Ellee Seymour

 I like this letter in today’s Times. It made me think that this is the time for Muslims to show their Britishness:

As a Muslim myself, I believe that it should not be unreasonable to expect the British Muslim communities to come out and march under the banner of “not in my name�, openly renouncing such acts of terrorism as a repudiation to the true Islamic faith. It seemed possible to mobilise over the Danish cartoons and each time the faith or cultural traditions comes under scrutiny.

In the absence of willingness by British Muslims to expurgate the criminal elements lurking within, they should likewise forgo the right to protest against any reaction from the wider community and actions taken by the security apparatus performing an extremely vital task of keeping everyone safe.

DR SHAAZ MAHBOOB, Hillingdon, Middlesex

Villagers in Norfolk are being trained as traffic cops to advise police on “real, and not perceived” speeding areas.

Of course road safety is important, but I’m pretty sure that parish councils already know their hot spot problem areas.

Eight villagers in Hopton have been trained to use speed guns for the trial scheme and will report the offenders to police. Police are encouraging councils to support the scheme so it can be extended throughout the county.

This is nothing more than policing on the cheap. Let’s see more police officers on the beat in rural areas who get out and about in the community and talk to villagers. That’s the way our policing should be done.

You could one day be driving a car fuelled by chip fat, just like MacDonald’s plans to do with its delivery vehicles in the UK.

This has thrilled my Euro-MP Robert Sturdy, who is a firm believer in biodiesel, and hopes it will boost rapeseed production in the region too which will also be to make the fuel.

I remember Robert telling me about a German MP who is a farmer and produces his own biodiesel which he himself uses in his own vehicles. He made it sound so easy.

We have just issued a press release praising the MacDiesel approach:

Euro-MP Robert Sturdy, who has been championing the cause of biodiesel, is delighted that fast food chain MacDonald’s is to convert its discarded chip fat in the UK to run its delivery vehicles.

It could give a boost to the Eastern region’s rapeseed industry as MacDonald’s intends to use a combination of 85% cooking oil collected from its restaurants, mixed with 15% rapeseed oil to create green fuel. Over half of all rapeseed grown in the UK comes from the Eastern region and the drive towards alternative fuel allows for much needed product diversification in the regions agricultural community.

Mr Sturdy said:

“Following the reform of the sugar sector, which has seen many farms and refineries close and the disastrous handling of the farm payments scheme which resulted in chaos and severe financial difficulties for thousands of farmers, I welcome any attempts to revitalise farming and processing in the Eastern region and throughout the UK.

“For many years, major companies have been criticised for not taking their environmental responsibility seriously. This move by MacDonald’s proves that global companies can take swift and effective action to reduce the impact they have on the environment. I hope it encourages other companies to pursue greener approaches to business management and that MacDonald’s itself expands its scheme to other countries. Although it is a costly and ambitious task, large scale adoption of these greener practices can be financially sustainable for the future.â€?

Mr Sturdy, who is a member of the Environment Committee, said similar schemes have been operating successfully – particularly in Austria – and there are many good practice examples in Europe.

MacDonald’s will collect oil from 900 of its 1,214 outlets each week in the UK, after which the cooking fat will be taken to a separation tank in East Anglia to remove the food particles before being converted to biodiesel at a plant in Buckinghamshire.

MacDonald’s believes it will save more than 1,650 tonnes of carbon every year. This is equivalent to removing over 2,500 cars from the road annually or offsetting annual emissions of over 300 family homes.

It is now 33 years since Elizabeth Swann went missing in early 1974. At the time she had been staying with a brother in Birmingham. Elizabeth said she had accepted a receptionist job in Gloucester and that she intended to hitch-hike there to take it up. She has not been heard from since.  She was 23.

Her family are still desperate to know that Elizabeth is safe and well. Even if she does not want to regain contact, they urge her to make contact with the Missing People charity.

It was around this time that the evil Fred West was abducting and murdering young women in the Gloucester area. Maybe this is just a coincidence, but it is a scary fact too.

In memory of those who are still missing.