Why are they bored? (From Gazette & Herald)

Why are they bored?

I HAD a good laugh at the "serious" lack of facilities for young people in Ryedale. Just in Malton and Norton I can tick off on my fingers:

A swimming pool and gym; a rugby club); soccer all with youth teams; cricket club; a tennis club; a dance academy; two cadet units which provide gliding, shooting, camping, athletics, first aid etc. At least two cyber cafes; a public library which is "on line"; church choirs and bell ringing; two community centres with banks of computers.

Additionally there is the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, and the solitary or group opportunities to walk, jog, run or cycle in wonderful countryside.

When my brother or I dared to say, "I'm bored", or "There's nothing to do round here" my mother had a whole range of exciting "things to do" at her finger tips, turning the mangle, fetching coal, sawing logs for the fire, chopping sticks for the copper or simply washing the dishes. This quickly endued a sense of adventure and our rapid departure into the wild blue yonder!

If youngsters really do not know how to entertain themselves and have lost all initiative perhaps The Ryedale Over Fifties Forum could teach them how to play. After all, we use practically all of these facilities. D of E, well many of us would like to do that too, sadly we are a bit senior for the Cadets!

Updated: 10:38 Thursday, June 06, 2002