Protect children, not just animals, from lead exposure
When working for the same civil service department as Ian Arnott (Letters, 14 July), my husband was told by a senior manager that if he wanted to 'get on' in his career he should 'lose the beard'. He didn't – and he didn't.Dianna HagertyDeal, Kent
I chatted to a group of 16-year-old bearded students after an exam, pointing out the social changes they represented. When training to teach in the 1960s, we students had to shave our beards off when going into schools on teaching practice. Were we just unkempt or dangerous, lefty trendies?Brian ThomasMarden, Kent
Re Barney Ronay's article (11 July), Jasprit Bumrah is cricket's Toshiro Mifune. A mesmerising samurai for our time, he has the gentle mien, the hunched shoulder, the warrior's intensity and natural authority. And we love him.Mary AdamsLondon
What about Two Soups (Everybody's favourite manic pixie dream aunt: Celia Imrie's 20 best films – ranked!, 10 July)?Lucy HamiltonWeymouth, Dorset
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