I HOPE you will afford me equal space as given to Mr Letchford and Mr Goodwin (Letters, April 11 and 18).

Mr Letchford wrote about the St John Ambulance attendance at the FirstAid Music Day. Rapid UK provided cover at the eleventh hour. Having not received an invoice from either party, I am surprised at his comments.

As for Mr Goodwin's comments, let's get a few things right:

l The people who organised all the events, whether they took place or not, actually organised them and did indeed, organise 'efficiently and professionally'. His remarks are an insult to their years of experience and to the artists who were willing to come and perform here

l Okehampton Arts and Music Festival is a tri-annual event. 2001 was not their event year. Therefore how did FirstAid steal their thunder?

l Okehampton FirstAid Music Day 'achieved nothing remotely positive' wrote Mr Goodwin. Again, his remarks are a total and utter insult to all concerned

l Okehampton FirstAid events which did not go ahead were not the fault of the organisers (FirstAid), but the government body who did not provide £70,000-plus match-funding. Those people closely associated with FirstAid know that; they also know that there is one person still fighting to get that money

l '. . . . organised by people who know how to do it properly, and on a scale that is appropriate for the town and its people' It is not only me who is extremely angry by this statement. If Mr Goodwin is going to throw insults he should get his facts correct. He should not slate me or my colleagues, who worked tirelessly to make something 'different' happen in Okehampton, not in competition with other groups, but in support, and to that end, I wish Okehampton Arts and Music Festival every success and the Wren Trust in what they successfully achieve.

Okehampton FirstAid would have achieved its aims had it not been let down by a funding issue.

Finally, are the people of Okehampton as 'shallow' as Mr Goodwin implies . . . do they really think that all current and future events are something to do with Okehampton FirstAid?

Susanne Watt

For and on behalf of Okehampton FirstAid

Okehampton

WHAT a short memory Dave Goodwin has (Letters, April 18). I remember the people of Okehampton saying what a wonderful day they had in the park when the English Symphony Orchestra came.

The organisers, ie, FirstAid, especially Susanne, worked extremely hard to ensure that those who attended had a good time.

It was unfortunate that the funding could not be sorted as planned, but, that's life, as many a businessman will have experienced.

J King