The following is a very selected collection of items from past issues of the Echo. It is the personal view of Mike Stevens, one of our team.

Issue 131: November 1997

Elisabeth Johnson, the Teignmouth and Buckfast Close Neighbourhood Watch Co-Ordinator wrote to the echo concerning “Grit/Salt” bins. She had observed that the bins had been emptied a few hours after they had been filled by the Council. Elisabeh observed that the salt/ grit had been removed for ‘Private Use”, people gritting their drives and pavements. This meant there was none remaining for use on the roads and pavements.
Dorren Morton reported on a visit and a meal at the “Pudding Lovers Club” held in a restaurant in Countesthorpe. The meal consisted of a standard starter, followed by 7 puddings: Sticky Toffee, Summer, Guards, Apple Strudel, Marmalade Steamed, Crème brulée and Chocolate Puddings were served. (I'm surprised that there wasn't a “dessert”!!).

Issue 132: December 1997

Amy Letts (than a young teenager) wrote to the Echo expressing her strong disagreement with the proposal to reduce the eight of the hedge which surrounds the Memorial Park. Much wildlife have their homes in the Hedge and these would be destroyed if the hedge was reduced in size.
The Echo Editor responded by expressing disappointment that no other letters had been received concerning the proposed reduction on the hedge height.
A letter from M.A.Chaudry, Chairman of the Evington Road Business Retail Association presented the cases for opposition to the proposed Residents Parking Scheme. This, he wrote would result in a substantial reduction in business for his members, and many would go out of business.
A planning proposal for hot-food takeaway on the premises formerly occupied by the Alliance and Leicester Building Society had been submitted. The Echo commented that “we are perturbed at the lastest planning application ….. we feel that is the last thing we need in the village”
The Echo announced that Stoughton Village had been added to the delivery area.

Two letters supported the view that was mooted previously, to reduce the height of the hedge around the village green. The reasons were varied and included someone reporting that due to the Green being, out-of-sight, acts of vandalism and the under-age drinking of alcohol can be carried on without being observed.
A pinnacle on Evington Chapel was seen to be swaying in a strong wind and had to be removed by the Fire Service.
The Organ in Evington Chapel had a Royal connection. Prince Albert , consort of Queen Victoria was a pipe organ enthusiast. He had an organ built for one of the royal palaces. Subsequently he replaced it with a larger organ and offered the original one for sale. It was bought by Evington Chapel and (in 1998) is still in working order.

Sahnieya Piranie, (then a pupil at Linden Primary School ) sent a letter to the Echo about the “Greenhouse Effect”. This was due partly to car fumes. The letter asked for “a safe way to bring bikes to school and build sheds to put them in so they don't get stolen. Then Mums and Dads won't cause so much car fumes”
More than 300 people turned up on a beautiful day in February to take part in tree planting in the arboretum in aid of LOROS. Members of the public could buy a tree for Christmas or a birthday and plant it in the arboretum.

The front cover and an inside page were devoted to playing Tennis. The contributor of an article that explained how everyone could become involved in the game at a local level, was Anne Tester, currently (2009) the Echo's Distribution Manager. Anne's photo also graced the front cover of issue 135 together with 6 young players. Who were they? Does anyone know?

Nineteen friends and neighbours who lived in the Sedgebrook Road / Earlswood Road / Downing Drive area held a party. It was to celebrate that they had all lived in their present addresses for 40 years since the houses were built by the then well-known local builders, Sherriff.
In the library, Graham Whately-Moore replaced Valerie Clarke who moved to Southfields library on her promotion.

The front page recorded the planting of a tree in Evington Park , a memorial to Anne Frank who hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during the war.
A comprehensive article covered the lives of the famous Snow brothers, C.P., E.E. and Philip. The details were from an interview of Eric Snow by Eileen Wilkowski. One interesting fact was that they lived at 32 Spence field Lane and in 1933 the postal address was “Thurnby” as was the telephone number. For older readers, ‘phone numbers had the town pre-fix before the numbers then.

Concorde Pilot: Paul Griffin was featured on the front page. Paul attended Whitehall and Spencefield schools, took flying lessons at Stoughton , attained his Private Pilot's, Instructor's and Commercial licences. He worked for British Air Ferries and ultimately British Airways. He flew BAC 1-11s and Boeing 747s until he became fully qualified to fly Concorde in June 1998.
Paddy McCarron was appointed as the Echo distribution manager.
There was a further instalment of the Snow brothers story.

Cycling on pavements was the subject of a lengthy letter from Anette Beattie who was born and had been brought up in Denmark . Anette suggested that different categories of traffic should be separated, cyclist and motors. She wrote “All that is needed in my humble view, is an ample supply of white paint” … to designate cycle paths. (It is interesting that as I write these archives (2009), cycle paths are to be found alongside (almost) every major road).
In the “Miscellany” column, there was an advertisement for a trip to Cliff Richard's 40 th anniversary concert at the royal Albert Hall. The cost was £37 for a ticket and coach transport.

The cycling on pavements debate continued with another letter from another reader Elisabeth Johnson, who like Anette Beattie, who was brought up in continental Europe . Mrs Johnson also championed cycle lanes and suggested that merely applying paint to designate them was insufficient. The lanes, in her opinion, should be physically separated from the other part of the road. If not, motor traffic would encroach onto them.
On the same topic, A.R.Stopford expressed the view that attitudes towards cyclists need to change. Road users should realise that every other road user has the same rights as each other and that all users should observe the rules. He also stated that planners had made poor decisions in the past and hoped that in the future the needs of ALL road users should be recognised.