THE Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Jack Taylor and his wife Joan send this message to readers:

Christmas is, to me, a time of year when we should be with our family and close friends, a time of peace and goodwill.

But in rejoicing in the arms of our families we must not forget those who are not as fortunate as ourselves. If you know a neighbour who is on their own please invite them to join you.

Excepting the Holocaust, 11 September this year brought to the United States perhaps the most wicked act ever committed in this world.

Many thousands of people lost their loved ones. Joan and I visited Andover, Massachusetts in October and told our friends there of the services we held in Andover, Romsey and elsewhere in Test Valley, the sympathy we British had for them and the support we wished to give.

This will be the first Christmas the bereaved will spend without their loved ones and I would ask all of you, at this time, to say a prayer for those people, to pray they will receive comfort. I hope all of you will have a most happy Christ-mas and a joyous New Year.