I HAVE a great deal of respect for Jan Preece; one of a handful of true defenders of Pillgwenlly.

I was born in Albion street in 1948 living later in Baldwin Street and Wilson Street.

My abiding memories of Pill; when I used to stay with my Aunt who ran Turners Happy Snaps in Commercial Road; was the vibrancy, friendliness and diversity of the community that drew me like a magnet on my frequent childhood visits.

It was said that if the doors of the many terraced houses were closed the occupants were in Barry Island or dead; that said; the present day area has gravitated away from its historical demographic that has sadly changed my infrequent visitations to Pill from wonderment to replaced by apprehension.

I don’t believe that Newport has forgotten about Pill however, a high proportion of its residents have no memory of the way it used to be nor the cultural heritage that had passed down through many decades now consigned to the mists of time.

No Jan! Like you I am immensely proud of my Pillgwenlly heritage though there are too few of us left to promote its former virtues.

M M Richards Aberthaw Road Newport