I WRITE in support of Christine Luffman, following her letter (The Argus, May 12) in which she responded to Anne Powell’s criticism of the Children’s Parade and her opinion of its “repetitive, tuneless, monotonous music”.

I didn’t see or hear the parade but I can easily imagine the happy faces of those children taking part.

I was immediately rem-inded of something I saw and heard in Norfolk last year while on holiday.

I can’t even remember the village I was in but I was walking towards a river across a field and I heard, in the distance, some tuneless drumming and banging noises.

I eventually came across a group of about 12 severely mentally and physically disabled adults and children. They were in a field, sat in a circle around an able-bodied drummer with a full drum kit.

Each of this group had a drum, cymbal, tambourine or other such noisy percussion instrument which they were banging, in-time as well as they could, to their heart’s content.

The best description of the sound they made is a “cacophony”; but the joy on their faces is something which will stay with me forever.

So, I say this to Anne Powell: get a life and allow children and those less fortunate than you to enjoy the lives they have.

You never know what tomorrow will bring.

Colin Tufnell, Dankton Gardens, Sompting

Anne Powell wrote to The Argus (Letters, May 10) about the Children’s Parade and its lack of musical diversity, suggesting a marching band might have been more musical.

While this is a reasonable point to make, I think Anne might have benefited from observing the march as well as listening to it from her house.

Many of the young people involved in the Children’s Parade were too young to have developed the skills needed to play in a marching band.

However, despite this, the visual impact of what must have been 60 separate schools from across the city and beyond would win over all but the sternest musical critic.

I think the city should applaud Same Sky for what must have been enormously painstaking work, not only to inspire the children and their teachers but organise it so well.

My own children are both too old to play a part in such a parade, and I confess to not missing the challenge of sorting out costumes and getting to the right place on time.

But watching this event gave me a greater appreciation of what each family has achieved as part of the event as a whole.

This may not be the most musical of events, but it’s probably the best on many levels.

Ian Chisnall, Hollingbury Rise, Brighton