Dear editor, thank you for putting this information in your magazine, about the children from Belarus, this will highlight the great time we all had and hopefully other host families would like to come on board for a fantastic four weeks next year. A months visit will hopefully add two years to their life's and I for one would love to give this again to another child...or children, like we had this year. Lera was a beautiful girl and as a family we grew to love her very much, with Lera speaking very good English this made things a little more comfortable, as my Russian is terrible. Vanya loved the firestation visit, as his own father is a fireman and he couldn't get over the difference in the fire equipment. From a very shy boy at the beginning of the month he came out of his shell and sang solo at Carngie, what a wonderful treat for all of us.

Thank you again and roll on next year
Mrs J. Cosgrove

Well done Brian Soutar of Stagecoach, at long last Scotland has someone with vision who is working to relieve the congestion on the Forth Road Bridge. In a recent article published in a local free editorial, I read with interest his proposed plans to purchase and operate a 350 passenger ferry between Burntisland and Leith. The sooner this happens the better. I believe Burntisland is an ideal choice to operate from. All this talk about another bridge will not resolve the traffic problem. The Forth Road Bridge itself is not the problem it is what happens to the traffic when it travels from North to South, where does it go on the south side? Good question either along the dual carraigeway to Barnton, Edinburgh or along the single lane A8000 towards Newbridge (both are bottlenecks at peak times). These routes need to be upgraded to motorway status. A properly run ferry which intigrates with other public transport facilities is the perfect answer. Thank you Brian Soutar

Mrs Gilhooley, West Lothian