I read the letter from Lesley Everson (What will it take to get our filthy town cleaned?) with some concern.

Firstly, to my knowledge, this lady has lived in the town for less than six months.

The areas she mentions are just a few areas of a town that has many beautiful places, the Lawns, Coate Water, Barbury Castle, Lydiard Park etc.

While like many people I do not like excrement, urine and vomit on our streets, perhaps the question we should be asking is why?

Would some of this be due to problems relating to addiction and homelessness!

Surely this is an area that as a pastor of a church Mrs Everson can help in.

As for sidestepping the drunks, my mind went to the story of the Good Samaritan.

Mrs Everson wonders what people want in this town, perhaps she should ask them and start listening to their replies.

I notice she says she won't be stepping inside the Wyvern Theatre. Well, I have stepped inside and it certainly doesn't reflect the car park. Mrs Everson, the church pastors used that theatre every Sunday for its children's church and were happy to do so.

No, Mrs Emerson, we don't want to see our town go to the dogs, that's why some of us have been believing and praying for it for so many years. We believe we must build it up and speak well of it, as this will have a positive influence.

Letters pulling it down, have the opposite effect.

An old friend of mine used to say, "If you have the vision, you get the job".

What will it take to clean up the town? How about a church of more than a 100 taking the initiative and cleaning up the area they are located in, and ministering to the people in their locality.

L Peachey

Mannington Park