SIR — Andrew McCausland is to be commended for his attempt in A Word in Edgeways (Free Press January 1) to grapple with some aspects of our society which give him, and others of us, cause for concern.

He is less than specific about the matters which concern him, perhaps for good reason, but this makes a response difficult.

I would, however, like to draw attention to some of the things which are happening in Minehead which are doing just what Andrew advocates, building a better society brick by brick.

Most of the following examples are of fairly recent origin.

Let's start with the Hope Centre, a very worthwhile project to help people with long-standing difficulties, instigated by two women in his own church, and taken up by that church to very good effect.

There are various attempts afoot to make a local response to Climate Change threats – and these threats are real, and they are largely our responsibility.

Forum 21 has done a superb job in publicising what needs to be done for the environment and getting on and doing some of it. And now the Transition Town movement is making its own particular input in this field.

In the wider sphere, the fairly recently established Amnesty Group quietly works very hard for political prisoners everywhere; Save the Children remembers the young needy ones all over the world.

Young people in our schools are encouraged to take part in all sorts of work on behalf of the less fortunate members of society and for the natural world in a way which scarcely existed in previous generations.

If any of your readers support and work for any of the many other groups in this town who have a concern for our community and the wider world, forgive me for not mentioning you all.

I simply want to say to Andrew that yes, of course there are things happening in Minehead which are saddening and, indeed, wrong.

It is often difficult to know how to go about dealing with deep seated disorders in society – and all societies, always, have had such.

But one thing we can do without hesitation is to nurture and support all the good which is going on. Goodness and right action are infectious too.

Bridget Baillie,

Carlton Court,

Minehead.