As a resident, I accept that we do have some problems, and I am glad that the subject of activities for youths is now firmly on the agenda.

Young people have loads of energy and they really need wide open spaces to socialise in and have fun.

As a football club, we provide many activities for the young people, and have been doing since 2005.

Our pitches at Round Spinney are easily and safely accessed from Thorplands over the Bower Walk Footbridge.

In addition to football teams, training events and tournaments, we have regularly organised community events, including an annual youth trophy presentation and a Christmas Party with disco, at Lings Forum.

The activities we organise are well supported by parents and their children, all working, volunteering and socialising together for the benefit of Thorplands.

We also produce a community club magazine free to all who are interested, this can also be downloaded from our website which has full details of the club at:www.thorplandsunitedfc.co.uk.

I am very proud of all our young people who have worked hard to gain football qualifications through our training programme, organised by Northamptonshire Football Association.

The qualifications require hard work, commitment to volunteering and personal awareness.

I agree with community safety Inspector John McKinney when he says "one of the key pieces of work is creating better community networks".

If he cares to come along to our Christmas party he will see a great community network in action.

As fund-raiser for the club, we do need funding to make our community network stronger and sustainable, so I do hope Thorplands United Football Club will receive some of the £60,000 set aside for this purpose.

Give us the funding and we will do the work.
Jim O'Rourke,
Vice-chairman, Thorplands United Football Club, Northampton.

Government help for troubled area
In response to the editorial in the Chron on Thursday, I note the question asked over whether the Government is aware of what is happening in Thorplands.

The answer is yes.

Over the past 10 years the Labour Government has done more than any other party ever has to tackle the causes of poverty and its associated problems.

The piece rightly compliments the work that goes on in the nine Government-funded Surestart and childcare centres in Northampton North yet the Conservatives, including Iain Duncan Smith, voted against them and even now fail to give reassurances that they won't close them if they got into power.

In addition to the visits by Tony McNulty MP, Louise Casey, the Home Office official charged with finding a way to combat anti-social behaviour, has also visited Thorplands.

The estate has also recently received extra funding from the Government.

So the Labour Government knows exactly from first hand experience what is going on in this particular area and knows how intractable the problems are.

We believe the best way out of poverty is to find work that pays.

We accept that some people might at first find this difficult but with initiatives such as Surestart and help with childcare and the generous tax credits families will be able to break the cycle of poverty themselves.

In addition the long term unemployed are supported through the New Deal and opportunities to retrain.

We have also directed help at families with children to break the vicious cycle of poverty.

Tackling poverty ultimately requires Government to commit long term funding.

The Tories and Lib Dems have consistently voted against these programmes and now the Lib Dems are committed to £20 billion spending cuts.

These hard-pressed communities need action not words and the Labour Government is the only party that has a proven track record of support for these communities.
Sally Keeble MP,
Northampton North.

This is just the start of protest
Having read the report in Thursday's edition of your paper on the decision by Northamptonshire County Council to grant a 50-year lease to a commercial sports development company for land at Thomas Becket School, Northampton, may I point out that the lease will only be activated if Playfootball Ltd receives planning permission and a licence for the project, decisions which rest with the borough council.

So while this outcome was certainly disappointing for residents, it is just the first stage in this campaign.

Frankly, anyone attending the hearing could not but realise that it was a fait accompli.

Councillor Andrew Grant, who took the decision sitting alone, albeit advised by his council officer, admitted as much in his opening remarks.

However, he did also say in conclusion: "A lot of what has been said today will fall at the next stage.

This does not mean the lease is granted, it is just the start.

There are very valid concerns. It may be that this will never happen."
Pat Percival,
Residents' Action Group, Parklands, Northampton.

Foreigners may play for England
It is an interesting point that P W Attreed makes with regard to being denied the opportunity to watch the England football team play vital games on terrestrial TV.

I think the European Union wishes to extinguish patriotism.

It is an establishment that wishes to trade business and prevent wars between its members and against its members. Big business is its raison d'etre.

Soon it will be possible to play for a member state if you are an EU resident and play in that particular national league.

Already people state that the English Premier League is the best in the world, while recognising the lack of English players playing!

This is the erosion of patriotism.

When England win another World Cup with six different European nationalities playing in the team, will it feel as good?

When England lose will it feel as bad?

Will it matter at all if you can't see it?

Does the average man on a British street matter?

Only when a bank needs our tax, to help bail out the profligate management that take millions for a bonus in a year.

Only when we need to send our troops to defend our trading channels.

How do we differentiate patriotism between the two?

If you incur appalling injuries fighting for the cause, there is no gratitude.

The MoD actually fights against you if you dare to ask for compensation.

If you are a banker?

Courtesy of the tax payer, we give them billions immediately to overcome their stupidity to save US!

England matters to the man on the street.

Big business matters to those in parliament.
Ray Brown,
Lynton Avenue, Whitehills, Northampton.

Car booters' plea
WHY doesn't the council allow Northampton Market Square to be used by car-booters on a Sunday morning?

This was immensely popular a few years ago and also appreciated by non-drivers like myself, who are unable to get to Overstone, Cogenhoe etc.
Pam Hogan,
West Ridge, Northampton.

Glorious sight over Sywell
As an avid supporter and follower of Avro Vulcan XH558, I was delighted that the people of Northamptonshire were treated to the glorious sight of her in the sky over Sywell on September 18.

After a long restoration project, funded by the general public and a Heritage Lottery grant, she is finally back where she belongs.

We now need to make sure she continues to educate young and old in her role as British engineering at its best for generations to come.

If any of your readers would like to help this project by becoming members of The Vulcan To The Sky Club then I would urge them to visit www.vulcantothesky.com and look at the many advantages there are in joining this rapidly growing supporters club.

The club motto is Honouring the Past and Inspiring the Future and I for one will continue to make sure she does.
Sarah Favell,
Crabtree Lane, Cold Ashby.
See our Vulcan video on the Chron's website: www.northamptonchron.co.uk/video/ Vulcan-swoops-over-Sywell-Aerodrome. 4508665.jp