OVER the last few months everywhere we have gone, we have been bombarded with news, petitions and campaigns to save the Falmouth Rugby Club from being moved. This is not a complaint from myself, or those whom I speak on behalf of. Quite the opposite, we have admired the community spirit to stick together and fight as one BIG voice. On the other side, the community members from Budock Water have battled on with their case again as one. It is with this in mind that we would now like to ask the people of Falmouth and surrounding areas to turn their attention to another important and very urgent matter, the issue of affordable housing.

As I have travelled around witnessing various petitions being signed to save the Rugby Club, I have suggested that the rugby club move isn't such a bad thing, especially if it means creating a realistic and workable opportunity to create a substantial amount of affordable homes.

The average reply has been: "You may as well sign this petition, they are never going to put affordable housing there!" Well, we propose that, now it looks likely that the Rugby Club is moving, let's not let it go in vain and use some of that fantastic campaign spirit to fight for something that is truly needed. A very high percentage of friends and acquaintances from our school years and beyond haven't been seen for a long time. Yes, some wanted to move away, but many we are still in contact with all say the same thing: they miss their home towns and they miss Cornwall, but what can they do as they just can't afford to live here anymore.

I myself have worked since leaving school, rented numerous amounts of homes, 90% of which have been owned by people from outside of Cornwall. My partner and I, and our two young children, now have to reside with my mother as we no longer desire to pay someone else's mortgage, and with the present housing state are unable to find a realistic mortgage of our own. We are just one family amongst many, many families in similar and far worse situations.

Over the next few weeks we will distribute petitions throughout Falmouth and Penryn and urge everyone to campaign alongside us Families For Affordable Housing'. We support and need the affordable housing proposed by Carrick to be built on the site of the present Falmouth Rugby ground for the sake of our families and children.

We would like our elected local members of the town council and the people of Falmouth to support and join in our campaign for affordable housing in Falmouth.

Contact us on families4housing@tiscali.co.uk Name and address supplied