WHAT a shame that Bill Heine decided to indulge in some village gossip rather than take the time to talk to the organisers of the Forest Hill Feast (Heine on Friday, July 24).

Instead of celebrating a really pleasant event that provided outdoor entertainment for a wide range of age groups and gave the opportunity for people in the village to meet and enjoy the activities together and raised much-needed funds for the village sports and social club and St Nicholas Church, he chose to write a snidey, unpleasant article full of inaccuracies and underhand insults.

Many people choose to give their time and services freely or at reduced rates to support our events – no-one is “leaned on”.

We take our health and safety responsibilities seriously which is why a qualified doctor was on hand at all times. The dog that bit the MC was removed by the husband of its owner, the doctor, so that she could remain on site. The MC admitted that he should not have approached a dog that he didn’t know without checking with the owner first.

The bite was not serious as proved by the MCs willingness to carry on after being checked and the slight wound attended to.

This was the fourth dog show held in Forest Hill and the first negative incident. Perhaps if Mr Heine had made just a little more effort to speak to some of the other organisers he may have gained more accurate facts so that he could write a responsible report.

It is clear that snide remarks and negative comments make for good copy. What a shame Mr Heine could not give equal credence to the hard work and positive vibe that made the day so successful.

ANNA WESTON
Forest Hill Sports & Social Club committee member