DEAR SHARON

Hooray – at last someone else fighting for the cause of brighter lights.

I have solved the problem in a highly-starred hotel after asking in vain for at least a plugin lamp, by taking a chair into the bathroom to read. For some reason this room is not usually included in the environmentally friendly dim list. For holiday cottages, I always take a clip-on plug-in spotlight.

As for museums and galleries, often the small font, dim lighting, and low positioning of the labels for wheelchair users, is not helpful for those who are unable to bend at the knees, and using varifocals. I object to paying for an audio guide because of their inadequate labelling.

I wouldn’t have thought labels are such a huge expense.

Perhaps museums could be persuaded to put extra large labels, or even two in different positions, to suit wheelchair users and the dim of vision.

Julia Cryer (by email).

Dear Sharon,

I totally agree with John Clark (Backchat, August 8) with reference to expecting thanks. As children, we were made to sit down and write to each family member, who had sent us a gift.

Mam taught us that “manners maketh the man” and even today I write a little note of thanks for gifts, dinner parties or treats but we are in the minority.

Like John and his wife, we have also organised a wedding and got very few thanks from guests. Writing thanks seems to be a dying custom and I do mean writing, not texting, emailing or Facebook.

Chris Banks (by email).

Dear Sharon,

When my husband and I got married we already had most of the essentials. We told our friends that if they really wanted to give us a present (and they didn’t have to) could they just give us something small and cheerful for everyday use.

We now have a wonderful collection of jokey mugs, mats, salt and pepper pots, plates, egg cups, tea towels, glasses and corkscrews that remind us of our friends and make us smile.

Much nicer than a posh dinner set that would just live in the cupboard and never be used.

Denny Pierce (by email)