In your own write

correspondence columns finds old friends in fine form as well as some newcomers

MOST, if not all, national and regional daily and weekly newspapers have one thing in common - readers' letters. It is here that the opinions and concerns of the readership are expressed. And the Evening Press is no exception.

Once again Evening Press readers have provided the editor with an assortment of correspondence, not necessarily always polite and occasionally unsuitable for publication!

Many correspondents are well known to our regular readers. In the first three editions in 2002, half the published letters were from people who had been prolific correspondents in the previous year.

January also provided many letters on three topics that would recur as the year unfolded. The fortune/future of York City Football Club, an apparent inadequacy in the local bus service and views on the proposed Coppergate development. Three grateful users of York Women's Aid wrote to say thank you.

David Potter had the distinction of having two letters printed on the same day in February. We must own up to an editorial slip up. The intended rise in the council tax did not please (it won't this year) nor did the proposals to move the City Archives to the university.

The debate about whether the paper should switch from broadsheet to tabloid was fairly inclusive with 14 letters appearing on the 22nd.

Was it spring fever that caused the naughty gnomes of Goodramgate to cause offence in March? Meanwhile, a woman from New Hampshire wrote in search of a map. Regrettably, we don't know if she found one.

In April beggars found their place in our pages with requests that they should be made to play decent tunes. As the tourist season began to gain momentum there were gripes about the frequency and overcrowding of the park and ride buses.

It was only May, yet complaints erupted about the cost of the York Theatre Royal pantomime tickets. Judging by the number of people who ultimately attended the Berwick Kaler extravaganza, ticket prices did not prove to be much of a disincentive.

May was also the month when lack of cyclists' prosecution, less than helpful road markings and entry charges for York Minster all caused hackles to rise. A growing number of requests for help in filling gaps in family trees were being published.

Half way through the year and the long-running cycle/motorist battle between two regulars to the letters page had barely surfaced. Had the combatants buried the hatchet?

Planning issues and affordable houses exercised some readers in June, as did the sense (or otherwise) of wearing cycle helmets. This was the month we were honoured by a letter from the Queen.

Everyone is entitled to a view and a visit to the European battlefields by a York school and especially wreath-laying sparked a number of letters. It is not often our editor steps in, but it was this topic that prompted her intervention.

August saw the pros and cons of re-introducing the death penalty being aired.

Most correspondents conclude their letters with a forename or initials. Titles are a rarity but it was this month that Sergeant Major (ret) Holmes decided to take a retired major to task.

In September news that there had possibly been a change in the type of residents located in the York bail hostel caused anger. And it was refreshing to hear from a satisfied customer of Virgin Rail.

At this time of year gardening activity is beginning to wane so the apparent lack of attention to the many roundabouts was raised. What impression do the 'jungles' give to visitors, one correspondent asked?

A national issue raised in November was the industrial action by fire officers. Locally, traffic-calming measures came to the fore again - especially the effects that the proposed train service from Haxby and Strensall could have on traffic volume.

And so the year drew to a close with the realisation that from the beginning of 2003 the St Sampson Centre would not be available to charities and consequently would be closed on Mondays. Thanks were given to all the volunteers at the centre.

During the year many letters came from overseas. Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the States were common sources, but the Press is also read in Iceland and Brussels, judging by the addresses given by some.

It would perhaps be invidious to mention the variety of names that appeared in print. Two unusual ones that caught my eye were Honoraria and Daniella, that was in addition to Cherie Booth and Mad Alice!

In recent years there has been a deluge from a correspondent living in Cockermouth, but this has dried up. Is the writer from Aston University, Birmingham becoming our replacement 'foreign correspondent'?

In summary, the Press has been well served by its letter writers. In 310 editions, 1961 general letters were published with a further 131 appearing in the sports pages.

These latter ones concentrated on issues surrounding the football and rugby league clubs.

Correspondents ranged from Members of Parliament, local councillors (Tracey Simpson Laing topped the chart from this group), youngsters and pensioners, not forgetting one guinea pig.

Excluding the animal, letters from 1,330 different authors were published. As always the Chrises and Pats caused a problem but at least 31 per cent came from women.

Who, then, have been the most active letter writers? A few new names appear on our list, notably Fred Henley, from Seaton Ross, who has done his best to champion the cause of the farming community.

Equally, some prolific correspondents of previous years have failed to catch the editor's eye so often.

Our women continue to cover a variety of topics and in addition to the councillor, Mrs Ida Mary Goodrick and Annie Wright all appeared nine times in print. Pam Egan (13) and Heather Causnett (15) were outshone once more by Margaret Lawson who, with 20 letters, managed to cover an interesting and varied range of subjects.

Whether our male letter writers have more time to put pen to paper is open to speculation.

Clearly some have more to say than others as demonstrated by Phil Shepherdson (12), Stuart Wilson (13), Dr Duncan Campbell, Colin Henson, Mike Usherwood and Dale Minks, all with 14. Ben Drake and Graham Horne tied with 15 letters to their credit while David Quarrie appeared 18 times.

Moving into the super league we find Keith Chapman (20) and Robert Lamb (23) chasing our letter write of the year, PR Willey, with 25 contributions. Of the eight contributors who had letters published in the first three days in January, seven have been named above.

Without a response from readers our paper would be the poorer.

But, unlike the nationals, it lacks pithy 25 words or less items which are quite inconsequential but usually raise a smile. Over to you...

Updated: 12:25 Friday, January 10, 2003