TOLERANCE is a splendid virtue; no one should object to another individual's pleasure if the activity indulged in by that individual did no physical or emotional harm to any other individual.

But tolerance does not mean that a minority can defy the moral standards of the majority. There is a balance to be struck between an individual's freedom and the moral values of society as a whole.

Hunting falls into the same category of gratuitous cruelty as badger-baiting, dog-fighting, bear-baiting, etc. It is clear that a clear majority of people consider that hunting offends our sense of decency, regardless of how much pleasure it gives a certain minority.

It does not so greatly matter whether this or that particular form of cruelty is prohibited; what matters is that all forms of cruelty should be shown to be incompatible with the progress of mankind.

Almost every conceivable form of cowardly slaughter is practised as "sportsmanlike" and commended as "manly". All this, moreover, is done before the eyes and for the example of mere youths and children, who are thus from their tenderest years instructed in the habit of being pitiless and cruel.

The Countryside Alliance can only seek out the margins of these activities in order to hide the real horrors that exist in the hunting field. The Boxing Day parades serve to promote such cruelty under a heavily-disguised event using tradition to mask the realty of hunting.

WITH the start of 2012, many people will be making their New Year resolutions and planning to make a difference, either for themselves or for others.

Whatever the reason – be it getting fit, participating in a sporting event, signing-up for a once-in-a-lifetime challenge, or taking up voluntary work – The Children's Trust would love to hear from you.

The Children's Trust is a national charity which provides care, education and therapy for children with multiple disabilities and complex health needs, and rehabilitation to children with an acquired brain injury. The Trust offers lots of ways in which you can play a part in making a difference and help to enhance the lives of some of the UK's most severely disabled children.

The Children's Trust has lots of fundraising activities taking place during the year – some at national level: National Doughnut Week and Humphrey's Pyjama Week – as well as many regional and local activities organised by our supporter groups.

We have available places in many famous running events – including half and full marathons – and would love to hear from runners who would like to represent the Trust in the Great North Run, the Great South Run, Brighton Marathon, other regional runs or the Virgin London Marathon. For those of you who are enthusiastic about taking on a special challenge, why not join us for a trek to Cambodia, Kilimanjaro or Ethiopia? Alternatively, if you are looking for something closer to home, perhaps you would like to start a local supporter group to help raise funds. If so, we can offer help and advice to get you started. For more ideas on how you can support The Children's Trust, including becoming a volunteer at one of our charity shops, please visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk. Alternatively e-mail enquiries@thechildrenstrust.org.uk or phone 01737 365020.

Please consider supporting The Children's Trust this year to help make a difference to the lives of some very special children. With very best wishes for a happy and fulfilling new year,

YEOVIL Town Council seems to have a problem regarding parking in the town.

There is an idea being considered about putting parking meters on the streets, which in my opinion would further damage the trading situation in the town.

Also, there was an article (Western Gazette, January 5) about delays in plans to build an urban village, as the car parks would be lost.

What planet do the people who dream up these ideas come from? We need better parking arrangements to encourage people to come to the town to shop and, at the same time, to make sure there is satisfactory parking places available.

I would suggest that a multi-storey car park be built at the site of the old cattle market with an overhead mini-tram and walkway link over the dual carriageway connected to the hospital. This would ease the parking situation for both shoppers and visitors to the hospital.

The funding for this could come from Government cutting back on some of the foreign aid (we need this taxpayers' money for local aid) or it could come from the £26 million of taxpayers' money that the council deposited in Icelandic Banks. I assume it has got this money back.

WHY is it that this country is in such a state?

I think we all know the answer. Yes, the truth hurts.

We all know that we have vast depression, cuts left right and centre to hospitals, benefits pensions, etc, with a forecast of yet more to come.

Meanwhile you have, which is ongoing, the common market, foreign aid – of which most countries do not need – and immigration, just to mention but a few. So who is to blame?

From past and present governments and past and present MPs from the big man at the top to your lowest paid civil servant, it is obvious over the years that most of them have been lining their own pockets, and now it is payback time – who is it affecting the most?

Taxpayers and pensioners, most of whom have worked all their lives, paid their way, and are now asked to pay again.

I'M sure I speak for all rational people everywhere when I thank Canon Eric Woods, the Vicar of Sherborne, for not praying for us.

I should hate the thought of a busy person such as himself wasting valuable time talking to himself on my behalf.

It may surprise him to know that millions of good people worldwide live very happy lives without the supernatural intervention of his invisible friend.

ON the morning of Tuesday, December 20, and the afternoon of Wednesday, December 21, the Soldiers' Sailors' Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA) held a collection at the main Tesco store in Yeovil.

Helping in the fund-raising were some of the Yeovil Sea Cadets who were bag packing.

A huge thank you to all who donated so generously, the total sum raised was £1,825.