I AM writing as chair of the Community Board which represents Calmac ferry users across the network. Our role is to articulate the views of our communities in a strategic manner into the Calmac organisation.

We very much welcome your series on Scotland's Ferries (“Scotland’s lifeline ferries”, Herald Business, June 12, 13 & 14) and the opportunity that gave to highlight not only the pressing need for improvement but also illustrate the complex background to procurement, ownership and operational aspects of providing our lifeline ferry services – from the commissioning and funding role of Transport Scotland, the procurement, building and owning of assets role of Caledonian Maritime Assets and finally the operating role under its contract by Calmac.

Add to that the ownership of some ports by local authorities, and you can see why the structure of responsibility and decision making is not only confusing but causes a great deal of frustration for individuals and communities trying to positively influence and inform change. This confusion was again illustrated in the recent letter from Bruce Skivington (June 17), who also seems to misunderstand where certain responsibilities lie.

Ferry users do deserve better. Ferries effect all parts of life and decision making in our islands. Efficient and reliable transport is the key to tackling demographic issues, providing equality of services and increasing economic activity.

Communities clearly recognise the urgent need for investment in vessels and infrastructure but also the need for better and more informed decision-making.

Long-term planning with more efficient assets delivering value for money and importantly leading to vast improved resilience in the fleet and service.

It is surely time to bring these communities' knowledge and experience into the process and take a fresh look at how we bring forward the necessary improvement together.

Angus Campbell, Stornoway.

Clothes sense

CATRIONA Stewart asks “who has the time for hand-washing garments”? ("Government action must end the trend for fast fashion", The Herald, June 21).I am sure that there must be many of us, of a certain age, who were taught to hand-wash our "delicates", in the good old days. I have many things I hand-wash and wouldn’t dream of putting my 70-denier dark-brown tights into the machine.

Evening time is when The Herald is read and any mending and darning takes place. I suppose that being reared in wartime, and making many things myself, I am careful of them and like to keep them neat and tidy. I did deliberate a bit yesterday as to whether I should part with the underslip given to me by my sister-in-law in 1978, but, much-mended as it is, I am very fond of it. I like that it is made from Tencel and is anti-static. Where has Tencel disappeared to these days?

I am not happy with this modern attitude to clothing; that it is cheaply bought and quickly thrown away. Even as youngsters we took care of our clothing. It was definitely not "easy come, easy go". For those of us attached to things with which we are comfortable, in which there is a degree of certainty, there is a poem by the American poet Amy Clampitt, A Hermit Thrush, in which she wisely tells of “this cumbersome, much-mended, not unsatisfactory thing”. Beautiful and true.

Just a thought: an excellent use of old clothes, in those "good old days", apart from making quilts, was cutting them into small strips and "pegging" rag rugs with them. I don’t suppose that anyone does that any more?

Thelma Edwards, Kelso.

No match?

AN Important question to ask on Government Minister Mark Field's “brave” intervention against the climate activist Janet Barker is; had it been a 6ft man wearing a jacket would he have been quite so bold (“Minister who grabbed woman protester by the neck suspended”, The Herald, June 22)?

John Jamieson, Ayr.