WITH regard to recent comments in the Guardian relating to The Grange School Boathouse, we respect all river users.

However, we reserve the greatest respect for the health and safety of our pupils, and for those who are actually managing the river - with great success - in the modern age.

We are working in complete conjunction with British Waterways, which in fact manages all of the commercial traffic on that stretch of the river, and have already conducted an in-depth preliminary survey of the area, to be followed shortly by a full joint survey. We will ensure that our use of the Weaver will not interfere in anyway with commercial traffic.

Three very professional agencies, British Waterways, national rowing organisations and the school, have worked together on this project from the outset.

When health and safety issues have been raised we have dealt with them promptly and efficiently, as we will continue to do in the future.

This will be the fourth boathouse on this stretch of the river, which is therefore a well-proven safe area for young people to learn and enjoy this marvellous sport.

We believe the project has the full support of a very large number of people, and that it will provide a marvellous facility for young people.

We realise that extra usage of the river can cause problems and worries for those with an existing interest in its usage. That is why we have taken such care to get this project right.

J E STEPHEN, HEADMISTRESS,

The Grange School,

Hartford.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.