THIS is an open letter to Andy Arkell in response to his letter in the Review of March 26.

Your response to the reports and letters printed in respect of the decision of the committee of Ruardean Woodside Memorial Hall not to hang the cloth in the hall, reads as though you have written on behalf of the committee. This is not surprising considering your relationship with various people who attend the hall either as members, friends or involved in activities.

I came to Ruardean Woodside a few years earlier than you did and I was not a young child but an adult in my 30s. Due to my employment I had to live near to where I was stationed but I retained my home in Ruardean Woodside. Whilst you were attending school and growing up I got to know many, many people in the area. Sadly most of them have now passed away. I think I have attended 45/50 funeral services of residents of Woodside since I fully retired 20 years ago.

I can remember when there was little money in this village. I was one of the few who had a car. I can remember the new houses built around the village, and my own property was on the market for only £400. It was derelict but no-one then could afford to buy it and renovate it. Money was tight. I can also remember the people who are no longer with us giving their services to retain and use the hall. The likes of Mr Parsons, who was chairman, and did his best for the hall. His wife did the cleaning as best as she could. The likes of Mrs Ruck who gave many hours to the club. When Mrs Green passed away her family requested donations for the hall in lieu of flowers (just to mention a few).

Need I go on? Surely you knew all these people in the 36 years you have lived in the area, only 60 yards from the hall. You have seen the comings and goings-on at the hall.

If Mrs Daphne Booth were alive today she would, I am sure, be extremely upset at the attitude of the present committee members towards the hanging of the cloth. Her father was involved in the building of this hall and it bears the title Ruardean Woodside Memorial Hall and not social club. It would appear that the committee members would like to see the hall as a social club similar to Ruardean Hill.

Mrs Booth was treasurer of the hall for many years.

I have not seen one word printed that states that the committee members are not doing a good job. They are and have made excellent progress in getting jobs carried out Times are different now. There is more money about than there was when you were a small child.

With respect to you no one has stated or written that all of the residents of Ruardean Woodside are upset by the decision of the committee members and it is good that you will regularly support the hall in the various evening functions.

The point is that during many, many years the people who are now no longer with us did as much, in their way, for the hall as the present committee are doing. That cloth has hung on the wall for 10 years and suddenly because a coat of paint has been put on the walls it is now considered to be clutter. No other names will be put on that cloth, most of the people are no longer with us and it is, to my mind as a person born outside the Forest, nice to remember the older generation who have used that hall for their meetings for about 50 years.

No-one wants any of the hall committee to resign. As stated, they have done a very good job but they should respect the feelings of the senior citizens who feel that they have been betrayed by the committee members. For goodness sake it is only a cloth in remembrance of people. Who is going to feel insulted by letting it hang in the hall?

Remember Mr Arkell, the Darby and Joan Club has been using the hall for 50 years, not a few years, and it is in memory of senior citizens not all and sundry who now use the hall.

Let us hope the committee members will respect the wishes of the senior citizens of the area and put the cloth back on the wall. Do not let us have childish words like, 'over my dead body,' 'I'll resign if it goes back,' 'clutter, damp walls etc.' Let us hope that the committee members, who give a lot of their time, will revert to the days when the cloth, plus the picture of Mr Harry Toomer – a very much loved and respected centenarian awarded the B.E.M. for his brave work during the pit flood, are hung with pride in the hall.

Whilst appreciating what the present members of the hall do we should not forget the work done in the past. What are the words 'lest we forget'?

Mrs J. P. Pennock, Ruardean Woodside.