As Jo Farrell’s predecessor as chief constable of Durham I can reassure Sarah Clark (Letters, 18 February) that Durham’s deferred prosecution scheme was established with the active support of the pre-reform probation service. The experimental scheme got off the ground with seconded probation workers and was shaped from their experience. If only the failed Grayling reforms had been subject to the same scientific rigour we applied to this scheme.
Mike Barton
Poulton le Fylde, Lancashire
• Before the correspondence on marmalade ends (Letters, 18 February), could I let all keen makers know that Shaftesbury’s annual Marmafest is on 14 March this year. Interestingly, last year, the winning entries were all made by men. I don’t think they were asked their age, but any Guardian readers might be tempted to put it on the label.
Irene Coppock
Motcombe, Dorset
• To my knowledge, Simone de Beauvoir, Mary Wollstonecraft, Elizabeth Anscombe and Hannah Arendt (to name but a few) didn’t have beards either (Letters, 18 February).
Vivienne Anderson
Leeds
• I see from your photo on page 8 of the paper (Cambridge college lawn dug up by XR protesters, 18 February) that Extinction Rebellion spared the Flower of Kent, Newton’s apple tree, outside Trinity College. On principle?
Margaret Waddy
Cambridge
• Re your special edition of the Feast supplement on cooking for one (15 February): recognition at last – please don’t make this a one-off.
Jacqui Ploog
London
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