SIR, I was saddened to read that The National Lottery had decided not to give a grant towards the WI and Village Hall in Arnside (Gazette, May 9). I was horrified to read that the reasons for the decision were that the project did not serve the ethnic communities nor was it a project that would combat discrimination.

The world of political correctness appears to have gone mad! As a Yorkshireman who now lives in Lancashire, do I not qualify to be an ethnic minority'? Furthermore, as I am frequently subjected to the local banter that, "A Yorkshireman is no'wt but a Lancastrian with his brains kicked out" could I not accuse the community of Silverdale with institutional racism?

Surely we are all part of the greater community the long, the short, the black, the white, the hairy and the hairless? By segregating and separating members of the human race into isolated groups we foster the sort of disharmony which we now see resulting in the dangerous growth of extreme right wing political groups. Political correctness, if allowed to pursue its present course, can only result in the growth of a very disunited kingdom.

Many years ago I had some 60 Ugandan Asian children placed in my school. They and their parents had been ejected from Uganda by Idi Amin. They had few possessions and were housed in an old army camp nearby. They became model pupils, integrated quickly, worked extremely hard and they were all were intensely grateful for the opportunities which were given to them. Today those same people have become doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, business people and store-owners. They continue to make a most valuable contribution to British life.

Is this just a case of God helps those who help themselves' or has today's political correctness created a nanny state where everyone is so afraid of falling foul of laws on discrimination that we are too busy looking over our shoulders to be able to see what is clearly the best way ahead for everyone in the community?

Brian Scragg

Silverdale

n SIR, Further to your article (Gazette, May 9) it may be helpful for your readers to be aware that the Community Fund has provided a great deal of support to voluntary organisations and community groups in South Lakeland. For example, many of the voluntary organisations based in Stricklandgate House have received funding from the Community Fund.

The Community Fund publishes well in advance its aims and priority areas for each financial year. At the Council for Voluntary Action South Lakeland (CVASL) Annual General Meeting on June 20, 2002 the Community Fund regional manager gave the keynote speech on Community Fund priorities for 2003/04.

He stated that while priority groups and areas were being targeted this did not prevent voluntary and community groups submitting applications for schemes outside these priority areas. As with all applications to the Community Fund each application will be considered on its merits as well as in relation to its relevance to Community Fund priorities.

While I understand that it is disappointing when an application is unsuccessful I hope that the experience of one community group does not prevent others from making applications to the Community Fund.

David Jones, Chief officer

CVA South Lakeland

May 16, 2003 11:30