AS members of Blackburn and District Chamber of Trade we would like to point out to Lynn Leigh, of Shadsworth Neighbourhood Association (Letters, January 2), that not all town-centre traders were against the trip her committee organised for deprived residents to visit the Trafford Centre.

The remarks made by Ron O'Keefe, the Chamber's president condemning the trip, were without reference to group members and, as such, should only be recorded as Mr O'Keefe's personal opinions.

We appreciate that residents of Shadsworth are entitled to do their shopping wherever they please and are confident that a trip to the Trafford Centre will only serve to remind people what good value, standards and service can be obtained right on their own doorsteps in Blackburn town centre, particularly for shoppers on a limited budget.

We are sure that the majority of town centre traders do understand the problems of residents on limited incomes and do their best to support them -- with low prices and superb service whenever possible.

As a gesture of our support for all the hard work that people like Lynn Leigh and her colleagues do, we are making a small contribution towards Shadsworth Neighbourhood Association's next trip.

JOHN VAUGHAN, Blackburn Record Exchange, Higher Church Street, Pauline Vaughan, 1st Class Maths, Higher Church Street and Jeff Stone Hairdressing, Fleming Square, Blackburn.