I thank The Times for the recent illustrated features about the “new village” (Raħal il-Ġdid) of Paola (Casal Paola), founded at the time of the Crusaders and now celebrating its parish church’s centenary. I was born and bred in its Arcade Street (before I emigrated to London aged 27), between the old archway (hence the street name) and the 17th century St Ubaldesca church.

The archway, which used to be in front of the present parish church, was obviously a gate to a walled Crusader property – on the inner aspect of the arch was a coat of arms with two hunting dogs on the side, with the centrepiece missing. The original Hibernians football club was built above this archway, which was unfortunately demolished (instead of being repaired) in the days when conservation of historic structures in Malta was virtually unheard of.

In the 1950s, an Arbor Day organised by Dolores Vella, Rita Chetcuti and my father Angelo Cilia (respectively the primary school head mistresses and head master), saw pupils plant trees in Paola Square and all along Żabbar Road.

There were no local councils in those days but, when one did appear in Fgura, it gave way to residents’ unfounded claims of tree-root damage to their houses’ foundations and all the Żabbar Road trees were uprooted. Congratulations to Naxxar local council for resisting similar residents’ pleas to uproot street trees.

Thanks are also due for the illustrated feature (November 22) about the Paola parish Christ the King function centred around help for our poor (formally estimated at 15 per cent of overall Maltese population and 22 per cent of over-65s) – also a sobering reminder for Christianity to be more about help to others rather than simply about how many church seats we’ve sat on.