Letters, contributions and comments sent in from Recorder readers this week.

Can we please step back and lower the volume?

Anthony Silvane, Bluebell Avenue, Manor Park, writes:

Everywhere I go I am bombarded by noise. Loud music from cars, people using smartphones without earpieces, loud conversations using the aforesaid phones on buses and tubes.

Where I live, the trains thunder past day and night. People - mainly the young - conduct conversations in which they shout rather than talk.

There seems to be no escape from it.

When will people start to recognise others' need for peace and quiet? But it is also in the interests of these noise makers themselves.

I perceive a malaise in society involving a lack of discipline and respect, violence on a horrendous scale and stress levels tantamount to crisis point. One example would be employers who think nothing of phoning their workers any time day or night.

The benefits of consideration are enormous. These range from stilling and calming the mind; more nourishing sleep; less self-centredness and more concern for others; and actually listening to and engaging with those whose voice is not heard that often, eg the disabled and lonely.

In summary, I would say that the whole of society would take a step in the right direction by generally lowering the volume.

We could well become more aware of the need for diversity, for listening attentively to others' point of view and, above all, by cherishing and the right and requirement of humanity for tranquillity in life.

Thanks for supporting us

Rebecca Greenbank, Alzheimer's Society community fundraiser, writes:

On behalf of Alzheimer's Society I would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to your readers for uniting against dementia and taking part in Cupcake Day 2019.

In just the time it takes to bake a batch of cupcakes, six people will develop dementia in the UK.

Across London almost 72,000 people are living with dementia and 850,000 are affected UK -wide.

Alzheimer's Society is investing in, and accelerating, dementia research and has committed to spending at least £150m in the next decade. Every Cupcake Day event held helps Alzheimer's Society find a cure, improve care and offer support, help and understanding for people affected.

We are so grateful to all the bakers and fakers who have taken part in Cupcake Day this year.

We want to thank everyone who participated for playing a vital part in raising awareness of dementia and uniting with Alzheimer's Society against the disease.

For people wanting to get involved in fundraising Alzheimer's Society's Memory Walk takes place in September at Clapham Common and Queen Elizabeth's Park.

- If you can't make those why not consider organising Your Walk, Your Way! Sign up now at memorywalk.org.uk

Breakfast club funding boost

Kate Prince, corporate social responsibility manager, Kellogg's, writes:

Schools in the UK could be in with the chance of winning £1,000 by entering the annual Kellogg's Breakfast Club Awards.

The Breakfast Club Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the wonderful and inspiring work that goes on in schools up and down the country.

Kellogg's has supported breakfast clubs for 21 years because we believe that every child deserves the best start to their day.

Clubs offer so many benefits for the school such as improved attendance and behaviour in the classroom. The children love them too as they get a chance to wake up in a fun way before lessons begin.

The Kellogg's Breakfast Club Awards are just one part of Kellogg's support for school breakfast clubs. This year the cereal company announced that in 2019 it is doubling the funding for breakfast clubs in communities that need it the most and will donate a minimum of £600,000 to schools across the UK.

There is plenty of time to enter, entries opened on Monday, July 4 and will close on Friday, October 4 and will be judged by a panel of experts.

- To find out more and to enter the Breakfast Club Awards, visit: breakfastclubawards.co.uk