Letters: Great to see Capital give its backing to the armed forces

I WAS fortunate enough to be on the Royal Mile for Armed Forces Day on Saturday. The streets were lined with people who gave them the encouragement and respect that they deserved during these times of conflict.

They were led by a band from the Royal Regiment of Scotland and followed by the Royal Navy, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards the Air Force and veterans.

I felt proud as I watched our armed forces and veterans making their way to Princes Street Gardens.

I was unable to get down to the gardens this year, but I was glad to see that Edinburgh is to host Armed Forces Day next year.

Many of the young men on parade on Saturday have already been in hot spots such as Iraq and Afghanistan and the chances of them going back to hostile areas are still high.

I was glad to see the people of Edinburgh and further afield turning out to line the route for our boys, because they need everyone's support.

Next year's event should draw out more people who will line the streets. When the time is right our forces will come home again, and I am quite sure the people of Edinburgh would wish them well and thank them for defending our shores against those who think the people of this country have gone a little bit soft.

Andrew Murphy, Royal Mile, Edinburgh

Give me a return to clippies, please

HEAR, Hear James Weir (Interactive, 28 June)!

I agree bus conductors should be re-introduced, I remember "clippies" as a kid and woe betide you if you gave them lip or put your feet on the seats. Fast forward a number of years and I became a clippie in London myself and thoroughly enjoyed the daily challenges, the banter with passengers and colleagues and the joys of roadworks!

I would be more than happy to take that job up if it ever became available here – although its not for just anybody!

There is a certain knack to it. Although you can never stamp out bad language and unacceptable behaviour completely the system can work providing the drivers, the conductors (and the rest of the bus company) and passengers pull together and support each other during times when a passenger is disruptive whatever their age and ability/disability.

Julia MacMillan, Westburn Grove, Edinburgh

Affordable homes are on their way

I WAS disappointed to hear the views from Martin Adams (Interactive, 18 June) regarding the lack of investment in affordable housing to buy in the city. Edinburgh City Council's new house building programme (21st Century Homes for Edinburgh) aims to deliver more than 1,300 new homes for sale and rent over the next few years.

This will include the first council homes built in Edinburgh in a generation, homes for mid-market rent as well as homes for market and affordable sale.

The council recognises the need to provide a range of affordable homes and is working with the private sector to regenerate and deliver mixed tenure communities. We have also successfully secured 4.6 million worth of funding from the Scottish Government to help support the delivery of the programme through the Kick Start funding made available for council house building.

Whilst it is obvious that Edinburgh has a desperate need for affordable housing, we are looking to make the best use of money available and this includes providing homes for affordable sale.

Tricia Brocklebank, programme manager, 21st Century Homes for Edinburgh

Marathon man is a son to be proud of

WHAT A truly wonderful man 27-year -old Mark Cooper from Mountcastle is (News, 25 June).

He is due to complete his 50th marathon in 56 days, arriving in Barcelona after leaving Amsterdam on 1 May.

In the process Mark has raised 24,000 for brain injury charity Edinburgh Headway in memory of his mother, Sheila, who died of a brain haemorrhage when he was just 14.

No doubt she would have been very proud of him. What a true inspiration.

June Fleming, Hercus Loan, Musselburgh