I read with interest the comments made by Coun Lawrence Ross (Letters, March 18) regarding my recent letter (March 11) and was most surprised by them.

Whilst talking about tourism, he writes about my 'lack of enthusiasm on his part’ and further adds, ‘why so few of the initiatives he has talked about have come to fruition? Firstly I cannot believe what I read. Let me take Coun Ross back a few years and remind him of my ‘lack of enthusiasm’. In 1996-97 I was town mayor of Otley – a great Honour. I took on the greatest challenge as mayor, by promising to raise over £15,000 for various charities. I checked up regarding using the Civic Centre, and found that the lease, which the town council had taken from Leeds City Council, severely restricted the use of this building. I had plans to hold antique fairs, book and record fairs, table top sales, etc, but was unable to do so because of the rules in the lease. Nevertheless I was able to stage an event, Otley Sports Hobbies and Pastimes, which promoted Otley and its organisations.

Another outcome of my mayoral year was the starting of the Otley Vintage Transport Extravaganza. This is now in its 13th year (one rained off; one cancelled due to foot and mouth) and attracts around 5,000-plus people each year. It is one of the few events in the town not to be supported by the town council, even though it is usually supported by the town mayor and local MP.

Also, that year I took on Leeds City Council by writing to all the city councillors and the market department to change the rules on car boot sales in the Leeds area. Prior to this Leeds City Council would not allow them to take place. I wrote out a report and, working with Mr Torchillo, we were able to get the city council to alter their rules. This change of rules allowed the old Bridge End and the Leeds Road Auction Mart to operate and also allowed many other fundraisers and charities to benefit from this change.

A number of years ago the then town clerk, Les Cross, approached me as the town had no Christmas lights. The old ones were stored in the old Manor House stables along with the “cherry-picker” used to put them up. This equipment was smashed up by vandals and the town faced Christmas without lights. I was the one who fixed up the dealing with Leeds City Council, including at my own expense and time visiting their depot at Seacroft. Not only that but I built up the lights in Otley from around 20 pieces to 50-plus pieces.

Also at the Christmas light turn on, I managed to bring along Adrian Cousins, from Leeds United, Sergo Pinto and Mark Schwarzer, from Bradford City, and Christopher Smith, from Emmerdale. To finish off the night we had Glitter and Twisted band. It brought one of the biggest crowds Otley has ever seen for the turning on of the lights.

Twice I have saved the Victorian Fayre, once by running a small show when the firefighters’ strike was on and once when Mike Gittings called a meeting to end the fayre. I stepped in, took over the running and saved the fayre.

The list of events, community radio stations, concerts, etc, could fill your newspaper. I do an event and then get on with the next. Last Christmas I staged a concert at Ilkley for over 400 people with the Yorkshire Fellowship Band of the Salvation Army and raised £500 for them. This year I am working on another concert with another band and hope to pass on the money to another worthwhile charity.

One of the greatest tributes which someone said of me recently was that I was like the late Councillor Norman Hindle, a man for Otley and all its people. I will, as long as I am able, continue to work to promote Otley, its people and its beautiful scenery.

Councillor Nigel Francis

Otley Town Council

YAODS thanks all for anniversary support

May I, on behalf of all the members of Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, and through the medium of your newspaper, extend a very sincere thank you to all our wonderful audiences who supported and contributed so much to make our 80th anniversary production of Gypsy such a resounding success.

May I also take this opportunity to thank your correspondent, Rachel O’Connor, for her feature article on our society’s 80-year history.

Many months of dedicated application is needed, both on and off stage to bring all the elements of a production together. This year we have been able to successfully blend a cast of all ages, from seven years to 70 years, and in so doing, creating the most wonderful team spirit, which in the outside world is often non-existent.

The hugely emotional experience of welcoming and performing in front of so many hundreds of people, with capacity audiences for all five nights of the show has made all the hours of hard work and rehearsal totally worthwhile.

We will all have happy memories of Gypsy for many years to come.

On behalf of everyone at YAODS, may I thank you for your vital support and hope that you will join us again for our play Flint Street Nativity from October 6 to 9, our Christmas Concert on Friday, December 17, and particularly with your families for our 2011 musical production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast from March 15 to 19, 2011.

Bryan Stott

President, Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society

Gardeners and naturalists urged to treat bees with kindness

A few lines in your newspaper might benefit the honey bees, bumble bees and other pollinating insects. It is likely that the severest winter for many years will have caused losses in the bee population where colonies were insufficiently strong to withstand the very low temperatures though some of those losses will be due to starvation caused by amateur beekeepers ‘stealing’ the bees’ honey gathered for over-wintering. Sadly it is an all-too-common practice and not just with beginners.

Gardeners, naturalists and anyone else concerned for bee welfare are advised to treat kindly any swarms that may land in their property or any bumble-bees who take up residence in the compost heap. Even the much maligned wasp does immense good for the planet and should be spared. All these insects do more good for poor old Mother Earth than the whole human race put together and it is at last refreshing that more people are aware of it.

The spraying of any flowers on warm sunlit days by gardeners and farmers does no good to anyone.

Beekeepers are usually available from local associations to deal with accessible swarms and such details are kept by the police.

Ken Pickles

Park Crescent, Addingham

To change the system, you must use your vote

In response to Malcolm Naylor’s Letter (Observer, March 11) in which he calls for change in the way the political system works, I wholeheartedly agree, but believe that it is necessary to work within the system to change it, which is why I urge everyone to use their vote.

On major issues it should be possible for groups of concerned citizens to call for a referendum, binding on the government, such as happens in Switzerland. More power needs to come back to local councils, and the new regional planning authorities which can overrule the the wishes of local people should be scrapped. If those of us who are not politicians do nothing, and don’t even bother to vote, then we should not be surprised if the present mis-management by the major parties continues.

David Dews

UKIP Parliamentary candidate for Pudsey

Wharfedale Guides plan centenary church service

The members of Girlguiding Wharfedale are aware that many people in Ilkley have an interest in what is happening during this centenary year. Indeed, your newspaper has been very generous in giving lots of space to report our activities and we have had good feedback from wellwishers.

We would like to offer this open invitation: A warm welcome will be extended to all those who have been members of the association in any capacity but especially those who have volunteered help over the years as leaders or supported in other helpful ways when we hold our Celebratory Centenary Service on Sunday, April 25.

The service will be ‘girl led’ and loads of fun. It will take place in All Saints’ Church, Ilkley, at 2.30pm so it would be wise to be seated well before then. The division standard and unit flags will be paraded. There may be some people who remember actually sewing the standard about 35 years ago – come and see it in all its glory for it tells the story of Wharfedale.

We look forward to seeing many happy faces that day and hope that a lot of your readers will be among them.

Ann Peacock

PR Girlguiding Wharfedale

The Clitheroe Kid Radio Show

Can your readers help a group of OTR (Old Time Radio) enthusiasts preserve one of Britain’s best loved radio comedies? At the peak of its popularity in the 1960s BBC’s The Clitheroe Kid Radio Show, starring Jimmy Clitheroe, attracted 10 million listeners. Existing episodes are still aired today on BBC Radio 7. The BBC only retained a small percentage of the shows made. Fortunately with reel-to-reel and cassette recording in the home commonplace at this time they may still exist. If you have any such recordings please contact me.

Derek Boyes

29 Main Street, Cayton, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO11 3RS

thekidhimself@hotmail.co.uk