Dear Editor,
Every second Sunday I go to The Castle for the Karoake Contest.  I have been singing in it now for about a year and it's really good fun to do.  I thought that I would never get to the big final, but on Sunday the 7th February I sang 'Bat Out Of Hell' by Meatloaf and 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love' by the Blues Brothers.  Then later on that night the DJ gave out the results and now I am in the Final on the 21st March.
I would just like to thank al my friends in The Castle who cheered me on all the time.
  Matthew Neal.

Melrose, Massachusetts, USA.
Dear Friends,
Just a short note to express our sincere thanks to the village of West Coker.  During our short stay from April to November, the many kindnesses shown to us made our welcome all the more dear.  A sudden illness with my father-in-law (and subsequent diagnosis of early Alzheimer's) has caused us to interrupt our early retirement and return to the States.
The months Fred and I spent in West Coker were among the happiest in our lives.  Our hearts are still there and we look forward to the day when we can return.  A special mention of our good friend and neighbour, Ted Mason, our friends and landlord Frank and Vimond Goddard, Barbara Martin, Deryck and Margaret Hudson, Stuart Saunders, the cast of 'South Pacific', Carl and Pam, the Post Office ladies and our other neighbours,

John and Pam, Dave and Cathy and Jill.  From our first day at 1, Churchill Close, everyone made us feel we were truly part of the community.
May we wish you every success with all your undertakings, including the Primrose Hill Millennium Project.  How lucky you are to live in a village like West Coker!  All our good wishes.
Sincerely,
Fred and Helene Voto

Dear Editor,
It seems necessary to bring to an end the speculation within the village arising from the event reported by Fred McLoughlin in the January issue and kept alive by your anonymous correspondent in the February issue.  I would not wish the finger of suspicion to be directed at any of the handful of cyclists to be seen regularly in the village.
I cannot vouch for the date but I recall an occasion when I was as surprised to see Fred as he was to see me between the lights in High Street.
I remember the situation when in the absence of traffic in either direction I approached the lights going towards the Square and they were red.  So I stopped as usual, however a cyclist does not always trigger the automatic change and hearing no traffic behind me or coming towards me, I set off in anticipation of the lights changing (I am impatient by nature and do not claim this as a virtue).
I do not defend my action or seek to excuse contravening the law.  I report the facts in explanation.
What I would claim however is

that no children or other persons witnessed my 'poor example' for which I sincerely apologise and I'm sure Fred would accept neither his nor my safety was threatened by my 'dangerous' behaviour.
Yours sincerely,
  Alan Selley

Dear Editor,
I would like to use the pages of The Ropewalker to thank the doctors and staff of West Coker Surgery and the para-medics and staff of Yeovil Hospital for their kindness and help during my husband Eddie's illness and death.
May I also thank our relatives and friends in West Coker for their cards and donations.
Yours sincerely,
  Mrs Ruth Willshere

Letters to the Editor may be left at the village Post Office or at 20, Manor Street, West Coker.