Correspondents who want their say

May 9 2007 By Catherine Lillington, Birmingham Mail

As part of Local Newspaper Week the BIRMINGHAM MAIL turns the spotlight on three regular correspondents to our letters pages.

EVERY day they tell it like it is, unafraid to ruffle a few feathers with their often outspoken views.

Between them Sydney Vaughan, better known by his initials S T, Jenny Berki and Ian Payne have had thousands of letters printed in the Birmingham Mail.

Sydney has become so famous from the readers' letters page, another correspondent wondered whether he would put himself forward to become Birmingham's elected mayor.

Retired railwayman Sydney, 63, from Yardley Wood, said: "The page is a place where I can have my say without fear or prejudice.

"I started to write because there was alot of injustice and the working man's voice wasn't being heard. I felt the only place you could get things said was in the letters page of the Mail. More people should write, especially young readers.

"I feel satisfied if people understand what I'm saying and if it provokes debate, even if they disagree with me."

Jenny, 41, from Northfield, said: "I write letters as something strikes me. I start to feel very opinionated about things and feel very inspired to write to the Mail."

In a recent letter the mum-of-two wrote: "Is Manchester Britain's second city? Only if Birmingham is Britain's first city. Instead of challenging Manchester for second place, maybe we ought to challenge London for first place!"

Ian, a former nurse currently taking a secretarial course, said he draws on his experiences of life for his letters.

The 44-year-old, from Lichfield, said: "I get some kind of pressure in my chest and I need to write.

"I'm a passionate believer in the letters page because the ordinary person needs a couple of pages to put a piece of their mind over."