GARETH Gates will be delivering the "Red Nose" song this year, and finding out on the night of the event whether he has passed his driving test.

Great entertainment for us. Definitely worth the £10 we will pledge as a result.

Interestingly, one national newspaper, which calls itself the official "Red Nose" paper, also told us that, apparently, Mr Gates is hoping to purchase, should he pass, a £150,000 motor, probably worth the equivalent to him of £5.

I have no argument with Gareth Gates in particular, but, with "Children In Need" tugging at the heart-strings of the general public every year as well, can I suggest that we be given a couple of years off, for "decent responses to all these causes over many years", and be able to spend the evening, instead, watching a celebrity-filled audience raise the £20,000,000 from their own purses? Perhaps the odd car or two could be sold, or how about one of their three or four homes?

They would be able to raise the money in about 10 minutes, and we could have our faith in "all" humanity restored in time for the next television charitable extravaganza because "we're all in it together". Or perhaps I'm the only one who is beginning to get a "sour" taste for this particular form of money-raising.

Graham Cook

Whalley Avenue

Bolton