Thanks for all the laughter Bernard

I felt duty bound to say how sorry I am to hear of the passing of Bernard Cribbins.

I met him at Pinewood Studios in 1994 when they were honouring Carry On! director Gerald Thomas.

From the countless films he made and the one-off comedy-drama Dangerous Davies, to the Railway Children, Dr Who film and TV and those humorous songs he recorded in the early sixties..Hole in the ground..Right said Fred...Gossip Calypso ..all of them observations but none of them offensive.

It was British comedy at its best, no swearing, not a bad word to say about anyone and Bernard, God Rest His Soul, knew exactly how to play his part.

Thank-you Bernard for all the laughter you have given us and for the short time I met you at Pinewood.

Alan Thompson

Music Memories and

Groove Britain

Swindon 105.5 FM

Macron delights in punishing the UK

Brexit is not to 'blame' for the decision of the French to only staff 50 per cent of the booths, or to apply a strict policy of stamping passports.

The UK was never part of the Schengen and travellers have always been subject to passport controls.

As a regular visitor to Portugal for over 50 years I witnessed a change I procedures, but Portugal is Britain's oldest ally, while France is anything but.

The UK is not a part of the political construct of the EU.

Macron, a weakened president, takes great delight in punishing the UK for leaving.

Des Morgan

Caraway Drive

Swindon

Meals make all the difference to Fridah

As we approach the International Day of Friendship (30 July), Mary’s Meals is celebrating heart-warming stories of hope and camaraderie from around the world.

Mary’s Meals is a charity that serves nutritious school meals in 20 of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a good meal attracts hungry children into the classroom where, instead of working or looking for food, they can gain an education.

As your readers will know, the classroom is also where lifelong friendships are made. Friendships like that of Fridah and Annette, from Zambia.

Fridah’s life changed forever when she fell ill with an undiagnosed illness, losing all ability to move and communicate. Luckily, she has a wonderful friend in Annette.

The two girls attend school together, where they eat Mary’s Meals.

Despite the challenges she faces, Fridah is determined to get an education. She uses her toes to write and turn the pages of her books.

Fridah dreams of becoming a professional footballer when she is older. With our nutritious school meals giving her the energy to learn and play, and a good friend like Annette by her side, we hope she will achieve her dream.

It costs just 8p a day to feed a child with Mary’s Meals, meaning every donation – no matter how small – will make an enormous difference.

For more information, please visit marysmeals.org.uk

Thomas Black

Head of major giving and partnerships

Mary’s Meals

Have a view on the news? Email a letter to the editor at letters@swindonadvertiser.co.uk