I was emotionally moved by the service at the Royal Albert Hall, named after a German consort of our queen, to remember the many who were slain and tortured Jewish people and others, mainly by the Nazi regime.

This is not a time to just reflect and remember but a time to make things different now and in the future.

I have many European and especially German friends, but if I, as a disfigured blinded man and my two close Jewish friends were in Germany under Hitler we would have been slaughtered.

Altrincham and Sale is a tolerant and welcoming community based on Christian values but welcomes all and that tolerance is essential for our local community, our nation, the Commonwealth and the world.

Though I am a Christian no Faith makes one better than someone else but valuing our values is crucial.

Yours truly

Peter Booth, Hale

Improve your health and life

Are you determined to improve your health and your life? Good habits are often crucial to your resolve's good outcome. Losing weight, becoming fitter, achieving more success and being motivated to do well at work or to make new friends; all require effort to continue beyond the first few days.

Let good habits support your good health

The first thing is that your habits must have real resonance for you. If you're not especially bothered about being slimmer, fitter or more successful, then that lack of enthusiasm won't sustain you through cold dark evenings or on the tough days when your will power starts to waver.

Set small steps towards your bigger goals, rather than becoming overwhelmed.

Recognise each milestone you achieve; praise yourself for enrolling in that class, not eating that cake, declining that alcoholic drink.

Being accountable can be a great motivator. Exchanging tips, advice and motivational stories, perhaps in a group, can really help on tired, unenthusiastic days. And if we know our attendance matters for the group to survive it can inspire us to keep going. Being a group member, even online, can encourage us to stay with good habits. The downside though is if one or two members lose their enthusiasm that can demotivate the rest.

Sometimes paying money upfront to join a club or gym pushes people to go regularly, whilst there are others who lose interest and still only go a couple of times.

Be aware of your own vulnerable areas and put steps in place to mitigate them. So, for example, if you know that you find reasons to justify stopping at the petrol station, off licence or supermarket every day, where you then 'accidentally' buy chocolate, wine, cigarettes or scratch cards, intercept those times and don't go. Instead, shop online or make a list and shop once a week. Don't put yourself in temptation's way.

Paying a professional coach or therapist may be worth considering if there are specific issues which are holding you back which need to be addressed. Regular sessions should help you move on, introduce a positive mindset, manage stress and determine to treat yourself better.

Be gentle with yourself. It can take 2-6 months until a new habit becomes your automatic default. If you experience slip ups, bad days and 'can't be bothered's be kind to yourself and let them go.

Susan Leigh, Altrincham, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media

Going off the rails

REGARDING the National Audit Office report on the costs of High Speed 2 (HS2) ­— these findings come as no surprise to those who have long been saying that HS2 is coming off the rails.

Costs have spiralled out of control and poor management means the project will never be completed on time.

But there must be light at the end of the tunnel for taxpayers.If the Prime Minister makes the obvious decision and scraps HS2, there are many alternative projects on the table that will benefit the whole country.

Harry Fone, campaign manager, TaxPayers’ Alliance