From Mr Laurence Young

Sir, - It seems a sad irony that the single largest part of the very generous legacy of Hazel Jones-Olszewski to St Davids diocese (£1.5 million out of £2.6 million) will be used to give its congregations something of a "precept holiday": a move that will merely reduce the motivation of those congregations to maintain or increase their own generosity of giving.

You report ( News, 8 August) that Mrs Jones-Olszewski wanted her bequest to be used for "charitable church purposes", as "a lasting memorial", and to be "for the diocese as a whole". Using a significant chunk of her donated funds just to defray the parish share that those congregations should give to meet operational expenses doesn't appear to meet any of those wishes; rather, it seems inward-looking and self-serving.

LAURENCE YOUNG
3 Dark Hill, Davington
Kent ME13 7SP