EVERYONE'S hearts must surely go out to families who have lost homes and who have lost businesses as a result of the recent floods -- some for the second or third time in the last few months.

The finger of blame for such events could be pointed at governments, ever eager to grovel to the whims of corporate greed in exchange for political power, and at our own individual greed, which gives those concerned the excuse to carry on their destruction of the natural environment in the name of supply and demand.

But what can we do, as a community, to render immediate help in the case of any other such natural or man-made disaster? Despite the ravages inflicted upon society by what is now effectively a one-party state, there still remains a number of people to whom the concept of doing what is known in these parts as 'summat fer nowt' -- ie without lining one's pockets --is not yet an alien one. Daily press reports about caring, courageous and generous young people of all ages and backgrounds are ample evidence of that fact.

In the light of these factors, I propose that, under the guidance of the existing emergency services, Fire and Rescue Brigades, Ambulance, Mountain Rescue Services, and, possibly, the Police, a Civilian Volunteer Corps be set up, operating on a humanitarian basis that is by the community for the community. The training, various elements of which, in one form or another, are already in place within the national curriculum, could start at primary school, up to and throughout adulthood. It could extend into the wider community, in the shape of organisations such as the Fire Service Cadet scheme, which is now a Europe-wide movement and which, I believe, also receives funding from the European Community. Thus the Corps and, thereby, each individual member, would be an integral part of the community at every stage.

Because the Corps, being civilian, would be open to all members of the community, there would be no need for swearing of oaths of allegiance or any of that malarkey. The only motive for membership would be a desire to serve the community. Whether the recipients of that service happen to possess, say, German or Argentinian passports or are of the Jewish, Hindu or Moslem faith would be irrelevant -- a drowning man would not ask my religion before accepting help.

There exists a wealth of resources in terms of enthusiasm and energy, organisational and physical skills, technical know-how and, of course, rich and extremely generous business people. There are cooks, cleaners, bottle washers. HGV drivers (of the fast or slow variety), pilots. engineers, scuba divers, sailors, paramedics, counsellors, mountain climbers, potholing enthusiasts, people with computer skills, navigation skills and, of course, experts in their own field within each of the four emergency services. You name it, we have it. The community needs it, the will is there, the money is there.

Britannia has always been willing to waive the rules in order to get what she wants. So come on, Captain Blair, get your spinners, movers and shakers together, bend a few ears, make some waves in the right direction. Or will you, in white knuckled panic, grip even tighter on to the gunwales of your increasingly soggy ship, yelling out for rapid reaction, only when Sandringham-by-the-Sea is in imminent danger of becoming 'Sandringham-under-Wash'? According to the experts that could happen any time now.

William Kelly.

(not the politician)

Darley Street,

Farnworth, Bolton.