It seems quite extraordinary to me that at a time when the Government and every other agency seems to be advising us to take on a healthy lifestyle and avoid the dangers of obesity and other deadly illnesses, the town council chooses this time to renege on their commitments to fund the local athletics club and its annual run (“Parents will be devastated”, Borehamwood Times, October 16).

I believe race organiser Pauline Poole has been treated shoddily in not being informed prior to the council’s hasty decision, which in my opinion it should reverse in quick order.

Surely, the fact that every other shop in the high street appears to be a bakers or eatery, and old-time pubs jolly out food in hearty abandon, would alert the authorities that foremost in priority for the people of this area would be exercise incentives.

During the past year, there have been marathons for all ages staged in Aldenham, Bushey, Harpenden, Hatfield and Radlett, to name a few, which have roped in thousands of runners and spectators.

The race, organised by the Borehamwood Club, wends its way through Well End, to Shenley and back to Borehamwood taking in a lovely strip of countryside, but I would hasten to say it is doubtful whether you could count on the fingers of one hand the number of people in these villages with knowledge of this annual event.

Along with this, it is some years past that I brought up the notion of having a cycle track to link up Shenley village with Borehamwood — again particularly beneficial for people of the area.

Of course, I have had no reply, or enthusiasm for mooted idea.

It is time the council thought outside its heavily-insulated box, for the fella once said: ‘Some people see things and say why, I see things that never were and say why not?’

Michael McEnhill

New Road, Shenley