by the laws of the land and not the laws of your religion. Yes, you are free to have your religion but to have a state of one area for a religion is pathetic. Why don’t you go to a Muslim country that expresses your wishes and not dictate your wishes to us. If this country is not good enough for you then why stay here?

In my opinion white, black, Asian, different religions etc are best sticking together and abide by the laws of this land which gives a sense of togetherness and the choice is if you are not happy, you vote democratically to change the law, not to isolate yourself, which will only bring hatred between cultures.

KYLE FRANCOME

Oxford Road

Swindon

MAY I thank P J Mills for his kind words. In reply to William Abraham after I stopped laughing, I agree William, I was hooked line and sinker at the first cast. It doesn't happen to me very often, I grew a very bushy tail at an early age, a necessity for survival in the tenement slums of the East End of Glasgow. Trust me on that one.

To add to my annoyance, when I walked the dog past this chip shop I didn't notice any large queues forming out into the street. The real salt in the wound was that five hundred yards up the road I passed a chip shop charging £5.95 for the same order.

I picked up a menu from the establishment mentioned and let the Adver letters editor see it. I wouldn't have believed it myself unless I saw it in black and white.

BILL WILLIAMS

Merlin Way

Swindon