Joel Joffe (Obituary, 28 June) will also be remembered for offering employment at Abbey Life to many South African exiles in London in the 1960s. This was where I met my husband, Nandha, whom Joel had defended in a political trial in Johannesburg in 1965. As our daughter Maya says, “employing you there marks the start of our family life”. Always unassuming, Joel would joke that Nandha was his “one successful case”.
Joel’s commitment to justice was ongoing. He was a wonderfully decent human being.
Beverley Naidoo
Bournemouth
• The Church of England’s plan to introduce contactless payment at 40 churches this summer (Dig deep and beep, Notebook, 29 June) was surely foretold centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah when he proclaimed “you shall be redeemed without money” (52:3b).
Fr Alec Mitchell
Manchester
• With the death of Michael Bond, creator of Paddington Bear (Obituary, 28 June), will the government ask the nation to observe a minute’s hard stare?
Mark Boyle
Johnstone, Renfrewshire
• Jerry Lee Lewis did indeed say that there’s a whole lotta shaking’ goin’ on (Letters, 28 June), but Eddie Fontaine was more explicit in 1958’s Nothin’ Shakin’ (but the Leaves on the Trees).
Dr Quentin L Burrell
Ballabeg, Isle of Man
• What lovely big adverts the TSB had in the paper on Wednesday, advertising “Local Banking for Britain”. Our local branch in Dunblane has just closed down.
David Lippiatt
Doune, Stirling
• Glad to see Simon Smith’s OK after being hit by a bus (Reading’s hardiest pedestrian caught on CCTV, 28 June). Any news of his amazing dancing bear?
Richard Wood
Toddington, Bedfordshire
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